Quick update on the health side.

So last October I posted about the journey I was on to improve my health.

Since then I did manage to lose another 10 pounds, bringing total weight loss to 45 pounds and 6% of body fat.

However, work schedules and some other things did get in the way of riding as much and never did get the mountain bike dusted off.  So since November things have pretty much stayed where they are, I gain and lose in a 5-6 pound range each 7-10 days, mainly due to eating out and still ordering too much food when I do.

I also stopped with the home delivery meals for several reasons: cost increases, quality decreases, missing items and delivery delays that were causing food to get close to spoiling before I got it.  Also was having harder time getting meals cooked with busier schedules at times.  

So have been trying to eat more at home, but sadly moved back to more microwave or quick prep items, so not quite as healthy.

I am still working out at the gym, renewed in February for another 6 months, and also picked up some small things to use at home to work out (now just need to actually use them, been lacking there).

Sadly I have injured myself now a few times, first the elbow, then the knee and now the elbow again, dealt with missing classes due to work and or feeling sick and the last week my allergies have been killing me, and making sleep difficult, so that has impacted everything I do.

Hopefully the rains this past weekend will slow down the allergies (air needed a good washing).  Knee is better, hoping elbow will heal up soon, been slowing down at gym and dropping the size of weights to not over do things.

Going to start trying to work on diet again, need to just remove the restaurants from meals other then maybe a monthly reward of a pizza, perhaps a weekly visit to something not pizza and eat at home more, and try to improve my options there some as well.

So while things have slowed, and stopped forward momentum, not really sliding backwards yet, so still time to get moving forward again.  Did a hike last week (even with the allergies) and moved about 1 ton of rocks from one side of yard to the other, and still quite a bit of work to do there, which is quite a workout!

Will let you know in a few months how things are going again.

Chris

First 2022 Update!

Hello everyone,

So been awhile since I have updated this and a few things to report.

Over the winter I did a few short trips on the bike to visit family in the area, and the usual riding around town, so nothing really new on actual travel, but really got to doing research into gear and seeing what others were doing on their longer travels both in country and overseas.

Following several people on YouTube and Facebook has opened up lots of research topics and lead to some interesting changes in perspective and even choices in gear that I was looking at.

I recently completed most of my home improvement projects I had setup for last year and am now able to start moving funds towards the cycling projects.  Have been saving and setting aside incoming funds from various sources to be spent on this project and this last month I finally started to spend those funds.

I will go into a bit more detail on them in a future post on each, and have photos/video, but have finally acquired a new helmet and proper riding jacket and pants to use.  So now have a complete outer layer.  Also trying out a few options for base layer and mid layer clothing to see what works so I can get some of that purchased.

I also picked up quite a few additions to the GoPro products to enhance my ability to use the GoPro Hero 9 in various capacities.  Some selfie/wide view poles, various types of tripods and mounting points to put on the bike or myself and ability to keep power to the camera and charge batteries, along with more batteries and SD cards.  So should be able to film in lots of different ways using the same camera.  Also picked up waterproof casing so I can use it in hard rains or even dive with it (not a diver, but might be something I pick up along the way lol). 

I then picked up the GoPro Max which will allow 360 degree filming, lots of interesting applications I can see for this based on some usages I have seen from others, will be fun to try it out and learn to use it and the footage in my stories.

I am still researching a drone, but that will probably be a later in the year purchase, lots of things to consider there and some legalities on using them I need to check into first to make sure I will not run afoul of any laws without knowing about them.

I also sent off an old point and shoot camera to convert it into a Infrared camera, seen some footage done by another photographer and it was amazing, so thought that would be something I would like to try and see if it can add another layer to images I take on my future travels.  Hopefully have it back next week.

I also picked up a new helmet mounted camera/comm system that should allow me to film from my helmet viewpoint and I will be able to narrate right into that video what is going on, and save time having to voiceover it later.  Really liked the results I saw from some other riders using it and think it will be a useful tool, and should I ride with other riders at some point, may be able to link them up and stay in communications with them.

Next month I will settle on some of the bike updates like luggage and other storage, some minor enhancements to things on the bike, hooking the GPS up to power (it is mounted now, but not yet connected the power leads to battery).

Will also get some of the crash protections installed, maybe some extra lights...not sure I need them yet or not, and working on some custom mount ideas for things like the GPS, phone and other items that I would like to have easily usable on the front of the bike.  Not sure when I will move on buying them, but will at least get some research done.

In the bigger news, I am pretty sure my big riding trip to India will finally take place this year.  Borders are open, tour leader seems to be positive it will go forward and things are looking clear for the trip, so I booked my airfare today! Worst case I have to change the tickets to something else, but a few other options for trips I could use it for, though not all bike related, but any travel will work.

So hopefully in the next few weeks I will get some good short day trip and maybe even weekend rides in with the new gear and cameras at work and start putting something other than words up here!  Will start working on learning how to edit video as well, got some software today that was recommended by a friend who uses it for doing videos and the results have looked good, so hopefully I can make it work, otherwise, lots of other products out there.  Bigger challenge will be learning the tricks and figuring out how to use the application.

I may try to make the trip to the Overland Expo in Flagstaff again this year, though it is moving back to its normal time frame in May, so might be a bit close to my India trip, so not sure yet, will decide in a few weeks.

So will end this for now, and will try to get a few videos up going over the new gear and discussing some other things in the next month or so, practice fodder for the video editing if anything LOL.

Till then