The Last Day of Mark's Camino.

Day 30 on June 30th.

I've so enjoyed following this latest Camino of Mark's and I find myself wondering what his next walking adventure will be.

"It’s here. I feel a range of emotions this morning as I write this, and make my coffee. This day seemed so far into the future. In fact, it seemed much longer than 30 days. Maybe I have been waiting my entire life for this day. Something in my heart and gut is crying out. I’ve never wanted something so bad. I am heading out to the Carlos Avery Trail near Forest Lake. "

"Do you believe in signs? I do today. Actually, I believe in what the Author Squire Bushnell writes of. He refers to them as Godwinks. In his book, he suggests that God is winking at us all the time and letting us know we are on the right path, if we only care to look up. I knew this would be a special hike as I drove out to Forest Lake to walk the Carlos Avery Trail and hike 8.7 miles for my finale. It had been a short and unrestful night and my alarm went off at 4:45 a.m. I’ve heard it said that home is where the heart is. As I drove up to the entrance to the park, I began to shudder a bit. Right before the entrance, I noticed a house. It wasn’t an ordinary house. It was my dream house. About 15 years ago I saw a version of this house in a movie and I have been adding details to it for the last 15 years. I have never mentioned it to a single person. If I ever was to build a home on a lake or river or in the mountains, this was it and it was right before my eyes. I found a parking spot and as I have come to expect, I never saw another person for 9 miles. I began to notice the orange and black signs describing this reserve as a sanctuary. It was forbidden to enter and you had to walk on the perimeter. This sanctuary was for the birds, bees, other inhabitants and no outsiders. Imagine keeping your home as a place of refuge for peace, passion, and protection. You would forbid anyone who you did not honor, trust and respect from entering or who did not honor, trust, and respect you. Edward Everett wrote, “There is no sanctuary of virtue like home.”

One of my favorite songs of all time is the piece, Endless Night, performed by a London Theatre group. I know the night must end, and that the sun will rise. It is for all those who have lost their way at some point in life at least once. I know that the clouds will clear and that the sun will rise. Yes, I know…yes, I know that the sun will rise and I will hear your voice deep inside. I swear I have listened to this song 1,000 times. I was walking and at about mile 6 I saw it and could not believe my eyes. The river that wound its way through the Carlos Avery Trail was named, Sunrise River.

My friend, Tony Ruesing sent me a book after I walked the Camino de Santiago in Spain. It was written by a Jesuit priest, Narciso Irala in 1954 and the title is, Achieving Peace of Heart. I found it interesting that he dedicated it to all who would direct their feet in the way of peace of heart. For the last ten years or so, I have gone virtually every year to a silent retreat run by the Jesuit religious order near New Orleans.

What inspired me the most were two paragraphs seemingly buried in the book. Happiness impelled St. Ignatius, when he saw a flower, to say with tears of consolation, “Be silent. Be quiet for I understand you.” And the following…”At first in prayer I used to look toward Heaven but ever since I realized that God was within me, I look toward myself and feel great joy. The word enthusiasm means to be inspired by God and the Greek adjective, entheos, means, “having God within.” Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “Nothing great happens without enthusiasm.”

On October 11, 2008, after walking over 500 miles I entered the City of Santiago and found myself in front of the Cathedral. People or pilgrims as they have become known have been walking this path for over 1,000 years. It was the first time in my life that I experienced true joy. It was joy of the purest kind and my life has never been the same. What is a Camino? Camino is simply Spanish for the way or path. I have come to know a Camino as a 30 day commitment to self. A journey to yourself. Finding something you can do for thirty days in a row will help you practice the gift of consistency and you will reap the rewards that come from being true to yourself first.

Today, I share two photos with you. The first is of the sanctuary sign above. The second is of an orchid. It is a beautiful, white orchid and it resides in my home. Mark’s Wild@Heart Sanctuary. Little did I know two weeks ago, how meaningful this flower would become. Buen Camino!


If you have enjoyed following Mark LeBlanc and would like to find out more about him then visit http://www.SmallBusinessSuccess.com

Praise for Breast Cancer Care

The one thing on my priority list this morning was talking to someone at Breast Cancer Care about my experience of the Pink Ribbon Walk last Saturday. I had been so impressed that I wanted to pass the message on to the people who do all the hard work.

