Health and Fitness

Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Riverside And Beyond: March 16, 2020

March 16, 2020 by Ole Leave a Comment

No hype. No politics. Just information about the Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Riverside and surrounding areas from official sources.

Summary of cases (I am trying to find official data on recoveries):

Region	Cases	Deaths
Riverside County *** updated 03/16/20 pm	15	2
San Bernardino County	1	0
Orange County	22	0
Los Angeles County	94	1
California *** updated 03/16/20 pm with most recent data from 03/15/20	392	6
USA (49 states, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and US Virgin Islands) **	3,536	68
World **	168.019	6,610

** A note about the numbers… It doesn’t seem that all of these organizations report in exactly the same manner. For instance, the WHO number for USA is 1,687 (confirmed) while the CDC shows 3,487 (confirmed + presumptive). Also, the CDC reports US and US repatriates from Wuhan, China and Japan separately for a total of what I believe is 3,536 (3,487 US + 49 repatriates). If I keep this up, I’ll try to better understand and articulate the differences in reporting methods. All the sources are linked below.

*** Updated information accessed 03/16/20 after 10 pm.

Updates:

Riverside County’s public health officer reported the first deaths in Riverside County this evening:

First COVID-19 deaths reported in Riverside County; Public Health Officer also orders social gatherings canceled of 10 or more: https://t.co/CSmmbWdNmf #coronavirus #ruhealth #rivconow
— Dr. Geoffrey Leung (@RivCoDoc) March 17, 2020

Some additional restrictions announced by Governor Newsom:

NEW: Those that are 65 and older or vulnerable to #COVID?19 must practice home isolation.

Bars, night clubs, wineries, and breweries should close in CA.

Restaurants — focus on takeout for those isolating. Maximize social distancing.
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) March 15, 2020

Some potentially good information from the National Institutes of Health regarding a clinical trial of an investigational vaccine:

Launched in record speed, #NIH started enrollment for a Phase 1 #clinicaltrial of an investigational vaccine for #COVID19 for healthy adults in the Seattle area. #coronavirus https://t.co/SzZPgkz485 pic.twitter.com/3PgCr9oQYB
— NIH (@NIH) March 16, 2020

Some reassurance from President Trump that the grocery stores will continue to be stocked and a message not to hoard food and supplies:

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1239650018832891905?s=20

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1239650086491230209?s=20

Sources for the table above:

https://www.rivcoph.org/coronavirus accessed 03/16/20
http://wp.sbcounty.gov/dph/coronavirus/ accessed 03/16/20
http://www.ochealthinfo.com/phs/about/epidasmt/epi/dip/prevention/novel_coronavirus accessed 03/16/20
http://www.publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/ accessed 03/16/20
https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Immunization/ncov2019.aspx accessed 03/16/20
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-in-us.html accessed 03/16/20
https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/685d0ace521648f8a5beeeee1b9125cd accessed 03/16/20

Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Riverside And Beyond: March 14, 2020

March 14, 2020 by Ole Leave a Comment

No hype. No politics. Just information about the Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Riverside and surrounding areas from official sources.

First, some excerpts about COVID-19 from the World Health Organization’s Coronavirus Questions and Answers page (emphasis added):

Read the full Q&A page here: https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses

The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, tiredness, and dry cough. Some patients may have aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or diarrhea. These symptoms are usually mild and begin gradually. Some people become infected but don’t develop any symptoms and don’t feel unwell. Most people (about 80%) recover from the disease without needing special treatment. Around 1 out of every 6 people who gets COVID-19 becomes seriously ill and develops difficulty breathing. Older people, and those with underlying medical problems like high blood pressure, heart problems or diabetes, are more likely to develop serious illness. People with fever, cough and difficulty breathing should seek medical attention. [,,,]

The risk depends on where you are – and more specifically, whether there is a COVID-19 outbreak unfolding there. For most people in most locations the risk of catching COVID-19 is still low. However, there are now places around the world (cities or areas) where the disease is spreading. […]
Illness due to COVID-19 infection is generally mild, especially for children and young adults. However, it can cause serious illness: about 1 in every 5 people who catch it need hospital care.
Source: https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses accessed 03/14/20

Summary of cases (I am trying to find official data on recoveries):

Region	Cases	Deaths
Riverside County	14	0
San Bernardino County	0	0
Orange County	14	0
Los Angeles County	53	1
California	247	5
USA	1,629	41
World	142,649	5,393

Specific information about Riverside County:

As of March 12, 2020, events with at least 250 attendees are cancelled through April 30, 2020.

