Laughing Cow, Spinach Chicken Bake

John HurlbutUncategorizedLeave a Comment

So on my Optavia program we’re supposed to have a healthy lean and green meal at some point during the day. You’re supposed to eat 6 times per day and this is usually my next to last meal of the day. A couple of weeks I smoked a bunch of chicken breasts and had those throughout the week. Honestly chicken gets pretty boring for me, and it’s one of the highest protein, lowest fat foods we can have. (At least in the white meat, skinless variety) So it just helps accelerate your progress if you can have it more than say a tender juicy rib eye . . . I’d about do anything for a rib eye right now. Where was I? Oh right. Chicken. Extra lean, white meat chicken. Today I went to our local farm store for lack of a better term. It’s a store that sells a … Read More

Back to Flying?

John HurlbutUncategorized1 Comment

“Just a guy, trying to fly, both literally and figuratively” is the tagline I came up with for this website. Revisiting it today, I realize it’s as fitting as it ever has been. Originally I created this website in order to detail my frustrations with getting my 3rd class medical certificate through the FAA. I eventually conquered those challenges and went on to become a private pilot. During that I was able to reduce my weight from around 310 pounds to 247 pounds. My flight instructor nicknamed me “Wog” . . . it’s short for “Pollywog”. A Pollywog is what becomes a frog as it matures. During the process the Pollywog loses it’s tail. Through the process of getting my pilot’s license, I literally worked my tail off both fighting with the FAA to eventually grant my medical certificate and by losing 63 +/- pounds. I achieved my pilot’s license … Read More

MKJ – Saturday October 28, 2017 – Weigh In

John HurlbutUncategorizedLeave a Comment

Share this PostBeginning600WeightPounds300LostCurrent500WeightWell I knew starting out weight would come off fast, trying to not get too awfully excited about this. But down 5.4 pounds this morning since yesterday. The counters above don't deal in decimals, but I'm down from 370.1 to 364.7. Yesterday I had a massive headache which I'm attributing to Keto Flu. This morning I seem to have more energy than I did yesterday and I think Teri and I are taking the dogs to the dog park so that should be fun. I may also get a new lens for my camera, not sure yet . . . Maybe I'll get in the plane later the afternoon and go for a putt too?

Anyone Remember The Cannonball Run?

John HurlbutFlying, Private pilotLeave a Comment

I wonder if anyone other than Scott remembers the movie “The Cannonball Run”?  Burt Reynolds, Roger Moore, lots of famous folks set off on a race across country and as was bound to happen, hilarity ensues. I’m considering a Cannonball Run of my own this summer. It won’t be a race against anyone per se, it’ll be more a race against myself and proof that having my pilot’s license is valuable beyond simply going for sight seeing adventures around Mount Rainier. Read on oh faithful follower… So I’m now checked out to fly 5 different Cessna 172’s at two different flight schools.  That’s great, for the most part right now, whenever I want to fly, there is a plane available. It ALMOST feels like I’m an owner. However, there are a few things I could do as an owner that I can’t do as a renter.  Land on a beach. … Read More

More Horses in the Stable…AND an Adventure!

John HurlbutUncategorized3 Comments

I’ve been using the excuse lately to not fly of “There are No Planes Available”. And while mostly that’s true, there are probably some other factors going on as well. I’m as heavy as I’ve ever been since my LapBand Surgery and let’s face it, no one has ever called a Cessna 172 “Roomy”. But with the demise of N1151M, the subject of the cover photo of my blog and the first plane I flew in my flight training, my flight school has been down to one single 172. With gorgeous flying weather, this has presented a challenge to obtaining an airplane to fly. Add to it that N84823 has been down in the maintenance shop for a week or so getting it’s 100 hour inspection and there literally were NO planes for me to fly.  They have replaced N1151M with a new (used, but new to them) 172, but … Read More

Cathartic, That’s as Good A Word As Any…

John HurlbutFlying, Private pilotLeave a Comment

I went flying Saturday for just a bit. About 0.7 hours actually. The last time I flew was February 2, 2016. The time before that was November 27, 2015. I’m clearly not flying enough. I’ll post the draft from my February 2 flight as well, I never got around to finishing it. Flying between October and April in the Northwest is somewhat difficult. Lots of low clouds, lots of rain, lots of wind. Certainly not conducive to VFR flying. Yesterday my friend Gordon gave me crap for flying. He said “I’m surprised you’re flying today”. When I enquired why, he said “Because there are clouds”. I called him a dick in jest, because that’s what guys do. It’s true my personal minimums are probably a bit higher than most pilots. My flight instructor was extremely conservative when it came to flying in weather that was maybe ok to fly and … Read More