14-90

Walked 3.64 miles this evening after work, climbing 173 feet on the way in 1:00:56 hours.  Tortoise rating on the uphill half:  5.2.  Calories burned:  579.  Please click below for a map and the usual fun collection of stats ...

Cheerio!

14-88

Got up early before my first appointment and walked some more of the Santa Ana River trail.  I got within two miles of the beach.  The closer I got the better the smells got.  Salty sea air.  Fragrant bushes growing in the river bottom when I got past the paved section.  In places they have full trees growing in the riverbed, and this is southern California!  Then a little before mile 2 as measured from the beach starting point, the trails on both sides of the river are combined by sending everyone on the east side over the classic bridge pictured above.

I'm clearly not the only one who was enjoying this ... I quickly lost count of all the cyclists and even pelatons that passed me both directions. It was sunny, around 60 degrees, and a fine morning.  In the true meaning of the word fine, not the misused version when someone doesn't want to tell you how they feel.

Walked 5.44 miles, with 46 feet climbed going below streets and back up afterwards, in 1:27:39 hours.  I continued my normal practice of not stopping the clock when taking the pictures, so the tortoise got a good workout today.  Feels good! Tortoise rating was 6.8; calories burned:  903.

There's a map, lots of pictures, the promise of Eli coming (a fine tune, there I used the word again), and more waiting for you when you click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

14-87

I liked the Santa Ana River trail so much yesterday that I did it again today and will wrap up my 3 day business trip in the OC by walking some more of it tomorrow.  Today's segment picked up where I left off yesterday at Harbor Blvd near Warner and continued to Moon Park in Costa Mesa just south of the 405 freeway.  There's no way to cross to the other side of the river between MacArthur and Adams, so I retraced my steps on the east side of the riverbed until I go to MacArthur, then took the west side trail back to Harbor and on to my parked car a couple blocks from the trail.

Today's walk was 4.82 miles with 26 feet climbed in 1:16:06 hours.  Tortoise rating:  6.9.  Calories burned:  817.  There's a map and several pictures waiting for you as soon as you click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

14-86

Went looking for a trail near my hotel on the Santa Ana - Tustin city border today, and was very excited to discover the Santa Ana River trail.   This is a cooperative effort of Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties, apparently still in process and is eventually intended to be a 110 mile trail from Big Bear Lake to the ocean at Huntington Beach.  Today I started near Warner Ave. and Harbor Blvd., went north as far as 1st Street, and then returned by taking the trail on the opposite side of the river.  That's right, most of the way there are actually two trails.

I especially like the picture above, typical of the colorful plants and flowers I saw and smelled on this 5.16 mile walk, on which I climbed 70 feet in 1:24:56 hours.  Tortoise rating:  6.7.  Calories burned:  837.  For a map and lots of pictures, please click below to continue reading.

Cheerio!

14-85

Walked in muddy puddles this evening ... a rare treat in dry La Verkin ... you can see some of them glistening on the street in the picture above.  I'm sure Maude's friend Peppa would be well pleased! Interspersed walking with visiting a couple different ward's high priest's group leaderships to help with family history ... there are new aids for them at lds.org, including several 1-3 minute video clips.  Nice!

My walk was 4.11 miles with 29 feet climbed in 1:09:56 hours.  Tortoise rating:  6.0.  Calories burned:  642.  A map and more is just a click below away ...

Cheerio!

14-84

Always excited to get a new take on what seems to be the same picture ... so what's different here?  We have a mother pushing her two children in a covered stroller.  Running.  I moved out of her way and watched, highly impressed, reminded once again that where there is a will there is a way!

Walking up this hill to work at Valley Academy and back was my first walk of the day, but it wasn't enough, so when I finished with church work in Toquerville this evening, I did the rest of today's walking there.  Totals today:  3.94 miles walked with 330 feet climbed in 1:16:24 hours.  Tortoise rating:  4.5.  Calories burned:  644.

For maps and pictures of my search for the long lost but not forgotten Sally in Toquerville (I didn't find her, but there are more places to look ...), please click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

14-83

Walked with Rachel after work in Hurricane 4.91 miles with 239 feet climbed in 1:31:16 hours this evening ... by phone ... very nice, thank you!!!  Tortoise rating:  5.2.  Calories burned:  765.  For a map as well as the Google aerial view video, please click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

14-81

Another two walk day ... we get them in whenever we can!  First one was a real treat, I walked with my sweetheart Willyne to the fire station and back.  I couldn't convince her to let me take her picture, which would have been vastly superior, but you'll just have to live with the shot of me that she took ...

Stake Conference began this afternoon, there were 4 pm and 7 pm sessions with a short break in between. (Well, the break was an hour, but I was a greeter (fun!), so ... you get what you get!)  I snuck in another short walk to get energized before the second meeting.

