I Got Sucked In - I Joined The Conqueror Challenge

Happy Tuesday. I joined an online "thing" yesterday, after vacillating about it for more than a week. It's called the "Conqueror Challenge" and basically, it's an exercise challenge where you enter what activity and mileage you've done (you can enter several times during the day if you're like me and do a variety of things in an average day). You plug in your mileage and your activity and progress along a designated virtual pathway toward a specific area or location. I chose three different challenges - walking to Petra, Jordan (40 miles); walking the Giza Plateau and pyramids in Egypt (46 miles); and walking along the Inca Trail in Peru (26 miles to end at Machu Picchu). 

The route and the front of the medal (there are two sides, 
both decorated beautifully) for the Giza Plateau route. 
I'm looking forward to walking/swimming this 
route, but I started with Petra, instead. Of course, I 
couldn't resist the medal - it's a winged scarab, 
after all - LOL. 

Along the route, you get regular post cards showing you the environment you're in and giving information about the area. At the end of each challenge, they will mail you a rather fancy medal along with a honeycomb display for it. I'm finding it quite fun, and one more thing to keep me accountable for my exercise routine, as well as in my daily activities so that I don't become fused to my chair in front of my computer screen. I'm quite sure this wouldn't be for everyone, it's relatively expensive and somewhat silly in some respects, but so far it's a lot of fun, and it has a large and active FaceBook community, which is also very enjoyable. 

The Inca Trail medal has an elaborate cutwork 
design on the back side, portions of which 
can be seen from the front. I'm looking forward 
to the hike, but it's the third one on my list, with 
Giza coming between Petra and the Inca Trail. 

Our next snowstorm is scheduled for tomorrow - of course, my "errands" day, shopping day, and generally very busy day. I'm hoping I'll escape the worst of it, and I probably can ignore my Co-op and Whole Foods, but I'll need to make a major market stop at my local grocer. I need a LOT of stuff.  But, as long as it's safe to drive (not super bad visibility and highly dangerous roads), I'll be fine. I'll have to keep a close eye out on the weather, though. It always pays to be a bit cautious at this time of the year. 

The Petra challenge medal doesn't come across 
as well in the photo because it is a dark 
lacework doorway between the 
decorated framework border. So far it's 
been really interesting. I'd never realized the 
wadi leading to the site was as varied as it 
is, but it's clearly quite remarkable at foot 
distance while I'm walking through it virtually. 

We were quite busy at the store, yesterday, so I have some serious clean-up to do this morning before I open. I'd probably better get in gear and wrap this up so that I can accomplish some other things before I leave for work. As always, I hope you have a truly fabulous day - one filled with accomplishment, love and satisfaction when you look back at it tonight. Be safe, be kind, and I'll return tomorrow.