Miscellaneous Missives

Has anyone heard of PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) injections?  Soooo.... I went to the doctor thinking I'd merely get an injection of the rooster comb stuff, and he'd send me on the way.  Unfortunately, he did some tests and sent me for an MRI.  Basically, I have some tendon problems (fraying???) in my knee, and I need physical therapy.   They're going to aggravate it, so it thinks it's a recent injury to help healing (what?!).   I'm still doing physical therapy for my shoulder, and I really don't have the time to do both.  My favorite PT (I have two) can't get me in for the knee until September which I thought would be perfect since I'm doing PT on my shoulder until the end of August.  Today I went to the doctor and explained I'd be starting PT in September.  It seems he has a different idea.  I'll be going to my second favorite PT starting next week.  Yep, I'll have one PT for my shoulder and one PT for my knee.  Gee, maybe the d...

Wednesday is my night to play golf.  This year has been "hit and miss" since the courses have been closed due to flooding and because my shoulder is messed up.  Tonight our local course was open (only front nine), and I left a book group early to play.  Unfortunately, I my play was subpar, and my shoulder is aggravated.  I'm not sure if my shoulder is aggravated because my golf play was subpar or if my golf play was subpar because of my shoulder.  Which came first, the chicken or the egg?  Actually, why don't we say which came first the egg or the chicken?  After being a bit too stubborn and taking two swings that I shouldn't have on the last hole, I started taking pictures instead of swinging the club.  Plus, we have a tee time for next week.  I got this!

When I woke up this morning, I read different blogs while I was eating breakfast and readying for my morning ride.  I was surprised to see a post on the RAGBRAI blog since it normally talks about training.  The post was titled Don't put your bike away .  Obviously, I haven't put my bike away.  In fact, I have a goal of 1200 miles before school starts.  Since I started riding in June, I have 953 miles, so I think it's possible.  The riding comes easy because of the beautiful weather and scenery although the squirrels seems to be getting bolder on the trails.  My music also helps.  It seems I have a weird mix on my iPod that I use for cycling.  Many of the songs are motivational such as Work B**tch , Fighter, Stronger , Jump , etc.  All have a great beat and keep me moving.  Two made an impression on my ride  today although I'm not sure of the reasoning:    Dani California and What's My Age Again ?  Happy Ridi...

I've pedaled down Summit Avenue several times this summer.  After the first four or five times, I figured out how to get onto Summit without going too far or not far enough.  Today I decided to make another Summit ride.  For some reason, I've never followed Summit down to the capitol, so I decided to do so today.  It was a lovely ride.  I wonder why, until today, I never finished the Summit route.   St. Paul is becoming less frightening.

...and he's not even looking out the window. The windows were open this morning letting in the cool breeze.  One blind, however, kept banging against the window.  I walked across the room to open it completely with hopes of eliminating the banging when I realized it wasn't the window I had envisioned, and it wasn't the wind.  It was the larger window by the couch, the window next to the cat's perch.  KK was knocking at the blind, so he could get it open to see out.  Of course, it worked. Yes, I know you can see the dirt and cat hair on the floor. Once I opened the blind, he had his back to the window for awhile before he chose a spot on the rug in the middle of the floor.  The rug needs vacuuming, but I can't seem to find time to get it done.  No, I know, it has little to do with time.  In fact, I promised to clean the shower next time it rained.  It rained this morning, and I decided I really meant that I was going to clean it ne...

Last night I finally saw the Counting Crows live.  I was excited since Toad and the Wet Sprocket was opening.  Unfortunately, their sound people sucked, and the vocals were horrible.  Counting Crows, on the other hand, did not disappoint.  I am even more of an Adam Duritz fan after watching him orchestrate the show.  Also the Counting Crows choose an organization to support in every city.  Minneapolis' organization was Open Arms .  People were donating as they left the concert.  As I was walking by the Open Arms table, I asked the how their organization was chosen.  He said he wasn't sure, but he knew Duritz often helped with HIV/AIDS organizations. Speaking of crows and other birds (see how I made the transition?), today as I was leaving my Pumped class at the gym, I noticed two birds squawking.  I looked up from my bike thinking I'd see a nest.  Instead I saw a baby bird stuck in this wire mesh.  Another lady, also le...

Today's ride was hazy and humid. Dew Point of 64º  77% Humidity Today is July 25th.  In one month, I will be sitting in the first day of workshop.  I know I shouldn't complain because many of my teacher friends are preparing to go back in the next couple of weeks.   guess I'll make the best of my remaining summer!

I've been neglecting some things. Today my plan was to awake early for a bike ride.  RAGBRAI is finished (at least for me... others are still riding and having an amazing experience), but cycling is not finished for the summer.  Although as I looked around, I decided I should take care of some simple, yet neglected, tasks (laundry, dishes, finishing unpacking, watering plants, paying bills...) before I played golf.  This meant getting on a bike didn't happen.  Don't worry, I wasn't completely concerned with those items I've neglected.  All school related activities, with the exception of some reading, will continue to be ignored and neglected until August.

These RAGBRAI riders are cycling out of my hometown yesterday.   I'm back in Minneapolis after spending almost a week in Okoboji.  RAGBRAI was the highlight of my summer.  Today I was sad that I wasn't riding the third day and finishing the trip.  I've become obsessed checking the RAGBRAI galleries, Facebook feeds, and Twitter posts.  It was an incredible experience even if it was only two days.  Maybe I'll never participate in the entire week, but I can't imagine not trying to ride at least a day of it each year. I posted some pictures to Facebook, but I didn't take near enough.  The RAGBRAI Galleries have some awesome photos of the cyclist and "God's Country."  Also check out NPR: On the Road  since they're posting from this year's ride.

Deciding if I should start using the official RAGBRAI route or another local route. Many RAGBRAI cyclist will say it started with a couple days at first, then they "were bit by the bug" and have been riding for many years.  I can completely understand.  Today's ride was equally amazing and fun as yesterday's ride although today I didn't have my friend Al to help me out.  Al's team decided to do a morning breakfast meet-up.  Since I was worried about the heat, humidity, and wind, I made the decision to leave on my own.  After all, with 21,000 riders, I wasn't really going it alone, and it was a short 40 mile day. Ditch in front of the Iowa Craft Beer tent. My highlights of the day included:  flushable toilets in Terril, the Iowa Craft beer tent at some farm along the road, and the entire town of Graettinger.  Emmetsburg, on the other hand, not so amazing.   Riding alone I was able to converse with many riders along the road and at stops. ...

Again, I'm feeling a bit sad that I'm not doing all of RAGBRAI, but today was a new and wonderful experience.  Although it was in the upper 80s and sometimes the crosswinds and hills kicked my butt, it was a memorable day.  The highlights included my friend Al and his patience, thousands of wonderful people, and baby calves in Sheldon! Al and I stopped for a burger in Sheldon (1/3 of the route) and were talking to people in the park when I noticed baby calves, so I went over to get my picture taken.  After I the picture, I noticed a man reading a book and asked if I could use it to redo my picture.  I now have my crazy reading picture for the summer.  Later in the afternoon we were cruising past a farm with a Braley (Democrat) for Congress sign.  He asked if I wanted to stop.  We stopped and thanked the farmers for their wonderful support of the democrats and bought two freeze pops which, with temperatures in the upper 80s, were wonderful. ...

I'm in God's Country (Lake Okoboji) waiting for the start of RAGBRAI.  It's expected that 15,000 registered (more not registered) riders will pull into Okoboji (the first overnight town which is acually a series of towns, Milford, Arnolds Park, Okoboji, and Spirit Lake) on Sunday.  All of the locals are used to tourists and are getting ready for the madness of RAGBRAI.  Yesterday I saw a plea for volunteers.  "Saturday we are doing set-up.  So, if you want to help set up, show up at one of the campgrounds by 8 o'clock in the morning, or whenever.  We'll take you whenever to help set up.  Same with Sunday, if you want to show up, same with Monday.  We'll take all the bodies we can get."  Years ago, maybe 1994, I helped set up and volunteered the day the riders went through Milford on their RAGBRAI route.  It was fun and insane.  I even earned a PhD from the University of Okoboji for volunteering.  When I saw the note about ne...

I often choose this spot to stop and drink water when I'm biking. I like to see if anything has ben added. Nothing.  I got nothing!  Basically, I've spent most of the summer biking and reading.  This is my off biking week since my big rides will be Sunday and Monday.  Since I've been riding two to five hours a day, it's opened up some time, and I don't know what to do.  Yesterday, I took time and read Turn Here Sweet Corn (Have you started it yet?!).  Today, I did a short hour ride (and saw my PT) and felt a bit lost for the reminder of the day.  I know I should be reading my connected learning book and planning some for the new school year, but instead I sit at home doing nothing.  Perhaps I need to find a way to motivate myself.

I like this cover better than newer cover. Turn Here Sweet Corn is a book I downloaded in 2012.  Recently an afternoon news show talked about the book.  As I watched, I thought maybe it wasn't the book I had thought.  The anchor talked about it as a romance; I thought it was about organic farming.  Today I sat down and read it.  It's a book about organic farming, family, advocacy, local co-ops... EVERYTHING.  I rarely give a book a five out of five (and maybe I was a bit generous), but I gave this book a five out of five.  It certainly was a page turner.  Once I started reading the book, I didn't stop until I finished. I am saddened that I didn't read it before today.  Our church is having a local author series.  {Tomorrow the author of Hannah Delivered is speaking.  Belly dancers and local musicians will also be present.}   I'm certain to quite certain that Atina Diffley is a local author.  As our church focuse...

Note the Volume Controls After church I readied for my bike ride by getting in my biking clothes, applying sunscreen, finding my sunglasses, etc.  The final step before leaving was putting in my ear buds for my iPod Shuffle.  As I turned it on, it was dead.  Not only had I forgotten to charge it, I didn't turn it off.  While charging it and messing around a bit, I somehow deleted all of the music.  I reloaded some music as I let it charge and left for my ride.  Before entering the trail, I started my MapMyRide app and my music.  It was super loud and my remote on my headphones didn't work.  Since it was really too loud to ride safely, I removed an earbud.  I kept riding, but continuously looked for someone on the side of the trail that had earbuds.  Finally, I saw a guy at the side of the trail.  "Do you have earbuds with volume control?"  I asked thinking I could lower the volume on my iPod with his headphones.  "No, ...

"Let the rain kiss you.  Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops.  Le the rain sing you a lullaby."  Langston Hughes My plan today was to ride 70 miles.  I was feeling good about my ride at 50.  Around 55 I questioned whether I should pull over and don my yellow rain poncho that I had shoved in my under the seat bag.  At 56 rain pounded my body, so I finally pulled over under a bridge and found my yellow poncho.  Although it was not the best cover (no real cover for my arms), it was better than nothing.  Luckily, I was only a couple of miles from home, so I ended my ride prematurely and rode back home.  As of today, the weather forecast for the first day of RAGBRAI, is similar to today's forecast, so I decided to buy an actual raincoat that was breathable.  I'm beginning to think cycling is more expensive than golf!

In a little over nine days, I'll be riding in Iowa (again).  I'm feeling like a bit of a wimp since I'm only riding two days.  Unfortunately, I'm not willing to camp which would be a necessity to do any more days.  Today I waited until it was warmer to do my ride, so I could ride in some heat.  This summer has not allowed a lot of hot riding days.  Even today was fairly cool.  I'm hoping this is also true for the weather nine days from now.  The first day (67.9 miles) is on Sunday, July 20th.  My longest training ride so far has been 61 miles.  It looks like I'll need to take care of that on Saturday!  Anyway, I'm getting nervous and excited about the upcoming ride.

The last time I went through the "closed" bike path on West River Road, I drove through some mud.  The mud crossing the road was a bit deeper than I had planned.  Basically, I've been going around barriers since June 25th .  Today, I again went around the barriers (the first set).  My guess is the authorities don't want this to happen anymore.  When I came upon the second set of barriers, a chain link fence, I knew I had to turn back around.  It's a good thing I only have a week left of longer rides because the flooding and barriers are making a long uninterrupted ride difficult.

Eighth Annual Lake Affect Millers Bay (Okoboji)  Lake Affect, it happens every 4th weekend.  Basically, Damon Dotson , a local artist, plays from a barge for hundreds of boats while people swim up to the barge to listen, sing, and enjoy adult beverages.  Unfortunately, I've never attended until today.  The weather was wonderful even after last nights storms.  It was fun to swim to the barge and partake in the festivities. Damon and crew on the Barge Last night I planned on heading to the fireworks and meeting up with a friend whom I had spent time with earlier in the afternoon.  I was going to wait until the last minute to head down, but then the weather started looking iffy.  Since I can see the fireworks from my dad's house, I stayed home watching the fireworks and the lightening (from sky to ground) strikes.  Although the fireworks were started early to avoid the rain, the rain poured during the display.  My friend sent an email...

My plan was to ride 65 miles today.  When I awoke at 5:30 am, it was fifty-some degrees. RIDICULOUS weather for July.  I waited until 9:00 when it broke sixty to depart.  Instead of doing 65, I ended up doing 61.  My reasoning is lame, but here it is.  After 30, I took a break to drink Gatorade and reapply sunscreen).  The next 35 I mapped out which was actually going to be more like 33.  I was going to ride from Milford to May City.  As I pedaled nearer to May City, I wanted a popsicle.  I've never been to May City and wondered if it even had a convenience store.  I knew I was going to be super disappointed if I didn't get my popsicle, but I kept on pedaling.  When I saw the Mennonite Cemetery, I took it as a sign, turned around, and headed back to Milford where I bought a box of popsicles and ate three (one of each flavor).  I guess I'll have to wait for Ragbrai to see if May City has a convenience store.