"walking tour" by map

plantgrrl

Does anyone else do this? My cousin gave me the idea to create a virtual walking tour by google map. By the end of this year my goal is to walk/jog from my home in central Virginia to Key West, FL along the coast and hitting as many State/National Parks as possible. If I average 4.3 miles a day, I can make it! Every few days when I find an interesting point of reference I make a facebook post about it (that's what she does and that's what got me interested).

So far I've found that having a long term goal with fun places to research has helped keep me motivated to move (grant you we're only a week in, but still!). I'm using my maps in google maps and the daftlogic Distance Calculator to measure how far I've gone. When a day is over I chart how far I've gone and put a marker on the map where I've stopped. I then calculate how many miles I've traveled and how many miles are left and if I'm still on track to arrive at the average daily pace to arrive by 12/31. I'm currently behind a little--because I decided to "motivate by map" as it were on the 3rd of January. But I'm trying to go over the average now anyways in order to finish before December or add a few more parks and islands to the trip.

It's just a fun motivator! When I'm feeling lazy I know I'll fall short of my walking goal and my marker won't move as far and it makes me get up and jog while I watch TV.

You can watch me move at: My Virtual Walking Tour

And you can calculate your own distances at: DaftLogic Distance Calculator

To measure distances I'm using the Garmin Vivofit2 I got for Christmas, which allows me to measure every step, even when I don't have pockets (the tyranny of fashion, right ladies?). But you could use a pedometer, a phone app, or some other fitness step counting device.

Where would you go on your tour? I'm thinking of "walking" the islands of the Caribbean next (boat from island to island and then "walk" and learn more about the islands as I go).