Day 81 - (AD 304) - Jim's Trek Part II - The Sequel - 21.7 Miles - New State - Arizona on My Schwinn 150

Good Day,

This morning I cycled, once again, another 21.7 miles on my Schwinn 150. I'm closing in on the 6,000 miles. And you didn't think that I could do it? There are just too, too many benefits gained that this oldish body must definitely be thankful.

This morning on my virtual Trek I am now headed northeast on AZ-95 N. I crossed the California State border over the Colorado River into Arizona at the Town of Parker. The population of Parker is somewhere about 3,200. I continued on AZ-95 and I reached Parker Strip, population 3,300. And I guess I will still see dry ground for some time.

Obviously I am not headed in a due easterly direction to my next Interlake address goal point. I have about 56 more miles to my 32nd Interlake goal.  I am now going to search for my next one and 33rd on my route back to my home in Tampa, Florida.

I taking guesses as to what my waist measurement will be at the end of my Trek of about 8,200 miles, give or take, on my Schwinn 150. From the beginning on December 2, 2012 I have gone from a 44-inch to a 33-inch waist. Wonder what more?

And my main PC is STILL in the shop.

Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim

Day 80 - (AD 303) - Jim's Trek Part II - The Sequel - 21.7 Miles - Still in The Desert On My Schwinn 150

Good Day,

This morning, surrounded by six members of The Rat Pack, I completed another 21.7 miles on my Schwinn 150. Total miles in 303 days, 5,954.9.

I am just 13 miles from the Parker, Arizona and I'm headed east on CA-62 E. I'm still in California and I certainly did not realize the vastness of the desert. Certainly pays mind to Hammond's and Hazelwood's 1972 "It Never Rains in Southern California".

Update on PC fix this morning: data transfer is still in progress. Should be returned in another day. And then my notebook appears to be going on the fritz. What would I be doing without the use of electronics? I wonder?

Began some new work on my Smith genealogy. I have begun sifting and searching through documents from the Grenada archives, via microfilm from the Family History Library.  The initial documents with Smith references are dated between 31 August 1797 and 11 July 1801. My goal is to find some shred of evidence and possible referrals to my three-times great-grandfather James Smith. I need my PC.

Currently working on the new designs for two new quilts: The Bird Cage and GPS. The Bird Cage is based on JG's construction of extraordinary bird houses. GPS is an inspiration of the art of GK. Who knows where these will lead? Details to follow on Quilts SB, when I get my PC back.

Thank you CJM for the prodding this morning.

I am in competition with no one. I have no desire of playing the game of being better than anyone. I am simply trying to be better than the person I was yesterday.

And I love the Scotch Bonnet Pepper Spread.

Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim

Day 79 - (AD 302) - Jim's Trek Part II - The Sequel - 21.7 Miles - This Desert Heat On My Schwinn 150

Good Day,

Today I cycled 21.7 miles on my Schwinn 150. And yes I am still cycling and getting my dose of cardio-what-ya-ma-call-it exercise. I burned 623 calories and I'm averaging about 628 a day.

I am virtually located on CA-62 E in the desert and I am about 77 miles from my next Interlake address goal. Happenstance, sort of a synchronicity, when my virtual trip location in the California desert is just about the location where this morning's episode of The West Wing was plotting out for proposed placement of solar panels. All I know is that fuel pump prices in Tampa seem to be headed in a downward direction these days.

And St. Anthony must keep following me on this virtual trip. It appears that he is the patron saint of the desert and of bacon, albeit pigs. I will not follow with any "hot-enough-to-fry-eggs" liturgies.

You know when you are definitely in Florida and trying to have a quiet restaurant meal when two almost elderly couples take the table beside you, have forgotten their hearing aids, and begin and continue a dialogue, loud enough for all ears. The topic of conservation is about every, and the history of all, their ailments and medical visits and afflictions.

And I just wanted to enjoy my Panang Curry.

This morning's episode of The West Wing is number 115 of 154. Even though I have 39 more to go I have to now start thinking of my next viewing-cycling companion... Maybe Warehouse 13?

Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim

Day 78 - (AD 301) - Jim's Trek Part II - The Sequel - 22.4 Miles - 5,900 Miles On My Schwinn 150

Good Day,

This morning's cycling on my Schwinn 150 equalled 22.4 miles. And today I have reached the 5,900th mile; my total 5,911.5. After 301 days of cycling I finally noticed that there has been some change to my chubby face from about a year ago. I think the big deal has been the loss of 11 inches on my waist, and it looks like all my drawers have to be taken in.

