13-22

Had a brief window to sneak in a walk this afternoon while driving doing errands, so I parked my car at Valley Academy and headed up most of the way up East Cinder Knoll.  The picture is looking southeast, with the shadows of approaching evening starting to darken the reddish trail.  1.00 mile walked, with 275 feet climbed then descended, in 24:34 minutes.  Heart rate ranged from 83 to 138, averaging 112.

Please click here for more details of my day ...

13-21

Two walks today.  Went home at lunch and walked with my sweetie up Main Street as far as 200 North, then retraced our steps.  1.5 miles, 45 feet total up and down, in 34:23.  Average pace 2.7 mph.  Heart beat averaged 95, never got over 100.  Had a surprise near the end of the walk as you can see from the picture ...

 

Our nephew, Kevin Despain, decided to escape the cold and smog of Salt Lake for the holiday weekend.  He stayed with his brother Ryan and family in St. George, but rode our way today and just happened to be riding down our street as we were walking!  I am the tortoise, he is beyond hare, probably closer to gazelle.  He bicycled here from St. George (20 miles) in 1 hour 15 minutes.  His return trip, with more downhill, was even quicker!  Very nice to see him for a few minutes and share a quick lunch before he continued on his way..

Please click here to continue for the second walk and more:

13-20

A restful Sunday that included a minimum 0.5 mile walk with 20 feet of stairs climbed in 12 minutes. 


Chapter 13 totals through 20 days, 24.68 miles walked, with 3,646 feet climbed, in 9:52:46.  Please click here for more details on my day ...

13-19

Recently I drove Grandmother Forsyth by the Parley P. Pratt memorial at the top of Main Street in Hurricane, and we got talking about the Confluence View Trail that starts there.  She is looking for a flat 3 to 5 mile trail to walk for her birthday next month, and the start of this trail looks promising.   We wound up agreeing that I would walk it first and report back if it continues flat.  Today I took that walk.

It's not flat by any means, but I made it a nice loop walk.  1.46 miles with 271 feet dropped to the Virgin River and then climbed in 36 minutes 33 seconds 
Please click here for additional details of my day ...

13-18

I was able to sneak out of the office about 3:15 for a quick walk before heading in to St. George with my sweetie at 4.  Headed up to East Cinder Knoll, knowing I couldn't make it all the way, so simply went as far as I could in 22 minutes and then retraced my steps in 18 minutes. 

Total walk was 2.1 miles, with 285 feet climbed in 40:36.  Heart rate started at 82, peaked at 140, and averaged 114.  Here's a view from today's turnaround point:

Please click here for additional details of my day ...

13-17

Today the weather warmed up nicely, and I headed out for a walk between 5:15 and sundown, from my office up to Valley Academy where Ed Woodd joined me, then up to the top of East Cinder Knoll and back to the school.  Along the way the wind picked up, but it was still very nice conditions, including a nice sunset.  The walk totalled 1.76 miles with 457 feet climbed in 53:28 minutes, including that 15% average grade for the final 0.39 miles of the climb.  Chapter 13 totals through 17 days, 20.62 miles walked, with 3,070 feet climbed, in 8:23:37.  Please click here for additional details on my day ...

13-16

It got a little warmer today.  After a business meeting this morning, I got in a short walk of 1.5 miles with 205 feet climbed in 36 minutes.  Chapter 13 totals through 16 days, 18.86 miles walked, with 2,613 feet climbed, in 7:30:09.  Please click here for additional details on my day ...

13-15

Almost as cold today ... still trying to take care not to get sick.  I did a minimum 0.5 mile walk, with 20 feet of stairs climbed, in 10 minutes indoors today.  Chapter 13 totals through 15 days, 17.36 miles walked, with 2,408 feet climbed, in 6:54:09.  Please click here for additional details on my day ...

13-14

An especially bitter, windy cold day today.  I don't think it got above 20 degrees, and the strong wind made it feel much colder.  I didn't want to get sick, so did a minimum 0.5 mile walk, with 20 feet of stairs climbed, in 10 minutes indoors today.

Chapter 13 totals through 14 days, 16.86 miles walked, with 2,388 feet climbed, in 6:44:09.  Please click here for additional details on my day ...

13-13

Sunday included a minimum 0.5 mile, 10 minute walk, with 20 feet of steps climbed.  Chapter 13 totals through 13 days, 16.36 miles walked, with 2,368 feet climbed, in 6:34:09.  Eating totalled 2997 calories.  Please click here for

Today's final word ...

13-12

Went to my niece Sidney's baptism this morning, worked this afternoon at the library in St. George, then got in a 1.6 mile walk with 20 feet of climbing in 29 minutes in a circular path from Main Street to about 150 West around the water play area between the library and the Tabernacle.  I did this loop 4 times.  Then I headed to Maude's 2nd birthday party at Jacob and Hilary's.  A fun day!

