Walking With Attitude
Been looking to step up my exercise again and since I know I never kept to a walking plan more faithfully than when I was in a challenge, like "The Walk to Rivendell" challenge or the "Idita-rod" winter walking challenge I went searching the Internet for walking challenges.
Came across the Walking With Attitude website and it captured my imagination enough that I decided to sign up for a six month membership. The site is filled with a variety of walking challenges, many where you virtually walk famous hiking trails around the world. Once you sign up for a challenge you are provided with a virtual map that tracks your progress along the trail when you enter in how far you walked that day. Along each trail is a series of benchmarks and when you hit a benchmark (I hit my first one today) you are given a bunch of information and photos of that part of your trail, notice of it on your personal bulletin board and a congratulatory e-mail. Each member also has a virtual trophy case to place the trophies you win at the end of each hike you sign up for and complete. Right now I just have one trophy in my trophy case for signing up :). But I'm working on my first walking trophy!
I decided to start with a hike close to home, the West Coast Trail on Vancouver Island. The trail is 75 km. and walking 10,000 steps a day it's supposed to take 30 days, so if I stay faithful I should finish that virtual trail just about the time John and I are leaving for Banff! And it should put me in better condition to actually hike in Jasper, Banff and Yoho National Parks.
Right now my next virtual benchmark is the Gordon River, still early on the trail, but it has kept me on the road for four days, so it's a start.
I've also printed out the EowynChallenge.net "Hobbit" walking challenge, following in the footsteps of Bilbo and the dwarves from Rivendell to The Lonely Mountain - 570 miles. I figure I'll pin it up here by my computer and follow along with it at the same time as I'm doing the "Walking With Attitude" challenges. Let's see if I can get to the Lonely Mountain before Martin Freeman. When exactly is "The Hobbit" coming out again? If PJ gives me 'til the end of 2012 I might make it :).
Came across the Walking With Attitude website and it captured my imagination enough that I decided to sign up for a six month membership. The site is filled with a variety of walking challenges, many where you virtually walk famous hiking trails around the world. Once you sign up for a challenge you are provided with a virtual map that tracks your progress along the trail when you enter in how far you walked that day. Along each trail is a series of benchmarks and when you hit a benchmark (I hit my first one today) you are given a bunch of information and photos of that part of your trail, notice of it on your personal bulletin board and a congratulatory e-mail. Each member also has a virtual trophy case to place the trophies you win at the end of each hike you sign up for and complete. Right now I just have one trophy in my trophy case for signing up :). But I'm working on my first walking trophy!
I decided to start with a hike close to home, the West Coast Trail on Vancouver Island. The trail is 75 km. and walking 10,000 steps a day it's supposed to take 30 days, so if I stay faithful I should finish that virtual trail just about the time John and I are leaving for Banff! And it should put me in better condition to actually hike in Jasper, Banff and Yoho National Parks.
Right now my next virtual benchmark is the Gordon River, still early on the trail, but it has kept me on the road for four days, so it's a start.
I've also printed out the EowynChallenge.net "Hobbit" walking challenge, following in the footsteps of Bilbo and the dwarves from Rivendell to The Lonely Mountain - 570 miles. I figure I'll pin it up here by my computer and follow along with it at the same time as I'm doing the "Walking With Attitude" challenges. Let's see if I can get to the Lonely Mountain before Martin Freeman. When exactly is "The Hobbit" coming out again? If PJ gives me 'til the end of 2012 I might make it :).