25 Wednesday Apr 2018
Posted in Cycling, Weight Loss
I was so looking forward to getting out today and do some serious riding. I even left work early. It didn’t happen. I got a little over two miles from the house and I heard the dreaded pop. I knew immediately what it was. At least I got some exercise walking home. Question? For those that ride, do you do your own repairs such as replacing spokes? Do you keep such items in stock?
24 Tuesday Apr 2018
Posted in Cycling, Weight Loss
Tags
This past weekend gave me the opportunity to get my bike out and ride. It was only 10k but at least I got out there. I had planned on riding more when I got home but my better half had other plans.
While riding Saturday, I noticed some things that needed attention on the bike so I took it to my local bike shop to have it serviced. It’s been since 2015 since I’ve done anything to it being that I haven’t ridden it much since I got sick. I took it to them yesterday and picked it up today. I couldn’t have done it any faster but I definitely could’ve done it cheaper.
I’ve already told my better half not to plan on anything for me to do tomorrow evening because I’ve got plans. Plans which includes riding as far as I can and as long as I can.
22 Sunday Apr 2018
Posted in Cancer, Cycling, Leukemia, Weight Loss
Tags
Birmingham Challenge, Competitions, Crimson Tide Ride, Cycling, Hot Hundred, Railroad Park, Sports
I just signed up for the 29-mile Crimson Tide Ride in Tuscaloosa on July 28th. I’ve ridden this ride several times but when this medication started messing with my lungs, I was no longer able to do so. Right now, I feel like I can do it again. It’s true that my longest ride so far this year has only been a little over eight miles, with the time left before the ride, I’m confident that I’ll be able to do the ride. That is if my new meds don’t interfere. If I continue to improve, I should be able to do the 36 mile next year. I understand it has several more hills to overcome.
Yesterday, our company participated in the Birmingham Corporate Challenge. There were several events ranging from tug of war, corn hole, homerun derby, dodgeball, cycling and several other events. I participated in the 10k bike stroll. It was a very simple route. It was a three-mile loop that you had to do twice in which about a mile of it was a long hill. This hill nearly whooped my butt the second time around. Having forgotten my water bottle didn’t help matters any. The event actually started with events on Thursday and ended about 6pm on Saturday. Our company came in second overall last year. It was sponsored by Chik fila and they gave out free chicken sandwiches. I can’t wait to see where our company ended up in the standings this year.
19 Thursday Apr 2018
Posted in Cancer, Cycling, Leukemia, Weight Loss
Tags
A1c, CML, Cycling, Exercising, health, Healthy Living, Outdoors, Walking, Weightloss
Got home late yesterday due to having to work later than normal. I had my day all planned out before I got to work which included getting off early and trying to extend my mileage from 10 to at least 20 or more miles. Didn’t happen. I got to work and found out that I was going to have work the desk dispatching calls all day. Which also meant I 
wasn’t going to be able to get any cycling in. Not a total loss though. I did stop at the track and got my 10,000 steps in for the day.
As much as I like getting out on my bike and ride, it’s important to me to get out and do something to enjoy the outdoors, even if it’s just walking on the walking track. Most of last year I just didn’t feel like getting out and doing anything. Once I made it home from work, I didn’t have the energy to do anything but to shower and relax in front of the television. I gained weight, my A1c went up and basically felt like crap. Now that I have my health back, for the time being, I’m taking advantage of it and getting out and doing something. In the short time that I’ve been feeling better, I’ve been able to get out and ride, three times so far, I’ve gone to the track a few times and my A1c has come down a few points. When I feel better I’m able to take better care of myself.
Stay Healthy!!
17 Tuesday Apr 2018
Posted in Cycling, Weight Loss
As much as I love cycling and the benefits that it has, you’ve got to consider some of the hazards that come with it. Living in the suburbs, I have a limitless place to ride. But to get to it I have to travel on some busy roads. While most vehicles obey the three-foot law, others do not. And another thing, some do not take into consideration that while passing me they don’t think about the oncoming traffic. I’ve seen several near misses. One of these days I’ll get to witness a wreck.
Another hazard is dogs. The one in this video is always there. I’ve squirted water, yelled, kicked and nothing has stopped this dog from chasing me. While this dog hasn’t tried to bite me others have. The ankle biters are the worse. At least with the big dogs, they tend to stay on one side of you and bark. The ankle biters are all over the road. You never know where they’re going next. One of my wrecks was from dodging one of these ankle biters.
I’ve often thought about using mace to squirt on the dogs but after thinking about it I’ve decided that given the wind I don’t want this stuff coming back in my face. That would be bad. So, for now, I’ll stick with wasting my water by squirting the dogs.
In closing, let me say this. The benefits of cycling will outway the bad. Just keep a mindful eye on your surroundings if riding in the city.
