Day 149 – (AD 579) – Jim's Trek Part III – 22.9 Miles – Near Green Head in Western Australia on My Schwinn 170

Good Day,

This morning I cycled 22.9 miles on my Schwinn 170.  I have now passed 11,806.8 miles.

Today I am located still on the Indian Ocean Drive. I am just a tad bit northeast of the coastal town of Green Head, population about 290...and I think those are the permanent residents.

From what I can tell the Google imaging, from my virtual Trek, or should I write, is going to be somewhat boring. I can see from the expanse of the Australian contentinent this part of the landscape may be a geologist's and and antrhopologist's dream but not so much a gift to a virtual Trekker who's trying to put in his miles.

Jim’s Trek Pageviews now up to 46,166.

My fat percentage as I record is swinging back and forth. I can say that my cycling Trek is definitely producing the resulting forecast that I hope to see. The red-dotted line is the moving average of my fat percentage daily number and it is definitely headed in a positive downward direction.

And was I ever grossed out this mid-morning. I stopped by our local Whole Foods to pick-up my lunch and supper, as I always do every Thursday before I head off to do my genealogy-assist volunteering. At the buffet set-up I was shocked and grossed out, (and I have to say it again), when this relatively decent-looking, somewhat a bit older than myself, gentleman stuck his bare hand into the orange peel chicken, took a couple of pieces and then stuck them into his mouth. Gross! And his wife/partner just stood there as if nothing was wrong. Damn! Where in the hell do some people learn their manners of decorum?

This wasn't a sampling setup. It was the actual product... with tongs and large spoons for self-service. No, I do not live in a glass bubble, nor do I worry too much about eating food in an antiseptic environment, but come on. There is no excuse that I as a potential customer and should have put up with this crap. I am not blaming Whole Foods in any way. I am screaming out to the ignoramuses and the halfwits who believe it is their right. Well it isn't. Period!

And now that I have calmed down, our work on our new quilt and wall hanging Sleep Jezebel is definitely coming together. Check out Quilts SB for the next update.

I definitely welcome any comments or thoughts or ideas. Please feel free to contact me at Jim’s Trek.

Be healthy and enjoy your day.

Jim

Day 148 – (AD 578) – Jim's Trek Part III – 21.7 Miles – He’s Back in Western Australia on My Schwinn 170

Good Day,


This morning I cycled 21.7 miles on my Schwinn 170. I have now pedaled 11,783.9 miles, 18,964.4 kilometers.

I am headed north on Indian Ocean Drive and yes the little drag-me-to-the-spot Google man is back. And yes the Google image provided for my virtual Trek is dated March 2008.

Today is a blank day. Period.

Jim’s Trek Pageviews now up to 46,131

I definitely welcome any comments or thoughts or ideas. Please feel free to contact me at Jim’s Trek.

Be healthy and enjoy your day.

Jim

Day 147 – (AD 577) – Jim's Trek Part III – 22.0 Miles – Still No Drag-Man Images in Western Australia on My Schwinn 170

Good Day,

News Flash – It is pouring in Tampa.

Yes, I pedaled another 22.0 miles on my Schwinn 170. (Please turn the channel. This is the real part.) From the start of Jim’s Trek III on 23 February 2014 I have now cycled 3,145.1 miles; 5,061.6 kilometers. My grand total miles to date are now 11,762.2 miles. I began this crazy journey on 2 December 2012.

And I still cannot drag the Google Map avatar traveler to determine my virtual location on the map. I am at the B marker and now somewhere on Grey Road / Indian Ocean Drive. My location is just southwest of the Nambung National Park.

Got to thinking on my Schwinn 170 this morning and I focused on a new word – Exotheology. This is about the examination of theological issues as they pertain to extraterrestrial intelligence. Just thinking that with all the egocentric crap that is going on in the world today, all in the name of some greater good, what would happen if we finally made contact with someone or something from somewhere else?

And now I am curious.

C.S. Lewis wrote an article in 1950 in the Christian Herald that contemplated the possibility of the Son of God incarnating in other, extraterrestrial, worlds or something to the effect that God may have had an entirely different plan for others out there in the beyond that is definitely different than the one(s) applicable to us puny humans, albeit egocentric, narcissistic, self-centered Earthlings.

