1176.2; 825.9; 38.8
Wow, I grossly overestimated this ride. I gave myself 2-1/2 hours to get to Petaluma, and only took 1:15. I thought it would be close to 50 miles total, but actually was less than 40--my second-longest ride since returning to my biking ways. There are a couple of no-shoulder spots where there's a certain amount of danger, but it's mostly a pretty easy ride in the morning when the temperature and wind aren't too high. I did NOT expect the heat, coming back, but still managed a 1:15 ride.
I was starting to worry about higher readings on my blood sugar (thinking I'd need to go back to full doses of Actos), but that's dropped significantly (78 and 97 the last two days, after 130 130 124, 141), and my average this month is back under 120.
Talking to my friend, I find that I'm not the only one who senses in McCain a reluctance, almost sheepishness, about putting forth the lies his "handlers" have given him... In the local paper today (actually a Washington Post story), there's talk that the repubs might pull back on McCain campaign funding, thinking it better to spend the money on congressional campaigns, where McCain might almost be a lost cause. I am overjoyed at this prospect. In every debate and elsewhere, I have seen in Obama a man with an amazing memory and excellent command of data: a problem solver. He might bore some people with analysis, but he doesn't deliver the empty "I know how to..." lines, and he really did, I feel, minimize the dirtiness of the campaign, even while McCain and PitDog resorted to mudslinging of the worst kind.
President Obama! YES!
Friday, October 17, 2008
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Absence
1137.4; 787.1; 31.2
No on 8. The (paper) Chronicle today shows people praying with mouths contorted and arms raised, presumably for God to take his vengeance on the butt-slammers (the ones He presumably created). How is it that people still believe in earthly representatives of a vengeful creator? The idea of a creator is not unreasonable, but the idea that someone like Falwell, or any of that ilk, has a direct line to a creator and is hear to communicate--and enforce--His wishes? That's just stupid. OK, let's play it through. Imagine that a majority of people vote yes. Do you really think all those gay people are going to go away? Leave 'em alone--if you don't like gay marriage, don't gay-marry. If you can't bear to vote No, just skip the question.
Yes on Obama. He's not perfect, but he's good. And the alternative is truly, truly frightening if you have even a tattered shred of intelligence. Just by the examples of the kind of people who are coming out of the woodwork for the repubs lately, you should recognize that you don't want to be on that side. OK, watch the last debate tonight, listen between the lines when they speak, and imagine which would really be "the cool hand on the helm" (an absurd phrase grammatically, like much of what McCain has been fed for regurgitation BY THE SAME PEOPLE WHO HAVE DIRECTED BUSH FOR THE PAST EIGHT YEARS, DUH!).
My friend and ex-co-worker Garrie, I learned, died (**died!**) in August. He'd had meningitis about two years ago and was pretty ill from then on, I guess, but still, he was only three years older than me, and it was a surprise to get an email response from "him" (his sister-in-law) saying he had passed away. It's funny (not ha-ha funny) that I'm reading "Seth Speaks" right now, and am in the middle of chapters about death. One of the things he says--and this was said to my unhearing ears a lot at alternative school in my teens--is "you're as dead now as you'll ever be." I think I never really parsed or understood this phrase before, and it gives an unfortunate negative cast, but reading it in context, it is actually a very positive concept. I'm really enjoying the book, and finding it affirms a lot that I felt/intuited/believed all along. Interesting: the idea of entities repeatedly reincarnating in an illusive physical time and space was making me wonder why there are so many more people now than in the past--and a visitor to a session, in the book, asks that question in conversation whereupon Seth "appears" and addresses the question... I'm remembering more dreams lately--fragmentary, but much more than usual.
Anyway, my warmest regards to you, Garrie, wherever you are now.
No on 8. The (paper) Chronicle today shows people praying with mouths contorted and arms raised, presumably for God to take his vengeance on the butt-slammers (the ones He presumably created). How is it that people still believe in earthly representatives of a vengeful creator? The idea of a creator is not unreasonable, but the idea that someone like Falwell, or any of that ilk, has a direct line to a creator and is hear to communicate--and enforce--His wishes? That's just stupid. OK, let's play it through. Imagine that a majority of people vote yes. Do you really think all those gay people are going to go away? Leave 'em alone--if you don't like gay marriage, don't gay-marry. If you can't bear to vote No, just skip the question.
Yes on Obama. He's not perfect, but he's good. And the alternative is truly, truly frightening if you have even a tattered shred of intelligence. Just by the examples of the kind of people who are coming out of the woodwork for the repubs lately, you should recognize that you don't want to be on that side. OK, watch the last debate tonight, listen between the lines when they speak, and imagine which would really be "the cool hand on the helm" (an absurd phrase grammatically, like much of what McCain has been fed for regurgitation BY THE SAME PEOPLE WHO HAVE DIRECTED BUSH FOR THE PAST EIGHT YEARS, DUH!).
