https://ericmwalk.blog/ en Thu, 05 Mar 2026 14:38:46 -0500 https://ericmwalk.blog/2025/10/16/this-girl-turned-today-i.html Thu, 16 Oct 2025 20:31:00 -0500 http://ericmwalk.micro.blog/2025/10/16/this-girl-turned-today-i.html <p>This Girl turned 11 today! 🎉🥳</p> <p><img src="https://cdn.some.pics/ericmwalk/68f30aa154ddd.jpg" alt="A young girl smiles while holding a colorful birthday stocking and a purple gift inside it. Above her, two large blue balloons shaped like the number 11 float. The setting is a festive room decorated for a birthday celebration."> *Posing and holding the coveted birthday stocking *</p> <p>I can’t believe she is getting so old and time is just flying by.</p> This Girl turned 11 today! 🎉🥳  *Posing and holding the coveted birthday stocking * I can’t believe she is getting so old and time is just flying by. https://ericmwalk.blog/2025/10/16/early-run-today-as-i.html Thu, 16 Oct 2025 07:39:00 -0500 http://ericmwalk.micro.blog/2025/10/16/early-run-today-as-i.html <p>Early <a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/16159614213">run</a> today as I wanted to get this done before an early morning and the day gets away from me. Lets just hope I feel better than this on Saturday otherwise it is going to be a long run that morning as today my whole body felt tired. Maybe I should have had a coffee first. 😄</p> <p><img src="https://cdn.some.pics/ericmwalk/68f0f037f3130.jpg" alt="A tranquil lake scene at night, with faint lights from houses visible across the water. The sky is mostly dark with a soft glow, and silhouettes of trees line the background. Reeds and grasses frame the foreground."></p> Early [run](https://www.strava.com/activities/16159614213) today as I wanted to get this done before an early morning and the day gets away from me. Lets just hope I feel better than this on Saturday otherwise it is going to be a long run that morning as today my whole body felt tired. Maybe I should have had a coffee first. 😄  https://ericmwalk.blog/2025/10/14/i-really-dont-like-running.html Tue, 14 Oct 2025 22:09:00 -0500 http://ericmwalk.micro.blog/2025/10/14/i-really-dont-like-running.html <p>I <em><strong>really</strong></em> don’t like running on a treadmill but the day got away from me work wise. Not to mention it rained all day and it was a cold rain so I did run on a treadmill against my own will. The only positive is I did it while my daughter was at swimming practice so I could watch while running.</p> <p><img src="https://cdn.some.pics/ericmwalk/68ef1193c426a.jpg" alt="A swimmer in a blue cap and goggles performs a butterfly stroke in a pool, with black and white lane dividers visible alongside."></p> I ***really*** don’t like running on a treadmill but the day got away from me work wise. Not to mention it rained all day and it was a cold rain so I did run on a treadmill against my own will. The only positive is I did it while my daughter was at swimming practice so I could watch while running.  https://ericmwalk.blog/2025/10/14/another-last-minute-race.html Tue, 14 Oct 2025 09:44:00 -0500 http://ericmwalk.micro.blog/2025/10/14/another-last-minute-race.html <h1 id="another-last-minute-race">Another Last Minute Race</h1> <p>Another last minute <del>Race</del> run registered for this weekend because&hellip;. Why not! 🤷‍♂️</p> <p>I have had my eye on <a href="https://www.surfthemurph.org">Surf the Murph</a> for a couple years now and the time has never worked out but this year we are around and don&rsquo;t have anything planned for Saturday morning or kid activities. So while the family sleeps in again I will go punish myself on the hills and trails of the <a href="https://www.threeriversparks.org/location/murphy-hanrehan-park-reserve">Murphy-Hanrehan Park</a>.</p> <p>I was really leaning towards the Marathon as a friend of mine (<a href="https://pca.st/y3tuqyq1">Joey Metzger</a>) is doing that one and I think I could just grind the whole thing out. However, seeing how I have not trained for that distance at all this year and the whole thing is on trails I am going to give the 25K a go instead in hopes to be successful in not hurting myself and finishing. Really I am going in with no plans or expectations. It should be a fun morning and the weather is looking good right now.</p> <p><img src="https://cdn.some.pics/ericmwalk/68ee6d3e62197.png" alt="Registration confirmation for the event &ldquo;Surf the Murph&rdquo; on October 18, 2025, from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM CDT. Attendee: Eric Walker. Confirmation number: 1472091. Event occurring"></p> # Another Last Minute Race Another last minute ~~Race~~ run registered for this weekend because.... Why not! 🤷‍♂️ I have had my eye on [Surf the Murph](https://www.surfthemurph.org) for a couple years now and the time has never worked out but this year we are around and don't have anything planned for Saturday morning or kid activities. So while the family sleeps in again I will go punish myself on the hills and trails of the [Murphy-Hanrehan Park](https://www.threeriversparks.org/location/murphy-hanrehan-park-reserve). I was really leaning towards the Marathon as a friend of mine ([Joey Metzger](https://pca.st/y3tuqyq1)) is doing that one and I think I could just grind the whole thing out. However, seeing how I have not trained for that distance at all this year and the whole thing is on trails I am going to give the 25K a go instead in hopes to be successful in not hurting myself and finishing. Really I am going in with no plans or expectations. It should be a fun morning and the weather is looking good right now.  https://ericmwalk.blog/2025/10/13/was-able-to-get-a.html Mon, 13 Oct 2025 16:41:00 -0500 http://ericmwalk.micro.blog/2025/10/13/was-able-to-get-a.html <p>Was able to get a <a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/16131131586">run</a> in today and felt good after Saturday. It ended up being slightly more difficult to get the &ldquo;millage&rdquo; in as the trail I was going to take was closed about .3 miles in so I had to explore the areas in loops as I was short on time and didn&rsquo;t want to drive somewhere else.