First Snow! 11/12/14: 2277.1 to 2296.0 Miles. (Completed Segment 35)

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Virtual Hike Animated Street View Weather The route is now in central Montana. I wouldn't want to be there this time of year as it is just below zero Fahrenheit.  If a walker was on schedule they would be in North Carolina just north of the Georgia border. The temperatures there are in the low 50's.

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Yesterday Late Morning

I found a long dirt road paralleling an old irrigation canal. I decided to follow it for about two miles to see where it went.

The trees are following the route of the irrigation canal. The road went as far as I could see.

I'm starting to see flocks of geese which are usually here this time of year. Whenever I hear them honking I get the camera ready. For some reason that seems to attract them closer. Maybe that's wishful thinking, but it seems to work.

                          

The First Snow!

I woke up early this morning and saw that it was snowing. It was also seven degrees F outside. "

So, I decided to bundle up and go for a nine mile walk. It didn't start out to be nine miles, but it kind of ended up that way as I kept walking.

T

There is only one chance to make a first impression and only one person gets to make footprints in new snow. 

Sometimes I feel my footprints in the snow are like graffiti. Maybe I shouldn't make any.

Oh well, in a few hours, the University students will be adding more footprints.

It was still dark when I approached the Loaf 'N Jug to get a cup of coffee. I sat outside and drank it while still feeling warm from the walk. I finished before I started to cool down.

I find it's important not to walk so fast that I perspire when I'm bundled up if I plan on spending time outside when I stop. 

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Walking Progress

Since starting the Pedometer Wars, I've markedly increased my daily steps. Now I'm finding 30,000 steps a day (about 14.5 miles) relatively easy. As I attain the 30,000 step goal each day, I'm finding more efficient ways to reach it. The new ways seem to use less energy than when my goal was 20,000 steps a day. I'll see how it goes with rest days. I haven't taken one in 12 days.

Pedometer Wars: Find a Dream War for a Personal Best: 11/11/14 - 2255.6 to 2277.1 Miles

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Virtual Hike Animated Street View Another fast leg between Helena, Montana and Townsend Colorado. The shoulders are wide and the views are long. The leg ends near Townsend and the Missoun River. The Indian Road Campground is just before Townsend and camping is free.

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Day's Walk

Yesterday morning I was convinced I'd need a day off today. I figured since I was going to take today off except for my morning walk, I'd get a few extra miles yesterday. I went a bit further than I intended and walked 15.2 miles. Throughout the day I ate almost continuously filling up on carbohydrates (starches) and vegetables.

Even though I felt tired at the beginning of yesterday, I recovered during the day and had a strong finish. This morning, I decided to load up on carbohydrates before my morning walk. I had a big plate of boiled potatoes and vegetables.

The temperature was a refreshing 19 degrees this morning. I hit the layers of clothing just right and was comfortable the entire way. It was snowing lightly and there was a dusting on the ground.

It was still before sunrise, so I lit up an area with Wilson's headlight to take a picture.

Find a Dream War for a Personal Best

Introduction

My purpose for Pedestrian Wars is to get motivation from other people. Initially, I thought picking a Fitbit Activity Group to win would be the best idea. Now, I'm not so sure. I took inspiration from "The Dream Mile."

The Dream Mile

The late 60's and the 70's was the time of the mile run. There were many milers who had about equal ability and anytime they met in a race, there was always the possibility of a record pace. By then, the mile had become a sprint for the elite.

On May 14, 1971 Jim Ryan and Marti Liquori met in Philadelphia for "The Dream Mile." Marty Liquori graduated from my high school the year before I did.

The finish was about a yard apart. I won't spoil the finish.

After watching this, I decided to assemble my own dream wars. I decided to pick wars where there would be people ahead of me and behind me to motivate me.

Tactics Change

In 1971 the mile was a tactical race. The slower runners with a strong kick would attempt to slow the pace. The faster runners tried to extend their lead and hold off the runners with a strong kick. Meanwhile, there was a pack where runners jostled each other and team members might block the runner with the strong kick.

Things have changed.

Now many races are strung out in single file. The positions don't change as often as they used to, The leader is often far ahead of everyone at the end of the race. Why would they do this?

I'm guessing, but I think this gives each runner the opportunity for a personal best. Instead of being slowed by a tactical race and other runners in the pack, they can run their own race with even splits. This results in the fastest time. Each runner will have someone ahead of them drawing them forward and someone ahead of them pushing them forward. In other words, every runner has a personalized rabbit.

