Roomba

I got myself a vacuum cleaning robot, the Roomba. I am pleasantly suprised at how good it works. It is really a time and energy saver.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year Everyone!

2007 in review as far as MS has been pretty good. No real attacks, just a few of the general slow recoveries after playing on my bike or hiking a bit too hard. As much as I hate it, I still have to keep tabs on how hard I allow myself to work and play - sort of fatigue management, so I don't work myself right into an exacerbation. It continues to frustrate me, almost like my mind is stronger than my body and my body wants to be a strong as my mind. I do think I continue to get stronger, but it's not where I used to be before I got MS and it continues to be a "two steps forward, one step back" journey. I want to be able to ride 100 miles in a day. That continues to be my goal. I want to ride across the country. I want to mountain bike through the mountain passes in the back country and keep up with everyone. I want, I want, I will keep trying.

Copaxone continues to work really good for me, the only side effects the not-so-attractive dents the injections leave, but that's all cosmetic - exacerbations are less attractive than dents.

2008 is bringing on some new adventures: I will become a grandmother in February! One adult kid on her own with her own life and family, one almost adult kid who is growing up and becoming more independent every day (just passed his driver's test!). Probably a new job fairly soon with new stresses that come with it. My parents are growing older and the health issues that come along with that - growing old can be a bitch sometimes.

Life is good...that's my story and I'm sticking to it. Best wishes, Everyone!

It's been Awhile

I'm still here, not much going on but weird weather! The temps for the last 2 weeks have been in the upper 40's. Last week, at 5 a.m, when I get up to go for a ride before work, it was 48 degrees(F)!!! 48!!! IN NOVEMBER!! It was warmer here than it was in Texas.

Frosty Sheep

Today, frosty field

The last patch of SNOW!

2 weeks ago

We have the cold back, but no snow. Everything is covered in thick frost but it doesn't replace SNOW!



Without snow, no snowmachine riding down to the river to cut down a Christmas tree unless we do it on the 4-wheeler. Which is do-able but being WINTER, I would like to go on the snowmachines.



Now that the temps have dipped down to normal, riding is again an experience in dressing in layers, temperature and moisture management. It's no problem when recreational riding but riding to work, which I have been comptemplating since the paths are snow-free. The Feds also made whoever blocked the road and bike path with boulders (which caused me to have to ride on the shoulder of the Parks Highway) because they were build with Federal funds, so I wouldn't have to ride on the shoulder of the Parks Hwy in the dark with crazy drivers going too fast on slick roads. But then it's different with sweat management in the winter. To stay warm enough, I layer on enough to work up a sweat which doesn't dissipate like in the summer. Then there is the balaclava hair. Oh whatever, those are just excuses. I'm just being a wimp.



I had a video of a ride I did last week but the camera again came loose and was swinging around, so it looks like I crashed and kept tumbling like in a washing machine. After a few minutes of watching it, I started feeling nauseated...motion sickness. Ugh. So that won't work. But Dan has pointed me in the right direction so I may have some clips to post later on.

Kitty JuJu

I'm really glad this week of over. It's been a difficult one.It started off routinely enough, then progressively went downhill to a new level of yucky weirdness.

It started on Wednesday. I hit a cat on my way to work. It was one of those dark, dark mornings that suck up light rather than reflect it. I'm going about 55 mph when this BLACK cat runs RIGHT under my wheel. Thunk, bumpy bump. There was absolutely NO WAY to avoid it. I was freaked...I have never hit an animal before. And I like cats, squirrels, fuzzy bunnies....that kind of thing. But I knew there was no way this cat survived. And I have to say I was too much of a coward to go back and move it off the road, I couldn't handle seeing that cat. My cowardice made me feel even worse.

I called Capt'n Balance, he took care of it.

That evening, Capt'n Balance told me he was walking past an empty dumpster behind the shop where he works and heard a frantic meowing. He look in and there was a little white kitten stuck in the dumpster in about 4 inches of dirty, cold water. He got a box and a plank, dropped the box into the dumpster and leaned the plank on it up to the top of the dumpster (the plank was too short on it's own) but the kitten was too little and couldn't get up on the box...so into the dumpster Capt'n Balance goes. The kitten is really scared so he scooped it into the box and climbed out. He set the box on the ground and walked away from it and then the kitten took off to where ever it came from.

So I kill a cat, he saves one.

The week continues on, one of my young clients is killed in a car accident. Uhhh, no...

I end up working a 50 hour week (my work week is normally 37.5 hrs wk) and I'm burned out. The sky is heavy with gray clouds and rain..it looks like I feel. All I want to do is go home, drink a beer or 2 and watch mindless TV and sleep. I did all that but sleep was difficult to come by.

I wake up this morning to about 1 inch of snow. It's white, light and beautiful but melting fast. I start my day, wishing I could sleep longer but it's no use in trying. Bike Boy needs a haircut so I go into my garage to get my truck out....and there....sitting on my truck bed sidewall....is....a.........CAT. A BLACK CAT. Kitten to be more specific.

I got home Friday night after 7 pm and pulled into my garage. The only time my garage door is open is when I pull in or out. No one has been in the garage since I got home from work Friday. So how and when did this kitten get into my garage?? Did it stow away in my truck while I was at work or at the grocery store????

I hold the fuzzy kitten...it's shaking and scared. Bike Boy and I are just going "What??? How???". Now what are we going to DO with it??? Bike Boy wants to keep it and takes it into the kitchen to get it food, water, give it a name, make it a bed, give it bath, whatever. We can't keep it. Again, I do like cats and I am a tad tempted....maybe to redeem myself after Wednesday? Maybe this is the dead cat reincarnate?...but I don't believe in that hokey.

I call Capt'n Balance and tell him. He agrees this is getting sort of spooky and asks what I'm going to do with it. I decide we will go around to the neighbors to see if it belongs to any of them or if they want it. No one owns it or wants it. I go to the vet down the road to get the location of the Animal Rescue no-kill shelter. The girls at the vet tell me they just called the shelter and it's full, not accepting any animals. The only alternative is the pound and most likely this little fuzzball will be put down in 48 hrs. Damn. 2 cats gone in less than a week. Bad kitty juju.

One of the girls then says she will take it...YES!!! I'm relieved........the kitty will live. Good kitty juju.

So now I'm home again. The snow has melted and everything is starting to freeze up. I'm tired still. Ready to open a beer and watch mindless TV again. But tonight, I think I will sleep better.

I was taking my road bike to work to ride at lunch but I have been working through lunches. Next week I will take my Kona winter bike with the studded tires and just go for some slow, fresh air rides. I just feel drained.

I cancelled my appt with the neurologist after they wrote me a script for my copaxone...I showed them, huh??

I have some nice pictures to post but blogger is having some issues and I just keep getting error messages. I will post them later.

I HAVE to or no MED for ME

I just got a call from the neurologist office. They will write a script but I HAVE to come in for an appt. Even though I explained I'm doing fine, as long as I keep taking the Copaxone, and I have gone to my primary just this same week and can get copies of the records which show I'm fine....but NO...that's not good enough. I have to have an appt. "For what?", I asked. "Just because" they answer. Just because they want more money?? Want to waste my time??? They only accept appts Mon-Wed from 10 am to 2:30 pm. So I HAVE to miss work. And the appt won't be with the neurologist, it will be with the nurse practitioner. Last time I saw her she didn't even look at me, she just sat and typed our conversation into the computer. I talked to her back. Useless.

My primary dr won't do scripts to the Medco specialty pharmacy...I don't know why.

I have been taking Copaxone since early 2000. I'm not a newbie.

I am so frustrated.

My Eyelashes FROZE

Monday's bike commute didn't happen due to the 1/4 inch thick sheet of ice covering everything. My skinny tires totally slid out on ice. I'm thinking of riding my little old Kona studded tire bike (below), but it's not really that comfortable for commuting...and will probably be much slower to ride. BUT, we will see.

It all melted by Tuesday morning and I rode in as usual. The ride home it was raining but I don't mind the rain, it's the wind that gets me, as I mentioned before. It was blowing soo strong that I had to pedal DOWN the hills! It was slow going.

By Friday the rain and wind had stopped but there was a thick, moist fog in the morning. And it was cold.... 34 degrees upon departure. My chin was frozen and quite uncomfortable until I got about 5 miles into the ride and up the steepest hill before I started producing enough heat warm up. By the time I got to work, I was dripping water off my jacket and helmet from the condensation of fog/body heat and my eyelashes had ice on them...yep. In my panniers, I had wrapped my work clothing around my Nalgene bottle full of hot coffee, hoping the coffee would keep my clothing warm. It didn't and I ended up with cold clothing and cold coffee. It's not fun shimming into cold clothes, I felt cold the rest of the day. But the even ride home was beautiful, so it's all worth it.

I went into Anchorage this weekend and bought a windproof headband to keep my ears warm and also a windproof balaclava with openings for the mouth and nose. I have one, but there is no openings for the mouth and nose it ices over in those areas due to condensation from my breath. No air gets through. Nothing like riding along in 0 degree weather, then starting to see dark spots due to lack of oxygen.

There was also this creepy guy that was following me around REI...I can't believe he was actually looking at the exact same things as I was: bike lights (riding in the dark), sunglasses with clear lenses (again, riding in the dark), the headband and balaclava - he didn't look like an "outdoor" kind of guy, and finally women's long underwear section - when he ended up 12 inches from me AGAIN - I turned and looked him in the eyes...he wandered away then. Ugh, If you have never experienced something like that, there is no way to explain the creepy feeling. I was watching for this guy in the parking lot when I left the store...yuck.


Over the winter I will do a total overhaul of my Santa Cruz Juliana mountain bike and my trusty K2 road commuter bike. I need to get a torque wench for the carbon fiber parts - I've been going by feel, now it's time to do it right . Time to get into the bottom brackets and headset.

Soon I will put my Kona Zing road bike back on the trainer and spin my wheels to no where all winter. Once I get my and my son's bikes hung up in my bike shop (we now have 7 bikes between the 2 of us, not counting any project bikes), I will have additional room for my treadmill (maybe I will start running again). With all that, as well as my work stand, work tables and tools, radio, tv, furnace, mini-fridge...it's getting pretty full in there. My shop fridge is stocked with Kona Fire Rock Pale Ale, so my it's a good place to be if I can't be ouside! I have some bike restoration projects I am looking forward to - an old Raleigh from Nottingham England, with fenders like a 50's automobile and an older Peugeot touring bike with fenders, racks, light and generator. The Peugeot is too big for me but it's a beautiful bike and will be fun to restore. Someone will enjoy it when it's done.



Snow is on the mountains, the leaves are goldenrod (this picture was taken over a week ago, the leaves are hardly green anymore). I harvested the last of the garden, zucchini, cabbage and spiral broccoli which is really cauliflower. Summer is over. It ended too soon. I didn't get as much camping and mountain biking is this summer as I had wanted to, other obligations took over. On the upside, no MS complications or any mini-exacerbations. That's a good thing.

My Copaxone prescription is running out and I REALLY don't want to go to the neurologist just for a script. I really hate going to the dr's. I'm doing good so I hope they won't make me go in.

Sunrise, Cranes and Bike the U.S. for M.S.

The sunrise was spectacular this morning on my ride to work. Flocks and flocks of Sandhill Cranes flew over, squawking loudly as they continue their migration south. This horse checks me out every morning. I can almost hear it thinking "what is THAT?".

I was nice and warm, overall, during my ride. I added a warmer jersey and headband over my helmet liner, warmer gloves. It was hard to get my helmet on over the headband but I got it. It was windy (my nemesis) so I was having second thoughts. I'm can be a wimp sometimes. Then I started thinking of These Guys and Sean Spence and decided not to be such a whiner, get my butt on my bike and go.

It was a good decision, the wind was at my back and I was part of a beautiful morning.

The ride home was different, everyone (drivers) just seemed frantic and wreckless. 2 trucks IN the bike path, I had to go ON the road to get around them. I swallowed a bug, splattered a few others with my face. Noticed the leaves are getting more yellow everyday and was riding INTO the wind (it really wasn't that bad).

Anyway, the http://www.biketheusforms.org/ guys have a great site and blog. They also have webisodes which help raise $ everytime the webisode is viewed, so check them out. They also will help people with MS who are on their route. Pretty cool! Thanks to mdmhvonpa for putting them on my radar. I'm getting one of their t-shirts :)

Keep believing