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Mile 593.  Clouds were gathering as Tortoise began to walk to Davis Farmer's Market to get some napkins and onions that were forgotten on the trip to the store earlier in the day.  He decided to go the most direct route, up 100 West, across the highway at the Center Street signal, and then along the sidewalk up the highway to the store.  Normally Lou meanders to pick up hills, but there was none of that today.  On the way back, along the same route, he was glad for his choice as it began to rain.  He got a little wet, but the big downpour came soon after his walk was complete.  This evening's thought was by Richard Edgley ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 591.  Such a glorious walk!  Tortoise was joined by seven of his grandchildren, plus Fredericksen, Wounded Duck, and Darin on a walk down La Verkin Creek from the Confluence Trail to the Virgin River.  Just upstream on the Virgin River is a sizable sandbar that Lou's grandchildren think is the greatest island playground around!  

After two lovely hours the happy crew returned home.  That walk was 1.6 miles, so Tortoise did a supplemental walk "around the block" to the nearest ballfield and back so that he would complete at least two miles for the day.  On that one, he was accompanied by thoughts from David Bednar ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 588.  Tortoise started walking as the final rays of sunlight disappeared.  It was still somewhere between 100 and 102 degrees, down from at least 108 earlier in the day.  It has been unusually hot this week, even for La Verkin in July. 

There were benefits though.  Lou would have never seen these pretty lights and flags if he had walked another time of the day.  Thank you!  

This evening's thoughtful inspiration came from Richard Scott ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 585.  Tortoise is shown enjoying a welcome moment of shade about halfway through today's walk,  It was taken midafternoon while waiting for the computers to be networked in the new office.  A "free sauna" walk if you will. Depending on which source you believe, the temperature was between 109 and 111 and possibly felt like 114.  Lou simply calls it "100 and hot" whenever it rises into three digits.  His water bottle was warm but still quite welcome along the way!  The walking thought was by Quentin Cook ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 581.  It was a quick walk up the hill from the old office and back today, before continuing with the move.  They are making good progress on the new homes across from Hurricane Elementary School, as you can see.  Today's walking thought was by David Baxter, complete with a pleasant Scottish accent ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 579.  It was warm and hazy when Tortoise went walking around 10 am on this semi-holiday in southern Utah.  Semi-holiday because the actual holiday was yesterday, most of the celebrations were Saturday, but state and local government offices and the banks are closed today.  And Lou's office is in the middle of moving.  At the moment the next step is for Century Link to move the phone line to the new place so the office tech guy James can connect them there.  It was a good opportunity to get sweaty and walk somewhere he hasn't been in a few weeks.  Today's thought while walking was provided Ulisses Soares ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 575.  Nothing like a hometown Pioneer Day parade to bring out folks for a pancake breakfast and water games on a warm morning!  Tortoise walked to the parade start, then up the hill and over to Wanlass Park to the activities there, and then back home.  A thought was provided by Robert Hales ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 573.  Office moving day.  After over 15 years in the same location, Tortoise's office is moving a couple miles west to new quarters.  As they say, "adventure is out there", so off he is going to find it!

It was still quite warm close to 10 pm, when Lou called it a day at the office and started walking up the hill before heading home.  This evening's walking thought was by Jeffrey Holland ...

Cheerio!

16-203

Mile 569.  It was a two-walk day.  The first came before sunrise, which has been the standard experience this summer.  It was a little shorter than usual, because Lou had an appointment at Roadrunner to get his car oil changed at 7:30.  While the oil was being changed, Tortoise made a beeline west on Center Street and down to the bottom of Cactus Cliff Trail on his second walk.  He did this both to once again enjoy the view and to get in some quality hill climbing.  Got to keep the heart beating and the doctor happy!

Today's walking thought is brought to you by Henry Eyring ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 565.  The colorful sunrise clouds rising over the horse corral caught Tortoise's eye!  The clouds were a treat throughout today's walk.  A thought was provided by Dallin Oaks ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 562.  Four deer grazing in the trees.  A block from home.  Tortoise was thrilled, especially because they let him get close before scampering off.  You'll see that picture presently.

Lou cut a mile off his walk this morning, passing through the shortest of the paths through Confluence Park.   Walking through this park always invigorates him, even when an unseen insect bores deep into the insides of his knuckles in the midst of his stride.  Whatever it was, a nasty stinging substance was left in Tortoise's hand.
It was still a most pleasant walk though.

Today's thought was by Paul Koelliker ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 559.  There were a few sprinkles this morning, it just might rain today!  Tortoise was thinking about how nice that would be while dodging a few random raindrops and listening to the day's thought by Donald Hallstrom ...

Cheerio!

