Day 75 – (AD 505) – Jim's Trek Part III – 21.0 Miles – A Road Sign in South Australia on My Schwinn 170

Good Day,

First I cycled 21.0 miles on my Schwinn 170. I then completed 150 sit-ups. I looked in the mirror, (sorry no selfies), and I think I am developing some abs. All of these 62 years and I thought I would never ever envision me with a physique…of sorts.

And then I listened to the tick, tick, ticking of the clock on the wall. Nothing resounds as the ticking when one is cooped in the inner sanctum of an office waiting, waiting on the next noise. The scraping of the collecting of the file folder from the holder outside the closed door. These noises are more and more accentuated…even when I am not visiting my otolaryngologist.

Blood pressure this morning 124 over 64. In the UK I am rated at the Ideal blood pressure range. According to the Mayo Clinic I am bordering the Normal category. Not bad for my regular visit…and we’re looking to reduce some more of my heart medications. And my other vitals are doing very well, thank you.

And that is the real part.

In my virtual Jim's Trek I have stopped this morning on Eyre Highway and I spot a road sign. Well I am now 56 kilometers from Ceduna and I guess I have 16 to go to get to Penong. The scenery has improved. I got a road sign.

My blood sugar was up 4 points this morning to 95. I am still maintaining a halt on any drugs or medications for my diabetes. Next week I will hear the next results.

Last night supper; seared pork loin chops, mashed cauliflower and peppers, salad, and of course, Ben and Jerry's ice cream.

Work continues on our third quilt and wall hanging of our H-Series, H-3. The design of the quilting to H-3 is definitely more complicated but complimentary and interrelated with both H-1 and H-2. Worked on the design for a new quilt, MAA. Fabric has been ordered and am currently developing the quilting design. Still have to get to the pantograph stencil for our Equality quilt.

69.2% of the blocks have been completed for our crocheted Afghan #5. Only 37 more to go.

If you are reading this blog and just so happen to be somewhere along my route in Australia please feel free to drop me a line at jsmith58@gmail.com. Certainly would welcome it.

Trying to be healthy,

And enjoy,

Jim

Day 74 – (AD 504) – Jim's Trek Part III – 21.3 Miles – Back on the Same Highway, South Australia on My Schwinn 170

Good Day,

This morning I cycled another 21.3 miles on my Schwinn 170.

And the scenery looks the same once again on my virtual Trek. Today I am now travelling west on the Eyre/National Highway. Only 276 more miles until I finally cross over into Western Australia.

Today is a day to think. I completed my morning pages and my cycling. Next?

Oh yeah I’ve got to do laundry. Prayers to Saint Veronica, the patron saint of laundry.


Questions – Does the fact that one has money allow them the opportunity to be mean?

If you are reading this blog and just so happen to be somewhere along my route in Australia please feel free to drop me a line at jsmith58@gmail.com. Certainly would welcome it.

Trying to be healthy,

And enjoy,

Jim

Day 73 – (AD 503) – Jim's Trek Part III – 21.7 Miles – Ceduna, South Australia on My Schwinn 170

Good Day,

Now for the boring news...to some.

This morning I cycled 21.7 miles on my Schwinn 170. On the 503rd day of my Trek I have now cycled a total of 10,171.7 miles, 16,369.8 kilometers. Today I cycled for 1 hour and 10 minutes, and I burned 634 calories.

And Tinker couldn't care less. She’s just waiting for the sun to begin to shine.

My virtual Trek has me located just north of the Town of Ceduna in South Australia. The population is about 2,300. I am now headed north and I have about 1,148 more miles to pedal to my number 5 destination.

Oh and by the way my blood sugar did drop 24 points from yesterday. I recorded 90 mg/dL. My A1C should be about 5.0%. I have now gone 298 days with having to take any diabetes medications. Guess this bit of exercise works.

Yes I did concoct the Frogmore Stew as I mentioned yesterday for last night's supper. So, so easy and something I would do again. And it was all gone before I remembered to take at least a couple of photos.

Reiterating, and this was my version, I browned some Kielbasa sausage and onions in olive oil. Removed them from the pan and then added one beer, four cups of water, and about one-third cup of Old Bay seasoning. Brought that to a boil and then added unpeeled quartered potatoes. Turned the pot to simmer. Fifteen minutes later I added corn on the cob, which I had cut in thirds. Five minutes later I added back the sausage and onions. Five minutes after that I threw in the shrimp. Then five minutes after that, I drained the pot and served. This shall be a repeat.

The Scotch Bonnets in the side yard are producing. I love the heat plus the heat. The Scotch Bonnets have a heat rating of 100,000 – 350,000 Scoville units; as comparison to the Jalapeño peppers which have a rating of 2,500 – 8,000.

And I continue the playing of my piano.

If you are reading this blog and just so happen to be somewhere along my route in Australia please feel free to drop me a line at jsmith58@gmail.com. Certainly would welcome it.

Trying to be healthy,

And enjoy,

Jim

Day 72 – (AD 502) – Jim's Trek Part III – 21.2 Miles – Mudamuckla, South Australia on My Schwinn 170

Good Day,

I clocked another 21.2 miles on my Schwinn 170. To date I have pedaled an even 10,150.0 miles. And this morning I truly did not think I was moving as fast as I usually do.  It was a chore.

I am still on the Eyre/National Highway somewhere in the vicinity of Mudamuckla, South Australia.


And yes this place does exist. Well at least in 1937.

Hope everyone is enjoying their Mother’s Day. A quick American history (Wikipedia): Recognition for Mother’s Day began in 1905 when Anna Jarvis held a memorial for her mother Anna Reeves Jarvis. She, Anna Reeves Jarvis, was “a peace activist who had cared for wounded soldiers on both sides of the Civil War and created Mother’s Day Work Clubs to address public health issues.” President Woodrow Wilson made the day an official holiday in 1914. But because of commercialization Anna Jarvis became a major opponent of the holiday had become. “She was arrested in 1948 for disturbing the peace while protesting against the commercialization of Mother’s Day, and she finally said that she regretted having started it.” And today is Mother’s Day’s 100th anniversary… (NBCNews.com)

Hank’s in Tampa… Supper last night: Ribs, deep-fried shrimp, coleslaw, fries, smoked chicken, pulled pork, and orange cream soda. So good, so good. And I didn't forget the pistachio ice-cream, (and that was at home.) Morning blood sugar jumped 24 points. This morning I recorded 114. Yup, it was so, so good. And would I go back? Hell yes! I forgot the fried pickles.

And for supper I am going to try to create a Frogmore Stew. Ingredients: Shrimp, sausage, corn, potato, onion.



My research book at present is Anne-Marie O’Connor’s The Lady in Gold, 2012.


If you are reading this blog and just so happen to be somewhere along my route in Australia please feel free to drop me a line at jsmith58@gmail.com. Certainly would welcome it.


Trying to be healthy,

Enjoy,

Jim

Day 71 – (AD 501) – Jim's Trek Part III – 21.7 Miles – 1,500 Miles in Australia on My Schwinn 170

Good Day,

This morning I cycled another 21.7 miles on my Schwinn 170. To date, in Jim’s Trek III, I have pedaled 1,511.7 miles; 2,432.8 kilometers. This is the Australian part of the Trek.

The marker at A is where I am currently located in South Australia. The blue route is a recap of my route back to my starting point in Sydney.

Okay, I wonder if there is something in the water in Houston. According to Derrel Sims of the TV series Uncovering Aliens “1 in 4 people have been abducted by hostile aliens.” (Houston Chronicle, May 10, 2014) So if you are sitting at the supper table with your spouse and 2.5 children you can be assured the by Sims’ odds and calculations at least one of you has spent some time in a spaceship. My question – Why are the aliens considered “hostile”?

After living in Tampa for over 30 years, it seems to me that there has never been a viable resolution to the transportation issue… And each generation of leaders just keeps talking and pontificating about it. “Leaders of Tampa Bay’s biggest public companies cite mass transit as priority.” (Jeff Harrington, Tampa Bay Times, May 10, 2014.)   "Congestion Study: Tampa Has 5th-Worst Traffic in North America" (Dalia Colón, WUSF News, July 19, 2012)

I need to check my To-do list and get some things done today.

If you are reading this blog and just so happen to be somewhere along my route in Australia please feel free to drop me a line at jsmith58@gmail.com. Certainly would welcome it.

Trying to be healthy,

And enjoy,

Jim