My Current Bicycle

This is my Westport bicycle. I bought it at a yard sale last year for only $20. It does very well for the short 1/2 hour rides I do around here. However, it simply will not do for a longer ride or a road tour. I went looking in Hammond today for a bike shop that I had heard was over there. After making 2 or 3 circles around, I learned that said bike shop had closed up shop a couple of years ago.

Soooo, I went to Walmart to look around for what they had up on the rack. I had to get some other things anyway. I'll try to hit some other shops in the other direction by this weekend and see if I can price something else. I'm not set to purchase anything yet. Just looking. In the meantime, this is what I'm riding.

Natchez Trace: Tricycle

Some time ago, I made a post about my bucket list. The number one item on that list is to bicycle the Natchez Trace. Lately, I have been revisiting that idea. I have spent the last few evenings researching road cycling for beginners. I've learned a few things but haven't been able to put any of it to practice yet. I will need to purchase somet things before I hit the road. First up is a bicycle and then riding clothes.

My main concern about the bicycle is comfort. If I'm gonna be on that thing for up to 6 hours at a time, I want my butt to be comfy. I prefer wide cushy seats to ride on. I also prefer riding upright in order to see the country side. So handle bars to support me in that position would be great!

Then I thought, well, heck, I'll have to haul camping gear too. How am I gonna do that AND be comfy! I can't sleep on the ground the way I used to when I was a youngster. Air mattresses are comfy but a pain to get up off of. I prefer sleeping on a camp cot. How am I gonna carry a camp cot on a bicycle?

AHA! I've GOT IT! Forego the Bi-cycle and take a Tri-cycle! Thus, my research turns towards a tricycle. I found one today while searching. It's an iZip 2008, Tricruiser Adult Electric Tricycle! I have decided that this is the vehicle for me to putt putt along on the Natchez Trace while enjoying the scenery AND there's a basket on the back for all my stuff!!

Features include a 450 watt Earth magnet motor (whatever THAT means) and a rechargable battery giving this trike at range of 30 - 35 miles per charge. It can also reach a maximum speed of 15 mph. That's good for me when I want to get a little distance on the road. It had an EXTRA WIDE seat and the basket I previously mentioned. It also has some other techno stuff that I'm glad it has but I really don't give a hoot about at this point. AND if the charge runs out, well, there's always the old fashioned foot power that'll keep it going.

One thing that bothers me is that if I get it stuck or something, this thing weighs 128 pounds. So, it won't be too easy to unstick it. The other thing that bothers me is the price. Do I REALLY want to spend $1100 on this? Just because it's got a little motor to help me along? It would certainly be more cost efficient to purchase a trike without a motor. A new Schwinn trike would only be about $300! But it will be totally human powered.

So anyway, whatdaya think? Should I try this thing on the Natchez Trace? Should I go with a trike or a bike? I'm totally out of shape but feel that I can get where I need to be physically within a few months of training.

The Shower Blowout Saga

I didn't wake up until 10 a.m. this morning. Sleeping in is nice but can be painful if you lay there too long. Especially after you've entered the 4th decade of your life.

The first thing I did was use the restroom, drink some water, and get dressed. Then I got my bicycle and set out for a ride. Here in South Louisiana at 10 a.m. on the first day of July, it's pretty hot. As I type this only 2 hours later, the current temperature outside is 93F. The high today is predicted to be 97F.

Anyway, as I rode, my first thought was, "Hey, this is pretty nice today. Not too hot....the birds are singing....I feel good!" When I got to the 1.5 mile mark, I noticed a rhythmic Thlap, Thlap, Thlap, on my front tire. Paying closer attention to it, I also noticed a small knot in the middle of the tire. Stopping the bike to closer examine the issue, I noticed the outer tire had a cut and the inner tube was protruding through it.

I got back on the bike and rode a couple of more Thlap Thalps. I don't know what I was thinking. Anyway, that exposed inner tube just couldn't compete with the hot asphalt so it exploded.

Oh, well, I'll just walk back to the house and push my bicycle. During the walk back to the house, I was sweating so hard! It was dripping into my eyes and stinging. I began thinking about a nice long shower when I got back home. I walked my bike up to my dad's house with hopes that he'd be able to repair it when he got a chance. He noticed how red my face was (it gets REALLY red when I exercise) and commented that I looked bit hot. I said, "Yeah, I'm looking forward to a shower."

He responded, "Oh, you can't take a shower!"

I looked at him like he was crazy. I said, "Annnnd why not?"

Then he proceeds to tell me that while he was working around the house today, he ruptured the water main. See, out here in the country, we have a water well. Dad has run all the water lines to the house, the chicken coop, the dog pen, the garden, etc. But today, he has another project going on and when he drove a stake into the ground to mark the territory of the project, he hit the main line.

Yay. Can you just hear the sarcasm there? Yay

So, I sit here now, cooling off in the A/C at least, typing my blog, until the line is repaired and water is restored. THEN I'll go take that shower and wash all the dried sweat off of me.

