Day 223 - Jim’s Trek - 22.2 Miles - 4,200 Mile Mark Reached

Good Day,

And today I can almost see my final destinations. Only 37.3, give-or-take, miles remaining of my Tampa to Seattle Trek. To date I have accomplished on my Schwinn 150 4,220.0 miles.

Today I am headed south on Highway 203 and I am located at Taylor Park on Carnation Duvall Road NE. My direction south is my route to my next Interlake address goal.

And the fantastic news this morning is the CK is now walking. He’ll soon join his Grandpa on his "imaginary" trips to who knows where.  Just gotta wait until his feet reach the pedals.

All-things-being-equal I hope my PC is returned shortly so I can plan my new Jim’s Trek Part II - The Sequel. All I can reveal is that at this moment I may be heading in a southerly direction.

Last night’s supper was half-a-repeat. Grilled corn on the cob and a Zucchini, Olive, Tomato, and Jalepeño Fusilli dish. I like the cycling cause I can almost eat to my mind’s content, and my blood sugar counted at 100, and there weren't any leftovers.

 

All-things-being-equal I have only lost 6.2 pounds over the past 223 days. My intention of my Trek was not to lose weight but to lose waist. My belly measurement this morning stands at 34 inches and my waist measurement is 32 7/8”. I began my Trek on my Schwinn 150 with belly measurement of 44 inches.

Season Two, Part Six of Continuum was the viewing fare this morning on my Schwinn 150. The show has added some interesting sub-plots, but the question is, if and only if there is a renewed season will the writers and the producers be able to go any place. Last night I watched Part One of Season Two of The Newsroom. Interesting setup but I’ve got to watch it again to see and understand any of the tangents that I may have missed.

Be healthy and enjoy... Until tomorrow, the Sequel is just around the corner.

Jim

Day 213 – Jim’s Trek – 20.7 Miles – Grand Ole Day For Singin’- 4,000 Miles Passed

Good Day,

I began my blog Jim’s Trek on November 28, 2012. It is a simple journal of my Trek on my Schwinn 150 with my intended purpose of just recording my results and keeping myself focused on my goals – Cycle 3,301 miles and reduce my weight measurement by 10 inches. Well today on Day 213 of my Trek I have cycled, on my Schwinn 150 4,006.6 miles, and I can say that my waist measurement has reduced to 34 inches from 44 inches.

Today I completed 20.7 miles and I am located in Washington on US-2 W/State Road 2 E. I am headed west to my next Interlake address goal. I am east of the Town of Wilbur, population approximately 890. Once again there’s not much to see from the road. But I am just a wee bit southeast of an old missile site, 567th SMS, Fairchild FSB Sit 7 – Wilbur.

Only 251, plus or minus, miles remaining to my final Interlake address destination.

And today is Bikini Day… Not the Atoll in the Pacific Ocean but of the one designed in 1946 by Louis Reard. But please, please, please…

And last night I had my black bean concoction for supper: black beans, onion, hot sauce, brown rice, chicharrones, garlic, and grilled hot dogs. Simple and good.

Episode 10, The Newsroom – The Greater Fool, and the question who is/are? And quoting Citibank’s John Prince, in 2007, “When the music stops…things will be complicated. But as long as the music is playing, you’ve got to get up and dance. We’re still dancing.”


Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim

Day 212 – Jim’s Trek – 20.5 Miles – 11th Degree of Resistance on The 4th of July

Good Day and Happy 4th,

Today I cycled on my Schwinn 150 20.5 miles. I am on located on State Route 2 E a wee bit west of Davenport, Washington. Population about 1,730. My total miles, as of the 4th of July, equal 3,985.9. 

All-things-being-equal, tomorrow I will be surpassing the 4,000 mark.  This is real not a virtual count.

Oh and by the way I increased the resistance on my Schwinn 150 to 11 of 15 a couple of days ago. I didn’t write to promote the idea as I wanted to make sure that I would survive the additional resistance. I have.

Sorry, not a real apology, but fireworks and The Pack do not mix, especially, and the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, definitely the 4th. And I am sure on the 5th, 6th, 7th. Wonder how the ancient Pekingese puppies coped?



Last night supper another new experiment.  Sweet Spicy Fried Chicken and Fried Rice Noodles.  Fantastic combination of flavors and spices.

On the stove, right now, a pot of black beans and a homemade chicken soup/stew concoction. Maybe tonight’s supper? And another question – When did I fall asleep and the reality of not working on a National Holiday was thrown out the window? Just curious.

Episode 9, The Newsroom – The Republican Presidential candidates’ debate and will you love me tomorrow? Verdad?  Season 2 begins on HBO in 10 days.


The inner top to Tampa Kaleidoscope quilt is just about completed. The current dimensions are 62” by 88”. Have to decide which is width and which is length. Sea Foam afghan is now at 48” wide and 19” long. Working on the quilting designs for The Amulet and Blumish II. Also drafting the specs for The Bird Cage, or maybe The Bird House. Follow our updates at Quilts SB and Afghans SB.

Be safe, be healthy, and enjoy,

Jim

Day 211 – Jim’s Trek – 20.7 Miles – Somewhere in Washington on My Schwinn 150

Good Day,

I’m a wee bit late with my Trek posting this morning. After I completed 20.7 miles on my Schwinn 150 I had to hightail it out of the house to meet a couple of appointments and run a couple of errands. But I still finished my daily regime. And all my vitals are clocking in at the normal ranges.

Today I am located, headed north on WA-231 N. I am somewhere between Titchenal/Fairview Farm and Naff/Magnusum Roads. As you can see it appears to be somewhere in farmland.

I am not going to understand the virtual part of my Trek today. It appears that the Artificial Intelligence of the Google Mapping software has decided to change its mind… or should I venture to think that my PC has reconfigured the remaining 300+ miles of my Trek. Yesterday I was headed in one direction, southwesterly, and today it is directing me in a northwesterly direction. This sort of reminds me of the days of a navigator while I was driving, when I first got GPS, and the computerbot w. anted me to drive into the Intercoastal waterway. Anyway from where I begin my Trek on my Schwinn 150 today is approximately 313 miles from my final destination. Let the countdown begin.

Episode 8, The Blackout Part I of The Newsroom’s original air date was 12 August 2012. Okay correct me if I am wrong, but does there not appear to be some definite correlation between this Episode and the current Edward Snowden incident(s). US federal prosecutors filed a sealed complaint on about 14 June 2013 charging Snowden, and it was made public June 21. And you can see where my thoughts and questions are leaning… 12 August 2012 versus 21 June 2013. Huh?

Last night’s supper I experimented – Baked Stuffed green peppers with ground turkey and chorizo in a spicy roasted tomato sauce…and topped with cheese, and an olive salad of baby greens, tomatoes, red onion, and celery.

Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim

Day 210 – Jim’s Trek – 20.5 Miles – On Interstate 90 West Somewhere in the State of Washington

Good Day,

Reality check: 20.5 miles on my Schwinn 150, Tampa. Temperature 77°F, overcast sort-of, humid, hot. Virtuality check: Headed southwest on 1-90 W toward Exit 257. I am located west of Cheney, Washington. Temperature 64°F and partly cloudy. I now have 251 more miles to cycle to my next Interlake address goal.

Blue line are my miles per day on my Schwinn 150.  Red line my reducing belly measurements.

Just wondering if Edward Snowden is now trying to duplicate Tom Hanks’ role in The Terminal of Mehran Karimi Nasseri who was stuck in the international terminal of the Paris airport for 18 years. Mr. Snowden certainly has sent out a lot of letters and faxes to a number of countries seeking asylum.

Might be my age, 61 ½, but I have been thinking of what do I need to do with the rest of my life. Am I looking at a new phase? A new something to do? I have been successful thus far, successful in my own eyes and in my mind. I’m looking for something new, something different. This may come at the moment that I am reaching the end of my Trek, something I set my mind to do, and thus far I have succeeded. I have a great relationship. I have a fantastic son, a wonderful daughter-in-law, and a tremendous grandson. I succeeded in my educations and in my employments. I surpassed the medical prognosis that I may have only five years, and that was about 25 years ago. I survived an incapacitating car accident. I learned some new hobby skills. I love to cook. I love to read. I am enamored at playing the piano. I need to do a lot more. I love to write. It is time to find a new star.

Quoting a 2012 article from The Guardian written by Homa Khaleeli, How to Change Your Live at 60.

“It's a fabulous time to change things, though. It's like a second chance, a new beginning. You are just like someone starting out in their 20s. You get employers who think younger people will be more enthusiastic and find challenges easier. But older people are often looking for something new to do and want a new challenge.”

What’s next? I’m trying to make Stuffed Bell Peppers à la Mexicana for supper.


Episode 7, The Newsroom – 5/1. Just watching the show I still question myself as to why I did not. Or the question may be should be “Why not?”

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 208 – Jim’s Trek – 22.0 Miles – Made It To Washington State – Last State

Good Day,

Mucho thunder in the distance and overhead today. Florida shortly welcomes Month Two of our Hurricane Season. Great day to wade through paper.

Today I crossed over the Idaho Washington border from West Elder to East Elder Road. Isn't there something coincidental about the name of the road?  Hallelujah! I am in the last state of my Schwinn 150 Trek. This morning I completed 22.0 miles and I am now located on WA-27 N headed toward South Chapman Road.  And this morning I broke the 3,900th mile on my Trek; total miles 3,903.6.

On the 12th day of no diabetes medication my morning blood sugar count appears to be holding at a daily average of 101.7 mg/dL or 5.64 mmol/L. Last night’s late supper of sushi definitely is part of the plan to main a good diet regime. This morning I burned 702 calories.

And here is something to think about. From a Forbes article, dated June 29, Drugmakers Should Not Decide Study Disputes in Court. This article is something to think about, especially with every Tom, Dick, and Susan suing every Tom, Dick and Susan these days.

“However, the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit rejected the notion that the scenario amounted to false advertising. Why? The court reasoned that the issue comes down to opinion versus fact – generally, statements of pure opinion are protected by the First Amendment, but the line between fact and opinion is not always clear, the court wrote…”

I suppose all the disclaimers and the fine print are the current day flimflam purveyors saying “I told you so.”  All-things-being-equal was it not a study?

And today MW it is Meteor Watch Day…but I guess you already knew that. But as we are so close to Canada Day, July 1st and Independence Day, July 4th my guess is that the skies over North America will include a veritable number of flying meteors. And The Pack will be quivering under my feet due to loud sis, boom, and  bahs. Today is also Log Cabin Days encouraging us to step away from the world of electronic and electricity we have so accustomed to ourselves. BB is this a Republican celebration thing? Just asking.

November 2013 is the scheduled month for the elimination of iGoogle. I have not made any viable effort to wean myself from iGoogle. Guess what? I have I have four months to do it.

Episode 5, The Newsroom – Many persons in the Newsroom are bandaged and Egypt is erupting. This episode is definitely a feel good chapter.

Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim

Day 207 – Jim’s Trek – 20.3 Miles – 24th Interlake Address Goal Reached

Good Day,

Saturday morning’s Trek on my Schwinn 150, I cycled 20.5 miles. At mile 3,876.4 I reached my 24th Interlake address goal today. My 24th goal was the Interlake Pharmacy on 700 West Ironwood Drive in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

I am located 5.2 more miles south on Highway US-95 S. This is my 3,881.6th mile on my Schwinn 150 since I began in early December. I am headed towards West Mica View Road. I am now about 16 miles from the Idaho Washington state border.

Now on to my 25th Interlake address goal and all-things-being-equal my final destination. Only 340 miles more.

Thank you Bill Maher. Bill Maher: “Sarah Palin heard that Snowden was incognito and called for a full scale invasion of Cognito”. I am planning a new trek to Cognito Inc. in New York.

Episode 4 of The Newsroom – Gabrielle Giffords is reported as being shot. I love the statement that Don states, and I’m paraphrasing, “Doctors are the final purveyors of the medical finality of life, not a news agency.”

Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim

Day 206 – Jim’s Trek – 23.0 Miles - Only 359 Miles To Go On My Schwinn 150

Good Day,

Day’s gonna be a great day, especially when the first think I discovered is that I had lost a credit card. I immediately dealt with the issuing agent and got that fixed.  I then received a bogus phone call, supposedly from Houston, instructing me to give over some information due to some perceived problems with my PC.  Bah and Humbug!!!

This morning 23.0 miles on my Schwinn 150. And I burned 706 calories. Now that I am eating more, to offset the calories that I am burning, I need to be careful just what and how much I eat. I couldn’t get enough food yesterday, all day… and I put on 2.2 pounds. That’s one hell of a lot of food still sitting in my gut. I was ravenous.

This morning I am located in Idaho headed south on US-95 S and I have just crossed over E. Bunco Road. I have just passed by Silverwood Theme Park. Only about 15 more miles to my next Interlake address goal point… and 359 miles, give or take, to my final Seattle destination. My arrival date should be Monday, July 15. All systems are go, and all vitals are steady.

And my Trek is off to a late start this morning, because my Baby, Taylor, was having real issues last night during her sleep. Baby, aka Taylor, is our Chocolate Lab who from a previous paralysis is crippled in her hind quarters. And she seems to be getting worse. At times she cannot get herself up off the floor and at other times her back legs lock into place and she has to drag herself. From time to time she yelps for someone to help her to get up. And at times… even though now further apart in time space, she is able to move around on her own. We've had Taylor since she was 10 weeks old and she is now 12 years old. She is my real Baby and sweetheart.

This morning’s viewing pleasure on my Schwinn 150 Trek was the third episode of The Newsroom. I am now realizing just how much I enjoyed the first season the first time through. Am definitely looking forward to the second season.

Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim

Day 205 – Jim’s Trek – 20.5 Miles - Sagle, Idaho - Demon Dog

Good Day,

This morning on my Schwinn 150 I cycled 20.5 miles, and I passed through Sandpoint, Idaho.  I arrived at the Village of Sagle.  I am now on US-95 S and approximately 40 miles, or two days from my next Interlake address goal.

My total miles to date tally up to 3,838.1.  Not bad for 205, minus one, days of continuous cycling on my Schwinn 150.  And I am definitely seeing the results.

Good news, and it includes the elimination of 2 and ½ of my heart and cholesterol medications, my blood pressure is well in the lower positive range of the normal range… Not bad for a 61 ½ year old. This exercise thing is certainly doing wonders. Guess I was not meant to make an exit today… as yet. I can only live one day at a time.

At 11:30 pm last night while I’m walking The Pack for their midnight business, Radar aka Ready, slips out of his harness and decides that he wants to explore the neighborhood, in the pitch black at a tremendous gallop.
 
I shove the other three mini-Packers into the house and grab a flashlight in panic. Andy gets into his car. I on foot, we begin the chase. 

This 20-pound imp of a devil-dog goes bounding up and down two blocks of Interlake Avenue. He knows he is being followed, and he plays a sly game of “cat-and-mouse”. Ready is a dark chocolate wiry little cuss and he cannot be seen in the shadows of the night. I’m yelling his names and waking up the neighbors.

At about midnight Radar rouses another home of dogs and he decides to investigate. He slows down, in curiosity, just enough time for me to get close enough to snatch him. I grab him, Andy drives up the Avenue and we get in… Tomorrow I get a tighter harness. He ain’t gonna play Harry Howl-dini with me anymore. This was not one of my Interlake address goals.


And this morning I received an email, spam of course, from the Publishers Clearing House. Someone at PCH must have been reading Jim’s Trek and must definitely be feeling nice. The email posed the question, “Jim are you ready to say goodbye to 4216 Interlake Dr?” It would be nice that, as I cycle on my Schwinn 150 and am closing in on my Interlake address goal in Seattle, Washington, that someone rings my doorbell and hands me the winning prize from PCH. Would I leave 4216 Interlake Drive in Tampa? Hell yes!!!

Episode 2 of The Newsroom... and a line that Maggie Jordan states, and I am sort of parphrasing, "Even if a part of the set falls, it does not necessarily mean that you have a bad play..." I immediately time-travel back to Noel Coward's Look After Lulu, Oromocto High School, New Brunswick, and I remember all. Thank you all.

Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim

Day 203 - Jim’s Trek - 23.0 Miles - Today I Am In Idaho

Good Day,

Wonder if it is gonna be a good day. I began writing this day’s post with the anticipation that it was Day 204. It is actually Day 203. Maybe my anticipation of finishing my Schwinn 150 Trek almost six months earlier than planned. And when I checked my Intellectual Biorhythm cycle I did find that my cycle is at the lowest point as compared to my other cycles. And so I’m now prepared... today is a just to be a dense day.

And today I cycled a new record 23.0 miles, and I burned 704 calories on my Schwinn 150. I crossed the State line, Montana into Idaho on US-2 W Highway. I am located, headed in a westerly direction once again, on Highway US-2 W, in the northernmost County of Idaho, somewhere between the cities of Moyie Springs, population about 720, and Bonners Ferry, population 2,540.

Tomorrow it looks like I will turning south on my Trek towards my next Interlake address goal. Not sure, but I believe that this next Interlake address goal may be one of the last goal points before I reach my ultimate destination in Seattle.

To date I have cycled on my stationary Schwinn 150, since December 3, 2012 3,797.1 miles. I have lost just about about 10 pounds and 10 inches on my waist.


My blood sugar was up a wee bit this morning... definitely a result of last supper night’s accompaniments. Corn chips and a good portion of chocolate brownie with vanilla ice-cream covered in a chocolate shell. Oh well, I needed something sweet and salty. My averaged blood sugar count this morning was 102.1.

Question - Are we truly ready for a Cold War, Part Z? It appears that the so-called turncoat Edward Snowdon is certainly, even if it appears that he was so intent on gaining a personal spotlight, has been capable of pushing the monolithic governments of the United States, China, and Russia in that direction. He certainly has succeeded in securing a center spot on the world stage.

This morning’s Trek viewing pleasure, The Newsroom. Season II begins on July 14 on HBO. I decided that I would watch the first Season, all 10 episodes, on my Trek, in anticipation. In my opinion The Newsroom is one of the best television shows today. And the second time around... I certainly am still intrigued and well entertained.

Work continues on Tampa Kaleidoscope quilt and Sea Foam afghan. Our three quilts: Coral Steps, Colored Windows II, and MEM911 arrived home safely from Galway, Ireland. Follow our progress at Afghans SB and Quilts SB.

Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim