Gone With....the Wind?

                                                        Took Lilly for a ride Saturday...

Friday 15 April Tax Day Tracking 

Saturday 16 April Tracks

 Monday's Multiple Short Loops

 Tuesday (Boring) Short Ride

Wacky Windy Wednesday Tracking 

I guess I've AGAIN been kinda lazy about logging all my  trike pedaling recently.  At least I HAVE been riding, even if I've been slack about blogging it.
I have noticed recently that my blood glucose drops markedly even after or during my "short" rides around the neighborhood, so I try, weather permitting, to get in a few hundred yards or so at least every day.
I often ride even when the weather is not sunny and warm, since when it's cold I can layer up and put on my mittens, face mask, and such.  Plus after a few hundred yards I tend to get warmed up and often have to unzip or even remove a "layer" to stay cool enough to be comfortable.
So most of the listed "tracks" above are such squeeze - ins.
Yesterday we spent most of the day traveling to and from the Temple in St. Louis, but we got home with a couple hours or so of daylight left, so I was able to stretch my legs after that almost 7 hours sitting in a petroleum powered car by taking a short trike ride.  The long trip was well worth it, but what a relief to stretch my legs by pedaling around a bit.
This morning, Wednesday, I had a pedicure appointment with Wally at out local California Nails salon.
The weather forecast was for nasty, cold and windy.  When we awoke it was pouring rain and not looking good.  Jacque was all set to drive me there and back, but like most of the world, we too have  goofy weather.  About an hour before my appointment, the rain stopped and the clouds started thinning.
The current professional weather guess was for high winds, but who cares about that?  As long as I didn't get soaked I figured I could deal with wind.  At my back, it helps me along.  Hitting me face - on
would make more work pedaling, but exercise is part of the appeal, right?  Right.  Maybe.
I made it there with a few minutes to spare for my appointment, and the clouds were actually starting to part with nice sunshine peeking through, but the wind was whipping up and the clouds overhead were making curious paths in the sky, making me wonder it they were going to start circling, which makes the weather guessers (And US) worry about "severe storms" including tornadoes.
Well, nothing serious happened.
As I walked across the parking area, a nice lady who was leaving in her car yelled at me "Is that your ride?"  Of course I nodded yes, and wanted to get a closer look to see if it was someone we knew, but I was running too close to being late for my time slot and had to scoot on into the facility.  I suspect it was the Mom of one of our Church Primary class kids.  Whatever.
While Wally was doing his magic on my crummy feet, the wind was obviously getting stronger outside.
By the time I left, the wind was positively howling.  And, of course, it was whipping back and forth, but stronger and longer in the opposite direction I needed to get home.
I don't remember if I've ever had to use such lower gears riding on normally straight and level streets.
I didn't actually have to use "Granny Gear" but I was only a couple of gears above that for about half the ride home.  Extra huffing and puffing for sure.
I'm unsure if I've previously mentioned I'm now on anti-seizure pills.  An undesirable side effect (at least during the day) is that they make me unusually sleepy.  Yawning and trying to stay awake most of the day, except of course while pedaling the trike.
An unbeknownst benefit is that my foot pain is dramatically reduced, and especially at night while in bed.  Prior to these expensive pills, I had to sleep with burning diabetic foot pain, often  waking up to rub them or get up and walk around a bit to lessen the pain.  Now they  just basically don't hurt at night, though they still get tired easily and early when standing or walking.  A great side effect that isn't mentioned in the "literature".

Ride Started: 9:12 AM           Ride Ended:  10:51 AM 
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.0   Ending Battery Voltage:  12.8
Lowest Temp: 50 F Highest Temp: 53 F
Beginning Blood Glucose:  150   Ending BG: 110
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles:   4.42
Overall Average Speed      Moving Avg       Max Speed
 2.62 MPH                         6.5 MPH            24.2 MPH
Total Trip(s) Time             Moving Time      Stopped Time
 1 hour 40  mins               41 minutes         1 hour

Whirling Wind Warnings & Lovely Weather

 Thursday Trike Travel Tracking 

Yesterday we were forecast some possibly nasty weather including possible tornado warnings.  It was super windy, dark, and cloudy most of the day, and we had neighbors who were going to join us in our basement should the city sirens go off, since they had no basement of their own.  Well, the weather was windy and awful all day but the wind did NOT attack us in whirly fashion.  Hurrah I say.  We have taken cover in our basement 2 or 3 times in the 3 years since we moved to Missouri, but so far all the twisters seem to either fade or change directions when they approach, which is just fine with us.
AND as the sun settled toward the West, it actually burned through the clouds and turned into a sunny  but cold evening, and I took the trike for a ride.  Of Course.
Evidently the AC power had blinked unnoticed sometime during the day, since my tracker didn't work.  Today, however, things worked fine (After I reset it).
We had a package to mail so I saddled up the trike for the very short ride to the Post Office about 3 blocks away across the train tracks.
We spent the day after noonish in Springfield for my appointment at the Podiatrist for my goofy feet.  He seemed to agree with me that my feet are not doing too bad and that I can keep applying ointment to them for another couple weeks.
By the time we got home and unloaded stuff from the carrito, it was 5:25 PM or so by the time I was ready to ride.  We had another prescription to retrieve from our Big Box store, which I almost always use for an excuse to ride.
An unusual event happened a few hundred yards before the Big Box parking lot:
A black sedan passed me and the obviously teen occupants hollered something to the effect of "Get Off The Road!"  Advice I'm not likely to bother with....

Evening Ride Started: 5:25 PM           Ride Ended:  7:00 PM 
Beginning Battery Voltage: 14.0   Ending Battery Voltage:  13.0
Lowest Temp: 60 F Highest Temp: 67 F
Beginning Blood Glucose:  182   Ending BG: 67
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles:   6.29
Overall Average Speed      Moving Avg       Max Speed
 4.0 MPH                            6.6 MPH            24.5 MPH
Total Trip(s) Time             Moving Time      Stopped Time
 1 hour 33  mins                  58 minutes         35 minutes

Playing Catch-Up Again

 Monday Trike Tracking

Wednesday Trike Tracks 

Thursday Trike Tracking via GPS and Ham Radio

I experienced another 'episode' last Sunday, early in the morning.  That makes 3 I've had in my entire life, so far as I know.  Here I was legally driving again since it had been over 6 months from the first two.  Now I'm unsure if I'll ever get to legally drive a motorized vehicle again, what with the additional pills I've been prescribed.  OH Well.  Nobody has forbidden me from pedaling the Catrike around the country, or in my old age, the neighborhood.  Probably since I'm unlikely to hurt anyone else if I "crash and burn" on the trike.
Anyways, I have pedaled around the area a few times lately;  but been too lazy to write any of it down.
I don't think I would last very long without the enjoyment and aerobic intake provided by getting "out and about".  Even when it's a bit too hot or cold or windy, it "makes my day" to go for  a ride.
It always helps motivation when there's a prescription or shopping list to be taken care of.  Even unmotivated rides, being much shorter, get my aging circulation going and my moods vastly improved.
Monday and Wednesday of this week I rode several miles, while yesterday I just spun around a few blocks.  I was about to cross the tracks to  go around the city square, but thought better of it.  A train was stopped right at the intersection but was cranking up to roll.  I surely could have made it across the tracks, but fearing I'd get stuck on that side of the tracks inspired me to turn left and go home.

Ride Started: 4:38 PM           Ride Ended:  4:52 PM 
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.6   Ending Battery Voltage:  12.9
Lowest Temp: 50 F Highest Temp: 53  F
Beginning Blood Glucose:  182   Ending BG: 160
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles:  1.87
Overall Average Speed      Moving Avg       Max Speed
 7.0 MPH                          7.7 MPH           16.5  MPH
Total Trip(s) Time             Moving Time      Stopped Time
   16 minutes                        15 minutes        1 minute

The Wheels on the Trike go Round and Round

 Saturday GPS Tracks via APRS and Ham Radio

Another Day with Sunshine in the Neighborhood.  Much of the day was occupied with
LDS General Conference so I had a great excuse for being too lazy to get out in the lovely weather earlier.
I started out with the idea of doing another typical Big Box shopping trip - but after looking at the clock again I decided the vehicular traffic might be too heavy and pedaled off in another direction.  I had not previously ridden to the very west end of First Street so that was to be another adventure. 
I noticed rather early on there was a DEEP drop off going this direction.  Not knowing the length of this route, I stopped and took a closer look at my GPS.  Decided to keep going.
Of course, after overcoming THAT deep drop and steep climb, a few hundred yards later there appeared another deep one, even deeper.  It turned out to go right by the local Golf Course where several golfers were jumping into their motor - carts to drive to the next holes.  The road appeared to dead-end at S&S Recycling, but a sharp right turn got me out of their yard and on the Highway 60 frontage road.
A few hundred yards farther and I was on Bell Crossing Road, destination Airport.  Once there I took a short break and turned east on Wheeler Arch road for the last leg home.
As I passed a yard with several teens playing in their yard, I received a friendly wave from them.
As I rode further I thought surely I heard a "Hi, Brother Devenport!" from one of them.  Must have been some of the youngsters I've interacted with at Church.
Arrived home safe and sound.  Again.  As usual.

Ride Started: 5:25 PM           Ride Ended:  6:22 PM 
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.8   Ending Battery Voltage:  13.0
Lowest Temp: 57 F Highest Temp: 78  F
Beginning Blood Glucose:  202   Ending BG: 180
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles:  5.68
Overall Average Speed      Moving Avg       Max Speed
 6.8 MPH                          8.1 MPH           23.2 MPH
Total Trip(s) Time             Moving Time      Stopped Time
   50 minutes                     42 minutes       8 minutes

What a Difference a Day Makes

Today's Short but Sunny GPS Tracking 

Thursday 31 March was one of the "Went out like a Lion" days with bitter wind and obscured sun.  Nasty with spotty rain of an inch or so.
Yesterday, Friday, was one of those blessed days when the sun shone brightly and did its best to warm up the world. 
So as usual I dithered about most of the day, trying to configure and program radios etc.
I kept thinking I should get out and ride and take advantage of the lovely day.
I finally dragged the Trike out from under its new shelter and got going at the optimal hour of almost SIX PM.  Thank goodness for longer days.  The sun hadn't set yet when I later looked out the window at 7:30.
It was, however, colder than I'd reckoned for.  I was wearing one of my fave heavy long sleeved shirts Jacque made me and got just a little chilly but somehow survived without injury.  I pedaled up hill and down dale and around a few blocks and came home.   Huffing and puffing but hardly overworked.

Ride Started: 5:43 PM           Ride Ended:  6:01 PM 
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.0   Ending Battery Voltage:  13.0
Lowest Temp: 57 F Highest Temp: 78  F
Beginning Blood Glucose:  160   Ending BG: 160
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles:  2.20
Overall Average Speed      Moving Avg       Max Speed
 3.8 MPH                          6.9 MPH          17.6 MPH
Total Trip(s) Time             Moving Time      Stopped Time
   34  minutes                     19 minutes       15 minutes