Through the medium of Twitter I was able to get a name and number and I've just called the lovely Georgina who was a delight to speak to.

Having worked for charities myself for many years I know only too well how hard it is to fund raise especially in these challenging times, yet how important it is to get that money in. I also know how often we follow up problems and issues to complain and how easy it is to feel happy about something but never quite get round to letting the people that matter know about it.

I got a load of pleasure being able to pass on this great feedback to Georgina who I'm sure will pass it onto her team and I know I made her very happy too.

So, who could you tell today about some wonderful experience you've had? Who could you feedback to? Whose day could you make? ...and is this something you could do more often?

If you're into walking then I can heartily recommend a Pink Ribbon Walk for you in 2010. Have a look at http://www.breastcancercare.org.uk/server/show/nav.725

Breast Cancer Care's Pink Ribbon Walk at Petworth 2009

We were probably better trained for this walk than we were for the Inca Trail. There's no great mystery or disillusionment re Peru as it was a fabulous experience - http://www.walkerscoach.com/inca_trail__the_dream_comes.htm I think it's more about circumstances and what was going on for all of us in our lives. This time we were walking very regularly anyhow, had a bit more time and as I running training walks for the Moonwalk ladies, it seemed to make sense to use those as training walks too.

So by the time we got to Arundel on the night before the walk we'd done a couple of 20 milers, a couple of 18 and 16 mile that had turned into 23. We had escaped London ahead of the Friday traffic so were in good form as we gathered to enjoy a drink and a meal together.

Lindsey looks happy to have found the Newcastle Brown.

Half the team (below) relaxed and ready to have a good evening.

After a lovely sunny day, it was a little shock to the system to find fairly thick fog the following morning but I had ordered good weather so I put my shorts on and headed for breakfast.

The fog was still with us, as you can see in the photo, so much so that Petworth House was barely visible but that didn't really matter. We had photos taken, found Gemma who'd driven up from Brighton to join us and declined a second breakfast although it was great that facilities were there to have it.

The East End Girls Team in the fog, complete with tiaras so we can find each other.

After the Aviva Walk in 2006, this was quite a small gathering but that in itself was lovely. It was fun to find a few people we knew, to chat and then after a warm up, we were off.

In the photo you can see the stream of pink as we headed up the first incline still in Petworth Park. The pace at this stage was fast and it was clear that there were a number of people who intended to make very few stops and get round in record time.

We walk fast but on a day like this we were out to enjoy all aspects of it and have some good breaks to recharge the batteries.

Some of the terrain we walked through below.

Two photos were taken on the lower slopes of Bexley Hill where we had great views over the countryside. It was such a perfect day to see it all.

Lunch was calling as we headed into The Cowdray Estate and marvelled at the polo lawns so well cultivated and tended. Then were the ruins of what has to have been a phenomenal house before being destroyed by fire in 1793.

The girls wanted to get a closer look but no one would let them in.

Here also was one of the many fantastic rest stops. I was so impressed at the never ending supplies of water, bananas, apples and wedges of oranges as well as those fantastic Eat Natural Bars and haribo sweets. As much as you wanted at every stop.

It was in Cowdray Park that we choose to have lunch and were lucky enough to find a large tree offering loads of shade where we could enjoy a good 45-60 minutes break.


Thankfully from this point we were into woodland again and dappled shade and were on the return leg soon knowing that the miles to do would now reduce with every step.

Although this was true, this next stage was probably the longest one without a rest stop and we were beginning to run out of water when we finally arrived. There had been more hills and on such a hot day we were sticky and sweaty. In fact quite a lot of my water was going down the back and front of my t shirt as I tried to keep cool.

Vanessa managed a set at the next rest stop while the rest of us collapsed on the grass.

It was about 5.5 miles from this point and we'd overheard someone say that it was all downhill towards the end. As we came across more and more hills we wondered when this was going to start.

Here was another up - why do they call this area the South Downs? as my team said, there are very few downs at all!! At least it was cool in this tunnel of trees.

Then we were into open space and at the top of a hill and there in the distance we could see Petworth House just peaking through the trees. A definite reason to have another photo. It also looked as if it might, at last, be downhill all the way from here....and it was. No wonder we all look happy.

