Hicker's 365 Challenge - Unofficially Finished

 Regular readers might remember that I completed the Hiker's 365 Challenge in 2023.  Starting November 2023, I embarked on their series of seasonal challenges (Winter 100, Spring Fling, Blazing Summer, Fall 50).  I competed the last of those in October, which meant I qualified for the Ultimate Adventurer badge.  All of which has been discussed here.   

But, while I was logging the seasonal challenges, I logged my hikes for 2024, as another round of the Hiker's 365.  Not officially, but just for fun.  So, yesterday (12/1/2024), I completed my second year of 365 miles of hikes.  It took about 7 weeks longer than last year, but still made it with some breathing room.

Here's a couple of photos from yesterday's walk.  Taken as the sun was setting, perhaps fittingly closing the book on 2 years of these challenges.  I'll have to find something else for 2025!

- - -

The Ultimate Adventurer!

 I've posted a few times (here) about the Weekend Adventurer / My Adventure Challenge thing.  They offer a series of hiking challenges; you log your miles, and they provide a patch.  It's fun, and there's a Facebook community.

Anyway, I started January 1, 2023, with the Hiker's 365 challenge, to hike 365 miles in 365 days.  This was a really good experience for me, inspired me to get off my tush and moving.  As I was winding that up, I started with the 4x seasonal challenges:  Winter 100, Spring Fling, Blazing Summer and Fall 50.  I completed the last of these recently.  The completion of these 5 challenges gets you another patch, The Ultimate Adventurer.  I received that patch today:

It's een a fun 22 months. and I plan to keep on going to finish a 2nd 365 miles for this year.  After that, I'll have to find some other motivation to keep going.

Meanwhile here's a few photos from yesterdays (short) hike at The Gardens At SIUE:

Black Friday - No Shopping

 I don't know if Black Friday is as big a deal as it used to be, with the rise of internet shopping and the expansion from a day to a week, etc.  But I do know that I've tried to avoid shopping on the day after Thanksgiving since my cousins dragged my brother and I to their local mall in 1970 and overwhelmed me.

Anyway, last Thursday, I went hiking with my daughters, their spouses and the 2 grandkids.  We went to Valley View Glades, in Hillsboro, MO.  A bit over an hour from us, but a really nice spot.

- - -

My Adventure Challenge

I finished my Hiker's 365 Challenge in October.  The goal was to hike 365 miles in the year.  I'll keep logging miles, see how far I can get by the end of the year.  But, I also started a new challenge:  Winter 100.  The goal here is to complete 100 miles of hikes during Nov/Dec/Jan/Feb.  I'm off to a decent start, but the early sunsets are tough.

Here's some photos from a recent hike at Watershed Nature Center:  

 

Hikers 365 Challenge

 I'm sure I've posted about it here, sometime during 2023, but I've officially finished the Hikers 365 Challenge this week.  The goal is to hike 365 miles in a year, with hikes (not just walking around) of at least 1 miles each.  It took me 9+ months, or 41.8 weeks to complete the 365.  I'll keep going, of course, but doubt I'll be able to make my goal of 500 miles in the year. (my pace works out to 466) .

A couple of interesting tidbits:

• My average Miles per Hike is only 1.81 miles per hike, but with 201 hikes in 293 days.  
• My longest hikes was a rather modest 5.68 miles
• I had hikes in 13 different states: IL, VA, NY, LA, ME, MO, NC, WV, OH, KY, PA, IN, MS (Listed in order of most->least miles)
• 38% of my miles were in/around my neighborhood.  That's a bit disappointing, but means I didn't have to drive to walk
• Not quite 16% of my walks were on the local bike trails

This has been a really good experience for me, I had fallen into a "work from home, sit in my office, move to the couch" trap.  I was shocked to look at my steps counter last December, and it spurred me to action.  My steps per year is over 2x what it was last year, and I'm feeling better for it.

GOALS:

• I'd like to get as close to 500 for the year as possible, but will be satisfied with anything over 450.
• I'm debating starting some of the other challenges from the same organization, starting with the Winter Challenge (which starts 11/1).
• I want to do the challenge again in 2024 (perhaps informally), and improve on 2323's performance
• I really want to get my overall steps (not just hikes) higher.

Ny suggestions?

Hiker's 365 Challenge - March update

 March is in the books, and we're 25% through the year!  Through 3/31, I've completed 127 miles, still nicely above pace (90 miles).  That said I managed 0.7 fewer miles in March than February, even with 3 more days.  Blame it on weather, travel and work.  

I did add hikes in Louisianna, so I've hiked in 6 states over the past 3 months (IL, LA, MO, OH, PA, VA). Not that it means anything, but I think it is cool.  I'll be pleasantly surprised if I make a dozen for the year, 10 is probably more realistic.  

 I did continue to lengthen my hikes, my average for March was 2.0, up from 1.8 in February and 1.4 in January.  I tried to be better about posting to the Weekend Adventurer Facebook group, but still pretty spotty. 

Looks like I only posted 3 shots of my badge, I need to be better about that!

Hiker's 365 Challenge - February update

 February is finished, and I'm feeling good about my 365 Challenge!  I was well above pace for the month, at 47.9 miles, and 80.1 miles year-to-date.  Over the 2 months, I've done hikes in 5 different states (IL, MO, OH, PA, VA); it will be interesting to see how that goes as the year progresses.  

I'm still managing more, shorter walks, with 24 hikes over 28 days, and an average distance of 1.8 miles per hike.  Both improvements from January.  There's a long way to go, but so far so good! 

Just a few of my "badge" shots... Plus a water bottle!

Patriot’s Park, Greenville, IL.

- - -

Ron Foster Heritage Trail, Glen Carbon, IL

- - -

KNob Hill trail, Cranberry, PA

Nelson-Kennedy Ledges State Park, Garrettsville, OH

- - -

Color or Black-And-White: Wetlands, Bremer Wildlife

Another simple phone photo.  Taken on my iPhone, and processed using the default photo program on my newish computer.  (Still needing to get "real" software on the new computer).  Taken on a recent hike at Bremer Wildlife Sanctuary, Hillsboro, IL, USA.  Which do you prefer?

- - - - -

I think I need to take the original file over to my old computer and see what I can do with my normal software!

I shot this w/ black-and-white in mind, but it seems pretty flat based on this processing.

Color or Black-And-White: Abandoned Railroad Bridge

 A simple phone photo, taken on a recent hike along Nickel Plate Trail in Glen Carbon, IL.  Both versions processed using Snapseed edit, on my iPad.  Which do you prefer?

- - - - -

Hiker's 365 Challenge

 So... I'm trying something new this year:  Hiker's 365 Challenge.  It's a simple program, actually.  Get out and hike.  Minimum hike is 1.0 miles, and you have 365 days.  Total goal is 356 miles.  Now there's a lot of details, and some varied opinions, but the point is to get outside, to walk at least 1 mile, and to make 365 miles in a year's time.  They even have a facebook group where folks can post about thier progress.

I've been having fun with it, and not quite 6 weeks in, I'm above pace.  Almost 40% of my walks have been in and around my neighborhood, which isn't as "nature" as I'd prefer.  But you take what you can get when it's winter and the days are short.

They ask people to take a photo on the trail with the patch they sent.  I've been pretty spotty about it, but here's a few of them, just for giggles:

February!

 First photos from February.  Simple phone photos taken during my late afternoon walk around the neighborhood.  Happy the days are getting a little longer!