The Orange Dreamcycle Rides Again

January 8, 2012

Training for El Tour 2012 began this week. I got on my bicycle Tuesday for the first time since finishing El Tour 2011. I rode about 7-8 miles and it felt so good, but made me realize what I had accomplished just a few weeks ago doesn’t hold forever. Frigid weather hit and then the holidays and the end of the year blew right on by. But I told myself the New Year was going to bring a continuation of the new me. And that is really what this training is all about. I’ve gotten too sedentary. I needed more cardio. And I needed a purpose to pull it all together. I’ve got several things in place to help me this year. I have a beautiful group of women, only two I have actually met, called the Divine Divas. We are an email accountability group. All of us are wanting to improve our health and we all know that it takes a community to do that. You can’t get better in isolation. Last year I signed up for the IsaBody Challenge. I am in week 14 with my end date of March 20th less than three months away. My before pictures have been submitted and now I continue to work towards my final pictures and my own personal story. In addition I have set up four Pilates training sessions each week. When I only had two, I found that too often things happened to get in the way and it would end up one time or no time. With four trainings on my calendar each week, things can happen as they always do, but my plan is to at least have two sessions every week and when I get all four, whoo hoo! I also have my bike riding time logged. Putting things in our date books or on our calendars makes it tangible. It gives it value. Marking these things down means I have value. I am making a committment of time to myself. This should be one very interesting year.

This last Saturday I rode after work with three friends, Karen B (my El Tour training buddy), Thumper and our friend, Hershel M. All of us are just starting out for the year so we made a modest, but fun plan.  Build slow and build strong! We left the studio and took a right on Old Nogales Hwy. We then turned into the Madera Highlands community and took Campbell to the 2nd traffic circle and made a right up the hill to the back entrance of Quail Creek. Before taking on the hill we stopped for a quick chat and drink of water. I had gone up the hill on Tuesday and this was where I really saw the deterioration from the few weeks of parking my bike. But I headed up knowing that whatever I lack now will come back with effort and consistency.  Once through the gates (contractors had since put in a sidewalk that meant we didn’t have to dismount and walk between the gates anymore) we took the first right down one of the Quail streets. This would loop around so that we would come back into the main route. We turned left to head towards the main gate and then turned left on Campbell and began our return to the studio. It is always more fun to ride with others and today was no exception.

I brought my bike home with the idea of riding a little bit of my Sunday. But when I woke up, I knew it wouldn’t be in the morning. I hate cold. And yes, I know this is nothing like the cold I was raised with in Western NY, but in the twenty-six years since I have moved out here, the 100 plus weather has been no problem. But let the temps drop towards freezing and I am the ultimate wimp. So, I cleaned and cleaned. I made good choices for eating as well. Then a friend of mine, Michelle M, who has worked amazingly hard to get her “baby weight” off texted me that she wanted to do an Isagenix 9 day. That means she will do two cleanse days, five two shake days and then two more cleanse days. She is picking the product up tomorrow morning. I had been planning to do a one or two-day cleanse to jump-start my body into the new training year so I asked her when she was doing her first two cleanse days. She is psyched and going to get right to it on Monday and Tuesday of this week. We are going to buddy up for it. She is down to her last 7 pounds since giving birth to a beautiful Divine Diva in training. Her little one is already walking and talking–can’t believe it. I know Michelle will get to goal by the end of this 9 days and I couldn’t be happier for her! And I will be on my way towards my goal weight. I’ve got about 40-50 more pounds to lose and this will be the year I release the last of my extra pounds forever. 2012, here I come!! By late afternoon the temperature had gotten to the highest I knew it would be for the day. In the sun it wasn’t too bad, but there was a pretty good wind so I layered my clothing and appreciated that my El Tour vest was wind proof. Down my driveway I went and out onto my street. I turned left onto Los Parados Estados and took the Pimeria Alta loop. Back onto Los Parados again I headed northeast to the frontage road. I turned north riding to Chavez Siding Rd exit. I road over I-19 and went south on the east frontage road. I turned left on Bridge Rd and went into town. I turned right on Burrell St and took that all the way around past the Presidio. I remembered taking the family there when they visited me over Christmas. As I came around the bend I turned towards the main entrance and left the town center to continue south on the east frontage road. I made a right and crossed back over I-19 and went north on my side of the freeway. Back home again. It was a chilly ride, but it felt good. A friend had lent me Lance Armstrong’s book, “Every Second Counts.” I have been paying attention to what he sacrifices to do what he has done. The little bit of chill would not have deterred him. I didn’t let my dislike of the cold get in the way of the 9.22 miles today. I’m out there and I enjoyed it. And I am proud of myself for doing this.

