Day 39 – (AD 262) – Jim’s Trek Part II – The Sequel – The Day Off

Good Day,

Today is the 262nd day from the day that I started my journey and trek on my Schwinn 150. Today I take the day off from my cycling. Why? Because I took the 131st day off and decided at that point that I would take off each 131st day.

Virtually I am still located just outside of Richvale, California.

On the map of my journey of about 8,000 miles, Richvale is the marker D. Today, all-things-being-equal, I am just about 2,995, give-or-take, miles away from my home in Tampa, Florida.

I will be taking the 393rd day as a day of rest.

Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim

Day 38 – (AD 261) – Jim’s Trek Part II – The Sequel – 21.0 Miles – Just On My Schwinn 150

Good Day,

It is turning out to be like its gonna be just one of those days.

I wrote this before something happened to my PC, actually to my Google Drive. I could not connect for some time…but finally I did. I thought I had lost nine months’ worth of Trek, genealogy and quilting work. I did get taken over by some rogue search engine which keep directing everything to Yahoo, without invitation… and I finally got rid of it. But whew!!!

But I did complete 21.0 miles on my Schwinn 150 this morning… It has just taken me an extra couple of hours to get this all down on paper. I have now traveled 5,073.7 miles. And today I turned left at Richvale from the Midway to Richvale East Road. Richvale is a small community with a population of about 250.

As everyone prepares of this Labor Day Weekend, today is Slinky Day. What can I say?

I am continuing my Trek and either tomorrow or this coming Sunday I will be taking a day off. The last time I took a day off was on Day 130 and I thought that I would double the number of days before I relaxed for one day. And I have found a good reason for taking tomorrow off. It is Love Litigating Lawyers Day.

I have discovered some data that could be relevant to my search and research of my genealogy and ancestry. I will be writing a new post to my A Genealogy Hunt site shortly.

Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim

Day 37 – (AD 260) – Jim’s Trek Part II – The Sequel – 21.5 Miles – I’ve Reached Chico, California

Good Day,

This morning my 21.5 miles on my Schwinn 150 takes me to Chico, California. I am located on Deer Creek Highway and at the junction of Bruce Road. Tomorrow I will be turning left on Bruce Road and continue heading south to my next Interlake address destination. All-things-being-equal I have another 365 miles to reach that goal.

My to-date mileage now totals 5,032.7. My return miles equal 775.6.


The City of Chico has populations of approximately: city – 86,200; metropolitan – 221,200. The major employers are medical facilities and schools.

I’m still waiting on the decisions of the reconstruction by the insurance company and the contractors. Currently I am beginning to feel like a hoarder…and even though I am getting in the second half of my season I think that I should be mindful of getting rid of a lot of the stuff that I have accumulated in almost 30 years.



Mad Men, Season 3, Episode 7. Don Draper attempts to land a major client… and blackmail is the key to forcing paperwork. Multiple many other interwoven plots and sub-plots are key. Concomitantly I am watching and following The West Wing. I am content with my two over-zealous soaps.


Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim

Day 36 – (AD 259) – Jim’s Trek Part II – The Sequel – 21.2 Miles – A Goal Reached – 5,000 Miles on My Schwinn 150

Good Day,

Today I surpassed 5,000 miles. I have actually cycled all my Schwinn 150 5,011.2 miles in 259 days.

This morning I'm headed south on California 32 West or Deer Creek Highway towards Carpenter Ridge Road. I completed 21.2 miles on my Schwinn 150. It is a glorious sunny day in Tampa, that's the real world, and it is an equally bright day in the mountains in California, in my virtual world. I like the solitude I have found in both places.

Just wondering if I'm doing something wrong or if I don't really understand? More than likely, I don't understand. The ads on TV's and in magazines regarding 30 minutes of exercise on some sort of machine results in a great and sizeable weight loss. On my Trek, my intention was not to lose a great amount of weight. But all things-being-equal, if I did lose some that would be okay.

