More Cornfields

This could hold many grandchildren

Virtually I have walked from Elgin, Illinois to Dixon, Illinois since I started this spring. After determining where I would be on Google Maps I usually use Street View to see where I would be walking. It has been one corn field after another and I have a feeling this is just the beginning as I head west. About 16 hours of walking and I will be in Iowa (virtually) so I anticipate a lot of the same.

In my own neighbourhood where I do my actual walking I am amazed at the things I see even though I have been walking the same streets over and over. The picture with this blog is an interesting tree on my own street. I love to take pictures of trees. This one looked like a good climbing tree.

Walking in the rain

This evening I walked for about 45 minutes in the rain. Our dog was at the dog sitter’s and I walked to get him. It was a 20 minute walk to her house and then with the dog with me on the return trip it was 25 minutes because Tico (being a dog) feels the need to stop frequently.

Anyway, it was a pleasant walk and I hope Tico doesn’t feel insulted that I was carrying a big umbrella with cat and kitten pictures all over it.

Virtually – about 17 hours to go to get into Iowa. Lots of corn fields ahead I think!

Memorial Day

This is at Hensall Memorial Cemetery, north of London, Ontario and is the tombstone of my great-great (not sure how many greats) grandfather.

Virtually today I walked from Flagg Centre Cemetery near Rochelle, Illinois to Washington Grove Cemetery.  I didn’t plan it that way but I thought it was very appropriate for Memorial Day.

Walking with a purpose

Today I did most of my walking without the dog.  Not that he didn’t get his walks but his walks were short today  and mine without him were longer.

Since we parked our car for the last time my husband and I have been doing more walking and riding public transit.  Today we went out for dinner so we walked to the bus stop and afterward home again from the bus stop.  It was a little chilly but not as chilly as yesterday.

Later in the day I walked for over an hour in my neighbourhood.  I was distributing flyers about my big event next week.  On Thursday I am speaking at the local library (Don Mills Branch) on the subject of Connecting with Your Photos.  The librarian told me there are already about fifty people signed up.  I’m excited because I have been working for a long time on a slide show presentation for it.

Anyway, it gave me an opportunity today to walk briskly all around my neighbourhood and I enjoyed that.  This picture shows one of the walkways I used between streets.  For some reason I always enjoy finding and using these walkways.

On The Way Again

I’m going to get serious again about keeping track of my virtual walks on the map while actually walking around my own neighbourhood.  The nice weather is inspiring although we are still in that transition phase where anything can happen with the weather.  In fact, today was so cold I was wearing my winter coat to walk to the store.  When I take the dog out I find myself hurrying him along because I just want to get in out of the cold.  I heard that it snowed today in Ottawa.

Virtually, I am now on the outskirts of Rochelle, Illinois.   Wonder what the weather’s like there today.

Just to remind me what winter's really like

No Racoons!

This is a sign I saw on the backyard fence in the townhouse complex where I live.  I guess they don’t want any to come in their yard.  I think that’s it but I just have to say, “Good luck on that one!”  They need to find someone who can interpret this sign into coon language and let the racoons know how they feel.  Somehow I don’t think the racoons will get the message from this sign!

We always see lots of racoons around here and they are usually to be found getting into the garbage bins.

One day this week Tico and I saw a little mouse run right across the path in front of us when we were walking behind the building near the garbage bins.

This week I had several smaller walks.  Some were to the store and some were just around our complex.  I added them up and went on down the road in Illinois a little farther.  It was beautiful farmland and I enjoyed looking at the street view.

Alpacas and Dr. Seuss

Today Tico and I walked for another hour.  My virtual walk took me past an alpaca farm.  I viewed the entire walk at street view and it was a beautiful country walk in rural Illinois.

Meanwhile, back in Toronto, Tico and I went to a favourite neighbourhood park.  I put a long leash on him and he ran around like crazy and really enjoyed himself.

This park has the most interesting old trees.  I took a picture of an oddly shaped tree there before and this time I saw a tree that looked so twisted that it looked like a Dr. Seuss drawing so I got a picture of it.

On To Cheyenne!

So, I virtually walked out of Elgin today and I am officially on my way to Cheyenne.  I say goodby to four grandchildren and push on to virtually visit five other grandchildren.  Of course, they will be older by the time I arrive since I have about 300 hours of walking to get there!

In leaving Elgin I walked past many landmarks that I know from actual experience.  For example I went over the bridge and up Spring St.  How many times did I drive to Walmart that way?  Then I walked a ways on Randall Road to McDonald Rd. as far as Stevens Rd.

Past the Citgo station

Tico and I walked in my neighbourhood for exactly an hour today.  The weather was cooler so we really enjoyed it.  He even made some new doggy friends.

We hope to walk again soon but the weather forecast is calling for more humidity to come back so maybe we will have to do shorter walks more often.

I DID IT!

I did it!  I (virtually) arrived at my daughter’s house yesterday.  I can’t believe I have (actually) walked far enough to walk from Toronto to Elgin, Illinois!  Sure it took months but reaching this goal has me excited about the next goal – Cheyenne, Wyoming, where another daughter lives with her husband and five children.

I’m not going to let it discourage me that Google Maps says it takes 305 (24 hr.) days to walk there from Elgin.  I am ready to push on and see more of America through the wonders of street view.  So, here I go!

One more thing:  I had a bone density scan today.  When I get the results I will know better if this weight-bearing exercise is helping my bones to be stronger.

Books, Air Conditioning and Rainbows

I am virtually at the Gail Borden Public Library.  If I were actually there I know who I would be meeting there!  So close.  In terms of a walk, I still have about an hour and a half walk to get to my daughter’s house in South Elgin.  When I get there virtually I’ll give her an actual call.  At least we can talk on the phone and maybe even Skype.

 

My last walk here was for an hour and a half and included some shopping.  Of course I take frequent short walks about five times a day with Tico not too far from the front door of our building.  Sometimes these are only five minutes.  If I go out to the back of the property I get views as though I have walked miles away.

Last night I was going to do a very quick trip with Tico, just to get the job done (so to speak).  When I stepped out the front door it was right at the end of a summer rain.  Everything smelled so nice!  But the best part was I saw a rainbow!  Tico and I walked further than I had planned because we were chasing that rainbow.  I took some pictures and wished that the rainbow would not fade so fast but it was a blessing to see it!

Gen. 9:13 I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.  
Gen. 9:14 And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud:  
Gen. 9:16 And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.

Heat Wave

On Wednesday I took a walk around our complex with our daughter and four of her children who are visiting from Wyoming.  We were out for about a half hour even though it was extremely warm and humid.  We did find some shady areas and the children even played on some playground equipment.

Yesterday I walked to a nearby plaza and home again.  Between the two walks I was able to update my virtual walk and get a little closer to downtown Elgin.  I am now at the intersection of Dundee Avenue and East Main Street.  That’s about an hour and a half from the main library in Elgin.  It’s a beautiful  library (I’ve actually been there) and air-conditioned so if I were actually walking there I would make that a pit stop!  After that only about one hour to my daughter’s house and I would get to meet her new dog!

A Breezy Half Hour

It was very warm here today but there was a strong breeze so Tico and I went out for a half hour walk.  His ears were flapping in the wind.  We stopped near the swimming pool and sat in the shade for a few minutes.  The pool is supposed to open tomorrow so it was quiet and peaceful today.

I recently read somewhere that if you walk two miles a day you can lose eight pounds in a year, but I don’t think that will happen if you think you can eat more because you are walking.  Besides this half hour walk in the neighbourhood I walked in a mall this morning for probably at least a half hour but I don’t want to tell you how much I ate today!

On my virtual walk I am still about three hours away from my destination in South Elgin.

More Walking

I walked for one hour on Wednesday. Tico and I walked up (literally, it was uphill) a long street and then through a big park.

There were so many sports activities going on in that park so I took pictures of the tennis court, the swimming pool and the ball hockey game (this IS Canada!).

All that activity made me glad that I was being active, too.

Now I am only two and a half hours from my destination in South Elgin. I am on Dundee Rd. Anyone know where that is?

Maybe I will get there in time for a partial family reunion. Maybe see nine grandchildren at once!

HEAT WAVE!

We are having record-breaking temperatures here.  In spite of that (I know, I’m crazy!) I walked for one hour on Monday.  I wanted to go to the dollar store.  The good part is I bought a big floppy hat to wear on my walks.  Altogether I have walked two hours since my last blog and I am now just about four hours away from South Elgin!  Maybe I will be there in time for a family reunion.  Who will get there first Julie?