</p> <p><img src="https://cdn.some.pics/ericmwalk/68ed73c6b2e44.jpg" alt="A trail closed sign with barriers is positioned across a dirt path surrounded by trees with green and yellow leaves, indicating it&rsquo;s autumn. The ground is covered with fallen leaves."> <em>As always I took this as a suggestion only to find active work equipment building a bridge across where a path once was.</em></p> <p><img src="https://cdn.some.pics/ericmwalk/68ed73e144be3.jpg" alt="A sunlit dirt path winding through a dense forest with green and yellow foliage. Trees line both sides, casting dappled shadows on the ground. A small creek can be seen on the left."> <em>Nice trail on a fall day.</em></p> <p><img src="https://cdn.some.pics/ericmwalk/68ed7406d6f7d.jpg" alt="A wooden bridge crosses a small, dry creek in a lush forest with vibrant green foliage and a few scattered autumn leaves on the ground."> <em>Found some single tracks to run along to add some miles</em></p> Was able to get a [run](https://www.strava.com/activities/16131131586) in today and felt good after Saturday. It ended up being slightly more difficult to get the "millage" in as the trail I was going to take was closed about .3 miles in so I had to explore the areas in loops as I was short on time and didn't want to drive somewhere else.  *As always I took this as a suggestion only to find active work equipment building a bridge across where a path once was.*  *Nice trail on a fall day.*  *Found some single tracks to run along to add some miles* https://ericmwalk.blog/2025/10/12/this-one-had-a-great.html Sun, 12 Oct 2025 22:02:00 -0600 http://ericmwalk.micro.blog/2025/10/12/this-one-had-a-great.html <p>This one had a great showing today at the Foxjets Fall Invitational by taking home 3 first places in her first swim meet of the year! She was super proud of herself by having big drops in time for each race.</p> <p><img src="https://cdn.some.pics/ericmwalk/68ee7489676cf.jpg" alt="A smiling young girl stands poolside, holding two first place ribbons in swimming. She wears a gray t-shirt, has a backpack slung over one shoulder, and holds a blue towel. In the background, the swimming pool is visible, along with"></p> This one had a great showing today at the Foxjets Fall Invitational by taking home 3 first places in her first swim meet of the year! She was super proud of herself by having big drops in time for each race.  https://ericmwalk.blog/2025/10/11/trout-brook-miler-trail-run.html Sat, 11 Oct 2025 14:36:00 -0600 http://ericmwalk.micro.blog/2025/10/11/trout-brook-miler-trail-run.html <h1 id="2025-trout-brook-10-miler-trail-run">2025 Trout Brook 10 Miler Trail Run</h1> <p>Another year in the books for the <a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/16106691144">Trout Brook (not quite) 10 mile Trail run</a> at <a href="https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/parks/willowriver">Willow River State Park</a>. Now that I have done it 3 times I think I can confirm that it is not a true 10 miles but that was OK as now it played to my advantage on what could have been that last 2 miles I knew in my head it was only 1.8 miles left 🤣.</p> <p>It was a great day for the race again with the starting temps that morning at around 33°F but once running and by the end I didn&rsquo;t even notice the cold. This is such a fun event and time of year as it has always been great running weather and really it has some really nice scenery along the route. Though I might be the very few people that stop along the way to take pictures in a &ldquo;race.&rdquo; However, how can you pass a waterfall and not take a picture? Or once climbing to the top of a stair tower why would you not run extra by turning the wrong direction on the course to get to the overlook?</p> <p>My goal for this race, or run was to really use it as training for what I am still hoping will be another trail race of longer distance next weekend. So I didn&rsquo;t want to kill myself and make my legs to angry at me from this run. I just need to not get caught up chasing people and run at my own pace. To help with this there was two really steep parts one hill and one set of stairs and I walked both of them. Oddly enough, even walking up both of these and getting passed on both I caught all of those people later in the race as they were dying on the back half of the race. I did find it interesting that my time this year was only 1 minute slower than last year where I was actually giving it a little more effort (or I thought). Also, I did take the time to chat with a couple people for about 3 miles of the route which helped me stay a little more in check with my pace as I might have otherwise started to pick up speed on the flatter sections.</p> <p>Overall, my legs were not too worse for the wear and the rest of the day I spent powerwashing the deck so I think with Sunday as a rest day I am hoping I will be good to go come next weekend (if I remember to sign up). 