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Showing posts with the label exercise

Day 24 — Counting Down to 70

Thanks to a segment of Bob’s Burgers , I walked in circles around the living room and kitchen for more than 15 minutes this evening.  I stopped when the commercial came on. That took about 12 minutes. I wonder if syndicated cartoons have fewer commercials. Before I started my trudging, I was searching online why  “legs ache at night.” One possibility is having fatigued muscles from over use, while another is being inactive and sitting, standing, or lying in one position for a long time.  Bingo.  Up and off the couch I was. Heel, toe. Heel, toe. . . . When all was done, I felt energized. My legs tingled in a happy way. Guess what I’ll be incorporating into my life. 

Pedaling Again

I signed up for the 2016 National Bike Challenge, which goal is "to unite 100,000 riders to pedal 75 million miles from May 1, 2016 until September 30, 2016," according to its web site. The challenge has competitions for prizes. It would be nice to get one, but that will only happen if my name is drawn randomly out of the hat. The reason I'm participating is to help maintain my motivation to pedal Tilda-Hilda on a regular basis. Tilda-Hilda and I started out again the day after the Mama's funeral services. The short uphill ride to the cemetery was simply hard. Pufff, pufff, pufff. Over the next two weeks, we rode a little bit further every day, stopping by to see the Mama and the Daddy at either the beginning or end of the fun. If I could've done it without hurting myself, I would've pedaled all day. There is comfort in mindless pedaling, as well as seeing the countryside. As it is, I came down with a cold so today is the first time Tilda-Hilda and I h

Tilda-Hilda, Day 2 in 2016

When I woke up this morning, the streets were wet. We must've had a pretty good rain because all four us of slept later than usual.  Tilda-Hilda and I took a chance that it wouldn't rain and it didn't. We pedaled nearly six miles in 34 minutes. I was looking for a big puddle to take a reflection photo of Tilda-Hilda. No luck. Maybe next time we go out after a rain, which may be at the end of the week. Whooo-hooo! (For the rain, that is.)

Tilda-Hilda, Day 1 in 2016

A new calendar year means the start of another round of Tilda-Hilda's and my work-outs. This morning, we braved the cold and pedaled 6.11 miles in 37 minutes. Pretty good, considering we've been lazy the past three weeks. In 2015, we pedaled about 516 miles in 84 days. More than half of the mileage was pedaled in June and July. The goal in 2016 is to ride steadily throughout the year. I can already tell you that I'm thinking excuses not to go out tomorrow or the next day or the next.  We shall see.

Day 84 with Tilda-Hilda

I would be remiss if I did not mention that the Husband and his Sun Flame and Tilda-Hilda and I took a short ride this morning. We rode about four miles to and from the library. It was a pleasant ride and I borrowed another book in the Mary Russell-Sherlock Holmes suspense series by Laurie R. King. One of these days I'll write about the books I've read. I'll tell you this much: The series is set in the 1920s and Mary Russell is Mrs. Sherlock Holmes, who is 35+ years younger. Off I go now to bake persimmon breads and cookies.

Day 83 with Tilda-Hilda: A Birthday Ride

My day 83 ride with Tilda-Hilda was yesterday. It was my birthday ride, from our house to my favorite coffee shop just over 13 miles away. Whoo-hoo! Starting off! We've done longer rides, but this is the first time I've ever pedaled Tilda-Hilda to San Juan Bautista, which I've been wanting to do for three years. I was hoping to accomplish my goal this past August, but my knees got all whiny and worrisome. For about four months, we mostly pedaled around our neighborhood and it wasn't until the end of November that I ventured out and about. Although I only worked up to a few miles per trip, I decided last week to simply do this ride on my birthday, if the weather is good (no rain nor thick fog) and my knees are in good order. Looking back from whence we came: The highway we crossed at the end of the field. I admit I was a bit scared leading to yesterday, although I have often driven the path I would be taking. I would be crossing a highway, which worried

Day 81 with Tilda-Hilda

Tilda-Hilda and I pedaled just over seven miles in 42 minutes this morning. Hurrah!

Day 80 with Tilda-Hilda

Brrrr.  The frost was heavy on the roof tops and fields this morning. Maybe if I hadn't eaten that second helping yesterday, I wouldn't have insisted on going.  Hilda-Tilda and I pedaled 6.5 miles in 42 minutes.

It's Really Rain

The big news is that it has been raining today. Those glorious drops of water on the Mama's rose are raindrops. Hurrah! Showers were steadily beating the rooftops and roads between very early this morning (maybe 1:00 a.m.) and just before noon.  It looks like more rain is on the way. Maybe even a thunderstorm or two.  Whoo-hooo! I got happily soaked twice, once walking around the neighborhood, taking photos. As I was bending down by a gutter taking photos, a  driver at the stop sign called over to me, "Are you okay?" It took me a moment to realize he was speaking to me. I stood up and turned, pointing to my camera, "I'm fine. I'm taking photos." He laughed. "Thanks very much," I said. He waved and drove away. The second time was a quick dash over by bicycle to the godmother. When I left her house, I felt like bicycling more in the rain. I was good and whooshed straight home. The Mama said it the best about our good fortune today, &q

Day 75 with Tilda-Hilda and The Guys

The Husband and his Sun Flame rode with Tilda-Hilda and me today. Hurrah! That's always fun. We pedaled nearly six miles on as flat of a route as we could find. There were a couple of hairy spots with inattentive drivers. Silly people. The lighting was strange this morning because of a fire about 20 miles away to the south of town. It's very dry out there; unfortunately, the fire has spread over 300 acres, the last I heard. Hopefully, the firefighters can contain it today. Talk about being brave. Those men and women are the best examples of courage. See you tomorrow with Jane Austen, Action Doll. Update: The fire has now spread to 600 acres, eating up hillsides and mountainsides. More than 200 fire fire fighters, including firefighting pilots, are working on the blaze. According to afternoon news reports, only 10 percent of the fire was contained by mid-afternoon.

Day 74 with Tilda-Hilda

Yesterday, Tilda and I pedaled more than 2 blocks. The last time before that was 2 weeks ago. I contracted that silly bug that lingers in your throat and chest, which causes you to cough and cough.  Fortunately, I didn't have a horrible bout of it and, best of all, neither the Mama nor the Husband caught it. Even though I can still feel something in me, I decided to go for a bike ride that meant putting on shoes rather than sandals today. Tilda-Hilda and I pedaled 4.6 miles in 24 minutes. We are stronger than I thought. Hurrah! Who knows, we may be able to pedal longer miles by the end of the month. We shall see.

Day 73 with Tilda-Hilda

Hurrah, I went beyond the neighborhood today. Tilda-Hilda and I pedaled 3.33 miles in about 18 minutes. Going up slight inclines was a challenge, but, oh so good for me.  We stopped at Sunnyslope School for a picture. That's where I went to 4th and 5th grade. The door on the right was my 4th grade classroom, where I suddenly went from being one of the tallest kids to one of the shortest ones. The door on the corner opened to my 5th grade classroom. I loved going into that door. So much imagination went on in there for me. I was introduced to writing make-believe stories and buying my own books through the monthly Scholastic book club. Mrs. Patterson, our teacher, calmed us down from lunch break by reading to us. Freckles , The Girl from the Limberlost , Anne of Green Gables , and The Secret Garden were the ones I recall. My world opened up in 5th grade.

Days 61 to 72 with Tilda-Hilda

I have no photo of Tilda-Hilda and me, but I give you one of me pretending to race on a bike rack in Half Moon Bay. The Husband took it on our day out celebrating our 19th wedding anniversary, which I wrote about yesterday . Tilda-Hilda and I are still pedaling about, mostly around the neighborhood. Sometimes once a day, sometimes twice. We go as fast as we can, always stopping at the Godmother Pat's house. Remember, she had a horrible work accident in which the tips of her thumb and middle finger blew off. After nearly three months, she's doing as well as can be. She and the Mama come from one amazing generation of stalwart women. I'm ready to go further distances with Tilda-Hilda. The Husband and I drive down country roads and I see Tilda-Hilda and my spirits pedaling on the shoulders. Maybe once the high temperatures give way to regular autumnal weather, we'll be out there again.

Skull, Tilda-Hilda, and the County Fair

This afternoon, I shut the car door while I kinda stood between it and the car. The edge of the door jarred my jaw on its way to its destination. Kinda made the nerves in my skull sizzle. I'm very talented. Fortunately, nothing other than a tiny bit of pain in the jaw for a few minutes. "I don't like it," I said to the Husband as we drove to the produce stand. "You wouldn't like being a boxer then," he said. DAYS 47 to 60 with TILDA-HILDA Did you wonder if Tilda-Hilda and I had stopped riding for the year? Not at all. We're been doing things a bit differently. Three Saturdays ago was the the last time Tilda-Hilda and I went out on the back roads.  Since then, we've been sticking to our neighborhood and an occasional ride to downtown, as my left knee recuperates. Most of our riding had been pedaling three blocks back and forth to Godmother Pat, once or twice a day. She had a horrible accident in July that resulted in the loss of t

Day 46 with Tilda-Hilda

Today, I was out with Tilda-Hilda for about two hours doing errands and taking photos. I was getting on and off Tilda-Hilda a lot. I won't be surprised if later today some of my muscles protest soreness for being awakened. Good. Altogether, Tilda-Hilda and I pedaled nearly 5 miles to and from and around downtown. I sweated, which is why I'm counting this as a workout. With all the picture-taking I was doing, I forgot to take one of Tilda-Hilda.  Hence, the photo of her happily back home.  Until the next ride.

Days 42 & 43 with Tilda-Hilda

The left knee flared up after last Wednesday's ride. By Friday I was feeling a lot of grouchy pain that I gave in and called the doctor. The earliest appointment was for this coming Friday. I suppose if I had cried, moaned, and demanded to see him sooner, the gatekeeper would've squeezed me in that day. Just as well. I prescribed my knee rest. The knee felt good yesterday, so the Husband and I pedaled our bikes around town (4.25 miles) to do errands. I did well, but the Husband had a spill. He has a beautiful egghead of a purple bruise on his shin. The poor guy! Oh, it felt wonderful to be out pedaling Tilda-Hilda this morning. I was good about not going far, but I was tempted. We pedaled 7.5 miles in 43 minutes. The bum knee had no problem. The other knee complained a bit. It's been overcompensating for the bummed one. I might as well present both knees to the doctor when I see him this Friday. Ah, the fun of the body growing older.

Day 41 with Tilda-Hilda

"Why are you up so early?" asked the Husband. "I want to ride the bike before it gets too hot," I said. "Take the phone." Tilda-Hilda and pedaled off to Tres Pinos, going about a mile pass the village. Our round trip today was about 13.5 miles in 78 minutes. Whooo-hooo!

Day 40 with Tilda-Hilda

The TV weather casters say we're going to go through another heat wave. So far, so good today. Tilda-Hilda and I went out later than usual so I could drop off books and DVDs at the library. The Mama said, "Don't go far." The Husband said, "Do you have the phone? Be careful." Molly the Cat said, "Mewww." I think she wanted to either a snack or to go outside in the front yard. I asked her if she'd like to ride with us. She could ride in the basket. No answer. Tilda-Hilda and I both agree. Earlier is better. Today, we pedaled 10.5 miles in 59 minutes. We made sure we didn't overdo or overheat ourselves. Until next time.

Day 39 with Tilda-Hilda & The Guys

Tilda-Hilda and I went out with the Husband and his Sun Flame this afternoon. Yaay! We pedaled to downtown, stopping here and there for me to take photos for my other blog, Take 25 to Hollister . We pedaled and walked about 4 miles. Slow and easy. Half the time we pedaled against the wind so that made for a good workout.  Fun.

Day 38 with Tilda-Hilda

Tilda-Hilda and I pedaled over 12.5 miles in 67 minutes today. Quite good, I say, after missing three days. On Thursday, the Husband and I went on hike, climbing up and down a mountain path. It was fun. But, my left knee was crying out in pain as I walked the last mile. The poor Husband, having to listen to me.