August Walks

This one is long, so get cozy and prepare to learn some things about nature with me. Lake Accotink through the trees Virtual Walking ChallengesI am part of two virtual walking challenges right now. I finally signed up for a Conqueror Virtual Challenge after seeing those ads for 10 years; the marketing finally worked on me. A friend of mine did one and said it wasn't too bad, so I signed up for the Appalachian Trail to complete 88 miles in 84 days (though you can do the full 2,077 miles). A fairly reasonable goal and I'm only a little behind, so that's nice. As you go, you unlock fun facts about forests, landmarks, and parks along the trail. I probably won't do another challenge with them, I am not super motivated by it. I was invited to by a friend using an app called MistyWay. MistyWay is an RPG-style quest where you and friends (or strangers) walk "together" on a path towards adventure. There are mini challenges and badges and a map where you can actually see your pace vs your…