Join me by following my posts! I am going to make this a fun year and will have drawings every time I go up 100 followers. The winner will get a special thank you. Also, your responses to my posts are important to me, so please be sure to check the box to be notified if I reply. Otherwise, you will miss my response back to you. I want to especially thank my children who have been an incredible support for me as I began this journey last year. This year is dedicated to Shawna and BJ. Love you both!

Signing off for now, The Bawdy Woman

aka: Karen Salvador

10727

I haven’t been able to get out and ride since last Saturday. I am so glad I went when I did. This week has flown by. Last night I went to the TCC to pick up my packet. I got there about 3:40pm so I had about 20 minutes to kill walking around watching people frantically putting the finishing touches on their booths. I thought I had found the booth where I would get my packet as they had all the official El Tour bags in boxes with sections of the alphabet on each box. While they were getting ready I wandered around and checked out all the possible paraphernalia one could imagine for riding a bike. I guess I have kept things pretty simple, but there were a couple things I needed to get to be fully ready and I had my mental list. When 4pm came I was at the booth ready to get my packet. As the lady was looking for my bag, she kept asking me when I signed up because she couldn’t find me. I showed her my receipt and it was then she realized I hadn’t pre-ordered clothing when I signed up and that was what these bags were about. The packet, she explained, could be picked up at the other end of the Exhibition Hall where the “lines” were. Oh…lines. I decided to go ahead and get the few things I needed while I was in the booth area. I also had to get Thumper his official chase car T-shirt. I thought the design was absolutely awesome. Then, just before going to find the “lines” I stopped at the booth with the posters. A nice woman asked me if I was riding and I told her I was. She said I could get a certificate for a free poster, so to come back after I got my packet just in case. I thought that was really nice of her. The set up for the packets was great. No real lines as there were several sections with ranges of numbers over each one. I found the section that included 10727 (my number) and only one person was there. In a moment I was giving her my number and she produced a packet for me. I then told her I had donations with me that I wanted to turn in. She completed a receipt that marked cash amounts and check amounts and my information. She gave me two copies and then told me I need to go to the end booth for my award certificates. Awards? I hadn’t realized there would be awards.

A nice older gentleman was at the end booth nd I showed him my donation receipt. He said this would take a minute as I was the first one of the evening. No problem. Turns out I got a free poster AND $56 in merchandise credit that I could redeem at one of several bike shops and one of them was not too far from the TCC. With that certificate, I would be able to get new bike shorts too! So, to the wonderful people who made the donations to Tu Nidito, the main El Tour beneficiary, thank you so much! Donations were from Thumper, Anneke B, Pat Y, Judy B, Janet D, Mary Jo M, and Lorraine W. totaling $380!!!

From the booth where I got the certificate I was directed to the “real” line, where I would get my timer. It was pretty long, but if that was the only  line of the evening, I didn’t figure that would be too bad. And it turned out that that line moved along really well too as they were serving three people at a time. When all was said and done I had a number 10727 that needs to be displayed on my back and one for the front of my bike handle that has the timer behind it and another for my helmet front. There evidently will be photographers stationed at several places along the route and they told us to be sure and smile when we see them. There will be a website we can enter out name and El Tour number and see any pictures taken with the option to buy them. I will be sure Thumper has my camera and we’ll see what he can get too.

I’m excited now! Thumper displayed the number for my back on the wall by my reformer all day today. Made it real. 10727 will be biking the 42 miles of the El Tour starting at noon on Saturday. Are you ready Karen B, number 10735??

Pausing to Give Thanks

The last two years have been quite a journey. I have made significant investments to coaches to teach me about prioritizing, awareness of ways in which I was defeating my own efforts, and releasing not just pounds, but also negative thoughts and people. One of the toughest lessons was about abundance. It is such a simple concept, but applying it to one’s life is more difficult.

