15-365

Mile 1,106.  Tortoise is continuing to catch up on posts from past days when walks happened but writing didn't.  This one is from December 31, 2015, a hillside loop walk in LaVerkin.  Lou was quite bundled, and the picture of the day is of Chief and Stefanie keeping warm indoors.  The day's walking thought is by Dieter Uchtdorf, and there's other tidbits from the five years of walking and blogging that Tortoise completed today ...

Cheerio!

15-364

Mile 1,104.  Tortoise is continuing to catch up on posts from past days when walks happened but writing didn't.  This one is from December 30, 2015, a classic loop walk up the hill from Lou's office, this time by way of Stout Park above the ballfields at the corner of 600 North and 200 West in Hurricane.  The day's walking thought is by Randall Ridd ...

Cheerio!

15-363

Mile 1,100.  Tortoise is continuing to catch up on posts from past days when walks happened but writing didn't.  This one is from December 29, 2015. Lou walked back to work this morning, taking the new connector road from the state highway to 600 North, pictured above with the Hurricane Cemetery and the snow dusted peaks of the Pine Valley Mountains in the background.  The day's walking thought is by Donald Hallstrom ...

Cheerio!

15-362

Mile 1,097.  Tortoise is continuing to catch up on posts from past days when walks happened but writing didn't.  This fun one is from December 28, 2015 ... Lou walked home from work, and a little more, accompanied by a walking thought by Dallin Oaks ...

Cheerio!

15-360

Mile 1,093.  Tortoise is catching up on posts from past days when walks happened but writing didn't.  This fun one is from Boxing Day, December 26, 2015 ... a cold windy day, so Lou started doing laps inside the house.  After 6 laps, Wounded Duck joined him, and after 20 it became even more fun when the grandchildren did too.  He did 73 laps before it was done.

The walking thought by Quentin Cook came earlier in the day while driving in the car.  Tortoise had too much fun with his compadres on foot to listen while walking this day.  Lots of fun pictures await you ...

Cheerio!

15-359

Mile 1,091.  Tortoise was rewarded in his dreams for a white Christmas, awakening to this light dusting that came in the night.  After enjoying a fine morning with family, he went for an afternoon walk.  The weather was quite overcast and occasionally teased with a few snowflakes, but as the additional pictures will show, the white stuff is already gone.  The day's walking thought is by W. Craig Zwick ...

Cheerio!

15-358

Mile 1,087.  Tortoise was in St. George enjoying Christmas Eve with his family.  Near the end of the afternoon, Wounded Duck dropped his truck off at the Riverside Trailhead and got a ride with family, who were on their way home, to the Crosby Family Confluence Park.  There the two of them walked on the footbridge across the Virgin River and continued on the trail on the south side of the river until they got back to the truck.  It was a great way to end a wonderful afternoon.  

Today's walking thought was heard on the drive to St. George and is by Claudio D. Zivic. ...

Cheerio!

15-357

Mile 1,084.  Another beautiful mix of clouds, sun, mountains, and snow in the horizon as Tortoise walked the return trip to his office this morning.  The day's walking thought is by Robert D. Hales ...

Cheerio!

15-356

Mile 1,081.  It rained much of last night and today, then calmed down.  Tortoise walked home from work about 4 pm by way of the Tortoise Track hill in Confluence Park, the Hurricane Main Street trailhead, and the La Verkin bridge. The picture above?  That was taken at the La Verkin live nativity at the Old White Church at the conclusion of Lou's walk.  Merry Christmas!

The day's walking thought is by Richard G. Scott.  Cheerio!

15-355

Mile 1,077.  Here comes the cloud wave down Black Ridge headed towards the valley, with the hope of welcome precipitation.  Tortoise got his walk done in midafternoon ...  

Walking thought is by Russell M. Nelson.  Cheerio!

Cheerio!

15-353

Mile 1,072.  On a spectacular 58 degree afternoon with no wind, Tortoise got an idea for a new place to walk that includes a nice steadily steep hill with beautiful views.  So he drove out 3000 South in Hurricane to within about a half mile of the drop down to Sand Hollow Reservoir, parked his car, walked the rest of the way to the top of the hill, then dropped down for a mile and a quarter.  At this point he crossed the street and walked back up to where he started, taking pictures all along the way.  The day's walking thought is by Henry B. Eyring ...

Cheerio!

15-352

Mile 1,069.  Today's Tortoise walk was an afternoon hillside loop in La Verkin.  Pictured above is the outdoor Christmas tree at the city offices.  The day's walking thought was by Neil Anderson ...

Cheerio!

15-351

Mile 1,066.  It's plenty cold in the mornings, and most of the time in the afternoons these days.  But for one December afternoon, Tortoise was comfortable walking in a long sleeved shirt.  No coat, no beanie, no scarf, no gloves.  He was in Mesquite for work appointments, and when they were done, he headed out on a loop of that city's trails, enjoying the sunshine, no wind, and temperatures in the low 50s.  Today's walking thought is by Linda Reeves ...

Cheerio!

15-350

Mile 1,061.  Christmas lights against the final glow of sunset.  Tortoise walked a couple miles up the hill from his office, then looped around to return.  It was a touch warmer (37 degrees) and a little less wind than yesterday, and made Lou feel good.  Today's walking thought is by Carlos H. Amado ...

Cheerio!

15-349

Mile 1,057.  Tortoise walked another loop up the hill from his office on a cold, windy day following yesterday's snow flurries.  This picture tells the story of the goodness available less than a mile from Lou's office.  At first glance, it is simply a close-up of a small, delicate cactus.  You get the feel of being alone in a vast desert.  You might have to click on the picture to enlarge it to see these details, but not far away is a row of telephone poles.  That shows you how close it is to busy 600 North in Hurricane.  On the near hill is the city's trademark block H; to the right of that the gash in the ridge that allows Gould's Wash to pass through on its path from the mesa above to the Virgin River.  Behind this ridge is evidence of yesterday's snow on the peaks of the higher ridge beyond.  

There's more pictures of this walk to West Cinder Knoll, some of them worthy of the beautiful large coffee table picture book Lou dreams of compiling.  And then there's the day's walking thought by Ronald Rasband ...

Cheerio!

15-348

Mile 1,053.  Hurricane looked different through the lightly falling snow that Tortoise walked in this afternoon.  It melted when it hit the ground, although just slightly higher at 4,000 feet it stuck.  There's a few pictures of that later in this post, along with today's walking thought by Jeffrey R. Holland ...

Cheerio!

15-346

Mile 1,049.  Tortoise walked the long way to the church for his ward's Christmas party, then decided that two miles was enough for this cold, windy day and did not walk back home afterwards.  Walking thought is by Thomas S. Monson ...

Cheerio!

15-345

Mile 1,047.  Tortoise got such a nice response from his walking Christmas light tour two nights ago that he did an encore late tonight.  For the most part, Lou was able to walk different streets this time, so you will be able to enjoy a new set of Christmas lights as you look at this set of pictures.  Tonight's walking thought is by Dieter Uchtdorf.  And now for the pictures ...

Cheerio!

15-344

Mile 1,043.  Tortoise visited George Washington Academy this evening to watch his granddaughter and her fellow students perform in their Christmas choral concert.  On his way there, Lou parked his car and climbed the hill on Foremaster Drive between Riverside and the hospital in both directions.  He enjoyed the extra heart pumping of that enough to go back and do it again after the concert.  The delightful scene shown above was seen along the way.  

Today's walking thought is by Neill Marriott ...

Cheerio!

15-343

Mile 1,038. The skies of LaVerkin appear to be on fire in this brilliant December sunset, a prelude to Tortoise's Christmas light walking tour of much of this community. Today's walking thought is by Jean Stevens ...

Cheerio!

15-342

Mile 1,034.  This evening's after-work walk was a little later and a little darker, so Tortoise chose a route with less hills to climb because it was also better lit.  Today's walking thought is by Linda Burton ...

Cheerio!

15-341

Mile 1,030.  Tortoise did a loop up the hill after work this afternoon, including a walking thought by Thomas Monson ...

Cheerio!

15-339

Mile 1,026.  Tortoise visited his long lost friend Terreeeblay, that most trusty treadmill, to start his day.  Wounded Duck would be well pleased.  Later on Lou was treated by several of the women in his family to a heartwarming performance of Christmas Around The World by the BYU International Folk Dancers.  That's what Tortoise would have liked to have shared pictures of ... the costumes were colorful and delightful, and the dancing and music were better than that.  However, no pictures are allowed, so you'll just have to trust Lou's opinion on this.

After the performance, the group took a short walk through various parts of campus as shown on today's map ... ending with a generous scoop of caramel cashew ice cream at the Creamery on Ninth.  Today's walking thought is by David Bednar ...

Cheerio!

15-338

Mile 1,023.  Tortoise surpassed 2014's year-end total of 1,021.21 miles today with 23 walking days to go in 2015.  Bluebird should be very pleased with herself as a motivational genius.  

Lou did this in small segments during the various 15 minute breaks of another day of tax training, knowing it would be his only opportunity to walk this day.  There are more pictures, a map, and the day's walking thought by Larry Kacher waiting for you ...

Cheerio!

15-337

Mile 1,020.  Another day of tax update classes for Lou, this time in the Dixie Center.  Afterwards, Tortoise walked under the Dixie Drive bridge, got on the Virgin River trail and went just past the Riverside Drive trailhead before turning back.  The waning sunset view of the river shown above was taken there.  There's some other nice pictures as well, including some outside the well decorated Dixie Center, currently hosting the yearly Dickens Festival that attracts far greater interest than the annual two day Utah State University tax update school.  Today's walking thought is by Hugo Martinez ...

Cheerio!

15-336

Mile 1,016.  Lou walked over to Dairy Queen to deliver a payroll after work, then kept walking up the hill from there.  Today's walking thought is by Allan Packer ...

Cheerio!

15-335

Mile 1,012.  After a day of continuing education courses at Dixie State University on some of the tax changes this year, Tortoise walked up the hill to the new Red Hills Desert Garden, then continued up the initial hill of the T-Bone trail that starts there.  When Lou reached the junction with the Pioneer Hills trail in about a half mile from the Desert Garden and got some more pictures, he headed back down by way of Skyline Drive (the top of 200 East).  Today's walking thought is by Carlos Godoy ...

Cheerio!

15-334

Mile 1,007.  Christmas lights and sunset.  A nice evening for a walk.  Today's thought is by Richard Scott ...

Cheerio!

15-332 3/4

Mile 1,003.  Tortoise did a bonus walk later in the day after walking his thousandth mile, so that he would have over two miles for the day and keep his consecutive walking streak alive at 173.  It was a short La Verkin loop, meaning the whole walk was done on one side of the state highways.  Today's walking thought is by Russell Ballard ...

Cheerio!

15-332

Mile 1,000.  Bluejay was the closest to figure out what Tortoise was trying to do in the past few weeks on his goal for this year -- he thought Tortoise was trying to do it before December 1.  Having as much of Lou's family to enjoy it with him was his motivator to try to do it today ... before some return to their homes after Thanksgiving.  Tortoise enjoyed Bluejay's singing (see yesterday's comments) over this happy day.

Lou picked the warmest (44 degrees), calmest part of the day to do his one thousandth mile by going a half mile northeast from the Crosby Family Confluence Park with Floryne, Becca, Josh, Ethan, Kate, Riley, and Maude.  They then turned around and retraced their steps.  Lots of celebratory pictures when you click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

15-331

Mile 999.  Tortoise got up early and did a Black Friday special, leaving others to shop while he enjoyed walking the Mayor's Loop clockwise in St. George, beginning and ending at the Crosby Family Confluence Park near the Dixie Center.  Lou has done the full Mayor's loop once before, on January 4, 2014.  That time he did it in the counterclockwise direction.  It is interesting looking at the different point of view on this trail, depending on which direction it is walked.  The view shown above is as the trail approaches the Riverside Trailhead, one of four places that you can park your car and access the trail.

When Tortoise completed this walk, he went to Archie Gubler Park in Santa Clara to watch his grandson play soccer and enjoyed the enthusiasm, skill, and sportsmanship he saw there!  Later he did another three quarters of a mile around the block near his home to complete his 999th mile for the year and leave a single mile to do tomorrow to pass 1000.  There are many nice pictures today, along with the walking thought by Thomas S. Monson ...

