There are at least three extenuating circumstances in Otsego County that would, regrettably, make me recommend that people not walk. Fortunately, two of them can be fixed and the third is only a sometime thing.

The Toddsville Bridge. First, there is an abandoned bridge in Toddsville, off Route 26. Due to safety concerns, this bridge has been closed to vehicular traffic for several years, but the locals still use it as part of a preferred mile long loop. Great location, but the bridge is unsafe.

Still walkers, including children on Halloween, use it regularly because it is the logical pathway. The bridge provides an obvious benefit to the community, but WE GO cannot recommend that anyone use it.

However, couldn't it be repaired for pedestrian and bicycle traffic? Some fundraising, some well-spent county funds, a building project for local labor and a community project that benefits and safeguards all sounds like a winner all round.

Otsego County Roads. Because of our beautiful hilly terrain, many of our county roads are, necessarily, narrow and winding, rendering them unsafe as shared use roadways. Cyclists and walkers are supposedly entitled to share the road with motor vehicles, but it's a risky proposition. A foot or two of shoulder set aside on a narrow road and divided by a line of paint hardly makes for the best situation. Motorists barreling down the road at 55 mph or more aren't looking for someone walking or cycling and very often resent them. Our best option is a dedicated shared-use trail for non-motorized transportation. Governor Pataki has been very supportive of the Erie Canal Trail and currently supports a "superhighway" for snowmobiles. Surely our elected officials can agree that Otsego County deserves a pathway so we can walk or bike safely from one village to another. Enhanced appreciation of our picturesque county, increased physical activity, traffic congestion eased, superior tourism opportunities and small businesses encouraged. Where's the down side?

Old Man Winter. Not a lot we can do about this one, Nature being what it is. You can dress for it, bundle up, layer, stay hydrated and wear appropriate footwear but, at 25 below zero, fortitude is folly. Move the activity inside, get a treadmill or take the day off. When temperatures get that brutal, it's unsafe to be exposed to the elements unnecessarily, unless you want to risk the flash freezing process so effective on fish fillets. And, take heart, it will warm up to 10 degrees in a day or two.

Brenda Berstler is the founder of the Walking Example Group (WE-GO) a non-profit organization encouraging walking and walkable communities. Visit their website at www.we-go.org.