13-273

Really didn't walk much today, went to work earlier than usual and stayed at the desk most of the day.  We'll say .25 miles walked with 10 feet of stairs climbed in 5 minutes.

Here's the daily info on calories consumed and burned:

13-272

Walked 0.5 miles with 20 feet of stairs climbed in 10 minutes over the course of the day.

For more info on calories consumed and burned, please click below ...

Cheerio!

13-271

After my experience trying to find a parking place for Riley and Ethan's soccer games last Saturday, I decided to park once, near Ethan's game, which was first today, and then walk to Riley's game and return to my car after the games.  My battery died near the end of Riley's game, so you get the map walking that far.  I pretty much exactly retraced my steps, so one direction works anyway.

Round trip:  1.34 miles in 25:42 minutes.  16 feet climbed going to the game, 27 feet climbed on the return walk, which had a tortoise rating of 5.9.  Temperature:  68.

Please click below for more pictures as well as a map and info on calories consumed and burned today ...

Cheerio!

13-270

Walked 0.5 miles with 20 feet of stairs climbed in 10 minutes as the day progressed.

Please click below for info on calories consumed and burned ...

13-269

Willyne bringing flowers to Aunt Sponge, the star of the show!

Willyne's home!  Glad she got to go be with the Ragozzines in Melbourne ... and I'm glad to be with her again :-)  I walked to Wendy's to meet her for lunch ... conversation was nice, I lingered, then she kindly drove me back to work.  So what we have is one of the shortest recorded walks here in Terreeeblayland ... 0.23 miles with 7 feet climbed in 5:31 minutes.  Temperature:  75.  Tortoise rating:  5.8.

At dinnertime, I headed into St. George to join Willyne, Grandmother Forsyth, Doug Jr., Josh & Megan, Ethan, Kate, Riley, Suze, Sharon Wilson, Austin & Julienne, and a host of Jacob's friends, at the premier of James & The Giant Peach, a Dixie State production that runs through October 5. We all laughed a lot, the characters all got into their roles so much!

It was wonderful to see Jacob so very happy!

I got to campus a few minutes after 6, so I had a little time to do a campus walk.  I taught an accounting class here in the 90s, but wasn't walking much then, so a lot of what I saw was a first for me.  This was another 1.43 miles with 46 feet climbed in 35:27 minutes.  Tortoise rating:  5.9.

Please click here for details on calories consumed and burned, maps, pictures, and more ...

13-268

Walked 0.5 miles with 20 feet of stairs climbed in 10 minutes, mostly back and forth to the church cultural hall setting up and taking down computer and projector equipment for my presentation this evening at the La Verkin Stake Preparedness Workshop.

For more info on calories consumed and burned today, please click below ...

Cheerio!

13-267

I pass this on my walk to work ... today looked like a beautiful day
 to photograph it!  It brings me joy every time I see it.

Walk to work this morning, with 32 pound pack (I added my lap top to the normal goodies inside):  3.00 miles with 180 feet climbed in 1:00:52 hours.  Temperature:  75.  Tortoise rating on climbing portion (first 2.00 miles):  5.2.

Please click here for more info on the walk, calories consumed and burned today ...

Cheerio!

13-266

The sun was shining when I started walking home, this is what it looked like when I got home ...
illuminated from across the street by my head lamp!

What my head lamp looks like if you are looking at me

Two walks today.  First one was to the post office and the credit union ... 0.65 miles round trip with no climbing in 13 minutes.  Tortoise rating:  6.1.  Second one was home from work ... 3.05 miles in 1:10:25 hours, including stops totalling about 10 minutes to talk with the Excells as I passed their home en route and to take my pack off, get out my head lamp, and put it on.  Tortoise climbed 161 feet in the first mile.
 Tortoise rating for that mile:  4.6.

Please click here for info on calories consumed and burned ...

Cheerio!

13-264

Had lots of fun watching Roo and Ethan play in their soccer games today!  Had at least 0.5 miles walked with 20 feet of stairs climbed in 10 minutes ... I didn't measure, but my parking places were far away, especially at Dixie State, so I'm probably low on those figures.  (Total miles walked since 6/28:  120.63)

Please click on the line below if you'd like a couple more pictures and info on calories consumed and burned today ...

Cheerio!