My Response

Maybe I'm not correct in my assessment of tactics as no hypothesis is perfect. However, I can use this in my Pedometer Wars. Rather than playing any mind games, I'll walk as far as I can each day and strive to beat my personal best. I'll add another Activity Group if I need to find a pusher behind me and a puller ahead of me.

Conclusion

If you've been following my posts, you will see I'm changing some of my strategies as I learn more. I suspect there will be more of this. For now, I'm going to walk as many miles as I can each day until I'm forced to take a day off.

This only works because I have many miles of experience avoiding injury and excessive fatigue. Right now, it seems the fatigue comes before any injuries, so injuries are a secondary consideration.

Current Standings

Colorado Springs Fitbit - First place. I moved far enough ahead to add another Activity Group.

Colorado! - Fifth place. I don't have a chance to take first, but there is a cluster of walkers around me. I can realistically strive for third.

Pedometer War: Need a Day Off: 2246.6 to 2255.6 Miles: 11/10/14

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Virtual Hike Animated Street View Weather The route continues along Route 12 through Helena, Montana. It will stay on Route 12 all the way through Montana. Don't make the mistake of getting off route 12 through Helena if you have a push cart. The side streets are narrow and would be unsafe.

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Segment 34 Map

There are grocery stores every 40 miles or so all the way through Montana. That means restocking on food will be easy. It also means spending money at cafe's will be easy and it will be easy to run out of money.

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Pedometer War: Need a Day Off

I got a solar powered headlight for the push cart (Wilson.)

Introduction

I was hoping to walk 25,000 steps a day (about 12 miles) every day through November. After ten days, I know I won't be able to do it. It's time to plan a day off. If I don't take a day off, I'll either have an injury or get sick.

We took a hike yesterday

What is a Day Off?

I call it a day off when there are about 24 hours between walks. This means I get some miles in the morning and no more the rest of the day except for random steps. I spend as much time napping as possible.

When I was following the 28 day training cycle I learned a day off includes some walking in addition to the random daily steps. I discovered eight miles was like a day off to me, so I'll use it to my advantage. 

The Battlefield

I'm ahead of Bill by almost 40,000 steps (18 miles.)  He appears to be taking a rest day today and he is capable of walking a 40,000 step day. He may be waiting until I appear to be taking a day off to catch me. He lives up the road in Colorado Springs and we both start walking about 4:45 AM.  I want to appear to be walking a normal day tomorrow and turn it into a day off. 

The Weather

It is supposed to be 11 degrees  tomorrow morning. It's a perfect day to rest, right? I'm hoping that's what Bill thinks. It is going to be 7 degrees in Colorado Springs tomorrow morning. If he sleeps in and sees my miles in the morning, he may walk, but I'm betting he won't want to. 

Conclusion

Tactics are fun. Somes they are forced by the conditions and fatigue is forcing a day off for me. I think I can do it without losing to many steps to Bill.

Pedometer War Strategy: Focus on Very Active Steps - 2236.2 to 2246.6 Miles: 11/9/14

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Virtual Hike Animated Street View Weather This is a fast stretch of road west of Helena, Montana. It's almost all four lane road with paved shoulders. The scenery is interesting with sweeping curves, hills, and trees. This is a good leg to make some big miles. This leg completes segment 34.

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Pedometer War Strategy: Focus on Very Active Steps

Introduction

Many 10,000 steppers focus on the extra steps during the day. They do things like park far away from stores, take extra trips to the water fountain or rest room at work. Whenever they can take two steps they try to take four. I feel this is a mistake for a Pedometer Warrior.

I've found if I maximize the very active minutes while minimizing the less active minutes, I can walk more steps in a day.

Fatigue a Function of Time

In the early 1900's pioneers of Scientific Management hypothesized they could determine needed rest breaks by monitoring the kilocalories of work done. The hypothesis was there would be some number that would indicate the need for a break across all types of work.

They found this hypothesis didn't work. Some sedentary activities, like writing, required breaks more often than some activities involving heavy labor.

With walking, I've observed fatigue is a function of time. It's easy to see why. A person slowly baby stepping may only average .8 miles per hour. It would take them an hour and twelve minutes to walk a mile. Meanwhile, it only takes about 17 minutes to walk a mile at 3.5 mph. The difference is 55 minutes.