A Half Hour Walk Is Better Than No Walk

Today Tico and I walked part of the way as Malik walked home from school.  It was a short walk and probably not the most relaxing place to walk.  We crossed over (on a bridge) a very busy highway.

However, even in the midst of city busy-ness I was surprised at the beautiful rural-looking photos I was able to take of places just beside that busy highway.

Anyway, I am now virtually walking in Illinois.   I have walked from Genoa City, WI to E. Tryon Grove Rd. and Keystone Rd. in northern Illinois.  Only about 11 hours from Elgin, Illinois where we now have four grandchildren.

SUMMER!

Tico and Malik at a park near us

I lost track of where I last virtually walked in Wisconsin, but I’m sure that I have walked enought to at least get to the Illinois border so I will start from there this summer.

Tico and I and Malik took a “field trip” on Friday, June 8.  We walked for an hour and fifteen minutes through the “forest” of a nearby park.  Malik is studying Underground to Canada by Barbara Smucker so we were trying to get the feel of walking through the woods for a distance (?).  He is also walking home from school when weather permits and is keeping track of his walking to see how long it would take to walk from Vicksburg, Mississippi to Amherstburg, Ontario which is what the escaping slaves had to do in the story.

Anyway, now that the weather is nice and school will soon be out I hope to walk more and blog more and of course take more pictures.

You are welcome to come along!

Get started early!

This is what I saw at 6:15 this morning.  My first walk of the day was just a ten minute, take the dog out kind of walk.  We stroll and stop and stroll and stop and stop and stop.  You get the picture.  With this kind of “walk” I don’t bother to count the minutes toward my virtual walking.

I do take my camera, though.  You never know what you’ll see!

Later in the morning I walked to the store so I counted that as a half hour on my Milwaukee walk.  Now I am at the intersection of 400th Ave. and 396th Ave. near Kenosha.  About twelve hours to go to my daughter’s house!

In the neighbourhood

Since my last post I have walked for one hour so now I am virtually at the intersection of Dyer Lake Rd. and 45 St. in southeastern Wisconsin.  A much prettier walk than when I first left Milwaukee

Tico and I actually walked in our own neighbourhood.  We went past a church building that is owned by one church and has two other congregations meeting there.  This is a common sight nowadays, but I thought it was interesting that one of the churches was a Romanian Baptist church.

Then we went down a walkway to get to another street.  I love these walkways and Toronto neighbourhoods seem to have a lot of them.

Earlier today I attended a baby shower for our youngest grandson, Ethan.  Maybe he will be my walking partner soon!

So cute!

TTC, SRT and STC

Sound like alphabet soup?  Today I rode the TTC (city bus) to get to the SRT (Scarborough Rapid Transit) to get to the STC (Scarborough Town Centre) because I had to go to the government offices to apply for my pension.

After finishing that business I walked in the mall for awhile.  When I was on the bus to go home I got off several stops ahead of my stop and walked for a half hour to get home.

Virtual walking:  I am now at the intersection of McHenry St. and Fish Hatchery Rd. south of Burlington, Wisconsin.

Totally unrelated category:  My husband did the grocery shopping this week and he bought these giant radishes.  Surprisingly, they tasted good!

Another Busy Day!

Today my husband had a business appointment downtown so he took the day off from work, we sent the dog to the doggy sitter and we made a day of it.  We took the subway right downtown.  Since we were early for the appointment we went to the Golden Griddle for breakfast.  I had pancakes and bacon.

Ethan

After arriving back home we had more errands to do in the car so Tico was at the doggy sitter’s all day.  Some of the errands were in the neighbouring town where our grandchildren live so of course we had to spend time with them.  The baby fell asleep in my arms – so sweet!  The others were so silly – lots of laughter!

Before we went home we had a late lunch at a favourite restaurant.  I had a roast beef sandwich on a bun.  It was delicious but after all this eating I just had to walk.  I walked to get the dog and walked him home.  Round trip was an hour.

When Tico and I arrived back at our building all his little dog friends seemed to be having a party so we joined the fun and took pictures.  That’s me on the far left and I’m holding Tico’s leash.

Did you walk today?  Where?  I would love to hear from you!

Look to the sky!

…but also watch where you are going!  Tonight I thought the sky was particularly beautiful so I took some pictures behind our building.

