Monthly Archives: August 2015

Bike Heart

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Pinata heart

Last 1.5 miles, Oh my God!  Immediate illegal turn… yet again (rebel) and then full sprint across street in clickety-clack shoes.  Photo.  Stood smiling.  Phone battery almost dead.

A week full of some wacky and wild surprises, THIS was the Sunday evening finale. Cherry on top…..  errrrr, actually heart on top.

Someone I admire so very much immediately messaged me last night when I posted the photo,

“That bike ALWAYS has that much heart on it”.

Yep.  Tears a plenty.

Here’s the next step (well spin): NO QUITTING

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Continue the Discussion

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A quick note:

I saw an excellent play last night (thanks to 2 JDRF friends who told me I “had to” see it) which was part of the NYC Fringe Festival.  “Type What Now” was written, produced and performed by Jessie Bear.  Incredibly thought provoking and what I hope remains an ongoing discussion regarding perceptions of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.  On an even broader scale, the show tackles issues of body image and has appeal far beyond the diabetes community.  After laughing and crying throughout the performance, I was thrilled to hear it is a Fringe Fave (apparently the short run has been very popular) and an additional show has been added for this Sunday at noon (8/30).  If you are in the NYC vicinity here are the details:

Fringe Fave – Type What Now 

If you do not have the opportunity to see the show but are interested in a review, I think this pretty much nails it (From Theater is Easy).  Interesting right?:

Theasy Review of Type What Now

I agree with that review wholeheartedly.  Good conversation and challenging one’s own perceptions… LOVE it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Worth.

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Sunday.  Back on Piñata Bike.  Across Manhattan. up the West Side, Over the George Washington Bridge to 9W.  Just me, Piñata and a ride coach.  For months, I have wanted to take photos on the George Washington Bridge while I pedal along.  Finally did it.  Don’t worry, I was wearing a parachute.

Silly Rabbits, there are no parachutes, one adventure at a time kiddos.

The phrase on this photo bugs me because of the grammar.  Ending a sentence with a preposition?  What the what?!?!  But, the saying is true to me, and applies to so many things.  Endless.

I didn’t have a great ride on Sunday.  I rode slower than I envisioned.  I struggled on a route I sort of already know.  It was a gorgeous early morning, and I wasn’t riding strong.  There was so much road kill on 9W.  A lot.  I kept running over very flattened, furry things.  Oh man.  Sometimes I tried to imagine I just ran over a very dirty Barbie fur coat.  I wasn’t feeling great.  Blood glucose ran pretty well and I was drinking my electrolytes.  As I lagged behind the coach, I looked up a hill and was stunned.  There was a deer.  A fawn.  In the shoulder of the road, right in the path.  I yelped to the coach (yelping is a sort of description of a really weird non yell noise that I made).  Cars sped by.  The fawn jumped into the brush and there were two baby deer.  The ride coach passed the deer.  I sped up, a little scared the deer would jump into the road and tackle me (another bizarre bike adventure? Please don’t tackle me deer).  As I got closer, all 3 just stared at me.  The fawn had large scars on her back.  She clearly didn’t have it easy.  For some reason I said in a low voice, “You guys need to move over.  Go.”  And I waved my arm.  They stayed put in the brush.  Apparently even deer don’t listen to me.  Oh, dear (errrr deer).

I didn’t ride as far as planned.  I was the reason we turned around early (I hate that).  I had a MUCH better ride back (wind on my back helped) and I got the coach to talk to me (I actually said “tell me a story”.  When I’m not feeling 100%, I find chatter an awesome distraction).  I ended up riding 46.5 miles.  Not great (for me) but acceptable.

Obstacle are placed in our way to see if WHAT we want, is worth fighting for.

I want to help cure diabetes.  I want to push new technologies forward.  I want to use my voice, my time, my life, my experience to make a difference in this diabetes game.  I’m gearing up with a new plan.  My goal didn’t end in Burlington.  Here’s where to help: RIGHT HERE , or you can physically push me along (I’m really not kidding)… I’ll let you know the route!

 

 

9 Day Week?

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More than a week (I think maybe 9 days?).  I don’t have a good explanation for this but I’m on my 3rd (yep, 3rd) pump since my Burlington Ride. 3 pumps in 9 days).  Apparently the second pump had an error code which is a language/microprocessor failure.  I really don’t know/understand what that means. but I asked a TON of questions and made a lot of jokes about how my pump is probably mispronouncing my name now too.*

*Note: I have had a good track record with Animas pumps.  3rd time’s the charm right?

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I recently saw a photo of a Dexcom site in the forearm and on the back next to the shoulder blade.  I don’t know that there’s enough of me for room on my forearm and I don’t think I could do that Dexcom back thing on my own (even if I were a contortionist) but I am intrigued.  I’ve had two thigh Dexcoms that have been problematic.  I’m sure it’s because I have thighs of steel.  I know, funny.

I took part in a JDRF/NYFAC ride.  20 mile loop called, The Loop.  I did this same ride last year on a rental bike after training on Citibikes (our NYC Bike share program… those bikes are heavy!) and what a difference a year makes!  I rode with a few of my fellow JDRF Riders from Manhattan out to Howard Beach.  Last year didn’t involve riding on the boardwalk.  Nice!  Door-to-door it was 50 miles and I rode well.  Cycling cobwebs dusted off!  90 degrees and it was wonderful.  Last year, 20 miles felt daunting.  This year it seemed easy.   As disappointed (I down play this… I am much, much more than disappointed) I still feel about my Burlington performance, I need to remember the progress I really have made.

Below, I’m the person front right.  I love this photo because of the shadow.  Yes I was taking photos….

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OR doing monkey impressions (I’ve laughed multiple times at this one).  Who’s a Barrel of Monkeys?:

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This week concluded with a Friday evening snap decision to ride.  As I passed by familiar haunts overflowing with Happy Hour revelry, it occurred to me that my idea of “Happy Hour” is a bit different these days.  Yes, this is a cool pic and it did take 3 tries as I rode along (no one was around me and I was on the bike path, not the road, all safe).  Freedom Tower!  Bedazzled helmet.

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 We have an event called “Summer Streets” that was started a few years ago.  The first 3 Saturdays in August, Park Avenue is closed to cars from 72nd street down to the Brooklyn Bridge from 7am to 1pm.  There are activities along the route too.  This was the first year for Piñata Bike so I got going this Saturday, bright and early.  I had to snack a bit at the beginning as I usually start a ride an hour after reducing my basal rate for an hour.  Shot Bloks (made by Cliff) have been incredibly helpful.

There was a Water Slide (strange but true) and a Zip Line.

IMG_3220 I planned to ride further than I did.  The route got crowded and then it just got silly (by silly, I mean WAY too many people and little kids and parents not paying attention) to ride with speed BUT I made enough loops (23 miles) to checkout the scene and find some photo ops.

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Wall at the Brooklyn Bridge

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Hey Ladies!

I LOVE this.  Street Art and my bright bike.  A bunch of rainbow girls checking out Piñata!  Notice the graffiti above?  “Love is Baked Goods (and Gold Bond)”.  Ahhh NYC, you still  make me crooked smile. I put Piñata next to this Peace mural (note the Smurf) and started taking photos.  A bunch of people started taking photos too.  Silly.  An older lady started talking to me and I explained JDRF and the Ride program and how all the colored bracelets are the names of the donors from my ride.  She offered to take a photo for me so I could jump in.  I had low hopes as she didn’t seem like she knew what she was doing and never stopped talking.  Life lesson: Don’t judge.  She took this awesome photo.  Ab-So-Smurfly fantastic!  IMG_3239 Summer Streets before the crowds:

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I have ideas right now.  Just ideas.  The importance of advocacy.  Make.  Create.  Love.  Do

That voice in my head that says over and over “Do good, feel good” is still right there, but there is a whisper, a little devilish, smirking voice that says, “fighters, fight”.  Change is in the air.

Wine, all the batteries and fire? No thanks. (I know, that’s not what it means)

huh?

huh?