I am located in a desert somewhere in the southeastern part of California.  I am on;CA-62 E/Desert Center Rice Road and about 57 miles to the Arizona State border.

A very close friend of mine made mention some time ago that I may be trying to channel Forrest Gump. Of course I took that as a positive compliment... And so I have been trying to learn the associated theme music on my Yamaha, not cycle, but piano and synthesizer. Does not sound half bad, but not ready for the concert halls of the world.

First stages of the kitchen reconstruction began this morning. Day One checked off the calendar.

Replacement drive for my main PC has finally arrived. Three week trip from Idaho. Now comes the compatibility rewrites to work with Windows 8 and Linux. I need my PC.

Work continues on our Tampa Kaleidoscope quilt. Blumish Two and Cosmo's Moon are currently on display this weekend, October 10 - 12, at the MQX Quilt Festival - Pacific Northwest in Portland, Oregon. Our schedule now includes 24 projects all at various stages of design and construction.

The second band of our Vanderbilt afghan is currently under construction. All colors have been chosen. Now I will be working on the actual design as I go.


My attempt on Scotch Bonnet Pepper Sauce changed on the make. I bottled five pints of Scotch Bonnet Pepper Spread. And if I say so myself not bad on a salami and cheese roll-up. A wee bit hot, but not bad.


Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim

Day 77 - (AD 300) - Jim's Trek Part II - The Sequel - 22.0 Miles - 300 Days On My Schwinn 150

Good Day,

Today is my 300th day of cycling on my Schwinn 150 since December 2. I cycled another 22.0 miles today. The real part of my Trek, a total to date 5,889.1 miles.

And on the virtual journey I am on CA-177 N/Desert Center Rice Road. I wonder what the Google camera dudes were thinking as they traversed this dry and parched part of our country... but just think of the adventure.

I have turned off of the Christopher Columbus Intercontinental Highway and am headed in a north easterly direction. I am about 80 or so miles from the California - Arizona border.

My viewing companion while I cycled this morning is The West Wing. Today I now begin the sixth season and the negotiations regarding the Middle East continue. I wonder after Cain and Abel, and Abel and Cain, and Cain and Abel will there ever be a resolved peace. Fact or fiction, how many aeons?

This morning I received an inviting spam email from Lisa... "Not sure you can handle it. I'm a 30 lady longing for a younger man to give me a great time..."


Message to Lisa, time to get your pacemaker, your glasses, and your PC replaced.


Andy and I presented our Evolution last night in Orlando at the Florida Cabin Fever Quilters Guild. I believe we were well received and we certainly enjoyed ourselves. Thank you ever so much for the invitation.

And now to focus on the new generation of our quilts and wall hangings. Stay tuned, to Quilts SB. I will be updating once I do get my PC fixed which I hope is today or tomorrow. Three weeks is a long, too long, time.

Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim

Day 76 - (AD 299) - Jim's Trek Part II - The Sequel - 20.5 Miles - Desert Center, CA on My Schwinn 150

Good Day,

This morning my real cycling on my Schwinn 150 included another 20.5 miles. Total tally since December 2, 2012, 5,867.1 miles. And I am maintaining my reduction of waist at 33 inches. If I lose another one inch, for a total loss of 12 inches, I will have reached the same waist size that I had when I was 30 years old.

On my virtual tour I have now jumped from the Box Canyon Road onto the Christopher Columbus Transcontinental Highway. I am located, (the "B" marker), just southwest of the Julian Hinds Pump Plant Airstrip in Desert Center, California. The population of the Town of Desert Center was at 204 in 2010, but I'm not sure if it is currently abandoned today.  Can't figure that out from the Internetland.

The history of Kaiser Permanente dates back to the year 1933 and a tiny hospital in this little town called Desert Center. At that time, Kaiser and several other large construction contractors had formed an insurance consortium called Industrial Indemnity to meet their workers' compensation obligations. Interesting story, and I am amazed of what I am learning on this virtual Trek of mine.

All the quilts are packed and we're ready to go. We're presenting our Evolution Road Show this evening in Orlando at the Florida Cabin Fever quilt guild.

Hopefully my PC will be fixed this week. The broken hard drive was still under warranty and that may have had something to do with the tremendously SLOW turnaround of getting it, my PC, up and running again. But this is ridiculous...It probably would have been so much quicker to just buy a new one. The only thing is that I cannot imagine what we will one day call the next mountain of disposed computer parts.  Maybe Mount AppleGates, and makes me think about the forthtelling of the 2008 Pixar movie Wall-E.

Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim

Day 75 - (AD 298) - Jim's Trek Part II - The Sequel - 21.7 Miles - In The Desert on My Schwinn 150

Good Day,

My cycling this morning, my Schwinn 150, 21.7 miles. And today I am located and headed in a northeast direction on Box Canyon Road. From the Google satellite image it appears that this portion of Box Canyon Road is a dried up river bed. The next intersection and cross road is Power Line Road which is about six-and-a-half miles away.

I have now cycled, on my return trip back from Seattle to Tampa, 27.2% of my total Trek of cycled miles of 5,846.6. It looks like I will reach my 32nd goal and the 6,000 mile mark at about the same time.

And I was thinking that I was getting into a rut this morning as I sat down at my notebook to write to my Jim's Trek blog. I started surfing and thinking of something interesting that I may include when I noticed an article in The Guardian. It was Oliver Burkeman's October 4 article, Rise and shine: the daily routines of history's most creative minds.

Now I do not expect in anyway to go down in history as one of those minds, or in anyway paired up with the minds of the individuals mentioned in Burkeman's article...but, I can breathe.  I can look at my morning and daily routine as not necessarily a rut but a part of my journey.  And now I understand why I have adamantly focused myself of Julia Cameron's book The Artist's Way, A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity.

I wonder if the minds of the past Franklin, Rand, Beethoven, Proust, O'Keefe, et al would have used a notebook, an iPad, a Schwinn 150?

And I had one hell of a time today trying to post my images...and so I am a wee bit late posting today.

Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim

Day 74 - (AD 297) - Jim's Trek Part II - The Sequel - 20.6 Miles - La Quinta, California on My Schwinn 150

Good Day,

Today's mileage - 20.6 on my Schwinn 150. And I have succeeded in reaching my 31st Interlake/Interlachen address goal. I cycled on through the community and paused at the intersection of Merion and Interlachen in La Quinta, California. "B" marks the spot.

Continuing on, I am now located on Airport Blvd and 56th Avenue. I am headed in a westerly direction and will be soon crossing Monroe Street.  And for the new readers the exercise is the real part of the trip, the journey on the road is the virtual part.

La Quinta has a population of about 37,500 and definitely appears to be a golfing community. The Robb Report credits La Quinta as the leading golf destination in the US.

And I did find, even though I have never lost one as I am not a golfer, a St. Anthony golf ball. Remember he is the patron saint of finding lost things. Three St. Anthony balls are available for $10.95 at Catholic Supply. I suppose these may work on any fairway. 

My next and 32nd Interlake address goal is 186 miles away. It also appears that my virtual Trek has now reached its probable southern point on my journey back from Seattle to Tampa. I think I will be heading in an almost westerly direction from now on.

My current stats are: -

• Location – La Quinta,California
• Sequel Distance – 20.6; Total 1,567.8 miles
• Grand Total Miles – 5,824.9
• Calories Burned - 606
• Weight – 163.4 lbs; Total Loss – 7.4 lbs
• Belly Measurement - 33"; Total Loss - 11"
• Blood Sugar - 86 mg/dL
• Blood Pressure – 125/79
• BMI – 22.9

This morning's episode of The West Wing, Season 5, Episode 18 - Access was where a television documentary crew follows the White House Press Secretary around to film a "typical" day. An interesting concept and performance for the 106 episode of The West Wing.

Last night's supper - Chicken mushroom broccoli risotto.  I'm beginning to enjoy preparing risottos but as I am only eating them and not being judged, even though the dish tastes wonderful, I cannot assess whether I am actually making a "judge-quality" concoction.  But it sure tasted good.

Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim

Day 73 - (AD 296) - Jim's Trek Part II - The Sequel - 21.1 Miles - Palm Springs, CA on My Schwinn 150

Good Day,

And I made it to Palm Springs, California.

This morning my 21.1 miles on my Schwinn 150 I reached Varner Road, running parallel to the Sonny Bono Memorial and the Christopher Columbus Transcontinental Highways. And today I have now cycled 5,804.3 miles and I have just over 16 miles left to reach my 31st Interlake address.

I was somewhat shocked this morning when I took my early morning blood sugar test. My Fasting Blood Glucose count was the lowest ever, 72 mgl/dL. Here are the remarks from Medindia: "Congratulations! Your blood glucose level is within normal limits and you do not have diabetes at present. Repeat the test to check your blood glucose level for every 3 years."

From Accu-Chek I used an A1C calculator. The A1C test result correlates to the average daily blood sugar. My average over the past 73 days from when I stopped taking any diabetes medication is 100.8 mb/dL. The A1C calculator returned back 5.14%. It also stated "Congratulations! Your A1C result falls within the normal range—even for people who don't have diabetes." And yes I do have an appointment with my Diabetes Doctor next month." 

Not being magical or fixed in on some secret devise or ingredient, I have been cycling on my Schwinn 150 for just over an hour every single day... I have also been watching, with one open eye, what and the amount of food that I have been eating.  But not being facetious I can see chocolate oil cake and Cherries Garcia ice-cream in my not too distant future.

I am. Today is Smile Day. Did you know that the Smiley face is now 50 years old?

A new publication and short collection of short stories and poems, Southern Gothic: New Tales of the South is now available through New Lit Salon Press. Cheers to Nathan Mark Phillips for providing his images and digital art.

Our Essbeecon and Who Did Desi Adore? quilt and wall-hanging have returned from QuiltFest in Jacksonville. Test 40 and Metropolis are showing this weekend at Splash of Color in Cabarrus County, North Carolina. Blumish Two and Cosmo's Moon are being displayed in Portland, Oregon at MQX West next weekend. Andy and I will be presenting our work and our quilting Evolution this Monday, October 7 at Cabin Fever Quilters' Guild in Orlando. Check out updates and progress, once I get my PC back, at Quilts SB.

My PC is now delayed for another four days. I can be sure that I will not be personally working with the associated hard driver provider EVER again.

Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim

Day 72 - (AD 295) - Jim's Trek Part II - The Sequel - 21.7 Miles - Again on My Schwinn 150

Good Day,

And yes the 21.7 miles is the mileage count this morning on my Schwinn 150.

This is now my 295th day cycling and I know that my physical body has changed... even for a 61, almost 62 year-old kid.  I wish I had a cross-sectional view of what may or may not have changed inside this body. But just think, only 70 more days and I will have clocked one year on my Schwinn 150. And today I topped 5,783.2 miles.

This morning I am on CA-62 W/Twentynine Palms Highway.  I am headed south in the direction of N Indian Canyon Drive.

Question, and I'm only asking a question, Why would a young lady have "X's" tattooed up the back of each of her legs?

In the store, as she walked away I wondered why she had on such stockings with such graphic designs, but I then realized almost immediately that the "X's" were tattooed up the middle of her legs from just above her heels to just below her fesse. Each "X" was about two-inches in height and each leg had a straight line of about 12+ "X's". Obviously I was taken aback...and I am just curious. I am wondering about her reasons.

I just posted a new entry to my Jim's Gotta Eat blog. The topic and recipe Scotch Bonnet Pepper Pickles. Check out Jim's Gotta Eat.

Obviously my PC has not been returned from the fix-it shop...but it should not lead some folks to be, unless they tend to be that way normally, inconsiderate.  And I'm wondering about the partial-communication withdrawal that I appear to be going through. In this electronic age it seems that as long as there is power, and I mean the "electric" kind, there are so many ways to communicate electronically. Just bear with me for a moment.

There is an exercise in Julia Cameron's book The Artists' Way that has caused me to pause from continuing the assigned and written exercises. This task is "Reading Deprivation". Her instructions are to stop reading for one complete week. That's right: no reading. I am allowed to do anything else but for one week I am supposed to stop all reading, which includes no computer and no television. For that one week I am suggested to find a number of alternatives. She instructs "Don't read. If you can't think of anything else to do, cha-cha." I'm not sure if I could handle the task.

Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim

Day 71 - (AD 294) - Jim's Trek Part II - The Sequel - 21.0 Miles - Almost Yucca Valley, CA

Good Day,

And my PC is still in the shop... Enough said.

This morning I cycled 21.0 miles on my Schwinn 150. I am pinpointed on CA-247 S/Old Woman Springs Road. Just ahead is Luna Vista Road. My next point of interest that I'll be cycling through is the Town of Yucca Valley, population 20,700. I also have about 60 miles left to my next Interlake address goal.

After cycling 5,761.5 miles in 294 days my average fasting blood sugar count is 101.5 mg/dL. I am burning an average of 627.7 calories each day and my waist measurement is holding at 33 inches.

And all my biorhythm cycles are in an upward swing. Today my physical cycle is stretching out to reach the top of its apex while both my intellectual and emotional ones are below the 0% mark. Explains for my blah past week when all cycles were foundering in the nether regions.

This morning the ice-maker went out for the fifth time on the refrigerator and the TV cabling somehow disconnected. Dealing with those two issues we're also assured that the contractor is now working up the specifications for the kitchen/living and dining rooms repair. I am still waiting the incompetent delivery system of the PC hard drive provider. I figure that the only way to maintain my sanity is to cycle with simple and pianissimo classical music in the background.

