Well, its that time again.  Time we set forth into a new year.  Time to put what is past past, and what is ahead into hope.  Every year we shake off the joy of the holidays, stand at the starting line to the page on the calendar, lower our heads, and make a run for it as the gun goes off.  2012 is over.  2013 is here.

Every year I try my best to put together some “resolution”.  Something to accomplish.  Typically they fall to pieces in the first couple of weeks.  But we all have been there, I am sure … well … most of us. 

Truth is, I’ve been having such a good time up here in Alaska, with the great beer, great pizza, great beer, great irish food, great beer  … yeah, you get the picture.  Truth is, I’ve not been good with exercising since the pup came along.  Truth is, I am getting worried that by the time spring comes along I will be too lazy and out of shape to really enjoy Alaska.  And I want to enjoy this spring and summer, do things, go places.  Places like … like … Valdez.

Valdez is a small fishing village just a hundred miles or so as the crow flies, but due to the mountians and Prince Edward Sound, it takes 300 miles of driving to get there.  304 to be exact.  I visited there in 2006, and coworkers continue to tell me of its charm and quaintness.  That being said, its no place to visit in the winter.  It gets more snow than any town in America – that isn’t bragging, that is the hard fact.  They average 27ft of snow a year, which is 9 more feet than 2nd place; and 11 feet more than 3rd place (our beloved Houghton, Michigan home of the 2012 GLI Champions Michigan Technological University … my alma mater).  So I am going to visit Valdez for Memorial Day this year May.

While I will drive to Valdez for Memorial Day, first … I am going to walk there.

I got this little phone ap “Map My Hike” (same as Map My Run, or Map My Walk, Map My Bike Ride or Map My Drunken Stuper from the Irish Pub).  Gives an accurate distance using GPS on how you go when out and about.  I’m going to use that to track my hiking, dog walking, time on a tredmill, geocaching, etc etc.

The goal is simple — 304 miles from January 1st until May 27th.  That is an average of 2.1 miles per day, or 60-64 miles a month.  It’s fairly easy in my grasp.  Bunny counts from this summer showed I could knock down 100 miles in a month no problem, but that was pre-Auggie and when the sun was out until 9pm. 

So watch for the bunny count to include those numbers.

And Happy New Year Everyone