🫠</p> <p><img src="https://cdn.some.pics/ericmwalk/68ed0451a0ea1.jpg" alt="A scenic view of cascading waterfalls surrounded by rocky cliffs and greenery, with two people walking along a path near the water&rsquo;s edge. The sky is clear, indicating a peaceful outdoor setting."> <em>Willow Falls</em></p> <p><img src="https://cdn.some.pics/ericmwalk/68ed046bc4b69.jpg" alt="A scenic view of a river winding through a dense forest, with hills in the background under a clear blue sky. The landscape features a mix of green pine and autumn-colored trees. Shadows from the trees add depth to the image."> <em>Picture from the top of the stairs, the waterfall is underneath this overhang and this is not really on the running route.</em></p> <p><img src="https://cdn.some.pics/ericmwalk/68ed0484924da.jpg" alt="A scenic view of a river surrounded by trees and hills under a clear blue sky, with the sun shining brightly above. In the foreground, green leaves frame the image."> <em>Picture looking back towards Willow River and where the waterfall was but you can&rsquo;t see it.</em></p> <p><img src="https://cdn.some.pics/ericmwalk/68ed049fe2a41.jpg" alt="A tranquil lakeside scene at dawn, featuring gentle mist rising from the water&rsquo;s surface, with a calm reflection of trees and the sky. The shoreline is sandy, and faint outlined markers can be seen in the water."> <em>Picture before the start of the run looking out at Little Falls Lake</em></p> # 2025 Trout Brook 10 Miler Trail Run Another year in the books for the [Trout Brook (not quite) 10 mile Trail run](https://www.strava.com/activities/16106691144) at [Willow River State Park](https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/parks/willowriver). Now that I have done it 3 times I think I can confirm that it is not a true 10 miles but that was OK as now it played to my advantage on what could have been that last 2 miles I knew in my head it was only 1.8 miles left 🤣. It was a great day for the race again with the starting temps that morning at around 33°F but once running and by the end I didn't even notice the cold. This is such a fun event and time of year as it has always been great running weather and really it has some really nice scenery along the route. Though I might be the very few people that stop along the way to take pictures in a "race." However, how can you pass a waterfall and not take a picture? Or once climbing to the top of a stair tower why would you not run extra by turning the wrong direction on the course to get to the overlook? My goal for this race, or run was to really use it as training for what I am still hoping will be another trail race of longer distance next weekend. So I didn't want to kill myself and make my legs to angry at me from this run. I just need to not get caught up chasing people and run at my own pace. To help with this there was two really steep parts one hill and one set of stairs and I walked both of them. Oddly enough, even walking up both of these and getting passed on both I caught all of those people later in the race as they were dying on the back half of the race. I did find it interesting that my time this year was only 1 minute slower than last year where I was actually giving it a little more effort (or I thought). Also, I did take the time to chat with a couple people for about 3 miles of the route which helped me stay a little more in check with my pace as I might have otherwise started to pick up speed on the flatter sections. Overall, my legs were not too worse for the wear and the rest of the day I spent powerwashing the deck so I think with Sunday as a rest day I am hoping I will be good to go come next weekend (if I remember to sign up). 🫠  *Willow Falls*  *Picture from the top of the stairs, the waterfall is underneath this overhang and this is not really on the running route.*  *Picture looking back towards Willow River and where the waterfall was but you can't see it.*  *Picture before the start of the run looking out at Little Falls Lake* https://ericmwalk.blog/2025/10/09/almost-did-get-this-in.html Thu, 09 Oct 2025 17:38:00 -0600 http://ericmwalk.micro.blog/2025/10/09/almost-did-get-this-in.html <p>Almost didn&rsquo;t get this in today but found a quick break in meetings to squeeze this <a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/16089918268kk">run</a> in. It was a little bit warmer out by the time I did this but still a nice fall day and the run felt good too. Probably faster than I should have been but I was racing the clock.</p> <p><img src="https://cdn.some.pics/ericmwalk/68e848adf3b74.jpg" alt="A winding pathway bordered by tall grasses and trees on either side, leading towards a distant view of houses and a water tower under a partly cloudy blue sky."></p> Almost didn't get this in today but found a quick break in meetings to squeeze this [run](https://www.strava.com/activities/16089918268kk) in. It was a little bit warmer out by the time I did this but still a nice fall day and the run felt good too. Probably faster than I should have been but I was racing the clock.  