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.