I’m feeling the warm sun on my face, the wind lifting my hair, the birds calling to each other. ‘This is life,’ I say to myself. Without effort I think a lot while walking. Ideas come unexpectedly. It’s my new superpower. I came to realize this after deciding to give up my car for one week. Instead of driving, I walk, cycle, take the train, or call a rideshare.

I discovered that I like walking. Powered by my own legs and feet, I stroll local blocks margined by trees. At a walker’s pace I notice their wide variety of shapes, leaves, scents, height, and color. Sometimes my walks have a destination—the grocery store, dentist’s office, a friend’s house, but other times these walks take me to a park or lake.

My physical strength is improving. I bought a bike a few years ago and used it mostly for pleasure riding and sometimes to push myself physically. Without my car, the bike is my wheels. I ride it to the library, the hardware store, the gym, my community garden plot, and to events at Barrington’s White House. If ever I have an issue with my bike, the people at Village CycleSport are always ready to help, sometimes at no cost. Hills that once posed a struggle are easier.

While I enjoy my newly found ability to find whatever I want locally, I need some disruption to the routine. I walk to the Metra station and take the train to Chicago. I head over to the Art Institute to see the “Frida Khalo Month in Paris” exhibit and the “Ancient Roman Sculptures” just a train ride away.

I did call an Uber once to attend a friend’s party who lives beyond walking or biking distance. I got a ride back with another guest who lives in a town nearby.

My initial anxiety about the constraints of giving up my car changed to a feeling of peace. I feel good that my carbon footprint is minimized, that my muscles are stronger, and energy level higher. Greeting strangers on the street and accepting rides from others connects me to people and community. I have no gas tank to fill, no need to run while I walk, and time to reclaim my focus.

I’m in an advantaged position for going carless in Barrington. I live in the village, work from home, have no young children to care for, and no physical limitations. Not everyone can do this for a week. But maybe for one day, leave your car in the garage. See what’s available to you at a walker’s pace, a cyclist’s view, on a train, or from someone else’s car, and see how it goes.

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Mary Klest is a Barrington-based writer and local journalism advocate. She can be reached at mary@maryklest.com.