https://ericmwalk.blog/2025/10/08/i-wanted-to-say-well.html Wed, 08 Oct 2025 19:57:00 -0600 http://ericmwalk.micro.blog/2025/10/08/i-wanted-to-say-well.html <p>I wanted to say, well another year and <a href="https://runs.lol/2024/10/08/well-i-did-another-last">last min registration</a> as that is exactly what it is again but this is starting to become my regular routine signing up for The Trout Brook race the week of the event. This year I will be solo and my reasons for signing up are very simple that I wanted to run 10 miles this Saturday for maybe other plans not flushed out yet. So I am really going to try too not &ldquo;race&rdquo; this and use it as a normal long run.</p> <p><img src="https://cdn.some.pics/ericmwalk/68e71a2b5ddbb.png" alt="Confirmation receipt for Eric Walker&rsquo;s registration for &ldquo;The Trout Brook&rdquo; 10 Miler event, scheduled for October 11, 2025. Order number 4080393, dated October 8, 2025. Waiver initials: EM"></p> <p>Recaps- <a href="https://runs.lol/2024/10/12/2024-trout-brook-10-miler-trail-run">2024</a>, <a href="https://runs.lol/2023/10/07/trout-brook-ten-mile-trail">2023</a></p> I wanted to say, well another year and [last min registration](https://runs.lol/2024/10/08/well-i-did-another-last) as that is exactly what it is again but this is starting to become my regular routine signing up for The Trout Brook race the week of the event. This year I will be solo and my reasons for signing up are very simple that I wanted to run 10 miles this Saturday for maybe other plans not flushed out yet. So I am really going to try too not "race" this and use it as a normal long run.  Recaps- [2024](https://runs.lol/2024/10/12/2024-trout-brook-10-miler-trail-run), [2023](https://runs.lol/2023/10/07/trout-brook-ten-mile-trail) https://ericmwalk.blog/2025/10/08/the-one-really-nice-feature.html Wed, 08 Oct 2025 12:50:00 -0600 http://ericmwalk.micro.blog/2025/10/08/the-one-really-nice-feature.html <p>The one really nice feature about a &ldquo;<a href="https://runs.lol/on-this-day">On This Day</a>&rdquo; page is when I look back and realize a <a href="https://runs.lol/2024/10/08/after-a-long-day-and">year ago</a> while running I took a picture in almost the exact same place as I did <a href="https://runs.lol/2025/10/07/the-weather-was-just-too">last night</a>. Sometimes I wish I could find all of my photos in that exact spot or thereabouts and have them displayed on my site somewhere. I know I could use iPhoto&rsquo;s map feature but I rarely look there for that type of thing.</p> The one really nice feature about a "[On This Day](https://runs.lol/on-this-day)" page is when I look back and realize a [year ago](https://runs.lol/2024/10/08/after-a-long-day-and) while running I took a picture in almost the exact same place as I did [last night](https://runs.lol/2025/10/07/the-weather-was-just-too). Sometimes I wish I could find all of my photos in that exact spot or thereabouts and have them displayed on my site somewhere. I know I could use iPhoto's map feature but I rarely look there for that type of thing. https://ericmwalk.blog/2025/10/07/homemade-stir-fry-was-a.html Tue, 07 Oct 2025 21:35:00 -0600 http://ericmwalk.micro.blog/2025/10/07/homemade-stir-fry-was-a.html <p>Homemade stir fry was a hit tonight with the kids. Made things separate to start as everyone like a different amount of spice and sauce. So it became a made to order after the veggies and noodles were ready as they took what they wanted of each and tossed it in the wok. 🍜</p> <p><img src="https://cdn.some.pics/ericmwalk/68e5dcd54fc1d.jpg" alt="A stove with two pots: one containing cooked noodles and the other with mixed vegetables. Both pots have tongs resting on them."></p> Homemade stir fry was a hit tonight with the kids. Made things separate to start as everyone like a different amount of spice and sauce. So it became a made to order after the veggies and noodles were ready as they took what they wanted of each and tossed it in the wok. 🍜  https://ericmwalk.blog/2025/10/07/the-weather-was-just-too.html Tue, 07 Oct 2025 18:31:00 -0600 http://ericmwalk.micro.blog/2025/10/07/the-weather-was-just-too.html <p>The weather was just too good to pass up getting a <a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/16069453611">run</a> in today after a busy day of meetings, odd projects and running the kids around. I had some time so I took it as what better way to spend a nice cool evening.</p> <p><img src="https://cdn.some.pics/ericmwalk/68e5b121848ff.jpg" alt="A wooden path winds through tall grasses, leading towards a sunset sky with hues of orange and blue. Silhouettes of trees are visible in the background."></p> The weather was just too good to pass up getting a [run](https://www.strava.com/activities/16069453611) in today after a busy day of meetings, odd projects and running the kids around. I had some time so I took it as what better way to spend a nice cool evening.  https://ericmwalk.blog/2025/10/07/sociallol-as-a-blog.html Tue, 07 Oct 2025 14:44:00 -0600 http://ericmwalk.micro.blog/2025/10/07/sociallol-as-a-blog.html <h1 id="sociallol-as-a-blog">social.lol as a blog</h1> <p>Adam wrote about this earlier today where he was able to make <a href="https://social.lol/@adam/115333553803959720">Mastodon work as blog</a> and I found myself tinkering to see how it would work for me. It is actually really straight forward using what <a href="https://neatnik.net/blog/">Adam published </a> as he already had the working prototype. In addition, if I would have just looked harder I would have found the specific code that <a href="https://paste.lol/binarydigit/mini-blog-code">BinaryDigit</a> had shared too with tag support. So with a functioning page of my own my problem came with where to actually have my webpage served from as it is an html file and short of me putting it on one of my other sites I really wanted to keep it in the omg.lol family. 😄</p> <p>The quick solution I came up with that might work with some of you is just having it hosted as your omg.lol web page. This works perfectly fine and you can see my example here but the issue I would have (if I didn&rsquo;t have an extra omg.lol username) is that I am going to assume you like me use that it as an about or landing page.</p> <p>So from concept that was one solution but as it wasn&rsquo;t ideal for me I kept thinking that the perfect soltuion would be to figure out a way to run it from my weblog.lol site. However, I remembered all my pages and posts are all markdown and what I really needed to do was have more html in order to get everything to work right.</p> <p>After a handful of more meetings today it dawned on me when I remembered Adam has that great feature of creating various &ldquo;Templates&rdquo; in weblog and then looking at how my template for this site was created it was really just like an html page with the added compontes to pull in page or post information from my markdown files. So that was my new solution and how I was able to get my social.lol &ldquo;blog&rdquo; hosted from weblog.lol.</p> <p>Here is what mine looks like at <a href="https://social.runs.lol/">social.runs.lol</a>.</p> <p>If you would like to also have yours run from weblog.lol as maybe you are or maybe you aren&rsquo;t using it today. You can grab the template file <a href="https://paste.runs.lol/social-lol-weblog">here</a> and then once you have that created you will need to create a page (could be the main page if you have nothing else) that looks something like this:</p> <pre tabindex="0"><code>Title: social.lol Slug: social Date: 2025-10-07T20:13:44.185Z Type: page Status: published Template: social.lol blog # Welcome to my social.lol blog </code></pre><p>Let me know if you have any questions! Not sure what I will do with this next but it was a fun little experiment for me to do today.</p> <p><em>However, it did bring another project to mind as I keep reusing all my CSS code in different things lately (e.g., some.pics, weblog.lol, and this new social.lol blog) that I really need to create a master shell of that so I don&rsquo;t have to pull parts and feel like I am stating from scratch each time. In addition, I think I might try to make them really feel the same as you move from one to another as I have noticed some differences. One of which I did spend some time fixing is the H1 for the profile took me a long time to get it to match what I have now on weblog.lol and it always bothered me that it didn&rsquo;t. However beyond that one item I know there is more but that is not a today problem it sounds like a future Eric problem.</em></p> # social.lol as a blog Adam wrote about this earlier today where he was able to make [Mastodon work as blog](https://social.lol/@adam/115333553803959720) and I found myself tinkering to see how it would work for me. It is actually really straight forward using what [Adam published ](https://neatnik.net/blog/) as he already had the working prototype. In addition, if I would have just looked harder I would have found the specific code that [BinaryDigit](https://paste.lol/binarydigit/mini-blog-code) had shared too with tag support. So with a functioning page of my own my problem came with where to actually have my webpage served from as it is an html file and short of me putting it on one of my other sites I really wanted to keep it in the omg.lol family. 😄 The quick solution I came up with that might work with some of you is just having it hosted as your omg.lol web page. This works perfectly fine and you can see my example here but the issue I would have (if I didn't have an extra omg.lol username) is that I am going to assume you like me use that it as an about or landing page. So from concept that was one solution but as it wasn't ideal for me I kept thinking that the perfect soltuion would be to figure out a way to run it from my weblog.lol site. However, I remembered all my pages and posts are all markdown and what I really needed to do was have more html in order to get everything to work right. After a handful of more meetings today it dawned on me when I remembered Adam has that great feature of creating various "Templates" in weblog and then looking at how my template for this site was created it was really just like an html page with the added compontes to pull in page or post information from my markdown files. So that was my new solution and how I was able to get my social.lol "blog" hosted from weblog.lol. Here is what mine looks like at [social.runs.lol](https://social.runs.lol/). If you would like to also have yours run from weblog.lol as maybe you are or maybe you aren't using it today. You can grab the template file [here](https://paste.runs.lol/social-lol-weblog) and then once you have that created you will need to create a page (could be the main page if you have nothing else) that looks something like this: ``` Title: social.lol Slug: social Date: 2025-10-07T20:13:44.185Z Type: page Status: published Template: social.lol blog # Welcome to my social.lol blog ``` Let me know if you have any questions! Not sure what I will do with this next but it was a fun little experiment for me to do today. *However, it did bring another project to mind as I keep reusing all my CSS code in different things lately (e.g., some.pics, weblog.lol, and this new social.lol blog) that I really need to create a master shell of that so I don't have to pull parts and feel like I am stating from scratch each time. In addition, I think I might try to make them really feel the same as you move from one to another as I have noticed some differences. One of which I did spend some time fixing is the H1 for the profile took me a long time to get it to match what I have now on weblog.lol and it always bothered me that it didn't. However beyond that one item I know there is more but that is not a today problem it sounds like a future Eric problem.