13-263

Friday Night Lights in Hurricane

Decided to step up the workout tonight, so I parked my car on 600 North at the beginning of the trail to East Cinder Knoll.  It is 0.34 miles and 289 feet of climbing to reach the top of the knoll (so we are talking a 16% incline).  I then walked along the top a little ways to make it 1.10 miles round trip in 48:20.  Tortoise rating headed up:  0.9. (Total miles walked since 6/28:  120.13)

Yes, I was slow.  Carried the 31 pound pack, stopped and took something like 20 pictures to get the few I'm posting here, and I slipped and fell on the way down - even being careful and using my famous gaheep poles.  I do like the poles now, but while learning to work with and assemble them, I was not a happy camper and now the name, sadly, is going to stick.

Please click below if you'd like info on calories consumed and burned, along with more pictures ... and the final score of the football game you're looking at in the picture above ...

Cheerio!

13-262

Had a late meeting last night, they kept talking about pizza, and the more they did, the more ravenous I got ... Guess I should have eaten more for dinner before the meeting, because it took a fair amount of food to settle me down once I got home.

Walked 0.5 miles with 20 feet of stairs climbed in 12 minutes today.  (Total miles walked since 6/28:  119.03)

For more info on calories consumed and burned, please click below ...

Cheerio!

13-261

Loving the big full moon this evening!

Worked late, came home and did 30 minutes pool walking with Willyne in the moonlight to end the day.  :-)

I have two talks coming up in the next week and did some work on them today with a lot of help from Willyne.  Among other things, I will be sharing a classic tortoise story that he originally wrote in the 90s and updated a couple times since.  If you'd like a sneak preview, you can get it here:  http://dougbeecherstaxandmoneyblog.blogspot.com/2013/09/a-thought-for-young-people.html

In other news of the day, the tortoise had his semiannual checkup with his cancer doctor this morning.  I am pleased to report that he had a new record low PSA reading ... 0.01 ... truly amazing they can measure that low.  This appointment was actually supposed to be in early August but was purposely scheduled later because the doctor wanted a full report on Mt. Whitney.   So the doctor was shown pictures from our Timp hike.  He was pleased with everything, and put the tortoise on an annual checkup schedule.  Wow.  It has been a long road to get here, thanks to you, dear reader, for your support along the way!

Info on calories consumed and burned is available by clicking below if you like ...

Cheerio!

13-260

A nice change of pace today, an hour in the pool walking and actively treading water with Willyne.

Please click below for more info on calories consumed and burned ...

Cheerio!

13-259

Walked 0.5 miles with 20 feet of stairs climbed in 10 minutes on another deadline tie day.  Maybe it was even 21 feet ... (Total miles walked since 6/28:  118.53)

For more info on calories consumed and burned today, including all those mission tortilla chips with chili cheese dip to keep me awake at 11 pm, please click below ...

Cheerio!

13-258

Walked 0.6 miles with 40 feet climbed in 13:06 minutes roundtrip to my mother's house for a visit tonight after my church meetings ended.  Tortoise rating:  5.4.  (Total miles walked since 6/28:  118.03)

Please click below for more info on calories consumed and burned today:

Cheerio!

13-257

Worked this morning, went to a high council dinner party with Willyne tonight up on Kolob.  It was beautiful, food was good, fun to get better acquainted with all these new people we're working with.  Today's short walk:  0.5 miles walked with 20 feet of stairs climbed in 12 minutes.  (Total miles walked since 6/28:  117.43) Weigh-in:  235.3.  Please click here for info on calories consumed and burned today ... and some more energizing tunes :-)

Cheerio!

13-256 -- that's 4^4 - or 4x4x4x4 - Hi Rachel!

Attempt to capture the partially cloud covered moon above the bright theater lights - view south

The quieter view north -- perhaps you prefer the soft light on the walking path

You get choices tonight, dear reader.  I'm still working on this coming Monday's deadline (and the October 15 one that follows right behind it) so time is still at a premium, but the rain has stopped for now, so I put on the 31 pound pack and did the short trek up to 600 North (near Valley Academy) from my office and back.  1.30 miles total with 113 feet climbed in 26:50 minutes.  (Total miles walked since 6/28:  116.93)  HumanaFit says the uphill portion is category 5, while the Tortoise Rating gives it a 4.4.  Temperature was 78 and humid, doesn't sound much like southern Utah does it?

First choice:  If I had only posted one picture, which one would you choose?