Getting closer to the end and yes, we're nearly on the level.

We could tell by the distance from the house that there was still a mile or so to walk but by now we could see, not only the house, but the finish as well and that large pink arch, what a sight.

Just love this photo of Teresa hugging Gemma after we crossed the line, it says it all.

Day 29 on Mark's Camino

It's the 29th June and the penultimate day on Mark's Camino.

"The anticipation of completing this special Camino is almost more than I can handle. This afternoon I will drive over to Snail Lake for a short, 3.2 mile hike. My day is full with client meetings, a video shoot, creative writing, and my nephew Dom’s baseball playoff game this evening. Yes, I can handle all that matters today. I don’t have time for anything that doesn’t count. Buen Camino!"
"Here is a special Camino perspective with you, courtesy of Ralph Marston.

Beautiful moment

When one beautiful moment ends, another begins. Do not hold so tightly thatyou miss the beauty altogether. With a thankful heart, enjoy the goodnessthat comes your way in things great and small. The way to make sure younever lose it is to simply let it be. In good times the joys of life come,one after another. Be open and accepting of what is now here, and you willconnect with the abundance that is all around you.

Each moment is a blessing. Treasure its unique gifts and do not rush to thenext one, or worry that the last one was insufficient. Relish the beautythat is now, and know that there will be more. Fully live and appreciatewhat you have right here and now. In this beautiful moment is great andprofound treasure. Let it be, and it is always yours. - Ralph Marston"

Copyright 2009 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. All rights reserved. http://www.greatday.com/

"This evening I drove out to Snail Lake for a short 3.2 mile hike. Only one day to go and for tonight, I wanted to skip it and maybe call it in. I am not sure why, but for me and what I have observed in so many people is the ability to get 90% done with something and then never finish it. Physically, I am as strong as I have ever been. Mentally, the obstacles still get in the way. I believe we have to get in shape physically to perform at our best. Maybe we have to get in shape mentally for success. Possibly, we have to get our heart in shape for love. A mighty Oak sleeps within you and me. Do it even when you don’t feel like it."

Marks Camino - days 26 - 28

26th June

"This evening at 7:00 p.m. I will hike the Cleary Lake Regional Park near Prior Lake. It’s a simple walk around the lake on a paved surface. I need this one and am looking forward to it. Buen Camino!"

"It was a beautiful evening for an easy walk, and after a long day in the office, I drove out the Cleary Lake Regional Park. It is one of those urban, yuppie type parks with an 8 foot, paved path around a lake and it almost seems too clean and manufactured. The interesting thing to note is that the more modern the park, more people use it. The more rural and rustic hikes seem to have few to none trekking the trails. I noticed the picture and got this shot. Sometimes the signs are obvious. How come we often know what to do, know why we should do it, and even know what the rewards will be and yet, there can be a huge gap getting the job done? Most people will work harder to survive than they ever will to make something great happen in their life, business, or career. Close the gap."

Day 27 on June 27th.

"This morning I am driving 120 miles roundtrip for my longest hike on my Camino. Into Wisconsin, I will hike the Red Cedar Trail for the entire 16.2 miles. I knew this one was coming and yet it hardly seems possible that it is Day 27 already. While I walked many 16+ miles in Spain, it is still a daunting challenge. The fear is more mental and emotional than physical."
"Shit. I was awake at 4:30 a.m. thinking about the 16 plus mile hike today and fumbling around my home getting ready. I was looking for any possible detail to prevent me from heading out the door. Then I thought about all the times in my life when I got ready to get ready and never did anything. My hiking shoes were still wet from two days ago. I drove 60 miles to Menomenie, WI and thought about my wet shoes. This was not the day to start off on the wrong foot. It didn’t take long and soon my wet shoes were a non-issue, since the first 8 miles were in a driving rain. The last 8 miles I could cut the humidity with a knife. The trail seemed to go on forever. I made it and it was a great walk and a great day. Just go."

Day 28 on June 28th.

"What a beautiful morning to head out to Afton State Park! Jimi Allen, a photojournalist flew in from Chicago and is joining me to capture and record today’s hike. We’re planning a shorter one for today, only 4.3 miles."

