The PMS Ride

On Saturday, September 14, 2013, Chris Horner came in second on the legendary Angliru climb in the Vuelta a Espana, thereby sealing his victory in the three-week stage race and becoming the first North American to win the race as well as the oldest winner of a grand tour in the history of cycling. In fact, according to the powers-that-be in the cycling world, Horner is the only North American to win a grand tour since Greg Lemond did so in the 1990's. (Lance Armstrong and Floyd Landis have been cast into the outer darkness for using the same performance enhancing drugs that almost everyone else used in their era.) An interesting story about Horner's achievement can be found here. I especially recommend watching the video clip from the race. (By the way, the photo up top shows Horner in perhaps his most famous pre-Vuelta moment. Click on this link to read the story associated with the photo.)

In my own smaller world of cycling, on September 14th I completed a 68-mile ride that hits the hardest climbs and the best views of any road ride in north-central Arkansas. I may, however, need a little reader assistance in naming the ride. I'm not sure I hit quite the right tone in calling it "The PMS Ride," but in this context PMS would stand for Push, Matney, and Shipps--the three biggest climbs on a very hilly course.

The ride started at the Sheid Bridge on AR 341, which has a lovely view of the famous White River and its impressive limestone bluffs. From the bridge my friend Laurie and I headed south on AR 341, first working our way to the top of the 2-mile climb up Matney Mountain. The average gradiant on this climb is only 5.9%, but that is because of a long flat section about half-way up. Most of the climb is in the 7-8% range, and even so it kicks up nastily near the very top.

There are stunning views of the surrounding Ozark National Forest from the top. About a mile after the crest of Matney, we slanted off to the right on Shipps Landing Road. A beautiful descent takes one to the landing, which was fogged-in on the day we rode, but which normally provides agreeable views of the riverfront. The climb back up Shipps is actually considerably longer than the descent since the road continues uphill after the right turn at the intersection with 341. The total climb is 2.4 miles at an average of 5%, but note that the first half of the climb is quite easy. Then the road pitches up very sharply for three-tenths of a mile; parts of this section hit 20% and all of it is brutally hard. After turning right at the stop sign, you climb another half-mile to the very top at an average grade of about 7%.

The 15 miles or so through the Ozark National Forest to the base of Push Mountain contain some of the prettiest (and least traveled) blacktop in this part of Arkansas.

There is the occasional roar of passing motorcycles enjoying what is widely known as "The Arkansas Dragon," but the road is usually empty of all traffic, and loudest noises are the humming of insects and the ticking of bicycle freewheels. (Except that several times a year the entire region is disturbed by the deafening overhead passage of AirEvac helicopters picking up the careless motorcyclists who crash on the descent of Push Mountain.)

Push Mountain is a punishing 2-mile climb with an average grade of 7-8%. It has the switchbacks of the classic climbs of the Rockies and Sierras, but it is a bit steeper. (For comparison, the famous Flagstaff Climb in Boulder, CO, is twice as long but with a gradient of only 6.4%.) Follow this link to a nice web page about Push Mountain Road.

At the top of Push Mountain we turned around and backtracked the 15 miles or so to the Sheid Bridge, crossing the river again and heading north to the intersection with 201 and the right turn toward the "Jordan Loop." This loop of about 30 miles has one big climb of its own (1.1 mile at 6.5%) and a descent of truly stunning beauty with expansive views of Norfork Lake and and the dramatic crossing over the Norfork Dam. Laurie and I added a bit more challenge and a bit more beauty to the ride by taking the turn to Jordan Landing and back.

Once we completed the loop, we finished off the ride with 10 miles of flat pavement on the River Road, enjoying its views of the dramatic bluffs overlooking the White River. 

Here is a link to more data about the ride (for those of you with Strava accounts). I hope to try it again in the coming weeks of pleasant fall weather--perhaps adding to its more than 5,000 feet of climbing by taking a little side excursion up 201 to the spur roads overlooking the White River from the top of the bluffs. 

Snake Day

This morning Sue noticed that the pair of Phoebes nesting just ouside our back door where very agitated. When I came out to see what was going on I was able to snap these two photos of a contented black snake who had obviously found a way to make a meal of someyoung hatchlings.

Later in the morning I saw this pretty little garden snake twined around the protective grate of our new heat pump.

Fergus Survives Cytauxzoonosis -- aka Bobcat Fever

Cytauxzoonosis or Bobcat Fever has been aptly described as Ebola for domestic cats. The disease is endemic and nonfatal in bobcats, but is far more deadly among smaller cats. It was first observed in Missouri in 1976 and killed over 90% of infected felines. It has since spread from Florida to North Dakota and as far east as Pennsylvania.

Lone Star Tick

The disease is caused by a protozoan parasite named Cytauxzoon and is spread primarily by the lone star tick. During a certain stage of development, these protozoa gum up the smaller vessels in the cat's circulatory system, eventually causing multiple organ failures and an agonizing death. The initial symptoms are lethargy and (at least in our cat Fergus) the vomiting of clear bile at intervals of several hours.

I first noticed Fergus vomiting sometime during the night of Friday, May 24. Since Fergus often goes out to eat grass and then comes inside before throwing up, I didn't make much of it--except for being mildly surprised by the absence of grass in the bile. By Sunday morning he had vomited several more times and was dozing continually. I isolated him with a clean litter box and set out measured amounts of food and water to see if he was seriously ill. He didn't eat or drink, and when he vomited a few more tablespoons of clear bile at 6:30 pm without even having the energy to get off the bed, we put in an emergency call to our veterinarian, Dr. Christina White of the Animal Health Center in Mountain Home, Arkansas.

By 7:30 pm she was treating him. He had a fever of over 107 degrees (about 100 is normal in cats), and she immediately suspected Bobcat Fever. She put him on an intravenous drip to begin hydrating him in an effort to bring down the fever. She also took a blood sample and examined a smear under a microscope in order to confirm her diagnosis.

Note  the shaved patch where the IV was attached

Only three years ago Fergus would have been doomed at this point. Among animals whose temperature exceeded 106 degrees, the survival rate was minuscule, and death was expected within one to three days. The most humane treatment would have been euthanasia.

Fortunately, in 2010 a pair of veterinarians from the University of Missouri published a paper about a promising new treatment of Cytauxzoonosis, involving hospitalization, hydration, and aggressive treatment with the antimalarial drug Atovaquone and the antibiotic Azithromycin. They reported a survival rate of approximately 60%.

Fergus remained hospitalized until Wednesday, and then we brought him home with our precious vials of Atovaquone and Azithromycin to continue his treatments for another week--1.7 cc of Atovaquone every 8 hours and 1 cc of Azithromycin daily, administered by prying his mouth open and squirting the doses down his throat with a syringe.

Although he seemed entirely cured as soon as he was released from the pet hospital, we were aware of the need to be sure that no more protozoa were developing in his blood system and that he did not develop any secondary infections as a result of the circulatory stress and potential  organic damage. Only now can we begin to breath easy.

Fergus has gone from being a pampered pet who treasured the beauty of an Arkansas spring to an even more appreciated pet who is already seeking out more cerebral indoor enjoyments like card games and music.

Further Information:
http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/circulatory_system/blood_parasites/cytauxzoonosis.html

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120418162258.htm

http://www.examiner.com/article/most-cats-with-bobcat-fever-saved-by-new-treatment

http://www.catster.com/the-scoop/house-cats-falling-prey-to-bobcat-fever

Cell Phone Cinema

In past blogs I have tried to highlight what can be done with the relatively primitive digital camera on my cell phone. Recently, I have upgraded to a much more advanced cell phone, a Samsung s390g. It is still a Tracfone and its total cost was less than $35 so it is not very advanced by contemporary standards. Still, one can use it to place and receive calls; it has a very fine mp3 player along with a standard assortment of calendars, calculators, memo pads, and alarms; it has free web browsing via wifi; and most importantly from the point of view of this blog entry, its two megapixel camera is a big step up from the one on my previous phone. Sue says that it isn’t really a smartphone, but rather one with above average intelligence. I am now using it almost exclusively to record my progress in construction. The video here is my first use of the movie camera on the new phone:

Speaking of construction, I have just passed a number of milestones. The windows are all in so that the west wing is now completely enclosed. The wiring is finished. The mini-split heat pump is scheduled for delivery today. And crucially the ping pong table has been moved from the garage to it new home in the west wing.

Bedroom wall--Note the wiring

Two layers of 1/2" foam provide insulation

The fixed-pane windows

The area for the mini-kitchen with its window

The great room

Almost Enclosed

After four more weeks of work--made intermittent by Christmas celebrations and the inevitable winter weather--we have finished the siding and begun work on the interior.