* https://ericmwalk.blog/2025/10/06/wow-the-weather-was-just.html Mon, 06 Oct 2025 12:08:00 -0600 http://ericmwalk.micro.blog/2025/10/06/wow-the-weather-was-just.html <p>Wow the weather was just amazing today so as I rounded back to my house I decided to add another mile to my <a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/16053269029">run</a>. I hope this time fall sticks around! 😄</p> <p><img src="https://cdn.some.pics/ericmwalk/68e42564ab744.jpg" alt="A sunlit forest scene featuring green foliage, trees, and a grassy area, with blue skies and clouds in the background."></p> Wow the weather was just amazing today so as I rounded back to my house I decided to add another mile to my [run](https://www.strava.com/activities/16053269029). I hope this time fall sticks around! 😄  https://ericmwalk.blog/2025/10/06/it-seemed-like-a-good.html Mon, 06 Oct 2025 07:05:00 -0600 http://ericmwalk.micro.blog/2025/10/06/it-seemed-like-a-good.html <p>It seemed like a good thing to do today after a busy weekend to make the big two breakfast today before I really got into work mode. 👨‍🍳 🍳🥓</p> <p><img src="https://cdn.some.pics/ericmwalk/68e3bee5534bb.jpg" alt="Frying pan on a stove with two eggs in round molds, a piece of toasted bread, and a small round piece of toasted bread, all on a granite countertop."></p> It seemed like a good thing to do today after a busy weekend to make the big two breakfast today before I really got into work mode. 👨‍🍳 🍳🥓  https://ericmwalk.blog/2025/10/04/against-my-better-judgement-i.html Sat, 04 Oct 2025 12:03:00 -0500 http://ericmwalk.micro.blog/2025/10/04/against-my-better-judgement-i.html <p>Against my better judgement I went on this <a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/16032658208">run</a> today. I knew it was going to be hot (cooler tomorrow) and I was tired. However, there was a slight underline plan to walk and run at points to see how I could handle that. Overall went well but wish I could have slowed the pace a little.</p> <p><img src="https://cdn.some.pics/ericmwalk/68e15789da305.jpg" alt="A narrow winding path through a forested area, surrounded by green bushes and trees, with fallen leaves covering the ground. Sunlight filters through the branches, illuminating parts of the trail and the creek to the side."></p> <p><img src="https://cdn.some.pics/ericmwalk/68e156b19c141.jpg" alt="A narrow, winding trail through a lush, green wooded area, surrounded by tall trees and blooming wildflowers under a clear blue sky."></p> <p><img src="https://cdn.some.pics/ericmwalk/68e157cb2e538.jpg" alt="A dense path through a lush, green area with large leaves, wildflowers, and scattered weeds, surrounded by trees and underbrush."></p> Against my better judgement I went on this [run](https://www.strava.com/activities/16032658208) today. I knew it was going to be hot (cooler tomorrow) and I was tired. However, there was a slight underline plan to walk and run at points to see how I could handle that. Overall went well but wish I could have slowed the pace a little.    https://ericmwalk.blog/2025/10/03/even-getting-this-run-done.html Fri, 03 Oct 2025 09:50:00 -0600 http://ericmwalk.micro.blog/2025/10/03/even-getting-this-run-done.html <p>Even getting this <a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/16021422614">run</a> done a little earlier today it still felt warm with the cooler temps. However, I did decided to go longer than planned as I am not sure what the weekend will hold and I am just shooting for miles now.</p> <p><img src="https://cdn.some.pics/ericmwalk/68e052035dc28.jpg" alt="A serene landscape featuring a field of tall grass, illuminated by the warm glow of the rising sun. Trees frame the scene on either side, and a light mist hovers above the field, under a clear blue sky."></p> Even getting this [run](https://www.strava.com/activities/16021422614) done a little earlier today it still felt warm with the cooler temps. However, I did decided to go longer than planned as I am not sure what the weekend will hold and I am just shooting for miles now.  https://ericmwalk.blog/2025/10/02/played-a-new-game-tonight.html Thu, 02 Oct 2025 22:03:00 -0600 http://ericmwalk.micro.blog/2025/10/02/played-a-new-game-tonight.html <p>Played a new game tonight called <a href="https://www.thecactuscardgame.com">What’s the Point</a>. It actually wasn’t all bad even with the joking title making you wonder. It was a quick and easy game to setup and figure out which is nice to fit something quick in before bed.</p> <p><img src="https://cdn.some.pics/ericmwalk/68df4bb6aa7f5.jpg" alt="A girl and a woman are seated at a wooden table, playing a card game. The girl, wearing a pink tie-dye shirt, is smiling and holding cards, while the woman in a red sweatshirt looks at her cards with a thoughtful expression."></p> <p><em>PS… I won!