SpokEasy

September 2019

More Help from Ballet

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More Help from Ballet Here’s more help from ballet! What do you do about blisters? So far I’ve been lucky where blisters are concerned, but I’ve no doubt that they can happen to cyclists. Check out this at about 3:36 minutes. I never would have thought of using Orajel for blisters! Another link between seemingly unrelated bicycling and ballet. Even if a blister is getting a lot of pressure on it, I’m not sure I’d want to try the “hack” shown here at about 5:30 minutes. Toe shoes, by all accounts, wear out quickly. We want our cycling shoes to last longer, and I don’t think putting a hole in one would help with that. But it’s something to consider if a blister is really bad. Maybe keep an old pair of shoes on hand for such an emergency? Tight hip muscles bothering you? This video at about 7:00 demonstrates using atennis ball to roll out those muscles. I’m sure it doesn’t feel so great; a foam roller against tight muscles doesn’t! But it could come in handy if, for example, you travel to a race or other event, and don’t have room to pack a foam roller. So there you are: three more things crossing over from ballet to cycling. Maybe I’ll find more help from ballet later! If so, I’m sure to blog about it. I’ve got to keep on my toes, you know.

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Cycling in the Netherlands

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Cycling in the Netherlands If you go cycling in the Netherlands, maybe you’ll see the famous cow in the canal. I  know I was read the book about the cow in the canal as a young child; I wasn’t reading by myself yet. For some reason, the only thing I remember about the book is an illustration that showed some kind of outdoor market; and a table piled with what looked like grapefruits (my mother said they were cheeses) was falling over. Should you get to cycle through the country, I hope your memories of the trip aren’t as peculiar as that one of mine! Maybe this tour of the Netherlands/Belgium would do? Pancake-flat, as I’ve said umpteen times, would certainly suit me. So would visiting chocolatiers. How I love chocolate! Cycling is a big thing in Amsterdam, and a tour of the city might give me the chance to visit the Anne Frank House. That would be most interesting. Incidentally, they say that many riders in Amsterdam don’t use helmets. That makes me shudder; but it’s their heads, not mine. Rotterdam? A former supervisor of mine at work grew up there, I believe. I know she was from the Netherlands. What is it like to ride a bicycle there? Using lights and bell sounds like plain old common sense to me. It sounds like the Netherlands in general are rainy. Don’t forget the poncho! Oh, and while cycling in the Netherlands, be sure you don’t fall into the canal! ABOUT ME I began this website primarily as a way to present the story of how I accomplished a century ride on an adult tricycle. Other riders of adult trikes might want to know whether it’s possible. It sure is! You can read all about it in My Story. I live in New Orleans; and  retired in January 2023. More time for cycling! Website designed by Cecile Levert © This website is the property of its author. DISCLAIMER I am not a cycling coach; nor a health professional. This site is based on my own experiences, opinions, etc. If you need help, please consult the appropriate professional.   FRESH FROM MY JOURNAL Pomp and Circumstance January 4, 2024 I Bee’d Lucky January 3, 2024 Sunblock Day January 2, 2024 2024! January 1, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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An Odd Mix

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An Odd Mix 👟🩰 Well, what an odd mix! Ballet and bicycling would seem to be worlds apart, don’t you think? In fact, I doubt that they’d mix well — cycling tends to cause the hamstrings to shorten and tighten, which would wreak havoc on your extension should you want to try ballet. But the ballet and bicycling worlds aren’t quite completely exclusive of each other. Check out this YouTube at about 8:43 minutes. If you use orthotics in your cycling shoes, you might have noticed that it can seem tricky to insert said orthotics into the shoes. After I watched that YouTube, I began to use the orthotic as the “foot”, and the cycling shoe as the “toe shoe”. Following the method demonstrated by Ms. Morgan, I found that it seems to work a little better when I put in my orthotics.  I’ve also developed the habit of putting on my shoes by the same way. If I were to be fitted for toe shoes, though, I think my foot would be tricky to work with. Wide across the base of the toes. Narrow heel. High arch. Bone spurs in both pinky toes. Bunions in both big toes; and I’ve had surgery for the bunion/bone spurs on the left foot! I wonder, do pro cyclists need to take as much care for fitting their cycling shoes? And would they think bicycling and ballet were an odd mix?

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NOT AGAIN

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Not again! My road bike\’s front derailer drives me crazy. Sometimes, when I try to shift to the big ring, the chain gets dropped. It happened yet again this morning. Fortunately it\’s easy enough to get that chain back onto the small ring, but every time I need to do it I think I\’ve put too much lube on the chain. My hands get black with grease. I keep some shop towels (cut in four) in my saddle pack for when this crops up. Otherwise it was a pretty good ride, if rather slow. I didn\’t try to hurry. In fact, my need to stop a few extra times on the return leg of my Sunday rides makes me wonder whether I\’m really ready for distances over 25 miles. But hey! Cycle September is on! I want to get in all the mileage I can, to help my team. I\’m a mileage hog, anyhow. This morning I tried a new flavor of Clif Bloks: Tropical Punch. They\’re OK, but I like Mountain Berry better. As usual, I brought along a cut-up Clif Bar. Uh-oh. All this talk about food is making me hungry. Hungry? Not again?! Time for lunch!