Oh and by the way, I’m not getting into any type of way-out thesis or subscribing to any off-the-wall cult and/or religion.  And no, my mind has not gone or got lost in the virtual dimensions of Australia.  I’m just thinking and exploring like I always do.  Period.

Just found out that our three entries to the Hoffman Challenge – Light Bringer, Sea and Sky, and Diamonds have all been chosen to be included as a part of their Traveling Entries. Each will be included in three Trunk Shows and will be circulating throughout the United States for the next year.

Jim’s Trek Pageviews now up to 46,060.

I definitely welcome any comments or thoughts or ideas. Please feel free to contact me at Jim’s Trek.

Be healthy and enjoy your day.

Jim

Day 146 – (AD 576) – Jim's Trek Part III – 22.1 Miles – No-Man’s Land in Western Australia on My Schwinn 170

Good Day,

Today I cycled 22.1 miles on my Schwinn 170. I also completed my 200 sit-ups. I don’t think that I have to mop the floors in this house every single day just to work out my shoulders and arms.

This morning I am located on Indian Ocean Drive in Western Australia just southeast of the Wanagarren Nature Reserve. Not sure if this road exists because the little drag-to-man of Google Maps just will not highlight this part of the road. The question is “Am I virtually there or am I in another dimension traveling on a road that can only be seen by the International Space Station?” And what happened to the Google Image-mobile?

Anyway here’s the Google map. I am located at the B marker…on my virtual Trek, of course. (That’s for you who have just tuned into Jim’s Trek. The exercise is real, the Trek is virtual.)

Jim’s Trek Pageviews recorded – 45,983.

And today is St. Innocent I’s privilege to be saint of the day. The Catholic Cuisine website appears to have forgotten about today, July 28. Not sure if there is a special recipe to make in order to celebrate today's patron saint. I could go back in time to the 16th. I could do with an Our Lady of Mount Carmel meatball sandwich. And on the other hand, today is also National Hamburger Day in the USofA.

Our quilt and wall hanging Warhol’s Itch is in the process of being boxed and shipped. All 14 fabrics have been cut and positioned for out new Sleep Jezebel quilt and wall hanging. Also we are cutting our quilt pattern stencil for our Equality quilt. Last night we completed the center bands of our crocheted Afghan #6.

I definitely welcome any comments or thoughts or ideas. Please feel free to contact me at Jim’s Trek.

Be healthy and enjoy your day.

Jim

Day 145 – (AD 575) – Jim's Trek Part III – 21.7 Miles – New Orchids in Tampa But I am in Western Australia on My Schwinn 170

Good Day,

Orchids are blooming this morning.

And this morning I pedaled 21.7 miles on my Schwinn 170 and I burned 602 calories. And instead of doing my sit-ups today I decided to work a new set of unused muscles, my shoulders and biceps. I think I burned up about another 224 calories and got a good work out mopping the floors of the house. I do like the smell of Lemon Pine Sol.

Today I topped 11,718.1 miles, the equivalent of 18,858.5 kilometers. Obviously I am continuing on for another 281.9 miles. My goal of 12,000 miles is just around the corner, so-to-speak.

I am currently located on Indian Ocean Drive and somewhere in the area of Breton Bay in Western Australia. If you ask me it does look a little bit, somewhat sort of desolate. But I do have 192 more miles to go to get to my next destination and goal point.

My blood sugar is holding at 96 this morning and Jim’s Trek Pageviews are now clocked in at 45,914.

We've begun a new mosaic-type quilt which we've titled right now Sleep Jezebel. This time we’re trying 900 1 ¾” squares. Haven’t got a clue what the final piece will look like, but nothing ventured nothing gained. Check Quilts SB for updates.

I definitely welcome any comments or thoughts or ideas. Please feel free to contact me at Jim’s Trek.

Be healthy and enjoy your day.

Jim

Day 144 – (AD 574) – Jim's Trek Part III – 21.3 Miles – Mind Games in Western Australia on My Schwinn 170

Good Day,

This morning I completed 21.3 miles on my Schwinn 170. I have now pedaled in 574 days 11,696.4 miles, 18,823.6 kilometers.

There seems to be a strange “mind-game” happening with me now. It appears that I argue with myself each morning as to whether I should get on the bike. I use the excuse for not getting on my Schwinn 170 that nobody gives a damn whether I do it or not… But then I come back with an immediate answer that I should not give any worry about anybody else that it is really only me that is benefiting from the exercise, which of course I am right. (Try repeating all that in one breath.) It is sort of like having a those two little representations of me sitting on my shoulders trying to outdo each other.

