Living Well With Diabetes

Now that my tour is nearly over, I should probably introduce you to my riding partner on this tour. My apologies for not introducing him earlier.

I met him on July 12 on my ride from Prineville, Oregon to Welches, Oregon. That ride took me about 4000 feet up Mt. Hood. I had just started climbing at the base of Mt. Hood when I met him. I had stopped for a rest in the shade and to test my blood sugar.

I was just getting ready to leave when I saw him. He was face down in a puddle and didn’t look well at all.

I decided to give him a new home and on the way there, I’d take him to Alaska. So, I picked him up, brushed him off, and took him with me. That night, I ran him through a wash cycle and then I dried him out. He’s been dry and attached to a pannier zipper ever since.

He doesn’t say much, but the goofy look on his face keeps me smiling so I keep him.

I had to do some surgery on him the other day. The “hair” (that’s singular) on his head is how he’s attached to the pannier zipper and his hair was wearing out. I got out the sewing kit I purchased in Ketchikan, Alaska to repair the strap on my camera. A few stiches to hold his hair on better and we were good to go.

Comments(1)

I rode 95 miles today! Early in my tour, I rode from Twin Falls, Idaho to Mountain Home, Idaho in two days. Now, on my return to Salt Lake City, I reversed that Twin Falls to Mountain Home route and did it in one day instead of two. Tonight, I’m staying in a KOA just outside of Jerome, Idaho which is about 7 miles north of Twin Falls. So, I didn’t do exactly the same route, but pretty close. I’m tired, but pleased to know my fitness level seems to have improved over the course of the tour.

Near Bliss, Idaho today, I met some people in a support van for a fund-raising bike tour which was taking a similar route as I was today. The ride, in its second year, is raising funds for something called the Genesis World Mission. All proceeds from this ride go towards underwriting dental care for the less fortunate in the Treasure Valley (essentially, the Caldwell, Idaho area) and launching a dental center in Kenya, Africa.

They invited me to lunch, but no offer of free dental care. Oh well. I guess that means my biike tour hasn’t been too taxing on me…or my teeth.

Lunch was just outside of Hagerman, Idaho, where they were spending the night. They seemed like a fun bunch of people. It was a small tour (maybe fifteen riders), but people from all over the country had come to Idaho to participate. Being a free lunch and a free lunch with cyclists enjoying the great outdoors and working for a cause they believe in, I couldn’t refuse. I didn’t stay long though because I still had about 35 more miles to ride today.

Here are some photos from today:

Comments(0)