And Google keeps reminding me that iGoogle will be shutting down November 1st. Must make sure that my Bookmarks are accessible elsewise.

Would you believe that a new iPhone thing-a-ma-jig has been invented in Japan. It is a gadget that let's you to smell "meat" while you eat something else... This is "Hana Yakiniku" (鼻焼肉), which literally means "nose grilled meat." As IT Media points out, it's a small 17-gram peripheral you stick into your iPhone's headphone jack that sprays out one of three scents: Short Ribs, Beef Tongue, and Buttered Potato. So you want to diet, and I mean crash diet. Who knows? Is this not similar to the spraying of Soma from Huxley's Brave New World?

Smoothie this morning - Blueberries, Blackberry yogurt, banana and ice. Yesterday I concocted my version of some fiery Scotch Bonnet plus peppers pickles. Now I just have to wait for the pickling and fermenting process. I will be posting my quick details to Jim's Gotta Eat shortly, hopefully when my PC is returned.

The second band of our new Vanderbilt afghan has begun. Having completed the first band I hope to complete this and the next bands with less mistakes and at a quicker pace. The quilting to our Tampa Kaleidoscope is taking shape and we like what we see. Updates to Quilts SB and Afghans SB are forthcoming when my PC is back in house.

I CANNOT WAIT until my fixed PC is returned.  From time to time as I use my notebook whole sections of previously typed words, sentences, and paragraphs keep disappearing.  I know it has to be my fingers hitting some other keyboard button or key, but this is getting too, too frustrating...

Be healthy, and enjoy your working PC.

Jim

Day 70 - (AD 293) - Jim's Trek Part II - The Sequel - 21.6 Miles - Somewhere in The Desert on My Schwinn 150

Good Day,

Good news, I cycled 21.6 miles on my Schwinn 150 this morning. Bad news, it appears that the component company shipped my ordered hard drive, once again to the the incorrect address...I still DO NOT HAVE my PC. Good news - I got on the roof this morning and cleaned out the house back gutters. I guess we still have 61 more days of Hurricane Season.

This morning my 21.6 miles has me heading in a southeasterly direction on CA-247 S/Old Woman Springs Road. I'm headed towards Lafom Road, but I can tell you now that if I blink I definitely will miss the unpaved and sand road. And I am just wondering if Wile E. Coyote and The Road Runner are going to be speeding by at any moment.

And with my main PC still in the shop I cannot do any work on my regular and more elaborate updates to my blogs; A Genealogy Hunt, Quilts SB, Afghans SB, Jim's Gotta Eat, and Jim's Trek. I also have three other blogs that I have not visited recently. Yes the writing has become an obsession. And I now know that there are a number of things that I have to do before I get left behind. One is the consolidation of my blogs under an account umbrella and two is the startup work on a website for my A Genealogy Hunt.

My video companion, while I cycle, The West Wing is bilaterally experiencing a government shutdown. Happenstance seems to be my middle name, and I suppose I could have spelled that with a bit more ease than of mi tercer nombre. I wonder if the current President will play the same hand as his television counterpart.


The first band for our new Vanderbilt afghan has been completed. This time, no mistakes...and it really does look pretty slick. The band is 50" long and 8½" wide.

The second quilting has begun for our Tampa Kaleidoscope quilt.

Be healthy... This morning banana and peanut butter smoothies.

Enjoy

Jim

Day 69 - (AD 292) - Jim's Trek Part II - The Sequel - 21.8 Miles - 5,700+ Miles on My Schwinn 150

Good Day,

This morning I completed my cycling on my Schwinn 150 in two parts. During the first part I was called to my Dentist's office to fit my new crowns.  I completed the second part after I got home with my new teeth. I cycled 20.7 miles without and with my teeth...and no I do not have dentures. Sometime last night, at supper, I must have swallowed one of my temporary crowns. Praise be the new ones had arrived.

And today I have passed the 5,700 mile mark. I have cycled, since December 2, 2012, 5,718.9 miles. My return mileage, from Seattle to Tampa is now clocked in at 25.6% of my total Trek thus far.

This morning after my 20.7 miles I am now located on CA-18 S and I am coming up on Rabbit Ranch Airport. This is a privately owned airport and just west of Lucerne Valley. I wonder if there is any connection to the Chicken Ranch.

And this will be the next Supreme Court concern and pending ruling - Is Ted Cruz constitutionally capable of becoming a President of the United States? I am not siding with one who reads Dr. Seuss in the workings of our government's business but I am definitely interested in the possibilities and/or probabilities.

