Congratulations! You are starting on a virtual hike of the lower 48 states. This is a difficult challenge, and with any difficult challenge, it helps to break it into small pieces. The hike is divided into 14 parts. Each part has 10 segments except for the last one which has 8 segments. Each segment has 8 legs. With few exceptions, the legs are 10 miles or less.
Thaller, Gary. 48 State Virtual Hike: The Ultimate 10,000 Step Challenge (Kindle Locations 115-117). Shanti Publishing. Kindle Edition.
Here an overview of the route.
It starts in Pueblo, Colorado and goes clockwise. Part one highlighted in yellow goes to southeastern Utah and is 478.4 miles. Each circle is one of the eight legs.
Click on the link for the legs to get an animated street view.
| Segment 1: 0 to 63.2 miles | |||
| Length of Segment: 63.2 miles | |||
| Total miles: 63.2 | |||
| Segment Map | |||
| Click leg for street view | Completed | ||
| leg 1: 0 to 9.3 miles | RAD | FCST | 10/25/2016 |
| leg 2: 9.3 to 17.8 miles | RAD | FCST | 10/26/16 |
| leg 3: 17.8 to 24.1 miles | RAD | FCST | 10/26/16 |
| leg 4: 24.1 to 34 miles | RAD | FCST | 10/27/16 |
| leg 5: 34 to 35.8 miles | RAD | FCST | 10/27/16 |
| leg 6: 35.8 to 45.8 miles | RAD | FCST | |
| leg 7: 45.8 to 54.8 miles | RAD | FCST | |
| leg 8: 54.8 to 63.2 miles | RAD | FCST |
Best AnswerDay 29: Tuesday, 11/22/16
Walking/Running |
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Total Miles Goal: 348 |
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Miles today: 1.79 | Constraint |
Total Miles: 339.06 | None |
Average Daily Miles: 11.71 |
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Weather on virtual hike route
Animated street views for legs completed today:
Comments:
In the real world, it was raining steadily in the morning when I usually walk. I decided to take another day of rest. This puts me nine miles behind the timeline, but I should be able to catch up in the next week.
I plan to start slowly jogging more of the route each day. It’s less tiring, and gets my heater turned on so I’m not as cold as I am while walking.
My resistance training plan is going to have to change. Going to Planet Fitness in the morning takes too much from my prime walking/jogging time. I’ll have to plan some exercises using body weight and some dumbbells.
Best AnswerDay 30: Wednesday, 11/23/16
Walking/Running |
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Total Miles Goal: 360 |
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Miles today: 13.8 | Constraint |
Total Miles: 353.46 | None |
Average Daily Miles: 11.78 |
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Weather on virtual hike route
Animated street views for legs completed today:
Completed Segment 7: 307.9 to 348.5 miles of the 48 State Virtual Hike.
Comments:
I started the day with an easy nine mile walk/jog including about six miles of jogging. Each day, I listen to a class on the Torah, and then I listen to about a half-hour each from four different books. I tend to get lost in listening, and before I know it, I’m home again or down at the Loaf ‘n Jug having a cup of hot chocolate.
I’m back track with 12 or more miles a day, and should be able to continue it for a while. I’ll try to gradually make up the few miles I’m behind the goal. Tomorrow may be a problem. My son and I are planning to go to the mountains to eat a simple Thanksgiving dinner. I don’t know if we will hike or not.
Yesterday afternoon, I got an extra 32 gig of memory for my phone. Not sure what I’ll do with it, but I’m thinking of a huge playlist with my favorite books
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Segment 8 Data
Segment 8: 348.5 to 384.5 miles | ||
Length of Segment: 36 miles | ||
Total miles: 384.5 | ||
Click leg for street view | ||
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I don’t know why the blue “B” showed up in segment 6. I’ll work on it another time.
Best AnswerDay 31: Thursday, 11/24/16
Walking/Running |
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Total Miles Goal: 372 |
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Miles today: 11.44 | Constraint |
Total Miles: 364.9 | None |
Average Daily Miles: 11.77 |
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Weather on virtual hike route
Animated street views for legs completed today:
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Comments:
My son and I went for a hike for Thanksgiving.
Colorado is known for its mountains, but there are also many beautiful canyons to hike in.