Read the full order here: https://www.rivcoph.org/Portals/0/Documents/CoronaVirus/FILE_7803.pdf

As of March 16, 2020, schools are closed through April 3, 2020.

Read the full order here: https://www.rivcoph.org/Portals/0/Documents/CoronaVirus/schoolorder.pdf

Most of the reported cases in Riverside County are in Coachella Valley.

Riverside County has 12 confirmed cases – 10 in Coachella Valley and two cruise ship passengers who have not returned to the region since being diagnosed
Source: https://www.rivcoph.org/Portals/0/Documents/CoronaVirus/31320Schoolclosurenewsrelease.pdf accessed 03/14/20

Coronavirus update: We can confirm 2 new #coronavirus cases in Coachella Valley, bringing the total number of cases to 14 in Riverside County. Visit https://t.co/B0PcBKTHe0 for more information. #rivconow #ruhealth @RivCoReady
— Dr. Cameron Kaiser (@RivCoDoc) March 14, 2020

Please subscribe to receive email notifications of new posts.

Sources for the table above:

https://www.rivcoph.org/coronavirus accessed 03/14/20
http://wp.sbcounty.gov/dph/coronavirus/ accessed 03/14/20
http://www.ochealthinfo.com/phs/about/epidasmt/epi/dip/prevention/novel_coronavirus accessed 03/14/20
http://www.publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/ accessed 03/14/20
https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Immunization/ncov2019.aspx accessed 03/14/20
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-in-us.html accessed 03/14/20
https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/685d0ace521648f8a5beeeee1b9125cd accessed 03/14/20

Heat Stroke is No Joke. I learned the hard way.

July 23, 2018 by Ole Leave a Comment

I have always had a high tolerance for heat. I love to hike and enjoy the empty trails when it is too hot outside for most people. At least, I used to, until I learned about heat stroke the hard way.

I guess there’s a good reason that I haven’t seen anyone else on the “Big C” trail yet. #hikeriverside #riversideca

A post shared by Kris (@krisinriverside) on Oct 22, 2017 at 1:50pm PDT

Having said that, I did flirt with heat exhaustion once, which led to changes in my hiking preparedness…

While looking at pictures from past visits to the old Temescal tin mines to share on my website, I was reminded of one of my scariest hikes. On 8/1/17, I solo hiked out to the tin mines on a crazy hot day… up to 107 degrees per my Garmin. I used up all of my water, had no shade, and eventually completely ran out of energy. As I sat on a hill dehydrated and completely out of gas, I was genuinely nervous. Thankfully, a thunderstorm came along and saved the day. The cool weather and rain gave me a much needed second wind. This hike changed my preparation. Now, I always carry more than enough water, energy gel or granola bars, an umbrella for shade and a cell phone charger in case I get stuck and need my phone for an emergency. #hikeriverside #riversideca #lakemathews #hikeinlandempire #hiking

A post shared by Kris (@krisinriverside) on Apr 29, 2018 at 8:21pm PDT

I also have a hard head and have never lost consciousness despite taking some hard hits over the years.

It turns out that hiking in the heat and hits to the head are not my weaknesses. Stupidity is.

On July 6th, 2018, the temperature reached 117 degrees Fahrenheit in Riverside. On that day, I hustled to get my work done (in my hot office) so I could leave in the early afternoon to watch my sons play water polo (in the hot sun). When we got home from the games, we entered a dark, hot house.

Yes, on the hottest day of the year our power went out.

Can’t even report our power outage. Good thing it isn’t hot. Thankful for my @johndeere generator so we can at least run some fans and keep the fridge cold. #helldegrees #highof115

A post shared by Kris (@krisinriverside) on Jul 6, 2018 at 8:40pm PDT

I scrambled to get fuel, lay out cords and set up the generator so we could run some fans, keep the refrigerator cold and watch a movie.

When I finally sat down to relax at about 9 PM, I felt a horrible pain in my abdomen. I got up to walk it off and ended up in the kitchen. The last thing I remember is reaching for a cup out of the cupboard.

The next thing I remember was my youngest son asking me if I was ok. I had passed out and was on the floor. I was probably only out for a minute.

We searched the interwebs and determined that I most likely passed out due to dehydration and the heat. Technically, I don’t know if it was due to heat exhaustion or heat stroke, but it scared the heck out of me. My wife made me drink a ton of water, gave me some ice and sat me down in front of a fan. I was fine in no time.

