Sensory Strides podcast - Sensory Strides #64 year end wrap up; goal updates; Utah, Arches, and Zion National Parks; Grand Canyon Rim to Rim; Another Mother Runner; Missoula Marathon; Tony Banovich; Madeleine L'Engle

Sensory Strides #64 year end wrap up; goal updates; Utah, Arches, and Zion National Parks; Grand Canyon Rim to Rim; Another Mother Runner; Missoula Marathon; Tony Banovich; Madeleine L'Engle

12/22/20 • 2 min

Quote “A new year can begin only because the old year ends.” Madeleine L'Engle

Welcome to the Sensory Strides podcast. Observations of the world through activity, reading, listening, and everything else.

As we wrap up 2020 my thoughts turn to the new year and what goal to set. When I simplified my goals for 2020 to take a rest year, I had no idea that I would still struggle to meet them. While I covered a lot of miles this year, 382 at this point with 265 of those since September, I did not complete 52 hikes – many of my miles covered the same stretches of pavement. I also did not complete the geocache challenge I planned to do with my mom – although we did have a couple of great caching days and she worked on the goal without me many days.

https://www.geocaching.com/

Looking towards 2021, I’m not confident how well live races will occur, so I’ve looked towards other activities to engage my soul and keep me moving. I want to do the Grand Canyon Rim to Rim challenge, but I’ve learned you really need to start planning for that 2 years in advance. Since shuttle service between the North and South rim is still spotty, it adds additional logistical challenges that I am not willing to take on.

Rim To Rim - The Grand Canyon Experience | The Grand Canyon Experience

While researching the Grand Canyon Rim to Rim, I found a second challenge that would take me somewhere I’ve wanted to visit. When my daughter was in high school, we visited Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, but didn’t make it to the other parks in Utah. There is a Zion Rim to Rim challenge also. This fits much more cleanly into my challenging yet realistic criteria. A bonus is my husband is willing to do this one with me.

Rim to Rim® - Zion | Rim To Rim - The Grand Canyon Experience

I’m looking forward to visiting the other parks I haven’t been to as we visit Utah, not just Zion.

The Mighty 5 | Visit Utah

If the Missoula Marathon happens this year, I would love to participate in memory and celebration of Tony Banovich the Race Director who passed away this summer and meet Dimity and Sarah from Another Mother Runner in person.

- Missoula MarathonMissoula Marathon

Here’s looking forward to resuming travel and racing in 2021.

Thanks for joining me. Be sure to check our show notes for links to inspiration items and ... don't forget to stop and smell the roses.

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Quote “A new year can begin only because the old year ends.” Madeleine L'Engle

Welcome to the Sensory Strides podcast. Observations of the world through activity, reading, listening, and everything else.

https://www.geocaching.com/

Rim To Rim - The Grand Canyon Experience | The Grand Canyon Experience

Rim to Rim® - Zion | Rim To Rim - The Grand Canyon Experience

I’m looking forward to visiting the other parks I haven’t been to as we visit Utah, not just Zion.

The Mighty 5 | Visit Utah

- Missoula MarathonMissoula Marathon

Here’s looking forward to resuming travel and racing in 2021.

Thanks for joining me. Be sure to check our show notes for links to inspiration items and ... don't forget to stop and smell the roses.

Find us on Social Media

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/sherylmrobinson/

Twitter @sherylmrobinson

Instagram @sherylmrobinson

Previous Episode

Sensory Strides #63 Boomtown Sam Anderson Oklahoma City history

Quote “Cities are not microwave popcorn. Unless you are talking, as we are, about Oklahoma City. Oklahoma City is microwave popcorn.” Sam Anderson

Welcome to the Sensory Strides podcast. Observations of the world through activity, reading, listening, and everything else.

