15-231

Mile 664.  After finishing four stops in Washington and Bloomington to complete his business day, Tortoise set out to walk the full Grapevine Trail this evening.  Its trailhead is just off I-15 at Exit 13, making it a very convenient place to start walking.  To find out if Lou was able to get this done, while looking at several more pictures and a map, as well as enjoying today's walking thought by Dale Renlund, please click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

The first junction with Bracken's Loop trail,
reached after walking 1.7 miles

Love all these layers of color!

(above and below) Views at today's turnaround point just past 2 miles

And the view looking back from the same point

The Sand Hill trail junction (at 2.0 miles)

Here's the reason for the turnaround.  Night is quickly approaching, as seen
from this view with a little over half a mile to go.  Can you see the "D"
on a ridge 4 miles or so towards the horizon?

At the bottom of the map, Lou's parking place can be seen near exit 13.  Grapevine Trail stays close to the Interstate for about a mile, then it heads mostly north leaving the highway as it turns towards the east.  Tortoise completed a 4.11 mile round trip walk, not enough to reach the second trail junction with Bracken's Loop.  Lou now figures that walk will be a 5-6 mile round trip, something he plans to do at a future occasion, when he allows time for sunlight the full distance.

As for today, Tortoise enjoyed a steady climb of 4% for two miles, gaining 431 feet of elevation in the process.  This portion of the trail has a 4.0 Tortoise rating, based on the grade and average elevation of 3266.  Pace slowed from recent days, in response to the additional grade, rockier terrain, and temperatures stubbornly holding on to triple digits through most of the climb.  The walk burned 608 calories in 1:19:37 hours.

Here are the overall stats so far for 2015:

664.51 miles walked, which is 66.32% of Lou's 2015 goal. On this day in 2014, Tortoise had walked 654.01 year-to-date miles.   

203:31:23 hours walked, which is 65.02% of the 2015 goal (which is to walk 1 hour a day on the 313 days other than Sunday in the year)

33,264 total feet climbed, compared with 30,969 feet on this day in 2014.  

99,732 calories burned

62.94% of the year has passed

Lou has walked 86 consecutive non-Sundays since his 8 missed days May 2-11. Overall he has walked on 189 of the 198 non-Sundays in 2015, a 95.45% consistency rating.  This compares with 186 days walked after 198 non-Sundays in 2014 (a 93.94% 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 ... for him, it is what it takes to be consistent. And Tortoise feels much more vibrant when he is consistent.  He hopes you find what works for you)

And now for today's walking thought.  He starts strong with fine quotes from Nelson Mandela and William Shakespeare, then continues with:

"the Savior's infinite Atonement can heal even -- and perhaps especially -- those who have innocently suffered.  He understands perfectly what it is like to suffer innocently as a consequence of another's transgression.  As prophesied, the Savior will 'bind up the brokenhearted, ... give ... beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, [and] the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.' ...

"Just as God rejoices when we persevere, he is disappointed if we do not recognize that others are trying too. ... 'the Church is like a big hospital, and we are all sick in our own way.  We come to church to be helped.' ...

"We will then recognize that regardless of perceived differences, all of us are in need of the same infinite Atonement."

"Latter-Day Saints Keep On Trying", Dale Renlund, April 2015 LDS General Conference

The tortoise is smiling!