Handy iOS tip

My background is in journalism and for me there is no greater motivation or tool to spark the imagination than settling down to a good magazine or book on a subject that I'm passionate about. At this point in my life, cycling and running have become an increasingly important pass time so I subscribe to several magazines on these topics.

I have graduated from listening intently for the letter carrier to arrive with my latest magazine to checking my Nook or Newsstand App for the that latest installment. In my world, this is one of the greatest innovations of our time: Fewer trees are killed and fewer boxes of back issues clutter my basement. My back issues are available digitally, at least in theory.

I say in theory, because I can never put my hands on those back issues. They are too often trapped behind stacks of old newspapers and other magazines or the Christmas decorations that can never quite find their way to where they should logically be stored the other 11 months of the year.

Not anymore. I discovered a handy iOS trick. When I come across an article I want to reference later, I take a screen shot of either my iPad or iPhone by pressing the on/off and Home buttons simultaneously. This puts an image of the page in my photo stream, which I then put into the appropriate notebook in Evernote.

And there you go, instantly accessed anywhere. No trees died. And I may never have to make another trip to Office Max to buy bankers boxes. And, no more disapproving looks from my wife when she sees those books come in the house.

Bike KC Facilities Map

I picked up a copy of the Bike KC Facilities Map for 2013. Awesome map of Kansas City bike lanes, signed roots, grails and planned facilities. Nice to see the future Katy Trail Connecter marked. Full color and everything.

Johnson County has a nice map of the county bike path system which you can find at Shawnee Mission Park and other places. It would be nice to see a full-color, metrowide map.

Maybe now the Kansas City and Johnson County Bike Clubs have merged somebody will do one.

Bad Day for Garmin

Garmin Sharp had to pull out of their first race of the season when their entire fleet of bikes was stolen out of their team truck in France.

VeloNews Story

Cavendish Looking Good

Omega Pharma Quckstep's Mark Cavendish is looking good for the Tour this year, I think. He had a great season last year. This year he won the Tour of Qatar.

Velo News Story about Cavendish

ESPN's Hidden Site

It's hard to find, but if you follow cycling, triathlon or running, ESPN has a decent endurance sport running site. It is tucked away under Other Sports.

ESPN Endurance Sports

Got to ride this weekend.

While the Northeast is dealing with "thunder snow" we here in Kansas City are going to be treated to a weekend with two days in the 50s. Not bad for February.

My biggest decision will be which bike to ride? Should I ride the Sirrus on the bike bath or the Allez on the roads? How about both. Why not!

Spring is right around the corner.

Just Get On The Road

Today I applied my Just Get On The Bike philosophy to running. It worked.

I was watching the kids today and by the time Amy got home I was in a food coma watching Wild, Wild West with a date to watch Emergency! at 4 p.m. Childhood favorites.

But I knew I needed to run. Especially because I am facing minor surgery in March. I want to be in the best shape possible, and because it is hernia surgery, it would help if I lost a few pounds. I won't be able to run or cycle for several weeks after that in any case.

I checked my blood sugar before heading out. I was at 146, which in my experience is too low to begin exercise without taking on any carbs.

At this point, let me say that early in my exercising career (still in its infancy) I would exercise to drop my blood sugar. I am trying to be more in control, so my goal now is to maintain while I exercise. My goal for this and every workout is to start in the high 100s and finish a few points lower. In the past, when I was newer to diabetes and flying high, I would start around 250 and aim to finish about 100 points lower.

I'm not sure what a doctor would tell you about this, but this is how I do it.

Anyway, I downed a G2 and headed out. Reluctant. I walked the first block to warm up, then set off on a two-mile course I mapped out in Map My Run. I ran most of it. I walked a few blocks in the middle, but I feel pretty good about what I did.

Not only did I go out when I didn't feel like it and, once again, proved that almost always you get into a groove and enjoy the activity once it begins, I did a full two miles.

Slow, but I did it. But that's not what it's about.

I have to say, I'm set up for a good rest of the day! My blood sugar at the end of the activity was 135. I should be in target when dinner rolls around in about an hour.

I can't wait until it gets warmer and I am able to run more comfortably and early in the morning. Right now, it's freezing first thing in the morning and I'm not heading out in that.

I'm not that into it. Yet.