Confessions of a Former Drag Queen: walking with a mission

In an effort to catch up, I'm skipping the weekday update. Suffice it to say I have walked and did Body Sculpting. My biceps continue to improve.

It is dang hot here in MN. In a matter of weeks it has gone from October cold to August hot! Seriously, we are melting, here. Walking early in the morning is a must.

On Saturday, I set my alarm for 6 o'clock a.m. I was on a mission. Unfortunately, when I woke up at 2 a.m. wondering if my Garmin was properly charged, I ignored that. So at 6 I was confronted with a 'low battery' Garmin. This simply will not do on a 15 mile walk! So I plugged it in and tried not to be too annoyed at my delay of departure.

I packed a backpack with 2 bottles of water and a bottle of Gatorade. Also my camera, credit card, some cash and ID. At 7, I left the house like a bat out of hell. I channelled my inner Mad, and set a brisk pace. Because I had a ten o'clock appointment at InVision, I had to stay on a brisk pace. I was walking between 13:30 and 14:45 minute miles.

I zoomed over the high bridge, and down 7th Street towards the airport. (No where NEAR InVision, I know! Did I mention I had to get 15 miles in?)

I didn't stop to take a picture until I got to Mickeys. Mickeys, of course, is a St. Paul treasure. Open 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. Great All American Breakfast. Sit at the counter and watch the cook master the grill. It's really cool if you are at all ADD. I am given to understand Mark Hansen, of Marx in Stillwater, got his start at Mickeys. (You really should go to Marx, as well. Be advised, however, it is a slightly different price point. . . )

I didn't stop for another pic until I was on the River Road, talking on the phone with my mom. This view took my breath away. I'd like to walk this route again, when I'm not in such a hurry!

No more pics until after my errands. I came off the River Road at St. Clair. I hit the Cheese Shop at 9:45. It doesn't actually open until ten, but Ben was more than willing to accommodate me. I got some more Red Hawk (yummy!) and some Zoro sounding thing (cousin to Manchego), as well as a small bit of Swiss. Then I raced off.

12 1/2 miles into my walk, it was just 7 minutes past ten when I arrived at InVision, for their Garage Sale. I got a cute pair of cat eye sun glasses for $25.o0. Normally, I wouldn't spend $25.00 on a pair of sun glasses, since I am prone to losing them. However, I reasoned since they were marked down from $225.00, they were practically free. I figure I might be grown up enough to have grown up sun glasses. We'll see, won't we?

I was coming down Grand Avenue and just about HAD. IT. This is the view. What's coming up presented a small dilemma.

See the bridge? That's Grand for traffic going down the hill. Traffic going up goes straight, then right. It's longer. After almost 14 miles, it looked MUCH longer. There's no pedestrian path on the bridge there. I took it anyway. I ran it, mind you, to reduce the amount of time on the bridge.

Once safely on the other side, I contemplated climbing that wall, which would shave another 1/2 mile off my walk. Decided I was too old and too tired to actually attempt to scale a wall AND navigate whatever was on the other side. Walked to the corner.