15-31

Mile 87.  Had a most pleasant lunch and discussion with four old friends, from left to right above, Mike Arlen, Brad Bobbs, John Stern, and Brian Krantz.  Then later did a short walk with John and also a Terreeeblay treadmill walk later.  For more on these walks and today's walking thought by M. Russell Ballard, please click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

15-30

Mile 85.  A beautiful afternoon to sneak in a walk in between rain showers shortly after arriving in southern California for a working weekend.  This one was a minimum 2.03 miler (minimum because Tortoise won't count a day walked if it is less than 2 miles) on the Pacific Electric Trail both directions between Sultana and Tokay while passing a well marked crossing of old Route 66 in Fontana.  For more on this walk, featuring several more pictures and today's walking thought by Janette Hales, please click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

15-29

Mile 83.  A 2.27 mile walk this evening to the Community Theater and back, to watch the dress rehearsal of the Special Needs Mutual roadshow presentation of "Saturday's Warrior".  Tortoise was touched!  For more on tonight's walk, including today's walking thought by Bonnie Parkin, please click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

15-28

Mile 80.  Another high quality evening walk, this time a loop on the north side of Hurricane from Tortoise's office.  For more on tonight's walk, including today's walking thought by L. Tom Perry, please click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

15-27

Mile 78.  A late night 2.06 mile walk up and down La Verkin's Main Street in 39:09 minutes. Because the Tortoise just has to keep going, no matter what.  Too dark for a good picture, but fortunately, Lou was blessed to listen to perhaps one of the classic President Hinckley talks of all time, which is saying something, because he had a lot of classics.  Just ask Mike Wallace or Larry King. 

For more on tonight's walk, including exactly what makes Tortoise think this particular talk is so classic, please click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

15-26

Mile 76.  Today's walk after work took Tortoise on what he calls the "large southern loop" beginning and ending at his Hurricane office.  It's 4.47 miles, goes as far south as "the old stake center" on 650 South and as far east as Main Street.  Lou completed it in 1:27:15 hours.  For more on this, including an additional picture and today's still timely walking thought on mercy by Thomas S. Monson, please click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

15-24

Mile 71.  Tortoise purposely walked the long way to decorate Lou's brother Michael's grave on his birthday ... so Lou could add some hills en route.  Willyne met me there and kindly brought the flowers and took the pictures.  Thank you, Sweetheart.

For more on this, including some more pictures and today's walking thought by Helvecio Martins, please click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

15-23

Mile 68.  An sunset 4.29 mile loop walk of La Verkin in 1:20:43 hours.  For more on this, plus today's walking thought by Monte Brough, please click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

15-22

Mile 64. Tortoise walked 3.01 miles in a loop starting and ending at his Hurricane office.  For more on this, plus today's walking thought by Cecil Samuelson, please click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

15-21

Mile 61.  Tortoise bundled up and did a 2.49 mile late night walk up and down La Verkin's Main Street, on a cold, dark evening.  For more on this walk, along with today's walking thought by Aileen Clyde (pictured above), please click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

15-20

Mile 58.  Tortoise walked a 3.08 mile loop in Hurricane after work, dropping down to 400 South, taking it as far as 200 West, and then circled back to his office.  For more on this walk, along with today's walking thought by Joseph B. Wirthlin, please click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

15-19

Mile 55.  Tortoise did a 4.06 mile loop through the hills of north Hurricane after work today, climbing 169 feet along the way in 1:12:24 hours.  For an additional picture and more info on this walk, along with today's walking thought by Merrill Bateman, please click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

15-17

Mile 51.  Tortoise's basic walking goals for 2015 are to walk two or more miles on 95% of the 313 days in the year that aren't Sundays, and to add an extra mile to last year's goal.  So Lou is trying to walk at least 1,002 miles in 2015, which should require an average of an hour a day.  Guess it's Tortoise's version of Play60 ... we're all kids in the end, right?