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Pie in the Sky?

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Pie in the sky? I never heard of that constellation! But don\’t we all have our pie in the sky cycling dreams? I\’ve thought before now that I\’d like to tackle RAGBRAI some day. Now it sound more marvelous than ever! I\’ll skip the punctures, though, whether during RAGBRAI or on the way there! Or, for that matter, on the way home. Tire liners would be useless against a nail like that one. Oh, what would I need to do to ride RAGBRAI? Or, as I\’ve nicknamed it, RAG-PIE? Start training up right now, for sure. Murphy\’s Law states that Everything takes longer than you think, so I\’d need to allow several years to prepare! Something that I can start now is pushing the pace more on weekday morning rides so that I can get in more miles; and I need to work towards extending my Sunday long rides to 60 miles. RABGRAI averages about 67 miles per day, for seven days.  If I can ride 60 miles in 5-6 hours, I can do 67 in a day. It\’s doing it daily for a whole week that makes me say, wait a minute, am I ready for this? It sounds like RAGBRAI can get very hot, so more riding in the hottest part of the day would be in order. Maybe I should start doing an additional short ride after work once or twice a week? It would be a start. At least is sounds as though I wouldn\’t need a touring bike. Having to buy one would, of course, add to the expense of such a trip. Especially as a first-time participant, I don\’t think I\’d want to have to pedal a loaded bicycle every day. Even if somebody else transports it for me, however, I\’ll need to learn how to set up a tent. A tent needs a groundcloth under it. And a sleeping bag for inside! And there\’s getting to Iowa in the first place, and then back home after the ride. If I can\’t get a ride up there with someone who doesn\’t mind my being a non-driver, maybe Amtrak? All that is supposing my name were drawn in the RAGBRAI lottery! What pie-in-the-sky dreams I have!    

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Another Scorcher!!

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Another scorcher. It\’s not quite 11:00 am. The temperature is already 91 (33 degrees Centigrade), and the heat index is 103! There\’s a heat advisory in effect. Again. Today I went to the regular supermarket instead of the salvage store. I wanted bananas and apples, and the salvage store, I must admit, isn\’t great for fresh produce. Although I did get some nice zucchini there last week. On the way to the store I took the route through the park. It gave me an extra half-mile or so for the Cycle September challenge. I didn\’t need enough stuff to require the trailer; the panniers did just fine. Then I had to walk to a drugstore a mile away; the one closer to home was having trouble getting a prescription I need. I didn\’t try to ride there because it would have meant a couple of blocks being squeezed between moving cars, and car parked along the street. That makes me VERY nervous. Of course — and alas! — on the way back home, I stopped at the drugstore near home for ice cream! I\’m glad I got things done early, and can now stay home in the air conditioning. I\’ve become terribly spoiled about that. I grew up in this climate with no air conditioning. We didn\’t even use fans except when there was company. But we had windows that we could crank open, and this was before there was the crime that we hear all too much about nowadays. Yet another scorcher is expected tomorrow. When, oh when, will Fall and cooler weather get here?

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Cycling in Russia

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Cycling in Russia This blog/page may contain affiliate links. “We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.” What is cycling in Russia like? Would I want to tackle such a tour — possibly in the middle of nowhere? It sounds like cycling across Russia is not for the faint-hearted, especially if you sally forth on your own. Apparently the biggest risks are cold (it can get cold at night even during Summer); crazy traffic; and wildlife.   What kind of bicycle? There can be very long distances between towns; and you’ll need to carry enough food to tide you over in case you can’t get to town soon enough. A touring bike is suggested if you expect to be mostly on paved roads. If you’ll do a lot of riding over unpaved roads, go for a mountain bike. I suppose it’s even possible that you must be prepared to camp; so a bicycle with a rack is wise. You can use panniers to bring food; and a tent and sleeping bag can be strapped to the top of the rack. Just be sure you don’t pitch your camp in prohibited areas; check on this before leaving home. It all sounds like more than I’m capable of handling.  If I were to cycle Russia, I’d stick with tours of the larger cities; and I don’t think I would go solo! My Russian vocabulary consists of only a few words; so things might get tricky. Moscow offers ten routes that let you explore the city on two wheels. Saint Petersburg? Like Moscow, St. Petersburg has some amazing architecture. I always wondered how those domes were built: not only their onion-like shapes, but those stripes in different colors! Eventually I learned that the domes are wood; and the colors are tiles. Kiev? That actually isn’t Russia; but Kiev seems to be more bicycle-friendly than it used to be. And I bet I’d enjoy seeing the Great Gate! ABOUT ME I began this website primarily as a way to present the story of how I accomplished a century ride on an adult tricycle. Other riders of adult trikes might want to know whether it’s possible. It sure is! You can read all about it in My Story. I live in New Orleans; and  retired in January 2023. More time for cycling! Website designed by Cecile Levert © This website is the property of its author. DISCLAIMER I am not a cycling coach; nor a health professional. This site is based on my own experiences, opinions, etc. If you need help, please consult the appropriate professional.   FRESH FROM MY JOURNAL Joyeux Noël! December 21, 2023 Fröhliche Weihnachten! December 20, 2023 Christmas Past December 20, 2023 Relearning December 19, 2023 Load More TRANSLATOR

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\”Challenge\” Is Right!