When I began cycling on my Schwinn 150 on December 2, 2012, I weighed 170.8 pounds. After 259 days of continuous cycling an average of 19.3 miles a day for about an hour and 5 minutes a day, I now weigh 164.6 pounds. This means that I have lost 6.2 pounds in nine months. (Sorry about that, but no pun intended.) How can the ads promising a great reduction in weight on any or a chosen type of exercise machine, for the typical 30 minutes and on the average, over a four days a week program, actually guarantee a phenomenal weight reduction? I must be extremely naïve. Or I must be doing something wrong?

But let me point out something. I am okay, and I was okay with my weight. All I wanted to do was to reduce my waist measurement. And I have done that! I began at a 44 inch measurement and I'm now at 34 inches. But I'm still boggled by the promises, the incomplete truths as presented by the tonic salesmen.

And today is a race your mouse around the icons day. Don’t ask me what the hell that is. But it appears that somebody at some time, somebody did have the time to think about something that doesn't make any bloody sense. I read it and I'm sorry I don't understand. This is what is supposed to happen on this day. "When your computer is slow to load, and when you're waiting for something to happen, you can't resist the urge to play with the mouse and cursor." What? The only logical thing that is mentioned in the description is "this days your date to go nuts."

Mad Men, season three episode six has the Big Wigs from the Lond Office visiting the New York office. All I can say is that one does not ride, or operate, a riding lawnmower in a corporate high-rise office. Damn there was blood all over the place. And just wondering, is Joan written off?

Work continues on the quilting of Blumish Two. I think this is going to be an amazing quilt/wall hanging. Check out our details at Quilts SB.

Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim

Day 35 – (AD 258) – Jim’s Trek Part II – The Sequel – 20.6 Miles – Elevation 7,858 Feet on My Schwinn 150

Good Day,

This morning I cycled 20.6 miles on my Schwinn 150. I am now located on and headed east on CA-32 W. To date I have cycled a grand total of 4,990.0 miles.

The above Google Map image was taken in January of 2009, and I am somewhere east of Butt Mountain.

And I swear that there is some sort of wet and bad omen hovering over this house. First the ice-maker on the refrigerator gives up, for the third time. Next, the floor floods in the kitchen, living and dining rooms. The copper pipe breaks. The valves under the kitchen sink give up. The thing-a-bob on the garbage disposal is disconnected and Old Faithful erupts. Then when replacing the water bottle at the cooler, I slip and you can imagine. Hell, I swear that the pool towels have never hit the dryer as many times that they are becoming threadbare. And then to top all the H2O episodes the sound system on the main house movie and TV theatre gives up.

But looking on the bright side…if there is one, the floor in this house has had one damn fine cleaning, and at least there is no basement.

Yeah! This morning’s blood sugar count is 107. And yes I watched what I stuffed into my gullet last night… and limited myself to two scoops of Coldstone ice cream. Yeah, the number dropped 23 points. Now if I continue this week to continue to focus on what and when I eat, I should realize a further and positive reduction in my blood sugar count. Exercise and diet… and no cramming my face at the late hours of the evening.

My tracking chart of Calories Burned and Blood Sugar Count began 17 May 2013. I dropped all diabetes medication on June 18 and I have now tracked 65 days.

My viewing this morning on my Schwinn 150 resulted in an iPad and earplugs. Today’s episode of Mad Men, Season 3 and number 5 focused on stories of the children, Sally and baby Eugene.

Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim

Day 34 – (AD 257) – Jim’s Trek Part II – The Sequel – 21.0 Miles – I'm In Chester, California

Good Day,

This is my 271st post to Jim’s Trek.

Twenty-one miles on my Schwinn 150 this morning. Six hundred and thirty calories burned… And then, after I cool down, take a shower, and eat a quick breakfast, I have to lay claim to my chair, and you just read MY, at my computer. Max and Bella have decided that what is mine is their's. Radar and Tinker are in other parts of the house.

And so I sit and balance myself on the edge of MY chair and begin the journal of my Trek this morning.