Today I am located on Indian Ocean Drive heading north away from Perth in Western Australia. I wonder what the images will look like from here on in for the next good portion of my Trek.

On my virtual Trek I now have 214 more miles to go to reach my next destination and goal point. I am also now 46.97% of the way done with my ultimate goal. This means that it looks like I will be, or I should be pedaling for another 1 and ¾ years. And here’s to that goal.

Well I was able to drop my morning blood sugar count be 19 points as compared to yesterday. This morning’s count registered in at 96. 

Obviously I watched what I ate yesterday and supper was a trial experiment of Chinese BBQ Meatballs on Zucchini and Green Pea Fried Rice. And easy preparation with Trader Joes’ Turkey Meatballs and leftover Jasmati Rice. Only thing about the Chinese BBQ sauce was that it must have been bottled in a sodium vat. I just could not get enough water for the remainder of the evening.

We’re sort of in limbo right now regarding our quilt and afghan schedule. We have targeted another 30 quilts and 4 afghan projects.

Jim’s Trek Pageviews are now clocked in at 45,802.

I definitely welcome any comments or thoughts or ideas. Please feel free to contact me at Jim’s Trek.

Be healthy and enjoy your day.

Jim

Day 143 – (AD 573) – Jim's Trek Part III – 21.5 Miles – Back on the Road Again in Western Australia, I think, on My Schwinn 170

Good Day,

And yes it is humid in Tampa.

This morning I cycled 21.5 miles on my Schwinn 170. That now racks up a total of 11, 675.1 miles; 18,789.3 kilometers. And I struggled through 200 sit-ups.

I am, in my virtual Trek at a location, "B", which has not be filmed yet by Google. The road is Marmion Avenue in Western Australia and the above image is the most current 2014 image provided by Google Maps.  Imaging, you know that little cartoon man that you drag to spots on Google Maps, just sort disappears north of Alkimos, a coastal suburb of Perth. Alkimos must have grown some since 2006 when the census reported a population of 0. That’s right ZERO.

Well I knew that my blood sugar count would jump up this morning, no exercise and eating all day yesterday day, and a late supper of Pad Thai and Dan Dan noodles. I funneled in the carbohydrates and the sugar and the snacks. This morning’s reading hit 115, which falls into the “pre-diabetic” range. Well if I was not already diagnosed a Type II diabetic I would just have to pay attention.

I did get back on my Schwinn 170 and I am now 372 days without taking any diabetes-related medications. And there is the Japanese proverb.

Jim’s Trek’s Pageviews recorded right now at 45,682.

Today St. James the Greater is saint of the day. And damn, this saint has to be important. He has seven special recipes listed for him on this July 25 – Apostle Cookies; Coquilles Saint-Jacques; Green String Beans Saint Jacques; Madeleines; Sea Scallop Supper; and Steak and Kidney Pie.

We just received notice in the mail that our “Warhol’s Itch has been selected to be judged at the World Quilt Show – New England and will be exhibited August 14-17 in Manchester, New Hampshire.”

I definitely welcome any comments or thoughts or ideas. Please feel free to contact me at Jim’s Trek.

Be healthy and enjoy your day.

Jim

Day 142 ½ – (AD 572 ½) – Jim's Trek Part III – 0.0 Miles – On My Schwinn 170

Good Day,

No cycling on my Schwinn 170 today. I screwed up on my today scheduled appointments. I usually schedule any and most of my appointments after I take time to exercise and before the early-bird traffic mess on Dale Mabry. But I screwed up. My 11:15 was really at 9:15 even though I entered the 9:15 at 11:15 on my online calendar.

And then I spend my afternoon and evening volunteering at the Family History Center.

I wonder what goes through certain person's brains when s/he is standing at the self-serve seafood salad counter and just have to pick out every shrimp in existence. The sign says "Seafood Salad"

I finally slammed that mosquito that was buzzing and dive-bombing me last night. What a relief. I got to thinking that it was one of the Chimichanga-Chimichurri-Chinkunguya-type carrying mosquitos that have recently immigrated from the Caribbean. Could have been. But I got that sucka! Dead!

Oh and I just drank a Cheribundi Cherry Blueberry drink of which I am expected Dick Van Dyke to break out into Chim Chim Cher-ee.

