It’s that time of year again, when pumpkin spice takes over the land and the air starts to feel just a little bit crisp. Hard pass on the pumpkin spice (eggnog only, thanks!), but I do plan on enjoying the cooling fresh air with a lot more walking…especially as it’s Walktober!

During the month of October, get out and add a few more steps to your day. Not only will it be good for your health, it’s a great way to explore and connect with your neighborhood and other transit options, reduce your carbon footprint…and it could change your daily commute for the better.

Commuter Ryan Long walks to his Metrolink station so early in the morning, it’s still dark out!

Don’t take our word for it! Here’s Ryan Long, who commutes via walking and train ride from Lancaster to downtown Los Angeles every day:

“The early morning walk to the train station for me starts at 4:30 a.m. Living in Lancaster, I see rabbits, coyotes, lizards and many other cool walks of life along the way. A short 12-minute walk is a great way to stay fit and clear my mind. I exercise daily, and this is a great jumpstart. I arrive at the station and am greeted by a lovely church group that hands out donuts and coffee for free! How great! The two-hour ride from Lancaster to Union Station provides me with time to sleep. My coworkers poke fun at me, thinking I am greatly inconvenienced by making this trip. They do not know that I get an extra four hours of sleep per day! I can also catch up on my books, movies and television shows! I have met many great people along the way and would not trade this for the stressful car drive ever again.”

Ryan shared his story with us when pledging to share the ride, and you should pledge too, for a chance to have your story featured on The Source (and the chance to win some awesome prizes).

Want to get walking but not sure where to start? CicLAvia is just around the corner, and all walkers are welcome. So as tempting as it is to spend the entire weekend marathoning Gilmore Girls on Netflix…break out the walking shoes and put those feet in gear!