Another goal Tortoise has is to push himself a little extra at least one day a month.  This is all about getting the heart rate up and keeping Dr. Carter pleased with his progress.  Lou is starting in January with a goal to do a 3+ mile walk that includes at least a mile walking uphill on something with a tortoise rating of 4.0 or better.  This would mean a grade of 4-6% depending on the elevation of the walk. Each month through August he hopes to gradually add both additional grade and distance, then back off a little as sunlight and weather continue their seasonal cycles.

The plan was to do that today and invite some family to join him.  For this walk, Tortoise was joined by his brother Steve, along with his wife Marnie and three of their children, Hillary, Sam, and Sydney.

For the rest of the story about this walk on the Cottonwood Wash Trail in Washington, Utah, including more pictures and today's walking thought by J. Ballard Washburn, please click below ...

Cheerio!

15-16

Mile 47.  Tortoise took advantage of his "4 day work week" and walked a large 4.72 mile loop through La Verkin, including Confluence Park.  Then he went to work anyway, refreshed from a little bit longer walk and nice scenery.  Please click below to read more about this walk, including another picture and today's walking thought by Robert Dellenbach ...

Cheerio!

15-15

Mile 43.  Walked the Virgin River Trail South starting at Man O' War Park in Bloomington and continuing until just far enough past the Atkinville Trail junction to see that the trail has been lengthened since the Doug and Doug walk passed by this way in April 2013.  We will have to come back soon to see how much farther the trail now goes ...

For today, Tortoise retraced his steps at that point and headed back to work after a welcome sunny winter pause following the yearly What's Up Down South Economic Summit.  To read more about this walk, along with additional pictures and today's walking thought by Elaine Jack, please click below ...

Cheerio!

15-14

Mile 39.  A night walk with my headlamp through Hurricane.  No pictures, so you get to see the author of today's walking thought.  For that and more on this walk, please click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

15-13

Mile 35.  A minimum two mile walk down the street from my office as back as quickly as possible to get back to work.  It was one of those days.  But it was a beautiful day, as demonstrated above in a picture that has nothing to do with the walk, but I couldn't resist taking when I was home for a moment at lunch time.  The picture below shows the latest on the big Paparazzi building across the street as I began my walk ...

For more on this walk, including additional pictures, along with today's walking thought by Patricia Pinegar, please click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

15-12

Mile 33.  A race to beat the setting sun after running some late afternoon errands in St. George.  Today's walk was a loop starting from the Waterfront Drive trailhead, heading down the Virgin River Trail just far enough past the Middleton Wash Trail so that the loop would be 3 miles plus a little extra.  From that turnaround point, Tortoise headed back to the Middleton Wash Trail, which he took as far as Riverside Drive.  Lou then walked along Riverside Drive until he reached Waterfront Drive to complete the loop.

For more on this walk, including today's walking thought by M. Russell Ballard, please click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

15-10

Mile 30 for 2015 was reached on a day it took three walks to reach 2.08 miles. Pictured above is the first walk, from the rental car shuttle drop off at Terminal 1 at Los Angeles International Airport through security to his gate.  Second walk was through McCarran Airport in Las Vegas to the St. George Shuttle.  Third walk was in a circle in the Joann's fabric store parking lot in Washington, Utah so that the minimum two miles for today would be walked.   Tortoise was in travel mode home, he just did what he had to to get it done ...

For more on this walk, including today's walking thought by Gordon B. Hinckley, please click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

15-9

Mile 28.  After finishing client meetings this afternoon, Tortoise headed to Glassell Street just off the 91 Freeway in Anaheim to pick up where he left off walking the Santa Ana River Trail on December 11.  Lou's first order of business after parking at the Embassy Suites hotel was to cross the river on Glassell to the trail connection, then walk back to Mile 16 (the previous ending point), after which he retraced his steps.  He then continued to Mile 17.5 near the intersection of Riverdale and Tustin Avenues before once again retracing his steps, this time back to his point of origin.