This morning at some point of my 21.0 miles I crossed over Lake Almanor and I am now on Main Street, CA-36, on the northern edge of Chester. Chester has a population of about 2,200 and I am at an elevation of 4,534 feet. (I did increase, as I said I would, the resistance on my Schwinn 150 to 11 of 15.)

For some reason I think I've begun to over-indulge in my eating habits, and as a result my blood sugar count was up again this morning to 130. Even though I have been arduously committed to my exercise, I need to focus on the amount and types of foods that I am eating.  All-things-being-equal I am now trying to compensate for the average 626 calories that I am burning up each day.

For last night’s supper I made a leftover rotisserie chicken Asian Salad. I had a double helping. And then I ate two scoops of Coldstone dark chocolate ice-cream sandwiched between a couple of Shelia G’s Brownie Brittle. Within a couple of hours I ate some cheese, pepperoni, and crackers followed that with a ginger-ale.

I started out with good intentions but I then became ravenous. Okay, okay, I do not want to revert and start taking my diabetes medication once again. This week is another challenge.

Our quilts - Test 40 and Metropolis have been accepted for display at the Splash of Color Quilt and Fiber Art Show 2013. The Show will be held October 4 and 5 at the Cabarrus Arena and Event Center in Concord, North Carolina. They are in the mail and en route.

Sea Foam increased to 58 inches. I’ll be so glad to finish the last eight.

My next episode of Mad Men, Season 3 and number 4 continues the happenings in the lives of the characters and of the firm. And I still have about 130 more episodes of The West Wing to continue.

Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim

Day 33 – (AD 256) – Jim’s Trek Part II – The Sequel – 21.5 Miles – Yup, The Rockies Again on My Schwinn 150

Good Day,

This morning I cycled another 21.5 miles on my Schwinn 150. Counting, I have cycled almost 256 consecutive days since I began my cycling regime and my Trek from Tampa to Seattle and return to Tampa… I am now just shy of reaching my 5,000 mile goal. I think I should touch that within the next couple of days.

And only 100 more days to complete one complete year, and 450 more miles to go to my next Interlake goal.

At the City of Susanville, population around 18,000 and at an elevation of 4186 feet, I turned southwest off CA-139 S on to CA 36-W. The next community I should pass is Coppervale, California, and it appears that I will be cycling upwards to an elevation of 5203 feet. The resistance that I am currently using on my Schwinn 150 is 10 of 15. Tomorrow I will increase to 11 to stimulate that upward sensation.

And the droning continues. Is this white noise? Or is this something that is just purposely set to drive me bonkers. The definition from Collins is that it is a “sound or electrical noise that has a relatively wide continuous range of frequencies of uniform intensity.” The noise produced by the dryers and the humidifiers in this house is a “sound”, an “electrical noise”, and it is “of uniform intensity”. Is it white?

For the time being this kitchen is closed.

New learning for today - Pixel - Voxel - Doxel albeit 2D - 3D - 4D… As the researchers continue, and of course I may be way off the mark, this appears to be the way we are configuring computers to visualize and think conceptually as close to humans. “Researchers believe their approach is similar to how scientists believe the brain combines prior knowledge with sensory information and they now hope to be able to show what’s happening in the brain in a realistic way.” (RT, Aug 23, 2013)

And my viewing continues with the next episode of Mad Men in Season 3. The beginnings of a number of new themes are introduced including two new characters and the use of marijuana in the work place.

Well I think I will get back to my reading: Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World; Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way; Jack Foster’s How To Get Ideas; and Carla Snyder’s One Pan, Two Plates.

Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim

Day 32 – (AD 255) – Jim’s Trek Part II – The Sequel – 21.2 Miles – It Ain’t Snowing On My Schwinn 150

Good Day,

This morning I cycled on my Schwinn 150 21.1 miles. I passed by the whole of Eagle Lake and I am headed southwest on California 139. I believe the next City along my virtual trek is Susanville, formerly known as Rooptown.

