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Mile 831.  Tortoise continued walking upstream along the Virgin River from where he left off yesterday, using Washington Dam Road as an alternate route since the trail has a temporary pause until additional sections are built one day.  The Ragozzines are on their way south for Fall break from school.  It was fun conversing with them by phone as I walked -- even though it was because they got stuck in a traffic jam between Fillmore and Beaver.  Thankfully that passed and they made it the rest of the way without too much further delay. We are at consecutive walking day 452.   Today's 4.38 mile walk was done in 1:21:17 hours, for a pace of 18:34 minutes per mile.  Lou climbed 173 feet, today's tortoise rating was 5.5.  More pictures await below ...

Cheerio! 

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Mile 826.  Lou continued his walk along the Virgin River Trail, this time beginning at the Hell Hole trailhead near the intersection of Telegraph and Washington Parkway in Washington, Utah.  He walked down to the river, then upstream to its end near where Country Lane meets Washington Dam Road. We are at consecutive walking day 451.   Today's 4.31 mile walk was done in 1:27:07 hours, for a pace of 20:13 minutes per mile.  Lou climbed 228 feet, today's tortoise rating was 5.2.  Today's weigh-in:  215.8, a 2.3 pound decrease compared with Lou's last weigh-in on October 12.  More pictures await below ...

Cheerio! 

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Mile 681.  It was 101 degrees at quitting time today, warm enough that Tortoise wanted to find a walking place that was a little shaded and mostly flat.  He chose the Virgin River trailhead at the Sullivan Soccer Park on Washington Fields Road as his starting point.  Lou walked round trip from there to the new "Hell Hole" trailhead.  He got his hill in all at once in a 12% grade near that new trailhead.  It actually isn't new, but the sign is.  

It was a nice walk, you'll enjoy the pictures and Thomas Monson's walking thought ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 310.  Today brought another answer to prayers for rain, so when Tortoise finished some errands in St. George, he picked a time when the rain let up, and a place he could retreat from quickly.  Lou started his walk at the Sullivan Soccer Park in Washington and took the Virgin River Trail upstream from there.   The walking thought was by Dieter Uchtdorf ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 1,087.  Tortoise was in St. George enjoying Christmas Eve with his family.  Near the end of the afternoon, Wounded Duck dropped his truck off at the Riverside Trailhead and got a ride with family, who were on their way home, to the Crosby Family Confluence Park.  There the two of them walked on the footbridge across the Virgin River and continued on the trail on the south side of the river until they got back to the truck.  It was a great way to end a wonderful afternoon.  

Today's walking thought was heard on the drive to St. George and is by Claudio D. Zivic. ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 1,066.  It's plenty cold in the mornings, and most of the time in the afternoons these days.  But for one December afternoon, Tortoise was comfortable walking in a long sleeved shirt.  No coat, no beanie, no scarf, no gloves.  He was in Mesquite for work appointments, and when they were done, he headed out on a loop of that city's trails, enjoying the sunshine, no wind, and temperatures in the low 50s.  Today's walking thought is by Linda Reeves ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 1,020.  Another day of tax update classes for Lou, this time in the Dixie Center.  Afterwards, Tortoise walked under the Dixie Drive bridge, got on the Virgin River trail and went just past the Riverside Drive trailhead before turning back.  The waning sunset view of the river shown above was taken there.  There's some other nice pictures as well, including some outside the well decorated Dixie Center, currently hosting the yearly Dickens Festival that attracts far greater interest than the annual two day Utah State University tax update school.  Today's walking thought is by Hugo Martinez ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 999.  Tortoise got up early and did a Black Friday special, leaving others to shop while he enjoyed walking the Mayor's Loop clockwise in St. George, beginning and ending at the Crosby Family Confluence Park near the Dixie Center.  Lou has done the full Mayor's loop once before, on January 4, 2014.  That time he did it in the counterclockwise direction.  It is interesting looking at the different point of view on this trail, depending on which direction it is walked.  The view shown above is as the trail approaches the Riverside Trailhead, one of four places that you can park your car and access the trail.

