#DailyWalk 559 Confluence View Trail, Tortoise Track, and More!

This first batch of pictures for day 559, with a shoutout to our friends in Fresno, which at 500,000 population (1 million metro) is the largest city in America without an interstate highway.  Doug and Doug have quality memories of the 41 freeway after midnight on the way to doing reunion research in Yosemite.  Excellent magical mystery tour that was!

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Mile 834.  This evening's walk took Tortoise home from his church's special needs activity program by way of a drop down the Cactus Cliff trail hill and back up. We are at consecutive walking day 452.   Today's 3.31 mile walk was done in 1:07:24 hours, for a pace of 20:22 minutes per mile.  Lou climbed 290 feet, today's tortoise rating was 4,5.  More pictures await below ...

Cheerio! 

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Mile 784.  Confluence Park was so nice on Tuesday, Tortoise decided to go back today, this time on the south side of the Virgin River.  He started at the trailhead at the far north end of Hurricane's Main Street, went down the Confluence View trail to the river, then climbed back up the steep hill by taking Chub Trace to the Basalt Trail to Tortoise Track until it becomes 200 West.  He then walked city streets for a little over a mile before returning to his car.  A map follows after more pictures.  The day's walking thought is by Silvia Allred ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 777.  Lou walked north from the La Verkin west chapel this evening, until he got to the Confluence Park trail access at the curve where the 360 West and 600 North streets meet.  From there he dropped down to the main Confluence Park trailhead, then took the Confluence and Cactus Cliff trails back to the west end of Center Street.  Tortoise used city streets to his starting point from there.  He can't get enough of the peace he finds in Confluence Park!  Walking thought was provided by Thomas Monson ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 756.   It's great to live in LaVerkin!  Lou walked to the end of Center Street, then took the Cactus Cliff Trail down to the bottom of the hill, and back, all while the oil was being changed in his fine jalopy.  Where else can you get a view like this in such a short jaunt.  Thanks, Roadrunner!

Walking thought this morning was by Dallin Oaks ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 717.  This evening's walk took Tortoise down into Confluence Park at its State Street trailhead and back out on the Cactus Cliff Trail, then across town on Center Street before looping back to its place of origin.  For a map and more, please click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 701.  Tonight was an opportunity for one of Lou's favorites:  a shaded walk through part of Confluence Park.  There's a map, a picture revealing the reappearance of "Grandpa's Island" in the Virgin River just before the confluence, and the day's walking thought by Ian Ardern for your reading pleasure this evening ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 674.  Tortoise dedicates today's highlighted picture to Kate.  She will know why.  Lou closed out his walking week by going to the west end of La Verkin's Center Street, then dropping down the Cactus Cliff trail so he could get a hill by climbing back up.  The island in the river has not reappeared yet, but patience!  Tortoise is confident it will.  After the hill, Lou meandered on various streets to make his way home, picking up some nice sunset views along the way.  Walking thought was by Barbara Thompson ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 671.  The sign has been unveiled at the State Road 9 trailhead into Confluence Park.  A good reason for Tortoise to return!  He saw three deer hanging on to the cliff high above the muddy, debris filled Virgin River following this afternoon's thunderstorm.  The deer were doing fine.  Tortoise watched them in amazement at their climbing ability.  After that he listened to a fine thought by Richard Scott and took more pictures ...

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 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 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 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 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 500, for the fifth time since January 2014, on June 25.  As mentioned last week, Tortoise purposely picked up his pace about a mile a day to reach this today when he thought he was going with his grandchildren on the riverwalk at the end of the Zion Canyon road today.  As it turned out, his newest granddaughter, Leah, had a tough night, which meant Leah's mother Sarah had a tough night, which meant Grandpa Tortoise was taking four of his grandchildren with him without Sarah's help.  So, it was decided to take them to Tortoise's version of Grandpa's Pond -- playing in the rocks and shallow water of La Verkin Creek about a quarter mile down from the creek trailhead in Confluence Park.

This time, the children were in an exploration mode.  And the water was extra calm, which helped a lot.  They wound up going down the creek to the Virgin River, which they liked even better that day, making sandcastles in an "island" (a sand bar).  A wonderful time was had by all!  The thought of the day was by Thomas Monson ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 494.  Tortoise set out on a "watch the sky illuminate" walk this morning.  This picture was taken at the halfway point near the north entrance to Confluence Park at 5:35 am.  The moon is still providing most of the light but the sky is now turning purple.  Lou loved it!

The day's walking thought was by Walter Gonzalez ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 489, June 22.  Tortoise thanks his children for this fine Father's Day present ... his old boots had 2,500 miles on them since November 2013, so these are most appreciated.  Picture was taken across the street from the 600 North trailhead into Confluence Park so as to record them as they were before walking through the rocks and dirt.  The day's walking thought was by Linda Burton ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 471.  The morning dawned beautiful and inviting.  Tortoise set off on the large loop through Confluence Park by walking up Main Street to the highway, then through Spanish Gardens and Riverwoods to the north park entrance.  The location pictured above is near the beginning of the Confluence Trail as it follows La Verkin Creek.  From there he followed his usual path to the south trailhead on State Street.  Accompanying Lou was the day's walking thought by Henry Eyring ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 466, June 16.  This morning, Tortoise went northbound through a mile or so of Confluence Park before climbing out and looping back by way of the store to bring home some cream cheese.  Multitasking at its best!  Lou also had ulterior motives to lengthening his walk a bit ... he was reminded last night that his Ragozzine grandchildren would like him to take them on the two mile round trip walk up the Virgin River from the end of the Zion National Park shuttle to where the trail becomes the river and a fun, scenic place to play in the water.  Well ... that being the plan, Tortoise decided to pick up his daily pace so that he could complete his fifth time walking 500 miles since January 2014.  Not so bad at an average of about an hour a day.  So stay tuned to see if he pulls this off -- there are still 32 miles to be walked in 7 days in order to be ready to do that.  

Today's thought heard while walking was by Dieter Uchtdorf, and yes, it involves flying ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 453.  Being Saturday, Lou took a little bit more scenic path to work.  He dipped into the south corner of Confluence Park and enjoyed the beautiful skies and panoramas along the way.  The day's walking thought was by Dallin Oaks ...

Cheerio!