Day 244 – (AD 1,149) – 22.1 Miles – Jim's Trek Part IV – Now 24,618.3 Miles On My Schwinn 170

Good Day,

This morning I clocked another 22.1 miles on my Schwinn 170. Totals – 24,618.3 miles; 39,619.4 kilometers.

Google Maps has me pinpointed at A96, 88319 Aitrach, Germany.

14 more pedaling days and 1.1% of my total goal remaining.

And my early morning fasting blood sugar count hit 100 mg/dL ; the equivalent of 5.5 mmol/L.

My Soapbox –


We, The United States are in for one hell of a ride.



And I read this – “The Seven Broken Guardrails of Democracy”, The Atlantic, David Frum, May 31, 2016

“Here’s the part of the 2016 story that will be hardest to explain after it’s all over: Trump did not deceive anyone. Unlike, say, Sarah Palin in 2008, Trump appeared before the electorate in his own clothes, speaking his own words. When he issued a promise, he instantly contradicted it. If you chose to accept the promise anyway, you did so with abundant notice of its worthlessness. For all the times Trump said believe me and trust me in his salesman patter, he communicated constantly and in every medium that there was only thing you could believe and trust: If you voted for Donald Trump, you’d get Donald Trump, in all his Trumpery and Trumpiness.”  

This is my 1,249th post. According to Blogger Jim’s Trek has recorded, as of this writing, 94,961 Pageviews.

I welcome comments or thoughts or ideas. Please feel free to contact, email me at Jim’s Trek. (This link is my email address - jsmith58@gmail.com.)

Be healthy and enjoy your day.

Jim

Day 243 – (AD 1,148) – 22.4 Miles – Jim's Trek Part IV – 15 Days Remaining On My Schwinn 170

Good Day,

Vanda orchid continues to bloom.


Today I pedaled another 22.4 miles on my Schwinn 170. Totals – 24,596.2 miles; 39,583.8 kilometers. Only 15 pedaling days remaining. Bloody hell, I want this to be over. Today is my 1,148th day pedaling on my Schwinn Fitness cycles.

According to Google Maps, and I’m still headed in an easterly direction, I am at A96, 87719 Mindelheim, Germany.

Last night I had a strange dream. It was sort of a weird Target-type dream. I was waiting, and waiting for my appointment at a Target store for my contact who was the supposed Public Affairs person regarding some-sort of public benefit program she and I were going to create.

This Target was some place in a location like Temple, Pennsylvania. As my contact was running late I decided to shop around and then wait in the parking lot. The lines were way too long with a stream of senior ladies all dressed in red from some sort of quilting hospice meeting place.

The employees started closing the Target store for lunch. I decided not to wait in the single line that snaked back into the children’s department. Then, sort-of, all at once all hell broke loose.


Various animals appeared. Raccoons, foxes, monkeys, and chimps and others, and they were helping themselves to any and everything from the shelves of the store. I was able to get myself out into the parking lot in a nick of time. It was then it happened.

A large grey male lion started coming at me. He was roaring at me with the intent of, (of course this was my dream so I can think of any dastardly deed that may have been on his mind), getting at me. All that I had separating me from this ostentatious and wonderfully gigantic lion was my empty Target shopping cart.  (Oh yeah I had put everything I had intended to buy back as I truly didn’t want to wait too long in the line of red-clad lady quilters.)

After roaring at me and edging forward, the grey lion shook his mane and then pranced away. I believe I was soaked in sweat and fear.

And do you know what? The Public Affairs contact never showed for the earlier meeting nor did she make it to the rescheduled one later that afternoon. Guess I won’t be going back to Temple, PA, in my dreams, anytime soon.

A quick update of a new quilt – We’re Sailing. Top has been completed and piecing done. Quilting design has been chosen. This one is a quick make.

This is my 1,248th post. According to Blogger Jim’s Trek has recorded, as of this writing, 94,898 Pageviews.

I welcome comments or thoughts or ideas. Please feel free to contact, email me at Jim’s Trek. (This link is my email address - jsmith58@gmail.com.)

Be healthy and enjoy your day.

Jim

Day 242 – (AD 1,147) – 22.7 Miles – Jim's Trek Part IV – Thinking On My Schwinn 170

Good day,

This morning I cycled 22.7 miles on my Schwinn 170. Totals today – 24,573.8 miles; 39,547.8 kilometers.

Countdown -

I am located at A96, Germany.

And I only have 16 more days of pedaling scheduled on my personal calendar. Looks like I have to come up with some new Trek to create for Jim’s Trek Part V.

