SpokEasy

March 2020

Out and About

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I was out and about this morning; thank goodness we here haven\’t (yet!) been ordered to stay indoors. Query: Is it a \”roundabout\” when I take an out-and-back trip on a bicycle? I rode the hybrid to the regular supermarket. I\’ll go there or to Whole Foods when I want something specific. Besides, Whole Foods doesn\’t open until 8:00 am, and I was a little early for that. The supermarket had some empty shelves. There wasn\’t much left in the way of dried beans, for example. I had to skip buying lentils. I didn\’t  notice whether there was still rice, because I forgot to write it on my shopping list. Luckily I still have plenty at home. Over the last day or two, I\’ve developed a hankering after potato salad. I got a few potatoes, and had planned to get a small, i.e. half-dozen, box of eggs. There weren\’t any; I had to get a dozen eggs. What to do with all those eggs? In Google it says you can keep eggs in the fridge for up to five weeks; longer than I had though. So I\’m leaving six eggs in the fridge to eat over the next two or three weeks. I separated the rest, keeping only two yolks. I beat them slightly with a little salt, and put them in a jar to freeze. Now I\’d better learn how to make an omelette! The store was out of the soap I wanted, so I\’m glad I\’m not out of it at home. There wasn\’t any sourdough bread. Most frozen vegetables were gone, and so were frozen blueberries. There was much less traffic than usual, not that I mind that. It\’s nice to be out and about on a bicycle when there are fewer cars on the roads.

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Working from Home

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Working from home makes me an active couch potato. If only I had a nice table to work on, it might help a little. But I have to sit on the floor! The only table I have is a TV-dinner-tray style folding thing that\’s meant to be used over a wheelchair. If I use it, I have to be VERY careful how I move my legs. If I dare to move them at all. One bump and that \”table\” is likely to collapse. My legs start to feel cramped from being held so still. The ironing board is about the right height, but I\’m afraid it\’s not sturdy enough; and too unsteady as well. I\’m wary of using the kitchen counter, which of course is right next to the sink. I can just see myself turning on the faucet and soaking that work laptop. I think the counter is really a little bit too high, besides. Set the laptop on top of the bed? That\’s too low! So here I am, on the floor for hours at a time. Of course I move my legs around, but that\’s not really enough activity to help. This work-from-home routine began this past Tuesday, and from the first day I\’d go out at lunchtime to get a soda, just to get outdoors and moving. I don\’t know how long this will continue. We might or might not be called back to regular work by Monday. I won\’t be surprised it\’s longer than that. Working from home is rather weird. On the one hand, I can take longer rides in the morning because I don\’t have to rush off to get to work. On the other, the line between home and work gets blurry really fast. I much prefer to keep them separate.  

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When You\’re Hot

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When you\’re hot, and have certain health conditions, such as diabetes, it\’s about more than simply cooling off. It seems that people who have diabetes of either type do not respond well to heat and humidity. I hadn\’t known that, although I was aware that people who have lupus have to be careful about sun exposure. I live in a humid climate. On top of that, overnight LOW temperature around 80 degrees can set in as early as March; and persist until November or even December. We\’ll have days when the heat index rises over 100. I\’ve been learning some amazing facts about diabetes. Sunburn can cause your blood sugar levels to rise. Sunblock or protective clothing can help. Heat is another factor that can cause a rise in blood sugar. Add to that the fact that insulin does not stand up well to temperatures above 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Dehydration can cause blood glucose levels to rise; another factor to watch out for. This can set off increased urination; thus increased dehydration; and a further rise in blood glucose. Sounds nasty, doesn\’t it? So better keep that Camel-Bak full! What about electrolytes? They\’re important for everyone, especially when it\’s hot; but high blood glucose can bring on electrolyte imbalance. It all sounds quite complicated. I hope that working on my diet reverses my pre-diabetes. It seems that diabetes means a lot to worry about when you\’re hot.

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Hard as Granite?

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Hard as Granite? 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.” If a bicycle route were “hard as granite”, I doubt that I’d do well on it. But riding needn’t be as hard as that. New Hampshire has a number of routes that the whole family can enjoy. Several are the rails-to-trails type. For the youngster eager for that first real ride, try the Silk Farm Road Bike Path in Concord. Of course there are other riding opportunities as well. If you want something off the beaten path, try the Great North Woods. You’ll have the chance to enjoy some spectacular scenery! Head South a bit, and you’ll find the White Mountains region. Routes here range from easy to expert in difficulty.  It looks like most of the routes in this New England state are rolling to mountainous. The Seacoast area has some rides that are pretty easy; but some can have heavy traffic during tourist season. It’s a good time to invest in a rearview mirror! Maybe those mountainous New Hampshire routes aren’t for me. I’d need to train up until my legs muscles got hard as granite! 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 Elementor #155451 December 11, 2023 Think Ten Times! December 9, 2023 Going Farther Afield December 8, 2023 Mini-Ride! December 7, 2023 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Down on the Bayou

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Down on the Bayou 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.” Let’s go ride down on the bayou! Cycle Zydeco is an annual event, taking place the week after Easter. Cajun food; zydeco music; and riding on flat roads! You just might be able to do Cycle Zydeco on an adult trike!  This 4-day rolling festival is a casual ride; you won’t need a fancy racing bicycle for this one! A hybrid might well do, especially if you choose to take the shorter routes. Or, as mentioned above an adult tricycle. Each day offers two route options. The shorter one is about 38-40 miles; the longer one can be 62 miles or more. Each route includes interesting stops such as swamp tours. The riding is easy. I wonder what the Scavenger Hunt involves. Trying spot a particular element of the local wildlife?  Counting road signs? I don’t expect that the weather conditions for Cycle Zydeco would be much different from those of New Orleans. By Easter it can already be downright hot. Be prepared for rain, but of course bring the sunblock, too. In fact, sun sleeves might be even better. They protect from UV rays and keep your arms a bit cooler, but without the messiness of sunblock. Cycle Zydeco rather turns the usual “eat, sleep, ride” on its head. “CZ” is about eat; dance; drink; and ride to the next party. Sounds like fun down on the bayou. 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 Think Ten Times! December 9, 2023 Going Farther Afield December 8, 2023 Mini-Ride! December 7, 2023 I Still Can’t Ride! December 6, 2023 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Monkeying Around

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Monkeying around in the kitchen needn\’t be agonizing. It can be fun! This evening I tried Feelin\’ Your Oats Burgers, from my new cookbook. Naturally I took some liberties with it. The recipe says to use one tablespoon of dried Italian herb blend (thyme, rosemary, and oregano). I didn\’t have any rosemary. I substituted 1-1/2 teaspoons each of oregano and thyme, and 1 teaspoon parsley flakes. The book says to use reduced-sodium soy sauce or tamari. I suppose that\’s for the benefit of folks who have high blood pressure, which I don\’t. I used regular soy sauce instead. The recipe also says, 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, and I didn\’t have any. I did have some raw peanuts in the freezer. They need to be used somehow! They have the skins on, and I don\’t  think that peanut skins taste very good. After I chopped the peanuts, I put them in my 1-cup measure, and filled it halfway with water. I was able to rub the skins off and skim them out. Then I was finally ready to start cooking. I used a 5-quart pot, and had to fetch my step-up box to stand on, because I\’m so short. The original recipe says to bake the mixture after you cook it on the stove, but it was getting late for that. I spread the stuff into a pan, and when it cooled I portioned it out. I froze most of it for later. I\’m already thinking up a carrot-cake variation: instead of onion and celery, use 3 cups of coarsely grated carrot. Substitute water for the soy sauce, and cinnamon and clove for the Italian herbs. There I go, monkeying around again.

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Spuds?

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Spuds? Idaho always sounds like spuds to me. I even made up a (horrible!) joke: “Idaho’d the potatoes, if it hadn’t a rained.” MTB enthusiasts might like to head to the Gem State for the Idaho Hot Springs Mountain Bike Route. There are 50 hot springs along this 763.4-mile trail! After a day’s riding a good soak in a hot spring might be just the thing; although you might want to shower first to get off the day’s sweat, sunblock, and dust. Central Idaho has beautiful sub-alpine countryside; great trout-fishing streams; and lovely towns. Wildlife is abundant; you might see deer, black bears, and elk. Bird-watchers might spot eagles; ospreys; and more. The route passes close to several designated wilderness areas. If you want to take a side-route to visit any of them, remember that bicycles are not allowed into these areas. Road conditions vary greatly on this route. Some surfaces are paved; others are singletrack. It appears that there’s little or no time when you won’t  be either climbing or descending. I don’t think my legs are ready for that! Be sure to pack enough layers. Nights can be chilly in those mountainous areas. It’s hard to remember that when you’re at hot, humid sea level! Daytimes tend to be warm or even hot. Cell phone reception can be spotty; riding this route solo is much discouraged; and … … well, it might be a terrific route, but it’s not for beginners, I can see. I think I’ll fix some spuds for my supper, and kick back while I just read about it! 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 Think Ten Times! December 9, 2023 Going Farther Afield December 8, 2023 Mini-Ride! December 7, 2023 I Still Can’t Ride! December 6, 2023 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Kale-coction