One coach who was instrumental to my learning was Soul Dancer.  A Shaman and now, friend. He is one powerful spirit, a larger than life person. His energy, his knowledge, his expertise never failed to reign me in and get me back on track. I have not had the pleasure of meeting him in person, but to me, it says so much more about him that he could make his presence so powerfully known virtually. He, along with Rick Reynolds, another amazing human being, joined with other key coaches in my life (Bill Mayer and Thumper) to get me thinking about my own thinking. Who is Karen Salvador? What is at the core of her being? How can she heal? And they helped me to tune in to the still small voice inside, my own guidance system. What was so awe-inspiring is that these coaches were all on the same page…they all reinforced the same concepts, magnifying their impact on me.

When Karen B. asked me to join her to train for El Tour, it was Soul’s teaching that brought me to it. He is the one who challenged me to get away from the analyzer (which I do so very well) and be more of the explorer (something I stopped exercising in childhood). This training is a place I have never gone before. It was 100% new territory and Soul helped me to find it within myself to take a risk. The old me started to analyze this whole idea and immediately point out all the reasons it was foolish to say yes.  Then a new voice lifted up and said, “Do it!”  I rode 25 miles yesterday by myself. I brought all my gear to work on Saturday because I was concerned it was going to rain today.  Everyone was talking about the wind kicking up so I hesitated, but Thumper encouraged me to go. The last half of the ride was going south directly into the wind that had been building. I knew I could stop at any time and get a ride. But I wasn’t cold and the wind wasn’t so much that I didn’t have control of my bike. It was just hard work. So? Even the flat was like riding up hill. I just saw it as a good training opportunity. By the time I got back to work everything inside of me was going, “Whooo hooo!” And that little voice was saying, “Look! Look at how far you have come!”

A very special thank you Soul. You are a true gift to this world. If anyone who reads this wants to move forward in their own personal growth, I have provided Soul’s contact information below. Don’t be afraid to explore!

http://souldancer.org/ or call him at 312-268-0000

Contributions

I received a response to my email already this morning. Anyone wishing to contribute to the El Tour can write their checks directly to Tu Nidito Children and Family Services:

Hi Karen,

Since all contributions go to our beneficiary, Tu Nidito Children & Family
Services, the checks can be made out to Tu Nidito.  It could also be made
out to Perimeter Bicycling; all contributions we receive get handed
directly to Tu Nidito.

Thanks for being part of El Tour!
Barbara
Registration

Signed Up!

This evening I have duly signed up for the 42 mile El Tour de Tucson Event to occur on Saturday, November 19th, 2011. I am bicyclist number 10727. Hmmmm…sounds very official now…I am committed. I have to pick up my packet between November 16 and 18th at the Expo. I have to do it in person and show my ID. There will be some kind of electronic timer that will account for the time I have completed the race with the packet. This is all new territory…feel like I will  be tagged by Game and Fish…lol. I must also display my number clearly on my person the day of the race. The read the waiver form carefully and it sounds like a team of lawyers put it together. But it was pretty basic stuff, making sure that neither me or anyone related to me can sue any of the entities connected with El Tour in the event I am injured or die. So, guys, if I don’t survive the race, you can only sue the driver who runs over me, as long as it is not a city police car or official vehicle for El Tour that runs me over. Pleasant thought.

El Tour is a huge fundraiser and I can submit other contributions along with mine in the form of checks or cash. I have emailed events to ask how the checks should be made out. I have had several people say they would like to make a donation, so I hope to have that cleared up asap as I could not find that information in the website. If the contributions are turned in by me, they count towards my fundraising efforts.

Thank you from the depths of my heart for all the support and encouragement. It makes a difference. : )

 

 

Dark Clouds of Doubt

I rode about 9 miles yesterday after work. I was going to go home and ride from there, but realized by the time I left the bank that if I was going to get time in today, it had to be now. I had been invited to a friend’s house for the first time for dinner and I was going to meet someone I had only met and coached over Facebook and text messaging. I saw my window to ride and I took it. I chose to go the back way to Quail Creek to challenge myself with the hills that lead up to the back gates. I stayed in the push gears all the way and was feeling pretty good with myself.

Sunday Karen and I arranged to meet late morning so her company had time to leave. Dark clouds loomed in the sky and I had a long sleeve top under my shirt, but the chill in the air still found its way to my skin. It felt about 60 degrees. I was hoping it would warm up as the day progressed. It was November 6, 2011 and only twelve more days before El Tour. Karen was in a short sleeve top, but I saw that she had a jacket tucked into her camelbak. We weren’t out of Quail Creek yet when we stopped so she could put the jacket on and I saw that she had chosen to bring a windbreaker instead of her usual long-sleeved jacket. Her husband was concerned that it might rain so she had grabbed it instead. I was wishing I had something to break the wind, but figured my body would heat up as we rode.

