I'm still hoofing it, putting one foot in front of the other since I retired on June 6, 2012.
It's been quite a while since I updated my walking progress.
On August 15th, I passed through Sismiut, Greenland,
and I'm now slogging toward Ikerasaarsuk, Greenland.
Actually, I began "my walk" on my third day of retirement,
because I was exhausted at the end of my last year of teaching.
Too many bouts of internal bleeding had forced me to retire,
and my first goal in retirement was to regain my health.
On my first day of retirement, June 7, 2012,
I put one foot in front of the other and started walking
a few circles around the kitchen, dining room, and living room.
On my third day of retirement, June 9, 2012,
I felt rested enough to tackle a walk along Piney Creek,
and I decided that I was going to walk from my home
in Aurora, Colorado to St. Anthony, Newfoundland.
I began adding up the miles I walked on trails near my home
and plotting them on a map from my front doorstep,
to the highway, and on to I-70 and Kansas.
It took me until September 23, 2017 to "walk" (1933 days)
the 3423 miles (5509 kilometers) from Aurora to St. Anthony,
an average of 1.7 miles/day (2.7 kilometers/day).
My plan was to return to St. Anthony to celebrate my accomplishment
and to take a new photo at my "finish line."
The only photo I have was taken the summer before I retired.
I'm still waiting to physically return to St. Anthony and get that photo.
I picked a second goal, that of walking to Ittoqqortoormiit,
one of the most remote towns in Greenland.
One of Pat Hatt's posts in It's Rhyme Time gave me the idea.
So I "turned around" in St. Anthony and started hoofing it
for St. Barbe, Newfoundland, the ferry to Labrador,
and on to Red Bay, Labrador City, and Killiniq.
I made it to Killiniq, Nunavut on October 8, 2018 just two weeks
after flying over Greenland, the Labrador Sea, and the Gray Strait
and imagining that I could see Killiniq Island on the horizon.
After flying over Greenland, I thought
Why walk straight to Ittoqqortoormiit?
Why not circumnavigate the world's largest island?
So on October 9, 2018, I strapped on my Jesus Boots
and headed across the Labrador Sea
for Prins Christianssund at the southernmost tip of Greenland.
Then I started walking clockwise for Narsaq Kujalleq,
measuring my distances in straight lines,
because the western coast of Greenland is rugged.
It's been quite a while since I updated my walking progress.
On August 15th, I passed through Sismiut, Greenland,
and I'm now slogging toward Ikerasaarsuk, Greenland.
Glaciers Flowing to the Sea
Flying on Norwegian Airlines and
Looking Toward the Southwestern Coast of Greenland
September 25, 2018
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved
Heading for Ikerasaarsuk from Sisimiut
(red arrow)
Map Screen on Norwegian Airlines
Looking Toward the Western Coast of Greenland
September 25, 2018
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved
Actually, I began "my walk" on my third day of retirement,
because I was exhausted at the end of my last year of teaching.
Too many bouts of internal bleeding had forced me to retire,
and my first goal in retirement was to regain my health.
On my first day of retirement, June 7, 2012,
I put one foot in front of the other and started walking
a few circles around the kitchen, dining room, and living room.
On my third day of retirement, June 9, 2012,
I felt rested enough to tackle a walk along Piney Creek,
and I decided that I was going to walk from my home
in Aurora, Colorado to St. Anthony, Newfoundland.
I began adding up the miles I walked on trails near my home
and plotting them on a map from my front doorstep,
to the highway, and on to I-70 and Kansas.
It took me until September 23, 2017 to "walk" (1933 days)
the 3423 miles (5509 kilometers) from Aurora to St. Anthony,
an average of 1.7 miles/day (2.7 kilometers/day).
My Goal: The Finish Line in St. Anthony
Great Northern Peninsula, Newfoundland, Canada
July 15, 2011
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved
My plan was to return to St. Anthony to celebrate my accomplishment
and to take a new photo at my "finish line."
The only photo I have was taken the summer before I retired.
I'm still waiting to physically return to St. Anthony and get that photo.
I picked a second goal, that of walking to Ittoqqortoormiit,
one of the most remote towns in Greenland.
One of Pat Hatt's posts in It's Rhyme Time gave me the idea.
Ittoqqortoormiit, Greenland
So Close, Flying Over Greenland
Map Screen on Norwegian Airlines
Heading Over the Labrador Sea
September 25, 2018
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved
So I "turned around" in St. Anthony and started hoofing it
for St. Barbe, Newfoundland, the ferry to Labrador,
and on to Red Bay, Labrador City, and Killiniq.
The Ferry to Labrador
St. Barbe, Great Northern Peninsula, Newfoundland, Canada
July 2011
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved
Exiting the Labrador Ferry
Turn left for Quebec, right for Labrador
July 2011
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved
Heading for Killiniq, Nunavut, Canada
Previously within Labrador and then the Northwest Territories,
it is now situated within the borders of Nunavut.
July 2011
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved
I made it to Killiniq, Nunavut on October 8, 2018 just two weeks
after flying over Greenland, the Labrador Sea, and the Gray Strait
and imagining that I could see Killiniq Island on the horizon.
So Close!
Map Screen on Norwegian Airlines
Heading Over the Labrador Sea to Gray Strait
September 25, 2018
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved
Le Monde en Images ~ Photo by Denis Bruneau
Quelques bâtiments du village abandonné de Killiniq
situé sur la rive du chenal McLelan.
(Some buildings in the abandoned village of Killiniq
located on the shore of McLelan Channel.)
La photo a été prise au mois d’août 1992
(The photo was taken in August, 1992)
After flying over Greenland, I thought
Why walk straight to Ittoqqortoormiit?
Why not circumnavigate the world's largest island?
So on October 9, 2018, I strapped on my Jesus Boots
and headed across the Labrador Sea
for Prins Christianssund at the southernmost tip of Greenland.
Then I started walking clockwise for Narsaq Kujalleq,
measuring my distances in straight lines,
because the western coast of Greenland is rugged.
I've made it to Sisimiut and beyond!
Somehow, someway, when this pandemic is over,
I'm going to return to St. Anthony and Labrador and visit Greenland.
Meanwhile, I'm still walking and recording the miles.
As of Labor Day, I've walked a total distance of 6697 miles/10777.7 kilometers,
including 3273.39 miles/5268 kilometers of walking to Ittoqqortoormiit.
Wish me luck!
Till next time ~
Fundy Blue
On the Bay of Fundy
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved
For Those of Us Who Love Maps:
Sisimiut, Greenland
Ikerasaarsuk, Greenland
Somehow, someway, when this pandemic is over,
I'm going to return to St. Anthony and Labrador and visit Greenland.
Meanwhile, I'm still walking and recording the miles.
As of Labor Day, I've walked a total distance of 6697 miles/10777.7 kilometers,
including 3273.39 miles/5268 kilometers of walking to Ittoqqortoormiit.
Wish me luck!
Till next time ~
Fundy Blue
On the Bay of Fundy
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved
For Those of Us Who Love Maps:
St. Anthony to Killiniq
Google Maps ~ 2018
Killiniq to Sisimiut
Google Maps ~ I forgot to copy the exact link.
Location of Greenland
Satellite View of Greenland
.svg){kind=link}
Phew!!! Looking at your maps, and adding up the miles, you have done so much, down here I do the " Round the block" so boring, just a footpath, houses and power poles. I did suggest to a friend, lots younger and VERY fit, that we drive to a local park, and I can amble, she can run, love your story of where you have been.Guess I could do the same for a stroll from Top to tail of NZ. Hope you are both well, and all the rest of the clan too.
