"The Blog Almost Too Boring To Be The Most Boring Blog in America ... for Over 5 Years!"

until it got too many red cards from Wounded Duck and the Boredom Enforcement Committee ... now the tortoise's goal is to get to 10 red cards so he can get Big Dog to drive down and take a good long walk with the tortoise

P. S. This blog listens to its readers. We have the Benjamin Category Override for 5+ mile walks and now, it humbles Tortoise to say he has been named "Lou", by Doug Jr, in memory of Mr. Consistency himself, Lou Gehrig. Tortoise can hardly type the words to think he is in any way comparable to the noble Iron Horse. Thank you!


Wednesday, December 31, 2014

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Tortoise ended 2014 at Mile 1,021.  It was cold again today, but Lou bundled up and got it done.  For today's numbers and walking thought by David Haight, please click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

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Mile 1,018.  Tortoise was fortunate to get today's walk done.  Weather conditions all over the state were cold, quite windy, and in many places snowy ... with snow threatening here.  Lou likes to walk.  Every day.  He likes being safe even more.  Business took him to St. George late in the afternoon.  It was in the 20s and damp with low cloud cover.  Pictures of this section of the Virgin River Trail just northeast of the Crosby Confluence Park have been posted here before, the difference today is the mountains at the horizon aren't visible because of the low clouds. 

The big positive is that the winds that had steadily battered the office all day in Hurricane were not blowing in St. George at that moment.  Tortoise can deal with cold and damp, just bundle up and go.  High winds are another matter.  So with that blessing, Tortoise was off and walking!  

For additional pictures, today's walking thought by Russell Nelson, and more, please click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

Monday, December 29, 2014

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Mile 1,016. Tortoise is home from Florida, and back to the cold. It made for a pretty picture along the Mill Creek trail, a section of the Virgin River Trail straddling St. George and Washington. For more pictures, today's walking thought by David Burton, and more, please click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

Saturday, December 27, 2014

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Mile 1,012.  A walk around the loop near Sarah and Darin's home to see the Christmas lights, with Sarah, Becca, Benjamin, Abigail and Chloe!  For pictures, today's walking thought by Merrill Bateman, and more, please click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

Friday, December 26, 2014

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Mile 1,009.  Tortoise got another walk with Darin, Chloe, and Abigail, and Nathan this afternoon.  This one was in the Ritch Grissom Memorial Wetlands in Viera, Florida.  For pictures, today's walking thought by Howard Hunter, and more, please click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

Thursday, December 25, 2014

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Mile 1,006.  Tortoise had a nice Christmas afternoon walk with Darin, Chloe, Abigail, and Nathan through their neighborhood.  For pictures, today's walking thought (again today by Thomas Monson), and more, please click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

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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!

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

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Queue up the music, start the party, the 1000 miles (and the extra mile) have been walked "just to be the man who would walk 1000 miles for you"!

Today's adventure came on a beautiful sunny 40 degree afternoon on the Legacy Parkway Trail in Davis County, Utah west of Woods Cross and Bountiful.  It is indeed amazing the things you can see and the people you can meet when you put one foot in front of the other 291 days in a year for an hour and a few minutes average each day.  Thank you, Dr. Carter, for telling me I need to do this, and to my dear family and friends who have been such a support along the way.

Anyone up to come with me from time to time in 2015?

Please click below to continue reading, there are pictures, more details, and today's clean living walking thought by Richard Lindsay waiting for you there ...

Cheerio!


Saturday, December 20, 2014

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Late last night we got the happy news that Doug Jr and Stefanie picked today to become a wedded couple, so all plans for the day were changed with big smiles and we headed to Las Vegas to be with them.

I did get in a short walk in the afternoon going to and from two different wedding chapels, but at 0.5 miles round trip it was well below Tortoise's self imposed daily two mile minimum, so this is officially a no walk day (please click below for more)

Cheerio!