Totals were 2.52 miles with 65 feet climbed in 55:37 minutes.  Tortoise rating:  5.6.  Calories burned:  414.
If you'd like to see the two maps and other fun details, please click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

14-80

When the tortoise has no time for a nice, long, walk (doesn't that sound great right about now?) he walks to where he has to go nearby instead of driving.  Today it was Valley Academy and the Post Office (1.50 miles) in the morning, followed in the early evening with a walk to Jesse Jones' wedding at the pavilion behind the Hurricane West Stake Center and a side leg to Lins grocery store on the way back (1.58 miles).  Totals for the day:  3.08 miles with 140 feet climbed in 53:52 minutes.  Tortoise rating:  5.2.  Calories burned:  477.

There's the usual supplemental info on the other side ...

Cheerio!

14-79

Walked to Valley Academy this afternoon, then took the long way back to the office and enjoyed a beautiful day.  2.77 miles with 154 feet climbed in 51:41 minutes.  Tortoise rating:  5.0.  Calories burned:  432.  There's a map and more waiting for you just a click away below ...

Cheerio!

14-78

Lunchtime walk between appointments in Mesquite, NV today.  2.39 miles with 49 feet climbed in 43:42 minutes.  Tortoise rating:  6.2  Calories burned:  373.  Was on the phone the whole time, so no pictures.  Instead you get the Google overhead camera.  It's like someone was flying overhead taking a picture of you while you are walking ... a little shaky on the camera but pretty amazing all the same.  Please click below to continue the goodness!

Cheerio!

14-77

Still windy at dusk tonight, but noticably better than last night.  Hope you enjoy the silhouette of the Pine Valley Mountains illuminated with the remnants of the sunset, taken as I walked out the front door to begin my walk up Main Street to the church back to Kerry Gubler's ... then back to the church and home.  4.42 miles with 85 feet climbed in 1:18:51 hours.  Tortoise rating: 5.7.  Calories burned: 687.  For a map and more, please click below ...

Cheerio!

14-76

Walked 2.33 miles tonight down LaVerkin's Main Street and back in very windy conditions.  Noticed a new sign on the fire station for your viewing pleasure.  Walk included 62 feet climbed, 365 calories burned, in 45:42 minutes.  Tortoise rating:  5.6, although it's tempting to call it 4.6 because of the extra effort of walking directly into a strong headwind.  Please click below for a map, a picture of a flag blowing in the wind, and more ...

Cheerio!

14-73

Had an appointment this morning in St. George, then headed on to California for more appointments this evening and tomorrow, after which I will be headed back home for Sunday.  Stopped for my walk on some more of the Pacific Electric Trail, starting this time just north of Baseline at the historic railroad station pictured above on Etiwanda Avenue in Rancho Cucamonga and walking to Cherry Avenue in Fontana and back.  At this point I have done both directions of the trail in little pieces all the way from Euclid Avenue in Upland to Cherry Avenue in Fontana ... amazing what you can do when you keep at it.

Today's piece:  4.51 miles with 69 feet climbed in 1:27:09 hours.  Tortoise rating:  6.4.  Calories burned:  706.  Please click below for a map and more pictures ...

Cheerio!

14-72

Another sign that spring is approaching, city league baseball is underway!  Today's walk was 4.37 miles with 151 feet climbed in 1:23:09 hours.  Tortoise rating:  5.4.  Calories burned:  683.  Please click below for a map and more ... 

Cheerio!

14-71

Did the full loop walk after finishing appointments in Mesquite today.  Felt good after not walking yesterday.  I went 4.56 miles with 84 feet climbed in 1:29:42 hours.  Tortoise rating:  6.2  Calories burned:  714.  Please click below for a map (that shows the loop) and more ...

Cheerio!

14-69

Welcome, Spring ... at least it feels like it!  I was able to start a walk at 7:30 pm after a long work day, and still see budding, blooming trees.  A very nice, 4.36 mile walk, with 151 feet climbed, in 1:18:34 hours.

It was also the day I passed 200 miles for the year, in honor of that, and because I have been walking but not posting, if you will be kind enough to click below to continue reading, I will share some pictures from the past week's walks when I have been in travel mode ...

Cheerio!

14-60

Drove to Rancho Cucamonga last night in windy, rainy conditions after work and dealing with two insurance companies on personal matters (one was to try to persuade a change in arranging short-term skilled nursing care for my mother following shoulder and elbow surgeries made necessary be a fall last week, the other was caused by someone backing in to my parked car yesterday).

Had a full day of client appointments today beginning at 8 am.  A few times today it started raining pretty hard again, but towards the end of the afternoon it calmed down, so I ventured out on this walk to complete the Long Beach beachfront path (I did the rest on September 29, 2012, you can read about it by visiting  http://terreeeblay.blogspot.com/2012/09/3-151.html)

Walking after rain is a real treat, it cleans everything up so nicely ... and of course the beach air and sound of the waves is always soothing too.  I thoroughly enjoyed it for the first 3 miles, then it started raining again.  Fortunately, I was bundled up enough that I didn't mind the liquid sunshine at all ... in fact, I have been saying thank you prayers for the moisture here and at home!

Totals today:  4.26 miles, totally flat at sea level for the basic 7.0 tortoise rating.  Time: 1:09:40 hours.  Calories burned:  696.  For a map and more, please click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!