365 Mile Challenge 2018

I participated in the inaugural 365 Mile Challenge in 2017 (see my log here).  It was my first time tracking distances over the course of a year, and I ended up with 818 outdoor, self-propelled miles.  Even though the "challenge" didn't turn out to be even remotely difficult, I decided to enroll again in 2018.  I'd like to see if I can beat my own 2017 numbers.

The challenge rules are super flexible and accommodating to all types of self-propelled miles, and some people count treadmill miles, mall walking, and other indoor activities.  However, I am going to stick to the original idea: you can get miles by walking, biking, snowshoeing, hiking, cross-country skiing, kayaking, whatever “self-propelled” outdoor activity of your choosing.  Walking your kids to school.  Riding your bike around the block.  A weekend backpacking trip.  Those miles all count.  You just gotta be outdoors and moving.  You can do a mile a day... or 7 miles a week, or save your 365 miles for a long thru-hike.  Therefore, for the purposes of this log, I won't be recording the distances I cover when swimming laps or using the elliptical trainer.

This is just the good stuff!

Week 1.  January 1 - 7, 2018
- Weekly Total: 10.3 miles
- Hike: 2.3 miles (Woodchuck Hill Preserve)
- Cross-country ski: 1.5 miles (Green Lakes solo)
- Snowshoe: 1.3 miles (neighborhood woodlot)
- Walk: 5.2 miles (commute, neighborhood solo)
- Grand Total: 10.3 miles





equipment failure
Week 2.  January 8 - 14, 2018
- Weekly Total: 12.4 miles
- Hike: 0.9 miles (Jones Hill)
- Snowshoe: 3.4 miles (Jones Hill)
- Walk: 8.1 miles (commute, neighborhood w/Frankie and Erwin)
- Grand Total: 22.7 miles



"ice skating"


Week 3.  January 15 - 21, 2018
- Weekly Total: 9.8 miles
- Hike: 1.9 miles (Three Rivers)
- Walk: 7.9 miles (commute, neighborhood solo and w/Frankie)
- Grand Total: 32.5 miles



Week 4.  January 22 - 28, 2018
- Weekly Total: 14.6 miles
- Hike: 8.3 miles (Labrador Hollow, NCT: Canastota Creek)
- Walk: 6.3 miles (commute, neighborhood walk w/Frankie)
- Grand Total: 47.1 miles

"Hey!  They're like hearts!"

Week 5.  January 29 - February 4, 2018
- Weekly Total: 11.6 miles
- Walk: 11.6 miles (commute, neighborhood walks solo, w/Frankie & w/Erin, Pokémon walk w/Erwin and Frankie)
- Grand Total: 58.7 miles






Week 6.  February 5 - 11, 2018
- Weekly Total: 8.3 miles
- Walk: 8.3 miles (commute, neighborhood walks solo & w/Frankie, Pokémon walk w/Erwin and Frankie)
- Grand Total: 67.0 miles






Week 7.  February 12 - 18, 2018
- Weekly Total: 16.6 miles
- Hike: 4.0 miles (Beaver Lake, Green Lakes)
- Snowshoe: 5.3 miles (NCT: Tuller Hill State Forest)
- Walk: 7.3 miles (commute, Pokémon walk w/Erwin and Frankie)
- Grand Total: 83.6 miles


Week 8.  February 19 - 25, 2018
- Weekly Total: 13.2 miles
- Hike: 2.2 miles (Clark Reservation solo)
- Walk: 11.0 miles (commute; neighborhood walk w/Frankie; Barry Park w/Frankie, Holly, Martin)
- Grand Total: 96.8 miles





Week 9.  February 26 - March 4, 2018
- Weekly Total: 21.0 miles
- Hike: 10.2 miles (Pratts Falls w/Erwin and Frankie, Highland Forest)
- Walk: 10.8 miles (commute, Breitbeck Park, neighborhood walk solo, Pokémon walks w/Erwin and Frankie)
- Grand Total: 117.8 miles