ReplyDeleteHi, Jean! It's so great to see you! Kudos to you for walking. I believe life is motion and that you have to keep moving. An amble is awesome. Terry and I are fine, as are our families which we keep in touch with via FaceTime or the phone. I like to talk to them on my computer because their faces are bigger.
DeleteI realized right away when I started walking that I needed a motivating goal keep me moving. On days that are bad outside, whether foul weather or hot, wildfire smoky weather, I "housewalk" round and round the upstairs and up and down the stairs. Talk about boring! Thank goodness for tv that I can listen to as I housewalk. I hope that you and Hugh continue to improve. Stay safe and healthy! Hugs to you both!
This was great to read Louise, loved the pics and the maps.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I only walk around the block( the virus is gaining momentum in this area)
I walk many steps around my apartment and up and down the stairs to keep the old circulation going.
Have a good weekend.
Yvonne.
Yay, Yvonne! Kudos to you for keeping that circulation going! Stair climbing is really important! It's not easy to stay motivated, especially when you must housewalk. I'm sad to hear that the virus is gaining momentum in the Bournemouth area. Colorado has done relatively well this summer, but I worry about the fall and winter. I'm leaving to get my flu shot shortly. I'm remaining hunkered down. Although, Terry and I did go out for dinner at Parkway on Sunday evening. We went at 7:00 pm and sat outside on the patio. It felt phenomenal to sit outside sipping a glass of wine. We may do that occasionally, depending on what the virus dictates. Stay safe. Keep moving. Hugs to you!
DeleteYou'll get there in the next year or two. Just believe and keep walking!
ReplyDeleteI will, Alex! I've been tallying miles for over eight years now, so I can't stop now! LOL. Have a great weekend, my friend!
DeleteThat's wonderful! I recently got a new FitBit badge but I don't remember what it was.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Diane! Congratulations on your latest badge! I have a Fitbit too, and it keeps me motivated. Have a great weekend, my friend!
DeleteThat's commitment. Keep walking. I have been to Greenland--on a ship from Europe to the US--it was amazing and the little town we visited was weird, for there were more people on the ship than in the town (and we had to be taken ashore in the ship's lifeboats). I hope you get there.
ReplyDeletewww.thepulpitandthepen.com
Thanks, Sage! Lucky you! I bet Greenland was exciting for you. I lived in an outport in Newfoundland, and when a coastal boat or a helicopter arrived, lots of people would leave their homes and run for the wharf to see the visitors. That was a leftover behavior from earlier, more isolated time, because we had a 35-mile dirt road we could take to the paved highway and drive on to the town of Baie Verte or out to the Trans-Canada Highway. But it was still fun! all the best to you!
DeleteVery impressive, Louise! When you set your mind to do something, you do it Big Time!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Debra! I'm quite pleased with myself ~ LOL! Wishing you and your Rare One a lovely weekend!
DeleteA very inspiring post during these pandemic, stay-at-home times, Louise. I too retired from teaching. In 2009, Allen and I had the biggest garage sale, stuffed the rest in storage, and took off for a camping trip around as many states as we could manage. After a brief rest, we traveled (for real) by plane, bus, train, and boat to South America for a stint around the horn with month long stops in Brazil and Argentina and then Peru. As independent travelers, there's nothing we enjoy more than hitting the road. Now 10 years later, the pandemic, and a few health issues mean we're staying-at-home. But the dream remains. I'd like to go back to Paris for another month and live in an apartment near the royal gardens, wander the halls of the Louvre, and order crepes from an outdoor stand near the Seine. Your post brings back so many memories! May you continue mapping, exploring, and walking!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Beth! What wonderful travels you and Allen had! I hope you get back to Paris! It is a magical city, and I long to return too! Thanks for visiting and leaving a wonderful comment! Take care!
Deletehaha a random post helped give you a new destination. The cat will take that ego boost. That is a lot of walking indeed. Way to go. Keep at it.
ReplyDeleteOver the last 3 years I've walked from NS to BC with ease in crummy workboots, not by choice though lol crummy 9 to 5, which may be the driving force of my new book.
I'm keeping at it, and I hope that by the time I reach Ittoqqortoormiit, I hope I'll finally be able to spell it easily! Maybe you should invest in some great workbooks, my friend! Good footwear rules my life. I'm wishing you all the best with your new book! Maybe I need crummy boots to drive my productivity. Take care, Pat!
Deletedear Louise this was incredible and inspiring post indeed
ReplyDeleteit was thoroughly exciting to read how enthusiastically you took your walks from glorious island
lately i been contemplating on my own mad desire for "walk" i wonder why and what kind of people love to move further constantly and non stop until they are forced to stop by their limited physical power ,it seems these are people with greatest desire for exploration of not just what external universe hold but most probably with each step they take outside they "move inside themselves " too
this is truly spiritual experience and i too never get tired going through it :)
best of luck for your next walking plans my friend ,and congratulations that world is taking baby step to it's norm :)
hugs! take care !
Oh how wonderful it is to hear from you, Baili! I knew you were okay. I checked and saw you were posting, that I was thankful to see. Curious, imaginative, intelligent people want to explore and learn. You are one of those people, as am I. We want to know, experience, and learn, to see all the wonders of our Creator I'm taking an online course from the University of Alberta right now ~ on the Indigenous peoples of Canada from their point of view. It is absolutely fascinating. The Indigenous people are so connected to the land and all living things. Yes, the external journey is also inside myself too. I long to know, but I also long to feel the hand of God moving among his people. I feel that in wilderness! I think about your son in Germany, and I hope that he is doing well. He has good friends and is not alone. I think about you and Ali and your two sons at home. Often. Terry and I are hanging in there. Tonight is the second Sunday Terry and I went out for dinner ~ eating outside at our favorite Parkway Bar and Restaurant. It felt good to feel human again. We have to remain vigilant here in the US, because our government has failed us and we can only depend on ourselves. I am determined to get through this, even if it takes another year. Hugs. Take care, my friend!
DeleteWow! You have walked all over! That's something I'd like to do. I enjoy walking and exploring different places. I've never been to Greenland. My mom has. I think she saw the aurora borealis there.
ReplyDeleteCongratulation on the release of your latest book Sherry! I am looking forward to reading "Bubba and Squirt's Mayan Adventure." How cool that your mother has been to Greenland! I think the aurora borealis is one of the most beautiful sights in the world. I hope you get to see it sometime. I bet Bubba and Squirt could have lots of fun in Greenland! LOL All the best, Sherry!
DeleteHi Louise,
ReplyDeleteI can't believe how much walking you have done - amazing! We have done much travelling in our lives but mainly by ship or car, twice travelling across the Nullabor in Australia. I see on your maps that you are not far over the sea from us in Northern Ireland. What about trying swimming next. :-)
Thanks for the invite to swim to Northern Ireland, Brenda! LOL I did "swim" some of my miles early on, but I couldn't get to a pool or an ocean very often. I even have a couple of miles of paddle boarding. Too bad Honolulu is so far away! My next goal after Greenland is Iceland. Then I'll head for Northern Ireland! Stay safe, my friend!
DeleteWhat a great idea! I've never thought of doing that. I remember plotting out how far I walked as a teacher--through my classroom and the school--and that well beat the recommended 10,000 steps. I never took it as far as you have! Now, I teach online so I have to do my walking with my dog.
ReplyDeleteI bet your dog loves walking with you, Jacqui! When I was teaching, I too, had no problem reaching 10,000 steps a day. Usually on Fridays I hit 25,000 steps. Today, I had to walk inside because of all the forest fire smoke making the outside air bad for me. But a walk is a walk! Have a great evening!
DeleteI love this idea. Because of my colitis, I don't like to go on long walks outside, but I do several miles a day on my treadmill. I wish I would have kept track on where all I could have walked to, but maybe I'll start doing that now!
ReplyDelete