Chapter 13 totals through 12 days, 15.86 miles walked, with 2,348 feet climbed, in 6:24:09.  Eating totalled 4102 calories.  Please click here for

Today's final word ...

13-11

There are some great views on the East Cinder Knoll loop trail!

I am a thankful poster child for getting your cancer checkups.  I am a 6 year prostate cancer survivor, having had emergency radical surgery and hormone therapy.  Then 2 1/2 years ago the cancer started coming back, and I had 2 months of daily radiation treatments. These left me essentially cancer free and able to live a full and active life.  Checkups literally saved my life. I showed no outward symptoms, but inside cancer was racing at great speed, undetected before a routine checkup.

Colonoscopy is another important screening I had to wait for because I had to first heal sufficiently from these treatments.  Earlier this week, I had my colonoscopy, and thankfully it not only showed my colon is cancer free, but that I have healed better from radiation therapy than was expected.  I attribute this to a number of things, not the least of which is my wife Willyne who, along with me, watches my diet, stress, exercise, prayer, and more.  I cannot thank her enough!

I help manage my stress by walking as close to every day as I possibly can .  I celebrated today with a longer walk than I would normally do in tax season (a whole separate subject, but let's just say that dodging the fiscal cliff was just the beginning for us CPAs ... change is certainly the name of the game this year!).

After I got today's work out in the mail around 4 pm, I walked from the office to the top of East Cinder Knoll in what daylight was left today.  Got some great views and 851 feet of climbing up (and down) in 3.96 miles.  I'm slow, so I was in motion 1 hour 48 minutes.  Total time was 2 hours 14 minutes, including some stops for pictures and to chat with my friend Ed Woodd as he was leaving work and I was passing Valley Academy near the end of my walk.

Looking at the confluence of La Verkin and Ash Creeks with the Virgin River

The Pine Valley mountains tower to the northwest of the previous river view

More pictures and a topographic map are available here:  http://adventures.garmin.com/en-US/by/dougbeechersr/east-cinder-knoll-loop-with-double-climb/#overview

Chapter 13 totals through 11 days, 14.26 miles walked, with 2,328 feet climbed, in 5:55:09.  If you'd like (lots) more stats and details, you'll find them by clicking here:

13-10

Long catch up day at work after missing most of the past two days.  Did a minimum 0.5 mile walk in 10 minutes with 20 feet climbed (stairs).

Chapter 13 totals through 10 days, 10.30 miles walked, with 1,477 feet climbed, in 4:07:09.  If you want a little more, click here:

13-9

My colonoscopy today was quite successful, nothing found, don't have to go back to check that for 10 years -- the maximum they ever suggest -- and they say the area affected by radiation has healed better than the doctors would have expected.  I'm very happy!

The nurse said no sports today, but said a walk would be good, so I did laps in the grass field next to the house in case I got dizzy while still coming off the medication.  I did 20+ laps, for a total of 1.4 miles in 30 minutes.  Garmin says you climb about 3 feet then go back down each lap, so I had 60+ feet climbed. 

The walk helped me feel the best I had felt all day.  I couldn't do anything until I ate, I was shutting down after 1 1/2 days without food, but it took the walk a couple hours later to start feeling good again.

Chapter 13 totals through 9 days, 9.80 miles walked, with 1,457 feet climbed, in 3:57:09.  If you want a little more, click here:

13-8

Prepared for tomorrow's colonoscopy.  Drank lots of various fluids, including Youngevity minerals.  No vitamins, no crestor, 250 calories consumed today.  Applied DuraCream to my arms this morning to help slow mole growth from the sun.  Did a minimum 0.5 mile walk, no climbing, in 10 minutes. 

Chapter 13 totals through 8 days, 8.40 miles walked, with 1,397 feet climbed, in 3:27:09. 

Today's final word ...

From reading in 1 Nephi 20 ...

Mine hand hath also ^alaid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens. I ^bcall unto them and they stand up together.

                                                                                                           -- 1 Nephi 20:13

Cheerio!

13-7

Pretty sunset looking towards Hurricane on my walk

Morning walk back from car repair shop.  Didn't expect this walking opportunity, as I thought they were going to do the work in a few minutes while I waited.  I did not have Garmin with me, and phone GPS stopped working well awhile ago.  Walk took 14:15, I'm sure I did at least 3 miles per hour, so we will say 0.71 miles and I know there was at least 20 feet climbed. 

Retraced that walk a couple hours later to retrieve the car when they were done with it, in the same 14:15.  No climbing this direction.

At 5 pm just before dinner I walked to the halfway point of the LaVerkin Overlook Trail.  1.38 miles with 380 feet climbed in 39:18.