Today's totals = 4,927.9 and 670.8 miles.  This is the real part.

The drone of the fans, the dryers, and the dehumidifiers continue on, and on, and on. The beginnings of the cupboards are emptied and the house is beginning to take on a setting for the reality show Hoarders.

I am just waiting for an olive branch.

And so I take The Pack outside for their morning p-break hoping that I can escape the consistent whir of the fans. Oh and I forgot, it is Saturday. It is the usual day of the week that the majority of neighbors are working on their lawns and yards. The buzz and hum of motors is horrendous. I cannot escape. I need some ear plugs. I need a small cabin in the wilds, on some mountain, without any power, electricity, or gas. I NEED SILENCE!!!

Flooding and frustration is causing me to eat and my blood sugar and my weight are gradually increasing. Need to focus on sensible eating this next week. Got to drop my blood sugar down by 30 points. I want to continue to avoid the diabetes meds.

Mad Men, Season 3, Episode 2 – I learned that Diet Pepsi was originally named Patio. Why would you ever name a soda Patio? And as I am watching both Mad Men and The West Wing, concurrently, it is sort of strange and somewhat mind-boggling keeping track of which serial is which. In the 1960s of Mad Men the actress Elizabeth Moss plays Peggy Olson.  In The West Wing she plays the teenage Zoey Bartlet, the President's daughter.  Mad Men is a more recent creation than The West Wing, which is set 30+ years later in 1999 to the 2000s.  I have to compartmentalize my brain.

Our Blumish Two is back on the Rack. It is now in the throes of the final runs of quilting. Sea Foam afghan has increased in length again. My goal is to complete the inner top this weekend.

Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim

Day 31 – (AD 254) – Jim’s Trek Part II – The Sequel – 21.0 Miles – On My Schwinn 150 4,900 Miles

Good Day,

This morning I completed 21.0 real miles cycling on my Schwinn 150. Today I topped a total 4,906.7 miles and I have accomplished 649.6 on my return trip from Seattle back to Tampa.

It appears that I am virtually present in a January 2009 road image at the northern shore of Eagle Lake in California. Eagle Lake is at an elevation of 5,098 feet above sea level. And it is amazing that I am seeing water on the roadway in the front of my house, water on the floors inside my house, and water in my images of my virtual Trek… as I sweat through my 21.0 miles on my Schwinn 150.

I am currently heading southeast on CA 139 S.

Eh, what’s that you said? When was it decided that the decibel level of air should be such that it is almost impossible for one to think. Thank the powers that be that the synaptic connections between my grey matter and my fingers do not necessarily need silence to put keystroke to electronic paper, so-to-not-speak. And, no pun intended, but when it rains it pours.

I had intended on composing and completing my community’s Newsletter this weekend... and as the fates would have it, apart from the fact that we are in the middle of the monsoon season here in the real world of Tampa, a water pipe, a copper one, not a virtual one, broke in the middle of my house, in the kitchen. And the first cut is the deepest. More wall and baseboard and house structure to be cut away this morning. Noah was just about to start looking for some more gopher wood.

Needless to say, after cleaning and mopping up, the preliminary destruction of the walls in the living room, the dining room, and the kitchen has begun and will continue today and into the weekend. I am now on hold for the insurance assessment and the adjusters and the etcetera, etcetera, etceteras...

I know that there are always others thinking about bicycles. Chinese artist Ai Weiwei, after a prolonged detention by the Chinese government for alleged economic crimes produced a 2011 installation made from 1,000 bicycles. And sure enough, the Interlake Mecalux advertisement appeared on that page of my link to Colossal.

Be healthy, be dry, and enjoy,

Jim

Day 30 – (AD 253) – Jim’s Trek Part II – The Sequel – My Schwinn 150, Water, Snow, and Pasta

Good Day,

Row, row, your boat on my Schwinn 150 and 21.2 miles. And I am headed southeast on California 139. Virtually I am north of Said Valley Reservoir.


No snow on the floor, just water...

