The Holidays

Now there is one nice turkey. I roasted it for the 4th family Christmas party this last Saturday. Are you as tired of the holidays as I am? Just the New Years to go. I've survived so far with no weight gain, thank the stars. But it has raised a few personal problems that have been simmering just under the surface and have now reared their ugly heads under the holiday stress. That's kind of why I haven' t been doing much blogging as of late. Hopefully they will play out in time and not go the way these things usually do.

The knee problem just will not resolve itself. One minute OK, the next real pain. If it is left in one position too long, it feels like something tears and pops when it bends. No fun, but at least it doesn't hurt on the bike. Weird, is all I can say. The weather and time commitments have kept me off the roads for a while, but all that can change at any time. I'm ready for a break.

Fast & Furious

The heavy weather has been hitting pretty hard already this winter. I'm glad we've got a good snow blower, as I've already used it as much this season as the last couple. I even had to blow out a bigger area for the dogs to take care of business.

So most workouts are now in the basement on the trainer, ball, or Wii. The cross training takes the edge off of the cycling boredom that sets in after grinding out intervals or just base cruising to keep the legs working. But, the XC trails should be good soon, so that will add another dimension to the training regimen. Fun, fun, fun !!

Random Ramlings ?

OK, enough with the -20(F) already !! It's not even Christmas, for crying out loud. I guess we've been spoiled with the mild global warming winters the past few years, haven't we.

My left knee just won't cooperate. Sore and stiff one minute, good to go the next. Arthritis sucks, but, at least I can still ride with no discomfort. Running, even on the tread mill, is out for now.

According to the Wii, I've lost 4.9 lbs in 17 days. Not bad, considering we've been to several holiday parties, all featuring some very scrumptious vittles. The combination of Wii workouts, biking, and pushing away from the buffet seems to be working.

Being off of work seems to be good for a couple of things. Working out and cooking time is at a plus, so I'm doing better at both. Preparing more nutritious meals and going out for dinner less often means eating better and saving cash. Plus, eating right means more energy with which to burn doing quality training.

I've been researching European bike tours, and the place I'd like go go is Spain. The food, cities, and people all interest me the most, with Italy a close second. Belgium would be cool for the beer and spring classics. I hope to go in a couple of years. That's my goal at this point. I think setting a goal is the first step in doing something, so I've been puttting aside a little money each week to make it happen.

Stay warm....

Scared ?

I always thought deer had that built in run away alarm when approached by humans. This one does not seem to have it. Last night, Mex dog was outside barking, as usual, so I called to let her in. She wouldn't, so I looked for the source that set off her alarm . A small doe was browsing under the neighbor's apple tree. I took the camera and walked towards it to try to get close enough for a decent night picture. I snapped a couple and kept walking, all the time she didn't seem to mind me so close. Pretty soon, she turned and walked towards me. Five feet away she stopped and started grazing, all the while oblivious to me and the camera. Not a perfect shot, being it's hard to frame in the dark, but not bad. The Cat 4 crew were non-plus with my efforts to say the least.

I'm sore today after two hard workouts, morning strength and balance, the an afternoon interval session on the trainer. Gotta make up some ground and get the knee back in shape.

A Dose Of Reality

The cold weather has set in here in the Northland. So has the pain in my left knee. Arthritis, according to the ortho doc, is the main culprit. Not much can be done about it, even all the supplements I take don't seem to help much. Less stress on the joints, more muscle to support the joints and better posture all combine to help the situation, according to the doctor. This brings me to the point of this post. I'm not as strong, fit, or balanced muscle-wise as I thought. Not even close.

How do I know this. Wii. As in Nintendo Wii. My wife brought one home on this last Black Friday. I was against the idea, reasoning it would be another fad gadget that would be collecting dust in a couple of weeks after the novelty had worn off. She also got the Fit system with it. This piqued my interest a bit, so I rearranged the basement kid's play area and set it up. The scale / balance sensing platform syncs with the Wii, measuring weight, balance, movement etc. You enter your personal data to complete the fitness data base, your starting point.

My numbers weren't very encouraging. It determined I needed to work on strength and weight loss. My balance was good, muscle balance was not, strength a bit too low, BMI too high. It said my body age is 4 years older than my actual age. Reality can sometimes suck. I've started a program of yoga, aerobic, balance and strength training, all of which the Wii keeps track of. The better you get, the more advanced programs it adds. All in all, the starting point of this program is humbling, to say the least. But, motivating at the same time. And who couldn't use more motivation?

Turkey Day 2008

A quick Thanksgiving post -

We're at the in-laws, as usual, for Thanksgiving dinner. Per usual, the poor almost nation's symbol will be incinerated. It was over done when I came home to put my contribution, a green bean casserole, in the oven. My mother in laws oven was still punishing that poor bird, so, since I'm only a few blocks away, I'm cooking my cliched side dish at our house. I've modified the recipe to make the traditional Campbells Soup version much more palatable. OK, enough of that.

What's to be thankful for this holiday season, what with our economy in the hurt tank? Lots, I say. Personally, I thank our modern health care researchers for advances in diabetes care. New insulin delivery systems make it so much easier to control glucose. I haven't been able to get the Omni-pod pump yet, due to being laid off of my job ( in other words, I can't afford it ), but just close monitoring and needle injections have my A1C at my best ever. The oral drugs just were not effective enough any more.

Next thing I'm grateful for is tires. The modern bicycle tire is so much better than in the old days. Knock on wood, but how many flats do you get any more? They seem to be a matter of carelessness than fragile construction and materials, like back day.

Clothing is much better. Chamois don't get all funky, jerseys breathe better, and cold weather gear fits and performs much nicer.

Beer. Like the Australian drinking song goes "Just one beer and it's back on the job". Since I drink in moderation, I appreciate a quality beer so much more these days. The Belgians have now exported so many great brews that it's hard to name a favorite. The French have Kronenbourg, a superb lager, the Italians chip in a few, the Brits, a ton. It seems every region of most countries make an excellent contribution to the world of beer. Our local brewing scene does us all proud. I could go on all day, but I'll just end with I like beer.

Happy Thanksgiving one and all.