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Calling this a challenge is right! During Love to Ride challenge periods, I ride more than usual. To be more specific, I make a special effort to ride to work every day. No matter how much my legs like pedaling, that can actually get rather tough. It means giving up my weekly off-bikes day, which I see as a day to recover after my long Sunday ride. Just now, riding home after work means pedaling in 100+ degree heat indices. It makes me wish I had a cooling vest waiting for me at home. For the most part, I leave my weekday morning rides as they are. I\’ve started to do some work at riding faster for up to five minutes at a time, at least one day a week. But today is only September 5, and I mustn\’t burn myself out. Participating in Love to Ride, whether during a Challenge period or not, lets you earn badges. Past rides may be entered for the purpose of earning badges (although past rides don\’t count towards whatever Challenge is in progress). That\’s how I got the Legend Badge: 10,000 miles! (In fact, I\’ve earned the Legend twice over and then some!) The Supercomputer Badge (ride to work 200 times in a calendar year) has so far eluded me. Living only one mile from work makes it too easy for me to walk on those days when I don\’t feel like riding to work. So far in 2019, I have only 39% of the ride-to-work days needed, and there aren\’t enough work days left in the year for me to make it. But there\’s always 2020. Maybe next year I\’ll be up to the Supercommuter Challenge? To call that a challenge is definitely right!  

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Be Informed

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Before you leave, be informed. Sure, it sounds like a great trip! But it you don\’t want your trip to turn into a big-time jumble or something worse, it\’s wise to learn about local laws and customs before you even apply for a passport. There are general guidelines, and more specific ones for each location you plan to visit. In Italy? Pay attention to #6. No matter how hot you are after a day\’s riding, stay out of that fountain! And #8 is something I never would have though of — not that I\’d buy an expensive handbag. As for #10, be sure to pack along the sneakers. Cycle-touring Belgium? I\’d be in trouble where the beer is concerned, but chocolate? I might find myself wanting to move there! Don\’t refuse vodka if you\’re in Russia? Good reason for me to stay far away from Russia. Number 15? Where I live, \”cucarachas\” are an unfortunate fact of life, but I wouldn\’t want an onslaught of them swarming all over my bicycles. So maybe it\’s a good thing that I don\’t know how to whistle. Cyclists touring Russia might want to keep a set of fancy duds handy; apparently cycling clothing just won\’t do! In the Netherlands? Sounds like a cyclist\’s dream! See #7 and #8. How about der Vaterland? Wow! Cash is still preferred! That would be hard for those from the USA, where debit/credit rules. And another country where \”do not walk in a bike lane\” rules! Where I live, I see people jogging in marked bicycle lanes. If they want to visit Germany, I hope they read up on such things first. As for those rules about keeping it quiet, better use the bicycle bell judiciously. Remember, be informed.  

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Big Four

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What Big Four? Four-leaf clovers are lucky, but bicycles aren\’t clover. The commonest materials used in building bicycle frames are aluminum, steel, titanium, and carbon fiber. Which is best? Per Lon Haldeman, a frame\’s design as much as its material is what makes the quality of your ride.  (See The Complete Book of Long-Distance Cycling, p. 61).There\’s also the practicality of, What can I afford? Aluminum frames are comparatively inexpensive. My hybrid has an aluminum frame (with a stainless steel front fork). Aluminum also has a reputation for making a light, lively frame. \”Steel is real\”  seems to have been around for a long time. A steel frame has a certain amount of \”give\”, thus a springiness. Unfortunately steel is prone to rusting. I\’d be worried about a steel frame getting rusty even if it hadn\’t rained in two weeks, because I live in a humid climate. On top of that, I\’m relatively close to the Gulf of Mexico, and there\’s always salt haze. Might that saltiness in the air contribute to corrosion? Titanium is supposed to all but indestructible. It doesn\’t rust. It\’s lightweight. Unfortunately \”ti\” bikes are very expensive, as the material is hard to cut and weld. Then there\’s carbon fiber, which consists of thin strands of carbon with a resin coating. This leads to carbon fiber bicycles being called \”plastic bikes\”, which I find a bit insulting. It makes the bicycle sound like a cheap, shoddy toy; ironic, as a \”CF\” bike is not cheap (I should know; my road bike is CF). So there you have it. Get Fast! includes a brief discussion of the big four frame materials in Chapter 15. At the time I bought my road bike I knew little or nothing about these things. If I buy another one in the future, I should be able to make a more informed choice. But really, the most important thing is: how good does this bike feel?  

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