Yesterday was the second anniversary of when I started virtually power walking the Appalachian Trail.

I’m at 66% completion and am on track for my goal of completing it by my 70th birthday next year. Ive power walked 2147 K (1334 miles) over the two year period. Considering that there were many days (sometimes weeks on end) that I couldn’t walk due to illness, injury, family needs, and weather, I’m very satisfied with my progress.

Yesterday morning, I took my two year anniversary power walk along my favourite trail here.

The Signal Hill Trail winds alongside the river and goes through a beautifully serene nature habitat.

At a spot along the riverbank are The Moffet Steps. If you don’t know the history, it’s a bit of a curiosity to come across steps that seemingly lead to nowhere.

At one time, these steps led up from the river to the Moffet Estate and mansion (built in 1913) on Signal Hill. The house still stands but the estate no longer owns property right down to the river.

Over the years, I’ve photographed the steps from every angle and haven’t been able to capture them in their entirety in a shot that I like. I think a drone shot would be perfect. I’m a bit saddened that the flowers in the planters in front of the steps have been replaced by rocks. I’m guessing the location must have become too inconvenient for the city to tend the flowers.

Yesterday, the steps struck me as a good symbol of the many steps I’ve covered during my virtual Appalachian Trail walk. Like the Moffet steps, my steps don’t have a destination but they do carry a history.

“The mind can go in a thousand directions, but on this beautiful path, I walk in peace. With each step, the wind blows. With each step, a flower blooms.”

Thich Nhat Hanh