Vacation Walking

At the end of May this year, my wife Laurie and I went to Michigan with our friends the Hills. We stopped first in Dearborn where we walked for hours touring the Henry Ford Museum. And, we did not see it all! It is a lovely trip down history lane. We learned the influence Ford had on automobiles, airplanes, and manufacturing. Since then I have learned that he also had influence on the Hammered Dulcimer world. What a guy.
Then we drove to Boyne Falls Resort, which is about an hour from Mackinaw City where we caught the ferry boat every day to cross Lake Huron to Mackinac Island. On Mackinac Island gasoline engines are forbidden (mostly), so one gets around on foot, by horse-drawn wagon, or on bicycle. It seems so much like a trip back in time (until you visit the local Starbucks).
We visited the Island three days and each day spent significant time walking and riding the horse-drawn wagon. One day the Hills and I rented bicycles and rode around the Island. It was a fairly easy eight-mile ride with several stops and a continuous view of Lake Huron. Absolutely invigorating!
Those days helped to motivate me to ride my bicycle more. Alex and I do that in the afternoon alongside the Arkansas River. Similar but not the same as seeing Lake Huron while you ride. Still, we have fun and explore what can be seen in the river from the shore - like fish, floating bottles, and boats. But, I digress.
The covenant I made at the beginning of the year was to walk thirty continuous minutes three days each week. Bicycling is great exercise but does not keep the covenant. I have a new plan for that! Tell you about it next time.

5,000 meters!

Well, I should have written more often. I have been walking though - I did NOT quit!
While I missed participating in the Toad Suck 5K, I did participate in the Holy, Healthy 5K at the Annual Conference of the Arkansas United Methodists. I finished absolutely last.
But, in my defense, I started nearly last; I walked all 5K; some of those who began did not finish (if they had I would not have been last); some who participated took short cuts (who knows, I might have finished before them) and didn't walk or run a full 5K. And, I did finish in the time frame I expected - one hour. That is not terrible for a fifty-something fat boy!!
Actually all of the walking has motivated me to ride my bicycle more. Alex, my grandson, also helped to motivate me. It is fun to ride bicycles with a four-year-old. He pedals as fast and hard as he can and says, "Look! I'm going real fast!"
I could not have done so well at the Holy, Healthy 5K if it had not been for my "Walking Vacation." I'll tell you about it next time.