Projects

So much to do, so little time. Or so it seems. I've gotten a lot of projects done this last couple of weeks since being laid off. The soap dispenser, which was purchased a year and a half ago at IKEA, finally got installed in the kitchen sink. A 15 minute project, done at last. One of the best 10 dollar investments ever. The ceiling fan and light fixture in the bed room. The old light fixture didn't put out enough light, so a new one with 3 bulbs was in order. In removed the old one, reinforced the ceiling mount, and installed the fan/light combo. Wallah! Instant room transformation. Next, a baseboard electric heater in the spare bed room. You see, the furnace is such a long way from the the end bedrooms that the air has lost it's heat by the time it gets there. So, I removed the heat ducts, sealed the off, and installed electric heaters with separate thermostats. I had put one in daughter #2's bedroom last year and it worked well. I got around to the spare room last week. Now, I just have to patch the floor and carpet where the old duct come through and that project will be complete. Right now, I'm building a study/hobby desk in daughter #1's bedroom. She's into beading and could use a secure area to work, IE, no cats allowed.

One thing I haven't done so well on is fitness. For the last week or so, I've have the worst cold that I've had in years. Mostly a head cold, but I also ache in the knees and feet really bad. And, just when it seems to be going away, BAM!, it come back. It's really getting me down. 15 minutes on the trainer or tread mill, and I'm gasping like a gold fish on the floor. Today, it's not too bad, but I'm going to relax and not push it. Maybe it's nature's way of telling me to take it easy for a little while. I usually don't listen to such things, but this time, I just might. Now, back to work.

Flahutes Walk About

The pic on the far left tells us that winter is on the way. Snowmobile on the Munger Trail. They pack it down so us bikers can ride on it, so I can't complain too much. The other two shots are of a couple of bridges on Seven Bridges Road. Very European looking, I one might say. I took them on what the Aussies might consider a "walk about". More like a nice afternoon walk, I should say.
I started off on a quick survey of the neighborhood yesterday. You see, a lot of construction has been going on up above us, and I wanted to check it out. Since I was up towards Hawk's Ridge, I thought I would just follow the trail up the hill for a quick look-see. An hour or so later, I was on my way down Seven Bridges Road, thus the pictures.Since it was such a nice day, it was not surprising that I met several bike riders and runners on the way. The weather is not getting any better, so why waste it?

Today was crappy - a rain/snow mix, wind, gloomy skies. But, still lot's of people riding. On my way to meet some of my former co-workers for coffee, I pulled up along side a guy in rain gear at a stop light. I wound down my window and commented to him "Nice day to be a flahutes". He gave me a big grin and a thumbs up! The brotherhood of cycling never ceases to amaze.

Bored - Not!!

First, a shout out to Doug, the top local bike commuter/writer and inspiration to a lot of us who aspire to use the bicycle as a means to and end and not just a past-time. He took a nasty fall and an injury to his shoulder which will keep him off the bike for a while. Read his account here: http://mnbicyclecommuter.blogspot.com/

Several people have commented on my current layoff status. Such as "What are you going to do with all the free time?" or, "Aren't you bored?". Well, I'm not bored, and I don't seem to have any extra time. The time is reallocated. More time for domestic chores. Cooking and baking, laundry, home maintenance. Things I don't mind, or actually enjoy. No, I am NOT bored. There's nothing like the smell of freshly baked bread, or chicken and dumpling soup to make those coming in the front door salivate. At least I don't think there is.

A great benefit of being laid off is that my blood sugar control is better. I can ride the bike or work out when I want. No "squeezing in" a workout. Better timing and control of eating.My A1C is at an all time low. And, it looks like our insurance is going to accept the Omni-pod as an in network device so I won't have to pay a $1000.00 to get it. That will be a major bonus. I was getting kind of down on the thought of insulin shots for the foreseeable future.

Now, if I could just will the lottery....

VOTE VOTE VOTE!!!!!

Things have got to change. Get out and vote. I don't want to hear anybody complain about government if you did not vote. I don't believe either party has a good grip on how to fix this mess, but I will participate in the process anyway. The polar right and left have messed things up for too long, time to unite the center and straighten things out.

Events yesterday really hit home on how bad things have gotten, how out of reality this nations priorities are. I got the proverbial pink slip when I got to work yesterday. Wow. The first time in over 33 years I have been out of a job not on my own volition. I kind of saw it coming, but didn't want to believe it would happen to me. And I'm not the only one. Business without a firm plan are dropping people left and right. No one is safe in the current economy. No one.

So just get out and vote.

Redlines, Ridleys & Rum River CX

Finally, back to cycling. I ran down to Milaca on Sunday to catch the 'cross race. I haven't been to the course before, but from what I saw, I would be a good one for me to start on. Not a lot of running, some long stretches to put the rouleur power to good use, and some MTB-esque wooded trails. A very nice venue central to the Mpls/St. Paul and Duluth area racers. If my knee holds up, I just may try it next year. To do that, I would have to get a CX bike. Seems to be plenty of Redlines, Ridleys, Surleys and Specialized running up front. Doug Swanson held off the A men for the win, Jenna Zander took the A women, with several area riders, such as Harry Anderson ( pictured above), riding strong. The weather was almost too warm for racing, but perfect for spectating and photos. But no cow bells ?

Winter on the Way

Life once again got in the way of my fall outdoor enjoyment. Very little riding, color watching etc. This weekend, I did get something done that has been put off far too long - a dedicated spot to ride the trainer and run on the tread mill. I cleaned out the shop equipment and organized (somewhat) the back room in the basement. It's been used as a catch-all storage area, work shop and cat room for far too long. But now, there's a treadmill, stationary trainer, and TV with VCR/DVD combo set up. I've got to pick up an 8X10 carpet remnant and it will be complete. All set for winter workouts for the whole family.

My endocrinologist appointment was pushed back to November 20th, much to my consternation. I've been getting bumped quite a bit lately by the clinic, so I called to complain. The gal on the other end of the phone actually listened and found me a spot for this Wednesday. I may get my answer on the insulin pump sooner than I planned. It will be nice to know, one way or the other. In the mean time, my blood sugar levels are lower and more consistent than ever before. I was warned that I would probably gain weight when using insulin as my main medication, but so far, so good. The gym set up will really help, I do believe.

Update

Well, my side projects are finished at last. My blood sugar is in good shape, I have an endocrinologist appointment next month to sign off on the Omni-pod insulin pump. It's not like getting a prescription and going to the pharmacy and picking one up. Paperwork, insurance approvals etc. It will be a least a month. I wore a saline filled sample for the weekend to see if would work and it did. I put it on the back of my upper right arm and didn't notice it until it started beeping at 4:15 this morning. I peeled it off and checked for skin irritation. All OK.

