Just an unbelievable ride into work today! The sky was a perfect Carolina Blue from the moment the sun peeked up from the horizon.

I rolled virtually alone on the American Tobacco Trail into downtown Durham, very surprised there weren't more folks out.

As I took my usual route past the Durham Bulls Athletic Park this morning, I saw a handful of ballplayers carrying suits on hangers, large sport bags, and misc. baseball gear heading into the stadium.  It was an unusual perspective of seeing the opening of spring training for these guys.  I could hear them asking about each other's families and girlfriends, how the holidays where.... normal stuff.



As I got closer to work, I realized the immense contrast between commuting by car and bike.  As I road the green ways through town I could hear the distance sounds of horns, brakes, and acceleration mix with the hum my Ion tires make on the pavement.

If everyone knew how GREAT bike commuting truly is, no one would bother to drive a car.

FACT.



BG was at 169 when I got into the office.  I bumped the site really hard on a door on the way into the building, and it will probably need a change.  I am going to give it a little bit, but I don't think it is going to be very efficient anymore.  :)

Have a great day everyone!!!  Keep Choppin!!

- Posted using BlogPress using my iPad from somewhere in the universe

I have been working hard on bringing my A1C back down from it's 6.4 in January, to it's more normal 5.8 range where is has been the past couple of years.  Although I know that the difference between the two medically are rather insignificant, it is more like a little personal challenge.  You know? :)

Heck, I've had Type 1 for 34 years.  I used to basically, "pee on a stick" and look at color charts in ranges of 25 or 50 mg/Dls (Diastix. Remember Diastix? Anyone? They STILL make and use them.  Oy.)

No really: http://www.diastix.com/

The times they have a changed.

The last two months, using the info on my OmniPod and PDM I am able to calculate that I am getting close to my personal A1C goal.  It takes a fair bit of analysis, and a bit of tweaking... but it's getting there.

As I was looking through the data, for fun, I dumped all the data in my PDM from August 1, 2011 until today.  Interesting to look at it from such a high and strategic level.

During that time I have done 1864 BG readings, which is right about 9 per day.

Here is what the "nuts and bolts" look like via the CoPilot w/ OmniPod Extension tool:

There are some highs, and some lows, but hey.  It is the 'betes ya know.  :)

Here are the 1864 finger sticks on a graph:

The good, the bad, and the ugly I suppose.  I must admit, I do dig that good tight pattern in the 100-150 range though.

Just putting it all out there.  Just as we ALL do. Everyday.

Keep Choppin' towards WHATEVER your A1C goal is.

Just Keep Choppin!

Just a super nice ride home from work today.....

Part of the downtown Durham "skyline" I go through everyday...  Weather was nearly perfect.

Tomorrow even warmer.  Dare I say it...  Spring? :)

Not quite the 3-5" of snow "the experts" where calling for.  Commute is was very chilly, but this was all the snow I found:

On just one the pedestrian bridges I cross.

However, the "Snow Storm of 2012" did manage did cause vehicle chaos here in the central part of North Carolina.  Natch. http://www.wral.com/news/news_briefs/story/10754105/

It will be 50 degrees and sunny by my ride home, and we may see 70 before the end of the week.

Have a great day, and Keep Choppin' y'all!!

So this weekend I was able to witness one of life's simply wonderful events.

I watched someone ride a "ten speed", a road bike, for the first time in about 20 years.

No pictures taken.

No video shot.

Even with iMax or a 16mega pixel SLR the sheer brilliant joy of the moment couldn't have been captured. Nothing could have been able to accurately document it all.


The laughter.


The smile.


The lite tears from the cold air slightly stinging the eyes while riding fast.


From my remote vantage point the reaction was etched into my soul, and was truly a moment I will carry with me forever.

FACT.

Bicycles are toys. Toys.

At their most basic, that is what they are.

But the power of the bicycle is AMAZING. It can indeed change the world, and change lives.

It has once again changed mine.

Ride your bike today. Just even around the block or over to a neighbor's house to say "hello".



I bet it changes you.


FACT.

Tell me how it goes..... I'll be back after my ride.

:)









- Posted using BlogPress using my iPad from somewhere in the universe.

3 colored spokes replaced, unfortunately, by 4 new blue ones.

The number itself is well beyond staggering.




In a pair of 32 spoke wheels, those 4 blue ones laced on my race bike's rear wheel represent the nearly 4 people diagnosed with diabetes in a 64 second period.

About 1 every 17 seconds.

That's 5,241 people.

A day.

Each, and every day.

Even after almost 35 years with Type 1, I am still hoping, praying, and working towards the day when ALL my spokes are black.

Keep. Choppin'.

- Posted using BlogPress using my iPad from somewhere in the universe

Riding in this morning....

 

Then, an obvious social faux pas by someone at the bike rack in the parking deck:

Remember that whole sharing thing you learned in pre-school? LOL!!  Oh well, at least they didn't drive....

Keep Choppin'!!!!!