A person who stands still for 55 minutes will experience more fatigue than a person who walks at an average pace for 17 minutes. Therefore, it pays to focus on the very active minutes. These are minutes spent walking at the walkers average pace.

My Experience

Fitbit tracks the number of very active minutes, moderate minutes and light minutes. I found would take 5 or 6 hours to walk 10 miles. It would only take a person walking 3.5 mph about 2 hours and 50 minutes. That's a savings of two to three hours on the feet.

Prior to observing this, I my goal was 120 very active minutes a day. I increased the goal to 160 very active minutes a day. I discovered I was able to walk 12 miles a day with the same fatigue level I had at 10 miles a day. 

Conclusion

If I don't pay attention to getting extra random steps, I get about 3 miles a day in random steps. This is about 6,000 steps. To get 19,000 more steps, I need to walk about 9 miles. I get these miles in the 160 very active minutes. I chill about the other 6,000 steps as I know they will come sometime during the day. This frees me for naps or other types of rest.

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Walking Day

I'm finding the competition  is having a positive effect on my walking. It's forcing me to find more efficient ways to get the distance. 

Pedometer War Strategy: Constant Daily Steps - 2215.9 to 2236.2 Miles: 11/8/14

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Virtual Hike Animated Street View Animated Street View Weather Finally, Mt. 141 is over and it's on to Mt 12. Mt 12 has a wide shoulder. There are enough businesses so it should be easy to find water. There may even be some small stores to get a few snacks. I'd recommend carrying enough food to get from Missoula, MT. to Helena. It should take four or five days. It's only 127 miles.

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Pedometer War Strategy: Constant Daily Steps

A pedometer war is a competition where the contestants attempt to walk the most steps during a calendar month. Soon I'll create a page for a top tab with more details.

Introduction

Runners achieve record times most often when they run a constant pace throughout the race. This assumption is for relatively flat courses. For this strategy, I'm assuming the walker will achieve the highest step count per month by walking the same number of steps each day. I don't claim any of these strategies are the best as there is no research. I am drawing on over 2,200 miles of experience to choose strategies.

Setting a Goal Based on Ability

The walker who uses this strategy will have to know their body well after many miles of experience. They will have to be past the stage where they feel any pains from walking. Otherwise, they may walk themselves into a chronic injury.

They will also have to know how many steps a day they can walk each day without inducing chronic fatigue. The only way to know this is to test the limits and experience minor chronic fatigue a few times. 

Choosing a War

The walker should choose a war which will test their abilities, but also which they are pretty sure they can win. This will mean searching through the Fitbit Activity Groups to find a group where last months winner walked approximately the number of steps the walker is planning to walk in the month.

I chose a war where the winner in October averaged 20,683 steps a day. I only averaged about 17,000 a day in October, but I knew I could do better as I took some extra days off in October.

I elected to walk 25,000 steps each day which is about 12 miles with my stride length. Unfortunately, some things came up on Nov 1, and I only walked 17,000 steps. I have some catching up to do.

Strategy and Tactics

This morning I read that strategy is what to do when there is nothing to do. Tactics is what to do when there is something to do. This is the best definition I've read for walking.  I didn't keep the source, but it was a quote from an old book. 

My strategy is to walk 25,000 steps a day. I will do this regardless of what the competition does.

My tactics are to adjust the number of steps each day so the daily average is as close to 25,000 steps a day as possible. 

What about the Competition?

My theory is this strategy will result in the highest number of steps I can walk in a month. The competition will have to beat my best to beat me.

It's easy to get sucked into mind games with second place and have the third place contestant walk a long day and take the lead.  It's also easy for the walker to get sucked into outwalking their abilities and needing a day of rest. 

Conclusion

I consider "Constant Daily Steps" to be an advanced strategy for the walker that knows their body well. It is also for the mentally indifferent walker who won't pay any attention to the competition until the last few days of the month.

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You can follow me on Fitbit here.  Although I appear solidly in the lead, yesterday I invited Bill to the competition. Until I invited him, he had been taking it easy. He is quite capable of closing the gap in the next day or two. My theory is he will eventually have to take a break.

I'm tired at the end of the day, but not so much that I don't recover by morning. I'm working on a method to reduce the effort each day. I'll discuss this tomorrow.