The plan was to go towards Madera Canyon. That would take us by the studio and up the big hill where the “bike team” rode past me like I was standing still. We hadn’t made the first hill when a familiar couple walking the other direction caught our attention. Karen remarked something about Julie and Jim, but I was too slow to realize she had already recognized them. They had walked from their home out past Pasadera. We chatted briefly and decided we would take Canoa Road towards Julie and Jim’s house as there were plenty of hills out that way. They were on their way to La Posada Java. Riding behind Karen, I didn’t notice that I was really any faster on my bike. It was still difficult for me to stay close to her on the hills. We turned right on Canoa Rd and decided to go to the end and take the side roads on our way back. As we got to the end I asked Karen if she realized where she was. She didn’t. Canoa Road ends with Elephant Head just off our left shoulder. I told her this is the Canoa Road that doesn’t connect to the Canoa Road we had taken on our ride south to Agua Linda. When we had turned onto Elephant Head we had turned north on Canoa and Karen had hoped it would take us somewhere. But it ended…a ways south of where we were riding today. We took the last side road left towards the mountains and followed it too its dead end. The scenery was breath-taking. We stopped briefly to eat some trail mix and drink some water.

On our way back towards Whitehouse Canyon Road we took every road to the right that went anywhere. Each one had a big hill to start, but once we got into the developments, the roads weren’t so steep. Before we came to Whitehouse Canyon Road, we saw Jim and Julie returning from their walk. We stopped and chatted again before getting back to it. As we turned north on Whitehouse Canyon towards Madera, we had already put about 12 miles on. Now it would be a steady climb all the way. When the inclines weren’t too bad I could stay with Karen pretty well, but any time we rode up anything steep, I would lag way behind. She would always wait for me rather than let the gap get too wide between us, but when I would approach, she would be ready to resume, and not wanting to hold her up, I kept going. By the time we got to mile marker 7, my crotch was getting sore and I was feeling a distinct drop in temperature.  The clouds had not lifted and I knew the elevation was increasing as the temperature was dropping. I was running out of reserves. We stopped couple times and I made sure I ate, but wasn’t sure if that was the problem or not. I finally told Karen that I was moving a much heavier body up the inclines than she and that appeared to be the only real differences between our bikes now. And with 12 days left, I wasn’t going to be changing that much more. My body was stronger and I had lost 5 pounds. I also noticed my clothes were starting to fit better, but those extra pounds on a bike–especially on the hills was taking its toll. We made it to mile marker 9 and we were only one more mile to the end of Whitehouse Canyon Road and the entrance to Madera Canyon. I told Karen I wasn’t sure I had enough left to go any further, but I really wanted to get to the entrance. Karen was fine to turn back or go on and I chose to try to go further. I got maybe another half mile and Karen was quite a ways ahead of me again and I ran out of steam. I was feeling chilled, my butt ached and there was just nothing left. I stopped and waited for Karen to return. I thought maybe she would make it to the end, but before long I saw her riding back towards me. When she lost sight of me she had stopped and waited and when I didn’t show up, she turned around. I told her I needed to go downhill for a while. She was really good about it and we headed back down.

It felt really good to be letting the bike take me back and to be right behind Karen. But the wind was picking up and our speed just added to the chill factor. I wasn’t sure what the temperature was, but it was going right through me. Fortunately, we were clocking by each mile marker at a good clip. As we got to the bottom of the hill, Karen signaled that she was turning left into the Madera Plaza where our studio was. I followed her glad I had brought my keys. I thought she might want a bathroom break. Turns out, the ride down was as hard on her as the ride up had been for me. We both wondered if we were kidding ourselves about being able to do this. Neither one of us had much time beyond Sunday to ride. And today’s weather would be pretty typical for El Tour. We were tired, pushed around by the bully wind. Karen’s husband gladly came down to pick us up as we locked out bikes inside the studio.  Harold told us the temperatures where we had ridden were about the low 50s. My only thought was to get home and veg for what was left of my Sunday.  I texted Thumper and told him I was exhausted and wanted to just go home. He offered some hot chili, which was tempting, but once in my car, I knew I needed to keep going. So I thanked him. By now I couldn’t stop yawning. And I wondered about El Tour on my ride home.