</em></p> Played a new game tonight called [What’s the Point](https://www.thecactuscardgame.com). It actually wasn’t all bad even with the joking title making you wonder. It was a quick and easy game to setup and figure out which is nice to fit something quick in before bed.  *PS… I won!* https://ericmwalk.blog/2025/10/01/the-stars-aligned-this-morning.html Wed, 01 Oct 2025 12:19:00 -0600 http://ericmwalk.micro.blog/2025/10/01/the-stars-aligned-this-morning.html <p>The stars aligned this morning and I had cloud cover and an hour free to get out for a <a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/16000224321">run</a>. Tried to keep this run at an easy workout just to get miles and after the past two days I felt good and was faster than I was thinking.</p> <p><img src="https://cdn.some.pics/ericmwalk/68dd71b56e07a.jpg" alt="A scenic view of a field surrounded by trees, with a bright blue sky and fluffy white clouds. The foliage shows signs of autumn, with hints of color in the trees."></p> The stars aligned this morning and I had cloud cover and an hour free to get out for a [run](https://www.strava.com/activities/16000224321). Tried to keep this run at an easy workout just to get miles and after the past two days I felt good and was faster than I was thinking.  https://ericmwalk.blog/2025/09/30/decided-to-try-to-get.html Tue, 30 Sep 2025 19:50:00 -0600 http://ericmwalk.micro.blog/2025/09/30/decided-to-try-to-get.html <p>Decided to try to get some <a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/15993181523">miles</a> in tonight during my youngest volleyball practice. The trail started to get a little dark but thankfully I wasn’t on it for too long.</p> <p><img src="https://cdn.some.pics/ericmwalk/68dc8adecee5d.jpg" alt="A narrow, winding dirt path through a dense forest, surrounded by tall trees and lush green undergrowth. The scene appears dimly lit, suggesting a tranquil, secluded atmosphere."></p> Decided to try to get some [miles](https://www.strava.com/activities/15993181523) in tonight during my youngest volleyball practice. The trail started to get a little dark but thankfully I wasn’t on it for too long.  https://ericmwalk.blog/2025/09/29/from-the-time-i-started.html Mon, 29 Sep 2025 18:52:00 -0600 http://ericmwalk.micro.blog/2025/09/29/from-the-time-i-started.html <p>From the time I started this <a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/15976416624">run</a> till the end the temperature rose almost 20°F. Glad I got it done and had the trail to myself with a little speed in there.</p> <p><img src="https://cdn.some.pics/ericmwalk/68db2a506a5e7.jpg" alt="A sandy path bordered by lush green trees and bushes, with sunlight filtering through the leaves. Leaves are scattered along the ground."></p> From the time I started this [run](https://www.strava.com/activities/15976416624) till the end the temperature rose almost 20°F. Glad I got it done and had the trail to myself with a little speed in there.  https://ericmwalk.blog/2025/09/27/fun-at-luceline-orchard.html Sat, 27 Sep 2025 20:02:00 -0600 http://ericmwalk.micro.blog/2025/09/27/fun-at-luceline-orchard.html <p>Since the older kids and April went down to the Iowa State Cyclones Football game I was bound and determined to find something fun for our youngest and me after her morning activities. So we decided on heading to an Apple Orchard as it has been on the list to do and before we know it our fall weekends will probably slip by.</p> <p>However, by the time we got there we realized we only had 1.5 hrs so we bought wristbands (in order to give us unlimited activities) and tried to cram everything in we could in the time we had from the Corn Maze to a Giant Slide to shooting some apples towards a target. The only unfortunat part was we didn&rsquo;t get a chance to actually PICK apples but we did buy the most expensive bag of Apples around and over the next week we will EAT and ENJOY every last one of them!</p> <p><img src="https://cdn.some.pics/ericmwalk/68dd21ba96ba5.jpg" alt="A girl stands next to a colorful height chart at Luceline Orchard, featuring painted cartoon animals and a sign that says &ldquo;How tall this fall?""> <em>Typical picture at the Orchard but I can’t believe she is over 5’ now!</em> 😱</p> <p><img src="https://cdn.some.pics/ericmwalk/68dd21d765cc4.jpg" alt="A young girl stands beside a green alien statue in a cornfield, both pointing upwards towards the sky. The sun is shining and the corn plants are visible in the background."> <em>In the corn maze we found some friends that let us a stray from the right path from time to time.</em></p> <p><img src="https://cdn.some.pics/ericmwalk/68dd21ef09cd9.jpg" alt="A smiling man and girl wearing sunglasses sit side by side in a metal ride structure on a sunny day. The background features a bright blue sky and hints of greenery."> <em>Top of the “Big Slide” (maybe not that big here on the orchard)</em></p> <p><img src="https://cdn.some.pics/ericmwalk/68dd22052183b.jpg" alt="A young girl with long hair sits on the grass, wearing sunglasses and a navy shirt. She is smiling and appears relaxed, with a blanket partially covering her legs. In the background, there are people and a yellow tent."> <em>She beat me down on the first round.</em></p> <p><img src="https://cdn.some.pics/ericmwalk/68dd221e402d9.jpg" alt="A girl in a navy shirt and pink shorts is shooting a basketball towards a farm equipment with basketball hoops attached. In the background, a few people are watching, surrounded by corn fields under a clear blue sky."