Breitbeck Park
Week 10.  March 5 - 11, 2018
- Weekly Total: 13.9 miles
- Hike: 6.6 miles (South Trail)
- Walk: 7.3 miles (commute, neighborhood walk w/Frankie, Pokémon walk w/Erwin and Frankie)
- Grand Total: 131.7 miles



Week 11.  March 12 - 18, 2018
- Weekly Total: 10.1 miles
- Cross-country ski: 2.4 miles (Highland Forest)
- Walk: 7.7 miles (commute, neighborhood walk w/Frankie, Pokémon walk w/Erwin and Frankie)
- Grand Total: 141.8 miles





Week 12.  March 19 - 25, 2018
- Weekly Total: 12.5 miles
- Cross-country ski: 5.3 miles (Highland Forest)
- Walk: 7.2 miles (commute, neighborhood walk solo, Pokémon walk w/Erwin and Frankie)
- Grand Total: 154.3 miles





Week 13.  March 26 - April 1, 2018
- Weekly Total: 11.3 miles
- Hike: 1.2 miles (Clark Reservation w/Frankie)
- Walk: 10.1 miles (commute, neighborhood walk solo & w/Frankie; Pokémon walk w/Erwin and Frankie; Easter egg hunt w/Frankie, Holly, Megan)
- Grand Total: 165.6 miles






Easter egg hunt
Week 14.  April 2 - 8, 2018
- Weekly Total: 18.4 miles
- Hike: 11.2 miles (Green Lakes w/Erwin and Frankie; Skytop quarry circuit solo; NCT: Nelson Road to RR sign)
- Walk: 7.2 miles (commute, neighborhood walk w/Frankie)
- Grand Total: 184.0 miles







Week 15.  April 9 - 15, 2018
- Weekly Total: 8.5 miles
- Walk: 7.2 miles (commute, Pokémon walk w/Erwin and Frankie, neighborhood walks w/Frankie & w/Frankie, Mary, Erin, Alden)
- Grand Total: 192.5 miles


Week 16.  April 16 - 22, 2018
- Weekly Total: 18.6 miles
- Hike: 15.4 miles (Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area; Zion National Park: Pa'rus, Riverside, Archaeology, and Observation Point Trails; Dixie National Forest: Red Canyon)
- Walk: 3.2 miles (commute)
- Grand Total: 211.1 miles

Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area, Arizona
Virgin Canyon River Recreation Area
Archaeology Trail, Zion National Park
Red Canyon, Dixie National Forest
Red Canyon
Red Canyon
Week 17.  April 23 - 29, 2018
- Weekly Total: 25.0 miles
- Hike: 15.4 miles (Bryce Canyon National Park: Fairyland Loop, Queen's Garden-Navajo Loop; Valley of Fire State Park; Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area)
- Walk: 6.6 miles (Las Vegas strip; neighborhood walk w/Frankie)
- Grand Total: 236.1 miles

Valley of Fire State Park, Elephant Rock Trail


Las Vegas, Nevada


Week 18.  April 30 - May 6, 2018
- Weekly Total: 12.6 miles
- Hike: 3.8 miles (Three Rivers)
- Walk: 8.8 miles (commute; neighborhood walks w/Frankie, solo, and w/Erwin)
- Grand Total: 248.7 miles


fig buttercup (Ficaria vernua)
Week 19.  May 7 - May 13, 2018
- Weekly Total: 29.1 miles
- Hike: 10.0 miles (Virgil Mountain Loop; Skytop w/Erwin and Frankie; BLNC: Bog Trail, Hemlock Hollow w/Frankie)
- Canoe: 2.5 miles (Beaver Lake w/Frankie)
- Bike: 9.5 miles (neighborhood ride, solo)
- Walk: 7.1 miles (commute; Pokémon and neighborhood walks w/Erwin and Frankie)
- Grand Total: 277.8 miles





mountain holly (Ilex mucronata)

