Alligatorob's Diary

Ayla must have been a great city - I mean, with many thousands living there or nearby. A sobering thought, that it was mostly wiped out, so much so that even its name was changed - though I guess that might mean its name was changed some other tine in the intervening centuries.
I've just looked it up, very quickly, on the internet and found that it was an inhabited copper-smelting settlement as early as 4000 b.c. - the history you bring here is mind-blowing, Rob! :)
 
30 laps, a new high by 8!

I was beginning to feel like I could just keep going the last few times, so I tried it and did. I think I could probably have gone further. I am amazed, just a few weeks ago, on day 1 I struggled to do 5 laps.

Now I have to figure out how to adapt to this, my original plan was to ride out the driveway and head out, but now I know there are more obstacles to doing that than I had considered. One to the top I am on a very busy 4 lane highway. My plan was to just ride a very short distance down it and then turn onto some farm roads, problem with that is its downhill for a ways and I would need to ride back up that hill at the end of my ride. I may put the bike in the truck and see what the ride up that hill feels like. At least the steeper parts are paved.

I am still a long ways from that 20 year old, the last time I biked, but I'm starting to move away from the fat 67 year old a little bit.

Its funny, I really did not want to get on the bike today, trying to think of excuses not to. I am basically a pretty lazy person. But I forced myself to get on and in a couple of laps I was feeling more in the mood.

LaMa, my diet is having the opposite effect on the dogs. When I used to binge they got a good share of it, my binge buddies. The older one has lost weight along with me, and she needed to. At first my wife was surprised that the old dog was losing weight, she used to comment that she was not feeding her any less. But then I think my wife figured it out.

Amy, it never ceases to amaze me how little I really know about history. This earthquake is a good example, I considered Hurricane Katrina and the tragedy in New Orleans to be a major world event, and it was. However when you add up the death and destruction it pales along side what happened in Ayla, and the Ayla earthquake is pretty far down on the list of historic tragedies I know nothing about. Kind of puts our importance (or lack of it) in the big picture into perspective.
 
30 laps? Wow! Maybe you could start alternating between doing your gravel hill- run once (or twice?) some days and loading up your bike and driving to a smoother, longer bike bath other days.
Glad to hear your dog is feeling the benefit as well as you, by the way :)
 
Getting out there can be the most difficult part of it for me especially when it's cold out. Awesome that you're noticing a mood shift once you start getting into it. Your approach so far is perfect IMO. Most people go out way too fast and for too long. If there's a big difference between 20 laps and 30 laps in terms of how it affects you during and after, I would give yourself time to adjust. You'll be much better off in the long run. Since you're doing it so consistently, little tweaks like that have a huge impact and payout down the road. Very impressive, Rob!
 
It was a good day, I ate well, exercised well, and feel good. On top of that I got to see the real LaMa!

Monday

breakfast
yogurt 80
cereal - grapenuts 110
peach juice 118

lunch cottage cheese 125
lettuce only salad 25

snack pretzels 100

dinner more ravioli than yesterday 250
2 meatballs 90
lettuce only salad 25

snack
crackers 60
cheese 85

total calories 1,068

1,068 happens to be my exact calorie count from yesterday, not that I ate the same things, just a coincidence I guess. This strange turn of events suggests perhaps I should look into what the Angel Number meaning for 1068 is, and I found this:

The angel number 1068 is a number of wealth and prosperity. It makes impacts in one’s life, especially in work. You will always experience promotion in life. The number 1068 is always a positive number.

Not sure this tells me a lot, being more and more retired every day I am not looking for promotion, and the limited wealth and prosperity I have enjoyed has pretty much maxed itself out. Its good to know that 1068 is a positive number, but then aren't all numbers greater than zero positive? Does this mean I should drive up to Idaho and buy some lottery tickets? No lotto in Utah.
 
alligatorob said:
Not sure this tells me a lot, being more and more retired every day I am not looking for promotion, and the limited wealth and prosperity I have enjoyed has pretty much maxed itself out. Its good to know that 1068 is a positive number, but then aren't all numbers greater than zero positive?
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:rotflmao: Love that. I do wonder how often you´d encounter 1068 if you weren´t counting calories. Groceries for €10.68? A handbag for €1068? A property of 1068 acres? Having to pay attention to all numbers in your life must be exhausting - although it might make someone feel very special to think the universe is putting all these things into your specific way for a reason.
 
Rob I’m sorry I seemed to have missed your update yesterday . I’m on my phone these days so it’s harder to see what’s updated .

The one thing I will say is you will never regret going out on your bike but you will regret that time you chose not too .

Is there no lakes or tow paths you could drive to and bike there ?
 
nice progress on the biking... i believe biking uses different muscle groups vs walking or running, so the only way to get those muscles more toned is to do what you are doing... just keep extending the time and distance.
 