I’m struggling to keep my early morning blood sugar down. This morning I clocked 125 ms/dL. It seems that I may have picked up some sort of stomach thing. Will be watching carefully.

The word today – Phony.

Thoughts for today from Business Insider – “13 foods that aren’t what you think they are”, by Josie Rubio.

1. Grated parmesan cheese
2. Breakfast syrup and maple products
3. Extra-virgin olive oil
4. Honey
5. Truffle oil
6. Saffron
7. Wasabi
8. Caviar
9. Sriracha
10. Bacon bits
11. Pomegranate juice
12. White chocolate
13. Pringles

Soapbox –

My questions –

Why are the majority of politicians hypocrites?

And why is a good portion of the possible electorate taken in by the politicians’ phony platitudes and banalities?

Interesting reading from US Politics and Ben Fountain, Feb 13, 2016 – “The phony in American politics: how voters turn into suckers."

In the arsenal of the phony, the politics of God is one of the deadliest punches to the sweet spot of the American mind. Citizens capable of the most acute analysis in other areas of their lives – regarding finance, say, or electronics, or the infinitely complex variables of fantasy sports leagues – are reduced to blithering dupes when exposed to the Christian pitch. Something spooky happens to that excellent American mind that brought us moon landings and the silicon chip and the wonderful stuff that saves our kids from polio. No matter if the candidate has had three or four wives or fired thousands of workers or dropped biblical plagues of bombs on rice farmers and sheep herders, merely saying the magic words makes it so.

No-Knead (which is sort of a misnomer depending on how long I sort-of knead the dough) loaves #133 and #134 have finished in the oven rising. Now the two loaves are baking. This batch Sourdough White Wheat Rye and Sourdough White.

This is my 1,247th post. According to Blogger Jim’s Trek has recorded, as of this writing, 94,827 Pageviews.

I welcome comments or thoughts or ideas. Please feel free to contact, email me at Jim’s Trek. (This link is my email address - jsmith58@gmail.com.)

Be healthy and enjoy your day.

Jim

Day 241 – (AD 1,146) – 23.3 Miles – Jim's Trek Part IV – Seriously On My Schwinn 170

Good Day,

Another orchid is blooming…

This morning I cycled 23.3 miles on my Schwinn 170. My totals now stand at: 24,551.1 miles; 39,511.2 kilometers.

I reached another one of my destinations and goal – Munich, Germany. It was 12 miles north of where I started from today. I paused at Ludwigsbrücke, 80538 München, Germany.

And of course I now change directions and am headed in a westerly direction, sort of. I am now located at A96, 82110 Germering, Germany.

Google Maps Germany has taken over. Now my vantage point is only satellite images from 10 feet up, according to Google.

Countdown – 18 pedaling days to go.

Next couple of days I will be serious about my food. I’ve got to slow down the steady increase of my early morning blood sugar counts. Check Jim’s Gotta Eat for yesterday’s and last night’s Supper Showdown.

This afternoon I have been trying the new Amazon Alexa for desktop.

Two new quilts are on the boards. A new design has finally been agreed upon – WB’s Own and We’re Sailing.

Follow our work at Quilts SB and Quilts SB Facebook.

This is my 1,246th post. According to Blogger Jim’s Trek has recorded, as of this writing, 94,766 Pageviews.

I welcome comments or thoughts or ideas. Please feel free to contact, email me at Jim’s Trek. (This link is my email address - jsmith58@gmail.com.)

Be healthy and enjoy your day.

Jim

Day 240 – (AD 1,145) – 23.3 Miles – Jim's Trek Part IV – On My Schwinn 170

Good Day,

This morning I cycled 23.3 miles on my Schwinn 170. Totals – 24,504.5 miles; 39,436.2 kilometers.

I am currently located at E52, 82054 Sauerlach, Germany.

And I am heading north.

Countdown – 20 pedaling days left. (I’m not sure how this calculation is working, without revealing my final mileage goal.)

All 3 panels of our Wings have been bound and blocked.  Next?

Wings - JS AB - May 2016

Follow our work at Quilts SB at http://quiltsb.blogspot.com/

This is my 1,245th post. According to Blogger Jim’s Trek has recorded, as of this writing, 94,677 Pageviews.

I welcome comments or thoughts or ideas. Please feel free to contact, email me at Jim’s Trek. (This link is my email address - jsmith58@gmail.com.)

Be healthy and enjoy your day.