Week 20.  May 14 - May 20, 2018
- Weekly Total: 20.4 miles
- Hike: 12.7 miles (FLT/NCT: Kennedy State Forest; Skytop w/Erwin and Frankie and solo; Clark Reservation solo)
- Walk: 7.7 miles (commute; Pokémon walk w/Erwin and Frankie)
- Grand Total: 298.2 miles






Week 21.  May 21 - May 27, 2018
- Weekly Total: 23.7 miles
- Hike: 2.8 miles (Pinery Provincial Park: Heritage and Cedar Trails)
- Canoe: 4.0 miles (Pinery Provincial Park: Old Au Sable Channel
- Bike: 10.7 miles (neighborhood ride, solo) 
- Walk: 6.2 miles (commute; campground walks w/Frankie and Mary)
- Grand Total: 321.9 miles








Week 22.  May 28 - June 3, 2018
- Weekly Total: 35.6 miles
- Hike: 1.8 miles (Pinery Provincial Park: Pine Trail; Clark Reservation)
- Bike: 25.3 miles (neighborhood ride, solo; Erie Canal: Beebe Bridge Road to Bolivar Road w/Frankie) 
- Walk: 8.5 miles (commute; campground walks w/Frankie and Mary; Niagara Falls w/Frankie; Skytop solo)
- Grand Total: 357.5 miles






Week 23.  June 4 - 10, 2018
- Weekly Total: 28.5 miles
- Hike: 6.8 miles (wetlands fieldwork; Pratts Falls w/Frankie, Erin, Alden)
- Bike: 15.4 miles (neighborhood rides, solo and w/Frankie) 
- Walk: 6.3 miles (commute; neighborhood walk w/Frankie; downtown w/Erwin, Frankie)
- Grand Total: 386.0 miles



Pratts Falls




Week 24.  June 11 - 17, 2018
- Weekly Total: 27.3 miles
- Hike: 5.2 miles (Beaver Lake w/Frankie, Erin, Alden; Barry Park, solo; Jamesville Beach, solo)
- Bike: 15.9 miles (neighborhood ride, solo) 
- Walk: 6.2 miles (commute; neighborhood walk w/Frankie; walked Daisy w/Frankie)
- Grand Total: 413.3 miles






Week 25.  June 18 - 24, 2018
- Weekly Total: 22.5 miles
- Hike: 4.2 miles (Land Lab; Buckingham Reservoir)
- Bike: 13.5 miles (neighborhood rides, solo and w/Frankie) 
- Walk: 4.8 miles (commute)
- Grand Total: 435.8 miles

mourning cloak (Nyphalis antiopa) caterpillars



Week 26.  June 25 - July 1, 2018
- Weekly Total: 30.3 miles
- Hike: 24.3 miles (Slieve Binnian; Murlough NNR; Slieve Bearnagh; Causeway Trail; Kinbane Head)
- Walk: 6.0 miles (Carlingford, Newcastle, Castelwellan, Glenarm, Ballintoy)
- Grand Total: 466.1 miles

the old town gate, circa 1326, Carlingford
King John's Castle, Carlingford
Newcastle

Peace Maze, Castlewellan Forest Park

Ballintoy Harbor
Week 27.  July 2 - 8, 2018
- Weekly Total: 44.6 miles
- Hike: 35.8 miles (Carrick-a-Rede; Causeway Trail; Burns Mountain Circuit; Glencolmcille Tower Loop; Strandhill Beach; Knocknarea - Killaspugbrone; Benbulben Forest Walk)
- Walk: 8.8 miles (Dark Hedges; Londonderry Walls; Lough Eske; Slieve League; Donegal Town; Sligo Town)
- Grand Total: 510.7 miles

