The author, shown posing on a trek through the Silvery Dolomites, said she and her husband will continue traveling to take long walks for as long as they can.

Courtesy of Louisa Rogers.

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• My husband and I have been trekking all over the globe for more than 40 years.
• We've tackled trails like the Muktinath in Nepal and the Coast-to-Coast across northern England.
• We're not uber-athletes, but we've found walking is a way we can continue to explore new places.

For more than 40 years, my husband Barry and I have undertaken long-distance walks throughout the world, usually coinciding with a milestone birthday

The year I turned 30, we hiked the Muktinath trail in Nepal; at 40, the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu; at 50, the Camino de Santiago; at 60, the Coast-to-Coast across northern England; and at 70, Hadrian's Wall, near the Scottish border.

Barry is now 83, and I'm 74, but we have no intention of stopping. In the last two years, we did shorter treks in the Ecuadorian Andes and the silvery-spired Italian Dolomites.

We're not uber athletes, but we've found that as long as you're in reasonable health, you can always keep walking. It's true, though, that some hikes are more challenging than others. During our Machu Picchu trek, for instance, the Inca steps were so steep, I don't know how anyone could clamber up and down them. My knees are happy we did that trek when I was 40!

Over the years, we've gained some hard-earned insights from our walks.

Beauty can be very simple

We've climbed to elevations of 18,000 feet in the Himalayas, and a humble 1,200 feet in the countryside near Hadrian's Wall. Yet that simple landscape, consisting of ordinary green fields, hills, and stones, took my breath away.

The author said she and her husband have enjoyed taking walks all over the world, including this one along the Inca Trail.

Courtesy of Louisa Rogers.

Long-distance walking abroad isn't the same as backpacking

Walking is much cushier than backpacking. On our overseas walks, we sleep in beds, not on the hard ground. We stay in guesthouses, hostels, mountain huts, or B&Bs, and don't schlep food or cooking gear, because our hosts serve us home-cooked meals or we eat in budget-friendly restaurants.

The walking environment isn't the same, either. The Himalayan "wilderness," for example, is filled with yaks, shepherds, climbers, hikers, and porters. There are no shepherds when Barry and I hike back home in California.

The author and a companion pose atop Poon Hill near Gorompani, Nepal.

Courtesy of Louisa Rogers.

Preparation is key

On the Coast-to-Coast, our fellow hikers were well-kitted, as the Brits say, with waterproof boots and gaiters. Not us. Most nights, I'd park my soaked boots in the establishment's "airing cupboard." By morning,,, they'd be dry, only to turn wet again by night, because even on dry days, the soil was puddled and muddy. Now, I make sure to pack waterproof boots and gaiters if we're walking in a rainy climate.

Mental preparation is important, too. A long-distance walk is kind of like a job, where we'd set small goals that partitioned the day. On the Camino, we'd wake early and get a few kilometers under our belts before rewarding ourselves with a café con leche and pastry. We'd break around mid-afternoon, when we'd wash our clothes, relax, and enjoy a discounted "pilgrims" dinner. Bed by 8:30 for an early start the next day.

Conversations and friendships develop organically

Some conversations with fellow walkers were profound, others routine. On the Camino, coffee breaks were opportunities to admire each other's blisters, chuckling over the saying, "Sus ampollas son sus pecados," (your blisters are your sins). A Brazilian companion said hers hurt worse than childbirth.

The author and a companion on the Camino.

Courtesy of Louisa Rogers.

We made a lasting friendship on the Coast-to-Coast with a British woman while holing up in a bunkhouse (a small hostel) on a rainy day. Since then, we've gotten together in Britain, Spain, and Mexico, where Barry and I live part of the year. I love telling people, "We met while walking across England."

At home or away, walking is my favorite transportation. Alongside my feet, my mind treads a parallel path, rambling, exploring, and wandering, sustained by this timeless practice. I'm literally following in the steps of the ancients, joining the long line of all those who walked before me.

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A retiring Southwest Airlines captain’s final flight turned into a viral family moment when his daughter, serving as his first officer, surprised him with an emotional tribute that was posted to the airline's Instagram on June 21 in celebration of Father's Day.

Captain Jim Curtis retired after 22 years at Southwest Airlines, which was preceded by 21 years in the U.S. Air Force. In her speech honoring his long aviation career, his daughter, Julia Curtis, credited him with inspiring her to become a pilot and shaping her character throughout her life.

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The father-daughter duo joined "Fox & Friends Weekend" on Sunday, where Jim admitted it wasn't easy to maintain his composure during the tribute.

DAD SURPRISED BY HIS 3 KIDS WITH FINAL FAMILY CARPOOL BEFORE RETIREMENT

"I spent 30 years trying to have a stern profile. And people noticed my lip quivering, and so I was just lucky to be able to keep it together," he said.

The veteran said he was caught off guard by his daughter's remarks, describing the experience as "tremendous."

In the airline industry, a pilot's 65th birthday marks mandatory retirement and often a ceremonial final trip known as a fini-flight. Julia said she had long considered the possibility of accompanying her dad on the meaningful trip.

HENRY WINKLER CONFESSES THE SIMPLE SECRET TO HIS FIVE DECADES OF SUCCESSFUL PARENTING

"I grew up watching him go to work, and to actually have the opportunity to sit there with him and also get to tell my greatest mentor in life how much he means to me was truly special," she said.

Jim expressed excitement for his daughter's future following in his footsteps and said that he would be retiring to a family farm to grow walnuts with his wife.

Julia said her father’s lessons helped her reach this point in her career, especially those insights regarding the importance of mindset and work ethic.

"The two things you can control are your attitude and your effort," Julia said.

"And he said, if you show up with a positive attitude and give a good effort with whatever you're doing, good things should follow."

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