View from the top after we came out of the canyon.
About six deer joined us for lunch. I was able to get close enough to this one to get a good picture.
Hiking was easy today. After all the walking I’ve done, I barely noticed the hills.
Best AnswerDay 32: Thursday, 11/25/16
Walking/Running |
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Total Miles Goal: 384 |
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Miles today: 11.17 | Constraint |
Total Miles: 376.07 | None |
Average Daily Miles: 11.75 |
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Weather on virtual hike route
Animated street views for legs completed today
These legs are in the seemingly empty desert. I’ve done a lot of walking in the desert, but never for long distances at a time. It has its own attractions. Get used to it, because there is much more to come. The last time I virtually hiked the route, I missed the desert when I was finally out of it. Don’t let the word desert fool you. It can get brutally cold and windy. Fortunately, the weather has been good lately. I don’t know how bad it will get in January. I’m hoping to be in a dry part of the country by then.
Comments
This fountain at the University gives off steam starting when it’s about 25 degrees. Notice the wolf from a few days ago just above the right side of the fountain.
I have to admit that I’m a little reluctant to get moving in the morning. I don’t know why because I have clothes for all weather conditions. I’ll have to stock up on fortify to urge me forward. (Some people call it tryactin – Try actin’ like a man.) I’m coming up a little short on daily miles. I’ll need to give up my cup of hot chocolate each morning at the convenience store to get some extra time.
Best AnswerDay 33: Saturday, 11/26/16
Completed Segment 8: 348.5 to 384.5 miles of the 48 State Virtual Hike.
Audio Book Completed: Sales Team One. Gary Thaller
Walking/Running |
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Total Miles Goal: 396 |
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Miles today: 12.17 | Constraint |
Total Miles: 388.24 | None |
Average Daily Miles: 11.76 |
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I’m 7.76 miles behind my goal. It’s not a big deal, but I’d like to catch up in the next week since I don’t have any physical constraints.
Animated street views for legs completed today
Weather on virtual hike route
Comments
My early morning walk/jog was easy. I jogged about half of it. The reason I didn’t jog more was I dressed too warmly, and I didn’t want to work up a sweat. Online weather sources aren’t too accurate with the temperature around here.
Best AnswerSegment 9 data
Segment 9: 384.5 to 420.7 miles | ||
Length of Segment: 36.2 miles | ||
Total miles: 420.7 | ||
Click leg for street view | ||
Best AnswerDay 34: Sunday, 11/27/16
Walking/Running |
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Total Miles Goal: 408 |
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Miles today: 12.09 | Constraint |
Total Miles: 400.33 | None |
Average Daily Miles: 11.77 |
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Animated street views for legs completed today
Weather on virtual hike route
Comments
I enjoyed jogging about seven of the eight miles first thing in the morning. Jogging is easier on my body than walking. Along the way, I heard the coyotes yelping in the prairie. Then they started howling to each other.
I started listening to Positive Mental Attitude: The Science of Success by Napoleon Hill who also wrote Think and Grow Rich. I’ll listen for ten minutes a day while walking. Today, I listened to a section about Definiteness of Purpose. An example would be me completing this 48 State Virtual Hike in two years or less. Everything I do during the allotted time must aim towards the final goal. Documenting the hike is turning out to be more difficult than hiking. I need to work to streamline the process and eliminate other activities that take my time.
Best AnswerDay 35: Monday, 11/28/16
Walking/Running |
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Total Miles Goal: 420 |
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Miles today: 16.49 | Constraint |
Total Miles: 416.82 | None |
Average Daily Miles: 11.91 |
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Animated street views for legs completed today
Segment 9
Weather on virtual hike route
Comments
I woke early today, around 2 am, to the sound of the wind howling outside. I checked the weather online, and found a range of temperatures – from 32 to 42 degrees. Worse, it’s supposed to be 18 tomorrow, so I had to run today in case it’s too windy and cold tomorrow. I also had to run long. My lazy mind told me to go back to sleep, but my definite purpose mind told me I had to run, so I stepped outside. “Not too bad,” I thought. It feels like it could be 42, but I was not in the wind.
I wore a synthetic t-shirt, my old military Chinese underwear, and a heavy lined cotton long sleeve shirt to stop the wind. The combination worked perfectly. As I walked, and then jogged comfortably, I listened to Bert Nemcik’s book Solo. He was riding his bicycle in Oregon with the temperature well over 100 degrees. The asphalt was melting and building up on the edges of his tired. Maybe that kept me warm as much as my clothes.
When I was done, I’d completed 13.5 miles in comfort as the sun was rising and wanted more, but I had other responsibilities.
Later in the day, I had to go to town and took about a half-mile walk. Pueblo, Colorado is world famous for chili peppers. I found the mural below on the side of an old building.
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Best AnswerDay 36: Tuesday, 11/29/16
Walking/Running |
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Total Miles Goal: 432 |
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Miles today: 13.24 | Constraint |
Total Miles: 430.06 | None |
Average Daily Miles: 11.95 |
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Animated street views for legs completed today
Segment 9
Segment 10
leg 2: 423.3 to 428.4 miles |
Weather on virtual hike route
Comments
I was ready to go at three in the morning. I carefully dressed for 22 degrees. It’s not too cold, but it took some layering. There was a brief delay when shortly after I stepped outside, I realized I’d left my Fitbit Surge on the charger. I walked a mile and a half before I started to get warm. My nose was almost to the point of sticking together. My legs were cool, and so was my core. Even though I wore mittens, my hands were just shy of cold. Later in the winter, I’ll think 22 degrees is warm, but for now, my body is adjusting.
I started slowly jogging, but it wasn’t until about 3.5 miles that I was thoroughly comfortable. I jogged easily for about eight miles, slowing to a walk occasionally a I started to perspire. Although I should have felt tired after 16.5 miles yesterday, nothing felt even slightly fatigued. I decided not to stop for hot chocolate today as I didn’t want to get cold while drinking it outside. So, I went past the convenience store and pressed on. I wasn’t ready to stop after 11.1 miles, but logically, I decided not to go too many miles.
While listening to a half-hour each from four books, I fantasized about a school where all classes would be held while jogging. The courses would need to be specifically designed, but I feel it is possible. Meanwhile, I’ll keep listening.
Best AnswerSegment 10 Data
Segment 10: 420.7 to 478.4 miles | ||
Length of Segment: 57.7 miles | ||
Total miles: 478.4 | ||
Click leg for street view | ||
leg 2: 423.3 to 428.4 miles | ||
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Note: The segment is desolate with no services. Weather forecasts are from distant stations and aren’t likely to be accurate. A real-hiker would have to be careful not to get stranded. Starting with leg 8, the real-hiker should be prepared to cover about 80 miles as quickly as possible. This will make more sense when you see the street views for segment 11. There are services off the route in Bluff if needed.
Best AnswerDay 37: Wednesday, 11/30/16
Walking/Running |
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Total Miles Goal: 444 |
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Miles today: 16.29 | Constraint |
Total Miles: 446.26 | None |
Average Daily Miles: 12.06 |
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Animated street views for legs completed today
Weather on virtual hike route
Comments
I’m back to averaging slightly over 12 miles a day since the start. I may come up a little short tomorrow because I’m meeting my trainer from Planet Fitness in the morning. That’s one reason I worked on getting extra miles today.
A little chillier today at 18 degrees, but I was warm the whole time. Once again, I didn’t want to stop after 11.5 miles. Shortly, I’ll start adding more time and speed to the morning walk/run. I don’t know what is possible, but I’m not at all fatigued.
Recently, I started doing a 10-minute walk every time I go out to a store. I set the timer on the Surge to five minutes and walk until it vibrates. Then I turn around and come back. This morning, I went to the mall to get a haircut, and during the walk I found a new barbershop.
Yes, a real barber shop that does shaves, too. Shave and a haircut -- $28 doesn’t sound the same. The haircut was only $10 though. The barber is from Panama and didn’t speak English. He had a big chart on the wall with different types of haircuts. I took number 1, which is about ¾ of an inch long on the top. The guy did an excellent job and was obviously experienced. Great to see him making a life for himself in the United States.
Santa Claus has come to the mall and in an hour, the kids will be sitting on his lap giving him their Christmas wishes.
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