Today's Track via APRS/GPS
Pre-Ride BG: 196 BG when arrived at Work: 64
Beginning Battery Voltage: 12.3 Ending Voltage: 12.2 (Gel Cell battery pack, not charged last night)
Beginning Temperature: 45 F (in ABQ) Ending Temperature: 63 F
Morning Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 7.45
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
9.1 Mph 9.7 mph 20.2 mph
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
49 mins 01 secs 45 mins 59 secs 03 mins 01 secs
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Winter's Back, in Spite of my Lack of Interest
Another cold breezy Ride-Track
Mercy. The outside temperature was 20 degrees F when I woke up this morning. It was several degrees warmer than that when I got to Albuquerque and out of the warm car and onto the bike, but it was still COLD.
Pre-Ride BG: 116 BG when arrived at Work: 50
Beginning Battery Voltage: 12.5 Ending Voltage: 12.5 (Gel Cell battery pack, not charged last night)
Beginning Temperature: 41 F (in ABQ) Ending Temperature: 51 F
Morning Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 7.44
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
9.7 Mph 11.1 mph 21.8 mph
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
45 mins 59 secs 40 mins 9 secs 05 mins 50 secs
Mercy. The outside temperature was 20 degrees F when I woke up this morning. It was several degrees warmer than that when I got to Albuquerque and out of the warm car and onto the bike, but it was still COLD.
Pre-Ride BG: 116 BG when arrived at Work: 50
Beginning Battery Voltage: 12.5 Ending Voltage: 12.5 (Gel Cell battery pack, not charged last night)
Beginning Temperature: 41 F (in ABQ) Ending Temperature: 51 F
Morning Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 7.44
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
9.7 Mph 11.1 mph 21.8 mph
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
45 mins 59 secs 40 mins 9 secs 05 mins 50 secs
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Snowing, Dark, and Cold.... What a Lovely Day for a Bicycle Ride
Today's cool ride track via APRS/GPS
Today made for cold biking but almost satisfyingly so... just enough for me to take satisfaction in being able to ride in spite of the weather. Last night it snowed so heavily from the eastern outskirts of Albuquerque all the way through Tijeras Canyon and up North-14 to home I would have stayed the night on Jake and Stacy's couch rather than fumble along in the cold and dark, almost totally blinded and yet not having ANY safe area in which to pull off the road and wait out the storm. Then this morning I had to scrape ice off the car windshield to get out of the yard. When I arrived at my parking lot to ditch the car and mount the bike I found solid blobs of ice encasing parts of the derailleur and the sprocket gear rings and the chain. I chipped all those off before riding off, fearing otherwise it might make the chain just pop right out of place, and that's not a fun problem to solve when it happens.
Then, all the way from the car to work, every few hundred feet more ice chunks would flake off the bike and go SPLAT! on the trail, often spooking me with the noise, making me think I'd lost something important off the bike.
Thankfully the trail and path and streets were clear of ice, so I didn't do any unrehearsed fancy tricks (Like sliding upside down with the wheels in the air). All the ice was actually left over from last night's trip home through the blowing snow.
Pre-Ride BG: 116 BG when arrived at Work: 50
Beginning Battery Voltage: 12.5 Ending Voltage: 12.5 (Gel Cell battery pack, not charged last night)
Beginning Temperature: 41 F (in ABQ) Ending Temperature: 51 F
Morning Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 7.44
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
9.7 Mph 11.1 mph 21.8 mph
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
45 mins 59 secs 40 mins 9 secs 05 mins 50 secs
Today made for cold biking but almost satisfyingly so... just enough for me to take satisfaction in being able to ride in spite of the weather. Last night it snowed so heavily from the eastern outskirts of Albuquerque all the way through Tijeras Canyon and up North-14 to home I would have stayed the night on Jake and Stacy's couch rather than fumble along in the cold and dark, almost totally blinded and yet not having ANY safe area in which to pull off the road and wait out the storm. Then this morning I had to scrape ice off the car windshield to get out of the yard. When I arrived at my parking lot to ditch the car and mount the bike I found solid blobs of ice encasing parts of the derailleur and the sprocket gear rings and the chain. I chipped all those off before riding off, fearing otherwise it might make the chain just pop right out of place, and that's not a fun problem to solve when it happens.
Then, all the way from the car to work, every few hundred feet more ice chunks would flake off the bike and go SPLAT! on the trail, often spooking me with the noise, making me think I'd lost something important off the bike.
Thankfully the trail and path and streets were clear of ice, so I didn't do any unrehearsed fancy tricks (Like sliding upside down with the wheels in the air). All the ice was actually left over from last night's trip home through the blowing snow.
Pre-Ride BG: 116 BG when arrived at Work: 50
Beginning Battery Voltage: 12.5 Ending Voltage: 12.5 (Gel Cell battery pack, not charged last night)
Beginning Temperature: 41 F (in ABQ) Ending Temperature: 51 F
Morning Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 7.44
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
9.7 Mph 11.1 mph 21.8 mph
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
45 mins 59 secs 40 mins 9 secs 05 mins 50 secs
Monday, November 7, 2011
Monday: Cold. Wet. Great biking
Cold this morning, rained on for a couple miles this evening. Wonderful ride in spite of the wind.