> <em>Basketball with a grain wagon as a rebounder.</em></p> <p><img src="https://cdn.some.pics/ericmwalk/68dd2238cc150.jpg" alt="A group of children and an adult enjoy a grassy outdoor area, with one child on a zip line and another on a nearby swing. Trees line the background under a clear blue sky."> <em>Nothing like a little zip line with some very wobbly poles that are not pictured that I could see have been fixed a couple times with metal now.</em></p> <p><img src="https://cdn.some.pics/ericmwalk/68dd2a202c726.jpg" alt="A young girl stands with her back to the camera, aiming a launcher at a distant target in an open grassy field surrounded by trees. The sky is clear and sunny, and there are equipment and corn husks nearby."> <em>Ready, Aim, Fire that Apple Shooter!</em></p> Since the older kids and April went down to the Iowa State Cyclones Football game I was bound and determined to find something fun for our youngest and me after her morning activities. So we decided on heading to an Apple Orchard as it has been on the list to do and before we know it our fall weekends will probably slip by. However, by the time we got there we realized we only had 1.5 hrs so we bought wristbands (in order to give us unlimited activities) and tried to cram everything in we could in the time we had from the Corn Maze to a Giant Slide to shooting some apples towards a target. The only unfortunat part was we didn't get a chance to actually PICK apples but we did buy the most expensive bag of Apples around and over the next week we will EAT and ENJOY every last one of them!  *Typical picture at the Orchard but I can’t believe she is over 5’ now!* 😱  *In the corn maze we found some friends that let us a stray from the right path from time to time.*  *Top of the “Big Slide” (maybe not that big here on the orchard)*  *She beat me down on the first round.*  *Basketball with a grain wagon as a rebounder.*  *Nothing like a little zip line with some very wobbly poles that are not pictured that I could see have been fixed a couple times with metal now.*  *Ready, Aim, Fire that Apple Shooter!* https://ericmwalk.blog/2025/09/26/last-run-in-portland-today.html Fri, 26 Sep 2025 09:00:00 -0600 http://ericmwalk.micro.blog/2025/09/26/last-run-in-portland-today.html <p>Last <a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/15942802394">run</a> in Portland today before heading home. At least it wasn’t raining but it was very humid out today as I made my typical trek into the Back Cove.</p> <p><img src="https://cdn.some.pics/ericmwalk/68d6b122ed667.jpg" alt="A scenic view of a calm river at sunset, with dark clouds above and a soft orange glow on the horizon. The foreground features grassy land leading to the water, while the background shows a silhouette of buildings and trees."> <img src="https://cdn.some.pics/ericmwalk/68d6b13c34892.jpg" alt="A tranquil sunset over a calm body of water, featuring old wooden pilings sticking out from the water&rsquo;s surface. Sailboats are moored in the background against a colorful sky filled with clouds."></p> Last [run](https://www.strava.com/activities/15942802394) in Portland today before heading home. At least it wasn’t raining but it was very humid out today as I made my typical trek into the Back Cove.   https://ericmwalk.blog/2025/09/25/last-minute-i-decided-to.html Thu, 25 Sep 2025 07:44:00 -0600 http://ericmwalk.micro.blog/2025/09/25/last-minute-i-decided-to.html <p>Last minute I decided to do a short <a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/15930896323">run</a> today in the fog and mist. It wasn&rsquo;t all that bad out but I was short on time before the day started. Maybe tomorrow I will try to get a longer run in before flying home.</p> <p><img src="https://cdn.some.pics/ericmwalk/68d547b716dd0.jpg" alt="A view of a gravel path alongside a set of railway tracks, with trees and greenery on one side and a fence along a body of water in the distance. A light pole is visible along the path, and the sky appears overcast."></p> Last minute I decided to do a short [run](https://www.strava.com/activities/15930896323) today in the fog and mist. It wasn't all that bad out but I was short on time before the day started. Maybe tomorrow I will try to get a longer run in before flying home.  https://ericmwalk.blog/2025/09/24/glad-to-get-this-run.html Wed, 24 Sep 2025 18:37:00 -0600 http://ericmwalk.micro.blog/2025/09/24/glad-to-get-this-run.html <p>Glad to get this <a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/15920245194">run</a> in today circling around the city of Portland, ME peninsula. I found a trail on the far side that I had never been on before and it reminded me that maybe my ankles are still a little beat up from the hiking this weekend.</p> <p><img src="https://cdn.some.pics/ericmwalk/68d49543e631e.jpg" alt="A narrow dirt path winds through a colorful forest, lined with trees and vibrant foliage in shades of green, red, and orange."></p> <p><img src="https://cdn.some.pics/ericmwalk/68d4955432ffc.jpg" alt="A scenic view of a calm bay at sunset, featuring several sailboats on the water, a cloudy sky with hues of blue and orange, and a silhouette of a tree and grassy area in the foreground."></p> Glad to get this [run](https://www.strava.com/activities/15920245194) in today circling around the city of Portland, ME peninsula. I found a trail on the far side that I had never been on before and it reminded me that maybe my ankles are still a little beat up from the hiking this weekend.