the Dark Hedges

walking the Londonderry - Derry city walls
Frankie was thrilled by this dragon statue on the grounds of Lough Eske
Lough Eske
Slieve League
Donegal Castle
Garvoge River, Sligo Town
Week 28.  July 9 - 15, 2018
- Weekly Total: 20.2 miles
- Hike: 9.3 miles (Keshcorran Caves; Great Bear; NCT: Mill Street to Art Park)
- Walk: 10.9 miles (Dublin; commute; Pokémon walks w/Erwin, Frankie)
- Grand Total: 530.9 miles
 
on the Ha'Penny Bridge, Dublin

Temple Bar District, Dublin

Week 29.  July 16 - 22, 2018
- Weekly Total: 17.5 miles
- Hike: 5.8 miles (Goodnow Mountain Trail, Baltimore Woods)
- Bike: 2.8 miles (to Barry Park for playdate and back)
- Walk: 8.9 miles (commute; neighborhood walk w/Frankie)
- Grand Total: 548.4 miles







Week 30.  July 23 - 29, 2018
- Weekly Total: 24.8 miles
- Hike: 9.0 miles (BLNC: Lake Loop, solo; NCT: Deruyter State Forest)
- Bike: 8.4 miles (Erie Canal Trail: Beebe Bridge Road to Lenox Station w/Frankie)
- Walk: 7.4 miles (commute; neighborhood walk w/Frankie)
- Grand Total: 573.2 miles

highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum)
Beaver Lake from the Lake Loop Trail



Week 31.  July 30 - August 5, 2018
- Weekly Total: 22.1 miles
- Hike: 16.1 miles (Donaldson & Emmons; Whiteface summit loop)
- Walk: 6.0 miles (commute; Butternut Creek, solo; neighborhood walk w/Frankie)
- Grand Total: 595.3 miles

Butternut Creek Trail (only the boardwalk spur is closed)


Week 32. August 6 - 12, 2018
- Weekly Total: 34.0 miles
- Hike: 1.5 miles (BLNC: Three Meadows Trail w/Frankie, Erin, Alden)
- Bike: 26.9 miles (neighborhood rides + Skytop, solo)
- Walk: 5.6 miles (commute; Pokémon walks w/Erwin, Frankie)
- Grand Total: 629.3 miles




Week 33. August 13 - 19, 2018
- Weekly Total: 13.0 miles
- Hike: 6.7 miles (Monument Mountain; Lick Brook Loop)
- Walk: 6.3 miles (commute; neighborhood walk solo)
- Grand Total: 642.3 miles

lobster poutine from the Fish Friar

Week 34. August 20 - 26, 2018
- Weekly Total: 33.1 miles
- Hike: 7.4 miles (botanical fieldwork)
- Bike: 20.4 miles (neighborhood ride w/Frankie; Erie Canal Trail: Lenox Station to Germany Road w/Frankie)
- Walk: 5.3 miles (commute; Pokémon walk w/Erwin, Frankie)
- Grand Total: 675.7 miles







Week 35. August 27 - September 2, 2018
- Weekly Total: 26.4 miles
- Hike: 19.0 miles (Saddleback Mountain; Catamount Mountain; High Gorge Falls)
- Kayak: 2.4 miles (Mirror Lake w/Erwin, Frankie)
- Walk: 5.0 miles (commute; Keene, Keene Valley & Lake Placid w/Erwin, Frankie)
- Grand Total: 702.1 miles





Week 36. September 3 - 9, 2018
- Weekly Total: 32.3 miles
- Hike: 8.4 miles (Mount Arab; BLNC: Lakeview Trail w/Frankie, Erin, Alden; NCT: Highland Forest)
- Bike: 19.7 miles (neighborhood rides, solo and with Frankie)
- Walk: 4.2 miles (commute; neighborhood walk solo)
- Grand Total: 734.4 miles


Week 37. September 10 - 16, 2018
- Weekly Total: 51.4 miles
- Hike: 7.1 miles (FLT/NCT: Daisy Hollow Road to Hilsinger Road, solo)
- Bike: 37.0 miles (Tour the Towpath)
- Walk: 7.3 miles (commute; Pokémon walk w/Erwin, Frankie; to dinner in Canastota)
- Grand Total: 785.8 miles


