Tuesday, July 8, 2014

1200 Miles and Walking


When I left school on the very last day,
I was exhausted and run down.

Morning of the Last Day                                    St. Anthony,  Newfoundland


The first goal I set for myself
was to regain my health and fitness.

I decided to walk from Aurora, Colorado in the USA
to St. Anthony, Newfoundland in Canada.

I headed for I-70 my very first day,
and I've been walking ever since.


And yesterday, my 759th day of retirement,
I hit 1200 miles or 1931 kilometers.

That puts me in Huber Heights, Ohio,
near the intersection of I-70 and I-75
on the outskirts of Dayton, Ohio. 


 wikimedia  







I want to make it clear
that I am not physically trudging 
along the side of a hot and busy interstate 
as I head from Dayton to Columbus.

I'm tallying my daily walks and marking them on a map.
I knocked off 146 miles of walking on my recent trip to Europe.
The miles I record have to be walking miles,
not steps during the day.

As I closed in on 1200 miles yesterday,
I was walking along my prairie pocket.
This is what I saw:  
  

A Mallard Swimming in a Pond




Prairie Pocket Pond



Pronghorn on the Prairie



Prairie Fence



Pronghorn



Pronghorn



Muley Buck






1200 miles and walking ~
St. Anthony or bust!


St. Anthony, Newfoundlamd

35 comments:

  1. By this method, you have traversed 1/20 th the circumference of the world. Had you set out east, the landscape would be much wetter than the extraordinary scenes you have photoed. My congratulations on your method, progress and obvious dedication to physical fitness.

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    1. Thanks Geo! How fun ~ 1/20 of the circumference of the world! I love wide open spaces with big skies. And I love the pronghorn which are very hard to capture. They are skittish and will run hell bent if they feel threatened. I'm photographing them from a long distance. One of these days I'll have to take a tripod and my better camera, and see if I can photograph them without them getting spooked by me. Have a good one!

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    2. If want to get them closer it means you NEED to be in hide, with your tripod and good zoom if they are this skittish!! LOL!!!

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  2. What an interesting way to achieve your fitness goal. I think you have a fun brain.
    I love seeing antelope.

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    1. Thanks Terry! Antelope are beautiful animals ~ so wild and free and fast! Have a happy evening!

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  3. How awesome! We used to have a challenge at work to "climb" all the 14ers by using the stairs instead of the elevators. But the challenge fizzled because only four of 120 people participated. So I am very proud of you for keeping it up!

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    1. That would be a lot of stairs, Snowcatcher! It's too bad it fizzled out. I'm determined to get to St. Anthony, and when I do, I'm going back there for real. I'm going to hop out of the car and walk the last few miles into St. Anthony for coffee at Tim Horton's, maybe celebrate with a Timbit or two for starters! (It's a Canadian thing) Take care!

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  4. The great thing about this is you really see what's around you. Great job. Here's to more miles and in good health.

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    1. Thank you, C. Lee! It's amazing what you can see when you slow down and look. I love the set-up of your website and clicking on the books. It gave me a jolt the first time because it sounds like a rattler, something I'm always watching for! LOL Have a great evening.

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  5. I am really proud of you, this is awesome! I love your photos, too. :)

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    1. Thank, Linda! I'm proud of me too! Take care!

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  6. Awesome as you walk away, you'll make it back to Canada's bay, at least metaphorically or so and great pictures too at your show.

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    1. Thanks, Pat! Told you I was an expert at falling behind! LOL! Happy Friday to you!

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  7. Thanks, Pat!
    Have a good evening where you're at!

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  8. What a wonderful retirement goal! Keep up the great example. Love the photos too.
    Sharon

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    1. Thanks, Sharon! Getting back to Newfoundland again is a powerful motivator.

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  9. Good for you! Getting close to Canada now!

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    1. Yes I am, Debra! One foot after another. Meanwhile I'll be back in Nova Scotia in 15 days! Can't wait to see Ron again and to finally meet Jim and Sophie Doodle! Have a Happy Friday!

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  10. What a fantastic way to see our beautiful country. What stunning pictures. Go You!!

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    1. Thanks for the encouragement, Elsie! Take care!

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  11. This blows me away. I am totally impressed!

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    1. Thanks, Rick! It's a lot of walking to look at in total, but one step at a time is doable! Have a good one!

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  12. You'll do it, Louise ~~~ I have full confidence in you and besides July 26th is just about here, rightO!!!

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    1. You bet I'm going to do it, Ron! I bet you'd be surprised if you totaled up all your walks! You probably been across Canada just going up and down MacDonald Hill, LOL! See you soon! :)

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  13. What a brilliant idea. You could walk anywhere in the world that way. Although with your view, I'd enjoy walking right there.

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    1. It's a good motivator, Alex! I dearly love Newfoundland! Happy Friday to you!

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  14. What a great goal. You are really going well. How do you mark off the distance from one place to another?

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    1. Thanks, Peggy! I "walking along" I-70 right now, so with some computer work and google maps, I'm able to come pretty close to the mileage. Probably very close because I'm a perfectionist! LOL! That's why I'm at Huber Heights instead of just saying Dayton. I've got to get busy swimming and paddle boarding though because I've got to get from Bar Harbor to Yarmouth and from North Sydney (NS) to Port aux Basques (NF). I'm at a big six miles on the water! Take care!

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  15. That is fantastic! And I love walking as much as you do. Great form of exercise, and you get to see so many things when you're out and about. Beautiful photos!

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    1. Thanks, Martha! Walking is the best! It just feels so good to have strong, sure legs. I just wish those pesky pronghorn would come a little bit closer. I'm getting better at spotting those little white dots. Half the time they're off running when they see me looking for them. But it's great fun! Have a great Friday!

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  16. Thank you for the lovely comment, Karen! Have a happy weekend!

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  17. The way to go!!!
    Thanks for lot forgetting about me, I don't walk, I run!!!!!

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    1. I bet you do run, Noushka! LOL! You got to be fast to catch dragons!

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  18. Wow!!! That is pretty amazing!!!! you have set yourself a cool goal! X

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    1. Thanks, Kezzie! One step at a time, and I'll get there! Have a good one!

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Thank you for your comments! I appreciate them very much.