Sunday, 9/12/2021 to Saturday, 9/18/2021

This blog post is saved as I write it to avoid the Blogger "Auto Save" feature. I have found (as have others) that if you accidentally delete your entire blog post before you publish it that "Auto Save" will kick in within seconds to take you to a blank page. I have done this more than once! This feature is turned off once you publish the blog post. Then if you accidentally delete your entire post it is not final until you click Update (so you have a chance to realize that you are about to do something stupid).

I walked once this week, 1.1 miles.

I ran once this week, 1.1 miles.

I biked 5 times this week, 63.03 miles.

I took 32,966 steps this week according to my Garmin Venu smartwatch.
My Venu gives me steps, heart rate, hours slept and floors climbed (take those last 2 data points with a grain of salt). My Withings WS-50 Smart Body Analyzer scale gives my weight.

WALKING/RUNNING/BIKING: I have done a bit of research. I think I have plantar fasciitis in my right heel. So ... I will be walking for a while or running a mile every so often. I can still walk slowly and bike. Yes, I know I should go to see the doctor. I bought a new pair of Kuru Atom walking shoes from www.kurufootwear.com on 8/1. Their claim that they help anyone with foot problems spoke to me since my feet really hurt after a day of walking. I also bought 2 Solemenders to help ice my right heel.

BTW, I am on a 445 day streak of either a walk, run or bike of greater than 1 mile (as of Saturday night, 9/11). There were a few days when a mile was all I could walk or limp.

COVID-19: I have a L3Harris Vaccinated badge to put on my L3Harris badge when I work for Ricoh on -site but I still wear a mask. L3Harris went back to all mask policy despite vaccination status on 8/3. I still wear a mask when I go into a grocery store like Wegmans or BJs. I still socially distance. Why? Because of the Delta variant that's why. Christine and I have had both shots of the vaccine (hers was Pfizer and mine was Moderna). All my kids have had the COVID-19 vaccine or have had COVID-19 (and then got the vaccine).

Sunday, 9/12/2021 

4544 steps, 48/137 resting/max HR, 7:14 hrs sleep, 185.3 lbs, 18 floors climbed

run: 1.1 miles, 10:17, 9:20 pace, 7 feet elevation gain, 128/143 avg/max HR, 153/165 avg/max cadence, 73F, 73% RH, 4 to 20 mph W wind, cloudy

shoes: Kuru Atom 27.79 miles

Yes ... a run. The weather looked a bit iffy for a bike and I wanted to just get out and get it done. I stretched my right heel the best I could ... and headed out. It hurt a bit ... but I kept going. It hurt a bit more at about 1/2 mile ... I walked for a few feet. I didn't want to walk it in for another 1/2 mile so ... I ran again ... it hurt a bit ... but I kept running. I got it done. I took 2 ibuprofen when I got back inside.

Later ... I watched the Buffalo Bills play the Pittsburgh Steelers at Highmark Stadium in Buffalo. The Bills looked good up 3-0, 10-0, 10-3, 10-6 ... until the Steeler just shoved aside. The Steelers scored 1 TD and then another TD on a blocked punt with 10 minutes to go to take a 10-20 lead. Then it was FGs the rest of the way. The Bills lost 16-23.

Then we got dressed and headed out the Cracker Barrel by Marketplace Mall to meet up with my youngest son, David, and his girlfriend, Tati. They told us all about their plan to move down to Lake Charles, Louisana on Friday. It will be a 2 day drive with an overnight stay in Nashville. They will each be driving their car. David will be a cash office supervisor and Tati will be a slot attendant/supervisor at L'auberge Casino, L’Auberge Lake Charles Casino Hotel in Lake Charles, LA (llakecharles.com). 

David & Tati

Christine & me (Christine dressed up so I did too, lol)

David really applied pressure for us to adopt one of their cats. Perhaps we will take a look at her while Karen takes care of 2 of their 4 cats. The plan is for them to stay on property for 2 to 3 weeks so they can get their first paychecks and get an apartment. Then they will come back up for their stuff that is in storage and 2 of their 4 cats.

Much later ... there was a line of severe thunderstorms that moved through after 11 AM. Well ... there was a confirmed EF1 tornado in Livingston County at 1 AM with estimated winds of 110 mph that was on the ground for 0.8 mile and 75 yards wide. A 10whec link here and National Weather Service link here. There were no injuries but a barn was damaged and tree uprooted.

Monday, 9/13/2021

4657 steps, 46/110 avg/max HR, 7:56 hrs sleep, 186.0 lbs, 9 floors climbed

bike: 13.33 miles, 1:05:32, 12.2/17.2 avg/max mph, 50 feet elevation gain, 92/104 avg/max HR, 24 avg respiration, 53/75 avg/max cadence, 60F, 100% RH, 1 to 9 mph SW wind, partly cloudy

I got out on my usual "Out to East Manitou Rd" route. I didn't let the damp ground from last night's rain stop me. I saw lots of blue herons (1 on Buck, 4 on Long and 1 on Cranberry). I also had a lengthy (about 2 to 3 minutes) stop for a school bus on Island Cottage. A bus driver was loading a disable child into a mini-bus. I am sure that the stopped traffic was just as pleased as I was ... not very.

Tuesday, 9/14/2021

6522 steps, 46/115 resting/max HR, 8:07 hrs sleep, 183.8 lbs, 6 floors climbed

bike: 13.51 miles, 1:01:48, 13.1/19.4 avg/max mph, 60 feet elevation gain, 99/116 avg/max HR, 24 avg respiration, 56/74 avg/max cadence, 61F, 98% RH, 1 to 9 mph SE wind, cloudy

I got out on my usual "Out to East Manitou Rd" route. I saw lots of blue herons again (1 on Buck and 6 on Long). A question for Google: "Is there an albino blue heron or am I seeing a stork on Long Pond"? Well ... Google says that there is a "great white heron", link to a Sibleyguides 2007 entry here and images here.

Wednesday, 9/15/2021

4419 steps, 46/102 resting/max HR, 6:58 hrs sleep, 183.7 lbs, 7 floors climbed

walk: 1.1 miles, 18:05, 16:28 pace, 9 feet elevation gain, 84/98 avg/max HR, 109/118 avg/max cadence, 70F, 90% RH, 2 to 8 mph S wind, overcast

shoes: Kuru Atom 28.89 miles

It was a bit wet out so I just took a walk on my "Another mile" route.

Well ... we now are catsitting a cat. David and her girlfriend, Tati, are moving to Lake Charles, Louisiana on Friday so ... we have Nebula, one of their 4 cats. We drove out to Geneva after work. David wasn't expecting us but made up a box with a cat bed for us. His apartment was mostly all packed. We hugged and wished him well on his journey. The sunset was very lovely was we drove west back to Rochester. 

This sunset picture of 9/15 was posted on Facebook by Christopher Irick

We stopped at the pet store next to Wegmans Latta for pet supplies (food, dish, litter, litter box and scooper) on the way home. Nebula explored her new surroundings and meowed a lot before settling down for the night. 

Thursday, 9/16/2021

6283 steps, 49/109 resting/max HR, 183.4 lbs, 4 floors climbed

Well ... today is my 64th birthday. It's another revolution around the sun as Bill Murphy would say. Bill Murphy at last Facebook post was out somewhere doing another Mainly Marathon half. He does this daily for 6 to 8 days in a row ... BTW ... he is 73 years old!

A bit of reflection is warranted. What have I learned? Well ... my 63rd year was bit of a struggle. My right heel has been bothering me since early June. I have tried buying new shoes and various other things that sometimes I even try to use. I stretch more than I usually do but not as much as I should. I am getting closer to going to the doctor. I am on day 450 of my walk/run/bike greater than 1 mile streak ... so I am stubborn. Some might say I am stupidly stubborn ... my wife, my daughter ... even my ex-wife, lol.

bike: 13.29 miles, 1:01:09, 13.0/18.0 avg/max mph, 54 feet elevation gain, 100/110 avg/max HR, 24 avg respiration, 55/70 avg/max cadence, 58F, 100% RH, 2 to 6 mph SW wind, clear then sunny

My first moving selfie!

My darling wife, Christine, had to hold Nebula when I backed my bike out this morning. I was afraid that the cat would bolt when I opened the door.

I reflected on my life as I rode on my favorite "Out to East Manitou Rd" route. I am thankful for my journey. It's had some ups, downs and middles. Anyway ... I saw 8 herons today: 2 blue on Cranberry, 5 blue and 1 white on Long. I like looking for them on the way back when I am riding with the ponds on my right. They are quite skittish so I don't try to take pictures of them too often.

I looked at the various birthday emails in my Yahoo inbox. The one that caught my eye was a FREE 12" 1-topping pizza from Salvatore's. So ... I went to the Salvatore's on Latta after work. It was all ready when I got there. It smelled good in the car ... it was delicious to our taste buds too! Mmm!!!

Friday, 9/17/2021

4571 steps, 48/118 resting/max HR, 7:28 hrs sleep, 183.2 lbs, 9 floors climbed

bike: 9.48 miles, 46:26, 12.2/30.2 avg/max mph, 93 feet elevation gain, 101/135 avg/max HR, 23 avg respiration, 54/88 avg/max cadence, 64F, 96% RH, 1 to 6 mph W wind, hazy

I needed a change of scenery so I rode my "Out on the pier and around" route. Lake Ontario was calm. Nebula was calmer today and didn't hang around us as much. She did walk across my laptop twice though, lol!

Saturday, 9/18/2021

1970 steps, 46/122 avg/max HR, 11:05 hrs sleep (more like 7 hours since I was in bed on the laptop before going to bed and after waking up), 181.9 lbs, 7 floors climbed

bike: 13.32 miles, 59:08, 13.5/19.3 avg/max mph, 51 feet elevation gain, 105/128 avg/max HR, 26 avg respiration, 57/73 avg/max cadence, 71F, 92% RH, 9 to 13 WSW wind, mostly cloudy

I got out a bit later on my usual "Out to East Manitou Rd" route. There was a headwind on the way out so the tailwind pushed me home. I saw 5 herons: 2 on Cranberry, 2 blue and 1 white on Long) plus the usual swans: 8 on Buck and 5 on the little pond at the end of the LOSP trail. I saw more runners, bikers and walks than usual since it was later.

Then my darling wife, Christine, and I showered and got ready to head the road to see my sister, Diane, and her husband, Jim. They live down in Lexington KY and were up visiting his parents and seeing people. We met at the Applebee's on Bay Rd in the Wegmans plaza. I didn't recognize Jim with his gray beard. Diane was as skinny as ever. We spent a lot of time talking, looking at the menu, eating, talking ... and more talking.

Mmm .... a half rack of ribs with honey BBQ sauce

A picture of us taken by our waitress, Shelly

Jim and Diane DeMent

Then we headed to Bill Gray's on the Pier for 2 medium chocolate milkshakes. It was just after 2:30 PM so they were 1/2 price. We sipped them while we watched the seagulls and pigeons compete for scraps from people along the Genesee River. They watched us too with their beady eyes, lol!

Christine got a text from Tati at 9:27 PM that she and David had just checked into their AirBnB in Nashville. We had called them around 2 PM and she said that they were between Cleveland and Columbus. She said that they had taken a four hour nap in the middle of the night because they were falling asleep while driving. Christine and I had not liked their idea of starting out at midnight ... and that was why.