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Mile 721.  Lou decided to drive the mile from his office to the Crosby Family Confluence Park trailhead after work and walk up the hill across the river on the Virgin River South trail.  He loves this trail and would walk it even more if it had more hills.  This section does!  

The day's walking thought was by Keith McMullin ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 705.  Since he walked the Owen's Loop Trail on August 24, with its terrific views from an observation point like setting, Tortoise has been excited to try the City Creek Trail nearby.  From the maps, it looks like a good way to walk through the country cars drive through on Red Hills Parkway without being right next to the cars -- at least for one direction of a loop.  

It is that, and more.  It turns out to be a popular training ground for cross country runners with its up and down meandering path, which consumes mileage without actually going very far.  Lou generally differs from most hikers with regards to switchbacks.  He would prefer to walk farther if it keeps slopes to below, say, 10%.  As you will see a little later on the trail map, the City Creek Trail takes switchbacks to an extreme.  A couple times the trail actually goes up and down in a segment more than if it took the direct route instead of a long switchback.  This left Tortoise amused.  He still enjoyed this walk though.

Some might think it late in the year to be attempting this, but Lou has just discovered the 52 Hike Challenge, and he is intrigued enough to try to finish it in 2016, with a personal criteria of at least 5k (3.1 miles) in order for a given day's effort to qualify.  Today's adventure is #hike1.  This should be fun!

The day's walking thought was by Carl Cook ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 664.  Lou has wanted to walk the Owens Loop trail for probably a year now, since he discovered its existence in the rugged terrain of the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve, yet within the St. George city limits and the promise of excellent views from its perch 300 or so feet directly above the city.  It did not disappoint!

Pictures and the day's walking thought by Mary Cook await ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 622.  Let's continue exploring places to walk near Tortoise's new offices!  Today Lou started with the same access to the St. George trail system, by climbing to the top of the hill near his office, then looping around to the trail entrance at the intersection of Bluff Street, Black Ridge Drive, and Main Street.  After walking down the Hilton Drive trail, the new feature of today's walk was to turn right on the Santa Clara River trail instead of left.  He continued on that as far as 600 West, then used city streets to return to his waiting parked car.  You'll like the pictures, and the accompanying thought by Thomas Monson ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 612.  This evening's walk took Tortoise up the hill, then looped around to the Hilton Road Trail followed by small pieces of the Santa Clara River and Virgin River Trails, then back, finishing with another hill.  Lots of sweat on this one, as it was still 100 degrees past 7 pm.  Today's thought was by Ronald Rasband ...

Cheerio!

16-95

Mile 249.  Ledge recently sent Tortoise a link to the new Quarry Trail in St. George.  This evening he checked it out for himself.  It packs a lot of scenery into its 0.7 mile round trip, which starts at the north end of 700 West where that street dead ends at a golf course.  Lou was hoping this would connect to the nearby trails in the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve, but apparently no.  So to complete today's activity, he drove to the Pioneer Hills trailhead parking lot and did part of the City Creek trail, including over 30 pictures.  Today's thought is by Neill Marriott ...

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 1,020.  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 1,012.  After a day of continuing education courses at Dixie State University on some of the tax changes this year, Tortoise walked up the hill to the new Red Hills Desert Garden, then continued up the initial hill of the T-Bone trail that starts there.  When Lou reached the junction with the Pioneer Hills trail in about a half mile from the Desert Garden and got some more pictures, he headed back down by way of Skyline Drive (the top of 200 East).  Today's walking thought is by Carlos Godoy ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 1,000.  Bluejay was the closest to figure out what Tortoise was trying to do in the past few weeks on his goal for this year -- he thought Tortoise was trying to do it before December 1.  Having as much of Lou's family to enjoy it with him was his motivator to try to do it today ... before some return to their homes after Thanksgiving.  Tortoise enjoyed Bluejay's singing (see yesterday's comments) over this happy day.

Lou picked the warmest (44 degrees), calmest part of the day to do his one thousandth mile by going a half mile northeast from the Crosby Family Confluence Park with Floryne, Becca, Josh, Ethan, Kate, Riley, and Maude.  They then turned around and retraced their steps.  Lots of celebratory pictures when you click below to continue reading ...

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 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 869.  Today's mission was to find a fun, hilly path to get from Coral Desert Rehabilitation at the bottom of Foremaster Hill in St. George to Golden Corral and time it as close as possible to a dinner date 1 hour 24 minutes away.  Lou has another nice selection of photos to show you the features of the route he chose ...

Cheerio!

15-293

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 745.  Tortoise walked a portion of the Virgin River trail east of the Riverside Drive trailhead, and was rewarded with views like the one shown above.  For more pictures, a map, the day's walking thought by Todd Christofferson, and more, please click below to continue reading ...

Cheerio!

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Mile 698.  Lou had a couple evening appointments in St. George, when those were complete he parked in the Sunset Corners shopping center and started heading up the Highway 18 trail.  Sure, it's near the highway, but as the picture above illustrates, great effort has been taken to make it a nice walking experience, separate from the vehicle traffic.  For more of Tortoise's pictures, a map plus additional details, and the day's walking thought by Rosemary Wixom, please click below to 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!