16-90

Mile 234.  The skies have cleared, the mountains have a fresh, clean dusting, and spring is still abloom.  A fine evening for a walk!  Today's thought is by Whitney Clayton ...

Cheerio!

16-89

Mile 230.  Tortoise's habitat was blessed with a second day of rain.  He walked anyway, making only the concession to stick to paths better lit, keeping his phone, and thus its flashlight, in his pocket so as not to get it wet.  Sorry, Wounded Duck, that meant a little less climbing today, but still a nice walk.  Today's thought was by Rosemary Wixom, and is recommended by Lou ...

Cheerio!

16-88

Mile 227.  Lou was in St. George during the 5 to 6 hour today.  He was considering walking the Cottonwood Wash Trail in Washington on his way home, until the weather started turning nasty with heavy winds mixed with intermittent rain.  He parked his car where he found himself, bundled up, and walked up the Foremaster hill.  Not wanting to get further than about a half mile from his car ... just in case ... he then retraced his steps, after which, with only minor modifications, he did it again two more times.  The walking thought was by Neil Andersen ...

Cheerio!

16-86

Mile 223.  Tortoise got a lovely treat this evening when Josh, Ethan, and Riley came for dinner, the Kansas - Villanova basketball game, and a walk.  Knowing Ethan and Riley would each be bouncing basketballs to the park and back, Lou did a little "pre-walk" to add some climbing to the mix by walking a half mile from his house partway up the Overlook trail and back.  He hopes you will enjoy the pictures and the walking thought by Henry Eyring ...

Cheerio!

16-85

Mile 220.  Tortoise passed this fine view just west of city hall this evening on his way up the hill from his office the first time.  Lou then continued in a loop near the middle school and back around to Dairy Queen, where he gathered with John, Austin, Julianne, Nicholas, Margaret, Andy, and his mother and father for an hour.  We commemorated Glen's birthday ... Tortoise had a root beer float in his memory.

After the gathering ended, Lou climbed the hill a second time, this time by was of the new Ivy Wood neighborhood, and headed back to work.  Walking thought was by Dieter Uchtdorf ...

Cheerio!

16-84

Mile 216.  Lou parked his car at the house and walked through Confluence Park to get to Special Needs Mutual, only to find they weren't meeting this week.  So he then returned home, having already been rewarded by the peace and beauty of that park.  Today's walking thought is by David Beck ...

Cheerio!

16-83

Mile 211.  This day, Tortoise set out on a path quite similar to yesterday's, except he went a little farther and higher, and at the end walked home rather than stopping at the elementary school.  Today's walking thought is by Tad Callister ...

Cheerio!

16-82

Mile 208.  Celebrating one of the unique desert landscapes of La Verkin!  Lou did a quick walk to his neighborhood caucus, where he got his turn to vote for a Presidential nominee.  Kasich came in second in the state to Cruz, but in precinct LV-85 Tortoise was one of eleven to vote for him.  Cruz got 78 and Trump 40.  What a political year this has been, and there is still much more to come ...

Walking thought today was by Robert Hales ...

Cheerio!

16-81

Mile 205.   Tortoise asked Wounded Duck tonight to vote for the path Lou would use to walk home from work.  Our friend Duck voted "for the most feet climbed :)".  The result was an extra couple twists on the most direct path in order to pick up an additional hill.  Check it out and let Lou and Duck know what you think.

Walking thought was by Dieter Uchtdorf ...

Cheerio!

16-79

Mile 202.  Tortoise treated himself to a few moments of serenity near West Cinder Knoll as part of his walk up the office hill this evening.  It was an overcast evening, but for a few brief moments just past 8 pm the clouds and the sun put on a vibrant display of colors!  Lou is particularly fond of the color lines in the clouds shown above.  Walking thought today was by Russell Nelson ...

Cheerio!

16-78

Mile 199.  Lou is back home, and this evening walked up the hill from his office, continuing on a loop above the ball fields.  Walking thought was by David Bednar ...

Cheerio!

16-77

Mile 195.  Lou discovered the Murdock Canal Trail last night while walking up Battle Creek Drive in Pleasant Grove.  Turns out it is fairly new, and already quite popular.  So for today's walk, Tortoise parked his car at the Provo River trailhead at the intersection of Orem's 800 North and Provo's University Avenue.  Or US 189 and State 52, if you prefer.  This is now a trailhead for the Murdock Canal trail as well.  Today's walk went 2 miles up the trail from there, then back.  The first 0.8 miles are on an extra wide sidewalk on the north side of 800 North, then at 1100 East the trail heads mostly north and a little west.  The picture above is maybe a quarter mile north of that point.