What's missing in all this? Riding. I just haven't had any riding time for the last month or so. Yes, I do slip out after work for a quick spin, but no meaningful mileage. Now that I have the time, I'll need to put on the lights since it's getting dark early. Riding at night is a whole different experience, one which is pretty unique in that you're senses are heightened and you are much more aware of you're surroundings. I'm getting fired up!

A New Course

October first was a strange day, one I'll remember for a long time. I had a cortisone shot in my left knee. No big deal, I thought at the time, but that needle changed my life. At first, I thought, for the worst. My blood sugar went through the roof. My eye sight went fuzzy, feet ached, I got very fatigued, my energy was gone. Gloom and despair ensued. I called the diabetes nurse and got hooked up with some Novolog insulin. It worked well in getting my glucose down in a few days. As soon as I stopped using it, my glucose went sky high. So I'm on it full time.

Most people would probably react to this differently than I have. A lot of my friends and family seemed to say things like "sorry to hear that" or "bummer". From my point of view, it's the best thing that could have happened. I've had up and down control since I was diagnosed. Every bite of food was an uncertain adventure in futility. Any amount of carbs, unless followed by intense exercise, was a trigger for an unpleasant experience in many ways. I got guilty over even taking a glance at anything tasty. Pasta. Potatoes. Rice. Bread. All banned from my plate. I was causing problems with my home life. The mood swings and anger were ruining my social life. Something had to give.

Taking the insulin changed all of that. I can actually eat most anything in moderation without severe blood sugar spikes. Just estimate the amount of carbs I plan on eating, inject the proper amount of insulin, and go. So far, my readings are below 100 most of the time upon waking up in the morning, and stay steady all day. It will be really great as soon as I get the Omni Pod pump. I wont have to carry around the Flex pen and needles any more. The Byetta had quit working, so that's gone. Two less shots a day doesn't bother me at all. Plus, my digestive system will go back to working as designed, instead of being artificially restricted. This all is adding up to putting a smile back on my face and living a much more normal life. Cool.

Fall Colors and the Pump

The fall colors are in prime display right now here in the northland. The 2 bright red trees across the street from my house really glow at first light. The vibrant yellow-gold of the tree in second pic doesn't really come through in the picture, but is stunning in person. A lot of people from other areas never get to see such beauty. No bad for them.

Well, after my cortisone shot disaster, it appears my pancreas shut down. It's probably not coming back. So, after intense insulin therapy for the last few days, my glucose is coming back to normal. I'm off the Byetta, added before meal Novolog insulin, along with the Lantus basal insulin. I'll be going on the Omnipod insulin pump next week. That's a high tech wireless pump with no plumbing to mess with. The glucose meter acts as a remote control to set figure and set dosage. Very simple and ideal for active people. I'm looking forward to it. And to better glucose control.

Me And My Big Mouth

In my last post, I made the bold statement that things were looking up. One thing "up" in a non-positive way is my blood sugar. Seems the cortisone shot cried havoc and unleashed the dogs of war on my system. It has been known to happen. It happened last time I got one, but not to this extant. Last time it raised my fasting glucose about 50 points for a couple of days. This time, over 300. I called the diabetes nurse who is handling my case, and she put me on Novolog, a fast acting insulin that is normally take by type 1 diabetics. It works by taking it before meals to cut the rapid rise in glucose levels after eating. It sure is working. Small doses throughout the day and night brought it down to 170 this morning. Still much higher than normal, but at least well below the ketosis range of 242 and up. That ketosis is no fun. You get tired and loose all energy. You just want to sleep. Exercise is not recommended until glucose levels drop below 242, so you have to rely on drugs to get it down. Tough on the kidneys, too.

I've read several reports that cortisone shots can worsen type 2 diabetes to type 1 symptoms to the point that one has to inject before meals and be ever more diligent with monitoring and treatment. Hopefully, it won't happen to me. One thing I do know is that this episode has heightened my awareness of my problem. Diabetes is relentless. No days off. Everything one does revolves around it. So many systems can be effected by uncontrolled blood sugar. And so many terrible consequences. But, if I do end up having to take several shots a day, I won't be devastated. Look at team Type 1, bike racing on the international level with several type 1 diabetics on board. They make it work, looking at diabetes as just part of life, not something to mope about.

Taking The Needle

Visited the orthopedic surgeon yesterday for a cortisone injection in my ailing knee. It wasn't bad, pain speaking. He said it would be very painful, but it was just a little uncomfortable, at worse. The result was an @ 80% improvement almost instantly. It seemed to tighten up the joint considerably. So after work, I took the MTB out for a leisurely ride around the neighborhood. The knee held up just fine, and feels even better today.

This weekend, I plan on finishing one of my side projects, then I can get back to regular riding. I hate missing the fall colors being stuck inside dry walling. I'm finally going to order a compact crank form my road big, and have started a slush fund for a good cross/commuter rig. Things are looking up on all front, so it's nice to be able to get back on track.

Champing At The Bit

And I am. I don't know about you, but the cool weather changes my perception of riding. I haven't been putting in much saddle time lately, due to projects, family, and a nicked up knee. Talking to the surgeon this morning about the knee got me some answers. The X-ray and MRI didn't reveal any new structural damage, just more arthritis, which was aggravated by bowling. No more bowling, more bike riding. I will be getting a cortisone shot on Wednesday morning, but further surgery is out of the question for a while. A knee replacement is a few years down the road. A more aggressive weight loss plan will be put in effect, since less weight means less wear and tear on the joints.

OK, back to what I started to talk about, cool weather riding. Don't get me wrong, I love the hot weather. I'm very comfortable on 80-90 degree rides, the effort that results in a different type of suffering than in the cold. I find a base layer under my jersey keeps me more comfortable than just a jersey alone. Same in the cold. A good base layering system is the key to staying comfortable in all weather. I need to add a few items to my cold weather arsenal, but mainly for the extreme cold temps. The only thing I have problem with is my hands. Since becoming diabetic, I just can't keep them warm on cold weather rides unless I use chemical warmers. It must have something to do with the neuropothy, which effects my feet much more than my hands. I'm trying to add more blue berries and such to my diet, but that gets pretty spendy. All the good stuff one needs to eat healthy sure does cost a lot.