When Tortoise completed this walk, he went to Archie Gubler Park in Santa Clara to watch his grandson play soccer and enjoyed the enthusiasm, skill, and sportsmanship he saw there!  Later he did another three quarters of a mile around the block near his home to complete his 999th mile for the year and leave a single mile to do tomorrow to pass 1000.  There are many nice pictures today, along with the walking thought by Thomas S. Monson ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 934.  A late afternoon walk that worked its way into an early evening walk with the kind of night views that come with clear, crisp air in the deep darkness that occurs shortly after sundown on a late fall or winter night.  It started with two miles along the Virgin River trail, starting at the Riverside Drive trailhead pictured above, then looping back by way of the Foremaster hill which also provided lit sidewalks.  You can see the rest of Lou's pictures and also get Todd Christofferson's walking thought by clicking below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 926.  It's back up to 70 degrees this afternoon.  At least for today, tomorrow the forecast is rain and low 50s.  So Tortoise went for some therapy by walking along the Virgin River after doing some business nearby.  Lou has a few more pictures, and there is a walking thought by Claudio Costa waiting for you when you click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 895.  Lou parked his car at the Lowe's store across the street from the hospital and started walking while there was still daylight around the back side of the hospital, up Foremaster hill, along the river to River Road, and back up to the hospital to visit his mother who is being treated for pneumonia.  After a nice visit, he finished the small remaining portion of his loop walk.  You've got to be quick to get a picture of a deer who is running away, a rare sight in the city even along the river.  There are more pictures, a map, and today's walking thought by Henry B. Eyring waiting for you when you click below ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 874.  Tortoise had two appointments in St. George today.  After the first one Lou had a break, so he left his car where it was parked and headed out for a walk, after which he went to the second meeting.  The walk included parts of the Hilton Drive, Santa Clara River, Virgin River, and Bloomington Hills trails, plus a few blocks of city streets to connect to the trail system.  The clear weather and hilly terrain made for great picture taking conditions, so please click below to continue reading, and enjoy ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 852.  On this fine day, Tortoise went to a continuing education seminar in St. George, and was hosting a youth gathering at his home, at his usual walking time, to watch a live "Face to Face" internet broadcast with The Piano Guys.  What a treat!  So, Lou went on a rare and glorious midweek midafternoon walk when the seminar ended.  He started at the Sullivan Virgin River Soccer Park in Washington and headed southwest on the Virgin River trail until its break at Riverside Drive.  He continued on Riverside Drive to Waterfront Drive, which is the picture you see above, shortly before the Virgin River trail resumes.  Tortoise got pictures of the trailhead, then looped back to Riverside Drive and returned to his starting point.

This was another day that Lou had a hard time choosing the lead picture, so you'll want to continue reading to see those, plus the day's walking thought by Robert Hales, and a couple Piano Guys tunes.  (It was hard to choose those too, but Tortoise thinks his choices will bring a smile to your face) ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 797.  Guess you know the drill by now.  Tortoise goes to work, and when he's done, he finds some hill to climb near where he finds himself at day's end.  Lou gets out the camera and clicks away hoping one or two of them might be memorable in some way.  Today was a loop from the Dixie Regional Medical Center up Foremaster Hill, down the other side to where the Middleton Wash trail goes under Riverside Drive, then down that trail to the Virgin River Trail, which Tortoise took west to River Road.  At that point he returned to the St. George city streets, heading north to Foremaster Drive and east to his waiting motorized mode of transportation to take him home.  You're invited to join Lou on the other side and view his other pictures ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 772.  Lou got to start walking a little earlier today, about 5:15 pm, starting at Sullivan Virgin River Soccer Park.  He followed the Virgin River trail upstream, past the ongoing construction of some of the nicest soccer fields he's seen anywhere, past the boardwalk, a little over a mile to the junction with the Cottonwood Wash trail.  Tortoise continued another mile up the Cottonwood Wash trail before retracing his steps.  Lou got picture happy today, there are pictures of the river, pictures of lava flows, pictures of deer, pictures of the new soccer fields ... there's something for everyone when you click below and continue reading ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 488.  Tortoise walked 19.5 miles this week, enjoying pretty flowers and more on six daily walks in La Verkin, Hurricane, and St. George.  For more pictures, maps, and other details, please click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 367.  First day back after eight missed days from bronchitis.  Tortoise was in St. George part of the day, so he stopped at the conveniently located Crosby Family Confluence Park and headed south into Bloomington on the Virgin River Trail, then retraced his steps.  It is always a nice path, and it was a good way to ease back in to daily walking.  Lou is a little stiff, but nothing serious, and glad to be back on foot.

For more pictures and details, along with today's walking thought by Ray Bateman, please click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 176.  Did a lunch loop after a work meeting.  Made a loop from the Riverside Drive trailhead just west of River Road, going up the Virgin River Trail to the Middleton Wash Trail back up to Riverside Drive, then got a hill in by climbing Foremaster using the sidewalk, then down to River Road and back to the starting point.  For more pictures, details, and today's walking thought by Neal Maxwell, please click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 172.  This is the sight Tortoise was greeted to early this morning.  Spring trying to manifest itself early while Winter makes a valiant effort to carry on. Beautiful.  By early evening, Tortoise found himself in St. George, by which time Winter had made a full retreat and Lou had a delightful walk along the Virgin River Trail from the Riverside Drive trailhead.  For pictures of that, more details, and a Virginia Pearce walking thought dedicated to Becca, please click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 159.  Today featured a loop walk originating from Hafen Trailhead Park.  It included part of the Virgin River Trail, and was done in between work appointments in Mesquite.  For more pictures and details, along with a walking thought by Mack Lawrence, please click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!