Quoting from Angie Drobnic Holan's article published on Tuesday, August 20th, 2013 in the Tampa Bay Times,

Cruz -- full name: Rafael Edward Cruz --was born in Canada in 1970 because his father was working for the oil industry there. The senator’s recently released birth certificate shows his mother was born in Delaware and his father was born in Cuba. The Cruz family left Canada a few years later. Cruz grew up in Texas and graduated from high school there, later attending Princeton University and Harvard Law School.


Wonder on which side of the fence Mr. Trump will perch himself?

I am still waiting on the fix and return of my PC. Two weeks has caused a long withdrawal period. But to top it off I am still looking at a house that is awaiting an interior reconstruction. This hoarder is becoming antsy..

Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim

Day 68 - (AD 291) - Jim's Trek Part II - The Sequel - 21.8 Miles - Phantom Roadway?

Good Day,

Today's cycling on my Schwinn 150 added another 21.8 miles to my Trek. And this morning I cycled up 640 calories. Chalk that now to 5,698.2 miles in 291 days. The news is that since I stopped my diabetes medication I have now maintained an average fasting blood sugar of 101.8 ml/dL.

On my virtual Trek I am now located on Air Base Road and Air Expressway. I am somewhere between the George AFB, Victorville and the intersection of Phantom Road. How apropos...a road that does exist while a virtual Trek that doesn't. (The B-marker marks my spot.)

I am a wee bit late writing up my Trek today, even though I did commit to and complete my actual exercise this morning. This afternoon I spent babysitting my grandson and assisting with the new house move.  I think I did enjoy the babysitting a bit more...than just writing.

And the drag continues.  I am somewhat frustrated that my regular PC has not been returned. Even in this day and age of electronic database updates and frequent changes, a supplier of a required part makes the mistake and sends the necessary component to an old, old address of the computer builder. I am currently experiencing a shade of keyboard withdrawal.


Bill Briggs of NBC News, September 28th article 'A different person': Personality change often brain injury's hidden toll definitely hits close to home. I wonder if there is a thought of a corresponding idea and process of the possibility of introvert versus extrovert changes. Interesting article.



Harvested a bunch of Scotch Bonnets and now looking for recipes to make sauce. I do like spicy and hot additions to most of my meals.

Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim

Day 67 - (AD 290) - Jim's Trek Part II - The Sequel - 21.3 Miles - On El Mirage Road in California

Good Day,

This morning cycle jaunt on my Schwinn 150 was 21.3 miles and I burned 617 calories. I continue to cycle even to the chagrin of some naysayers who predicted that I could not do it. My Trek has continued now for almost 290 days since December 2, 2012. And this is the actual physical and real part of the Trek.

Today my virtual Trek has me just located on Avenue P, not in D.C. but in the desert in California. The highway is also appropriately named El Mirage Road.

Only 2,519 more miles left to return home. And the rain is back here in Tampa...and more exercise on a moving day.

Our new Vanderbilt afghan is beginning to take shape. All colors have been chosen, and we're psyched. The quilting continues on our new Tampa Kaleidoscope quilt. We really shocked how large this new quilt construction will be.

Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim

Day 66 - (AD 289) - Jim's Trek Part II - The Sequel - 20.8 Miles - Somewhere in The Desert in California

Good Day,

Today I finished another 20.8 miles on my cycling Trek on my Schwinn 150.  This morning I am located somewhere south of the Edwards AFB.  I have just turned right off East Avenue E on to 140th Street E.

Yes this appears to be a virtual trip in the California desert, and I am 166 miles from my next Interlake address goal.  In Tampa the humidity is down and the sun is now out, for some time.

My current stats and personal successes -

• Location – Somewhere near Rosamond Dry Lake Bed,California
• Sequel Distance – 20.8; Total 1,315.2 miles
• Grand Total Miles – 5,572.3
• Calories Burned - 618
• Weight – 164.2 lbs; Total Loss – 6.6 lbs
• Belly Measurement - 33"; Total Loss - 11"
• Blood Sugar - 84 mg/dL
• Blood Pressure – 118/76
• BMI – 22.9

I am riding my Schwinn 150. My Schwinn 150 is made by and is a product of  Schwinn Fitness, a division owned by Nautilus, Inc. of Vancouver, Washington. The outdoor Schwinn bicycle line is owned and a product of Dorel Industries of Montreal, Canada.  I did not know that Mr. Pee Wee Herman, and to think that I may have walked on Green Avenue when I lived in Montreal.


My viewing this morning was the 1946 Colonel Effingham's Raid. Nothing ever changes... The plot involves a retired career Army colonel who returns to his hometown in about 1940, starts writing a column in a local newspaper and takes on the corrupt local politicians to not replace the historic county courthouse.