Pedometer Wars: 11/7/14 - 2205.6 to 2215.9 Miles

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Virtual Hike Animated Street View Weather Wow! You can see a long way on this road. Pick a hill or a line of trees in the distance and  make that an intermediate goal. Keep doing it until you finish the day.  Eventually, you will find walking to the horizon is enjoyable in a freeing sort of way.

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Pedometer Wars

Introduction

I dislike war analogies for two reasons. First, in a way it trivializes the efforts of those who have been in battle. Second, nothing on this hike will be close to the effort of battle. However, to complete this hike the walker will need to delve into ares of physical fatigue and willpower they may never have felt. I am introducing the warrior concept to my training as I no longer feel pain anywhere and fatigue is harmless as long as there isn't too much of it. Therefore, I've chosen Pedometer Competitions as my battleground.

Choose your Weapons

I use a Fitbit Zip Pedometer.  It is the simplest and least expensive Pedometer in the Fitbit line. From what I've read, it also seems to be the most accurate. 

The pedometer is accurate if clipped most anywhere. Sometimes the pedometer can fall out of the holder, so I clip it so the pedometer is inside a pocket.

When taking the pedometer to war, change the battery once a month.  Otherwise, it may last up to three months with big variations.

I recently bought a used treadmill so it's quicker to get steps during breaks at home. 

Your other weapons are everything you wear when walking.

Choose your Battle

Fitbit has community groups with monthly competitions. There are small and large groups. 

When I was in basic training at the Air Force Academy, one of the upperclassmen used to shout, "Second place in a gunfight ain't worth shit!" Taking this philosophy to the pedometer war means I choose a group where I can win. I also choose a group where winning will be challenging. This month, I've chosen to win in the Colorado Springs Fitbit Group. 

I'm solidly in first place today, but I know the guy in third place can catch me in an afternoon. His longest days are longer than mine, so my lead isn't as solid as it looks.

Strategies and tactics

Strategic planning is long term. For instance, "I will average 22,000 steps a day (11 miles) is a strategy." Anything that is preplanned is a strategy.

Tactics change from day to day. For instance, when I saw a competitor getting slightly ahead of me at the end of each day, I decided to put in three or four long days to extend my lead. Perhaps they will give up the shadowing and drop back further.

Lessons of War

The major battles in life are internal. Externalizing them in mock wars teaches us how to motivate our internal "soldier." 

Conclusion

I think Pedometer Wars can motivate those who enjoy competition. I can also see where training for war and "fighting" these wars will help me increase my daily mileage. I can see many ways to use war metaphors for training. I may touch on these in this blog, or maybe I'll write a book.

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                        Today's walk

In his book, "Brain Training for Runners" Matt Fitzgerald states that experienced runners can operate closer to the margins of fatigue and injury disasters than less experienced runners. Runners need to train themselves mentally as well as physically.

A few months ago, I would have taken a rest day today. I walked 14 miles yesterday and the previous three days were also long. My muscles were tired this morning, but not sore. So, I decided to walk.

All the fatigue disappeared after a few minutes of walking and the time passed quickly. I'm continuing to explore the cusps of fatigue while being careful to avoid injuries

Treadmill Initial Impressions: 11/6/14 - 2194.9 to 2205.6 Miles

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Virtual Hike Animated Street View MT-141 still has a narrow shoulder and the walker will need to be careful.  A stream runs alongside the road, but unfortunately access to the stream is blocked by fences. However, Nevada Lake is next to the route about halfway through the day. There appears to be access to the lake. There does not appear to be any places to camp near the lake.

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Treadmill Initial Impressions

Introduction

Yesterday I bought a used treadmill at Goodwill for $54.99.  It's not fancy as all I want is a belt that goes round and round. It's also small enough to roll around the house by myself. The treadmill is a tool for me and not an entertainment center. By this I mean I want to focus on other things while on the treadmill.

The treadmill is a convenient way to add miles when I have some free time. At the same time, I want to reduce fatigue. Eliminating the boredom is a consideration and I plan to do that by working at the treadmill.

Increase Miles, Reduce Fatigue

Increasing miles while reducing fatigue seems paradoxical. However, it is not when one considers the efficient walking speed. 

The most efficient walking speed is around 3.5 mph. Any walking done at a speed other than 3.5 mph will take more energy and create more fatigue. Many people try to add miles by taking extra steps during the course of their day. If these are slow steps then they will create more fatigue then fast steps. 