Pre Diabetes/Insulin Resistance

On Friday, June 26, 2009, I met with my doctor to discuss some blood test results. I was told that I am (along with 57% of Americans) pre-diabetic or Insulin Resistant. I have not yet developed full blown diabetes, but this is why my doctor wanted to consult with me. He wants to prevent me from developing the disease. He believes that we can head it off with lifestyle change, better food choices, regular exercise, and substantial weight loss.

And so, I embark on this journey. I have started an online food diary and exercise journal to keep track of what I'm doing to my body. The links to these along with printouts will be given to my doctor.

On Saturday, I began watching my carb limits. The doctor wants me to have 10 or less carbs per meal. This is a difficult task! On Monday, I began the South Beach diet program with the doctor's blessing. Phase One of this program requires that I eat only high protein foods. No sugars, Grains, or Fruit allowed for 2 weeks!!! This is along with drinking a lot of water and 30 minutes of exercise a day.

By the way, the doc said that when I do exercise, he wants me huffing and puffing for 30 solid minutes. If I can talk during my 30 minutes, I'm not working hard enough. My challenge right now is to find a comfortable level to keep steady before having a heart attack or something during my exercise session.

Okay, I'll sign off for now but not before saying that I am excitedly pleased to report a weight loss of 7 lbs since my doctor's visit on Friday just 5 days ago!!!! Woo Hoo!!!

If you would like to see what I'm eating, click here.

My "Bucket List"

Hubby and I went out for a walk this morning. We haven't done that in quite a while. Strolling down the road while holding hands and talking. We ventured off into the woods for a bit with him tracking deer tracks. He says this one that we were following is an old stag, his hocks were huge!!! He said he'd like to bag that one someday.

The "someday" got my attention. I told him that lately I've been thinking of lots of things that I would like to accomplish......"someday". I really would like to have experienced "life" before I get too old or arthritic to do certain things. My mom would tell me something similar to, "You're too pessimistic." or "Why would you want to do THAT?". Honestly, my answer would be, "Just because."

I don't necessarily want to do these things "before I die" but I would like to start getting out of the house and experiencing things besides the mall or Walmart. It's been such a beautiful week this week and I've been feeling a bit of cabin fever I suppose. With my next birthday looming in June, I guess I'm also embarking on a little mid-life crisis. It's time for me to get some things done!!!

My first challenge would be to figure out how to do these things while caring for my girls! But for starters, here's 10 things on my list that I'd like to accomplish in the next 8 years.

1. Bicycle the Natchez Trace from Nashville, TN to Natchez, MS (edit: not necessarily on one of those itty bitty bike seats. I like mine wide and cushiony!)
2. Horseback ride the length of the Mississippi River starting in New Orleans and going to the start of it.
3. Horseback ride in the footsteps of Lewis & Clark.

(Edited 2/9/09 to rephrase #2 & #3: Cross the United States either N-S or E-W via horse drawn transportation)

4. Attend a Luau in Hawaii.
5. Backpack and camp in Alaska.
6. Horsepack and camp in Montana.
7. See the 7 natural and man made wonders of America.

The Natural Wonders of the U.S.:

• Glacier Bay, Alaska
• Grand Canyon, Flagstaff, Arizona - Done in July of 2008
• Grand Tetons, Western Wyoming, South of Yellowstone
• Hawaii Volcanoes, Big Island of Hawaii
• Niagra Falls
• Yellowstone, NW corner of Wyoming
• Yosemite, in the Sierra Nevada of Central California

The Man Made Wonders of the U.S.

• the Brooklyn Bridge, NY
• the Empire State Building, NY
• the Golden Gate Bridge, CA
• the Hoover Dam, NV/AZ
• Mount Rushmore, South Dakota
• Seattle Space Needle, WA
• Washington Monument, DC - done as a child though I didn't go up inside of it

8. See the 7 natural and man made wonders of the World.

The Natural Wonders of the World:

• Aurora Borealis, usually in Alaska but I saw them in Jacksonville, FL in 1988!
• Grand Canyon, AZ - done in July of 2008
• Paricutin, Michoacan, Mexico - the youngest active volcano and the only one whose birth was witnessed by mankind.
• Victoria Falls, Southern Africa, between Zamiba & Zimbabwe.
• Great Barrier Reef, Australia
• Mount Everest
• Harbour of Rio de Janeiro

The Man Made Wonders of the World: I can't seem to find a list of this. I'll have to look later.

9. Visit the areas where Jesus was born, lived, and taught.
10. Rent a beach house for a month on the East coast.

So, far, that's all I'm adding to this list. As I accomplish each item, I plan to cross it off and maybe add another. I truly feel that these things can be accomplished. I did tell hubby to plan for the Natchez bicycling trip this fall. It should only take about 2 weeks to do that one.

Do you have such a list? Please share!