LONG BEACH

In the spirit of Homer Simpson, it has been my 'lifelong dream' for the past two years to walk to Long Beach from my Mom's house in Lynbrook where I grew up. My Mom still lives in the house that I grew up in and I got it into my head that it would be a interesting to walk to the beach sometime during a visit. During my last visit to Lynbrook, a family crisis interfered with my plans.  When my Mom shattered her ankle in three places during my last visit, my enthusiasm for taking such a walk and the opportunity to do so disappeared. Fast forward, fourteen months, and my Mom is back on her feet and while the ankle is not 100%, it still qualifies as a wonderful miracle that she can walk again, and while my Mom humorously says the ankle is not painful, but gives her discomfort. Me? I consider pain and discomfort to be synonyms - but I digress.

I woke up early on Wednesday morning in the same bed that I used to wake up in when I was going to high school nearly, but not quite 50 years ago.  I made myself two bowls of instant oatmeal and set out for my suburban hike. I bundled up quite well, and checked the temperature. The temperature when I set out was 20°F. I was able to easily convince myself that it was not so cold, because back at my home in Chicago at the very same moment, it was -1°F.

The trek to the beach, the the Atlantic Ocean was just 6.5 miles and it took just over an hour and a half. Had I just turned around and returned the way I came, I would have taken a 13 mile trek. I did not do that. I continued west along the boardwalk which was recently re-built after 'Super Storm Sandy' five years ago to the very end, and then I continued on the main road to the Atlantic Beach Bridge. I don't think that I crossed this bridge even a dozen times in my entire life growing up. In fact, I wasn't sure that I could cross it as a pedestrian until I googled it during my hike and confirmed that it did have a pedestrian sidewalk. Using my MapMyWalk App, I saw that the way back to Lynbrook was very uncomplicated. I made a right turn shortly after crossing this bridge and walked a few miles on Broadway right back to my neighborhood. I made a short detour to walk past the elementary school that I started attending as a kindergartner likely in 1962.

My hike was 17 miles. I came home, had some lunch with my Mom and then I had to go back outside to do my chores. My Mom had asked me to clear some leaves in her front yard and yesterday seemed like a good day to do that.

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Your Food Diary For:

Wednesday, December 27, 2017

BREAKFAST	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
Trader Joe's - Maple and Brown Instant Oatmeal	320	64	4	8	480	26
	320	64	4	8	480	26
L U N C H
Oven Broiled Chicken	200	0	13	20	146	0
	200	0	13	20	146	0
D I N N E R
Garden Salad	100	6	0	4	400	4
Chicken Parmesan and Spaghetti	600	99	21	79	858	0
French Baguette	300	60	2	10	740	2
Rataouille	200	44	3	8	216	44
	1,200	209	26	101	2,214	50
S N A C K S
Cookies, Brownie	300	47	12	4	231	27
	300	47	12	4	231	27
Totals	2,020	320	55	133	3,071	103
Your Daily Goal	4,560	570	152	229	2,300	171
Remaining	2,540	250	97	96	-771	68
	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
	*You've earned 2,630 extra calories from exercise today

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This was just the beginning of my hike, when I arrived at the boardwalk for my view of the Atlantic Ocean.

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I am facing east, but the camera is facing west while standing on the Atlantic Beach Bridge.

I am facing west, but the camera is facing east while standing on the Atlantic Beach Bridge.

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GRAND RIVER TRAIL

My day started with an appointment in Grand Rapids. My afternoon appointment took me to the capital city, Lansing.  After selling some buttons, I parked my car at a trailhead for the Grand River Trail. The weather was highly un-cooperative. I don't think that I had walked 200 steps before it started raining.  This did not stop me. The rain was intermittent, sometimes, pouring, and sometimes the clouds zipped away unwrapping a blue sky.  The blue skies were short-lived and it would start raining again. I chose to get wet rather than pack it in and race back to my car. I managed a 90 minute urban hike along the Grand River which would have been spectacularly more enjoyable had it been a nice day. I did log six miles. I realize that I have not exercised indoors since July 25th which was the last time that I spent time on an elliptical machine. I really enjoy being outdoors, and I am going to keep my outdoor streak going as long as I can.

One thing that I see everywhere...It appears that every topographical formation in the midwest can trace its existence to the melting of the continental glacier 12,000 years ago.  Back in those days was a time before the world's greatest hoax was foisted on mankind by un-educated and over-educated pseudo-scientists with a political agenda. Thank Goodness, Al Gore's movie, An Inconvenient Truth, had not yet been released - or else the world's leaders, would have spent years trying to pass laws to prevent the glaciers from melting by outlawing carbon emissions caused by the wanton use of gasoline powered automobiles, boats and jet airplanes. Surely they would have tried to close all  of the numerous coal-burning power plants of the day. They probably would not have had to worry about the deforestation of North America as it is unlikely that there were too many forests thriving atop the glacier. Perhaps with the melting of the mile high glaciers, the sea levels did rise - lucky break for Mesolithic Era humans living inland who found themselves with more valuable ocean front property after a few decades. Global Warming may be real. It was certainly real in the past. Global Warming will likely be real in the future. That we can cause it or that we can prevent it - That is the hoax. The greatest hoax ever sold.

Your Food Diary For:

Wednesday, September 7, 2016

BREAKFAST	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
Kelloggs - Raisin Bran Cereal, 248.39 g	800	194	4	21	884	76
Simple Super 8 Cinnamon Roll - Cinnamon	500	77	24	6	887	40
	1,300	271	28	27	1,771	116
L U N C H
Tesco - Smoked Ham Salad Sandwich	630	82	17	38	1	7
Kelloggs - Special K 12g protein meal bar	180	22	6	12	210	13
	810	104	23	50	211	20
D I N N E R
Subway - Footlong Turkey Breast on Wheat	560	92	17	36	1,890	11
	560	92	17	36	1,890	11
S N A C K S
VANILLA MACAROON GRANOLA	600	91	22	12	144	34
	600	91	22	12	144	34
Totals	3,270	558	90	125	4,016	181
Your Daily Goal	3,010	376	100	151	2,300	113
Remaining	-260	-182	10	26	-1,716	-68
	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
	*You've earned 1,080 extra calories from exercise today

If every day were like today...   You'd weigh 205.4 lbs in 5 weeks     

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       Your Exercise Diary for:

Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
6 Mile Urban Hike	90	1,100
Daily Total / Goal	90 / 30	1,100 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	451 / 210	5,554 / 4,130

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INDIANA DUNES

I keep on finding more proof that in my previous lifestyle, I spent way too much time being an inactive person, content to watch TV for hours on end. These days, I can spend a full week in various hotel rooms and never once turn on the TV.  This is because during the time that I used to watch TV - I am often out and about doing something far more rewarding.  After my late afternoon appointment ended in Chesterton, Indiana, my customer asked where I was headed next. (Customers of mine are always wondering which of their competitors I am going to visit next.) I said I was going to look for a trail and/or visit the local YMCA. She suggested the Indiana Dunes which were less than 10 miles away. It is ridiculous that in the nearly quarter century of living in Chicago, I had never once made the trip to Indiana to visit the dunes. Even my daughter has been to the dunes, coincidentally within the past two weeks on a school trip. I parked at the visitors center outside the National Park and walked about two miles straight to the beach. I still had to pay $2.00 admission fee entering the park on foot. I was told to look for the Dune Ridge Trail (trail 8) as it was considered the most difficult and it included the three highest peaks, which were nearly 200 feet above beach level. When my hike was over, I had traversed 12 miles. I would definitely go back with my family. It was very challenging to walk uphill in sand, as my feet sunk into the sand with each step. A more perfect end to a visit to Indiana Dunes would have one disrobe from one's hiking clothes and refresh in Lake Michigan, and then catch some rays lounging on the beach.  That would be a perfect day. Nevertheless, my completely unexpected, unplanned visit yesterday was near perfect.

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I parked for free at the Visitors Center outside the park as I was told that this was perfectly OK, but still paid the $2.00 walk in fee

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Entrance to Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore

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Before climbing up into the dunes, I walked straight to the beach. In the distant background is the small silhouette of Chicago.

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Mt. Tom (the summit of the first of three 'peaks' at the dunes

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It is odd to the the elevation of something called Mt. Holden be only 184 feet. (I promise you, it took some effort to get up there)

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With each step walking up to the top of a dune (on the designated trail) one's foot sinks into the loose sand.

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Taken from the rim of what is called a 'blowout' and looking back into the thick woods which  grow on the dunes. During my walk, I did see a wild turkey - although I did not snap a photo of it.  I guess you will have to take my word that I saw it.

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Your Food Diary For:

Thursday, June 2, 2016

BREAKFAST	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
Quaker Oats - Instant Oatmeal Apples & Cinnamon	640	132	8	16	800	48
KELLOGGS - RAISIN BRAN	380	92	2	10	420	36
	1,020	224	10	26	1,220	84
L U N C H
Oscar Mayer Lunchables - Turkey & Cheddar With Crackers Withtout Cookies, 1 package (3.2oz)	260	22	13	12	670	5
Nature Valley - Oats 'n Honey, Crunchy Granola Bar	190	29	7	3	180	11
Lunchables - Ham & Cheddar with Crackers, 1 pkg	260	22	13	14	700	5
	710	73	33	29	1,550	21
D I N N E R
Panera - Thai Chicken Broth Bowl, 1 bowl	290	37	6	23	1,320	6
Panera Bread - French Baguette, 5 oz.	360	72	2	8	880	0
Panera - Half Roasted Turkey & Avocado Blt on Sourdough, 1/2 sandwich	260	24	11	16	470	1
Panera - Chips, 1 bag	150	17	8	2	170	1
	1,060	150	27	49	2,840	8
S N A C K S
Grandmas - Mini Sandwich Cremes, 18 cookies	300	44	14	4	190	18
	300	44	14	4	190	18
Totals	3,090	491	84	108	5,800	131
Your Daily Goal	5,059	632	168	253	2,300	189
Remaining	1,969	141	84	145	-3,500	58
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
	*You've earned 3,129 extra calories from exercise today

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Your Exercise Diary for:

Thursday, June 2, 2016

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
Walking	205	1,798
Add Exercise Quick Tools
Daily Total / Goal	205 / 30	1,798 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	866 / 210	9,825 / 4,130

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