There are puddles on the tile floor, and I yell “Who peed on the floor?” All four members of The Pack scurry, each to his and her own bed. I repeat, and no one moves. This time not a puppy stirring we discover that the dishwasher has sprung a leak. A big one. Praise be that we have tile floors. Out come the towels, cotton and paper, mops and buckets, but nary a Pack member ventures from the safety of its bed. The liquid mess cleaned up, I set out their bowls of dinner and each; Radar, Max, Bella, and Tinker all chow down oblivious of the breaking of a dam. The plumber’s on his way.

I begin the new and third season of Mad Men, Episode 1. We’re now in the first half of 1963. Nothing has changed: smoking, drinking, and extramarital affairs. The firm is at present the American part of the takeover company from England. (How apropos that Don Draper is surrounded by water?)

I have decided to teach myself to make pasta.  I'm not in the mood of strangling anyone, (See Day 26), just thought I need to reach a new accomplishment.

Be healthy, and enjoy

Jim

Day 29 – (AD 252) – Jim’s Trek Part II – The Sequel – 20.8 Miles – Back in Time on My Schwinn 150

Good Day,

This morning’s real cycling completed 20.8 miles. On my virtual trip in the northern part of California I am headed southwest on CA-139 S towards County Road 86. Even though I think I am in August of 2013 I am presented with a Google Map image of my location that certainly presents thoughts of a virtual time machine into the 1950s. A definite flashback… only thing is that in the 1950s I was in another part of this world beginning my journey.

I now have 535 miles to my next Interlake address goal, and I have reached 607.4 miles on my journey back home.

Needed a light supper last night – Chicken Zucchini Salad.

Mad Men – Season 2, Episode 13. Final episode of Season 2, Don-Betty-Peggy-Pete equals Return-Missiles-and-Babies. It seems that at almost every time at the 14.5 mile mark on my Schwinn 150 I switch over to my other viewing pleasure, The West Wing… and it is Christmas at the White House.




Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim

Day 28 – (AD 251) – Jim’s Trek Part II – The Sequel – 20.6 Miles - I'll Be in California for Some Time

Good Day,

Today's cycling equaled 20.6 miles... To date 4,843.7 miles.

Not much to add. I'm in California. I will be in California for some time. And I will be seeing California, virtually, for an indefinite period of cycling time. California, here I am.

Will I hit my 5,000th mile, on my Schwinn 150, in California?

Had an appointment this morning and then decided to stop at the new Wawa on the way home. First time I've ever entered the establishment. I'm impressed by the organization...but definitely not over the moon by the food. Hoagie roll of my roast beef sandwich was stale, and I did not order it toasted. And I was enticed by the Cheddar Jalapeño Bites. Just take a note at the Nutrition Facts. The five inch-and-a-half bites offset more than 50% of the calories I burned this morning on my Schwinn 150.
 

And the list of Ingredients? Hell, by the time you read the unending list, apart from needing a PhD in Chemistry, them bites with the minuscule bits of jalapeño peppers all turned cold.  I suppose I paid more for the lines of text displaying the ingredients versus the actual pepper bits.

Mad Men – Season 2, Episode 12. Don spends time off in California, he just disappears. More facts and truths of his past are revealed, another couple pieces of the puzzle.





Be healthy, and enjoy,

Jim

Day 27 – (AD 250) – Jim’s Trek Part II – The Sequel – On The Road in California

Good Day,

This morning I cycled, on my Schwinn 150, an additional 21.1 miles into California. I have now completed 566 miles on my return journey from Seattle to Tampa. I’m headed southeast on CA-139 S toward Tickner Road. It looks like CA-139 S eventually turns into Tickner Road… and I do not think that the landscape will change much over the next couple of days.

This Internet sure is strange, funny. It appears that as I have been blogging about my destination goals to my Interlake address, when I surf and open other and totally unrelated pages one of the embedded advertisements is for the company Interlake Mecalux. It is a company that offers “warehouse solutions.” This is happening on a regular and consistent basis. Does this mean that Big Brother truly is watching me?