It's late and the weather outside is ugly and I need to saddle up the bike and scat back to the car as fast as I can and hope I don't get soaked.
It's late and the weather outside is ugly and I need to saddle up the bike and scat back to the car as fast as I can and hope I don't get soaked.
Friday, November 4, 2011
Low and Slow
Today's Cool Ride
My blood glucose was high (194) this morning when I arose. I pumped the recommended amount and went about getting ready for the day. I SHOULD have checked it again just before I left for work. Within a few miles from my cycling-start of the last 7.5 commute miles I felt like I had particularly low strength. I experienced similar sensations yesterday and assumed it must be the unaccustomed cold temperatures. I thought about stopping and eating a snack "Just in Case" but didn't, since my blood glucose has been running high the last couple of days. I finally stopped just outside Balloon Fiesta Park and drank a couple of snorts of my lemon-lime sugar water.I couldn't drink much of it since it was COLD from the wind while riding. It seemed to help a bit, though, and I got to work and found my BG was 59. Not good for trying to exert effort in any fashion.
It's late in the afternoon now, quitting time, and I did a quick BG test and found it to be 114... much too low still to take off on the bike. Good thing I checked it so I'd realize I needed to eat my PB & Honey sandwich snack before I take off.
Pre-Ride BG: 182 BG when arrived at Work: 59
Beginning Battery Voltage: 12.3 Ending Voltage: 12.2 (Gel Cell battery pack, not charged last night)
Beginning Temperature: 48 F (in ABQ) Ending Temperature: 52 F
Morning Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 7.39
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
8.7 Mph 10.0 mph 19.8 mph
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
50 mins 59 secs 44 mins 19 secs 06 mins 41 secs
My blood glucose was high (194) this morning when I arose. I pumped the recommended amount and went about getting ready for the day. I SHOULD have checked it again just before I left for work. Within a few miles from my cycling-start of the last 7.5 commute miles I felt like I had particularly low strength. I experienced similar sensations yesterday and assumed it must be the unaccustomed cold temperatures. I thought about stopping and eating a snack "Just in Case" but didn't, since my blood glucose has been running high the last couple of days. I finally stopped just outside Balloon Fiesta Park and drank a couple of snorts of my lemon-lime sugar water.I couldn't drink much of it since it was COLD from the wind while riding. It seemed to help a bit, though, and I got to work and found my BG was 59. Not good for trying to exert effort in any fashion.
It's late in the afternoon now, quitting time, and I did a quick BG test and found it to be 114... much too low still to take off on the bike. Good thing I checked it so I'd realize I needed to eat my PB & Honey sandwich snack before I take off.
Pre-Ride BG: 182 BG when arrived at Work: 59
Beginning Battery Voltage: 12.3 Ending Voltage: 12.2 (Gel Cell battery pack, not charged last night)
Beginning Temperature: 48 F (in ABQ) Ending Temperature: 52 F
Morning Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 7.39
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
8.7 Mph 10.0 mph 19.8 mph
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
50 mins 59 secs 44 mins 19 secs 06 mins 41 secs
Thursday, November 3, 2011
18 Degrees of Glory
Today's Chilly Cycling Catalogue
Yesterday was a grand example of why I should never pay attention to the weatherman. - it makes me even question my OWN ability to look at the portending sky and make any valid assumptions.
The weather-guessers have been proclaiming "Afternoon High Winds and Arctic Temperatures" for the last several days, and the actualities have been rather mundane. Yesterday morning I awoke with memories of the wind howling outside much of the night. The weather-dude again announced high winds and horrible cold temperatures by early afternoon. I was all set to ignore this and ride the recumbent anyway but when I walked out to the car I could see lowering clouds off to the west and other side of Sandia Crest, and a very reddish tinge to them. The old saying "Red Sky at Morning, Sailor Take Warning" always resonates with me so I made the difficult decision to just drive all the way to work and take a day off from cycling. It turned out to be quite cold, but the winds were quite minimal and when I left work in the GAS HOG CAR, I was again chagrined to notice how calm it was and regretted, again, that I had not ridden the bike. I guess in future I will try to rely on what's going on NOW weather wise and ride if at all possible and dodge or worry about the afternoon weather when it happens. Absolute worst case scenario: Jake (my youngest son) lives only about a mile from where I work and I could always call him or his wife Stacy to come rescue me and let me sleep on their couch. Which doesn't sound unpleasant at all, though I'd likely get in trouble for being too rowdy and noisy with my VERY invigorating grandchildren.
This morning? Colder than yesterday (18 degrees at the house when I got up, and 33 degrees when I saddled up the bike in town) but quite pleasant riding weather. Lots of other hardy weather-fearless cyclists out there on the paths too, including a rather lovely eye-candy type that would encourage crowded cyclist trails should the word get out that she's a regular.