Not the best biking day, its quite windy but I decided to get on anyway. Since the wind was blowing up hill I decided to take another run at it, I did one lap and then up. Didn't make it, I don't think I did as well as the last attempt, but I got close. Maybe I should give up for a while, its more a speed/safety issue than strength, I need more speed to get over that last steep loose gravel with confidence. I know I could easily make it on pavement. Oh well. Then I went back down and did just 10 laps, they felt harder than yesterday's 30. Maybe the 30 laps were harder on me than I realized. So long as I don't hurt anything slow progress is good progress.

LaMa, you may be right, 1068 has the same number of digits in it as the year I was born, and if you subtract the 1 from the 68 you get 67, my age. And both the year of my birth and 1068 have 12 months. Incredible coincidences! Better than a conspiracy theory.

Petal, no problem, much as I enjoy your posts I know you have a lot more to do than post here. We do have a nice 4.1 mile ride on a relatively flat gravel bike path around a lake just 5 miles or so from here. I've been thinking about trying it, but to be honest I've been too lazy, it's easier just to ride out the garage door. If the weather isn't too bad this weekend I may give it a try. I assume the gravel on that path is a lot more bike friendly than my drive.

Thanks Flyer, my muscles are stating to feel toned, did not extend any time or distance today, but I am sure I will soon.
 
alligatorob said:
LaMa, you may be right, 1068 has the same number of digits in it as the year I was born, and if you subtract the 1 from the 68 you get 67, my age. And both the year of my birth and 1068 have 12 months. Incredible coincidences! Better than a conspiracy theory.
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I do love your dry sense of humour :)
 
It was a good day, I ate well and feel good. Didn't get as much exercise as I would have liked, but I got some. When I added up my calories they were a little light, the grandkids stopped by and we ordered delivered pizza, I only ate one piece. I probably should have had two.

Tuesday

breakfast
yogurt 80
cereal - grapenuts 110
peach juice 118

lunch
cottage cheese 125
lettuce only salad 25

snack pretzels 90 dinner

slice Dominoes pizza 270

snack apple 95

total calories 913

In the early 900s BC, I am going to call it 913, the Olmecs carved one of there famous large heads, known as La Venta Colossal head number 4, it weighs about 20 tons. The Olmecs are long gone, but left behind some very impressive ruins, and a bunch of large stone heads, the biggest is almost 50 tons. The picture below is La Venta #4, with a silhouette of an adult and child for perspective.
800px-La_Venta_Monument_4.jpg
 
If the weather's ok biking a "real" bike path may give you a better idea of how you're doing. Uphill biking on loose gravel is so hard!
 
Oh I love the sound of the bike ride around that Rob . You could do a little of it and report back . Yes 2 pieces of pizza would be a meal . Make sure you eat enough Rob .
 
Its weigh in day and I have lost nothing since last week, still at 259...... I know its just a plateau and the weight loss will continue, I am eating right and exercising. I know that, but it still doesn't feel great. Oh well, downward and onward!
 
Plateaus are to be expected considering how well you've done since you started! I always found that upping my calories for a day or drinking a butt ton of water kick started things again but that might have been a fluke.
 
Hey Rob,

move just read this last page ... got a lot more to catch up on but WOW! You’ve made amazing progress. When I “left” you were on 11 laps. Now you’re on 30!

I know exactly what you mean when you say you didn’t want to go out but once you did you felt in the mood. I REALLY didn’t want to go out tonight but once I was 1km in I just kept adding more and more distance until I HAD to go home again.

sounds strange but I’ll check back in at the end of October and have a good read.

Until then I hope you’re proud of what you’ve accomplished. I’m proud for you!
 
This is the hard part of this process but I know you'll do fine, Rob. You have a great attitude and consistency in spite of challenges. Look at your progress riding as an example. I think others can attest to your approach here in conversation too. You have a good system and you know what to do and how often to do it - one day at a time. You've made so much progress and it will come again. Just keep on keepin' on, man.
 
alligatorob said:
Its weigh in day and I have lost nothing since last week, still at 259...... I know its just a plateau and the weight loss will continue, I am eating right and exercising. I know that, but it still doesn't feel great. Oh well, downward and onward!
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I feel for you Rob, but you know as well as I do that it is scientifically impossible for the weight not to fall off you if you keep doing what you are doing. It's just a little bit of a psychological hurdle to overcome.
 
I did 31 laps today, a new high by 1. Had to do that last one just to prove I could. It was a little hard, but doable, I feel good now.

Petal and LaMa, I do think I will try the 4.1 mile lake look Saturday, the weather looks good and I think I am ready. If I am figuring right that is a little longer than my 31 laps, which I believe to be about 3 miles, but it should be an easier ride. One thing holding me back is the confidence I can finish the ride, there are only 2 places along it with car access, so giving up half way isn't an option. It may be about my last shot at it this year, the lake is in the mountains at a bit higher elevation than here; its a lot snowier colder place. But no snow this low yet, and none forecast before Saturday. We are however supposed to get snow Sunday morning, I hope not.

Sunflower, Rob and Emily, thanks for the nice words, intellectually I know you are right, but the support helps.
 
I think you should go for it Rob. If stopping isn't an option, you won't!
 
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