Be careful out there
15 Sunday Apr 2018
Posted in Cycling
When I first started cycling, I was using a bicycle that I had purchased from a fellow co-worker some twenty plus years ago. That meant the bike I was riding a bike that was close to thirty years old. I used that bike for nearly a year before purchasing my new Cannondale. The old bike, a Trek, had what I call suicide shifters. The shifters were on the down tube and you had to take one hand off the handlebar to shift gears. Most of the time I had no issue with doing so but sometimes, with the bike being so old and poorly maintained, the shifters didn’t work well and I would lose concentration and off the bike I would go. Luckily, the whole time I rode this bike I never had any broken bones, just minor road rash.
My 35 yr old Trek after a minor incident. I still have this bike.
My new 2013 Cannondale
14 Saturday Apr 2018
Posted in Cycling, Weight Loss
Tags
Alabama, Bicycle, Charity Ride, Cycling, Old Howard, Perry County, Youtube
I’ve spent a lot of time today on my computer, mainly deleting old files and moving some files around. Just trying to get more organized. While doing so I found some GoPro videos of some bike rides that I’ve been on. I decided I’d share one with you. This video is of the Old Howard Bike Ride. This ride is located in Perry County, Alabama. The event benefits Sowing Seeds of Hope. Here’s the link to the event
https://www.samford.edu/events/old-howard-100
The video is less than 2 minutes of the first twelve minutes of the ride. It is a century ride but I only rode 30 of those miles. As you can see, it starts off pretty flat but it gets pretty steep toward the end.
If you’re ever in the area around the mid part of April and if you’re a cyclist, I would highly recommend this ride. It goes through three counties of the historic Black Belt. In fact, one of the rest stops is at a historic Victorian home. Again, it’s a charity ride and it goes to a good cause.
10 Tuesday Apr 2018
Posted in Cycling, Leukemia, Weight Loss
Tags
Cancer, carbs, Compitition, Cycling, diet, Life, Medication, Side Effects
It’s been seven days since I started my new medication. At this time there hasn’t been any noticeable side effects. I’ve had the pharmacist from the drug company call me twice to check on me. Like I said in my last post, this is a fairly new drug so they’re just concerned about me I guess.
On April 21st, there is a city-wide competition with some of the business in town called The Birmingham Challenge. I have signed up with my employer to ride in a 10k bike stroll. The bike stroll is not a competition within itself but we get points as to how many cyclists we get to ride in the event. It’s the same way with the walking event. We do, however, have other events that are competitions, such as the tug a war, dodgeball, corn-hole, golf, home-run hitting, and a couple more events. Last year our company came in 2nd overall. I’ve signed up for the cycling event. I haven’t been on my bike for nearly a year, until this evening. I know it’s not much but I rode a whole 2.4 miles. I could’ve ridden further but both my headlight and taillight were not charged and I didn’t want to ride without them. I really surprised myself. I actually dreaded getting back on my bike and tackling the hill in front of my house. I got a little winded but I made it with no problems.
I’m back on my low carb diet. I blew it this weekend. Those Little Debbie cakes ought to be illegal. I’ve finally got my wife on board with me with her cooking and she’s not giving me bread or potatoes so the failure this weekend is all on me. I just “grazed” all weekend. I had lost seven but on Monday, I gained five. I hate losing the same weight that I had already lost before. Today I did great though. We’ll see when I check the scales in the morning.
I check in again in a couple of days. In the meantime, enjoy your week.
From last years event.
05 Friday May 2017
Posted in Cancer, Cycling, Leukemia, Weight Loss
The weather here in the deep south has been less than perfect for bike riding for me. The last two days it’s been a rainy, dreary day. Today the temperature hardly rose above the mid 50’s mark. Tomorrow is forcasted to be warmer but not until mid afternoon. My plan is to either get a twenty mile in on Saturday or wait until Sunday when I should have more time.
My last ride broke the 100 mile mark. That’s pretty good considering that only six months ago I was considering selling my bike because of my health. I’m looking forward to much healther days along with miles and miles of riding.
Happy Trails
02 Tuesday May 2017
Posted in Cycling, Photography
It’s hard to believe that just over a month ago I couldn’t walk to my bicyle much less ride it. Today I completed a little under 14 miles and I’m really excited about it. A couple of months ago I asked my cardiologist if I would be able to ride by bike again and he assured me that I would be back on it this Spring. At that time I wan’t able to walk any distance at all without getting out of breath so no, I didn’t believe him. Now look at me!!
I’m just now getting to the point where I’m enjoying my rides. When I first started I wan’t able to do anything but concentrate on my breathing. I wasn’t able to look around and enjoy the beauty or take in the smells. Today brought back a lot of memories when I used to ride all the time. The smell of BBQ grilling on the grill, the smell of freashly cut grass and the smell of dead animals on the side of the road. (You got to take the good with the bad). My breathing is still off but I know that will get better over time.
Untill next time, Happy Trails!!
