Fully Operational

The cable guy showed up yesterday and hooked up a high speed wi-fi modem so I have high speed Internet at my desk in the new man cave. I'll be doing some more frequent posting now that the frustrations of my old low speed/low data connection has been banished to the emergency back up role it deserves. AT&T 3G may never get here in our life time.

I've been able to get in some nice rides again, now that I'm settled into a new living situation. My fitness had declined a bit, but it came back nicely. A few visits to a chiropractor to work on my tight IT band has netted some good results, but she said the nasty groin strain I suffered in a fall down some stairs a few months back, is going to take a long time to heal. At my age, that's just how it goes. Putting on my left sock is painful, but otherwise it's no real bother.

The fall riding season is rapidly approaching. Shorter days and warmer clothes, but it's still my favorite time of the year. Fall riding and golfing are just great around here, so are drives up the shore and hiking on our many trails over looking the big lake. I can't wait to do some cross country skiing this winter, since my knee feels good and my fitness level is pretty good. L and I are heading to Las Vegas in mid September with a group of friends for a few days. I'm going to hit Red Rock for a day of mountain biking. Hopefully, I can find some folks to ride with, since I don't know the area all that well. But, with a GPS, I shouldn't get too lost. I'm looking forward to that adventure in a big way !!

Out Of Town Exploring

L and I headed back to Alexandria last weekend to give her daughter a break from her kids and go on a short vacation with friends. Cute kids, but a handful. We spent Friday lounging in the small pool in the back yard, grilled chicken for dinner, and watched a DVD ( Firehouse Dog ) before hitting the sheets. The next morning, I set out a mountain bike ride to explore some trails in the area. I figured a four hours of on and off effort, get some photos, recon the area etc.

Then the skies opened. Heavy rain. Four and a half miles from home base. To add insult to injury, my old buddy the wind reared it's ugly head. Riding into driving rain was not the ride I had planned, but it was what I was dealt. We've all been there, caught in the weather unprepared. No rain gear or shelter nearby, just a light jersey and glasses. Fortunately, I had put the yellow lens' in my PBK glasses to brighten up the overcast conditions. I was cold and soaked when I got back to the ranch. The coffee was hot and fresh, though, and the shower was great.

L took a couple of pictures on me in my mtb kit, much to my annoyance. I've looked like a land whale in most photos, but the ones she took make me look a bit thinner. Scratch that, you would have to be thin to look thinner, so let's say "less fat". That's better.

Misc Stuff

Well, I'm almost all moved in to my new digs. Merging two households is not an easy task, to say the least. I was smart and got rid of a lot of excess clutter in my last incarnation, so the things I have brought are the quality items that you can't get just get rid of. I have high end cook ware, tools, art work, etc. that are a needed part of me and my life style. My new partner and I have spent many hours sorting and re-evaluating what we have versus what we need. It's gone pretty well and you get to really learn a lot about someone by what they value. And question what you yourself really needs and values.

On the riding front, I've gotten some quality mile in lately. A fairly flat 40k time trial netted a 16.1 mph average, my best effort this year, but down from what I could do back in the day. Proper pre-ride and during ride fueling has contributed to better results and I haven't bonked at all. In fact, I seem to finish a two hour ride stronger than the first hour. It seems like back in the days when I was a runner. The better shape I was in, the longer it took to get in the groove. The first mile or so was very "disjointed" and slow, then I would get in that flow where you can just run with little effort. In the last 10k of the 40k ride, I don't even remember breathing. Weird how the body works.

On the diabetes front, my morning glucose readings have been rock solid, between 90 and 115. I'm not sure what to say is the main contributor, but I think much of it has to do with a inner calm that has set over me lately. It's hard to describe, but there doesn't seem to be that stress that comes with marital strife and uncertainty of the future. I have been kicking around the idea of changing careers, which would mean going to school and being a student for the first time since high school. There is money available for people's educational costs like never before, and I may take advantage of some of it. I'm just not sure what I want to be if I ever grow up!!