Therefore, instead of taking slow steps for the purpose of increasing mileage, I can hop on the treadmill for five or ten minutes to get efficient fast steps. The end result is I should be able to walk more miles with less fatigue.

Working on the Treadmill

Learning to work while on the treadmill will be a learning experience. Right from the start, I don't want it to be a time waster. For now, I'm using the time to plan each paragraph as I write. As I master one activity, I'll add another.

Conclusion

A reality hiker has to be able to average 24 miles a day to complete this journey in a year. Ideally, they would be able to do this from the start. It is impossible for me to take the time to walk this many miles outside each day. It is possible for me to combine treadmill and outside walking to get to 24 miles a day.

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Day's Walk

I woke up this morning feeling some fatigue in my legs. After my first cup of coffee, I realized it was the type of fatigue that goes away in the first 10 minutes, so I went on my 5.1 mile walk.

Already, there is another full moon. Now it's getting colder each month. It was 32 this morning. I added another layer and enjoyed it.

Pedometer games

• Fort Carson Army Wellness Center
• Colorado Springs Fitbit

Someone in the Colorado Springs group seems to be actively competing with me. She gets ahead of me by about 1,000 steps at the end of each day. This will be fun and help us both walk more.

Saving for a Reality Hike: 11/5/14 - 2183.9 to 2194.9 Miles

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Virtual Hike Animated Street View Don't forget to turn right on MT-141. You will come to it right after coming close to the river. MT-141 will be somewhat hazardous as there is not much of a shoulder. However, there doesn't appear to be much traffic, and I don't see any places where you can't push the cart into the grass.

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Keep your ears open for cars passing and possibly hitting you from behind. 

This stretch on MT-141 is only 24 miles long. 

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 Saving for a Reality Hike

Introduction

There are many ways to save and I'm not trying to tell you what works best. It is important for most people to start early. This post is mostly goal setting for myself.

Saving for the walk may be more difficult than making the walk. In the last post, I estimated it will take about $2.73 a mile, $66.75 a day, or $24,000 to take the hike. It's expensive.

Consider this post goal-setting for myself.

Saving a Mile at a Time

When faced with a seemingly impossible task, it helps to forget it is impossible and get to work. This means tracking smallest unit of progress and forgetting about the destination for awhile. I'm choosing to save one mile at a time, or in increments of $2.73. Each day, I can log how many miles I've saved for. I can even mark the progress on the map. 

Eliminate Unnecessary Expenses

I'll need to take a hard look at how many miles it's possible to save each day by eliminating unnecessary expenses. Ruthlessly search for any expense that is unnecessary and which you are willing to eliminate. For instance, one person may decide they can do without cable TV and another person may decide they cannot.

Make a list of the items and how much you are spending each month on these items.

Save as you Go

Each morning, I buy a cup of coffee for $1.39. Although I enjoy the coffee, I could easily eliminate this expense. The cost per day is $1.39. The cost week is $9.73. The cost per 30 day month is $41.70. The cost per year is $507.35. The cost for four years is $2,029.75 including an extra day for one leap year. For the cost of a cup of coffee a day, I can save for 743 miles in 4 years. 

Today, I cashed a check for $60. Each morning I don't buy the coffee, I'll put $1.39 in my savings jar. I also have other expenses I can eliminate, and it won't take long to save what I need.

What if it looks Impossible?

Start saving anyway. Once a person starts progressing steadily towards a goal, things seem to happen to make the goal achievable. 

Conclusion

Once a person starts to enjoy walking or hiking, I feel they should start saving for "The Big Trek." It could be this 48 State Hike or a hike like the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail, or some other long trail. It would be a shame to suddenly have the time and not the money.

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Yesterday, I had an example of how things work out when a message is put out to the universe. I've been considering getting a treadmill. I decided a new one was too expensive, so I made up my mind to get one on Craigslist for $75 or less.

Yesterday, my son asked if we could go to Goodwill. It has been months since the last time we went there. Guess what was right by the door! You got it! A treadmill. It cost $54.99. I'm paying a friend $20 to help me bring it home. I came in a penny under budget. Maybe I should have said $50 or less!

How much does a Reality Hike Cost? 11/4/14: 2173.3 to 2183.9 Miles

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Virtual Hike Street View I suspect it is areas of Montana like this one that give the state the name "Big Sky Country."  A reality hiker should reach this leg in the beginning of June. The days will be exceptionally long because it is so far north. It's a perfect time to strive for some big mile days, weeks, and even a month.  See what's possible without injury. It might be useful later.

