One of Mayor Bob Simmons' first proclamations: "My test for this year is how many pair of shoes I wear out."

In his inaugural address at City Hall Tuesday night, Simmons announced a program of encouraging and inspiring city hikers along "a pathway to a healthier life": Walnut Creek Walks.

There will be monthly themed promenades led by the mayor called "Off The Beaten Path."

The first will be this Saturday on the theme of "Shoppers Stroll." Meet the mayor at the Lesher Center at 10 a.m. Saturday: "We will walk through the alleys and pathways, eventually getting to the fountain in Broadway Plaza."

Simmons said the pace would be leisurely and there would be an opportunity to shop along the way or ride the free trolley back to BART.

A walk, said the new mayor, "opens up your mind. It helps you solve problems you think can't be solved."

In Walnut Creek Walks, "we will produce a set of fun and interesting walks that any resident or visitor can easily enjoy," Simmons said.

The program will encourage young people to walk, including classes, to achieve certification as "Walnut Creek Open Space Adventurer."

A million miles

The city will set up an online registration system to record the number of miles for Walnut Creek walkers. "I personally think we can get to a million miles," said Simmons.

The mayor told the story of former President Ronald Reagan meeting with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in Geneva on nuclear reduction talks almost 30 years ago. The talks came to an impasse in the hall filled with diplomats, interpreters and security people. Reagan broke through, Simmons said, by inviting Gorbachev for a private stroll around the grounds, where they hit upon a formula for an accord.

"They were looking for a path to a safer future and they succeeded," said Simmons.

There was a gathering of Simmons family and friends at the City Hall ceremony and subsequent reception. Georgeann Becker, a law school friend and municipal bond counsel from Colorado, brought a letter of congratulations to Simmons from new Denver Mayor Michael Hancock.