"Well, today was the day. Afton State Park is what dreams are made of. The variety of trails, scenery, flowers, hills, and all along the beautiful St. Croix River was nature in it’s finest majesty. It was warm and not hot, and a perfect breeze prevented you from sweating and kept the mosquitoes at bay. With only two hikes to go, my heart is filled with a tremendous sense of gratitude for the gift of my June Camino. Thank you, thank you, and another thank you."

To find out more - http://www.smallbusinesssuccess.com/

Birthday Celebration - take 1

I love July as it's summer and when I was growing up in Northern Ireland the schools had already broken up and I was very likely on holidays by the sea. I love the summer and the sea and it's my birthday month so I always make sure I celebrate.

I have a very good friend whose birthday is 3 days after mine so we always have a girls day out which includes food and wine.

This year we decided to throw in some walking too. Having done the Big Fun walk in 2008 and 2009, I do love that route and as we always do it in March I was interested to see what it looked like in the summer.

We met up at East Finchley tube and started the day off with a coffee. It's interesting how the more often you walk a route, the shorter is becomes. It seemed no time at all that we were through Highgate Woods and into the village itself and for the first time, the little clothes shop whose window I peer into was open so in we went. I need to take a note to myself regarding coming back here some day to shop as there were so many lovely things.

The next green area was part of Hampstead Heath (see photos above)and then, in the heat of midday we were on the streets of Hampstead and Belsize Park but it wasn't too bad. We were not on some race so could take it at our own pace and keep in the shade as much as possible.

Lunch was the Gourmet Burger Kitchen in Belsize Park - excellent with wonderful burgers and salad washed down with cider, smoothies and copious amounts of water.

At the top of Primrose Hill I had a call from one of my East End Girls who was amazed to find out where I was, I guess she would have liked to have been there too. The views were superb as it was such a clear day so we sat and looked, picking out landmarks and questioning others. Then it was off again, cutting down through the grass and across the road and into Regents Park.

In the open spaces it was very hot here which is probably why we planned to next stop to be an ice-cream one so we ended up in Selfridges Food Hall - yum!! - really tasty and creamy ice-cream, it was delicious.

Elaine and I do tend to be rather foodie so today had to reflect that. What would we do next then? Well I'd had no alcohol at all and Elaine had only had a cider so it was time to introduce some fizz into the equation. We weren't really very hungry and more so we bought some chilled pink prosecco, strawberries, a large bottle of water and some chocolates and headed for Green Park where under a tree we enjoyed this little feast.

We had great fun people watching as the parks were all full and there were people playing football, office groups celebrating birthdays and just having get togethers, romantic encounters left, right and centre, children and families and singles enjoying the sun. It's so lovely to see so many people enjoying the weather and being outside.

About 7 we headed for Westminster through St James Park, across the bridge and onto the South Bank where we were greeted by red and white spotted trees. Tell me what you think, I love them.

The South Bank was , not surprisingly, really busy so it took us a while to find a drink and a place to sit, finally beer in hand we sat watching the sun go down over the Thames and declared birthday celebration 2009 a great success.

St Paul's in the evening sunshine.

How many miles?

Well by the time I walked on along the South Bank, across the wobbly bridge, spent some time listening to wonderful piano playing on one of the many pianos scattered around the city and reached Bank tube, I think it totalled somewhere between 10 - 11. Hopefully I used up quite a lot of the calories I consumed!!

Wonder what we'll do next year?

We left Mark on 21st June so where is he now?

Well the honest answer is that he's now finished his personal Camino and 30 walks in 30 days but before I report on that I'm going to take you back to day 22.

22nd June

"Off to walk out my backyard this morning and walk the Mississippi River and focal point is the historic Stone Arch Bridge."

"Today was a simple, 4 mile walk out my front door and along the Mississippi River. The West River Parkway is a great walk and the site to behold is the famous Stone Arch Bridge. The building of the bridge began in 1882 and lasted 22 months. Over 600 men worked tirelessly for 22 months, around the clock. Three men died. When it was completed it contained over 100,000 tons of granite and limestone. “This viaduct is the only one of its kind that spans the Father of Waters and is one of the largest and most-noteworthy in the United States. Firmer than the earth which supports it, it is constructed to stand the test of time.” This quote was written in the Minneapolis Star Tribune newspaper, November 23, 1883. Tell me about your foundation and are the truths you hold onto able to stand the test of time? The truth is your card of goodness. Carry it with you and it will always serve you well. Reject it in favor of your own agenda and put your life, reputation and relationships you hold dearly at risk."

Day 23 on June 23rd

"With coffee in hand and red eyes, I am heading out to the William O’Brien State Park for a 4.6 mile hike."

"The drive to the park was incredibly beautiful. It was a really hot and early morning. I began to walk and thought this was the best day so far. After a mile I was feeling good and then they arrived. More mosquitoes than I could fathom. I had sprayed bug spray on me but to no avail. I was walking through a shaded woods and the mosquitoes were stealth-like. They kept coming at me and pretty soon it seemed that it was an army including deer flies, June flies, black flies and buzzing and swarming at an alarming rate. All of a sudden the dragon flies appeared like Apache attack helicopters hovering at the perimeter. I wondered if these carried the current virus and worse, what if one of these carried the Ebola virus? I could see the headlines. Professional speaker and man from Fertile, MN found lying in the park dead due to contraction of the Ebola virus. I began to walk faster and flap my arms furiously. I began to make my peace with God. And then I realized I had four miles to go. There was no turning back and only the path ahead of me.

I took a deep breath and found my pace. I felt the sting after sting as those mosquitoes found the places I had not sprayed. I had no choice but to continue to walk. Bring it on. The sweat on my entire body and the instant itch of those insect bites was almost more than I could comprehend. However, the peace I felt knowing that I could endure was second to none. Soon I was through the forest, and then before my eyes…an amazing sight! An army of butterflies and I waited and watched for the perfect shot. It seemed like there were a thousand, beautiful, orange Monarch butterflies. Maybe it was only a few dozen, but it seemed like a miracle. I got my shot. This was truly a field of dreams. Find your dream. Go for it."

Anyone who doesn't give walking the value it deserves, may do now. Yes there are the bad bits although I am happy to report that I've never had to deal with all the mossies that Mark did. However, I have seen wonderful sights like the butterflies. My most recent was a huge herd of deer in Petworth Park towards the end of our walk on Saturday.

Day 24.

"This afternoon I will meet and walk with Stuart Gray. We’re hiking the Murphy-Hanrehan Park Reserve South of Minneapolis. It will be hot, hot, hot today on the trail."

"Had a wonderful hike this afternoon and the pleasure of my friend, Stuart Gray, to walk alongside me. The Murphy-Hanrehan Park Reserve was a nature’s delight and a good walk. One of the things I appreciate about any landscape is the possibility of seeing large rocks or boulders. For some reason, I think of those people in my life with rock-solid attitudes, values, beliefs, and behaviors. No matter what situation they might find themselves in, they call upon the values that mean the most to them. These people walk differently. They talk differently. You can’t quite put your finger on it, but you know that they stand for something. You don’t have to agree with them, but you know they live and work from a defined set of core values. Rock solid. Are you?"

Day 25

"Today is day 25 and only another 5 to go! This morning I have another 40 mile drive for a 3.6 mile hike at Pine Point Park, NW of Stillwater. It’s raining cats and dogs."

"I woke up early this morning and it had rained quite a bit during the night. I hoped it was over and as I drove the 40 or so miles to the Pine Point Park Trail, a downpour began. It reminded me of the day in Spain when I left Samos in the early morning and walked almost 15 miles in the rain. However, when I arrived at the park, the rain stopped and I had only water and mud to deal with. It was a neat park and I slogged through the 3.6 miles and was quite glad to be done with it. Some days you simply need to press on and power through, not matter what obstacles might be in your way. Remember to clean the mud from your shoes.

So we'll leave him there and come back tomorrow.

To find out more about Mark and what he can do for you - http://www.smallbusinesssuccess.com/

Inspiration from Victoria Player

Days since I posted but I know where those days have gone and that's OK, I've been really busy and will be blogging about the things that have taken up my time especially my Pink Ribbon Walk as soon as possible.

Today, after being out of the office a great deal, I'm in catch up mode and one of the things I needed to get to speed with was Victoria Players - "Women';s Entrepreneur Club" so I'm starting from scratch and getting to know what's going on etc.

I've just listened to Victoria's audio on "3 keys to turning online conversations into currency" and I thought it was excellent. What I was really impressed with was her really clear guidance on what she wanted her listeners to do next. One of those was posting on her blog. Now although I often intend to do that I don't often get round to it , yet today I did and it's inspired me to do so more often.

The information in the short audio was concise, simple and really inspirational so now I'm off to set my action points, diarise them and get going and then I'll listen again.

I have been spending a lot of time recently on my investment in social media/social networking and it's been great. I still have a lot to learn but I can see the communities growing very quickly and I know I'm going to reap the benefits here very soon.

I look forward to what Victoria offers next, I'm off to catch up a little more on this one.

If you want to get onto this too, visit http://www.womenentrepreneursclub.com/ or http://www.victoriaplayer.com/

Coffee hangover

Been giving all this well-being and wellness so much thought and have been struggling where to start. In fact I've really been pushing it all too hard, trying to make sense, trying to get clarity, trying to find the next step.

Have decided to stop pushing and let it go and believe it will flow.

Started yesterday off with a splitting headache and it never left. Started off not knowing what it was. Worked out as the day went on that it was lack of coffee!

I don't drink much coffee at all and can go for days without but on reflection I've been upping the intake recently - again not much but for me, much more than before - now it's catching up on me and my body's saying 'no'. It's still with me today and that's after drinking loads of water yesterday, chilling last night and having an early night. I have to listen.

Do I want to go through this again and be under par for 48 hours? I think you know the answer. I'm drastically cutting back and keeping the odd cup for a big treat.

Glorious Father's Day

Yesterday was Father's Day, not just here but in the States too, it's always struck me that it's strange that Father's Day coincides but not Mother's Day. Probably not at all important but I noticed. Wherever you are, I hope you had a great one. We did.

We like to celebrate in our family so we turn any event, no matter how big or small, into cause for celebration. We've had our Father's Day card stored away for ages since we found just the right one in a shop, Ellie just knew it was the right one.

So what did we do? Well after Alan came back from his run, we enjoyed a glass of Buck's Fizz as he opened his card and pressies and then we all went out for a lovely breakfast in the Parade Gastrobar - local and great food and service.

Next was a quick trip to the supermarket to stock up with goodies for the picnic later on and back home to relax in the sun in the garden - even the weather was ordered - thanks Universe.

The Comedy Store players - http://www.comedystoreplayers.com/ were playing their annual event in the Regents Park Theatre so we'd arranged to meet up with friends for a picnic first and as the weather just kept getting better and better, we were blessed with food in the sun.

The adults sipped glasses of wine, Jim slept and the girls played frisbee and explored ...and we all ate wonderful food.

If you've never been to see the Comedy Store Players, I urge you to go, they are fantastic and I laugh so much all night long. It was a great evening.

Here they are using the wonderful set of the Tempest.

Neil Mullarkey is a colleague of Alan's and friend of the family so it was good to catch up with him after and for Al to be able to give him a copy of Alan's MediaMasters book in which Neil rightfully stars. To get a copy of the book, go to http://www.mediacoach.co.uk/ and click on Mediacoach shop.

We were blessed with a warm evening making the rugs and throws redundant - very appropriate for the longest day of the year.......and Alan and I took advantage of that to sit in the garden around midnight enjoying a glass of fizz and the fact that there was still light in the sky.

More about Mark

June 19th

"Up very early and off to Lake Elmo Park East of St. Paul for a quick 3.7 mile hike around Eagle Point Lake."

"What a day, and what a week! I have experienced the highest of highs and for all practical purposes, the lowest of lows. And, yet, the process continues to unfold around me and I won’t stop to dwell on what went right or wrong. There is only one thing to do now and ever, and that is to keep going. No matter what. Do not trust how you feel on a daily basis. Trust the process and work your plan. In the end it will take you where you want to go. Unfortunately for most of us, our plan is simply in our heads and we go wherever the wind blows us. If you are not serious about what you want to create with the rest of your life, when will you be?"

June 20th and day 20

"This evening I will drive to the Crow-Hassen Regional Park for a 4.6 mile hike, after attending a six hour Bikram’s hot yoga clinic."

"This evening I drove out Northwest of Minneapolis to Rogers and hiked the Crow-Hassen Regional Park. It was hot, muggy, and it didn’t take long for the bugs to come out in full force. The walk was nice, but uneventful. After 19 hikes in 19 days, my legs are pretty strong and I plowed through this one with relative ease. I am not sure what I was looking for this evening, but whatever it was, I didn’t find it. The arrow pointed me in the direction I wanted to go. Some days, not much happens and it’s important we remember to stay on point, stay on purpose, and stay the course."

Day 21

"It’s 5:01 a.m. and I am leaving now for the Wild River and a 4.6 mile hike. It’s going to be a great day."

" Today was a day of gratitude. My friend John said this morning, “We cannot hear thank you, enough in our life.” My Dad, John, and I have this running argument about who is the luckiest man in the world. Well, I’m sorry, but here goes. I am the winner! Whenever I am deeply distressed, I simply think or say outloud the words thank you, and after 1,000 times, whatever issues I was dealing with seem to melt away. Today is also Father’s Day. I would have made a great Dad. Only my Friend upstairs knows if I will ever be blessed with this high calling. I never imagined being 48 and not a Dad. It was unthinkable. The good news is I am surrounded by great Dads. My brother-in-law Denny is a great Dad to Tracy and Janae. My brother-in-law Steve, is a great Step-Dad to Tyler and Trista. My brother Gottfried is a great Dad to Berit and Selma. My brother John is a great Dad (and adopted Dad) to Dom, Clara, Sean, and Michael. Maybe the only thing better than being a great Dad, is having a great Dad?

Today I honor my best friend and the best Dad, Ralph Mark LeBlanc.

P.S. The Wild River State Park was incredible. Not sure why I love Birch trees so much, but I do. This photograph reminds me of the perfect Heaven."

To find out more about Mark -
Mark LeBlanc http://www.smallbusinesssuccess.com/

East End Girls on the Thames

June's walk saw the East End girls on another section of the Thames Path, this time from Tilehurst, west of Reading to Cholsey. It was a 12.5 mile route that had a mile trek to the station at the end.

This photo was taken at Pangbourne, from the bridge over the river - it was so still and peaceful. The bridge is a toll bridge but thankfully not to pedestrians.

We had our morning coffee in a lovely deli/coffee shop in the village.

I only noticed when I downloaded the photos, that this one tells a lot of the story so far. This was taken at Mapledurham Lock where we had a loo and refreshment break - vital to walkers wellbeing!

It has to be pointed out though that we did come from further than Central London. In fact rather than starting at the Thames Barrier, we began our quest at the Woolwich foot tunnel and have to date covered approx 103 miles of the 184 mile National Trail - http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/.

Our next section in July will see us pick up the trail at Cholsey and walk to Culham. We hope to have finished by the end of September although the 4 last sections will necessitate a long weekend as public transport is virtually non exsistent.

As usual we had the great walking weather we come to expect and great view and scenery to enjoy.

It was great to welcome Claire Chapman (on the right with Cajsa and Chris) on her first walk and hopefully it won't be her last. It was also good to have our local expert Lindsey, who was able to get us to just the right pub in Goring at lunch time, one we wouldn't necessarilly have found on our own. Thanks.

The chips were great and eating in the frest air is so good , as is knowing that you've earned these and are going to walk them off again after.

Whitchurch on Thames, on the other side of the bridge from Pangbourne, is very pretty. It has a beautiful church - here are the girls in the church yard.

The Thames Path, contrary to what you may believe is not all flat. On this walk, we left the water at Whitchurch on Thames, such a pretty place, and headed up and along a ridge where the path, at times, followed a roller coaster style.

Here's Lindsey, Cajsa and Teresa leading the way up to the ridge. Great to get a different view of the Thames from here, it's changed so much through the course of it's journey.

I wonder what we'll be doing once we finish this challenge.

Wellbeing? Wellness?.....

Which is it?

My experiment regarding my own wellbeing or wellness is not quite flowing but actually that's ok. It's not flowing because I'm not clear, so how and why would it flow? I'm not even sure what definition to work too so I'm exploring.

I went out walking this morning with the specific goal of sorting out all the thoughts in my head regarding what I was trying to do. I walked in wonderful sunshine through parts of Epping Forest on a walk I love and I sat on an old tree trunk for 5 minutes just being. Am I clearer? Well, a little and what I have done is accepted that this is all part of the journey.

There is a reason for me being in this state or at this stage.

Why do I want to sort out my wellbeing or wellness? I was 50 on my last birthday and I look and feel much younger. My philosophy re age is that it's just a number and we all know 25 year olds going on 50 and 77 year olds who have as much energy and joy de vivre as many who are in their twenties.

I'm in good shape, I walk miles, I'm positive but in my mind I'm not as fit or toned as I could be. I don't eat as well as I could, I'm still seeking the balance I crave and the calmness in my life ....so I've decided to go seek it and I believe that great things will happen as a result.

I was meant to come to this place and the lack of clarity is testing me as will all the things I aim to do over the next while. In fact I've been on this journey since I turned 50. It's been a year of challenge and has called for persistence and determination and I've struck with it so far.

It's exciting and it's scary and I need your help , guidance and support as I follow this path. I'm going to blog, tweet, talk and mostly do recording the ups and the downs and ask loads of questions and as I'm drawn more and more to work on wellness and wellbeing with wonderful women and use my walking as an integral part of it all, this experiment will teach me so much.

More walking in Minnesota

Days 17 and 18, the walking continues......

June 17th and Mark asks...

"When was the last time you really stopped and examined your intentions and motives? Recently in a conversation about right and wrong, I shared that every single time I did something wrong, I knew it and went ahead with it anyway. It might have been something small or large, but in my heart, mind, and gut, I knew what I was doing. Often, people apologize loosely and yet, will not own up to his or her share in the event or experience. Our meek attempts to save face actually do more harm. They continue to erode or erase whatever trust another person had in us and allow us to slide into the future with a false sense of who we are and how to be in a world that rewards mediocrity. Stop, and make a right turn. It was a beautiful evening West of Minneapolis at Baylor Reserve Park and perfect for a 4.6 mile hike! "

..and I feel, for some really positive reflection and thinking.

June 18th

"Last night’s hike is followed by an early walk this morning at the Eastman Nature Trail. It’s 3.8 miles and lies at the heart of the Elm Creek Park Reserve."

"Today’s hike may have been my favorite so far. I drove out to the Eastman Nature Trail and it was truly a magnificent experience. It had all the best features of all the trails and it was nature at its best. It’s been written that nature is God’s artwork and unfortunately we take so much of it for granted. I listened to the birds in a different way this morning and maybe birds are the members of God’s orchestra? Listening may be the ultimate key to healing your heart or whatever ails you. Take time today to be alone and when you are with someone make a conscious effort to listen more than you talk."

My Wellbeing Experiment

Didn't really get off the ground as much as possible today for a number of reasons, namely because we were celebrating Tony's birthday. Good thing tomorrow is another day. Did however, find out some information about what causes finger and toe nails to split so a good first step.

I've got to remember that this is a journey...... and that all journeys start with a single step.

Over half way there.

Day 16 and the start of the 2nd half.....


"Well, I am embarking on the second half of my June Camino and was reminded last evening there are still lessons to be learned. I am leaving early for Lake Maria State Park, near Monticello. Buen Camino!"



"Sometimes you walk alone. This was the day I dreaded but not until I arrived at Lake Maria. It is a beautiful and magical forest, almost rain-like. At least today, since it had rained quite a bit. It was wet, muggy and the mosquitoes were nipping at my ears. It was the best place today for a wounded heart.

When I was 16, my Dad shared a valuable lesson with me. He said, “Mark, people are not always who you think they are.” Last night I said goodnight and good-bye to someone I had trusted. This friendship was unequivocally over and out. It was terribly sad. Here was another important reminder to hold close to you those who care and love you unconditionally. It’s likely you don’t have as many as you think. "

How does this sit with you? Just have a think about who is really there for you, who you can count on and when you are there just give some thought about who you are there for. Makes you think.

Places to walk always inspire me and fire my enthusiasm so I start exploring and on the following site - http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/lake_maria/index.html there is a video showing the State Park throughout the year and it looks great. Enjoy.