Hypoglycemia and Chinese takeout

I had hypoglycemia many times during my long runs, but I never thought it would happen during a bike tour.   Running largely depends on glycogen as the fuel.  When the glycogen store is depleted, hypoglycemia may ensue.  Non-competitive cycling is not as tense as running, so burning other less efficient fuels such as fat can provide energy fast enough.   I was shocked  when hypoglycemia happened last Saturday during my bike tour.

It started to happen at about 60 km, and got worse gradually.  I remembered that a Chinese restaurant at the Grant Circle – the junction of Rt. 127 and Rt. 128 – was named the best Chinese restaurant in Cape Ann when I lived in Gloucester from 1996 – 1997.  I thought I would bear with the hypoglycemia and refuel myself at the restaurant instead of taking a break to have the tasteless PowerBar.  It was a bit dangerous crossing the busy Grant Circle.  The Chinese restaurant is called Dragon Light.  It looks quite different from 15 years ago.  I am not sure what changes have happened since then.  I ordered a Beef Teriyaki and Sweet and Sour Pork.  When I was checking my emails and waiting for my takeout, I saw the receptionist packaging rolls with bare hands that handled money and credit card a moment ago.   Isn’t money the dirtiest object in the world?  That scene makes this takeout my last meal from this restaurant.  I was so tired that I grabbed the takeout after asking for a plastic bag as soon as it was ready, and rushed to Stage Fort Park where I planned to have my lunch. It was 3 km away.

I was about to collapse when I opened the takeout at a nice picnic table.  I was shocked by the missing of utensils and napkins.  I knew that I might be able to get them at a restaurant or ice cream place 0.5 km away, but that distance was daunting at that point of time.  I went to the Gloucester Welcoming Visitor Center that was 10 m away, and asked the receptionist for help.  She first pointed me to the restaurant, but then tried her best to search their drawers to find a utensil.  She finally found a metal spoon one to lend me.  This meant a lot to me.  The small string of beef teriyaki is fine, but the sweet and sour pork, the bulk of the dish, was poorly cooked.  I decided to give half of the pork to the surrounding seagulls. They seemed to love it.  I should check the rating of a restaurant before trying it.  The rating of Dragon Light at Yelp is very poor.  I need to be particularly careful about Chinese restaurants.