Karen had texted me thanking me for being such a good sport and toughing it out with her. I thanked her for hanging with me as well. We were a team and that felt good. But when I mentally took stock of my schedule over the next two weeks, the amount of riding opportunities were few and far between. Were we fooling ourselves? What was the difference between a champion and someone who fell short? We were both training to the best of our abilities, but it wasn’t enough to achieve our goal.

Thumper texted that it was really only about doing our very best. And I thought about that long and hard. We had come so far. Did it really matter if we did the 40 mile or the 60 mile? Did it really even matter if we finished? It has been an amazing journey and I had already achieved more than I had imagined. Now, I decided, it is about showing up. And doing our very best and seeing where that takes us.

Changes

I didn’t ride yesterday, October 31, 2011 because I took my bike in for new tires and to be checked over. I had put over 300 miles on my bike just since I got the odometer. I wanted to make sure everything was holding up. Rob told me my bike would be ready by Tuesday afternoon, so I didn’t expect to ride Tuesday either. But by 5:40pm, Rob left a message on my phone telling me the work he had done and that my bike was ready! Monday was also day one of my 9-day. This was a full cleanse day. It went really well, drinking lots of Kangen water, having 3 of my snack wafers and one IsaDelight chocolate (approved for cleanse days). I had plenty of energy and only mildly hungry at times. I drank water and the hunger was curbed.

Tuesday was the 2nd day of cleansing. I felt so good that I was not concerned about exercising or riding my bike today. I wanted to know how the smaller tires were going to change things for me. I had enough time to pick up my bike in the morning between clients so I would have it ready when I had my bigger afternoon break. At 12:15 I was in my riding clothes with a filled camelbak and helmet on. I was going up Whitehouse Canyon Rd towards Madera. I wasn’t sure how far I would go, but the last time I went to the 5 mile marker. I was at least going that far. I popped a snack wafer in my mouth and made sure I had a couple more in my pack.

It was a gorgeous day. It didn’t feel really warm, but the sun was out and the air felt good on my skin. The steepest hill comes up fast. I had visions of the biking dudes riding past me, but then focused on my own course. I didn’t feel as if I had “wings,” but I definitely made it up the hill easier and I did it without going way down in gears. The rest of the way is a steady incline towards the mountains and Madera Canyon. When I got to mile marker 5 I was feeling fine so I pushed onward. I got to mile marker 7 and felt it I had done a good test of the bike and decided to turn around. That would be 14 miles of biking and then 50 minutes of Pilates a couple hours after I got back. Not bad for a cleanse day, not bad at all.

It’s just about bedtime and I have been energized all day. Hunger wasn’t an issue even mildly today. I had 6 snack wafers and lots of water. I had a cup of warm broth when I got back from biking, but that was it. Tomorrow begins the first of 5 double shake days with one meal. Then next Monday and Tuesday will be cleanse days 3 and 4, completing the 9-day.

Taking it to a New Level

Thumper explained last night at dinner to Karen B and I what he wanted from us in our bike training today. He was calling it interval training and I thought I was getting it, but wasn’t positive. I think Karen B and I both had in our heads that we were interval training as we traveled across a wide range of different routes with all kinds of hills mixed in. But he kept emphasizing going up and down the same hills more than once and to switch betwen “push” gears and “spin” gears. Well, his idea was very different for us.

