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Mile 906. After a busy 4th Grade Utah Day with Ms. Beecher and Willyne, we headed on to Salt Lake for our nephew Kevin's marriage to Alli Meyer tomorrow morning.  After all of that, Tortoise went on a late evening walk in the Avenues neighborhood.  It was 2.18 miles on 11th Avenue from I Avenue to the overlook to Memory Park on B Avenue and back.  That was followed by a steep, heart pumping walk up I Avenue, and back.  There were 296 feet climbed in 1.09 miles along the way, giving that portion a 3.0 tortoise rating.  The rest of the path was flat or downhill.  Lou burned 336 calories doing this in 47:25 minutes.

Please click below for a map and more pictures, along with today's walking thought by M. Russell Ballard that includes, "I encourage you to take time each week to be by yourself, away from television and the crowd...take an honest look at your life." ...

Cheerio!

Create Maps or Search for a route from millions at MapMyFitness

Statewide, 4th graders learn about Utah.  It's history, geography, and more. It was
fun seeing what Ms. Beecher and Miss Day organized at their school to help their
students experience this in a fun way today.

There was a parade.  Pretty impressive with 226 students

Each made a float the size of a shoe box.  Very creative!

Willyne and I helped with Pioneer Games.  After all, the pioneers had to create their
own entertainment.  There was no X Box, no satellite TV, no smartphones or texting.
But there were marbles.

And sticks to pull

And clothes pins to try to drop in glass canning jars.  (It's harder than it looks)

This was a Pony Express activity. 

Let me be a proud papa for another moment.  I am so excited with Ms. Beecher's
whiteboard with terrific writing inspiration for her students.  She tells me she
got her own inspiration for this from her experience in Arlington, MA schools.
Thank you, Arlington!

Let's end the day with root beer floats for everyone!

Now for the walk ... here's looking down on the State Capitol and beyond

And here's looking uphill.  It's been a great day!

2014 Stats:

906.35 miles walked, which is 90.54% of my 2014 goal.

285:53:43 hours walked, which is 91.34% of my 2014 goal

44,584 total feet climbed 

144,090 calories burned
87.22% of the year has passed

I've walked 47 consecutive non-Sundays since my last missed day on September 20, and overall have walked on 260 of the 273 non-Sundays thus far in 2014, a 95.24% consistency rating.

The purpose of the percentages is to have a higher percentage of distance and time walked than of the year. This tells Tortoise that he is on track. Yes, this is more numbers than you are likely interested in, all Tortoise can say is he's really good at setting high goals and having them slip away because he doesn't do them every, every day.

And now for more of today's walking thought, originally presented in April 1993:

"I encourage you to take time each week to be by yourself, away from television and the crowd. Have your scriptures with you and as you read, ponder, and pray, take an honest look at your life. Evaluate where you stand with the promises you have made with Heavenly Father. If you have a problem, talk it over with the Lord in earnest and humble prayer."

To watch, listen to, or read this address in full please visit https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1993/04/keeping-covenants?lang=eng

The tortoise is smiling!