Jim

Day 239 – (AD 1,144) – 22.7 Miles – Jim's Trek Part IV – 24,504.5 Miles On My Schwinn 170

Good Day,

This morning I cycled 22.7 miles on my Schwinn 170. Totals – 24,504.5 miles; 39,436.2 kilometers.

I am currently located at a point in the road at E52 which looks like I am crossing the Kaltenbach River. I am currently in Baden-Württenberg, Germany.

Countdown – 20 pedaling days left.

And I know me, I’m going have to extend my pedaling on my Schwinn 170 just to say that I completed another 676.6 miles.

Yesterday I had two gorgeous clump growths of Golden Bamboo removed from the front of my house. The two growths had been developing for a period of 15+ years. An anonymous and concerned someone reported to the County Code Violation Department that the line of vehicle sight may be an issue. Per the department inspector I was provided with the section from the Department of Transportation “bible” regarding sidewalks and roadways.

I decided not to fight the issue.  There are no directly stated requirements, and even though they are more implications and insinuated declarations regarding the matter, what is done is done. I was a “do-gooder” and had the lush and beautiful bamboo growth removed. Oh yeah, the cost of removal and flattening the surface cost me in the low four figures.

Oh well.  The lesson learned, as my early morning blood sugar numbers climbed above the normal and suggested range, was not to eat irrationally when frustrated and disappointed.

And yeah, orchids are blooming.

This is my 1,244th post. According to Blogger Jim’s Trek has recorded, as of this writing, 94,555 Pageviews.

I welcome comments or thoughts or ideas. Please feel free to contact, email me at Jim’s Trek. (This link is my email address - jsmith58@gmail.com.)

Be healthy and enjoy your day.

Jim

Day 238 – (AD 1,143) – 24.0 Miles – Jim's Trek Part IV – Still On My Schwinn 170

Good Day,

This morning I pedaled 24.0 miles on my Schwinn 170. Totals – 24,481.8 miles; 39,399.7 kilometers.

Countdown – 21 cycling days left. 1.7% remaining to reach my final total. (I think it will be my final total.)

Google Maps, the German version, has me located at E52, 83236 Übersee, Germany.

This is a definite thought for Dale Mabry in Tampa after 30+ years of the same bloody congestion. Straddle bus transportation.

During the peak hours it still takes about 45 minutes to travel 11 miles.

“Killer 'Man-Eating' Crocodiles Are Now Living In Florida, Researchers Say” – Nature World News, Monica Antonio, Mary 23, 2016.

"Alert! Deadly man-eating crocodiles from the Nile are invading the swamps of Florida, and scientists have no idea how they got there.

According to The Guardian, a team of researchers from the University of Florida have discovered species of the Nile crocodile called Crocodylus niloticus mingling with native crocodiles in Florida's Everglades National Park and swamps. The Nile crocodiles are said to be the culprit for 480 crocodile attacks and 123 deaths in Africa from 2010 and 2014."  

And before our illustrious members of Congress of the State of Florida create an investigative committee to gather documentation and align the theories and earmark tax-payer dollars to continue a “let’s have a study to determine whether we need a study” can I make a small suggestion? Stipulate that some of this state’s politicians wade in the water…

Two loaves of bread #131 and #132 are in the make; both Sourdough, one Whole Wheat Rye, the other Whole Wheat Raisin.

This is my 1,243rd post. According to Blogger Jim’s Trek has recorded, as of this writing, 94,477 Pageviews.

I welcome comments or thoughts or ideas. Please feel free to contact, email me at Jim’s Trek. (This link is my email address - jsmith58@gmail.com.)

Be healthy and enjoy your day.

Jim

Day 237 – (AD 1,142) – 23.8 Miles – Jim's Trek Part IV – And Now Germany On My Schwinn 170

Good Day,

This morning I pedaled 23.8 miles on my Schwinn 170. Totals – 24,457.8 miles; 39,361.1 kilometers.

I reached another goal point and destination today at Salzburg, Austria. I continued on and then crossed the border into Germany. I am now located at Wasserbach, Germany.

Based on my calculations I have only 22 pedaling days remaining in the overall scheme of my Trek and journey. I am still controlling my diabetes without the use of any medications, which of course does mean that I will have to come up with a new scheme and exercise program after about June 17th.

Countdown -

I did not cycle these past couple of days as there was a passing in the family.

“A stagecoach passed by on the road and went on;
And the road didn’t become more beautiful or even more ugly.
That’s human action on the outside world.
We take nothing away and we put nothing back, we pass by and we forget;
And the sun is always punctual every day.”