Week 38. September 17 - 23, 2018
- Weekly Total: 45.5 miles
- Hike: 8.6 miles (FLT/NCT: Willow Crossing Road to Daisy Hollow Road, solo)
- Bike: 27.3 miles (neighborhood bike rides, solo and w/Frankie, Holly, Megan)
- Walk: 9.6 miles (commute; Pokémon walk w/Erwin, Frankie; Westcott Street Cultural Fair)
- Grand Total: 831.3 miles



Week 39. September 24 - 30, 2018
- Weekly Total: 10.0 miles
- Hike: 5.0 miles (Bald Mountain; Clark Reservation, solo)
- Walk: 5.0 miles (commute; Pokémon walk w/Erwin, Frankie)
- Grand Total: 841.3 miles


Week 40. October 1 - 7, 2018
- Weekly Total: 12.5 miles
- Hike: 0.9 miles (Shieling State Forest w/Erwin, Frankie, Jason, Susie, Scarlett, Veronica)
- Bike: 4.8 miles (neighborhood bike ride, solo)
- Walk: 6.8 miles (commute; Peterborough; Washburn's Windy Hill Orchard corn maze)
- Grand Total: 853.8 miles








Week 41. October 8 - 14, 2018
- Weekly Total: 13.6 miles
- Bike: 3.7 miles (neighborhood bike ride w/Frankie)
- Walk: 9.9 miles (commute; neighborhood walks w/Frankie)
- Grand Total: 867.4 miles





Week 42. October 15 - 21, 2018
- Weekly Total: 13.3 miles
- Hike: 2.2 miles (Kane Mountain)
- Walk: 11.1 miles (commute; neighborhood walks solo, w/Frankie, and w/Erwin & Frankie)
- Grand Total: 880.7 miles



Week 43. October 22 - 28, 2018
- Weekly Total: 23.0 miles
- Hike: 8.9 miles (FLT/NCT: Hammond Hill State Forest; Green Lakes solo)
- Bike: 2.8 miles (to & from Margaret Atwood lecture)
- Walk: 11.3 miles (commute; Pokemon walks w/Erwin & Frankie)
- Grand Total: 903.7 miles

Green Lakes State Park



Week 44. October 29 - November 4, 2018
- Weekly Total: 16.5 miles
- Hike: 7.2 miles (Edsel Ford House w/Frankie, Mary, Keith; Lake St. Clair Metropark; Green Lakes w/Erwin, Frankie)
- Walk: 9.3 miles (commute; pumpkin picking; trick-or-treating; Detroit Zoo)
- Grand Total: 920.2 miles

Bird Sanctuary Island at Edsel Ford House


Detroit Zoo

Green Lakes State Park


Week 45. November 5 - 11, 2018
- Weekly Total: 16.6 miles
- Hike: 10.5 miles (FLT/NCT: Robinson Hollow State Forest; Butternut Creek w/Frankie, Erin, Alden; NCT: Cazenovia from Clark Street)
- Walk: 6.1 miles (commute; Cazenovia)
- Grand Total: 936.8 miles







Week 46. November 12 - 18, 2018
- Weekly Total: 8.6 miles
- Hike: 1.0 miles (Woodchuck Hill Preserve solo)
- Walk: 7.6 miles (commute; neighborhood walks, solo and w/Frankie)
- Grand Total: 945.4 miles







Week 47. November 19 - 25, 2018
- Weekly Total: 36.4 miles
- Hike: 0.6 miles (Marsh Tower Island w/Erwin, Frankie)
- Walk: 8.2 miles (commute; Kiawah w/Erwin, Frankie; neighborhood walk w/Frankie)
- Bike: 27.6 miles (Kiawah w/Frankie +/- Erwin)
- Grand Total: 981.8 miles