That's it for today.

Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim

Day 142 – (AD 572) – Jim's Trek Part III – 21.0 Miles – Perth and Beyond in Western Australia on My Schwinn 170

Good Day,

I cycled 21.0 miles on my Schwinn 170. And today I have reached my 7th goal and destination point on my Jim’s Trek III.

To date I have now cycled a total of 11,653.6 miles, 18,747.7 kilometers.

This morning on my virtual Trek, I began in Sydney and I traveled across Australia all the way to Perth. That is a total of 3,025.5 miles, 4,869.1 kilometers. After reaching Perth, I continued another 11.0 miles in a northerly direction.  And it looks like I may have some company at my location on West Coast Drive.

Onward to my next and 8th goal point. I should be able to reach it in about 10 to 12 days.

Just found out that China has an equivalent to eBay. It is Taobao and it is one of the most visited sites in the world. And since I am such a fiend about my morning routine I may have found something that may fit another exercise need…I can give up my need for speaking, flapping my jaw, and/or eating. For ¥400.00 or about US$3.94 and only three minutes a day I can “exercising your jaw muscles…it firms your face up.” There are certain words that just escape me but I think I have to let some air out of my tires.

And of course I haven’t forgotten. Today’s Saint of the Day is St. Bridget and the Saint-of-the-Day recipe is Swedish Rye Bread. Hur praktiskt? Obviously there is some correspondence to the history that St. Bridget was originally from Sweden.

Our 122nd and new quilt La Vie en Rose, (formerly titled Le Ruban), has been completed and delivered. I will shortly be updating our Quilts SB site

Pageviews recorded – 45,400.

I definitely welcome any comments or thoughts or ideas. Please feel free to contact me at Jim’s Trek.

Be healthy and enjoy your day.

Jim

Day 141 – (AD 571) – Jim's Trek Part III – 21.9 Miles – Swan River in Western Australia on My Schwinn 170

Good Day,

This morning I pedaled 21.9 miles on my Schwinn 170 and completed my 200 sit-ups.

Today I am smack dab in the middle of the Stirling Bridge on Stirling Highway crossing over the Swan River.

Supper last night was a very good and quick dish of Shrimp, Oyster Mushrooms, Peas, and Spaghetti. But later I gorged on a bag of dark chocolate covered blueberries and my blood sugar this morning was up to 102.

Our 122nd and new quilt La Vie en Rose, (formerly titled Le Ruban), has been completed and delivered. I will shortly be updating our Quilts SB site.

Pageviews recorded – 45,328.

I definitely welcome any comments or thoughts or ideas. Please feel free to contact me at Jim’s Trek.

Be healthy and enjoy your day.

Jim

Day 140 – (AD 570) – Jim's Trek Part III – 22.1 Miles – Cooloongup in Western Australia on My Schwinn 170

Good Day,

And if you really want to know, I pedaled 22.1 miles today on my Schwinn 170. Today I crossed over the 11,600 mile mark - 11,610.7.

I’m sure that you are not necessarily following my progress on the real part of my exercise journey. Hey, that’s okay. This is my journal of my hair-brained scheme that I began 597 days ago…and yeah I’ve been pedaling for 570 of those days. (Oh and that means that I have posted 597 pages to my Jim’s Trek blog.)

Both the physical and the mental benefits have been astounding...even though my biorhythm physical and intellectual cycles for today indicate that I should be in the dumps.  I don't have to believe everything I read.

The virtual Trek has me situated at about Cooloongup a lower and southern suburb of Perth, Australia.

Now here’s something that makes sense. Take five minutes at the end of your day for a gadget-free review. Synchronicity…and from Australia – Lifehacker article by Patrick Allen.

The top of our new Le Ruban quilt has been quilted. Now the binding and the label. Check back with Quilts SB for details and the story of this new quilt. (Quilts SB at http://quiltsb.blogspot.com/)

Pageviews recorded at this point – 45,246.

I definitely welcome any comments or thoughts or ideas. Please feel free to contact me at Jim’s Trek.

Be healthy and enjoy your day.

Jim

Day 139 – (AD 569) – Jim's Trek Part III – 21.9 Miles – Falcon in Western Australia on My Schwinn 170

Good Day,

This morning I pedaled 21.9 miles on my Schwinn 170. Today I have now cycled 11,588.7 miles; 18,650.1 kilometers.

I am located in Falcon, one of the suburbs of Mandurah. I am, on my virtual Trek, still heading north on the Old Coast Road and pinpointed between Karanga Street and Owen Avenue.

Just discovered that Falcon used to be called Miami. How about that a Miami, Australia. Check out the story about Josephine Te-Puni Reserve in this area. Synchronicity.

I’ve noticed that a lot of towns in south western Western Australia end in “up”. Why? Simple answer, thanks to Wikipedia. “Up” is from an indigenous Australian language and means “place of”.

Radar is always trying to figure out what I am doing on my Schwinn bike. This morning I had him jump up and join in.

My blood sugar is up this morning by 10 points to 101 but I know that it is because I stuffed blue corn tortilla chips with Mango Tango Salsa into my gullet late last night. I just couldn't stop at a couple but I had to keep eating and eating even though I had made a very good chicken salad for dinner. Chicken Salad was a variation on an Ina Garten's Chinese Chicken Salad.

Oh well I have to stop being bored at night while I sit down and watch something on the television. There has to be some subliminal messages from food advertisements. Obviously I didn't do any work on Afghan #6.

Yard work this afternoon should have burned off more calories…

50% of the border of our new quilt Le Ruban has been completed. And no TT the fabric is not luminescent.  Just regular cotton.

Jim's Trek Pageviews today thus far – 45,177. Average number of Pageview per post is 75.9. Not bad for a virtual Trek, but a real exercise journey.

I definitely welcome any comments or thoughts or ideas. Please feel free to contact me at Jim’s Trek.

Be healthy and enjoy your day.

Jim

Day 138 – (AD 568) – Jim's Trek Part III – 21.7 Miles – Headed North in Western Australia on My Schwinn 170

Good Day,

This morning I cycled another 21.7 miles on my Schwinn 170.

I am curious as to why it appears that 21.7 miles seems to be a consistent distant that I pedal on my Schwinn Fitness cycle.  My daily targets are at least 20 miles and a burn-up of almost 600 calories.  I do try not to pedal beyond 1 hour and 12 minutes each session.

Today I am headed north on Old Coast Road which is running parallel to Lake Clifton. I am just north of the junction of Old Coast Road and Forrest Highway. Also I am 76.2 miles from my next destination and goal point.

If you have been following my Jim’s Trek III you may be able to figure out my next and 7th goal point. It is what may appear after #7 that I wonder what the landscape and scenery may look like... for a very, very, very long time.

Here are my recorded stats as of today –

• Location – Home, Tampa, Florida
• Virtual Location – Western Australia
• Start Date – 2 December 2012
• Today's Date – 19 July 2014
• Trek Distance – Today 21.7 miles
• Trek Distance Part I – 4,257.1 miles
• Trek Distance Part II – 4,360.0 miles
• Trek Distance Part III – 2,949.6 miles
• Grand Total Miles – 11,566.7
• Miles to Go – Many more
• Avg. Miles per Day – 20.4
• Calories Burned Today - 606
• Number of Sit-ups - 200
• Weight –165.7 lbs; Total Loss – 3.5 lbs
• BMI – 23.1
• Fat – 19.5%
• Belly Measurement – 32”; Total Loss – 12”
• Blood Sugar - 91 mg/dL
• A1c ~ 5.00%
• eAG ~ 89.0 mg/dL
• Blood Pressure – 130/80
• Age – 62 yrs, 7 mths

This is my 595th post. And according to Blogger Jim’s Trek has recorded 45,036 Pageviews.

I was able to drop my fasting blood sugar points down by 9. Last night for supper I experimented with a recipe I found – Calypso Steak Salad. Not bad, I would definitely repeat. I substituted Roast beef for the beef strip steaks. Mango/Peach Salsa, Lime juice, Red Onion, Green Bell Pepper, Cilantro, of course I added a chopped up Scotch Bonnet and all on a bed of Romaine lettuce. I had visions of ceviche, sans the seafood playing with my taste buds…and it was gone before I thought of taking a photo. It was good.

Thank you Schwinn Fitness and Bowflex for your commendations and notes of encouragement. Thanks also to those of you who have been rooting me along my way and Trek.

The inner top of our new Le Ruban has been quilted. And now the border. Be prepared for something completely different.

I definitely welcome any comments or thoughts or ideas. Please feel free to contact me at Jim’s Trek.

Be healthy and enjoy your day.

Jim