Behind our building

There must be a spiritual application here.  Look to the sky.  Jesus is coming!  But also pay attention to the direction or way you are walking your earthly life.  Don’t be so heavenly minded that you are no earthly good.

Walked for one hour today.  My new virtual intersection is Milwaukee Ave. and N. River Rd., Wisconsin.  Only about 17 more hours to Elgin, IL.

A Two Hour Walk

This morning I walked for two hours in my neighbourhood.  I didn’t take the dog because I was planning to go into a store.

I have to say that what I saw on my walk was so much more interesting than what I saw on street view afterwards.  Sorry, but the Milwaukee highway was boring.  By the way I am now virtually at Milwaukee Ave. and County Hwy. K in Wisconsin.

So how was the big city better?  Isn’t it a concrete jungle?  Not where I live!  I walked on quiet residential streets.  I enjoyed looking at the styles of architecture in the houses I passed by.  This is no “cookie cutter” suburban development.  These houses have been there for years but they were obviously unique from the start.  Some were beyond beautiful.  They were exquisite!  I try to imagine how they are decorated on the inside or what the layout of the rooms is.  There were Tudor style homes and ranch bungalows.  There were split level, 70-ish homes.  One of my favourites was the classic red brick with white trim, two stories (but that’s another story!)  That style always reminds me of the type of metal dollhouses that were popular when I was a little girl.

But the trees were better than the houses.  Toronto is truly a green city with lots of trees and parks and ravines.  Many of these beautiful old homes had huge trees in their yards, both evergreen and deciduous.  This fall when the colours turn I will go that way again and take some fall pictures.

Lots of trees means lots of birds and I could hear the birds singing so sweetly.

It was very warm today but I stopped at a library branch along the way and enjoyed the air conditioning and when I got to the store it was also nice and cool to refresh me for my walk back.

Looks like rain for tomorrow.  We’ll see!

I'M WALKIN' IN THE RAIN

…What a wonderful feeling, I’m happy again…

Well, it was just sprinkling a little so Tico and I walked for about a half hour.

The good thing about street view is that it is never raining.  Sometimes it looks overcast, but it’s never raining!  So now I am still walking south of Milwaukee and my current intersection is Loomis Rd. and Muskego Dam Road.

A Virtual Walk

A boring half hour in street view.  A major highway with no stores or houses to look at as I “walk”.  The good news is that it doesn’t take a half hour to do the street view.

About 10 hours to the Wisconsin border and then about 12 hours to South Elgin.

KEEP WALKING!

A Full Moon

I started my half hour walk this evening at dusk.  By the time I finished (very close to home) it was getting dark.

There was a beautiful full moon and I had my camera with me so I experimented with settings.  I used the setting “picture stability” because when I am holding Tico’s leash with one hand and the camera in the other it’s easy to get blurry photos.

Then I discovered a setting for night.  I took some pictures of Tico.  The pose seems to be a theme of my photos of Tico.  Sitting on a rock with flowers in the background.  There are several places where I take these pictures and yet they seem to look the same.

Anyway, I thought the lighting was interesting.

I haven’t figured out where another half hour puts me in Wisconsin so that will be a separate post.

A Half Hour Closer

It’s a beautiful evening here.  It’s cooler and there is a breeze so Tico and I went for a half hour walk and that takes me a half hour further south of Milwaukee and closer to the Illinois border.

I will be coming into Illinois in the McHenry area so hopefully some of the street view will look familiar to me.

Busy Day!

Today I am watching a toddler.  Joshua is two and a half years old.  We took the dog for a walk (about 20 min.) around the townhouse complex.  I was holding Joshua’s hand and the leash with the other hand.  We strolled.  No power walking with a dog and a toddler!

When we got back to our apartment, before we went in, they played in the hallway.  It was so cute to watch.  Tico would pick up his leash in his mouth and run the length of the hall.  Joshua would chase after him but of course never catch him so then they would run the other direction.  Over and over.  Hopefully it wore them both out!

Think! Think! Think!

What do you think about when you are doing all this walking?  Well, sometimes I have the same song going through my head over and over.  Lots of times I think about the beauty of creation I am seeing.  I especially enjoy looking at other people’s flower gardens.  I really don’t have a green thumb but I’m glad to see what others can grow.