My friend and ex-co-worker Garrie, I learned, died (**died!**) in August. He'd had meningitis about two years ago and was pretty ill from then on, I guess, but still, he was only three years older than me, and it was a surprise to get an email response from "him" (his sister-in-law) saying he had passed away. It's funny (not ha-ha funny) that I'm reading "Seth Speaks" right now, and am in the middle of chapters about death. One of the things he says--and this was said to my unhearing ears a lot at alternative school in my teens--is "you're as dead now as you'll ever be." I think I never really parsed or understood this phrase before, and it gives an unfortunate negative cast, but reading it in context, it is actually a very positive concept. I'm really enjoying the book, and finding it affirms a lot that I felt/intuited/believed all along. Interesting: the idea of entities repeatedly reincarnating in an illusive physical time and space was making me wonder why there are so many more people now than in the past--and a visitor to a session, in the book, asks that question in conversation whereupon Seth "appears" and addresses the question... I'm remembering more dreams lately--fragmentary, but much more than usual.
Anyway, my warmest regards to you, Garrie, wherever you are now.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Warming Up
1106.2; 755.9; 27.5
The first number is total miles since 7/13; second is miles on odometer on the main bike; third number is miles today.
Think I need to do something to warm up before riding, or maybe this morning was just extra cold. At any rate, I never really got going, and the whole ride was slower than usual--although I still rode as far as I wanted to.
If the weather holds, I'll ride to Petaluma on Friday, after a longish ride tomorrow and a day off Thursday.
The first number is total miles since 7/13; second is miles on odometer on the main bike; third number is miles today.
Think I need to do something to warm up before riding, or maybe this morning was just extra cold. At any rate, I never really got going, and the whole ride was slower than usual--although I still rode as far as I wanted to.
If the weather holds, I'll ride to Petaluma on Friday, after a longish ride tomorrow and a day off Thursday.
Monday, October 13, 2008
There's a River Down There
728.4; 21.9
Don't let that mileage fool you--this was a killer! On top of the usual bike-path loop out to Forestville, continued on Mirabel Rd. down to Trenton Rd., which is parallel to and in view of the Russian River. Then back up Laguna to Vine Hill to Green Valley Rd.
Laguna/Vine Hill climbs almost 300 feet in one mile. It's a beautiful ride other than that--not a single car passed as I struggled up the hill, and there's only one slightly scary part where the road curves right while climbing steeply enough to have me crawling in low gears. No wonder the runoff is in such a hurry to get down there!
But I do get the "Green Valley drop" as a little reward, back down to the path.
This brings (keeps?) my daily average for October over 12 and average per riding day over 20. And, I hope, brings my blood sugar down from today's and yesterday's consecutive 130s.
Don't let that mileage fool you--this was a killer! On top of the usual bike-path loop out to Forestville, continued on Mirabel Rd. down to Trenton Rd., which is parallel to and in view of the Russian River. Then back up Laguna to Vine Hill to Green Valley Rd.
Laguna/Vine Hill climbs almost 300 feet in one mile. It's a beautiful ride other than that--not a single car passed as I struggled up the hill, and there's only one slightly scary part where the road curves right while climbing steeply enough to have me crawling in low gears. No wonder the runoff is in such a hurry to get down there!
But I do get the "Green Valley drop" as a little reward, back down to the path.
This brings (keeps?) my daily average for October over 12 and average per riding day over 20. And, I hope, brings my blood sugar down from today's and yesterday's consecutive 130s.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Petaluma Hill
706.5; 25.5
Petaluma Hill Rd. seems mostly flat when you drive it. Like with many things, it's a different story on a bicycle. And the headwind! Be that as it may, I was able to cover the 12.7 mile trip out in 53 minutes--the trip back might have been a bit slower, especially that first part, which seemed to take all my strength to just pedal forward on a seemingly very slight incline. Anyway, bravo: 700 miles on the Marin Novato bike, a bike of which I approve greatly.
Petaluma Hill Rd. seems mostly flat when you drive it. Like with many things, it's a different story on a bicycle. And the headwind! Be that as it may, I was able to cover the 12.7 mile trip out in 53 minutes--the trip back might have been a bit slower, especially that first part, which seemed to take all my strength to just pedal forward on a seemingly very slight incline. Anyway, bravo: 700 miles on the Marin Novato bike, a bike of which I approve greatly.
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