Alberto Caeiro, The Keeper of Sheep

This is my 1,242nd post. According to Blogger Jim’s Trek has recorded, as of this writing, 94,402 Pageviews.

I welcome comments or thoughts or ideas. Please feel free to contact, email me at Jim’s Trek. (This link is my email address - jsmith58@gmail.com.)

Be healthy and enjoy your day.

Jim

Day 236 – (AD 1,141) – 23.3 Miles – Jim's Trek Part IV – On My Schwinn 170

Good Day,

This morning I pedaled 23.3 miles on my Schwinn 170. Totals – 24,434.0 miles; 39,322.8 kilometers. 1.9% of my overall goal miles remaining.

Today I am located at on top of the Westautobahn, 5310, Austria.

Countdown – 23 pedaling days remaining.

I love books. Yesterday morning, while cycling, I was thinking “What the hell should I do with all the books and magazines I have in my house?” And then synchronicity abounds. At about 4:00 pm a friend posted the following article -  “On the Heartbreaking Difficulty of Getting Rid of Books.”


Received a number of inquiries as to information regarding our quilts that are currently featured in the June/July issue of Quilters Newsletter.  Check out my recent posting at Quilts SB.  (http://quiltsb.blogspot.com/). I have included links to each of the related postings.

Quilts SB - JS AB

This is my 1,241st post. According to Blogger Jim’s Trek has recorded, as of this writing, 94,024 Pageviews.

I welcome comments or thoughts or ideas. Please feel free to contact, email me at Jim’s Trek. (This link is my email address - jsmith58@gmail.com.)

Be healthy and enjoy your day.

Jim

Day 235 – (AD 1,140) – 22.0 Miles – Jim's Trek Part IV – On My Schwinn 170

Good Day,

This morning I continued pedaling another 22.0 miles on my Schwinn 170. And yes I did finish my 72 minutes time limit…but I had to stop at the 50 minute mark. I thought I was not going to be able to continue. It was as if my legs and body were on shutdown.

I took a 5 minute rest and then got back on my Schwinn Fitness cycle and continued for the remaining 22 minutes. (Obviously there is some synchronicity between the miles and the minutes.)

My totals are now 24,410.7 miles; 39,285.3 kilometers. I have completed 98.0% of my overall goal. And there is a small voice in my head that is egging me on to go past my goal mileage and pedal for the 25,000 mile-mark.

According to Google Maps I am now located on the E60 Westautobahn, 4861, Austria

Soapbox –

I am confused. Chris Moody of CNN Politics just reported “Bernie Sanders, Democratic establishment battle boils over”.

“With the Democratic presidential primary in its twilight, frustration within the ranks over the party's handling of the primary process spilled out this week as Bernie Sanders supporters lashed out at party leaders, arguing that their candidate has been treated unfairly.

The public outpouring of anger began last weekend at the Nevada Democratic Party convention, where Sanders supporters who said Hillary Clinton's backers had subverted party rules shouted down pro-Clinton speakers and sent threatening messages to state party Chairwoman Roberta Lange after posting her phone number and address on social media.”

And from The New York Times - "Bernie Sanders's Campaign Accuses Head of D.N.C. of Favoritism", Alan Rappeport, May 18, 2016.

(Obviously The New York Times editor does not adhere to the grammar rule that "With a plural noun ending in s, form possessive by adding only an apostrophe.)

As candidate and the longest serving independent member of Congress in American history Senator Bernie Sanders and a good percentage of his supporters are independents, and he, Senator Sanders registered as a Democrat to succeed in garnering support in his bid for the Presidency, do the complaints that the Sanders supporters have and maintain regarding the “subverted party rules” truly hold any water?

It is sort of like a Roman Catholic entering a Protestant church and say that they are being ostracized and persecuted because there is no figure of the person of Jesus on the cross in the sanctuary.

Thank you. Quilts SB Facebook has now garnered 603 Likes. Our next goal just 97 more. https://www.facebook.com/QuiltsbySB/

This is my 1,240th post. According to Blogger Jim’s Trek has recorded, as of this writing, 93,912 Pageviews.

I welcome comments or thoughts or ideas. Please feel free to contact, email me at Jim’s Trek. (This link is my email address - jsmith58@gmail.com.)

Be healthy and enjoy your day.

Jim

Day 234 – (AD 1,139) – 23.6 Miles – Jim's Trek Part IV – 26 Days Left On My Schwinn 170

Good Day,

Today I cycled 23.6 miles on my Schwinn 170. Totals to date: 24,388.7 miles; 39,249.1 kilometers; Part IV – 5,399.2 miles.

