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Mile 326.  Today was the fourth big deadline of the season.  We have January 31 for W-2 forms, March 15 for corporate tax returns, the ides of April for individual tax returns, and ... what is May 2, you ask?  It's the deadline for quarterly payroll and sales tax returns when April 30 lands on a Saturday.  And it's every bit as a big a deadline as any of them, if you are Lou ...

So ... what you see above is Tortoise's view as he headed out for a walk at 25:43:26 on his infamous extended military clock when the work of the day was complete.  Yes, it was a minimum walk.  He headed up the hill just past the cell towers on 600 North, and a little more to make sure he would be over two miles for the round trip, then returned.  The walking thought was by Christopher Waddell ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 324.  For a second day in a row, Tortoise enjoyed an accompanied walk with one of his children.  Now there is a true treat!  Today it was with Benjamin, and it set 2016 year-to-date records for hardest trail (with a tortoise rating of 1.3) and most feet climbed (802).  Benjamin likes to encourage Lou to get his heart rate up by adding more elevation gain to his walks, so he suspects this record won't last long.  He's already talking about new attempts on Zion's East Rim and on Timpanogos, for example.  

As with yesterday's walk, the company was excellent, and there are some lovely scenic views as well along the way from Indian Road Trailhead (just off Canyon Road at 5500 North near the mouth of Provo Canyon) to the Bonneville Shoreline Trail.  Today's thought is by Bonnie Oscarson ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 321.  Tortoise had a glorious evening with Becca!  We started our evening at the Vernal LDS Temple, then we went to a restaurant neither of us had been to before on the recommendation of Becca's "native of Vernal" friend, and wrapped things up with a walk on well lit, flat, and basically quiet streets near the temple (except for a particularly pesky dog who kept trying to jump a fence to get to us).  The restaurant was great, flavorful, but not overpowering, and gentle on Tortoise's stomach.  He appreciates this in his post-radiation life.  The decor and service were delightful as well. (Not to mention the company.)  On accompanied walks, Lou listens to his thought in advance in his car -- this evening it was by Thomas Monson ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 319.  So thankful for all this rain.  It's just wonderful!  Tortoise was able to quickly get in a shortened walk this evening without getting too wet, accompanied by another of Thomas Monson's high quality stories ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 316.  It was an unusual third day with welcome rain in southern Utah.  Tortoise had tired bones and muscles and actually didn't much feel like walking, but seeing how that is unacceptable, he walked anyway, slowed the pace a touch and enjoyed the air freshened by the rain.  This family shown above playing ball were enjoying it too.

Today's walking thought is different than our usual pattern here.  It is a poem written by Bruce McConkie, set to music by John Longhurst, and sung by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.  Wounded Duck sent Tortoise a link to a 1976 BYU devotional address by Elder McConkie, which brought back many memories, because Lou was there just beginning studies towards a masters degree and heard it live.  It also brought back memories because Elder McConkie three years before that, in 1973, had toured his mission in London where Lou heard him speak several times in the course of a week. Lou also had a very brief personal interview with him in the Medway LDS Chapel in Gillingham, England.  .

A picture of a picture is not the greatest technology, but through the trees
is the Medway chapel, kind of gives you a feel for the location.

A better view of the Medway chapel

Elder McConkie was a large man, 6 feet 5 inches tall, and his voice matched his size.  It was full of passion and energy for his subject matter, which always seemed to focus on the life and ministry of Christ.  The full devotional address is a true classic, and Lou thoroughly enjoyed hearing it again on his walk.  However it is long for this blog post at about 44 minutes, so Tortoise hopes you will enjoy its distillation into 5 minutes of glorious song.

Cheerio!

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Mile 313.  Lots more rain today.  Then as evening approached, the clearing storm clouds made for beautiful walking weather for Tortoise to head up the hill from his office.  The walking thought was by Henry Eyring ...

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!