Hard Labor Creek (State Park #2)

April 17 2010

Today marks the opening day of Renn Fair, it also marks the first time in I don't know how long I wasn't there. We decided to hike instead.

Our plan had been to get up early and get the hiking done and get back home and spend the day chilling out. While we were driving to the park, I told Dave he should call his friend Dan to see if he wanted to go with us. Dave and Dan had always loved doing things outside together, so I thought it might be fun for all of us to go.

After stopping to watch Dan's daughters softball game, taking him home to change clothes and a lunch at Chili's (I had guiltless grill chicken and black beans thank you very much) and driving about 30 miles we arrived at Hard Labor Creek park.

They have two trails that are 1 mile each and if done the right way you can walk both loops to get 2 miles without backtracking.

The hike was fun, lots of elevation changes and we got to see 6 wild pigs!!! The very end was difficult for me as it was a pretty steep incline but I did the two miles only having to stop twice because I couldn't breath.

I honestly think that the day was more fun than if we'd gone to Renn Fair, I felt really good after the hike and Dave got to spend the day with his buddy.

Milestone Day

April 16, 2010

For the first time since I was diagnosed 1 year 5 months and 13 days ago, my morning fasting BS was under 126, it was 115. (for those that dont know about diabetes, 126 is the magical number that you want to be under to show you're under control)

Tax Day Hike

Several places around the US were having "tax day specials". One place was Boston Market, it was buy one get one free, so we went for a turkey dinner which was actually very good, but it had a lot of carbs

After dinner we headed to a county park near our house, Mountain Park Park (no thats not a typo). They have a one mile multipurpose track so we set about to do a mile in 20 minutes!!



We had spent the previous two days resting my legs because to be honest, I had pushed it and could barely move without extreme pain so I was anxious to see how I would handle this mile. Dave set his timer and off we went, it was a fun way to walk, lots of people there. We did surprisingly well, we did a mile in 18:30... I was so excited I insisted we do another one, just to see if I could. I was convinced our time would be much slower. It was indeed slower, BY 5 SECONDS...can you hear the excitement with which that was typed? Needless to say we were both very proud of ourselves and each other

Mr & Mrs. Byers Neighborhood

April 12, 2010

Mondays are our official weigh in day, and it went like this
Dave 300
Shannon 216
(painful, but I have to be honest)

We have lived in our neighborhood for 4 years this month. In all that time we have never ever taken a walk any farther than the house across the street.

We had been marking distances while driving on previous days to see how we would need to walk to do a mile, so after dinner Dave, I and my extremely painful shins and thighs set out on our adventure.

We decided to walk the main street because of the elevation changes it had (thats a nice way of saying the huge friggin hills we were gonna have to go up and down. Starting out we did pretty well, even though we were pretty much breathless immediately. We got down to one corner and found 3 guys hanging out (if you ask me they were all tweaking on some serious drugs) but they appeared friendly.

It was very interesting to view the neighborhood outside the car, but I have to say it was a really really painful walk and add smokers lung to that and it made the hills seem like Mount Everest.

We only stopped a couple of times and managed to do a mile in 26 minutes. We were very proud, but determined to aim for 20 minute miles in the future.

Pork Chop Casserole

This was a recipe Dave found that he wanted to try:


Ingredients

* 4 (1 1/4 inch thick) pork chops
* salt and pepper to taste
* 1 tablespoon butter
* 3/4 cup milk
* 1/4 cup water
* 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Season pork chops with salt and pepper to taste. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Saute the pork chops in the butter for about 5 minutes per side.
3. In a separate medium bowl, combine the milk, water and soup. Place the pork chops in a 9x13 inch baking dish and pour the soup mixture over the chops.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes.



When I cooked these, I browned them in olive oil instead of butter, and seasoned the chops with pepper and garlic powder. We served over rice

It turned out really well and the nutrition worked out like this for 1 chop, 3/4 cup rice and 3/4 cup gravy

Calories 386
Fat 10.8 grams
Saturated fat 3.5
Carbs 45 grams
Fiber 3 grams
Protein 7.9 grams

Fort Yargo (State Park #1)

April 11, 2010

We got up and left Mama & Daddy's to go home and commence on our hike for the day. After a VERY bad breakfast at the Ryan's in Griffin (never ever ever go there people)we went to Walmart to look for a new bicycle seat for me. Let's just say that the bike seats that come on bikes these days are not made for humans. After riding only a few 100 yards, I had severe bike butt, and was swollen in places that made it impossible to pee without severe pain.

We got me a new seat with no horn and a odometer thingy to hook to it so that next time I would know how far I had gone before crying in pain in again.

We got back up to our neck of the woods and stopped at yet another walmart, the reason escapes me at the moment, other than it was time for a painful pitstop. We looked at "outdoor" things and ended up buying two 5 dollar pedometers to take hiking with us. Hindsight Note: 5 dollar pedometers don't work worth a crap.

After getting home, unloading, taking a shower, setting the stride on the pedometers, packing the backpack and cooler we were off to Fort Yargo.

Note to other Georgia residents. Admission to parks has gone up since we were last there, a day pass is now 5 bucks and a yearly is 50 (comes with one free night of camping though)

We drive around and find where we want to enter the trail and off we go!!! We notice the trail is marked in tenths of a mile, which is cool, we can use that tell if we have the pedometers set right...if the damn things actually worked that is.

I have no idea how far we walked but guessing from the mile markers and the pain in my legs we are estimating approximately 2 miles.

Embarrasing Bike Adventure

April 10, 2010

They say you never forget how to ride a bike...that may be true but nobody ever told me it hurts like hell when you haven't done it for 20+ years.

The day started out fun enough. We met our friends Jay and Ann in Little Five Points to eat at the Vortex, its a place we love but very rarely get to go. When lunch was over we drove down to Mama & Daddy's to get the bike they were giving me!!! I was REALLY excited.

Until I got on it and rode a few feet. I was beyond shocked to find....it hurt

Dave and I took off down the road, I made it about 200 yards before I found I was actually starting to cry from the pain. Laying in the road and dying seemed like a real option at the time. Imagine my big surprise to find that a 41 year old can't ride a bicycle like a 12 year old!

So, the bike adventure did not last long. Talk about having your bubble burst.

That night after dinner we went for a walk to the cemetery in their town so that I could try to stretch out the muscles that were revolting on me, we didn't have a way to figure how long the distance was but we are guessing the trip there and back was about a mile.

One benefit of the day was that I slept ALL night that night and it had been a very long time since that had happened.