And does anything ever change? Politics and green eggs and ham.  Maybe the self-identified gatekeepers should elevate their education and levels of understanding to the extent of Dr. Seuss.  I was wondering about paramecia, and then I thought "Why bother?"


Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim

Day 65 - (AD 288) - Jim's Trek Part II - The Sequel - 21.0 Miles - Near Lancaster, CA on My Schwinn 150

Good Day,

I cycled 21.0 miles on my Schwinn 150 this morning. I have now completed 1,377.2 miles on my return journey from Seattle back to Tampa. To date the Part II of my total journey has increased to 24.4% of my total journey. And this morning I burned 657 calories, and I'm sure I'll eat them back on today.

I am headed in an easterly direction on CA-138 E, also known as W Avenue D. I'm just about to come on to the intersection at 60th Street W. I am northwest of the City of Lancaster which is within the Antelope Valley region and California's High Desert. The population of Lancaster is somewhere about 157 thousand.

One of Lancaster's claim to fame - One of the three musical roads in the world. An excerpt of Gioachino Rossini's William Tell Overture, tar and bumps. The other two are in Japan and maybe that is Part III.


I wonder... Just thinking that if it would sound like Chopsticks should a bicycle travel over the musical groves?

And of course I am still follow The West Wing as my video companion to my Schwinn 150 cycling. Did I mention that I watch a movie or video series without commercial break as I am cycling? This helps me to commit myself to a continuous stream of cycling without any audible or mental interuptions. It definitely works for me.

This morning's lesson from the annals of The West Wing: Should you want someone to shut up and if you want them to curtail their negative politicking, create a bogus award and present it to them in a quick and sweet ceremony; the Francis Scott Key Key Award. (Season 4, Episode 18, Privateers...)

And I did it again, but this time I caught my error without having created too much of the ensuing Vanderbilt afghan band. It is a simple process but I have to keep focused between the single and the double rows. The re-constructed band is now 23". (Each inner band of this original design is projected to be 50".)

The quilting to our Tampa Kaleidoscope is looking great.

Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim

Day 64 - (AD 287) - Jim's Trek Part II - The Sequel - 20.5 Miles - Cruising in California on My Schwinn 150

Good Day,

This morning I finished 20.5 miles on my Schwinn 150. The 5,600 mile mark has now been reached. My total miles as of this 287th day of cycling is 5,613.3. My next Interlake address goal is 209 miles away. I still have 2,677 miles to go to return home to Tampa, Florida. All-things-being-equal this Trek on my Schwinn 150 is turning into a short exercise and body changing jaunt of just about 8,300 miles, give or take...

Currently I am heading in a southeasterly direction on CA-138 E/270th St W/W Ave C-6/Lancaster Rd toward Pacific Crest Trail.  Google Maps' photo-cars have taken images at night.  The resulting photo on my notebook is not to bright.  I just lightened up the image to realize that I have to be wary and careful of on-coming 18-wheelers.

J&B's new plantation is filled with fruit-bearing papaya trees. Just made myself a papaya, banana/strawberry yogurt smoothie. Also tried my hand at a Sum Tom.

I do not think that I will, even though I am probably lying, ever eat at a fast food restaurant ever again... Follow this link...Fast Food Fancy.

I have decided to become a weather prognosticator. Today is Day Three and there are only 37 days and nights left to gather up the gopher wood here in Tampa. We've been having a H2Ocane without the winds, just the water, the thunder and lightning. Slight breeze though. I wonder if I can use the Cypress wood in the back yard?

While I'm on this stream of thought, my question is... when do those without any reasonable level of education or common sense always think that it is their God-given (or Allah-given) right to foist their segmented and biased learnings upon other persons and relatives? There has to be some inverse correlation between the levels of fanaticism and the degree of education. I think I'm going to have some shrimp for supper.

Politicians can be now and should be assimilated and likened to anything beyond the philosophy of Dr. Seuss. Ted Cruz, born Canadian and now American at 42 years, with baccalaureates plus from Princeton University, Harvard University, and Harvard Law School is now brilliantly presenting the credibilities of the constituents who elected him to the US Senate. Horton hops on Pop. Cruz in on Green Eggs and Ham and waste the citizens funds and time.

Well I finished the first band of my Vanderbilt afghan. A beautiful 8 ½" by 50". I then realized I had made two distinct errors, errors to my eyes. I unraveled 42" and continued again.Our quilting pattern, on our longarm, for the inner top of Tampa Kaleidoscope really looks slick. Don't forget to check out Afghans SB and Quilts SB for our progress and updates.

Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim

Day 63 - (AD 286) - Jim's Trek Part II - The Sequel - 21.0 Miles - Frazier Park, California

Good Day,

Today is my 300th posting of Jim's Trek.

This is the journey that I began on December 2, 2012; a journey both real and virtual. The ultimate goal of my Trek on my Schwinn 150, a stationary bicycle, was to begin and continue an exercise regime that would, hopefully, realize me some benefits. And this morning I topped, or should I say I bottomed out another one. My fasting blood sugar count recorded in at 80 mg/dL. And my other success is the fact that I have lost 11-inches on my waist measurement.

Jim's Trek is my journal, recording both my real exercise and the results...It is a physical, mental, and virtual Trek that provides me with the reality and illusion of goals that I can physically and mentally reach while I exercise. Jim's Trek is not a presentation of a sham. The virtual corresponds with the reality. The physical results are the proof.

And today I completed an addition 21.0 miles on my Schwinn 150. I am averaging about 1 hour and 6 minutes every day, and today I burned 651 calories. To date since December 2 I have clocked 5,593.3 miles.

This morning I reached the Village of Frazier Park which lies within Cuddy Canyon inside the Los Padres National Forest in California. I am still on my return Trek from Seattle, Washington to Tampa, Florida. The population of Frazier Park is about 2,700 and the elevation is 4,639 feet above sea level, just a wee bit higher than my physical location in Tampa. I now am within 230 miles of my next and 31st Interlake address goal location.

After 15+ years having been diagnosed as a Diabetic, I can honestly say that I have been able to "beat" the odds. Coupled with my regular cycling on my Schwinn 150, a reasonable diet, and NO diabetes medication for the last 63 days, for all intents I do not record a regular diabetes threshold. This morning this is the message I received:

You have indicated that your Fasting Blood Glucose is 80.

Congratulations! Your blood glucose level is within normal limits and you do not have diabetes at present.

I am not a doctor. I am a 61-year old retired English Teacher and Banker, but logic would tell me that an average fasting blood sugar count of 103.5 mg/dL for the same period of 63 days, without any diabetes medication, certainly warrants some note. I wonder if there is a doublespeak oxymora somewhere within the careers of English Teacher and Banker?

I think I am going to construct a "Doggy-Treadmill" for Radar. I figure that while I am on my Schwinn 150 he can trot and gallop beside me in order to burn the excess energy that he keeps bottled inside...And that would tend to me chasing him through the backyards and yards of our neighborhood. And he is a good looking, smart, little DEVIL-Dog.

Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim

Day 62 - (AD 285) - Jim's Trek Part II - The Sequel - 22.0 Miles - On The Road in California

Good Day,

This morning I decided that I would break the 21.7 mile repeat. I cycled on my Schwinn 150 22.0 miles. It just didn't make sense to do less.

I am heading east on Forest Highway 95/Hudson Ranch Road toward Forest Route 9N27. Guess I will be continuing to follow Forest Highway 95 for a bit and a couple of days.

Okay call me a rube from Florida, (I've lived here long enough but definitely not a redneck), but if there wasn't a paved road with a painted line down the center of the image I certainly might expect to see a rancour of cowboys come riding over the hills.

My current stats -

• Location – Hudson Ranch Road, California
• Sequel Distance – 22.0; Total 1,315.2 miles
• Grand Total Miles – 5,572.3
• Calories Burned - 651
• Weight – 165.8 lbs; Total Loss – 5.0 lbs
• Belly Measurement - 33"; Total Loss - 11"
• Blood Sugar - 89 mg/dL
• Blood Pressure – 125/83
• BMI – 23.1

And he did it again! The little bugger shimmied out of the double supposedly secure and my ingenious harness contraption. But before he could bound off and start his catch-me-if-you-can marathon I flew through the air and grabbed him in a flying tackle. Boy was he shocked! And after scolding him, the next I knew was that this little scamp of a devil-dog was snuggled up in my lap for the remainder of the evening.  Radar - 6; Jim - 1. And if anyone has any idea for a good and secured harness for Radar, one that he cannot slip backwards out of, I certainly would appreciate any thought.

Have you ever had the issue of an unseen gnat buzzing you incessantly? They have one goal in their minuscule and boring little life, to try and bite you to obtain some sort of sustenance to feed and regenerate its tiny existence. And they can be a bother when they feel a connection. But a quick flick of a hand sends it into the oblivion of never-never land.

Back to my cycling on my Schwinn 150. Next goal just around the corner, 5,600 miles.

Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim