Day 95 – (AD 318) – Jim’s Trek Part II – The Sequel – 22.0 Miles – On Zane Grey Highway On My Schwinn 150

Good Day,

This morning I cycled another 22.0 miles on my Schwinn 150.

I am headed south on the Zane Grey Highway. Following this highway also known as AZ-260 E I am somewhere north of Strawberry, Arizona, population at 1,030. The elevation is at about 5,800 feet. And yes there is snow on the ground.

Today we celebrated with two circular cakes; one chocolate, chocolate, chocolate; and one vanilla with strawberry cream. Looks like I will have to cycle a wee bit more tomorrow to "unspike" my blood sugar count.

My current stats are: -

• Location – Near Strawberry, Arizona
• Sequel Distance – 22.1; Total 2,023.8 miles
• Grand Total Miles – 6,280.9
• Calories Burned - 649
• Weight – 163.2 lbs; Total Loss – 7.6 lbs
• Belly Measurement - 33"; Total Loss - 11"
• Blood Sugar - 86 mg/dL
• A1c - 5.01%
• Blood Pressure – 120/80
• BMI – 22.9

Our, (no longer), Sea Foam afghan has gone to its new home in Florida. Check out our updates at Afghans SB.

Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim

Day 216 – Jim’s Trek – 20.7 Miles – Still in the State of Washington

Good Day,

I completed my miles this morning on my Schwinn 150. Today I finished 20.7 miles. Obviously I'm still in Washington; I’m located on US-2 W at the intersection of Armstrong Road SW. I’m headed west and I believe I can see mountains in the distance.

Based on my calculations I still have about 186 more miles to go to reach my final Seattle destination.

One is never too young to learn something old. In 1976 I got my first wok. Thanks BR. I’m still using the same one, now for 37 years…but I never considered myself in any way a polished expert, just an ardent and progressive learner. I am currently reading a very good book published in 2004, The Breath of a Wok, by Grace Young and Alan Richardson…and I’m learning something new, Wok Hei.

I’m in a waiting room psyching myself to have blood withdrawn via 6-inch needles. Two observations in waiting room... One, parents or grandparents with children, in waiting rooms this day need to teach the child that posted symbols for No cellphones or Gameboys with sound means NO sound. Second observation, I wonder what are the purposes of luminescent lime tennis balls on walkers…and do they glow in the dark?

After sitting in this woebegone waiting room and as I close in on the final miles of my Trek, I vow that for the next six months I will not be a vocal proponent of discussing my ailments or physical limitations, unless there is an MD designation attached to the listener's moniker. Everyone in the waiting room had such sad and drawn faces.

Construction of the inner top of Tampa Kaleidoscope quilt is now complete. We are now addressing the design and creation of the framing and borders. A quilting pattern is in the works that we feel will best highlight but not supersede the impact of the hexagons. Blumish Two is now hanging on our quilt wall. We are trying to decide what best type of quilting will develop and highlight both the positive and negative spaces.

Sea Foam afghan is progressing well. About a third of the width of the inner portion of the afghan has been completed.

This morning’s in-cycle viewing please was Episode 5 of Season 2 of Continuum. It is starting to get interesting now. The mystery is who is who is who aligned with whom. All I can say the secret to my keeping up with my cycling on a daily basis has been me watching the TV serials and movies. I definitely make sure that there are NO interrupting commercials.

Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim

Day 209 – Jim’s Trek – 20.6 Miles – Schwinn 150 to Spokane En Route To Seattle, Washington

Good Day, and Happy Canada Day,

This morning I cycled on my Schwinn 150 20.6 miles. I am now located on US-195 N, southwest of Spokane, Washington. I am headed toward US-90 West.

I suppose the reality of the virtual and real physical part of this Trek on my Schwinn 150 has just sunk into my thick grey matter… This is the situation especially from where I am located on US-195 N and I come upon the highway sign indicating that I am on route to Seattle. I have now pedaled 3,942.2 miles and I am currently trekking at 19.0 miles daily.

I now need to understand if my weigh scale is on the fritz. It is registering that I have put on weight… not inches, just pounds. This morning I weighed in at 166.4 pounds. Overall I have lost 4.4 pounds since I began my Trek on December 3, 2012. Guess I’ll have to figure out my BMI, Body Mass Index. A quick calculation computes my BMI at 22.7. I am well in the normal weight range; 18.5 to 24.9. So I don’t worry, I be happy. (I checked out the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute site.)

Walking half The Pack this past evening, I heard a tremendous commotion billowing down from one of the trees hanging over the sidewalk. I recognized the high pitched song of a male Cicada. Next thing I knew we were being bombarded by a bird in pursuit of a loud-clicking chubby lace-winged Cicada. The loud Tibicen, appropriately known as the Dog-Day Cicada, plummeted downward and landed on the sidewalk at my feet. Both Max and Radar were astonished and intrigued by the buzzing thing. I was about the reach out and capture the fierce little fellow, and within a flash Radar grabbed the Cicada and chomped away and swallowed. Gone.

Last night I expected to be awakened not by Radar’s typical yowl… but by his yapping tempered by the high-pitched squealing of a clicking crazy and kooky canine.  And sure enough a present of a masticated Cicada was found on the dog blankets this morning.

Writing of food, supper last night was a one of the best meals that I have prepared in a long time, at least since last week. I created a dish of pan-seared Grouper with Zucchini and Grape Tomatoes on Orzo pasta. Grouper, olive oil, salt pepper, shallots, lemon peel, lemon juice, fresh oregano, and fresh basil. Outstanding, and a meal that can be termed “celestial”.

For dessert I made a sort of Toll House chocolate chip cookie cheese cake type-of thing. Very simple to make; rolls of chocolate chip cookies, cream cheese, eggs, vanilla, and sugar. And I had to have a second helping. Oh and bye-the-bye my blood sugar count this morning was 100.

Episode 6 of The Newsroom. Theme “Bullies”. Not kids, bullying kids… adults bullying adults. Aaron Sorkin is an amazing screenwriter.

The piecing of the completed hexagon strips of Tampa Kaleidoscope quilt has begun. The anticipated result is amazing, better than we expected. Seven cluster rows and 15 inches width are now finished to our Sea Foam afghan. Check out details on Quilts SB and Afghans SB.

Looks like the rain is a’coming. Happy Florida Monsoon.

Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim

Day 200 - Jim’s Trek - 21.2 Miles - It Is Now Official - 34 Inches!!!

Good Day,

Today on my Trek on my Schwinn 150, on my 200th day of cycling, I Finally... and that is with a capital “F”, have dropped 10-inches on my belly measurement. Another goal after 3,733.5 miles. It works!

And the funny coincidence is that my movie this morning was The Full Monty. I got to thinking that maybe I should pull-out the Saran Wrap and speed up the reduction of my belly size. When I started my Trek the measurement was 44”... and now I can yell, after six-and-a-half months... 34 INCHES. And no plastic wrap needed.

Obviously there is a definite correlation, and yes I know that is the bottom line, between eating well and exercise. My blood sugar count this morning registered at 88 mg/dL, or for you north of the border and overseas, 4.89 mmol/L. This count is well within the normal range. Not bad for Day 4 of no diabetes medication and Day 200 of continuous minus one day of trekking on my Schwinn 150.

And the above are the real facts.

This morning I am still, virtually, in Montana, on Highway US 2-W going in a northerly direction. I am south of Libby, Montana and in about two-plus days I should be entering into Idaho. All-things-being-equal I am about 490 miles from my final destination in Seattle.

The Full Monty, the 1997 comedy-drama certainly is apropos, and with current themes, 16 years later. People dealing with rampant unemployment and surviving, coping with relationships, marriage and divorce, straight and gay, parent and child, and just, not so simple, friendships, and self-acceptance. Not that I would, or could, run off and join the Chippendales, but it certainly makes me think of living day-to-day as me.

Tonight the attempted bill-of-fare will be Spicy Asian Shrimp Lettuce Wraps.

Progress continues on our Tampa Kaleidoscope quilt and our Sea Foam afghan.  Follow our updates on Quilts SB and Afghans SB.

And I need my desktop.

Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim

Day 196 – Jim’s Trek – 21.2 Miles – Better Results Than Expected on My Schwinn 150

Good Day,


Another 21.2 miles on my Schwinn 150. Total to-date 3,649.4 miles, 531.1 left to go to my final destination at Seattle, Washington. I am located this morning on the Montana Highway 206 heading south, just a shade west of Flathead National Forest.

And this morning it is certainly humid in Tampa at Interlake Drive. Just take a gander out to the pool and patio. One knows that the wet season is upon us here in Central Florida…

Due to the exercise, in consultation with my Cardiologist, I have stopped the use of three of my meds. Two definitely eliminated and the third reduced by one of the paired chemicals. Obviously I’ll be monitoring the effects. My blood pressure this morning, before cycling was 113/78. Not bad. All-things-being-equal it appears that the exercise, my cycling, has had a very positive consequence. My morning blood sugar count is 100, and I burned 617 calories.

Supper last night – Homemade Turkey Lentil Soup and Pasta Salad. Both dishes were created from leftovers and food-items found in the refrigerators. Great big pot of Turkey Lentil Soup resulted in six extra jars in storage… I was definitely thinking of the Three Crones in MacBeth as I was double, double toiling and troubling. The magic worked, the refrigerators are cleared.

This morning’s viewing pleasure was the second part of Pirates of the Caribbean – At World’s End, the third film. The Brethren Court assembled… of Pirate Captains of undetermined ages. It reminded me of our current day House and Senate filibustering, and a number of elected and appointed persons. It is all in the posing for the class photos.

Work continues on the piecing of the half-hexagons to create the strips for our Tampa Kaleidoscope. (I wonder why I can never spell the word Kaleidoscope correctly each time.) Work is now in process to determine quilting designs for a number of our completed tops. Check out our progress at Quilts SB. Sea Foam, our new afghan, is under construction. The third set of clusters is being created. Status updates provided at Afghans SB. Oh and by the way, only one more “Like” required to make Afghans SB an official Facebook Page.

Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim