Motorcycle, my patootie...

My blood pressure has never been "off the charts" high, it stays around the 120's 140's over the 60's and 70's. It's the pulse rate that stay low. It was 44 this morning, and will seldom get of 65.  I, however, inherited my Dad's affinity for congestive heart disease..not a good thing, but managable. My doctor said... "NO MORE ALCOHOL, EXERCISE, GET THAT HEART RATE UP! LOSE WEIGHT! ...and take this pill. It'll help.

I did lose about 15 lbs, about 285 is as low as I get. I feel good.

I did stop drinking alcohol, except when it's my birthday and the Bing Brothers buy a bottle of Bushmill's. I get one slug, and they fight over the rest.They let me play music with them, if I can keep up. I still think a little Irish makes one play better, and keep up...that might be  one man's opinion. I digress.

The Primary Doctor says I need to exercise more. I told him I did 60 miles a week on my bike. He asked what good does it do to ride a motorcycle. I give up!

Primary Doctor is Indian, bless his heart, and I wonder if he really understands what I tell him. "I have dizziness when I get out of the car after driving for an hour or so," I say. Primary says, "You have sleep apnea". So what about the dizziness I wonder and I drive home.

Finally

Primary has a Secondary, who finally listened to me, cut my med in half and no more dizziness. Secondary started the Mantra. No drinking, exercise, stay out of Mickey D's, get your heart rate up three times a week. I ride my bike I say... the look...well, we're making progress, no more dizziness.

Exercise...

The human race runs for two reasons. To catch something to eat, or to keep from becoming something to eat. No Homo Sapien adult runs unless something's chasing him. Oh, you have the occasional old man who still jogs. It is no longer as cool as it once was.

Children run for fun. Young people and young adults run after balls and each other. Running, for modern man, is a trivial pursuit. We are the slowest animal on the planet, excluding the sloth and turtles.Why run? Everything that wants to catch us, can. I think I'd rather face what's gonna' eat me...I can get one punch in...

I think that is why we humans developed the wheel, to give us a little leg up on the speed thing. I can out run little dogs on my 10 year old Gary Fisher 24 speed bike. I cannot out run  the big dogs. They require desperate measures...a water gun filled with ammonia and a shot of adrenaline.

My blood pressure is always lower after I ride...and my heart rate up. Success! There is a formula for how many times a week you have to get your heart rate up and for how long.
Them hills don't know the formula, and I can't remember it. Them hills say, "Here  he comes again, boys, wanna' make a bet he doesn't make it this time"? I just peddle and pant, and when I finish, I'm back at home.

Motorcycle, my patootie.