16-198

Mile 555.  Lou was helped by his sweet lady, and by neighbor Shy, moving some filing cabinets this morning.  His walk came as the sun was fading this evening, so there are some nice sunset shots tonight, some involving the river.  Tortoise always likes those.  Cheryl Esplin provided the walking thought ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 552.  For a brief moment, Tortoise was able to keep up with this roadrunner.  Beep, Beep!  It made him smile.  The thought of this day's walk is by Boyd Packer, set in Japan just after the close of the second World War ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 550.  Lou is walking down the 320 East hill in La Verkin at about the halfway point of this pleasant morning's walk, accompanied by a thought by Thomas Monson ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 546.  Lou went off to pick up eggs, buttermilk, and lemons at the store this morning.  Sounds like something good's cooking in the kitchen!  To add a hill to the mix, Tortoise dropped into Confluence Park on the Cactus Cliff trail at the west end of Center Street.  As soon as he got to the trail junction at the bottom, he turned around and went right back up.  That 14% grade will get you every time!  

There are two walking thoughts today.  Another high quality one by Henry Eyring, followed by one from Tortoise, telling you another thread of his history.  This time it is about a math teacher from the eighth grade, Mr. George Wendt, who was energetic and loved helping students find "aha!" moments.  We lost Mr. Wendt at age 75 to lymphoma a few days ago, so Lou is in reminiscing mode ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 542.  The tortoise is still walking.  After listening to Gayle Clegg, while climbing the Center Street hill pictured above, that is the message of the day.  She talks of a boy in her elementary school class who took years to finish a sixth grade story, because in his mind there was one more chapter to be written.  Then she continued with the account of one of her ancestors in the Willie Handcart Company that lost his wife to cholera, followed hours later by their baby child.  He himself had cholera, and there were 1,000 miles yet to walk.  He didn't have the heart to write in his journal for several weeks.  When he did resume writing, his first entry was simply:  "Still walking".  Lou feels a kinship to both of these gentlemen ...

Cheerio!

16-193

Mile 538.  Another beautiful pre-dawn morning for Tortoise to enjoy a walk up and down the hills of La Verkin.  Today's thought while walking was by Linda Reeves ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 534.  All the pictures today were taken at the start.  Lou may figure out how to put them together in a panorama yet ...  It is interesting to see how much difference there is in the amount of light there is when looking in different directions from the same point!  

This morning's walk was basically up Main Street again, but this time with five hills thrown in on the way up and back.  The thought of the day was by Carole Stephens ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 531.  Day by day, step by step, Tortoise is regaining a little of his strength.  He is a gradual kind of guy!  Same path as the past couple days -- took a minute and change off the time this morning, which means his heart got worked a little more -- yay!  Today's walking thought goes back to 1973, by Ezra Taft Benson ...

Cheerio!

16-189

Mile 528.  Lou felt better today and picked up his pace significantly.  Perhaps it was this fine side view of La Verkin's block letter L on the hill, or maybe it was Todd Christofferson's walking thought.  It was a nice morning for a walk!

Cheerio!

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Mile 526, July 6.  Lou got off to a slow start on this morning's walk, but he got it done, and added a couple hills to his basic walk up Main Street.  The early sunlight provided nice contrast on the distant mountains from the welcome shade on the streets.  Today's thought heard while walking was by Linda Burton ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 524.  Tortoise was a little tired this morning after a fun 4th, and limited his morning walk to a round trip trek up Main Street to the point shown above near the city offices.  He enjoyed the beautiful morning and the thoughts of Thomas Monson ...

Cheerio!

16-186

Mile 522, July 4.  Hope you had a happy Independence Day!  Lou believes this is a record for the most grandchildren and family in general to join him and his sweet lady in the La Verkin parade.  Each child had their own bucket of candy to share along the way, and it was great fun for all to wish everyone a Happy 4th!  Tortoise started walking with Floryne from the house rather than fight the parking wars.  When the parade was over and the pause for the flag ceremony and other activities complete, the two of them then retraced their steps home.

The day's thought was by David Bednar ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 520, July 2.  Tortoise changed it up a little this Saturday from the rest of his week, and slowly walked in the quite warm evening a small loop of La Verkin.   This was the closest he has come in several months to breaking his consecutive walking streak, as he woke up feeling the effects of some virus that left him weak, dizzy, and alternating between hot and cold spells.  His solution:  Drink a lot of water, take more vitamins and minerals than usual, and spend the morning in bed.  As the afternoon progressed, he thankfully started feeling a little better.   The walking thought this day was provided by Don Clarke ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 516.  The Boredom Committee will be pleased to learn that the picture above was taken just past the turnaround point of this morning's walk.  It is the same walk Tortoise has taken each morning this week.  He is pleased simply to have the opportunity to walk once again, this time accompanied by a thought from Daniel Johnson ...

Cheerio!