It was a spectacular day for a walk as you can see in the picture!  For more on this walk, including additional pictures, along with today's walking thought by Richard G. Scott, please click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

15-8

Mile 24.  Tortoise was not feeling 100% today, but it takes more than that to stop Lou, so he proceeded to the trail conveniently adjacent to his client's Costa Mesa offices, then connected with the Santa Ana River Trail.  He followed that trail under the San Diego (I-405) Freeway and continued as far as Adams Avenue before retracing his steps.  His only concession to an uneasy stomach was to slow the pace to an average 19:07 minutes per mile.

For more on this walk and today's walking thought by Jeffrey R. Holland, his first as an Apostle, please click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

15-7

Mile 21.  Tortoise is in travel mode this evening, resulting in a two walk day with each walk in a different state.  Pictured above is the C concourse of McCarran airport in Las Vegas, significant in this instance primarily because Lou was travelling out of the B concourse.  Later on in this post the reader will find a link to his meandering 2.92 mile path through all corners of the C concourse, then all of B, followed by all of A, before returning to B to board his plane.  With a backpack of clothes and a rolling bag of work.  It helps the time pass by more quickly once the security search has been completed, and it's not like those plastic airport chairs are known for their great comfort ...

Prior to this walk, Tortoise also did an 0.92 mile quick trek from St. George Shuttle to Wendy's and back. For more on these walks and today's walking thought by W. Don Ladd, please click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

15-6

Mile 17 on a two-walk Tuesday.  Today's picture is from neither, but is rather a classic sunrise view of the Pine Valley Mountains as the full moon sets.  It's visible faintly to the left of the mountains not far above the horizon.  First walk was a nice walk around the block with Tortoise's sweet lady, followed by an evening walk up the hill from his office as far as 600 North and back.  For more on these walks and today's walking thought, Hartman Rector, Jr.'s farewell Conference address, please click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio! 

15-5

Mile 15. Tortoise walked home from work today by way of the signal light by Lins and Wendys then on the sidewalk along the highway.  For more on this walk and today's walking thought by L. Tom Perry, please click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio! 

15-3

Mile 11.  Tortoise and his sweet lady had errands to run in St. George this fine Saturday afternoon.  Willyne did most of them, whilst Tortoise walked from the Sprint store on 700 South across from Harmons and the hospital up the Foremaster hill (atop which these pictures were taken), then up Riverside Drive and 3050 East to Wal-Mart in Washington.  For more on this walk and today's walking thought by Howard W. Hunter, please click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio! 

15-2

Mile 7.  Tortoise had a haircut appointment after work, so to change things up, he parked the car around the corner from that, an hour before, and headed out on a 3.52 mile walk up the hill and back.  For more on this walk and today's walking thought by Dallin Oaks, please click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio! 

15-1

Mile 3 as the new year begins and with it, the attempt to repeat walking an average of an hour a day on at least 95% of the 313 days other than Sunday in the year. (Believe me, Tortoise's sixty-one year old bones are ready for a rest each Sunday after six days of walking an hour)  Any day I don't walk at least two miles counts as a missed day.  There were only 15 missed days in 2014, that will be a tough standard to meet or improve on this year!

No Pat Riley guarantees from the Tortoise, just an honest consistent daily effort that should take me at least an extra mile over last year's goal ... that would be 1,002 miles.

For you post-millenials reading this, I offer this little piece of history "rap" on Mr. Riley ...


Understand that when Pat made his guarantee, either the Lakers, or Celtics, or both, had made it to every NBA championship series of the 1980s, but no team had won two championships in a row for 18 years!  People were seriously arguing at that time that it was no longer possible to do so, yet, here was Pat guaranteeing it.

I'm hoping to not only build health and vitality in this effort, but to have so much fun doing it, that many of you will set and achieve your own tortoise goals and share your accomplishments with us here on Lou's blog.  What a great tribute that would be to the noble Iron Horse!

For more on today's walk along with the day's energetic walking thought by Ruth Wright, please click below to continue reading!

Cheerio!