Walk #63

After two days of MBA orientation and then two weekend days of strong storms (and record rainfall), Cali and I dodged squalls today and got back to work on our project. Cali enjoyed the puddles but didn't like all of the chestnuts that had blown down in the storms (pinned photos). She DID enjoy the chickens and bunnies (another pinned photo)!

Walk #63 at EveryTrail

Walks #61 and #62

On a brisk morning (48F), we completed the last of the walks we'll do that involve a lot of hills. Today's walk had 1500 ft of elevation changes in 2.8 miles.

We also saw our 8th Free Little Library (pinned photo on the map). After yesterday's front page feature story in the Corvallis Gazette Times, there will be more of these soon.

Walk #61 at EveryTrail


It was sunny and 58F at the beginning and end of this afternoon's walk. But we got drenched during the middle two-thirds of the walk. Cali loved it!

Walk #62 at EveryTrail

Walks #59 and #60

After a night of heavy rain, this morning's walk was full of puddles for Cali to enjoy. We had a good walk in Skyline West with about 975 ft. of total elevation change in 3.2 miles.

Walk #59 at EveryTrail


With a break between rain showers, we walked again this afternoon and just got a bit wet at the end. We're trying to complete the NW area of Corvallis this week. This afternoon's walk was hilly again - about 1500 ft. of elevation change over 2.9 miles. This was another six mile day!

Walk #60 at EveryTrail

Walk #58

Fall officially arrived this weekend, and we had quite a bit of rain. Streets were wet this morning, and it was only about 55F, but we stayed dry.

Walk #58 at EveryTrail

Walk #57

Between rain showers, Matt and Cali and I walked in an area that we really didn't know much about. It was interesting.

Walk #57 at EveryTrail

Walks #55 and #56

The rain held off this morning and early afternoon, so we walked twice!

Walk #55 at EveryTrail


Walk #56 at EveryTrail

Walks #53 and #54

On a clear and crisp morning, we walked through the neighborhood where we lived when Matt was born. A photo of our house is under one of the map pins. The other pin has a photo of a rooster that could be heard almost everywhere on our 3+ mile walk.

Walk #53 at EveryTrail


With rain predicted for the next few days, and with Cali wanting to get out again, we did another walk this afternoon. It was about 75F and sunny - perfect!

Walk #54 at EveryTrail

Walk #52

This morning's walk was crisp - sunny and about 56F. We covered "necessary" streets today. There was quite a bit of traffic, and the neighborhoods weren't the most fun to be walking through. But Cali did like seeing kids queued up waiting for the school bus.

Walk #52 at EveryTrail

Walk #51

This walk was only about two miles, but we had about 475 total feet of total elevation change with all of the ups and downs and cul de sacs. We went in the afternoon today because of morning meetings. Fortunately, it had rained a bit earlier and was only about 68F.

Walk #51 at EveryTrail

Walk #50

Cali and I walked after church today. It is overcast and cool but still dry. We saw our 7th Free Little Library (photo under the map pin).

Walk #50 at EveryTrail

Walk #49

There was mist in the air this morning. It's quite cool and overcast. Today is supposed to be warm again, but then the weather will change - much cooler and possible rain the next few days.

Walk #49 at EveryTrail

Walk #48

Nice. Cool. Overcast. 62F. Perfect for walking.

In case you're ever lost, check this place under the pin on today's EveryTrail map.

Walk #48 at EveryTrail

Walk #47

Today is overcast and cooler. Cali appreciated that. Our walk wasn't very efficient today, since the area we covered was complicated and included a long "out and back" section of Harrison Blvd. stretching to the edge of the city limits.

We saw another Free Little Library (photo under the pin) - our sixth one!

Walk #47 at EveryTrail

Walk #46

Cali found chickens (photo under the pin) again. We also passed some on yesterday's walk, but Cali didn't see them.

Today will be hot again, so we walked earlier and finished when the temperature was still below 65F.

Walk #46 at EveryTrail

Walk #45

It was definitely warmer for our hilly walk this morning - almost 75F. Today's high temperature in Corvallis will be in the low 90Fs.

Walk #45 at EveryTrail

Walk #44

Warmer weather is returning to Corvallis. It was 68F when we finished our 3+ mile walk in a hilly section of Corvallis today.

Highlights included the fifth Free Little Library we've noticed (check the pins), several deer, two cats, and three wild turkeys (photo under a pin).

Walk #44 at EveryTrail

Walk #43

It was chilly and overcast but dry for this morning's walk. There's a photo of another blue bottle garden sculpture under the pin on the map - this time with orange flamingos!

Walk #43 at EveryTrail

Walk #42

After our walk yesterday, an unusually strong storm hit Corvallis. Cali was terrified by the booming thunder. We repeatedly lost power at home. There were hundreds of lightning strikes. It was spectacular! Almost 3 inches of rain fell on Corvallis. The result was a very wet walk this morning - no rain, but lots of wet plants and plenty of puddles for Cali (see the photo under one of the pins).

Today's path was through neighborhoods with a lot of sunflower gardens (another photo under a pin). The chickadees, nuthatches, and finches are loving those right now.

Today's neighborhoods also have a lot of cats. I've learned to try to cross to the other side of the street when I see one before Cali sees it so that we don't have a typical "cat episode" where I end up dragging Cali along to keep moving. But that didn't work today for Jack the Cat. Jack ran across the street to meet us. Cali actually loved it. Jack and Cali did the little circling dance that dogs do when they meet. Cali wasn't aggressive, and Jack wasn't afraid. So Cali has a new friend.

Finally, we passed the fourth Free Little Library (another pinned photo) that we've noticed in Corvallis.

Walk #42 at EveryTrail

Walk #41

As we move into late summer, the weather for walking keeps getting better. Today was overcast and about 64F with storms forecast later in the day.

Walk #41 at EveryTrail

Progress After 40 Walks

Cali and I have completed 40 walks on this project to walk every street in Corvallis. Here is how the map looked after 16 walks:

Here is how it looks after 40 walks:

And here is the EveryTrail animation version:

40th Walk Progress at EveryTrail


We've now completely filled in a few sections of town. We focussed on the area around the OSU campus in the past month, since that area is about to get very busy with students returning for the new academic year.

During our first 40 walks, we've covered 98.8 miles for an average walk of about 2.5 miles. I've burned almost 11,000 calories. On the parts of our walks that covered new streets (as opposed to walking on previously covered streets to reach the new ones), we've walked 86.5 miles. Of course, some of those miles also retrace some parts of some streets. It's impossible to be completely efficient - especially with all of the cul de sacs in Corvallis.

At this point, my guess is that we're about a third of the way toward our goal.

Walk #40

We finished another section of Corvallis this morning on yet another perfect day for walking. We also found another Corvallis Free Little Library (the third one we've noticed) - check the pin for the photo.

Walk #40 at EveryTrail

Walk #39

This was another longer walk from home to complete a few remaining streets within walking reach of our house. Still, we walked almost three miles to cover 1.4 miles of new streets (many of which were cul de sacs or re-tracings). Some parts of Corvallis just aren't easy to complete efficiently.

We did see a family of wild turkeys in the meadow near home, and we found another Little Free Library. The photos are under the pins on the map.

Walk #39 at EveryTrail

Walk #38

We took a longer walk today and covered about 2.5 miles of new streets as part of a 3.5 mile walk from home and back.

Walk #38 at EveryTrail

Walk #37

Today's dog walk with Cali, Matt & Magic included a bit less than a quarter mile of streets for this project, so I'm calling it Walk #37. The whole walk was almost two miles.

Walk #37 at EveryTrail