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How much would a Reality Hike Cost?

Introduction

I don't have an answer yet, but the only way to get an answer is to brainstorm the costs. Before starting a hike, I'd have the costs reduced to the minimum. The highest cost items may be things the reality hiker won't think of. These are repetitive purchases that aren't needed. Eliminating these can reduce costs by thousands! 

This isn't only for reality hikers. Many of the same costs occur in our normal lives. If the reality hiker eliminates these a couple years before the hike, they may be able to save almost enough to take the 48 state hike.

Motels

Assume a motel room costs an average of $60 a night. I've noticed those who walk the American Discovery Trail stop in a motel about every fourth night. This amounts to $5,400 for motels. If the reality hiker stays in a motel every fifth night, the cost would be $4,380. 

Is staying in a motel necessary? Except for emergency weather conditions, I don't think it is necessary. In fact, when hiking long distances, I've found it is difficult to get back on the trail after spending a night in a motel or at home. 

Shoes

Most people opt for some type of hiking or running shoe. On the average this type of shoe will last about 400 miles. This number can vary widely depending on the shoe and walker's tendency to wear out shoes. Using 400 miles, the walker would have to buy 44 pairs of shoes. If they cost $100 apiece, that's $4,400 for shoes. That's about the same cost as motels.

My Danner combat boots have lasted over 3,000 miles. I see no reason why they can't last another 1,500 miles.  Even at full price, two pairs of these boots would cost $360. 

I'd bring a pair of running shoes to wear when I wasn't hiking. The reason for this is combat boots can get uncomfortable around the top if worn all the time.

Food

It takes about 100 calories to walk a mile. The walker would average 2,400 calories a day for the walking and about 1,800 a day for existing. Let's call it 4,000 calories a day. It is possible to buy 4,000 calories for about $8.00 a day, but since the walker will be buying in higher cost locations, I'm going to assume $12.00 a day. The total cost would be about $4,380.

Gear

The tent, sleeping bag and pushcart will cost about $1,000. Many people will economize on the tent and sleeping bag. I feel this will result in additional nights in a motel. It may cost more to pay less.

Conclusion

So far, the cost is about $12,000. This is what we used to call a WAG in the military, meaning "Wild Ass Guess." The saying for the Appalachian Trail is, "Take half the gear and twice the money." Therefore, I'm going to say it will cost $24,000 if the walker doesn't go in style.

I'll include information on repetitive purchases in a later post. I'll also brainstorm ways to save for a reality hike. Remember, this is the first pass at the costs and is not meant to be exact.

Please Comment:

If you have any suggestions, please take a minute to leave a comment.
Thanks!

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Fitbit Competition

So far, I'm in first place in both competitions. Some of these people can do 30 mile days, so I need to work on getting at least that far ahead.

• Fort Carson Army Wellness Center
• Colorado Springs Fitbit

Change your Life with Inflection Points! 11/3/14: 2162.6 to 2173.3 Miles

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Virtual Hike Animated Street View Segment 34 Map This leg starts near a gas station. Fill up for the day there if you don't like filtering water from the nearby river. There should be plenty of places to camp along the river, but much of it is fenced. I'd be careful about camping without permission.  Either stop early or be prepared for extra miles if you plan to stop late.

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Change your Life with Inflection Points

Introduction

An inflection point is an opportunistic or purposeful change in direction. If life seems a bit dull start looking for opportunistic or intentional inflection points. They can be major, such as a change in jobs, or relatively minor like starting a new hobby. Either way, it sometimes takes courage to change, especially if the rut feels comfortable.

Opportunistic Inflection Points

In October, 2012, my son decided to write a book for Amazon. During the month, he wrote the book, "Lost!" and in the next few months, he wrote another book titled, "Snow."

While he was writing, I saw writing eBooks for Amazon as a way to make extra  money. My first book was a translation of a book written in Hebrew and Aramaic. My second book was "Simply Learn Hebrew!" 

This decision was an opportunistic inflection point. Thanks to my son, I recognized an opportunity to earn extra money and start a new hobby. 

Total Books Sold

It is easy to see the inflection point at the beginning, but is not so easy to see is the inflection points along the way.

The reason the curve for total books sold is exponential instead of straight is I frequently added more books.

In fact, I've published 49 books.

Write a User's Manual!