52 Hike Challenge – Join us! There are free challenges and lots of swag you can buy. https://www.52hikechallenge.com/?rfsn=3543491.754f73&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=3543491.754f73 #52hikechallenge2020

I recently read Boomtown by Sam Anderson. This book gives both the originating – land rush and more recent histories of Oklahoma City. There were a lot of things I never knew.

https://www.amazon.com/Boom-Town-Fantastical-Basketball-World-class/dp/0804137315

Some interesting facts:

In the 60’s, Oklahoma City was the largest city in the WORLD by land. This was intentional by the original city planners.

In 1964 they flew multiple sonic flights over OKC to test how it would impact the population. As a result of those tests, commercial sonic flights over US land is prohibited.

The land rush occurred in 1889. That means OKC is only 131 years old.

A big focus of the book is the passion the city had to bring a professional sports team to OKC. The arena was built without a team to use it. The city was looking towards an NHL team, but that never came to fruition.

When Katrina caused the New Orleans Hornets to play for two seasons from Oklahoma City, the fan support raised interest from the NBA to possibly help find a team. The stadium was sold out for a team that wasn’t even truly housed there. When a team couldn’t be found to permanently locate in OKC, OKC went shopping.

Seattle agreed to let the OKC businessmen buy the team as long as they didn’t move them team. There was a condition in the contract that a new stadium would be built and that stadium didn’t come to be and the team was moved to OKC. The book doesn’t go into all the legal details that happened with that move, but I wonder what Seattle was thinking selling their team to a group that they knew were looking to have a team in their city.

There is a great discussion over the impact Gary England and Oklahoma’s weather has on weather forecasting for the world today. I never realized how far that science has come and how much of it was generated by a single man.

There are short chapters devoted to the big events in OKC, including the bombing, but this book really focuses on the experiences that rolled over years and decades.

From the land rush to the oil boom to building and tearing down the city through today’s current events. OKC has had an interesting history, designed with specific goals in mind. I think everyone will learn something new from this book.

I’ve visited OKC a few times and had great experiences. I’ve now learned more and have some new things to explore for my next visit.

Thanks for joining me. Be sure to check our show notes for links to inspiration items and ... don't forget to stop and smell the roses.

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Next Episode

Ep 65 Sensory Strides: Colorado, Pikes Peak, Manitou Incline, Grandbaby, Lunge Challenge, Geocaching, Vernon County Parks

Quote “Our elevation must be the result of self-efforts and work of our own hands. No other human power can accomplish it. If we but determine it shall be so, it will be so.” Martin Delany

Welcome to the Sensory Strides podcast. Observations of the world through activity, reading, listening, and everything else.

Welcome to season 5!

During our break I became a Grandma! I’ve had the opportunity to spend time babysitting while my daughter was finally able to finish her clinical rotation for her RN degree. I love spending time with my granddaughter and have even gotten her out on some walks with me.

Most of this winter, I hibernated. My husband and I were pretty good about getting some good long walks in, but once the cold really hit those walks went away. I have been working to get back into the habit of walking, but my schedule has not been cooperative.

While looking forward to goals for this year, I realized I need to do different exercises as it is likely my goals will include some vertical hiking. I have been doing a 30 day lunge challenge in April.

This past weekend I did some geocaching with a local student. We are working together to create some geocaching tips and tricks to support a geocaching challenge the county park group has put together. We visited some of the caches to identify and take pictures for tips that could help new cachers be successful. While climbing some of the trails I could really feel the muscle fatigue from that lunge series which reinforced the need to focus on uphill hiking.

That gets back to the possible goals for this year. My husband and I are headed to Colorado in June. There are two things I am considering. The hike up Pikes Peak and the Manitou Incline. Both are super challenging on their own, but add in the elevation and they are even more difficult. I am confident my husband and I could do a 13 mile hill climb over an entire day in Wisconsin, but add in the extra elevation and no bail out options and I’m not sure it is the best decision for us. The Incline is much more difficult, but shorter and there is a bail out option halfway up. As someone who has to be very conscious to hydrate and pay attention to my body as I am susceptible to altitude sickness, this adds an extra element.

Have you done an interesting Colorado hike? Please share and give me ideas.

Thanks for joining me. Be sure to check our show notes for links to inspiration items and ... don't forget to stop and smell the roses.

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