Looking back on that day, I realized that I drank no water all day. I drank some Diet Coke with dinner, but that was it.

In other words, I was stupid and this was completely avoidable.

The silver lining: I now drink a ton of water and have completely given up Diet Coke.

With the next heat wave starting today (Wednesday is supposed to reach 111 degrees in Riverside), make sure you take care of yourself and know the symptoms of heat-related illnesses:

From medicinenet.com:
Signs and symptoms of heat-related illness vary based on the condition, but may include

an elevated body temperature,

headache,

nausea,

weakness,

dizziness,

fainting,

muscle cramps,

seizures,

confusion, and

coma.

Heat exhaustion and heat stroke can be life-threatening:

From medicinenet.com:
Heat stroke is a medical emergency requiring immediate medical attention. It is the most severe form of heat-related illness, and it can sometimes lead to death or permanent disability.

Also, let’s not forget our four-legged friends. Check this link for some warm weather pet safety tips from the American Veterinary Medical Association.

It’s getting HOT HOT HOT out and tomorrow is going to be a scorcher!!! Keep your furry friends safe with these top tips for heat pet safety! ?????? #safetyfirst #toptips #petsafety #heatstroke #toohot #highof113 #animalcare #animalwelfare #animalshelter #animalfriendsofthevalleys

A post shared by Animal Friends of the Valleys (@animalfriendsofthevalleys) on Jul 5, 2018 at 4:06pm PDT

Don’t be like me. Stay hydrated and stay cool. Water is good.

USA Water Polo vs. Croatia in Long Beach, CA – 06/14/17

June 15, 2017 by Ole Leave a Comment

My youngest son and I watched the fourth and final game of the USA / Croatia men’s water polo exhibition series last night. Croatia won the first three games, but the USA Water Polo Men’s Senior National Team finished off the series with a 7-5 win at Long Beach State.

Here are some pictures of the action…

Alex Bowen scored two in the final game, including this second period goal with one of Croatia’s biggest (6′ 7″ / 250+) players on his back.

Max Irving scored a goal in the fourth period, but I missed the shot so here’s a picture from earlier in the game.

Thomas Dunstan was the scoring leader for Team USA with three goals, including this one with about 2 minutes left in the third period.

Nic Carniglia added this score at the end of the third period.

If you ever wondered how hard these guys shoot the ball, this picture might give some indication…

Final score: USA 7, Croatia 5.

USA Water Polo Men vs. Croatia in Riverside, CA – 06/09/17

June 10, 2017 by Ole Leave a Comment

The USA Water Polo Men’s Senior National Team returned to the Riverside Aquatics Center at Riverside City College last night to host an exhibition game against Croatia.

Since we are a water polo family, we were there.

The last time we watched team USA play in Riverside was back in 2015 when the team took on Serbia. Team USA won that game 9-5.

Unfortunately, team USA lost this game against Croatia 10-12.

The Croatian men’s team is in California for three more exhibition games against team USA:

06/11/17 at Stanford in Palo Alto (Tony Azevedo’s final game)
06/13/17 at Oaks Christian High School in Thousand Oaks
06/14/17 at Long Beach State

Here are some pictures of the action from last night.

For a complete recap and to check the schedule, please visit USA Water Polo’s website.

Alex Bowen led team USA with five goals:

McQuin Baron had seven saves for team USA:

Luca Cupido scored two goals for team USA:

Is Your New Year’s Resolution to Exercise More?

December 29, 2016 by Mrs. Ole Leave a Comment

How about giving running a try? I know there are a lot of you out there who hate running, me included. I’ve never been a gym rat and I needed to find a way to get some exercise in a couple times a week. I tried walking, but unless I walked five miles a day it really wasn’t doing much for me.

I decided to give running a try, and so started my running adventure. By writing this article about my running experience, I hope that it might encourage you to try running too.

In the beginning, I started slow – more walking than running. I probably averaged a 5-1 ratio, meaning five minutes of walking to one minute of running. But hey, at least I was moving. I did this three times a week for about 40 minutes a day. I hated it at first but stuck to it. Now I’m running about three miles every other day, and I’m actually enjoying it. The benefits are great – more energy and I found my waist again.

There are a lot of great tools out there to help you get started. I found two apps that you can download on your phone that I really enjoy: Interval Timer and Runkeeper. Both of these apps are free, too.