Friday, December 19, 2014

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Mile 997.  Good morning, La Verkin!  It was a beautiful, mostly clear, still 35 degree morning with a few lingering clouds that provided wonderful walking conditions for Tortoise.  For a map, today's walking thought by Charles Didier, and more, please click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

Thursday, December 18, 2014

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Mile 994.  Tortoise began the first of three short walks today at the Riverside Trailhead in St. George.  Both pictures were taken there, seconds apart.  The difference was the angle of the camera with respect to the bright light of sunset.  For more on these walks, and today's walking thought by Joseph Wirthlin, please click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

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Mile 991.  The mountains were covered with clouds this afternoon.  It made for nice walking conditions.  There's a aerial view map, today's walking thought by L. Tom Perry ... and lots of those numbers only Tortoise can make intriguing for you when you click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

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Mile 988.  Now that's what I call a nice view while walking to work!  

There's a map, today's walking thought by Kenneth Johnson ... and let's not forget, lots of exciting numbers (!) waiting for you when you click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

Monday, December 15, 2014

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Mile 984.  A nice, simple, brisk walk home from work to get me there in time for a beautiful holiday dinner prepared by Willyne and shared with Doug Jr. and Stefanie.  Following that, we enjoyed a drive together to see Christmas lights and had a special dessert.  Homemade German chocolate pecan pie bars!  We had a very nice evening together!

There's a map, today's walking thought by Lloyd George ... and let's not forget, lots of exciting numbers (!) waiting for you when you click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

Saturday, December 13, 2014

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Mile 981.  Tortoise had a long drive home, made longer by cars and trucks, wall to wall, everywhere on every road.  Thank goodness for the KNX 1070 traffic reports every ten minutes on the 5s.  At least, Lou would know when the road ahead would change from 20 miles per hour to a dead stop because of an accident or whatever.  Then he would use his knowledge of Road B then Road C, D, E, ... to keep moving.

With this backdrop, there is the issue of where and how would today's walk fit in.  He could have happily done a follow up beach walk, or continued on the Pacific Electric Trail in Fontana.  What won out was starting on a new path, the San Gabriel River Trail at its northern end near the intersection of the 605 and 210 freeways -- because it was near the path he was detouring on in his efforts to keep moving.

There's a map, pictures that show the contrast between the industry along the trail and the TV/Radio towers atop Mt. Wilson in the background.  Today's walking thought by Bonnie Oscarson is also waiting for you when you click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

Friday, December 12, 2014

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Mile 979.  Started at Grand Ave at the north end of El Segundo beach and headed south on the Marvin Braude Bike Trail to the end of the Strand at the Manhattan Beach line.  Then turned around and walked to lifeguard station 57 (most of the way to Imperial Highway) before returning to my starting point.

There's a map of all this, a very generous portion of pictures including a 37 second video clip, a snippet of Tortoise history, and today's walking thought by Malcolm Jeppsen waiting for you when you click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

Thursday, December 11, 2014

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Mile 975.  Ball past Lincoln along the Santa Ana River Trail as far as mile 16, then back.  A beautiful December afternoon as you can see!  Lots of other bicyclists and runners were enjoying it with me.

Please click below for more pictures, a map, and today's walking thought by Elaine Jack ...

Cheerio!

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

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Mile 972.  Katella to Ball to ARTIC along the Santa Ana River Trail. No spelling error here.  ARTIC is an acronym for Anaheim Regional Intermodal Transportation Center, which looked to be under construction when I walked by on November 20.  Today the parking lot was full and buses were delivering passengers.  I arrived this morning for 4 days of work, and shook off the 402 mile drive by walking briskly before heading on to my clients.

Please click below for more pictures, a map, and today's walking thought by Richard Scott ...

Cheerio!

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

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Mile 969.  Washington's Sienna Hills Park was Tortoise's lunch walk starting point today. The Washington city trail map shows the trail from this park merges with the Washington Parkway Trail and then enters the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve, ending shortly thereafter at the Grapevine Trail.  Lou pictured the trail going along side the Parkway and over Interstate 15 on the Parkway's bridge at Exit 13.