Tico doesn’t just stop and smell the flowers.  He has to sniff every hedge!  And he takes his time.  He’s in no hurry, unless he’s chasing a cat or a squirrel.  He just enjoys the day!

I hope you do, too!  What do you think about on your walks?  Let me know!

My neighborhood walks

Today I didn’t go for any long walks.  With Tico I always go for at least short walks every day.  He has to be walked about five times a day.  If the weather is reasonably nice we will walk up to the corner and

Today was nice but I was busy with other things so we went for two walks about six blocks long and then several just around the outside of the building.

When I first started doing the virtual long-distance walking I counted the minutes to every little walk and added them up, but now I tend to count only half hour or longer walks.  The end of this week is supposed to very nice so hopefully I will go for some longer walks then and make more mileage in Wisconsin.

In the meantime I thought I would post some photos of where I actually walk.

A walk very close to home

Part of the grounds

Tico

A walk to the library

We live equi-distant from three library branches.  It takes me about a half hour to walk to any one of them.  One branch is too small.  I never go there.  One is a beautiful walk along residential streets that are tree-lined and interspersed with parks but it is not my favourite branch.  My favourite branch is on the other side of the Don Valley.  I like the library but the walk is down a steep hill, across the Don Valley and up another hill with very little shade and lots of traffic.  It’s a hot walk on warm summer days.  I’m always thankful to reach the library and air conditioning.

Yesterday I walked to that library so with the return trip I had an hour walk.  On the way home I stopped at a Tim’s and had a coffee and donut (so much for burning off calories) and enjoyed some more air conditioning.

That hour of walking brought me to a new location in my virtual walk.  I am now at W. Loomis Rd. and W. Forest Hill Ave. in Greendale, Wisconsin.

The first part of next week looks like we could have rain.  Guess I’ll have to do more walking the last part of the week.

Have a blessed Sunday!

Enjoy the street view!

When I do my virtual walking I like to see where I am virtually walking.  I love using the street view!  When you have a route mapped out on Google Maps the street view shows that route with a blue line so if you happen to turn the wrong way you will know because you won’t see that blue line.

I like to look around at the farms and houses that I pass.  Small towns are interesting.  Some of them are very historical.  Some are a bit sad because you can see that they have seen better days.  (I love local history, but that’s another whole blog!)

In cities it’s fun to see what businesses and parks you might pass.  I like to think, “Oh, I would eat there if I were walking by at lunch time.”

I even like to think I would stay at a particular hotel or motel or b&b.  In my imagination, money is no object!

On Sundays I would look around for a good church.  You can find these things by clicking on them on Google Maps.

Of course, the more of that imagination game you play the more time consuming it is.  I don’t get too detailed all the time!

But when you can – ENJOY THE street VIEW!

Hi! Welcome to virtual long distance walking

My name is Georgel La More and I am a 64 year old grandmother.  I have been walking in my neighbourhood for a long time now but just last fall I came up with the idea of virtual ong-distance walking.

This is how it works:

1. I plan a long-distance destintation.  For example, I planned to “walk” from Toronto to Elgin, IL where my daughter lives.

2. I take a walk in my neighbourhood and keep track of the amount of time I walk.

3. When I get home I go to Google Maps and track my distance on the map.

At the Google Maps website you go to Get Directions.   You type in where you are starting from and your destination for the whole trip.  Don’t forget to set the option for walking directions, not driving.  Zoom in close on the map to your starting point and then estimate how far you would have gone according to the distance you actually walked.  The mileage line at the bottom of the map is helpful in estimating. Type in an intersection for B on the directions.  When Google Maps gives you the directions they tell you how many minutes or hours it would take to walk there.  You may need to adjust it until it matches the amount of time you actually walked.

I keep a notebook and jot down the name of the intersection.

The next time you walk, begin at that intersection.  Use that for A and type in your trip destination for B.  Go through the same steps.  Find an intersection just far enough away from A to equal your walking time.  Continue these steps to the end of your virtual trip.

So far I have walked from Toronto to Milwaukee.  I am currently at S. Logan Ave and E. Oklahoma Ave. in Milwaukee.  Of course, that is virtually I am there.  I am still at home in Toronto.

This system keeps me motivated to walk several times a week.  I hope my instructions are not too confusing but I will be explaining more later.

Try it!  Happy walking!