Why Are You Doing The 1000 Mile Challenge?

We have had a few new people join the 1000 mile challenge since New Years Day, and I am really excited about that. I was thinking the other day that I know my reasons for doing this, but really don't know anyone else's. So let's share here. Why are you doing the 1000 mile challenge? Answer here by replying to this post.

I'll start: I've always admired that David sets goals and challenges for himself. So two years ago, I decided I was going set a goal for myself to walk 500 miles in a year. I was so proud of myself when I completed my goal by mid-December. Last year, I decided to up it to 1000 miles walking. I made it to about 700, but had a lot of foot issues and had to switch to bike riding and rowing, which I never counted because I had specifically said I was going to walk it. Regardless, I was pretty proud of myself that I had hit 500 miles in the early autumn, and might have made it the full 1000 if I had counted all the rowing and bike riding. I realized that the problem with limiting to walking was that it's a repetitive exercise that puts a LOT of pressure on the feet. So this year, I decided to go for 1000 self powered miles, so I could count rowing and bike riding.

So, why did I choose traversing 1000 miles instead of, seeing a certain number of birds like David does? A few reasons. One is that I wanted this goal to be my own. I think in a marriage it is so easy to lose your identity. While it is nice to have shared goals (which we do) I wanted to have something that all mine. The other reason is that I've always wanted to do something physical. In high school I skipped gym most of my senior year and almost didn't graduate. Despite the fact that I cut gym for an entire year, I have always admired the people who could do physical stuff. Growing up in the Boston area I saw the Boston Marathon every year, and it was incomprehensible how someone could run 26 miles, but deep down inside I really admired people who could and wanted (and still want) to try it some day. I started with a 1/2, and I know I will do a full one of these days. Maybe for my 60th birthday I will even try to qualify and get a real number for the Boston Marathon! 

But in the mean time, I'm doing my 1000 miles self propelled.

What's your story?

Manatee Watch and Walk Along C-54 Canal

Had an awesome walk today with HFC David and, fresh off her stage run in Beauty and the Beast, the divine Ms. H. We began with the last manatee watch of the season. We only saw 2. Not sure if due to weather or to the die off. I'm hoping it can be attributed to the weather. After the manatee watch, we took a walk along the C-54 canal. It was a nice walk, weather was great. If you didn't GOYB, here is what you missed today (as always, click to enlarge):

I thought this stick looked like a lizard or alligator head or something. 

Heather found a piece of cardboard and decided to do a little red-neck sledding.
Here she is at the top of the berm.

Here she is 1/2 way down the berm.

And click here to see a video of her in live action!

In addition to manatees dying this year, we have lost may brown pelicans as well.
This is the first dead pelican we found today. 

This is the last sand hill scrub in Brevard county. A beautiful area.

This was a eagle who watched us from the other side of the canal.

This was bones from something.

Apparently some kind of fish. The bone on the far right was serrated. 

This was the second dead brown pelican we found.

In happier news, we found tons of gopher tortoise burrows. This is a
prickly pear, one of the tortoise's favorite noms.

Me and Heather looking diligently over our manatee watch paperwork.

An awesome end to an awesome day.

Be sure to watch our schedule and see what else we have coming up. It's a big world out there that you can't experience from your couch! Join us for the Treasure Coast Birding Festival next weekend where I'll be speaking Friday night and leading a trip with David on Saturday morning. Visit the festival web site for details.