[Speed Gibson,
Sunday February 6, 2005 at 9:18pm]
Walking Weather
As I noted about my diet, I do walking for exercise. Since I started on Feb 23, 2002, I have logged almost 2,000 miles. Yesterday's weather was near perfect, and as I often do, I went out during the Saturday NARN show, listening on my Walkman.
I don't remember how I got started on this, but it had instant appeal for simply being outdoors and seeing some new scenery as I went. Pedaling the stationary bike indoors watching the Travel Channel isn't even close. I also then realized that I could visit many different neighborhoods, as I like to do 7-9 miles per walk. Then I got this idea.
I had an old large city street map of Brooklyn Center where I live, and I used a highlighter to color the streets I had walked. I then set about visiting every street, starting from home or the Brooklyn Center High School before or after events there. I would follow up using the car to measure the distance. I soon learned I had a very steady pace of 3.3 miles per hour, so I judge on time alone now with a stopwatch.
I studied the map at home, but never allowed myself to take any maps or notes along. I occasionally made a wrong turn, but that was part of the challenge, to walk from memory. Anyway, after 39 such trips totaling 220 miles, I walked every public street in Brooklyn Center.
I used to live in Robbinsdale, so that was next. I parked at the Rainbow store that was in the approximate center, making 14 trips for 93 miles to complete this smaller suburb. Tiny Osseo was next, 3 trips for 21 miles from the City Hall parking lot. Full of confidence, I headed for Brooklyn Park.
I realized that I needed some rules regarding "launch points" where I park. I have a formula based on square miles and population that determines the maximum number of such sites allowed. I pick either public places like city halls, or larger retail areas. In the latter case, I used the least desirable parking spots and did some business each time. At the Rainbow in Robbinsdale, for example, I would buy water or juice and fruit.
For Brooklyn Park, I used 5 such sites, though I also used the previous adjoining city sites of Osseo City Hall and BC High School to advantage. It was my biggest challenge, but I got those 450 miles covering Brooklyn Park's 27 square miles done in 68 trips.
Then came Crystal, New Hope, Golden Valley, Medicine Lake (1 trip of 7 miles!) and Plymouth. I am now about 120 miles into Maple Grove, which I estimate will run about 500 miles. With yesterday's walk, I have "sealed the border" and will start working my way toward the center.
I'll put more of the details on my companion diet web site (see the banner).
I don't remember how I got started on this, but it had instant appeal for simply being outdoors and seeing some new scenery as I went. Pedaling the stationary bike indoors watching the Travel Channel isn't even close. I also then realized that I could visit many different neighborhoods, as I like to do 7-9 miles per walk. Then I got this idea.
I had an old large city street map of Brooklyn Center where I live, and I used a highlighter to color the streets I had walked. I then set about visiting every street, starting from home or the Brooklyn Center High School before or after events there. I would follow up using the car to measure the distance. I soon learned I had a very steady pace of 3.3 miles per hour, so I judge on time alone now with a stopwatch.
I studied the map at home, but never allowed myself to take any maps or notes along. I occasionally made a wrong turn, but that was part of the challenge, to walk from memory. Anyway, after 39 such trips totaling 220 miles, I walked every public street in Brooklyn Center.
I used to live in Robbinsdale, so that was next. I parked at the Rainbow store that was in the approximate center, making 14 trips for 93 miles to complete this smaller suburb. Tiny Osseo was next, 3 trips for 21 miles from the City Hall parking lot. Full of confidence, I headed for Brooklyn Park.
I realized that I needed some rules regarding "launch points" where I park. I have a formula based on square miles and population that determines the maximum number of such sites allowed. I pick either public places like city halls, or larger retail areas. In the latter case, I used the least desirable parking spots and did some business each time. At the Rainbow in Robbinsdale, for example, I would buy water or juice and fruit.
For Brooklyn Park, I used 5 such sites, though I also used the previous adjoining city sites of Osseo City Hall and BC High School to advantage. It was my biggest challenge, but I got those 450 miles covering Brooklyn Park's 27 square miles done in 68 trips.
Then came Crystal, New Hope, Golden Valley, Medicine Lake (1 trip of 7 miles!) and Plymouth. I am now about 120 miles into Maple Grove, which I estimate will run about 500 miles. With yesterday's walk, I have "sealed the border" and will start working my way toward the center.
I'll put more of the details on my companion diet web site (see the banner).