What a FUN evening. Friend Carol P. and I went down to the Soho Music Club here in S.B for the Monday night “Jazz Jam with Jeff Elliott”. A nice mix of nostalgia and the present, sitting around sipping a drink and listening to JAZZ. It was one of my favorite things to do “back in the day” with buddy Al and/or girl friend Heather; down to The Lighthouse or over to The Mann Hole. Wonderful memories!
(Click on the Image to view the video)
This morning I walked down to Samsum, across from Cottage Hospital, for my annual cardiology treadmill stress test. I was sitting after the collection of the initial rest data awaiting getting on the treadmill with the goal of getting my heart rate to 85% of my age defined max of 155 beats per minute. So I popped up, grabbed my iPhone and recorded these little movies.
I was able to get my heart rate up to 144, 93% of max for my age. Up until today I was understanding that I could not get my heart rate that high because of the beta-blocker medication (Coreg) I take morning and night.
But anon, the beta-blocking stuff apparently just whacks off attempts by the ole pump to jump or spike above the max rate. Too weird as last year I went in for the same test and those technicians told me I could not get my heart rate up using the treadmill because of the beta-blockers so they gave me a shot of some nuclear stuff that dilated my veins and arteries AS IF I’d exercised.
The goal on the test was 85% of max to get good data so I was pleased to get it up to 93% after 13 minutes on the treadmill. That was certainly the hardest part of the test. The second hardest part was when they abruptly stopped the test at which time I am to immediately step off the treadmill and lay back on the table next to the treadmill for a second ultrasound. The technician starts taking ultrasound images while am am asked to hold my breath at several points! A real challenge immediately after the exercise as I’m gulping for air while being asked to “hold”.
When I left Santa Barbara at 1:15 p.m. the temperature was around 70 degrees. It climbed up to 80 as I crested San Marcos Pass and on to 90 when I stopped in Los Olivos for a chilled Sobe Citrus. It continued hot on up Foxen Canyon then dropped into the 60s as I went through Los Alamos and headed west on Highway 135. Dropping down Harris Grade into Lompoc brought the low for the day, 62 degress. Interesting to me it climbed back up 20 degrees, to 82, by the time I transitioned onto Highway 101 from Highway 1 and rode down through the Gaviota Gorge. Then bingo, again back into the 60s at the coast.
An interesting day in many ways but the day’s 28 degree spread obviously caught my attention.
I met friend Carla at the Audi dealership on Hitchcock at 8:20 and we rode out through UCSB and into Isla Vista for a stop at Starbucks. It was the most bicycle traffic I’ve seen at UCSB and in Isla Vista, very fun. After Carla’s coffee and my healthy Starbuck’s turkey-bacon/egg-white/wheat-muffin we rode out to Coal Oil Point then up to Best Buy where we browsed through their netbook and laptop computer offerings. Then it was back to the S.B. Audi dealer and on home for me.