The major thing about cool weather riding is this: I don't look near as fat in cold weather gear than in spandex. One has to look good to feel good...

RICE

RICE. No, not the rice you eat, but the injury treatment method. I'm using it right now while waiting for the ortho doc to call me. The same knee I had repaired several months back, is banged up again. It feels worse this time. Very swollen and hard to put weight on, much less going up stairs. Now, I wish I had a cool story to tell, you know, some dramatic, heroic, sports related tale of triumph while playing hurt. It was a bowling injury. There, I said it. A bowling knee injury. How stupid does that sound?

Let's start by saying I don't bowl much these days. Once in the last 21 years to be exact. I used to carry a 170 or so average back in the day when I bowled leagues twice a week. Not bad, but not in the same rank of the better guys in this area. So when I was asked to be a designated driver for the camp ground bowling party, I obliged and hauled the soon to be intoxicated people from said campground to the bowling alley a few miles away. I don't drink much, being diabetic and all, so it was no big sacrifice. I actually like some of the group, anyway, and wouldn't want to see a car accident or a DUI ruin the fun.

Back to the mishap. I can't really even call it that, since I didn't slip, trip, fall, or bleed. One minute I was trying to recreate my old form, find the mark and groove. The next, my knee was tender. A few frames later, it was throbbing. The only thing I figure is the slide and twist motion must have popped something loose that shouldn't be loose. I couldn't throw stroke the ball without severe pain. My wife made the pointed comment on how she thought I was a bowler and now why am I not putting up big numbers. Well, you try rolling a 16 lb ball on one leg, see how it works for you, I replied.

The next morning, it felt better, I took some Aleves and went to work on my latest drywall project. i put in about 6 hours, doing mostly vertical seems and screws. It was a bit tender, but held up. Not so today. Any pressure, such as stairs, is very painful. RICE is the order of the day. Hopefully, the doctor will get me in later to check it out so I know what damage has been done. The swelling isn't going down, and that's what worries me. I just hope I won't need more surgery, knock on wood.

Up The Shore

I had to get out after work last night. All the crap of life get flushed with a good ride. I needed it badly, so I headed up the North Shore after work for an easy 2 hour spin. But as soon as I hit North Shore drive, the wind off the lake was cold and stiff. I rode an hour and 10 minutes out, 55 minutes coming back. There's is nothing like heading home with a stiff tail wind to make the hard effort into it worthwhile.

Another reason I had to get out was to find out if my erratic blood sugar reading are related to my inconsistent exercise regimen lately. I haven't been sitting around, mind you, but haven't been getting the hard multi-hour sessions in often enough. And, my readings have been taking a dangerous dive in the afternoons and evenings with no warning or reason. I can feel it if I get below 65, and the last 3 days, they have dropped into the 50's. No good if I happen to be driving. It has been waking me up in the middle of the night occasionally, too. Not good for the brain. I just may have to back off on the meds a bit and get back to a training routine to counteract this, but i feel the less synthetics injected the better. We shall see...

PS: the pics are from the new landing at Knife River. Very nice spot to launch a boat.

All In A Day's Work

Suffering. Do you enjoy a good old body beat down once in a while? I do. Saturday and Sunday was a suffer-fest, especially Saturday. The campground crew and I cut and split 17 pick-up loads of wood at a friends cabin. 55 degrees, drizzle to pouring rain mix of weather. Soaked, cold to the bone , heavy work. 8:30 am to 6:30 pm, a short lunch break, but mainly hard work. It reminded me of a couple of races from back in the day, when you were so miserable, but working so hard, you just couldn't quit. I followed this up on Sunday with a long day of dry walling. A bit sore on Monday, perfect today.

I had the abscessed tooth pulled out and the gunk surrounding it carved out last week. It's sure a relief to get that over with. Very little pain, but lots of blood. I sure hope with all the infection gone that my blood sugar stabilizes. It's been erratic, but so has my work out regimen. One more side project to go, and my time will free up a bit for more riding. It's fall, my favorite outdoor time of year, and I just don't want to miss it.

Train Wrecks

Seems like a lot of things in life are just beyond our control. Jim over at Unholy Rouleur , seems to have run into this sort of situation. Pop over to his site and read his interesting post on that subject today. He's a funny guy who when not lampooning something, often himself, writes some very insightful stuff. I've been running into plenty of stupid in my personal and professional like myself.

We bought a Chinese scooter to ease the burden of gas prices. Of course the novelty wore off quickly for my other half, and I am the main driver. We sold my van and were going to be a one car /bicycle/scooter family. Cool. It made an immediate impact, financially, but not practically. It broke down after 1400 miles and is now waiting for parts.

The novelty of car pooling quickly wore off, too. Kids going to activities, shopping, going to the camper, all sometimes need 2 vehicles. No one but me in this deal has had to make any sacrifices but me. Cut backs on other things didn't happen as planned. The simpler life style doesn't appeal to all concerned. Realizing I couldn't fight city hall, I bought another van. It's actually quite an upgrade over the old one, 50,000 less miles, all wheel drive, heated leather etc., all for the same price I sold the old one for. A lot of brain damage for the upgrade, though.

Some of the moves at work are putting the strain on my thought process. Less is more, human nature can be manipulated, if I believe it, it's true. I've learned over the last 30 years, none of that is true. 2 things are happening in this world that are absolutely true. The haves are getting a bigger share of the pie everyday than the have not's. And the gap gets bigger every time you stick that nozzle in your cars filler neck. Every time you go to the grocery store, turn on the heat in your home, in fact every time you pull out your wallet. I have to work 7 days a week to live the same as we have been. So that just means our quality of life suffers. I haven't spent near enough time on my stress relievers (ie the bikes), so my blood glucose is up and the hopeless feeling sinks in. Maybe after the election things will change. Let's hope for the better.

Because right now, this is a train wreck.

Rare Bird

Here's something you don't see everyday ( unless you follow Doug around). An Xtracycle. As you can see, quite the hauling machine. I chatted with the owner when he came out of the store about what a great grocery getter this conversion made, where he replied it was also a great beer hauler, too! He was strapping on a twelver of Stella Artois to prove his point. A dog had chewed up the saddle, so I offered my BG Milano to replace it. It doesn't work for me, so I'm sure he'll put it to good use.