Yesterday was a grand example of why I should never pay attention to the weatherman. - it makes me even question my OWN ability to look at the portending sky and make any valid assumptions.
The weather-guessers have been proclaiming "Afternoon High Winds and Arctic Temperatures" for the last several days, and the actualities have been rather mundane. Yesterday morning I awoke with memories of the wind howling outside much of the night. The weather-dude again announced high winds and horrible cold temperatures by early afternoon. I was all set to ignore this and ride the recumbent anyway but when I walked out to the car I could see lowering clouds off to the west and other side of Sandia Crest, and a very reddish tinge to them. The old saying "Red Sky at Morning, Sailor Take Warning" always resonates with me so I made the difficult decision to just drive all the way to work and take a day off from cycling. It turned out to be quite cold, but the winds were quite minimal and when I left work in the GAS HOG CAR, I was again chagrined to notice how calm it was and regretted, again, that I had not ridden the bike. I guess in future I will try to rely on what's going on NOW weather wise and ride if at all possible and dodge or worry about the afternoon weather when it happens. Absolute worst case scenario: Jake (my youngest son) lives only about a mile from where I work and I could always call him or his wife Stacy to come rescue me and let me sleep on their couch. Which doesn't sound unpleasant at all, though I'd likely get in trouble for being too rowdy and noisy with my VERY invigorating grandchildren.
This morning? Colder than yesterday (18 degrees at the house when I got up, and 33 degrees when I saddled up the bike in town) but quite pleasant riding weather. Lots of other hardy weather-fearless cyclists out there on the paths too, including a rather lovely eye-candy type that would encourage crowded cyclist trails should the word get out that she's a regular.
A fleeting View...
Pre-Ride BG: 138 BG when arrived at Work: 100
Beginning Battery Voltage: 12.5 Ending Voltage: 12.5 (Gel Cell battery pack, charged last night)
Beginning Temperature: 33 F (in ABQ) Ending Temperature: 44 F
Morning Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 7.42
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
8.4 Mph 10.0 mph 20.3 mph
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
52 mins 59 secs 44 mins 35 secs 08 mins 24 secs
Beginning Battery Voltage: 12.5 Ending Voltage: 12.5 (Gel Cell battery pack, charged last night)
Beginning Temperature: 33 F (in ABQ) Ending Temperature: 44 F
Morning Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 7.42
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
8.4 Mph 10.0 mph 20.3 mph
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
52 mins 59 secs 44 mins 35 secs 08 mins 24 secs
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Winter's Cancelled Due to Lack of Interest: It's Fall Again
Today's APRS/GPS Route.
This morning I rode with hand-warmers toasting inside my mittens on the way to work. It actually seemed a bit warmer than yesterday: I didn't wear the ski mask but it still felt great to have the pinkies a bit warmer.
I've had trouble getting my blood glucose down the last 48 hours. I had just changed infusion sites and the BG has been off the chart since. I closely inspected my new infusion this morning and saw it was bruised and bloody; a bad sign. I pulled it out, cleaned it up, and reinserted it elsewhere on my belly. It now seems to be working, but only slightly., as seen in the readings today. I'm having to pump extra and with very weak results and nasty high bg readings
Tonight, as the leaving time approached, I looked out the work windows and was alarmed to see dark clouds gathering. I rushed to leave before it started raining and was mildly surprised to find the weather absolutely balmy outside in spite of the clouds. It turned out to be a lovely ride back to the car.
BG before ride home: 159 BG after getting home, before dinner: 255 - which resulted in NO dinner.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 12.5 Ending Voltage: 11.9
Beginning Temperature: 69 F Ending Temperature: 77 F
Evening stats from the GPS: Total Distance Miles: 7.41
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
10.6 Mph 11.6 mph 23.4 mph
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
42:00 mins 38.25 mins 03:35 mins
This morning I rode with hand-warmers toasting inside my mittens on the way to work. It actually seemed a bit warmer than yesterday: I didn't wear the ski mask but it still felt great to have the pinkies a bit warmer.
I've had trouble getting my blood glucose down the last 48 hours. I had just changed infusion sites and the BG has been off the chart since. I closely inspected my new infusion this morning and saw it was bruised and bloody; a bad sign. I pulled it out, cleaned it up, and reinserted it elsewhere on my belly. It now seems to be working, but only slightly., as seen in the readings today. I'm having to pump extra and with very weak results and nasty high bg readings
Tonight, as the leaving time approached, I looked out the work windows and was alarmed to see dark clouds gathering. I rushed to leave before it started raining and was mildly surprised to find the weather absolutely balmy outside in spite of the clouds. It turned out to be a lovely ride back to the car.
BG before ride home: 159 BG after getting home, before dinner: 255 - which resulted in NO dinner.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 12.5 Ending Voltage: 11.9
Beginning Temperature: 69 F Ending Temperature: 77 F
Evening stats from the GPS: Total Distance Miles: 7.41
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
10.6 Mph 11.6 mph 23.4 mph
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
42:00 mins 38.25 mins 03:35 mins
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