This evening's walking thought is by John Dickson.  Lou hopes you enjoy his pictures ...

Cheerio!

16-76

Mile 191.  Tortoise is up north for the next couple days.  This evening he went exploring up Battle Creek Drive (200 South) in Pleasant Grove, parking his car at 600 East and walking up the hill as far as the street would take him, which wound up being to Kiwanis Park.  There he discovered a trail new to him, and continued a short distance ... to see what he could see on Battle Creek Trail.  Including the view above, and several more, if you scroll down a ways.  On the way down he explored a second trail he discovered, named for Murdock Canal.  Lou had a fun walk for sure, accompanied by a Stanley Ellis thought...

Cheerio!

16-75

Mile 188.  It was a long night on deadline day.  Tortoise completed his day's work at 25:30 on the extended military clock, and then headed out for a quick two mile walk up the hill, accompanied by Quentin Cook's walking thought ...

Cheerio!

16-74

Mile 186.  Happy pi day to you!  Tortoise put on his pi shirt, generously donated to him by Becca last pi day, and headed out on a pi walk -- that's where you walk pi/2 miles and then retrace your steps to complete a 3.14 mile walk.  High quality for sure!  Lou was accompanied this evening by a peaceful walking thought by Richard Scott ...

Cheerio!

16-72

Mile 183.  It's been a long week, ending late tonight with a short two-mile walk in La Verkin.  The walking thought was by Henry Eyring ...

Cheerio!

16-71

Mile 181.  Lou walked home from work tonight on another beautiful evening by way of Hurricane's Heritage Park, part of which is pictured above.  The walking thought was by Russell Ballard ...

Cheerio!

16-70

Mile 177.  Tortoise venture out late this evening up and down the hills of La Verkin, accompanied by a walking thought by Craig Cardon ...

Cheerio!

16-69

Mile 174.  Tortoise did a classic walk up the hill from work this evening.  There was an interesting contrast from the pasture view here and the night lit clouds a little later up the path.  The walking thought was by Elaine Dalton ...

Cheerio!

16-68

Mile 171.  Lou had a pleasant, meandering walk home from work this evening, accompanied by a walking thought by Dean Davies ...

Cheerio!

16-67

Mile 167.  Fred and Sue, that is quite a makeover over at 90 West ... Congrats!  Amazing what can be found, even on nights Tortoise has to push himself simply to finish on a minimum walk day.  Time for sleep!

Cheerio!

16-65

Mile 165.  Greetings from mile 7 of the San Gabriel River Trail, where bicyclists and walkers share the path with a smile!  Tortoise stuck to the section to the right of the solid white line, leaving the middle section for those pedaling by.  Los Angeles County paints the miles on its paths every quarter mile, and Lou happily snapped pictures at each one he passed ... in both directions.  That and the day's walking thought by Thomas Monson are on tap for you ...

Cheerio!

16-64

Mile 162.  Rachel would probably enjoy this post more if it was titled "4 Squared - 4 Cubed", rather than the Boredom Committee approved "16-64".  Plus today is Friday the 4th!

Lunch time found Tortoise at Roadrunner getting his tires changed, after 58,000 miles on the old set. This took just long enough for Lou to walk through part of Confluence Park on a beautiful near Spring day, accompanied by a thought by Linda Reeves ...

Cheerio!

16-63

Mile 159.  Tortoise was accompanied on the first two miles of this walk by his old college roommate and friend, Jeff Peters ... by phone.  Jeff was driving with his wife Lynnette from Salt Lake, where they had done some family activities and visited the open house of the Provo City Center Temple.  They were on their way to Las Vegas, where their daughter Heidi will be married Saturday to Trey Tagliaferri.  Passing the exit for Hurricane, Toquerville, Zion Park, and La Verkin, they thought of Tortoise and called him as he was preparing for his walk ... so he took them along with him.  It was very nice ... and the walking thought by Carole Stephens that came in the last mile after the phone call ended fits nicely with this unexpected visit ...

Cheerio!

16-62

Mile 156.  Lou operated on four hours sleep today, that's what happens when you work until 3 am.  It's that time of year.  Tortoise still went on his evening walk, although at a slower pace.  His picture of the night is this fine view of the Hurricane power plant.  Somehow it looks much nicer in the evening ... and certainly we are thankful it is there.  The walking thought is a story of loving leadership shared by Linda Burton ...

Cheerio!

16-61

Mile 152.  Take me out to the ball game!  A fun sight for Tortoise to see as he walked by this evening.  The walking thought was provided by Thomas Monson ...

Cheerio!