Week 48. November 26 - December 2, 2018
- Weekly Total: 12.0 miles
- Hike: 2.5 miles (Clark Reservation solo)
- Walk: 9.5 miles (commute; neighborhood walks, solo and w/Frankie)
- Grand Total: 993.8 miles






Week 49. December 3 - 9, 2018
- Weekly Total: 9.7 miles
- Hike: 3.6 miles (Skytop Quarry solo; Great Bear)
- Walk: 6.1 miles (commute; neighborhood walk w/Frankie)
- Grand Total: 1003.5 miles





Week 50. December 10 - 16, 2018
- Weekly Total: 11.7 miles
- Hike: 2.0 miles (Jamesville Beach)
- Walk: 9.7 miles (commute; neighborhood walks solo)
- Grand Total: 1015.2 miles




Week 51. December 17 - 23, 2018
- Weekly Total: 7.0 miles
- Walk: 7.0 miles (commute; neighborhood walks solo and w/Erwin&Frankie)
- Grand Total: 1022.2 miles


Week 52. December 24 - 31, 2018
- Weekly Total: 9.9 miles
- Hike:7.0 miles (BLNC: Bog Trail w/Frankie, Erin, Alden; back woods w/Frankie, Bruce, Erin, Alden; Clark Reservation w/Frankie; Three Rivers w/Frankie, Erin, Alden, Mary, Keith; Great Bear w/Frankie, Erin, Alden, Mary, Keith)
- Walk: 2.9 miles (commute)
- Grand Total: 1032.1











And that's a wrap!  With a cumulative total of 1,032.1 outdoor self-propelled miles, I definitely beat my tally from 2017, which was my goal for this year.  I also exceeded my secretly-longed-for but unstated goal of 1,000 miles... something about the round number really appealed.  My core miles were in the same categories as 2017, walking and hiking, but I increased my biking miles significantly, and added a few new categories of activity: canoeing and cross-country skiing.  I also had significantly fewer zero days in 2018, just 5 compared to 35 in 2017.  I am counting all these things as wins!
 

2018 2017
January Total 53.2 65.9
February Total 59.1 46.9
March Total 51.5 52.6
April Total 73.9 64.3
May Total 104.5 61.1
June Total 122.8 100.7
July Total 110.9 103.0
August Total 117.1 57.4
September Total 148.3 95.2
October Total 68.8 70.9
November Total 79.6 60.6
December Total 42.4 43.1

1032.1 818.0

By activity category, the mileage breaks out to 340.3 hiking miles, 392.0 walking miles, 271.7 biking miles, 10.0 snowshoeing miles, 9.2 cross-country skiing miles, 6.5 canoeing miles, and 2.4 kayaking miles.  June, August, and September were my highest mileage months, but I also surpassed the 100-mile mark in May and July.  As in 2017, December was my lowest mileage month, but once again, that was no surprise.  The holidays always do me in, and this year was further complicated by unreasonable work deadlines and various appointments, too.  Some year I'll figure out how to escape more in December and I'll be much happier for it... always room for improvement.


So 2018 was a good year for me moving outside.  I hit all my goals: mileage increased, diversified activities, good times.  I am going to continue tracking in 2019, for my own sake, because I enjoy it.  However, I am not going too officially enroll in the 365 Mile Challenge again.  The enrollment fees have significantly increased, and the main benefit is a private Facebook group.  Since I rarely use Facebook, this is not enough incentive for me.  I have joined Instagram, which I vastly prefer to Facebook, and have begun using that to share snapshots that don't make it into feature posts there.  I am imagining Instagram can take the place of these weekly mileage logs, which I enjoy scrolling through, but are somewhat time consuming to maintain.   I am also considering adding a sidebar to the blog to post my 2019 mile count.

One final difference between 2017 and 2018: Frankie!  He was highly indignant to find I did not track his mileage in 2017, and demanded I track his miles in 2018 (and beyond).  He ended 2018 with 551.6 miles and has already declared his intent to beat that in 2019.  All right, kid... let's get out there!

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