Please click below for pictures galore, a map, the rest of the story of where the trail really goes (it's a walker's delight), and today's walking thought by Jeanne Inouye, including this sneak preview:   "If there were not more to do than we are individually capable of doing, we wouldn’t have to make choices and we would never realize what we value most."

Cheerio!


Monday, December 8, 2014

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Mile 965.  Tortoise had a post-birthday lunch with his brother Steve, then walked a new section of the Virgin River Trail with him.  Learned that if the daily special at Mt. St. Helen's doesn't excite you that the Philly Cheesesteak sandwich is always a solid choice there.  That was a nice surprise in Washington County.

Please click below for more pictures, 
a map,  and today's walking thought by Aileen Clyde that includes:  "
Love is not just good, it is essential to life." 

Cheerio!

Saturday, December 6, 2014

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Mile 962.  Tortoise went with 25 other folks on the La Verkin Winterfest Mayor's Walk today.  Beautiful weather, good company, and learned some more about our fine town!

Please click below for more pictures, 
a map,  and today's walking thought by Eugene Hansen that includes:  "Often it is the work and sacrifice one experiences in obtaining money for a worthwhile purpose that produces the most satisfaction." 

Cheerio!

Friday, December 5, 2014

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Mile 959.  Tortoise picked up some of his grandchildren for a sleepover complete with a pizza dinner before heading to the theater to watch Heroes 6 - great fun!  His idea of multi-tasking was to walk 2.28 miles to the bank rather than drive, just before picking up his grandchildren. 39 feet were climbed in 1.14 miles along the way, for a 5.8 tortoise rating.  The rest of the path was flat or downhill.  Lou burned 356 calories in 36:48 minutes doing this.

Please click below for a map and today's walking thought by Virginia Pearce that includes:  "
if people are really going to learn something, they need more than an explanation; they need an experience"  

Cheerio! 

Thursday, December 4, 2014

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Mile 956.  Tortoise enjoyed the Christmas lights in La Verkin's Zion View Estates neighborhood while walking. 2.54 miles this evening. 90 feet were climbed in 1.27 miles along the way, for a 5.4 tortoise rating on the uphill portion of this walk.  The rest of the path was flat or downhill.  Lou burned 372 calories in 43;51 minutes doing this.

Please click below for a map, another picture, and today's walking thought by Thomas S. Monson ...  


Cheerio! 

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

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Mile 954.  Greetings from this evening's turnaround point, the Hurricane city power plant located up a hill from my office. Round trip distance was 2.03 miles, with 141 feet climbed in 1.02 miles along the way, for a 4.8 tortoise rating on the uphill portion of this walk.  The rest of the path was flat or downhill.  Lou burned 300 calories in 34:22 minutes doing this.

Please click below for a map and today's walking thought by L. Tom Perry ...  


Cheerio! 

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

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Mile 952. Tortoise needed flexibility today, so he hitched a ride with his sweet lady as far as her hair appointment, then walked the rest of the way to work.  After work, Lou continued his walk up the hill to Valley Academy Charter School and back.  This totalled 2.53 miles, with 105 feet climbed in 1.00 miles along the way, for a 5.1 tortoise rating on the uphill portion of this walk.  The rest of the path was flat or downhill.  Lou burned 372 calories in 46:32 minutes doing this.

Please click below for a map, another picture, and today's walking thought by Gordon Hinckley.  You will want to hear the story of the butterfly picture!


Cheerio! 

Monday, December 1, 2014

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Mile 949.  Tortoise walked 3.32 miles home from work this evening. There were 215 feet climbed in 1.66 miles along the way, for a 4.8 tortoise rating on the uphill portion of this walk.  The rest of the path was flat or downhill.  Lou burned 490 calories in 1:03:47 hours doing this.

Please click below for a map, more pictures, and today's walking thought by Carlos Amado ...

Cheerio!