Great personal write-up. When I was walking to work and taking the train everywhere a couple of years ago (because I wasn't living in the US), it was the best time of my life, and I am actively trying to recapture that. I also found myself being healthier, feeling better, etc. when not driving.

It's truly amazing how driving is the default in American society, and it gets accepted as such, but when you're able to break away from it, it feels like the world opens up. Despite the bitter cold of a Chicago winter, I'd much prefer to just walk somewhere than take a car, even if walking takes longer.