I met Karen at 7:30am. She promised if I came early she would have coffee and breakfast for me. Seeing as I didn’t get to bed until after 11pm last night, it was really nice on my one “day off” to pretty much fall out of bed, shower, dress and hit the road. I left an extra 15 minutes early because I wanted to stop by the studio to fill up with fresh Kangen water and add orange Isagenix  Want More Energy to it. I had taken my thyroid first thing upon rising and now I took my natural accelerator and 1 ox of Ionix Supreme. Karen had oatmeal for me and I picked the plain. I then chopped a warmed, small apple up (skin and all) into the bowl and added some of her walnuts. It was a change from my usual shake, but that is good to do once in a while. Karen B was hot to ride to the three hills at Canoa. I told her I only knew of two hills??? She kept insisting there were three. Either way, I figured if we were going to do those hills, best to do it when we were fresh. Camino del Sol also offered a nice array of hills before getting to “the big ones.” I kept trying to figure out what was a good ”spin” gear and the “push” gear was pretty easy to figure out.  As we were coming near the 4-way stop of Camino del Sol and Calle Tres, I realized Karen was counting that hill too. I was only counting the two hills after Tres. Those were the most memorable for me. So as we rode up Karen’s hill number one I made a plan to “push” the first then “spin” the second and then “push” the third. Quite honestly, I think all three were a push… It sure felt like it. I think I got up better than the times before, but it wasn’t an earth-shaking difference. Parts of those friggin hills are hard, no matter what gear. Other than having a motor…but think they mentioned something about that not being acceptable in the El Tour rules. Riding down was fun. One of the hills I hit 30 miles per hour. We got past the 3rd hill and Karen pulled over and asked if I wanted to turn around and go back up the three hills again. I told her my quick answer was, “No.” But I knew I would and so did she. The second time I attempted my version of “spin, “push,” “spin.” I think I was a little closer to what Thumper intended. I had forgotten the pulse/ox when I was at the studio so that we could check our heart rates, but we were really getting them up. Karen noticed the difference too. And yes, I agree, there are three hills at Canoa. Especially when you go up twice, the 3rd one adds some extra kick butt.

After riding back north on Camino del Sol, our plan was to attack the hill that goes to the back entrance of Quail Creek. We figured if we were dying at this point that we were not too far from Karen’s home. We could crawl back if necessary. This collection of three hills is in some ways more devious. There isn’t the steeper incline of the Canoa hills, but it is a steady grade up and it keeps going and going. My plan again was to alternate starting with “push,” “spin,” “push.” By this time I was wondering how many times we were going to do this. At the top near the sign for Stone House we stopped and I told Karen I think I need to eat. She was already pulling her goodies out of her bag. I was munching trail mix and realizing I had probably waited too long to get food. I had been drinking a lot, but hadn’t thought to eat until now. We took a little extra break while we munched and chatted. Then, we turned around to do it again. I was already feeling the benefits of recharging. The second time I did my “spin,” ”push,” “spin.” When we stopped at the Stone House sign, we were both doing okay yet. So, we decided to turn around and have another go. So now I would do the hard push then the spin and finish the hill with a hard push. I wondered if that was going to work as we flew down to the bottom. We went around the traffic circle and there was the hill. Amazingly, the third time actually felt easier. But by the time we got to the Stone House sign a 3rd time, we were done. We had only ridden 33 miles today, but this was very different and it felt very different in my body. It truly worked our quads like nothing else we had done.

Tomorrow I am calling Rob at the Bike Hub and asking him if he can change my tires now. He had mentioned that a week or two before El Tour to have smaller tires put on my bike than I currently have. He said my rims would take 2 sizes smaller and after training on these tires, he said I would feel like I was flying. I would like some wings now please…. : )

Someone dear to me (who also happens to be a Pilates client) shared this biking video to inspire me. It is beyond amazing. I was enthralled with where and how he rode this bike. It was an inspiration, Marilyn K!

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=Cj6ho1-G6tw&vq=medium

Been Missing It

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Haven’t ridden all week. Each day I had a long enough break there were too many things I needed to do to prepare for the OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) class Thumper and I taught yesterday. It was the first of four classes so there was a lot more to do to get things in place and pull together all the research and reading we had been doing. But each day I was working in the studio I thought of being on my bike. The thing is, when you establish a great habit and then experience a lull or a break, it is pretty amazing how easy it is to creat a bigger lull or a longer break…..  I got home today and had made up my mind that I was going to ride. I have a dinner/meeting to go to this evening, but I also didn’t have to work as late today as usual. So, there was plenty of time. Yet, I got home and as I gathered together my riding stuff I looked around the house and saw 25 reasons why I shouldn’t ride. And as I saw one more thing and one more thing I noticed my preparation to ride slowed down.

