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Mile 1,003.  Willyne, Benjamin, Becca, and I arrived in Florida this morning for Christmas with the Ragozzines.  We have a long family tradition of doing something fun together on Christmas Eve, generally including bowling.  Sarah broke her toe not long ago, so the conversation went to what would we like to do memorable that didn't include bowling, or anything else tough on that toe.  Turns out just a few minutes from their home is the yearly Surfing Santa event at Cocoa Beach.  In addition to countless surfers wearing red shirts and Santa hats, there were at least twenty Santa skydivers as well.

We arrived at the beach a little after 9.  The skydivers happen at 11, so Tortoise took the opportunity to walk a piece down the beach and back before playing in the water with his grandchildren and watching the Santa fun.  For more pictures and today's walking thought by Thomas Monson, please click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

Lou passed lots of folks arriving on foot as he walked down the beach

The view back at today's turnaround point

Lou enjoyed the many birds.  This one let him get close.

Fun at the beach on Christmas Eve!  Loving Benjamin in his Santa hat

Can you see Santa standing on a surfboard with a paddle?

No telling how many Santas are gathered ahead in the distance

Today's walk was 2.23 miles, with 36 feet climbed in 51:12 minutes, giving it an average 5.7 tortoise rating once the adjustment for walking in sand was figured in. 353 calories were burned on this walk.  

My walking map provider, www.mapmyfitness.com, has changed formats recently and the maps haven't transferred to this blog as well since.  Instead of embedding the map, let's try this link and see if that works better for you to see where Lou walked today:

http://www.mapmyfitness.com/routes/view/601041806

Or you can try this overhead view:



Here are the overall stats so far for 2014:

1,003.24 miles walked, which is 100.22% of my 2014 goal.

314:32:04 hours walked, which is 100.49% of my 2014 goal (which was to walk 1 hour a day each day for 313 days)

48,615 total feet climbed 

158,993 calories burned
98.08% of the year has passed

I've walked 2 consecutive non-Sundays since my last missed day on December 23, and overall have walked on 292 of the 307 non-Sundays thus far in 2014, a 95.11% 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.  (If you doubt this, compare Tortoise's 2013 walking record with 2014)

And now for today's walking thought, initially presented in April 1994 ...

"Long years ago I reorganized the Star Valley Wyoming Stake at the time the legendary leader President E. Francis Winters was released. He had served faithfully and with distinction for many years.

"The Sabbath day dawned; the members came from far and wide and crowded into the Afton, Wyoming, chapel. Every available space was taken. As the reorganization of the stake presidency was concluded, I did something I had not done before. I felt impressed to conduct a modest exercise, and I asked publicly, 'Would all of you who have been given a name or been baptized or confirmed by Francis Winters please stand and remain standing.' Many stood. Then I continued, 'Now will all of you who have been ordained or set apart by Francis Winters please stand and remain standing.' Another large number swelled the ranks of those standing. 'Finally, will all of you who have received a blessing under the hands of Francis Winters please stand and remain standing.' All the remainder stood.

"I turned to President Winters and, with tears coursing down my cheeks, said to him, 'President Winters, you see before you the result of your ministry as stake president. The Lord is pleased.' Silence prevailed. Heads nodded their approval as sobs were then heard and handkerchiefs retrieved from every purse and pocket. It was one of the most spiritually rewarding experiences of my life. No one in that vast throng will ever forget how he or she felt at that hour.

"I was all alone in the car—or was I? The miles hurried by. In silent reverie, I reflected on the events of the conference. Francis Winters, a bookkeeper at the community cheese factory, a man of modest means and humble home, had walked the path that Jesus walked and, like the Master, he 'went about doing good.' He qualified for the Savior’s description of Nathanael as he approached Him from afar: 'Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!'"

To watch, listen to, or read this message in full, please visit  https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1994/04/the-priesthood-a-sacred-trust?lang=eng #ShareGoodness

The tortoise is smiling!