The Interval Timer app has a timer you can set that tells you when to walk and when to run. For example, if you want to walk for three minutes then run for one minute you can set the timer for those times. Here is some info on the app from iTunes:

We’re proud to introduce this handy little app that helps you keep track of your work and rest periods during workouts. Whether your into cycling, running, lifting weights, exercise, workout, stretching, boxing, MMA or HIT, this interval timer will prove to be an invaluable asset to you.

The Runkeeper app is what I’m using now. This app uses GPS to track distance, location, time and more. Here is some info on the app from iTunes:

Everyone. Every run. Join the community that helps people get out the door and stick with running forever! Track exercise, set goals, sweat, and see progress along the way. Whether you’re working your way up to tracking a 5K goal or deep into marathon training, use the GPS app trusted by 50 million users and counting.

The only other things I’d recommend are a good pair of running shoes (I currently prefer Asics), ear buds and some good tunes. Give running a try. You might just enjoy it.

Men’s Water Polo: CBU Water Polo vs. Whittier – 10/01/16

October 2, 2016 by Ole Leave a Comment

California Baptist University Men’s Water Polo hosted the Lancer Invite on Friday and Saturday. Since we are a water polo family, I took my sons to watch a few of the games.

Here are some pictures from CBU Water Polo’s 18-7 win over Whittier yesterday at CBU’s pool in Riverside, California:

BMX: Identiti Rebate 1420 Forks on a Redline D26 – 20mm to 14mm Conversion

September 21, 2016 by Ole Leave a Comment

When my oldest son started racing less and playing water polo more, he asked for a dirt jump bike so he could continue riding BMX in some manner. My youngest had taken a break from BMX also, so I stopped racing and bought a dirt jumper too.

I chose the Redline D26 (2014 model). Here it is the day I picked it up at the bike shop:

After shedding some of the lime green, I took it out to the local skate park with my sons. The knobby tires made me a little nervous on the slick cement of the bowl, but it was fun to ride. Being a bit bigger than the average bear, though, I kept bottoming out the suspension forks.

When increasing the preload of the coil spring didn’t solve the problem, I decided to ditch the suspension and go back to rigid forks.

The problem was finding 26″ rigid forks that would work with a 20mm axle. This is my first bike with suspension forks, and also my first bike with 20mm axles. I didn’t know how difficult it would be to find rigid forks that would work with my existing wheels.

Fortunately, a BMX friend (who also rides mountain bikes) suggested the Identiti Rebate Jump 1420 Forks.

The Rebate 1420 forks have 14mm dropouts and come with an axle that slides in to a 20mm hub but converts down to 14mm at the dropouts.

Here is the Identiti Rebate 1420 axle sliding into my existing 20mm hub.

The Rebate 1420 forks come in two lengths: 425mm and 465mm (XL). I chose the XLs, and ended up having some of the steering tube chopped down.

The finished product.

The 1420 axle installed.

Both of my sons have moved on from BMX (dirt and jump), so I haven’t ridden much myself. In fact, I sold all of our BMX race bikes.

Racing BMX was something that I shared with my sons, so I don’t plan to get out to the track very much anymore. I do plan to go every now and then to hang out with the cool people I met along the way.

I took it out to the “One Last Lap” event at the World Famous Orange Y, and the bike felt very solid around the track.

I moved around a bit in the turns on the knobby tires, so I might buy some racing tires.
(Photo courtesy of Christel King Creative)

Whether I replace the tires or not, the Redline D26 with the Identiti Rebate 1420 forks has now become my race bike. I like riding chromoly again.

Men’s Water Polo: USA vs. Australia at Pomona-Pitzer – 05/20/16

September 5, 2016 by Ole Leave a Comment

A few months before the Rio Olympics, we drove out to Claremont to watch the USA Men’s Senior National Water Polo Team take on Australia at Pomona-Pitzer College.

It was a great game that ended in a shootout. USA put away all of their five-meter shots and McQuin Baron came up with a great save to win the shootout.

Final score:

USA 12
Australia 11

One Last Lap at the World Famous Orange Y BMX Track – 08/27/16

August 28, 2016 by Ole Leave a Comment

Orange Y BMX held a special event last night called “One Last Lap”.

Although the last official race is happening as I write this, last night was a chance for riders from the past and present to hang out with friends and say goodbye to the track. This event also raised funds for a local rider’s family.

It was nice to catch up with some of my BMX friends and take a few last laps. I sold all of our race bikes when my sons took up water polo, but I kept this modified dirt jumper so that I would have something to ride at the track every now and then.

I also bought a few t-shirts.

… and took a bunch of pictures. View them all here:

Orange Y BMX
1977 – 2016