single condition is trueParagraph count: 10If there are more than 3 paragraphs, insert after the 3rd paragraph
“Weird walks” have recently been trending on TikTok—and they’re just as straightforward as they sound. Basically, the game is this: Go out for a walk, and don’t head home until you’ve found something weird. That could be a bench with a funny inscription, some interesting graffiti you’ve never noticed before, or a funny animal interaction, like spotting a fox or racoon carrying a slice of pizza or two geese who seem to be engaging (loudly) in the neighborhood gossip.
Videos by Outdoors with Bear Grylls
Want to give it a try? Here are a few ways to stumble upon weirder stuff on your next morning walk—and a few things to look out for.
Leave the house before sunrise. You’re more likely to see nocturnal animals in the hours around dawn when fewer people are out and about. If you live in an urban area, getting up early can give you the chance to watch your city slowly come to life. You might spot bakers heading into cafes to start making the day’s treats or restaurant workers clearing up after a long night. Consider taking some time to sit on a bench and just observe the city around you as the morning commute ebbs and flows.
Image by Photo by Joel Sharpe
Walk somewhere you only ever drive. Think about a place you normally only ever drive or take public transit to. Now, do that route on foot (if it’s safe for pedestrians to do so). You might notice interesting architecture you’ve previously sped past, signs that make you laugh, or tiny pockets where nature has reclaimed the city, like where a tree trunk has grown right around a fence so that the fence seems to run right through it.
Read plaques and inscriptions, and don’t forget to look down. Take time to read signs and plaques you wouldn’t notice while driving. In many parts of the U.S., for example, sidewalks have plaques embedded in the pavement that tell you when it was built and by whom. Many older sidewalks were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression, which was formed to create jobs during widespread unemployment. The CCC was also responsible for building a lot of the trails and recreation infrastructure we still use in National Parks today.
Image by Westend61
Plan to take wrong turns. Instead of staring at your navigation app, head out without a specific destination in mind and just see where you end up. Turn down colorful alleyways where you might spot new, interesting murals, and walk further than you usually do.
Here are some things to look (and listen) for – how many can you check off?
Type of bird you’ve never seen before
Type of plant you’ve never seen before
An animal doing something weird/interesting
Bench with a funny inscription
Tree growing around or through a fence
Sidewalk inscription you’ve never noticed before
Interesting graffiti
Mural you’ve never noticed before
Historical plaque
Pick up some litter
Car in an odd color
License plate from a state more than 100 miles away
Truly clever bumper sticker
Shop you’ve never been to before
Funny street name
Wildflowers where you didn’t expect them
Alleyway you’ve never noticed before
Unsent love letter someone dropped on the ground
Buried treasure
Small dog being unreasonably territorial
Neighborhood cat(s) taunting neighborhood dog(s)
Dog named Cornelius (or similarly regal-sounding)
Someone walking a cat
Someone walking a pet that isn’t a dog or cat
Someone pushing a pet in a stroller
Functioning pay phone
Overhear a funny conversation out of context
A car more than 50 years old
Someone riding a unicycle
Someone using a pogo stick as transportation
Wildlife where it doesn’t belong (i.e. a bear in Manhattan)
Escaped zoo animal (keep your distance)
How do you keep your morning walks interesting? Let us know in the comments.