 Chapter 13 totals through 7 days, 7.90 miles walked, with 1,397 feet climbed, in 3:17:09.  Please click here for another picture and other details ...

13-6

Minimum walk today;  0.5 miles, 20 feet climbed in 10 minutes.  Chapter 13 totals through 6 days, 5.1 miles walked, with 997 feet climbed, in 2:09:21.

Today's final word ...

From reading in 1 Nephi 18 ... how sad is this, and how often do we repeat this ourselves? ...

"And there was nothing save it were the power of God, which threatened them with destruction, could soften their ^ahearts; wherefore, when they saw that they were about to be swallowed up in the depths of the sea they repented of the thing which they had done, insomuch that they loosed me."

                                                                         -- 1 Nephi 18:20

Cheerio!

13-5

Minimum walk today;  0.5 miles, 20 feet climbed in 10 minutes.  Chapter 13 totals through 5 days, 4.6 miles walked, with 977 feet climbed, in 1:59:21.

Today's final word ...

From reading in 1 Nephi 17 ...

"And I said unto them: ^aIf God had commanded me to do all things I could do them. If he should command me that I should say unto this water, be thou earth, it should be earth; and if I should say it, it would be done.

"And now, if the Lord has such great power, and has wrought so many miracles among the children of men, how is it that he cannot^ainstruct me, that I should build a ship?"

                                                                         -- 1 Nephi 17:50-51

Cheerio!

13-4

Minimum walk today;  0.5 miles, 20 feet climbed in 10 minutes.  Chapter 13 totals through 4 days, 4.1 miles walked, with 957 feet climbed, in 1:49:21.

Eating today:  3,447 calories.

Today's final word ...

From reading in 1 Nephi 16 ...

" ... And thus we see that by small means the Lord can bring about great things."

                                                                         -- 1 Nephi 16:29

Cheerio!

13-3

Walked to the LaVerkin Overlook Trail midway trail marker just past sunset tonight.  1.3 miles, 380 feet climbed, 11.1% average grade (15% average on the main climb).  Up in 21:47, down in 18:49, total 40:36.  Heart rate going up was pretty steady in the 130-135 range, down it was mostly in the 110-115 range.

Chapter 13 totals through 3 days, 3.6 miles walked, with 937 feet climbed, in 1:39:21.

Have a ways to go on getting eating back to normal after the holidays.  2927 calories eaten today.  I took my vitamins and Youngevity supplements, along with 600 mg ibuprofen for headache, this morning.  In the afternoon took Excedrin for continued headache.  At dinner I took my Crestor, Cortisol Support, and Omega 3.

Today's final word ...

From reading in Luke 9 and 1 Nephi 15

"And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his ^across daily, and ^bfollow me.

^"aFor whosoever will save his life shall ^blose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

"For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and^alose himself, or be cast away?"

                                                                                                            -- Luke 9:23-25

"And they said unto me: What meaneth the ^arod of iron which our father saw, that led to the tree?

"And I said unto them that it was the ^aword of God; and whoso would hearken unto the word of God, and would ^bhold fast unto it, they would never perish; neither could the ^ctemptations and the fiery ^ddarts of the ^eadversary overpower them unto blindness, to lead them away to destruction."

                                                                                                           -- 1 Nephi 15:23-24

Cheerio!

13-2

In Washington as the sun faded so I headed for a road I could see headed steeply up.  Only problem was, there was a gate partway up preventing further progress.  So I've learned a path not to take in the future.  Stats today:  1.0 mile walked, with 177 feet climbed, in 18:45.  This included a loop back up part way.  Average grade:  6.7%

Chapter 13 totals through 2 days, 2.3 miles walked, with 557 feet climbed, in 58:45.

Today's final word ...

From reading in 1 Nephi 14 and more ...

"Line upon line and precept upon precept, gradually and almost imperceptibly, our motives, our thoughts, our words, and our deeds become aligned with the will of God. Conversion unto the Lord requires both persistence and patience."

—David A. Bednar, "Converted unto the Lord", Liahona and Ensign, November 2012

Cheerio!

13-1

A new year, a new chapter.  This is going to be the best yet!

Walked to the midway trail marker of the LaVerkin Overlook Trail at halftime of the Rose Bowl game.  1.30 miles, 380 feet climbed, in 40 minutes.

Today's final word ...

"Your habits of family prayer and scripture reading will create more lasting memories and greater changes of heart than you may realize now. Even apparently temporal activities, such as attending an athletic event or watching a movie, can shape a child’s heart. What matters is not the activity but the feelings that come as you do it."

—Henry B. Eyring, "Help Them Aim High", Liahona and Ensign, November 2012

Cheerio!