| Whew, I just walked 8 miles and am a bit tired. Couch potato that I am, this is the farthest I've walked in a long time. According to my pedometer, I walked 17,600 steps. My wife's says she walked about 29,000 steps which seems a little bit out of bounds. Her stride is much shorter so maybe it's accurate, I don't know. Anyway, the event was for Focus HOPE, a Detroit-based institution which provides food distribution services and educational opportunities to the underprivileged. My company was a sponsor so we signed up to join their annual walk which celebrates diversity and raises awareness of their cause. We brought our four year old along and I was a little worried that he wouldn't be able to walk 8 miles but he did it. And he was still pulling his leash at the end so he was still feeling good. He immediately went to sleep in the car on the way home, though. The walk started on Oakland Blvd, went to Woodward Ave, down to Grand River -- where Hitsville USA, the Motown Museum is -- then up 12th St or Rosa Parks Blvd and back to the start. The route went right past a tiny park which, apparently, was the starting point of the infamous 1967 riots in Detroit. Focus HOPE was started a year later in 1968 and has been going strong ever since. Several local politicians were there including congressional and state senators as well as Detroit Mayor Kwayme Kilpatrick and his opponent in the next election Freman Hendrix. Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm wasn't there. Most likely because it's not an election year for her. I bet we'll see her walking when it's time for her reelection bid. |