Please click below for info on calories consumed and burned today ... followed by another choice for fans of Doug Jr.'s gaming skills.  But not before giving a shout out to Benjamin, my lucky Friday the 13th charm.  I think of you every time that day rolls around, it's not limited to May.  I just smile when folks say it's an unlucky day, because of you, I know better!

Cheerio!

13-255

Another day limited to walking to the post office and the store, up the stairs at home.  Hey this is the uberboring blog at the core, with the occasional picture to make it more fun.  Not this week.  0.5 miles walked with 20 feet of stairs climbed in 12 minutes.  (Total miles walked since 6/28:  115.63)

Click below for info on calories consumed and burned:

Cheerio!

13-254

Newly formed Post Office Lake is growing this afternoon behind my office.

It is September 11.  We must never forget.

Lots of rain today.  Hard, steady rain.  Smelled good!

Walked another 0.5 miles with 20 feet of stairs climbed in 12 minutes.  (Total miles walked since 6/28:  115.13)

Please click below for more info on calories consumed and burned ... and another shot of our new lake.

Cheerio!

13-253

Ditto from yesterday.  Walked 0.5 miles with 20 feet of stairs climbed in 12 minutes.  (Total miles since 6/28:  114.63)

For more information on calories consumed and burned, click below ...

Cheerio!

13-252

We're coming up on another tax deadline day, one week away.  This one is for calendar year corporations, partnerships, LLCs, and other entities that filed extensions earlier this year.  I'm hanging on for dear life ... walked 0.5 miles with 20 feet of stairs climbed in 12 minutes over the course of the day.  (Total miles since 6/28:  114.13)

Weight is slowly coming down, in classic tortoise style.  Down is the right direction.  239.5 is the magic number today.  Please click below if you'd like details on calories consumed and burned ...

Cheerio!

13-251

A busy Sunday.  Walked 0.5 miles with 20 feet of stairs climbed in 10 minutes over the course of the day.  (Total miles since 6/28:  113.63)

Please click here for more information on calories consumed and burned ...

Cheerio!

13-250

No walk today, pool play instead and a little swimming.  Fun change of pace.

Please click here if you'd like info on calories consumed and burned today ...

Cheerio!

13-249

Walked in the course of life today ... 0.5 miles with 20 feet of stairs climbed in 12 minutes.  (Total miles since 6/28:  113.13)  Eating was interesting today.  I was being too good until dinner time, I should have eaten more because I didn't have enough energy.  Then I got home feeling brain dead around 6:30 pm and enjoyed Friday night with Willyne and a special treat!  Benjamin came for the weekend, arriving a little before me.  Fabulous!

Memo to me:  Chips (other than baked ones) are not my friends.  You could call them anti-scrubbers.  I know this already, of course, but the things are addictive and I have to keep learning again the hard way. At bed time I wound up turning to my old faithful stomach settler, a small cup of Tillamook vanilla bean ice cream.  (A serving is so small that even that amount is still two servings ...)

Please click here if you'd like to know more about calories consumed and burned today ...

Cheerio!

13-248

Two walks today:  First was 0.52 miles in 12 minutes with no climbing to meet Willyne and Doug Jr for lunch at Wendy's.  Great company, and the walk made the food taste better :-)  Then I made a quick trip to St. George to run two errands after the office closed at 5.  After the errands, I headed up to do a new section of the Bluff Street trail, parking the car at 4200 North (last left turn before the Ledges exit on State Road 18) and walking down to highway milepost 6, then retracing my steps to the car.  On this walk, I carried my 31 pound pack that I keep in the back of my car for opportunities just like this ... for this tortoise, it was a solid workout.

This walk was 3.36 miles with 402 feet climbed in 1:10:59 hours total elapsed time (including 52 seconds of picture taking breaks).  Temperature:  92.  Tortoise rating for the first half headed downhill:  6.0.  Tortoise rating headed back up:  3.7. Total walked since 6/28:  112.63 miles.

Click here for more pictures and info on calories consumed and burned today:

13-247

Another .25 mile walk with no climbing in 6 minutes.  Trying to get caught up at work.  Total walked since 6/28:  108.75 miles. Click here if you'd like more detail on calories consumed and burned today ...

Cheerio!

13-246

Minimum 0.25 mile walk with no climbing in 6 minutes today.  First walk since August 30; total walked since 6/28:  108.50.  Please click here for information on calories consumed and burned today ...

Cheerio!