Fools Fitness Adventurer Extraordinaire

As promised the picture with the tiger written about in last posts, but now on to the next adventure! Firstly, some neat number’s lately. Last official weigh in 298. Last weeks bicycle riding over 60 miles with the biggest single total over a day ride (lots of stops and breaks though) over 31 miles! My weight still fluctuates in such a large range so I think I can really only say that I am flirting with the 290’s. I actually got stopped on the street today by someone who said, ”I’ve been meaning to tell you that you have dropped a lot of weight and are looking good.” As odd as it sounds sometimes those compliments make me a bit nervous. I’m not totally sure why.

(in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s this area was known for being a mill town area getting it’s power to the mills by waterwheels… this I think was what was left of a paper mill that burned down long ago) I love old places and things. Maybe thats why I love old bicycles? It's like I can almost hear whispers of the past.

This is not just about a number on a scale though. It’s about gaining the ability to be able to do new things… and sometimes the courage to do them. I found a local bus that you can take a bicycle on and rode it as far away from my home as I could. Then I took about riding through three towns for an 11 mile or so ride, popping into a couple of flea markets, a library, and then to the main event of the trip… a river bike/pedestrian trail that was an old railroad bed. I didn’t factor one thing though… I was traveling upstream!!! Most of the hills were very mellow but for future reference if you’re following a river downstream might be a bit easier! But if you’re anything like me with dealing with weight you might chuckle as it’s symbolic as it’s an upstream battle getting more fit and healthy. I didn’t ride completely back home on my own peddle power, the last few miles I got a lift back into my town as there is a patch of road that is very busy, narrow, twisty, and has zero shoulders on the side of the road. I’m not sure if I will ever try that stretch, if I did I’m thinking there is small a chance I would end up a hood ornament for a tractor trailer.

If you are out there and are just starting out or on your way in this journey of weight loss and getting fit I hope I can encourage you with this. I have a long long way to go. But in a couple of years even with the ups and downs I’ve gone from barely being able to ride a bicycle for 3 miles to over 30 miles in a day, and over 40 lbs (actually twice). My only special superpower I’ve found so far is the ability to strike fear in the owners of Chinese Food Buffet restarants… If I can do this, just maybe you can too!!! Do it safe and all (have a doctor check you out) but don’t miss out!!! Life isn’t in the fridge. Life is out there, go and see.


(This is not part of the miles you count when you take your bike out for a ride!)

Foolsfitness will sign off for a bit and see what next adventure awaits!- Alan