Supper last night – Steak fried rice; Sirloin, rice, yellow bell pepper, green onion, tomato, bean sprouts, garlic, ginger, Soya sauce, Oyster, sauce, and Sriracha. Accompanied by Thai Cucumber salad… Chocolate ice cream and chocolate chip ice cream sandwiches. Blood sugar drops another 16 points to 106. Attempt this week – Okonomiyaki.

EssbeeCon and Who Did Desi Adore? have both been shipped to Jacksonville for QuiltFest 2013 which will be held September 26 to 28 at the Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center. Sea Foam is now at 50" by 48"... Sixteen more inches to go; 66" by 48" for the inner top. The finished Sea Foam will be considered a double bed/large adult afghan. I am amazed.

Mad Men – Season 2, Episode 11. Business trip New York to California and rumors and wheels turning regarding a takeover/merger.

Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim

Day 26 – (AD 249) – Jim’s Trek Part II – The Sequel – 21.0 Miles – I Have Now Reached 4,800 Miles on My Schwinn 150

Good Day,

Today I crossed the Oregon/California State line. I cycled 21.0 miles this morning on my Schwinn 150… and I am currently on CA-139 S. I have reached the community of Stronghold in Modoc County, California.

Today I crossed the 4,800 mile on my Trek. I am now averaging 19.2 miles a day since I began on December 2, 2013. And as predicted, I will be taking off an intentional day on my 261st day of cycling.

I am stopped at Captain Jack’s Stronghold Restaurant. It is time for breakfast.

Last night Italian Sausage with Baby Bok Choy – ever so simple Italian sausage, baby Bok Choy, onion, red chili peppers, olive oil, ground sea salt, Strozzapreti, and Parmesan Cheese. Quick, easy, simple, and delicious. Blood sugar dropped 9 points.

And of course I had to look up the type of pasta I used, Strozzapreti… I discovered that translating the Italian to English, this one-and-a-half-inch sort-of pencil-like of pasta is known as “Priest Strangler”. Also known as “Priest Choker” and legend has it that some gluttonous priests were so taken by the pasta dish that they ate too quickly and choked themselves… sometimes to death. And I thought of trying to make some fresh pasta tonight. It is amazing the things that I sometimes just grab off of the grocery shelves.


My viewing fare this morning was Mad Men, Season 2, Episode 10. Sub-plots regarding family life outside of the office take up the time of this episode. And every so often I notice that Don Draper and some of the other characters occasionally possess Frank O-Hara’s 52-page book, published 1957, Meditations in an Emergency. Did Matthew Weiner purposely embed Meditations in Don Draper’s psyche?

Blumish Two quilt and wall hanging has now been transferred to the Longarm. Sea Foam afghan has increased to 46”in length.

Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim

Day 25 – (AD 248) – Jim’s Trek Part II – The Sequel – 21.1 Miles - Almost California

Good Day,

21.1 miles on my Schwinn 150 this morning, to date 4,781.0 miles. I am travelling southeast on the Klamath Falls-Malin Highway, (OR-39), and I just passed Elliot Road. I now have 12 miles left in the State of Oregon.

Last night we went to a fashionable all-you-can-eat restaurant for number 24. Why is it that all-you-can-eat restaurants seem to be the watering-holes of the corpulent? It certainly would be a detriment if the dining room was located on the water. And, of course, I increased my weight by 2.0 pounds and my blood sugar counts by 30… The protein definitely was good. Please remind me that number 25 should be a sensible and quiet repast.

Mad Men, Season 2, Episode 9 – Now the pot is calling the kettle black, with the amount of drinking in the office.  A staff member is given a six-month hiatus. What shall we do without the blond bombshell… and it was not Madonna? And where have I been since 1999? I discovered The West Wing last night.

And the US Government takes the step to reveal and come clean, heaven forbid... Area 51 exists. Newly declassified CIA documents acknowledge the existence, and we should be surprised?

Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim