Walking

Walking Math

I have a free pedometer app on my phone, and I use it whenever I remember to. A few weeks ago I found my way to the settings page. The stride length default was set at 27″. Mmm… I wonder what mine is? I brought out the measuring tape, laid it down the 15′ hallway, and walked the plank. I did some cipherin’ and ended up at twenty-three inches per each step.

While walking along the Ch’ak Ch’ak trail, there are spray-painted eagles, through a stencil, all along its length. When I start on the Troutdale end there is an eagle right at the start with the key. This is all leading up to “Who’s right?”

This morning I turned on the pedometer at the start and walked until I found the fourth eagle at the mile mark. I was keeping track as I went. At each eagle I’d check what the pedometer read, and it was uniformly accurate. But it wasn’t showing .25 per; it was showing .20 increments. I kept going to see if there was another eagle in another two-tenths of a mile, and there was! Was the key wrong? Was it supposed to have been 1/5? Was my stride length mismeasured? Is the pedometer whacked? Stay tuned.

Red Sox chances of making the Wild Card round in the 2026 playoffs: 34.8%

 

No Car Day

Daguerretype Miata


 
When I said “no car day,” I meant I didn’t drive a car today, not no car content day. The photo above was from yesterday morning’s walk. When I finished my loop, I noticed that I had parked in the same spot as the GTI from last Saturday morning. So I gave the Miata the same “photoshop” treatment as I did for the GTI.

Instead of driving to get my morning latte, I walked for it. I’ve done this about 3 or 4 times, and every time I get back, I swear I won’t do it again. Two-thirds of the trip is on fairly busy roads, and along most of that, there are zero sidewalks. Plus, the traffic makes it very noisy for listening to podcasts. This time when I got back, I didn’t swear I’d never do it again, so maybe this will flip the switch, and I just not do it again.

Red Sox chances of making the Wild Card round in the 2026 playoffs: 35.5%

 

Mos Eisley Cantina

Mos Eisley Cantina

You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy.

I did get it right; I waited until about 3:00pm before getting my latte and walking a couple miles along the Sandy River on a paved trail. Should have taken a picture. It was in the 50s, and there was not a cloud in the sky. I even put the top down on the Miata on the way back.

Foggy Morning

Foggy Morning

This photo is a direct. So instead of waiting for the sunny part of the day to go for my walk, I opted to go out early this morning and walk in the thirty-degree foggy weather. Maybe tomorrow I’ll get it right.

Everyone Wanted To Go

All Aboard


 
For today’s walk, everyone wanted to go. Bonesy always sits up front, so roomie had to sit in the back. He was none too happy, but dogs rule, so he sucked it up. I’ll hear about it later.

Foggy Morning Walk

Foggy Morning Walk


 
Me and my roomie headed out for a walk this morning, and the fog was as thick as pea soup. He wussed out, something about being scared, so I left him in the car listening to reggae while I went for 3 miles. It was actually quite peaceful, but I did keep a watchful eye on the woods.

Trying To Get Back On Track

East Salish Pond


 
When I went on the 2025 Jumbo Road Trip I blogged every night and for the 49 days prior to going on the trip I posted on 48 of them. In the 12 days since I’ve been back, today included, I’ve posted 7 times, so I’m having trouble getting back on track of the everyday posting.

Can’t really blame it on the COVID, because after a 3 days I’ve felt normal. I just keep testing positive. Including today because I had a dentist appointment tomorrow. I have been out walking a mile or two for almost every day. The picture above was from Friday as well as the first two below and the third image is from Sunday.

I walked again this morning, but didn’t take the phone/camera out of my pocket. Before I took these last three walks I stopped in at the Stomping Grounds and picked up a 16oz Salted Carmel Latte to carry with me. Hypothetical question: Does my walking 2-1/2 miles in an hour, while drinking that latte, do I manage to burn enough calories to offset that tasty coffee consumption?