That darn pedometer

Actually it's a great pedometer, Omron Pocket Pedometer. It works in a variety of placements about the body: pocket, belt, ... It keeps track of total steps vs. aerobic steps. It has conversion features into miles. It has a week's worth of memory. The only thing wrong with it is the amount of exercise it is going to make me do.

That exercise is the subject of this blog. But first let me give a little background. My middle sister gave it to me as a gift. It must have arrived late yesterday because I noticed the package as I was going out to get today's, Saturday's, paper. Instead of heading off to get my kitchen faucet early this morning as I had planned, I was instead setting up the pedometer. (The most difficult part of setting it up was finding my measuring tape to measure my ten steps.) After inserting the battery, I had to set the time, input my weight, and set my step length, two feet ten inches.

After setting it all up, I went to get my faucet, which Fixtures and Faucets didn't have in stock and had to order for me. At least since I had to pay a shipping charge, it will be shipped directly to my house. Since Fixtures and Faucets was just a couple miles away from Whole Foods, I went on to Whole Foods to get some quality vegetables and fruit, including a bag each of frozen peaches and mangoes. I'm glad I had my cold bag because I decided to go walking before I made it home.

Instead of turning left at Fassler, I turned right and parked in a beach access parking lot out close to the ocean. I suppose the whole area is considered Rockaway Beach.

The waves were something to see. As were the surfers. I walked along Rockaway Beach and over the hill to Linda Mar Beach. I ducked into the Taco Bell to unzip my two layers of jackets so I could check my new pedometer. (This particular Taco Bell is eight or nine on the best Fast Food locations list, kind of a Fast Food Wonders of the World. Maybe it was just the U.S.) I had only walked 2,700 steps or so, so I decided to hike up to the road end of San Pedro Point.

As I was walking I noticed a surfer who was changing out of his wet suit. He had it down to his waist with his whole upper torso skin exposed to what I considered a chilling wind. This was quite a contrast to my attire of a T-shirt, topped by a Christmas gift Ohio State sweat shirt, (Thank you sister-in-law/brother-in-law Jan and Ron.), then my fleece vest zipped up all the way, and finally my North Face shell, also zipped up. At least I wasn't wearing my cross-country ski gloves that I had with me. After the stripping surfer, I noticed a woman running along the beach in just a tank top and shorts and a man playing with the waves in just a swim suit. Most of the fellow walkers I passed were a little more clothed but none were so to my extent. Most had on some kind of a sweatshirt or wind breaking jacket and either spandex pants or jeans.

There were a lot of walkers, a few bikers, and even a few Segway riders. These could be rented at Rockaway Beach and ridden as far as I walked. Of course, they aren't much exercise, but they look like fun. About half the people I passed were friendly, acknowledging my presence or even saying "Hi." The other half mostly avoid eye contact.

I did see one kid on a BMX type bike that had a surf board carrier attachment, kind of like a side car without a wheel. I don't know whether or not it was a commercial after market add on or something they built themselves but it looked neat, well, very functional.

All in all, I walked over 6,000 aerobic steps and over 10,000 steps, five miles, so far today. If I hadn't stopped to take pictures, which you can see in my Kodak Gallery Album, I would have probably had more aerobic steps. Even though it has rained a couple times since I've gotten home, I'm debating on going out to walk a two-mile distance I know of to see if I've calibrated my new pedometer correctly. That darn pedometer! It's too easy to use and draws me to use it.