Cheerio!

15-330

Mile 993.  Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!  Tortoise very much enjoyed the company of Wounded Duck on his traditional holiday morning walk, and asked him to choose today's title picture.  There are several nice ones to choose from on this fine day, between the walk down to the Virgin River and the climb to the ridge halfway to the La Verkin Overlook.  Today's walking thought is by James Hamula ...

Cheerio!

15-329

Mile 989.  Tortoise caught a little break today.  The weather forecast for the last week showed a major storm coming in for today and tomorrow, complete with rain, wind, and cold.  Lou welcomes all gentle, healing rains, but realizes that would have impacted where and how much he walked.  As it turns out, the storm hit hardest to the north of us.  Southern Utah got plenty of wind, and the temperature dropped 15 degrees from yesterday, but no precipitation.  Tortoise bundled up and headed out on a most excellent walk, the halfway point of which is shown above at the new Confluence View trailhead at the top of Hurricane's Main Street.  From there, Lou continued down to the river and then back up by way of Tortoise Track.  It also includes today's walking thought by Robert Hales ...

Cheerio!

15-328

Mile 982.  Does this look like Thanksgiving week to you?  Tortoise was out walking in shirtsleeves this afternoon.  There is supposed to be cold rain the next two days, so Lou will enjoy this while he can!  Today's walking thought is by Carol McConkie ...

Cheerio!

15-327

Mile 977.  Tortoise began just past 5 pm to walk a loop up the hill from his office, accessing Confluence Park on the Tortoise Track Trail where 200 North ends, continuing down as far as the Basalt Trail, then turning right around and headed back up to the Confluence View Trail to the new trailhead almost complete at the end of Main Street.  Lou then continued on the city streets back to work.  Today's walking thought is by Russell Nelson ...

Cheerio!

15-325

Mile 971.  It was a clear, beautiful 64 degree afternoon.  There had been heavy wind in the morning, but none on the Hurricane hill after 2 pm.  It made for some really nice picture taking conditions when Lou climbed that hill and continued to the point shown above a half mile down the Gould Rim trail.  Hope you enjoy them, and the day's walking thought by Henry Eyring.  Tortoise suspects Bluebird might be smiling too ...

Cheerio!

15-324

Mile 966.  It was a tougher than usual day for Tortoise, so when all was said and done at about a quarter to eight, Lou set out on a longer than usual loop of LaVerkin to blow off steam.  And he did feel better when he was done.  Tonight's walking thought is by Thomas S. Monson ...

Cheerio!

15-323

Mile 961.  Tortoise took advantage of a glorious shirtsleeves 62 degree afternoon to explore the Church Rocks Trail in the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve before the weather turns again.  Lou accessed this trail from the top of Slick Rock Drive in Coral Canyon, using other trails for just under a mile to get to it.  He highly suggest good walking poles and shoes, and to allow a little extra time for trail finding as much of the way you are walking on rock and looking for the next trail marker pole, or even stacked rocks to know where to go.  The pictures from the extra bit of hill above the nearby Prospector Trail make it worth the extra effort.  Today's walking thought is by David Bednar ...

Cheerio!

15-322

Mile 956.  Tortoise came home late from a quick out of town trip for a funeral in the family, and did an 11 pm walk up Main Street and back, to work out the kinks from sitting in the car for hours before calling it a day.  Today's walking thought is by Koichi Aoyagi ...

Cheerio!

15-321

Mile 954.  Tortoise's favorite walk while waiting for his oil to be changed at Roadrunner.  Why sit and wait when one can breathe clean, crisp air and see the ever changing colors of Confluence Park.  After yesterday's storm, the snowpack has increased on the Pine Valley Mountains, for which the residents of the surrounding valleys are most thankful, and which Lou never tires of seeing.  This view includes the Virgin River as he began climbing out of the park on the Cactus Cliff trail.  The row of trees starting in the middle of the picture and continuing to the right is courtesy of La Verkin Creek, whose path the trees trace.  A fine walk indeed.  Today's walking thought is by Kim Clark ...

Cheerio!

