From the Editor

True story: A man accompanying his wife on a business trip to Providence, R.I., recently created a bit of a stir due to an unusual display of, get this, friendliness. According to news reports, the man stood near a busy downtown intersection during the morning rush hour and waved to passersby while holding a sign with a simple message: “Good morning.” The North Carolinian was so accustomed to greeting and being greeted by everyone he encountered with a cordial “good morning” that he felt obliged to spread the friendliness to the stereotypically less friendly Northeast. He made his point (and also earned an appearance in the local paper).

I’ve written often in this space that one of my favorite things about travel is the opportunity to encounter different people. And I’ve noted this geographic difference in friendliness in the people I’ve met — from retail salespeople to cab drivers to fellow participants in my favorite traveling activity, running.

You see, it’s a common courtesy among casual amateur runners to give a quick wave, nod, or “good morning” to runners passing by. To me, it’s also a quick gauge of the relative friendliness of the town. It’s not a perfect geographic divide, of course. Runners in my hometown in Rhode Island are quick to wave, but in all my runs along the well-worn path that winds around Boston’s Charles River? Nothing.

So on a recent trip to New York, I went for a run through Central Park on a crisp autumn morning and found, not unexpectedly, runners pretty much keeping to themselves. As I finished my run, I left the park and headed down Eighth Avenue. In the distance, I could see another runner headed in my direction. We approached each other and as we passed, I gave a quick wave/nod combo and waited. And there it was, somewhere between 52nd and 53rd streets, a small, but clearly distinguishable return nod. Hardly a news story, but a terrific way to end my run and start my day.

This month, our “Fit to Travel” section offers winter fitness advice and a great running route in Atlanta, where in my limited experience, fellow runners always say “good morning.”

Happy travels and good reading.

Michael Buller, Editor

P.S. This month marks an exciting change for the Continental magazine Web site. We’ve added  new stories and additional content, found exclusively on the site. Take a showroom tour of the coolest new cars. Flip through a photo essay of our featured destination. But most important, share your own experiences with your fellow travelers. I’ve always found that some of the best tips for restaurants and places to go come from the people I meet while traveling. So if you’ve got a great photo from a favorite destination, or want to weigh in with your thoughts on some of the restaurants you’ve sampled, let us know. Better yet, let your fellow travelers know.