Whoa!! There was not one thing that wasn’t going to be here when I got home. And how much better I would feel if I just got my butt out there on my bike, so before I could come to a total stall I kicked it in gear, filled up my camelbak with Kangen Water, grabbed a quick snack of carbs and off I went. The minute I was riding down my street I felt happy. A smile spread across my face as I felt a light breeze caress my cheeks. All the reasons for not riding melted quickly away and I was on the road again.  I decided to take my street and turn left on Palo Parado, going parallel with the west frontage road. There’s a side street, Pimeria Alta, that makes a circle around back into Palo Parado that I used to take on my walks all the time. It has nice rolling hills and adds some mileage. So I passed the first entrance to that street and turned left on the second leg. I came back around and turned left again onto Palo Parado heading towards the frontage road. I went north on the frontage road towards Chavez Siding Road. I was determined to take Chavez Siding Road and find my way through there to the Tubac Country Club and back out onto the east frontage road. It was now  seemingly short jaunt across to the other side of the freeway. I came to Chavez Siding Rd and turned left. I decided I was going to explore and just see what roads called to me. I stayed on Chavez until the road turned to gravel. I kept going to see where it went. There was a railroad crossing up a short, steep hill and I pressed on up and over it. On the other side was  Border Patrol truck sitting at the corner. Chavez turned into a private road at that point and it was still gravel, so I went a short ways and turned around to head back the way I came. I got to one of my last opportunities to turn left and since it seemed to be going in the right direction (thank goodness for my mountains), I turned. I had noticed the street name when I had passed it the first time and it caught my attention, Shangrila. I liked the sound of that and it seemed a good omen. It too became a private road with some short spots that weren’t paved, but it was fairly well populated (for a country road). I was still heading in the right direction so I pressed on. The street name changed and I sensed I was getting closer to where the resort would be and sure enough, at the end of this street was a blocked service-type street. I looked through and saw what i was sure was the Tubac Resort. There was a street allowing me to go right, taking me in the direction of the freeway and east frontage roads so I turned. The name of this street was Belderain and it sounded familiar, but it has been awhile since I did any driving around the resort. As the road gently turned left I heard the sound of the freeway and then saw trucks barreling north. I knew I was now running parallel to the frontage road heading south. I was sure this road would take me to the desert white, stucco arches of the main entrance and it did. Whoo hoo! I found my way through!

I turned south on the eats frontage road heading towards my exit 34. It felt so good to be out and about that I kept thinking of ways to prolong it. Where could I go now? As I crossed under the freeway and turned north on the west frontage road I made my mind up to bypass my street and keep going to Palo Parado. There was a nice incline going back that way and I then took Pimeria Alta around again, coming back out onto Palo Parado and turning right to where it connected to my street. Almost 13 miles and an hour and ten minutes. But even more was how good it felt to be on my bike again. There will always be plenty of excuses to keep me off my bike, but from now on, I am going to be sure I reserve time to ride. You all know what I mean, now, don’t you? Taking time to do exercise we love is a huge stress reliever, mind stimulater, endorphin pumper activity that is every bit as important as our chores and our work related activities. It brings balance into our lives and a smile to our faces.

And as a side note, I have been on my thyroid medication for five days and I started my prescritption hormone cream yesterday. I had dropped 4.9 pounds when I cleansed on 4/25 and as of today, I am down exactly 5 pounds. So I didn’t gain any and have held the loss. The hormone cream hasn’t had time to kick in yet, but I am thinking the thyroid is already at work. On Monday I start my Isagenix 9-day and I am excited to see what happens from that!

Karen, The Bawdy Woman

 

Cleanse Day

I cleansed yesterday and it felt really good. Today is only day two of my thyroid medicine and won’t get my hormone cream until Thursday or Friday, but it is important I keep at it. I actually released 4.9 pounds, one of the best releases I have had in quite some time. But now the trick is, keeping it off! Positive thoughts! I must do all I can until the two medications have a chance to kick in and help me out. Perseverance is the word of the day. Times like these, it is so easy to get frustrated and to throw it all away. But then where would I be? Wrong attitude. I focus on health and feeling great. I know the weight will follow.

Starting October 31st, my IsaBody Accountability Group on Facebook is starting an Isagenix 9-day in memory/honor of Dana Barnett. Dana weighed over 800 pounds when she found our Isagenix family. She had been sent home by the doctors to die with dignity. Dana lost 401 pounds over 2 years and was a blessing to everyone who knew her. She died October 2011 at the age of 37. I am going to do the 9-day for her. I will do two full cleanse days then five days where I will replace two meals with shakes and have one small meal. I will then complete two more full cleanse days for a total of 9 days. I will be on all my meds by then so I am interested to see how my body handles it.