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What\’s kale-coction? A concoction made with kale, of course. Last Sunday I got to work and used up the bunch of kale that had been in my fridge for a week. Cyclists need veggies, after all. Before I could even start with that, I had to clean up the bundle of celery I had bought that morning. At the same time, I had to keep an eye on the pot of brown rice on the stove. Kitchen duty is enough to make anyone dizzy, trying to juggle several things! Especially when stove and sink are on opposite sides of the kitchen. OK, so I finished with the celery. I had washed the kale the day before, so at least that was out of the way. But I still had to chop it all. Chopping kale is a nuisance! It\’s not only ruffly; it\’s rather stiff, and won\’t lie flat. One bunch of kale, chopped, almost fills a 5-quart pot. Then I took a large stalk of celery; chopped the leaves; and thinly sliced the stalk. Add to pot. I had two scallions in the crisper, that I had almost forgotten about. I chopped them for the kale-coction, too. Next came 1/4 sweet onion, chopped; and two cloves of garlic, minced. And, a 28-oz can of tomatoes and one cup of water. I used crushed tomatoes because they were right there; but other kinds will do. I sloshed the water around the tomato can to get more of the tomato out before pouring it into the pot. At last the pot was ready to go on the stove. I put it over medium heat; and stirred constantly as the mixture heated. Especially I folded it up from the bottom of the pot; I didn\’t want it to stick and burn. After about 20 minutes the kale had cooked down so the pot was about half full; and the mixture had become bubbly. I turned the heat down as low as possible; and let it cook about 20 minutes, with the occasional stir. Voluminous though it is when raw, kale cooks down a surprising amount. This made about 6 cups. I froze half, and used half during the week. No need to cook veggies after work. Just heat and serve!  

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Panic?

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I sure does seem like someone hit the panic button. I needed more plastic food-storage containers, and the local Walgreen\’s doesn\’t carry them. This morning I headed for Walmart; I figured they\’d have some. I decided to get my groceries there, too; might as well make one trip of it. It was probably around 8:15 am when I arrived at the store. It was busier than usual for that hour; and I saw many customers wheeling shopping carts that were almost overflowing. I found the containers; and when I saw paring knives with 3-inch blades, I got one. I\’ve been making do with a seven-inch blade for everything! That can get awkward. Oh, well, back to the story. It\’s lucky I didn\’t need to get canned goods. I saw many an empty shelf! Even dried beans were almost gone, which was a disappointment. I had wanted garbanzos, and maybe lentils; never mind that I had several kinds of dried legumes already. Bread was going fast, too. I really wanted sourdough, but didn\’t see any. I got rye bread instead. Luckily I found what fresh produce I was after. It\’s also a good thing that I already had a good supply of what seems to have become scarce: toilet paper. While waiting in line to check out, I was chatting with the customer behind me. She said the store was out of it. In fact, she said the current situation reminded her of just before a hurricane, when people freak out and buy all they can. Unless I wind up having to stay indoors for more than a month, which I suspect is unlikely, I didn\’t really need to buy any more food. But I want to try a variation on a recipe from the ADA Vegetarian Cookbook. I needed sweet potatoes, and scallions. I was out of apples, too, and running low on carrots. So now I\’m all set. No need to panic.      

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Curriculum Vitae?

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Curriculum vitae; or cv; or — coronavirus. Not that \”cv\” is anything to joke about. COVID-19 can be serious for some people. It’s got everybody on the jump. Is it safe to go anywhere at all? Schools are closing right and left. The university campus where I work has instituted online-learning only through the end of the semester. Staff are to continue reporting to work unless notified otherwise. I won’t be surprised, though, if it does come to a shut-down. We\’re taking steps to insure minimal disruption if we have to work from home. What concerns me is, if I were coming down with it, would I even know? My \”curriculum vitae\” for the last 32+ years is chronic fatigue, thanks to a sleep disorder. Tired is normal for me. This time of year I typically feel rather dragged-down anyway. I seem to have some kind of seasonal allergy. Complicating matters is the switch to Daylight time. I’ve been jet-lagged all week. I feel lightheaded? What else is new? My blood pressure runs low. Just yesterday I saw my GYN, and naturally the nurse took my temp. It was 97 degrees. If I were sick and running a fever, my temp might seem “normal”. I know someone who thinks that this coronavirus to-do is more fuss than necessary. I hope she\’s right. Meanwhile I\’ve got the weekend to cook up stuff to eat during next week. What do I have in mind? A variation of Cauliflower Potato Cheddar Mash, from the ADA Vegetarian Cookbook — made with sweet potatoes!

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