My location this morning according the Austrian version of Google Maps is Voitsdorfer Straße 10, 4551 Ried im Traunkreis, Austria.

Countdown – 26 pedaling days left.

I’ve been doing pedaling, doing it the Cardio Fitness, since December 2, 2012.

“Diabetes And Exercise: 20-Year Study Shows Higher Levels of Cardio Fitness Lower Risk of Type 2 Diabetes”, Medical Daily, Justin Cuba, May 16, 2016.

“Exercise is often recommended to diabetes patients looking to improve their blood sugar, insulin sensitivity, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels. Some doctors even call it a prescription for diabetes management. Although experts have agreed that physical activity is beneficial for controlling diabetes, research has not been so definitive when it came to preventing the condition. Until now.”

And yes I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes a many number of years ago, but I am now and have been for some time continuing to control my diabetes. I was, prior to Jim's Trek, on a regime of medications to control my blood sugar. I no longer take any diabetes medication and I have been able to maintain a positive control of my blood sugar count. My fasting blood sugar this morning recorded in at 108 mg/dL.

I finished the last episode of the 2nd season of The Last Ship. Will pick it up again once the 3rd season begins. I found a new cycling companion TV series Humans, a series about artificial intelligence and robotics. Not as fast paced as The Last Ship but Humans is the type of sci-fi drama that always catches my thoughts.

Humans

This is my 1,239th post. According to Blogger Jim’s Trek has recorded, as of this writing, 93,833 Pageviews.

I welcome comments or thoughts or ideas. Please feel free to contact, email me at Jim’s Trek. (This link is my email address - jsmith58@gmail.com.)

Be healthy and enjoy your day.

Jim

Day 233 – (AD 1,138) – 23.0 Miles – Jim's Trek Part IV – Counting Down On My Schwinn 170

Good Day,

And I have 27 pedaling days remaining.

This morning I cycled 23.0 miles on my Schwinn 170.

Today Google Maps – the Austrian version – has me located at Steinbach 13, 4441 Badhof, Austria.

My totals are now at 24,365.1 miles; 39,211.9 kilometers. And I have 2.2% of my total set mileage goal remaining on this 1,138th day of pedaling.

What’s next?

Soapbox –

What happens when one cannot choose for any of the candidates vying for the Office of the President of the United States? It is impossible to believe either the candidates themselves are the media which is spinning and spinning and spinning.

The 2016 June/July issue of Quilters Newsletter has hit the stores. To see Lori Baker’s complete Meetin’ Place article "Quilts SB – a Fine-Tuned Partnership" about Andy and me follow this link to Quilts SB - http://quiltsb.blogspot.com/.

This is my 1,238th post. According to Blogger Jim’s Trek has recorded, as of this writing, 93,732 Pageviews.

I welcome comments or thoughts or ideas. Please feel free to contact, email me at Jim’s Trek. (This link is my email address - jsmith58@gmail.com.)

Be healthy and enjoy your day.

Jim

Day 232 – (AD 1,137) – 23.8 Miles – Jim's Trek Part IV – 28 More Days On My Schwinn 170

Good Day,

Habaneros are beginning to ripen. This one goes into tonight’s supper of Spicy Shrimp and Bok Choy.

Today I pedaled 23.8 miles on my Schwinn 170 and this morning is the beginning of my 6-day set. Totals – 23,342.1 miles; 39,174.9 kilometers.

I am now located at Wiener Straße 7, 3304, Austria. My direction is toward the south west and I have about 106 miles to go to get to my next destination and goal point.

Countdown – 28 more pedaling days.


Early morning blood sugar is on its way down. Today it recorded at 90 mg/dL.


Soapbox –

CNN Politics – “Top allies downplay Trump’s personal life, relationship to women”, Eric Bradner, May 15, 2016

 "Look, I mean, these are things that he is going to have to answer for," Priebus said. "But I also think there are things from many years ago and I think that, you know, as Christians, judging each other I think is -- is problematic. I think it's when people live in glass houses and throw stones is when people get in trouble."

Questions –

Are the Donald Trump campaign devices and get-him-voted-lackeys trying to create a short-term and immediate changeover?

How does one, apart from a chameleon, change its stripes into spots overnight, or vice-versa?

This is my 1,237th post. According to Blogger Jim’s Trek has recorded, as of this writing, 93,665 Pageviews.

I welcome comments or thoughts or ideas. Please feel free to contact, email me at Jim’s Trek. (This link is my email address - jsmith58@gmail.com.)

Be healthy and enjoy your day.

Jim