Wednesday, August 27, 2014

1580.1 to 1589.3: Record keeping


This leg has something new. Hills, curves and a narrower shoulder. Fortunately, there isn't much traffic and the Google car didn't pass a single car coming the other way. At times, it may be prudent to cross the road and walk with traffic on the outside of a curve. It's a good leg to pay attention to traffic sounds and move to the gravel shoulder if needed.

I've read many books about long hikes and few of them clearly document enough information for a person to reproduce a hike. There are good reasons for this. First, it's boring to record the minutiae. Second, it's boring to read. 

A good minimum would be:
Date:
Day:
Start point:
End point:
Miles walked today:
Money spent:
Total Money spent:
Spent last night at:
Weather:
Total miles:

If a person writes a book, each day could start with this format. Then the walker could either write about something interesting that happened, or they can write about the subjects they pondered during the day. Personally, I would limit each day's writing to about 300 words. At the end of the year, the book would be about 438 pages long. 

I would make each segment a chapter and each leg a subheading in the chapter. 

In my opinion, each day should come one or two pictures. It is difficult to keep track of pictures and locations where they were taken. This is where the nav form can help. The walker could record the segment number, waypoint number, and picture number in the notes column. Or they could record it below the nav form. 

Also, record the names of any people you meet. If you plan to mention them in a blog or a book, be sure to ask permission. 

WP
Tot Miles
Est Elapsed time
Actual elapsed
ETA
ATA
Notes
1
0
0:00



Start at Loaf and Jug
2
1.8
0:31



Cross Troy Ave
3
2.8
0:48



Road turns South
4
4.0
1:09



Get on 50E
5
7.6
2:10



Pass 233 to south
6
9.7
2:46



Pass 31 to south
7
11.6
3:19



Pass 41st Lane to south
8
14.2
4:03



Pass exit to 96
9
16.2
4:38



Cross Avondale Blvd
10
17.9
5:07



Pass E US 50 Br to west
11
19.5
5:34



Pass Asbury Ln to South
12
21.2
6:05



Turn north on 209
13
22.7
6:29



Enter Boone. Turn right
14
22.9
6:33



Boone Park
Nav-02

I added Estimated Time of Arrival and Actual Time of Arrival to the nav form. Maybe someone would be interested. I doubt it, though, so I wouldn't put it in a book. 

Most people would not find such details interesting, so it may be best to present the data in a way that can be grasped in a few moments. For instance a chart with a line for the total miles and bars on the bottom for the miles walked each day would give most people all the information they want.

I'm brainstorming now, so these are ideas and not suggestions.

Maybe the weather could go on a calendar.

These charts could be an appendix at the end of the book.

See you down the road,

Gershon






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