I WAS BORN A RAMBLIN' MAN

So I recently bought a pedometer, on the grounds that I'm more motivated to get up and movin' when there's a specific goal to shoot for. There's the minimum-10,000-steps-a-day benchmark to aim for, of course, but as a number of people on the friends-list have discovered, it's more fun with a more grandiose goals. Some people compile their miles and superimpose them on a virtual walk across the country or continent or world; others apply their distance to mythical realms; I believe allisona, for instance, has taken a virtual journey with Frodo from the Shire to the Mount. This year, hsifyppah, ohiblather and others have added a new twist doing a virtual walk to the various filk conventions -- and since they range from Seattle to Atlanta to Toronto, that indeed manages to be a cross-continent trek.

I thought about doing that, too -- a virtual walk might be the only way I get to the West Coast filkcons anytime soon, I'm afraid -- but then I decided I wanted something similar in scale but with more virtual payoffs (i.e., stops), so to speak. So I decided to record my miles logged and track them as a virtual visit to everybody on my friends-list. (Or at least to their town/city -- I'm not going to virtually walk to your virtual door, there's security issues at stake, etc. etc.) So a couple weeks ago I started superimposing my miles walked on a map of Route 20 heading west from Canandaigua, en route to the first stop on this imaginary trek: Buffalo and erinwrites. So far I've got 65.28 miles, not counting today's -- it would be more, but there were days I forgot to wear the pedometer -- which by my calculations places me just a smidge west of Depew, in the West Seneca suburb, not long after Route 78 joins with 20. (I'm taking Route 20 rather than the Thruway since it's a path one could conceivably walk; pedestrians, I believe, are outlawed on the Thruway. Besides, it's more interesting.) I'd write something edumacationable about West Seneca or Depew, but, eh, Buff burbs all seem alike to me, though Erin or other residents could no doubt explain the fine distinctions. Anyway, this means I'll be in the city proper fairly soon. Erin, care to pick a spot suitably Archetypically Buffalonian for my endpoint? Feel free to buy me an imaginary expensive meal to celebrate my noncorporeal arrival.

After "visiting" Erin, I'm not sure what's next. I might hook around the lake to hit the Toronto contingent, since there's nearly half a dozen of you, then head west into Michigan for peteralway. Or maybe I'll head south toward mrgoodwraith in Pittsburgh then hook toward Columbus and braider. Any rate, having a goal, albeit imaginary, does make it more fun. And since I've got people in Vancouver, Seattle, San Francisco, Portland, Austin (or wherever in Texas forgetfulness is), Iowa, Grand Rapids, Atlanta, central Florida (Tampa and Orlando -- I think slyfoot is Orlando), Boston, Long Island, Joisey (hi, pastorlenny!) and somewhere in North Carolina (to name a few), this won't be over anytime soon.

Don't know what I'll do when it's time to visit ysgawen. I swim somewhat like a rock, so I rather doubt I'd make it all the way to London ...

Sounds & Images: Watched Boston retake the AL East lead from Tampa Bay. 'Twas fun.
State O'Mind: Content