Ep 41: Desmond completes Mount Pleasant! [Interview]

Introduction

One day, I was checking the wormery to see how Gogomi beta testers were doing when I spotted this dense orange mesh of walks over Mount Pleasant.

Yoo, Desmond, was that you!?

Yessir! That's me. I did all those walks myself. Initially, I was just helping you test the app, but before I knew it, I was walking way more than I ever had before, haha. I got really into it and thought, “Wouldn't it be cool to complete my neighbourhood?”

The notifications were fun too—I wanted to see more of them. At some point, I was even going on two-hour walks every single day

Wait, two-hour walks every day? That's wild! What was your first walk like?

At first, I was just curious to see how Gogomi worked. I went on a short walk, then another, and then pushed a little further each time.

I started small—just walking to the junction near my place, then to the next street, and the next. One mile today, maybe 1.2 miles tomorrow. The more I walked, the more I wanted to keep going. Seeing the map fill up with my routes was satisfying, and those notifications kept me engaged.

How did that turn into a full-on mission? Also, this is impressive, by the way.

Haha, look who's talking.

Once I hit 50%, something clicked. I started walking every day, about two hours at a time—wasn't even checking the time—I was just chasing that next notification.

Before I knew it, I was at 90%. At that point, I had to finish. Felt really good, like I was on a quest. No turning back!

Did you have a strategy?

Oh, absolutely. At first, I just wandered. Then I got intentional.

I tackled streets first, then avenues. Some days, I'd walk straight to the neighbourhood boundary—Clark Drive bridge or near Science World—then take a different way back to avoid retracing steps.

It's such a beautiful area that there's always something new pulling me in.

Ooo, what else did you find on your walks? Any surprises?

Mhm! I only moved to Vancouver—heck, even Canada—recentl—

Yeah, you kinda gave that away when you said 'miles' earlier

[laughs hard] Fair enough!

Anyway, Mount Pleasant's got a mix of vibes depending on where you walk. It's got quiet residential parts that feel almost surreal if you hit them early—like 6 AM-ish when everything's still. Then there's the energy of Main St, with high-rises and way more action.

My favourite find was the sports bars. I love the NFL, but my cheap ass wasn't about to pay for a full subscription. Then I realised I could just buy one Heineken, post up at the bar, and watch the games. Solid win.

Were there any streets you kept putting off?

Yeah, ironically, the area near Manitoba St—where that sparrow statue and a few bars—ended up being one of the last I covered. It wasn't intentional though, before you implemented that red line feature, it was hard to track what streets I'd missed. Sometimes I'd walk 200m, stop, and refresh the app, just to see what counted.

What was it like watching the red lines disappear and the blue take over?

When you added that, I was like, “Finally! This is a really dope feature.”

Before, I was stuck at 95%, constantly wondering what I'd missed. Seeing the red disappear and the map turn blue? So satisfying. Those notifications had me hooked.

Haha, love that. Do you remember any particular notifications from Gogomi?

[Laughs] Yes! And ironically, it happened when I was travelling somewhere the map didn't support. I walked to some place and later saw a notification pop up:

“Hey Big Des, I don't know where you walked, but I'm glad you did”.

I actually laughed out loud at that part.

(Reader, if you'd like Gogomi to work in your city, sign up on the waitlist!)

Haha, yeah, the funny thing is even though I am the one who created that, sometimes the notifications even catch me by surprise! Okay, so what's next for you?

It feels good to see that completed map. I get nostalgic thinking about all those nighttime walks. It's funny how I never even saw myself as a walka—what's that word you used?

Walkative

Yeah, that! Never thought I was walkative until now. I've started exploring Strathcona for fun—it's got its own vibe. And I hear another tester's close to finishing Downtown…Oh, it's on!

Let's gooo! Any tips for Gogomites looking to explore their neighbourhood?

Just start! Don't wait for motivation. If you think too much about it, you won't do it.

Start with the streets around your place. Do the street west of you next, then the one after that. In a week, you'll realise you're actually enjoying it.

For the competitive ones, you don't need motivation—you need strategy. Don't just walk aimlessly; your percentage won't increase that way. Take 10 minutes to plan your routes. What worked for me might not work for you, but being intentional helps.

Oh, and don't forget your Apple Watch. Nothing worse than realising an hour in that your walk didn't count!

What did you learn about yourself through this?

I love walks! I still go walking every single day when it's not raining heavily Sometimes even at 1 AM—it's peaceful, no one's around, and I can just enjoy my music.

If you're like me and don't feel comfortable going to the gym, walking is a great alternative. It's sustainable, and you might surprise yourself with how much you enjoy it.

Desmond had never considered himself a walker until he volunteered to test Gogomi. When he challenged himself to explore his neighbourhood on foot, he was surprised to find he actually enjoyed walking. Love that!

Note: This interview is a heavily edited transcript from a recording of Desmond and me chatting over pizza—and then during a short walk through Mount Pleasant.

If you're in Vancouver, good news: the first version of Gogomi is on the App Store and waiting for you. Give it a go!