15-320

Mile 951.  The first snow on West Temple of the season, seen a mile into Tortoise's walk on a 41 degree windy day, following a nice 12 hour rainstorm.  Thank goodness for a warm coat and a beany!  Today's walking thought is by Allen Haynie, recounting a charming boyhood story of mud and digging holes ...

Cheerio!

15-318

Mile 946.  Tortoise had a fine day.  Jacob, Hilary, Maude, and Jack came to visit bearing colorful gifts of talent.  Then Ethan, Kate, and Riley joined us at the Peanuts movie, which was fun for old and young.  Tortoise followed this with some play time with them, then when it was near sleepy time he headed out on his walk, winding up and down La Verkin's east hills.  A brilliant way to end a terrific day!  Today's walking thought is by Carole Stephens ...

Cheerio!

15-317

Mile 943.  After a day of meetings and work in St. George, Lou parked his car on the street by the temple and used that as a starting point for his walk in the waning moments of light.  He headed east to Dixie State University.  Pictured above is the relatively new Jeffrey R. Holland Centennial Building and the clock tower that also puts on a continually changing light show.  It went into the 6 pm chimes right about this moment, that was nice too.  Tortoise then made a loop of it by heading up 1000 East to Tabernacle, then heading west for 14 blocks before making his way back to his starting point, changing shoes, putting on a tie, and heading inside to complete a nice evening.  Today's walking thought is by Von Keetch, see you on the other side (you know how to get there) ...

Cheerio!

15-316

Mile 938.  The last remnants of sunlight glow seen at 6:20 this evening not quite a mile into Tortoise's walk.  Six months ago today, Lou started a new string of consecutive Non-Sunday walks that is still going strong and giving Tortoise something more to smile about.  Along with today's "ponderizing" walking thought by Devin Durrant ...

Cheerio!

15-315

Mile 934.  A late afternoon walk that worked its way into an early evening walk with the kind of night views that come with clear, crisp air in the deep darkness that occurs shortly after sundown on a late fall or winter night.  It started with two miles along the Virgin River trail, starting at the Riverside Drive trailhead pictured above, then looping back by way of the Foremaster hill which also provided lit sidewalks.  You can see the rest of Lou's pictures and also get Todd Christofferson's walking thought by clicking below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

15-314

Mile 930.  It rained off and on much of the day today.  The clouds got more threatening as time went on, so Tortoise headed out into the mist while he still could.  He did a little lower loop than usual, and turned back at Main Street, a little sooner than planned, when the mist became rain.  Lou's beanie protected him, and thankfully the rain soon paused long enough for him to return to his office without getting too wet.  Just before the rain picked up again.  It was a very nice rain, that Tortoise was thankful for, and also thankful he was able to walk.  For another picture, a map of today's magical mystery walk, and the walking thought by Henry Eyring, please click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

15-313

Mile 926.  It's back up to 70 degrees this afternoon.  At least for today, tomorrow the forecast is rain and low 50s.  So Tortoise went for some therapy by walking along the Virgin River after doing some business nearby.  Lou has a few more pictures, and there is a walking thought by Claudio Costa waiting for you when you click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

15-311

Mile 922.  Great leaders inspire greatness in others! They are doing good things at La Verkin Elementary these days, it was nice to walk by it this evening.  Lou took some other pictures you might like to see when you click below to continue reading.  Today's walking thought is by Gregory Schwitzer ...

Cheerio!

15-310

Mile 917.  Busy day.  Lou didn't walk until evening, when it became windy in the manner this Hurricane valley is named for.  Tortoise donned his coat and beanie, and did an abbreviated walk that didn't go up the hill to avoid the stronger winds up there.  Frankly, this was the sort of day that Tortoise keeps all those stats at the end of each blog post for ... so he finds a way to keep going.  It would be easy to just check out until, say, the beginning of March.  But once he gets going, it feels good, even on a blustery night ... 

Today's walking thought is by Russell Nelson ...

Cheerio!

15-309

Mile 915.  Lou's highlight picture this evening was taken looking down from the hill near the cell towers on 600 North Street in Hurricane.  Interesting streaks in the clouds.  Tortoise took an extra twist in his usual hill loop, and got some fun pictures, including one of himself dressed for the suddenly cool 40 degree temperatures.  For that and today's walking thought by Dale Renlund, please click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!