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Once I decide to create an inflection point I often write a user's manual. My user's manual for writing was the book "Write to Hike!" Even then, I had a 48 state reality hike in mind, and writing books was going to be a way to achieve the goal.

The first volume of the user's manual for the 48 state hike is "Roadwalking: Conversations with my Coach." The cover is at the top of the page.

A user's manual is whatever you want it to be. In general, I use a summary of my reasons for the inflection and what I hope to achieve.

Minor Inflection Points

Along the way, I intentionally create minor inflection points to test their effect on my progress. Often I record them so later I can review their effectiveness,

Conclusion

If you'd like to change something in your life, consider purposely creating a minor inflection point. If you  keep nudging yourself in a direction, eventually you can make a 90 degree change seemingly without great effort.

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To keep with the theme of this post, I've decided to create an  inflection point in my walking. I want to see if it will improve my progress.

There are community groups on Fitbit where members challenge each other to get the most steps in a month. I've decided to attempt to take first place in two groups. I think averaging 10 miles a day should do it.

• Fort Carson Army Wellness Center
• Colorado Springs Fitbit

Creativity is Overrated! 11/2/14: 2140.8 to 2162.6 Miles (Completed Segment 33)

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Virtual Hike Animated Street View This is a fast section of road with a wide shoulder and little traffic. There is a rumble strip which will tend to keep drivers off the shoulder. The road has good visibility the whole way, and it is a perfect segment to walk before sunrise.

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The first snows had to come sometime and they are in Virginia now. It's precisely the area a walker on schedule would be. Snows in the south are different as the roads often freeze. It's not safe to walk along them even if it's easy walking.

Snows in the south often break tree limbs, especially when the leaves are still on them. Every branch is a potential widowmaker. It's a good time to find a motel and rest until the roads clear.

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Creativity is Overrated

Introduction

Creativity does not come from chaos -- it comes from conformity. Conformity with actions that have worked for others. Change comes from not meeting daily goals or from seeing a slightly better way of doing things.

Those who start as radical non-conformists cannot build on the successes of others.

Action Plan

The goal of this hike is clear. Hike about 8,750 miles in 12 months. Now that goal is clear, the next step is final action plan.

If I were leading a group of 12 people on this hike, the action plan would be clear and written. Everyone would start with the same gear. Everyone would be expected to walk the same number of miles each day. Everyone would be expected to follow any social rules.

This may sound militaristic, and it is. There is no group better than the military for  turning protoplasm into a functioning organism. There is no group that achieves faster results and there is no group that achieves higher quality results. Do people in the military have creativity? Absolutely! They are a highly creative group because they have the foundation of taking actions that work. Meanwhile, they avoid actions known not to work.

Coach's Job

My job as a coach has been to study the experts, sift through their knowledge, test their knowledge and decide on an action plan that will work.

Anyone wanting to join the team would know the action plan and contractually agree to follow it as long as it was working.

 My job as the Coach would be to encourage adherence to the plan while evaluating rational suggestions to improve the plan if it wasn't working. 

What about creativity? In any group this size that travels for this time, there will be someone who tries to usurp the leader's role. It may even be justified. For this reason, I would allow wiggle room within the plan. The daily mileage is set by the one year requirement. How people walk the daily mileage is up to them. A group of 12 would naturally split into three or four groups. Each group would develop its own personality and style.

The coach's job is to encourage adherence to the original plan because that is what the group would agree to before starting. Yes, there would be flexibility as dictated by the situation, but the general plan should remain intact.

Disbanding the Group

I estimate only 2 or 3 people out of 12 who start would complete this hike. This is based on statistics for the Appalachian Trail. Therefore, there must be a process for amicably splitting the group. I think the Appalachian Trail model would work well. If someone wants to go ahead or lag behind, "See you down the road!" would work well.

In other words, I wouldn't expect the group to remain intact the whole way. My only goal as a coach would be to get people off to a good start and then set them free when they are ready. People could still keep in touch along the way.

Conclusion

In my opinion, the coach must have expertise that comes from personal accomplishment in the activity being coached.  I feel  a coach should start with a strict set of guidelines and loosen these guidelines as long as the player is meeting the goals. Eventually, the player may travel in their own direction, and then it's time to end the relationship.

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It was nice to have daylight again for part of the walk.

Today, I went back to using a metronome set at 115 beats per minute. It did take longer, and I didn't notice any effect on the fatigue level. No conclusion -- just playing