Day 114 – (AD 337) – Jim's Trek Part II – The Sequel – 22.0 Miles – Another ½” in New Mexico on My Schwinn 150.

Good day,

Another 22.0 miles cycled this morning on my Schwinn 150. And if I hold my stomach in, it has happened; my waist is down an additional ½”. I have now gone from 44 inches to, let the drum roll, to 32 ½ inches. Damn, the last time I saw my waist that size was 32 years ago… This is the first measurement of 32 ½”…and that is a good Damn.

This cycling thing is working for me. I have lost only 6.2 pounds since I started on December 2, 2012.  Not a big deal, but, BUT I have lost 11.5 inches on my waist. And I am cycling, on a stationary bike in a real world, an average of 19.8 miles a day. In the last month, that average has been 21.7.

Doctors’ appointments next week will bring in the new results, and then I will ask myself the where do I go from here question. Obviously I will be still cycling another 1,647 more miles to return back to my home in Tampa, Florida, but I am thinking about what about after Tampa.

Virtually, on my Trek I am located and headed southeast on US-380 E toward County Road C002/Fs 57. I am now 531 miles from my next Interlake address goal destination.

I was recently asked “How have you kept up with your cycling and how have you realized your goals?” My response is that I did not set any actual or physical goals; I set some virtual goals. Jim’s Trek is the goal and the route that has allowed me to realize the real, physical and medical accomplishments. What has happened? The waist size reduction; the dismissal of diabetes; the elimination and reduction of medications for diabetes, heart, and blood pressure have all been a subordinate, but tremendous, achievements of my daily cycling on my Schwinn 150.

My viewing companion this morning is Matthew Miele’s 2013 documentary Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf’s. I will be watching it on my Schwinn 150 in two parts. As stated at Rotten Tomatoes, “…a fun documentary which ultimately doubles as an infomercial for the Manhattan store.” But in the secret of my cycling, it kept my mind absorbed.

Last night as I was working on our new crocheted afghan, Vanderbilt, I thought that I had inserted a mistake. And so I pulled out half of the work that I had finished on the 5th band. I then discovered that I hadn’t made a mistake. Now double the time to re-create. Quilting on our RG2013 quilt is almost complete. We are learning to allow the freeform use of our long arm assist in the creation of a complimentary quilting design and pattern.  Check Afghans SB and Quilts SB for updates shortly.

Now back to my transcription work and my search for my ggg-grandfather James Smith.  Check out A Genealogy Hunt.

Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim

Day 113 – (AD 336) – Jim's Trek Part II – The Sequel – 21.7 Miles – Just About Center of New Mexico on My Schwinn 150.

Good day,

This morning I cycled 21.7 miles on my Schwinn 150. I have about 1,670 miles more to complete my journey and my Trek.

Accordingly I only have 84 more days on my stationary cycle. All-things-being-equal I should be completing my complete journey on about 8 February 2014. Damn I will have been cycling for just 14 months.

Now that’s the physical part, and the virtual part – I am on US-380 and heading in a south easterly direction. This morning I crossed over the Valley of Fires, the Carrizozo Malpais. I learned something today. And then I traveled through the Town of Carrizozo, population about 1,000.

Just a quiet day today.

Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim

Day 112 – (AD 335) – Jim's Trek Part II – The Sequel – 21.7 Miles – New Mexico on My Schwinn 150.

Good day,

This morning, yes, my Schwinn 150, and yes, 21.7 miles. My total on this 335th day of my Trek – 6,649.4 miles.

And on my virtual trip, I am somewhere, still in New Mexico, on Highway US-380 E. All-things-being-equal I am about 19 miles from the next Town.

Wasn’t on my list of things to do, but today is Clean Your Refrigerator Day. Just remember your refrigerator just wants to be your friend.

I watched the last part of Bleak House on Netflix. I would suppose that Smallweed does have his shtick. For a while I wanted to say “Beam me up”, instead of his consistent “Shake me up”. I will be looking for my next cycling - viewing companion.

Not much more to talk about.

Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim

Day 111 – (AD 334) – Jim's Trek Part II – The Sequel – 21.5 Miles – Not Lost in New Mexico on My Schwinn 150.

Good day,

And I did not want to get on my Schwinn 150 this morning. But nothing ventured, nothing gained. Or should I say lost.

This morning on my Schwinn 150 I cycled another 21.5 miles. The exercise has its results. My doctor has halved the prescription of one my blood pressure medications.

And now the next question, at what point do I become “bored” with the cycling? At what point does it become a part of my daily routine that I must schedule all my other commitments around my cycling? Obviously the benefits outweigh the non-performance.

On my virtual Trek I think I am in the middle of what appears to be nowhere. I am located in New Mexico and I am headed east on US-380 E. Using the Goggle satellite image there are no labeled markers or points of reference from approximately two miles up. From about 500 feet I can see that I have passed L-C94.  This morning I began at "A" and cycled to "B".

I am now 596 miles from my next Interlake address goal. I am also 1,712 miles from the end of my Trek and my home in Tampa, Florida. To date I have cycled on my Schwinn 150 6,627.7 miles.

When the electronic portals cannot be trusted, why would the elder generations expect the youth to have any confidence?

Watching Bleak House, while I cycle, I am intrigued as it has now turned into a crime investigation. Oh and by the way, I guessed who dunnit. Wonder if Dickens had intended to pen an earlier version of Law and Order?

Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim

Day 110 – (AD 333) – Jim's Trek Part II – The Sequel – 21.3 Miles –6,606.1 Miles in New Mexico on My Schwinn 150.

Good day,

And today, another 21.3 miles on my Schwinn 150; total to date 6,606.1.

This morning I passed through Socorro, New Mexico, turned right and moved to the south paralleling the Rio Grande. At San Antonio I crossed over the river on 2nd Street.

I am now headed east on US-380 E/2nd Street toward Co Road 158/Cam San Pedro/San Pedro Road.

Doctor’s okay this morning on what I am doing. He decided to drop the diagnosis of diabetes from my record. Does this mean that I’ve beaten it? His prognosis is that I keep cycling and making sure that I eat a good diet. I am now to try and cut down on another medication. This one treats high blood pressure. Another goal…

Just received in yesterday’s afternoon mail delivery a brown envelope labeled "The American Legion, Benefits Department". On the label –

"James K Smith: According to our records, you are among the Florida Veterans who are not yet receiving The American Legion Benefits to which you are eligible."

In my dreams I must have served sometime, someplace to become a Florida Veteran. I know I take virtual reality trips. Just check out Jim's Trek. I know that I am reaching that point in life that I may get some more gray hair.

As British by birth I do not remember any type of associated relationship with The American Legion. As a Canadian citizen I did go to school somewhat near to the 49th parallel. When I became an American citizen it was sometime after I may have been eligible to serve in any one of the four branches.

I know it may be a pittance, but is there not a cost to some department of The American Legion? A cost for the package that came very nicely addressed to me?

Okay, my name and address might be the result of a purchase of a mailing list by some mail order third party company. The question is what percentage may warrant a viable write-off for wasted copy to non-eligible recipients? And is this a Florida thing?

I watched my cycling companion Bleak House this morning. Josiah Tulkinghorn is just the type of fictional lawyer on truly loves to hate. And it appears that almost everyone in Dickens’ novel does so.

Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim