Stress Test - June 14, 2007

 

I loved teaching for 33 years.
When I said I would pedal across the USA, my classes helped me raise $13,500.

Stress Test

(June 14, 2007)

 

My wife is a worrier. So I can’t just leap aboard my bicycle and ride. Today I have to take a stress test. 

I teach middle school. I know I have stress.

Part of it comes down to age: 58. My weight isn’t too good, either: 190 on a bad day and a little under six feed tall. Eating habits are abominable. Twix bars for breakfast, four cookies for lunch. Bad cholesterol an issue.

So maybe a stress test isn’t a bad idea.

I plan to ride my bicycle over to Jewish Hospital in Kenwood in a few minutes. It’s a little more than nine miles. I do find, without exception, that when I exercise my stress abates.

I recommend that middle school teachers exercise regularly.

Two legs will do the trick.

 

*I’ll note right here that on the cross-country trip to follow, I carried all my own gear. I liked that because it gave me total flexibility to stop and camp wherever I wanted. And if I was really beat, I found a motel.

Four Cool Diabetics at Loveland Middle School

It was my pleasure to return to Loveland Middle School yesterday and talk to Mr. Dave Fletcher's 8th grade history classes about my bicycle rides across America.  Dave is the father of Noelle Fletcher, a young lady who turned up diabetic two years ago at age 26.

I also had a chance to meet four very cool young men and women in person:  Alyssa Heal, Sydney Mahon and Jason Ratterman, all seventh graders, and Dezaree Heath, an eighth grader, all type-1 diabetics.  I didn't have much time to talk to Jason, but by his demeanor it was obvious he was a positive, funny kid, and he did smile and admit he's ready for summer!  Sydney told me she's been type-1 since second grade and remembers parties and celebrations, thinking, "I just wanted to do what other kids did." 

SEE LINK BELOW PICTURE TO DONATE.

I've talked to Alyssa before and Dezaree was in one of Mr. Fletcher's classes.  So I know Alyssa is always upbeat and cheerful.  Dezaree, has been a diabetic since age 2, and it was clear she has a great sense of humor.  Sydney was wonderful, too.  "Sometimes, I don't really want to deal with it, but I have to," she admitted when I asked if being a type-1 diabetic ever got her down.  But the young lady was SMILING the whole time we talked. 

It's an honor to ride in the name of them all.

Mr. Fletcher's students were great--especially considering the fact it was their last full day of school--and they were trapped listening to me.  So I showed them some of the pictures from my trips and places I hope to see this summer (Yosemite National Park, for example) and we handed out fund-raising letters for JDRF to anyone who was interested.  So:  a great "thank you" to Dave and his eighth graders for allowing me to visit and for a very warm welcome.

Dezaree Heath, Alyssa Heal, Sydney Mahon and Jason Ratterman

If you would like to donate to help find a cure for type-1 diabetes please click HERE!  These four young people would appreciate it.

(This single click takes you to my fund-raising page.  There, click again on "donate to this event."  Then click "Biking and Painting for Diabetes."