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'Sweet Spot' With Mike Sugerman: 'The Great Saunter' Around Manhattan

NEW YORK (WCBS 880) -- Ever walk around Manhattan?

I mean, AROUND Manhattan.

It is an island, after all. You can start and end at the same place.

And that's what upwards of 2,000 people will do this Sunday.

"It's called The Great Saunter," says Nick DiNapoli, of the group Shorewalkers. "It's a 32 mile walk around Manhattan."

This will be the 33rd time it's being held. People come from all over the world to take part. Why?

"We do it for the physical challenge," he says. Which it is.

I like urban hiking, so I gave it a shot on my own this week. Sauntered 32 miles in their shoes, as it were.

The day starts at the Fraunces Tavern, near the southern tip of the island, where George Washington gave his Farewell Address to the generals in 1783.

The route goes along the Hudson, around the Harlem, and down the East rivers. Usually there is water on one side of you.

But on the other side is usually traffic. I came upon an accident and some very angry people.

It balanced out the tranquility of other parts of the walk, and there was plenty of that. You see lots of birds and fowl.

And birds that foul. Direct hit, mile 6. Glad I was wearing a hat.

Thirty-two and some odd miles -- 74,500 and some odd steps. Let's break it down by the numbers… step by step:

Number of neighborhoods: 20.

Number of bridges: 10. Walk passed and under. A view you can't get any other way.

Number of languages heard: 12, including Swedish.

Number of light houses made into children books: one. The Little Red Light House at Jeffrey's Point.

Number of world organization: one. You walk by the United Nations.

Number of bikers passed: none. They were all faster than I was.

Number of joggers who passed me: all of them.

Number of sweaty armpits: two.

I ended up back at Fraunces Tavern about 12 hours after I left, with some pretty sore feet and knees.

But with a bucket list item checked off.

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