Mile 163. Tortoise loves the fact that the wide open spaces are so closely accessible to him. Today he took a lunch walk from his office up the hill past Valley Academy, across 600 North, and entered the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve on the trail to West Cinder Knoll. The video clip above is the panoramic view from the top of the knoll. After enjoying the view, Lou retraced his steps to his office. For another picture, bonus material, and today's walking thought by Susan Warner, please click below to continue reading ...
Cheerio!
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| West Cinder Knoll is just to the left of the trail with the Pine Valley Mountains towering beyond |
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| Tortoise had surprise visitors this evening |
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| Fun! |
Tortoise completed today's 4.04 mile walk in 1:17:50 hours. Tortoise rating was 4.8, based on 274 feet climbed in the 2.02 mile uphill portion (average elevation 3316). 593 calories were burned along the way.
Tortoise's walking map provider, www.mapmyfitness.com, has changed formats and the maps haven't transferred to this blog as well since. (Lou keeps trying without success.) Instead of embedding the map, let's try this link and see if that works better for you to see where he walked today:
And here are the overall stats so far for 2015:
163.94 miles walked, which is 16.36% of Lou's 2015 goal. On this day in 2014, Tortoise had walked 158.57 year-to-date miles.
48:06:55 hours walked, which is 15.37% of the 2015 goal (which is to walk 1 hour a day on the 313 days other than Sunday in the year)
8,164 total feet climbed, compared with 8,293 feet on this day in 2014.
24,515 calories burned
14.06% of the year has passed
Lou has walked 52 consecutive non-Sundays since his last missed day on December 22, and overall has walked on 342 of the 357 non-Sundays since the beginning of 2014, a 95.80% 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 1996:
"My dear brothers and sisters, I remember as a little girl driving across the Nevada desert with my family to attend general conference in this Tabernacle. Automobiles did not have air-conditioning, so we traveled at night with a canvas water bag tied to the front of the car in case the radiator boiled over. I remember standing outside this building, singing the hymns of Zion in the darkness of the morning, waiting for the large wooden doors to open. I remember secretly hoping that I wouldn’t be seated behind one of the wide, round pillars, or worse, a lady wearing a large hat. Though I was scarcely tall enough to see, I remember the feelings that came over me as everyone rose when the prophet entered. Those feelings of excited reverence are spiritual feelings that return each time I enter this building or hear our leaders speak in general conference. I remember what I have received and heard. I remember what I know and what I have felt.
"Each of us has memories of spiritual feelings. Some of us remember spiritual feelings from our earliest childhood. Some of us may have memories of feelings when we first discovered the Lord’s true Church. Almost all have spiritual feelings connected with the love of mother, father, brothers, and sisters. We may remember feelings of love and belonging that have come while serving in the kingdom with our fellow Saints. We may remember feeling spiritually renewed on a Sabbath evening after attending church, studying the gospel together, and sharing testimonies. We may remember earnest feelings that have accompanied fervent prayer, the comfort of the Holy Ghost in times of trial or sadness. We may remember the sorrow and the joy of deep repentance— of feeling forgiven and cleansed. We may remember profound feelings of gratitude for the Savior’s atoning gift of love to us."
To watch, listen to, or read this message in full, please visit https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1996/04/remember-how-thou-hast-received-and-heard?lang=eng #ShareGoodness
Listening to this while walking up to West Cinder Knoll brought back many fond memories for Tortoise. Crossing the desert with no air conditioning, the old time burlap water bags over the radiators (and the road turnouts on long uphill stretches along the way with rusty water buckets to hopefully refill those burlap water bags as needed), waiting outside in whatever the weather conditions were ... for hours ... hoping to get a seat in the Tabernacle, how hard the benches were when you did get inside ... and how good it felt to feel the unique, strong, sweet spirit of General Conference in person.
Lou would love to read in your comments of your memories of spiritual feelings in your life.
The tortoise is smiling!
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