On the riding front, I haven't gotten in the miles I had planned in the last month or so. After @ 750 miles in July, I barely cracked 200 in August. Disappointing, I must say. My side projects and family have absorbed most of my extra time. And so it goes. This month is the start of the fall riding season for me, and this is my favorite time of year. Crisp, dry air, turning colors, it just can't be beat. I'm riding tonight, Saturday night, and Sunday for sure. As they say in the Red Stripe ads, Hurray, Fall !!

What The Hail ?

Sure, I get time off to finally make the Thursday night lbs group ride and what happens. Hail, thats what. Big ice chunks start coming down about 5:15, along with rain and wind. 5:45, the sky clears, I kit up and buzz down the hill to the Lester Park lot. Several cars in the lot, no bike racks. No one shows. So I head up the shore for a 20 mile cruise. Suddenly, the black clouds reappear, rain comes down, but luckily no hail. A few minutes later, all clear for a nice, but damp ride. I'm glad I stuck with it. I had a great ride, the legs felt good, especially after not riding very much lately. The new Fizik saddle is really working well, the most comfy seat I've ever ridden on.

I've been catching the Tour Of Ireland opening stages, and Mark Cavendish still amazes me. On the second stage finish, he was boxed in tight in the final meters. He gave a shove to the rider on his right, hit the nitrous and was gone. Julian Dean could do nothing to stop him. I want to see some Cavendish/Boonen scaps at the Tour De France next year.

Fall Is Around The Corner

Cool nights, warm, low humidity days. The nip of fall in the air. Great sleeping weather. My favorite time of the year. Just wish the days weren't getting shorter. Well, you can't have everything, I guess.

I haven't gotten as much riding in as I had planned. So what else is new. Family business crops up, and my ride gets derailed. Tonight would be perfect, but soccer is on tap instead. I think a new light set up is in order, so I can ride later safely. I see a lot more lights lately, so more people are on the same train of thought.

The wild life are starting to move around more, so one has to watch out. Deer, especially the young ones have little common sense when it comes to traffic rules. The bear cubs are curious and the sows protective, so take a wide birth when passing them on the trails. Or, turn around and goes back. The mothers will snort a warning or 2 before charging, so listen up if you come across a cub.

With the Tour De France now over for about a month, the pro tour starts revving up for the fall classics. I'm glad to see Tom Boonen back on form after his personal problems took him out of the TDF. He's already won a couple of races, so maybe missing the Tour was a good thing.

Drywall & Teeth

No, that's not the name of some alternative band, but what I've been up to lately. I'm doing a drywall project to raise some extra cash and have been having some dental work done. No of it what you'd call fun, but necessary evils of life. I'd never do drywall work for a living. Too tedious and tough on the shoulders and back. On the bright side, I haven't experienced any shoulder, back, or knee pain so far. Let's hope it stays that way. The dental stuff, now that's another matter. Root planing and antibiotic treatments are not comfortable, nor is tooth extraction. Diabetics have a distinct disadvantage as far as gum disease goes, so you have to stay ahead of things. I haven't, and now I'm paying the price. I learned my lesson the hard way, unfortunately. The damage was limited to one lost tooth, so it's not all bad, as I'd lost the one directly above it previously. It comes out next week.

I haven't been riding much due to all the extra work, but should get out several time this week. Time will tell. My blood sugar is still up and down, but should stabilize after the abscessed tooth is pulled. The infection plays hell with glucose levels, so once it's gone things should level out. I hope.

Olympic TT

Ol' Fabian Cancellara, one of my fav's in the pro peloton, put the wood to the field in the olympic time trial. I think he let Stephan Schumaker win in the Tour De France time trials to conserve energy for the team and lull the field into a false sense of security. His making "Swiss cheese" of the rest of the boys in the time trials is getting to be a habit. I love watching him ride!

On the diabetes front, a recent trip to the dentist turned out to be a major bummer. It looks like I'll be loosing a tooth and having some anti-biotic treatments, along with some major root planing. More vacation used on anything but rest and relaxation. That's just another side effect of diabetes. Fun times....

New Ride

No, not a new bike, but a new route. Sunday, I took the MTB out exploring different roads and trails around the camp ground area. I took a Google map, and set out around Sand Lake. What nice, quiet, smooth country roads. Rolling, twisting, perfect for the road bike. Then, some gravel roads and trails that are a gas. I wish there were more bikers in the area to ride with and enjoy the quiet country side. I never run into anyone on a bike, except on the Munger trail. The ones i do meet are usually on their way someplace special, and not riding locally. Too bad, they're missing some good riding.

Diabetes-wise, I'm going to cut back the carbs a bit more for a couple of weeks. I'll be monitoring my glucose levels more closely to see the reaction to low carb meals in the hours after eating. I sure would love to not have to be shackled to the regimen of a medication schedule. It's tough to be spontaneous in life and have a good time with others when this stupid disease looms over everything you do. But, others have it far worse than me, so I shouldn't complain. Just work harder at being healthy, maybe I can reverse this.

Saturday Rantings

OK, it's my Saturday to donate time I will never get back. Yes, I'm at work. One tech, no luber. What a waste. But, on the bright side, I can catch up on some paper work, explore the 'net, and generally waste time. Here goes...

Sammy Sanchez took the Gold at the men's road race at the Olympic Games. I sure didn't see that one coming. David Rebellin took silver, and my boy Fabian Cancellara fly up from the chase to take bronze. I hear the heat and humidity were ungodly.

On the diabetes front, there sure are a ton of studies coming down that favor fats and such over carbs a way to combat diabetes. Seems the ADA pyramid suggests we type 2's eat lots of whole grain based starches. From what most make of this is that combating heart disease first and combating blood sugar with drugs is secondary. Now many doctors and researchers are trying to defuse this theory. And it's all just theory it seems to me.

Way back in the late 1900's, E P Joslin was helping people control their glucose levels with a diet of 70% fats and 10% carbohydrates. It worked well, in fact his own mother reversed her diabetes with his methods. Along came Canadian (those damned Cannucks-ha ha!) Frederick Benting with insulin. Soon the low carb fell out of favor due to insulin being effective for those with poorly disciplined eating habits. And there in is the rub. Injecting insulin is a trial and error process. You never know exactly how much to take due to all the variables involved. Diet, exercise etc. change from day to day.

Me, I take Lantus, a 24 hour dose in the a.m., to maintain my glucose level daily. A metformin in the a.m. and p.m., along with Byetta at the same times help also. For me, with my lifestyle, this is a crude form of control, in my humble opinion. My usual dosage of Lantus is 33 units. But if I'm going on a 4 hour ride, I'll cut it back to 20 units, or so. If it's a morning ride, I skip the Byetta. It's stomach emptying control gives me heartburn under hard exertion, so I don't take it if I'll be riding shortly after breakfast.

At the end of the day, when all is said and done, when there is nothing left to say or do, when the last dog is hung, exercise and weight loss are the key for me. The effects of an epic ride last for a couple of days, in that my blood sugar stays fairly low mo matter what I eat. But I just don't have the time to ride every day, and effort changes, too. A 4 hour spin is different than an hour of hill repeats. It does appear in my case, the longer the duration of the exercise, the longer the positive effect is on my glucose levels. But life throws in too many curve balls when your a fast ball hitter. What's my plan, you ask? I'm working on it. More details Monday.

The Light Bulb In My Head

Just went on.In Steps. Progressions. OK, I finally put two and two together. Higher cadence equals more endurance. I read a Joe Friel article in Velo News on the 3 main keys to better riding and racing. Basically, work on your weaknesses, you'll be faster. No kidding, Joe. But what I did realize after reading this, was that I pedal too slow. I seem to be in that 80-84 range, lower on grades, relying more on power than efficiency. I always have used that "torque feeling" judge how well I am riding. That was fine when I was young and strong as a bull, but not any more. Jan Ullrich could get away with grinding it out as he was a genetic freak, I am not.

So Sunday morning I set off on a 30 mile ride from the camper south on the state trail. I tried to up my cadence to the 85 to 90 rpm range. My speed was the same as usual, but the effort seemed less. Pretty soon, a guy on a bent pulled up along side. He obviously was an experienced rider, well conditioned and fast. I asked why the bent? He said he had a serious back injury many years back and couldn't ride a normal bike, so he tried a bent, and can tolerate it. He was a Cat 2 at one time and it showed. We went through the hilly twisting area behind Rutledge, and he put 200 yards on me in no time. I was amazed at how quick he could corner and climb. Fun times.

He stopped to meet his wife in Finlayson, so we chatted a bit before I went another 5 miles south. I asked what his thoughts about cadence were. He said one of the big things he works on with younger riders is spinning faster than you think you should be. I mentioned I was working on that, and he agreed I was still to slow. Concentrate on the 90 to 100 rpm range and you'll ride faster longer. I headed on south to my turn around point, as I decided to do 40 miles instead of the planned 30. Concentrating on upping my cadence was tough, but after a few miles, it started to feel normal. After I got back to the camp ground, my legs felt much fresher, and the inner thigh soreness I normally get after a long ride never set in. An 18 mph average for 41.36 mile was a good effort for me. Combined with 2 hours of hard MTB riding Saturday and 1 1/2 hours Friday night, it was a good weekend for me.

New Look

Thought I would update the look of the blog a bit. I like this layout better, hope you do.

I rode up Lester River road, then left onto Stark. That Col is a leg breaker, for sure. Anyone got a spare compact crank they can bum me? Come on, help a brother out. Actually, I found a nice deal on a Ultegra compact crank set for $160.00 on line. My current set is an FSA SL-K Mega XO carbon. A compact version runs about $299.00. Nice, but a little spendy.

It looks like a nice weekend coming up, I'll get some good mile in at the camper on both the road and mountain bikes. SWMBO wants to get in some ride time with me, so I won't have to ride alone all the time. Last year there was a couple of riders in the site, but I haven't seen them this year. Hope you all have a good weekend, I hope to.

New Stuff

My road bike rides kind of harsh. To be expected, seeing that it's an aluminum frame. The carbon fork and stays do help, but it's still aluminum. The original seat was a was a butt abusing hunk of plastic, so I tried a Specialized touring seat, which was too soft. Next up, a Specialized BG Rival MTB seat. Better,but it didn't translate to the road well. Don't ask me why, because it's great on the MTB. After installing it on the MTB, I put the old BG Sport seat from the MTB on the road bike. No cigar. This game of musical seats had to stop. A little research on the various chats and review sites brought my choices down to a few. Luck would have it one of the finalists came up as a special on Blue Sky's e-mail flier. I've bought a few things from them and have always come through right on time. This seat, the Fi'zi:k Rondine Wing Flex Magnesium (that's quite a mouthful), is regularly $85.00. With a sale price of $29.98 + shipping, it looked like a steal.

It is a steal. I got home today and installed it post-haste. Now, the Ritchey Comp seat post has been nothing but a headache, always letting the seat tilt back at the first sight of a climb and some aft pressure. Not so with this saddle. Not a creak or any sign of the tilt-itis it had with the other ones. And that harshness I attributed to the aluminum frame? Much reduced. The flex wings seem to help eat up a lot of vibration. The padding seems just right for my bony butt. It came with a small clip in seat bag, but it's too little for my needs. This seat is a bit wider, so it fits me perfectly. I use a BG 143 width, and this is pretty close.

*This is not a paid endorsement for Fi'zi:k, but it could be if they would send me a check.

Deep Thoughts

Deep in the woods, that is. My weekend ride scouting ride took me into the thick state forest on ATV trail. Fun riding, especially on those sharp, burmed corners. You can crank into them full tilt and rail around with no brakes. Miles and miles of varied surface and width make for a great day on the MTB. But, that black cloud the cycling gods have seen fit to horse collar me with rained on my parade. Not with literal rain, but with flies. Those nasty, biting deer flies. Don't they know the difference between humans and deer? Maybe they should be called "we'll bite anything" flies. I had these nasty critters stuck on my arms, legs, in my helmet, everywhere. There is always bad with the good, and this was bad. But the riding was great!

I've read a lot of negative comments on the Versus coverage of the TDF. I actually don't mind the Phil and Paul running cliche commentary style, or Bobke's all around goofiness. It could be a lot worse. And a lot better. True HD picture would be a plus, but I'm sure the signal conversion from PAL to the US NTSC standard is the culprit, cost wise. The sound is pretty decent, and Vs does broadcast in 720. Maybe next year. One can only hope.

Ever wonder how the dopers get the idea to try the latest and greatest drugs? I have theories, such as research scientists noticing peculiar reactions to the last wonder drug meant to help the very ill. Hey, maybe I could make a buck on the side and black market this to some unscrupulous athlete or trainer. Or maybe he or she is a big sports fan and wants to "help out" some athlete or team. Money, I'm sure, is behind it, mostly. Why not spend more time tracking the source and enforcing existing laws in this country the way the French do. Wait, did just say "the way the French do"? Yes, stuffing Barry Bonds or Roger Clemens in a squad car after the game might help curb the flow, so to speak. Again, one can only hope.

TDF Final

My apologies, dear readers, for failing to file my usual, up to the minute reports on the last 2 stages of the TDF. I was out of town being eaten by deer flies and mosquitoes in my quest finding the best MTB trails near where our camper is parked. I rode some ATV trails that were da bomb, but the biting flies really took the joy out of things. I'll ride 'em again after fly season is over.

Back to the Tour: Carlos Sastre dug deep on the final time trial and sealed the victory over Cryin' Cadel Evans. The Aussie Weeper just didn't pull off the time trial he was looking for this time around. I've got a feeling he was worn to a frazzle after the constant beat down at the hands of CSC. Bjarne Riis put together a killer squad and worked his plan perfectly. The last stage into Paris was won in a sprint by Gert Steegman of Quickstep, who were floundering with out Tom Boonen, who's Tour was derailed in cloud of white powder. The latest doper to be flushed is Dmitri Fofonov from Credit Agricole. He got some blood pressure medication over the internet to help fight cramps was his excuse. Hmmm - I think the teams frown on anything the rider takes not pre-approved, especially a banned substance. What a dope(r).

All and all, a great Tour De France, though Sastre is not your most charismatic champion in recent years, but his team sure was! I think the Schleck boys will continue the trend in the future, and Evans might have one more run in him, but needs a stronger team to do it. And more Kleenex.

TDF Stage 19

Mad attack artist Sylvian Chavanel took today's fairly flat stage in a sprint over Jeremy Roy for a French 1-2 victory. Team Columbia's Gerald Ciolek took the field sprint for 3rd. I don't remember so many breaks that have actually worked as in this tour. Fun stuff. Tomorrow's time trial should be a nail chewing good time!!

TDF Stage 18

Rack up another stage win for Team Columbia courtesy of Marcus Burghardt. Burghardt out sprinted fellow breakaway partner Carlos Barredo of Quickstep. Romain Feillu was once again in the mix, having a pretty aggressive tour for himself. Carlos Sastre remains in yellow, followed by Frank Schleck and Bernhard Kohl. Our boy Christian Vande Velde is still hanging around the top in 6th overall.

TDF Stage 17

The CSC/Saxo Bank train continued to roll up the field on today's Alpe d'Huez hors category stage. Carlos Sastre took the win and the yellow jersey from team mate Frank Schleck, putting 1:24 into him. Schleck is now in second overall, followed by Kohl, Evans, and Menchov. Looks like the time trial will determine things in the end.

Dibetes Update

After Saturday's Split Rock ride, I relaxed for and hour, showered and checked my blood sugar. 112. Not bad, as it's usually a lot higher after a hard effort. I tried to keep my carb intake up, and didn't feel any bonk symptoms at all. I ate 3 pieces of Bulldog supreme pizza and relaxed to watch the Tour De France stage on the DVR. I checked again a couple of hours later. 98. Cool, staying pretty stable. A nice dinner with about 25 carbs , a light snack and a great nights sleep resulted in a Sunday morning reading of 94. All Sunday everything stayed down about 10 counts lower than I've seen in a while. I did a 45 min. spin on the trainer to keep the legs loose, as they were getting pretty tight Sunday morning. It felt good to give 'em a good acid flush.

It seems the best thing for me personally to keep my blood glucose in control is intense exercise. The harder the better. Walking has never done anything for me, but a hammer session on the bike brings my numbers right down in short order. Cross country skiing has the same effect. I would guess power walking might work, but I would feel like complete dork doing it in public. But then, I do kit up in lycra....

TDF Stage 16

AG2R's Cyril Dessel took todays stage with 5 others including George Hincapie of Team Coulmia in 5th. Christian VandeVelde lost some time but still is 6th overall. Frank Schleck remains in yellow. 2 hors category climbs left the bunch looking haggard at the end. I don't know how they can recover so quickly after the beating the take day after day. Heat, cold, rain, wind all add up to a fatigue I can't imagine. Better racing through science, I guess....

TDF Rest Day 2

I'm really liking this years tour more than I thought I would. With out Bruyneel and the invisible Lance controlling things, the racing has been more unpredictable to say the least. The long breaks have been succeeding, the sprints have been chaotic, and the climbing brutal as ever. In other words, more fun.

CSC/Saxo Bank's team has as powerful cast of characters as ever assembled. Uber-hard men Jens Voigt, Stu O'Grady, and Fabian Cancellara handle their roles like no other riders, super domestique Nikki Sorenson is always reliable, Vol Gustav tows the Schleck brothers to the climbs, where Andy puts on the hurt, the Frank finishes up for the day. All they need is Mark Cavendish and it would be called "CSC/Saxo Bank's Tour De France".

My personal rest day was yesterday. Watched the tour in the morning with coffee, a little 45 minute spin on the trainer to loosen up the legs, a matinee movie with the family, then grilled turkey melts w/ bacon for dinner with the wife's brother and his boys. A great weekend.

Ride Food

After Saturday's Split Rock, I realized I had found the perfect ( for Me ) ride nutritional supplements. The 6:00 am breakfast was 1 large Kodiak Cakes flap jack. These are great!! Whole wheat flour and honey base pancake mix - just add water. I throw in a hand full of blue berries to make 'em extra good. Along with 2 scrambled eggs, I was ready to rock.

I started out with a large water bottle mixed with Hammer Heed. I've read that Hammer products are very suitable for diabetics, so I thought I was worth trying. The mild melon Heed was a nice change from the usual energy drinks. Smooth, non-acid tasting, didn't give me heartburn effect of the citrus flavored drinks. The Hammer gels are easy to stomach and also taste great, especially the apple-cinnamon flavor.

Adding in a few orange slices, a couple of fig bars, and more water at the feed stops worked perfectly for the 4 plus hours of pretty high intensity riding. I never felt any bonk symptoms even after several hard efforts. I backed off the Lantus insulin dosage a few units in the morning, didn't take the Byetta at all, as that seems to add to the acid reflux feeling if I work hard after eating. I think the mix of solid and liquid food sources is the way to go for, and smaller quantities more often leaves more blood flow for the legs instead of digestion. That's my new ride food plan.

Solo Group Ride

I was really looking forward to Saturday's VeloDuluth Split Rock Tour, I really was. I just thought I'd be riding with some familiar faces at a nice, relaxed pace. Well, I didn't see anyone I new, except Jeff C., Biking Duluth blogger. He was at the start, but couldn't ride due to family obligations. We all know how that goes, been there plenty of times my self. I figured I would hook up with a few people of my ability and enjoy the ride. Not to be today.

I left the Brighton Beach start and headed up the shore right behind a couple of obviously fast guys. Top end gear, equipment in order, well used, but maintained. Both were lean, Cat 3 looking character, out of my racing league types. About a hundred yards in, the touch wheels and one of them hits the pavement hard. Several of us stopped and checked if he was OK, then we headed up the shore in earnest. After a couple of miles, the 2 of them just took off and left me alone. The lake wind picked up, and my spirits dropped. I looked behind and no one was coming, no one ahead to catch up with, so the thought of a solo century entered my mind. Not what I had planned.

After about 10 miles, 2 more guys on aerobar equipped rigs blew past me in a hurry, mini team time trial style. A couple of mile latter, they were pulled off the road taking on some water looking fried. I pulled into the Knife River feed and consumed a couple of orange slices and a Hammer gel. Love that apple-cinnamon flavor. Topped of the water bottle, which started of filled with Hammer Heed, and headed up the road. The wind kicked it up a notch. Bad news for my century plan. My suitcase of courage was dragging behind lick a big, rock filled anchor. So I did my best Hors Category hardman Jens Voigt imitation ( a much fatter and slower version) and gutted it out through Two Harbors and stopped at the feed on the north side of town.

An orange, fig newton, and a bag of Jelly Belly Sport Beans latter, and off again. I headed a few miles north as so I could do 60 miles instead of the 100 I had thought about. The wind was just too much for a big target like me. Plus, my training log reflected my fitness isn't quite there yet. I could have meandered along and did it, but I was treating it as training and didn't want to just go up in smoke for nothing.

2 1/2 hours to do 31 miles is a poor effort to me, so I vowed to really kick it on the ride back. After the turn around, the wind was at my back, and I flew. The spirit of Fabian Cancellara touched my legs ( in a good way ) for many miles. Places where I was down to 10 mph and lower on the way up were now showing 25-30 on the way back. I stopped for water in Knife River and headed back. I saw a lot of people still on their way up when I was heading back, so I didn't feel too bad about my effort. I just wonder where every one was....

TDF Stage 15

Australian Simon Gerrans of Credit Agricolde ahead of Egoi Martinez and Gar-Chip's Danny Pate on today's climber oriented Sate 15. The CSC boys put the proverbial hammer down and drove Frank Schleck into the yellow jersey. Ultra hardman Jens Voigt and Nikki Sorenson drove the train to the base of the climb, Fabian Cancllera took over, the Andy Schleck attacked like crazy to pull big brother Frank 8 seconds ahead of Cadel Evans, who dropped back to 3rd overall. Bernhard Kohl rode hard to put himself in second position. Christian VandeVelde of Gar-Chip got a solid top 10 on the stage to stay within sight of the podium.

TDF Stage 14

Green jersey sporting Oscar Freire won Saturday's stage 14 in a sprint finish. The "Cat" slipped through to the line in yet another free-for-all, rather disorganized ending. It was nice to see Julian Dean up contesting for I think the first time in this tour. Also, some new names are coming to the fore, as well as old reliables, like Zabel, Evans, Freire. And the dopers still suck.

TDF Stage 13

I just don't know if this guy can be beaten. A 4th stage win for Mark Cavendish. He looked blocked in with about 400 meters to go, Zabel and McEwen looked set for the dual, then Cavendish lit 'em up. Try as I might, I can figure out where he hides the nitrous oxide tank. Tom Boonen had commented that the sprints aren't well set up by the teams this year, so maybe Cavendish is just a little more heads up than the rest. That used to be McEwen's forte. It is fun to watch a superstar on the rise!!

TDF Stage 12

Mark Cavendish took his third stage of the Tour today ahead of Sebastien Chavanel and Gert Steegmans. This guy has another gear compared to the rest this year, and could win another stage or two before it's over. The GC podium remains the same. Riccardo Ricco still sucks...

This Just In - Cheating At The Tour!

That sneaky little bastard. The supreme a-wipe, Riccardo Ricco, gets the boot for EPO. Imagine that. It's also a new, extended release version that is only needed twice a month instead of daily. Super cheating, as far as I'm concerned. It's not even approved for medical use yet! From reports this morning, the peloton is pissed and not riding a much of a pace. I think a blanket party would be in order for the mouthy, self- glossed Cobra. Hope he runs into a mongoose.

Head For The Hills

Yesterday after work, I figured I'd go for a nice spin up the shore. Maybe and hour or so, play it by ear. So, I kitted up and headed down the hill to Superior St and headed east. All of a sudden, somebody hit the A/C . Wait, my bike has Ritchie, Ultegra, FSA, American Classic, Kenda, but no air conditioning. Oh, yeah, that's Lake Superior at work. When it's 90f and muggy, it's a welcome relief, but when it's 70 and the lake drops it 15 degrees, no thanks. So what do you do? I headed on up Lester River Road. I've been staying away from climbing since my return to the sport, but today the burn felt good. So good in fact, I went all the way to the end and turn around for the swoosh back down. On the way up, I hit a max mph of 18, back down I reached 37. It felt so good, I turned around at the park and did another loop. I'll be doing the Velo Duluth ride this weekend, and feel pretty good about it. See you out there.

TDF Stage 11

Another Norsky take a stage win. Kurt-Asle Arvesen of CSC-Saxo took the sprint over Martin Elminger and Alessandro Ballan. The main peloton was several minutes back, so the large break worked out for @ 12 guys. Evans stays in yellow for another day.

BTW-Why is Yoko Ono riding in the Gar-Chip car with Vaughters? Hmm....

TDF Rest Day 1

I need it, I'm shredded. Off the back. Poor form. Legs of stone. The God of Blunder needs some time away from the bunch. I haven't been on a bike of any type for over a week. Just can't shake the blahs...