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Unmanned Spaceflight.com _ Opportunity _ Walking 10,000 meters or 6.2 miles

Posted by: Bobby Feb 24 2007, 03:24 AM

Recently while doing one of my weekly walks. I started thinking about how far Opportunity has traveled in her journeys from Eagle to Victoria. Even the 2 to 3 miles I do when I walk is a distance.

I thought as a challenge for this year (2007) to all UMSF members that we all find a nice long road or trail and walk the distance Oppotunity has traveled. I think we will all be very surprised at how far this little golf cart sized rover has done. I think it's a great visual perspective and great exercise for us all.

I will find a time this spring to walk this 6.2 mile and I hope others will say they will do the same. I would like to make this the UMSF challenge of the year. If anyone does this. an attached picture of where they walked might be great to have. Maybe throw in a walk up a hill the size of Husband Hill to indicate what Spirit did also in her journeys.

If anyone wants to participate in this challenge. Please post a reply in this new thread

Good or walking for us all

Bobby

Posted by: Reckless Feb 24 2007, 09:08 AM

No problem I'm in.
I know a seaside track that is 3 miles long and a nearby sand dune which is a bit Husband hillish: Both good for photos. I might jog the track and walk the hill.
Those with dogs could take them along (extra rovers).

To Stu I hope Amber is feeling better and maybe up for an Opportunity or even a Spirit walk.

Roy F

Posted by: Stu Feb 24 2007, 10:14 AM

The walk sounds a great idea. We have some stunning walks here in the Lakes, I'll have to plot a route.

Reckless: thanks for the thoughts, please check the Community Chit Chat for an update on that.

Posted by: kenny Feb 24 2007, 10:39 AM

Bobby,
that's a really great idea. I'll do it. Better not leave it too late, as the task can only get longer !
It might be an idea to nominate a month when particpants ought to try to fit it in, if they can. I can't recall off-hand how high Husband Hill is - 300 feet ?
Kenny

Posted by: Tesheiner Feb 24 2007, 11:50 AM

Good idea.

There is a little hill near my home; I'll have to check the distance but it's about the distance Spirit took to Husband Hill. I would have to find a trail from there to continue up to 10km but it should be easy.

Posted by: lyford Feb 24 2007, 05:31 PM

For those of us near San Diego, http://www.sandiego.gov/park-and-recreation/parks/penasq.shtml is 6.5 miles - enough for a little optimism for Opportunity's future... though I doubt she will encounter a waterfall!

Posted by: djellison Feb 24 2007, 05:39 PM

Pah - I did about 20k trying to get out of Frankfurt airport

Doug

Posted by: nprev Feb 24 2007, 05:54 PM

I have to run 2 miles every Reserve weekend, so I definitely appreciate Oppy's achievement...just wish they'd let me walk it at the same pace!

Posted by: mhoward Feb 24 2007, 05:56 PM

Great idea - count me in.

It would be cool if people who do it post pictures and a satellite view of their walks using Google Maps

Posted by: helvick Feb 24 2007, 06:20 PM

Some suggestions for those in or around Dublin:

The walk http://www.gsi.ie/activities/forthcoming/nhw2004/brayhead2004/brayhead2004.htm is a reasonable match to Spirit's trek at approximately 4.5 miles if you include the actual summit in your hike. At 240m Bray Head is a little bit higher than Husband hill but it's close enough to put it all in perspective quite nicely.

The canalside walk along the Royal Canal from Louisa Bridge in Leixlip to Kilcock is very close to 10km. This http://walks.iwai.ie/royal/leixlip.shtml gives a very nice overview of the walk. The altitude change along this walk is no more that 10m across the entire run so it is a very good match for Opportunity's trek.

In both cases the walker(s) can get to the start and return from the destination by train if they plan ahead appropriately which makes the logistics a little easier for these one way walks.

Posted by: Littlebit Feb 26 2007, 04:31 PM

What's this mile thing?

Isn't that what ended MCO?

Didn't NASA do away with this obvious source of confusion and error?

Posted by: ustrax Feb 26 2007, 05:07 PM

Usually on Saturday morning I use to hike 15 to 20 kms it takes me 3 to 5 hours with stops...

Sometime ago I made a http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?s=&showtopic=1838&view=findpost&p=31240 guess it's time to update it...maybe this saturday

Posted by: PhilCo126 Feb 26 2007, 05:58 PM

Such a long walk won't be a challenge for me... given I could do it in a 3-year period

Now serious, most people underestimate how important it is to have a DAILY walk of about 5 kilometers minimum. Anyway I hope both rovers will last for another year