SpokEasy

December 2021

Timeline

BACK ISSUES /

Timeline sounds like a meticulous, minute-by-minute summary of events. Maybe it is; but I don\’t always have time to maintain such a timeline! Who does? But as I\’m on vacation this week, I can do a bit better with it. Monday morning I went to the supermarket. They open at 6:00 am; but it was nice to not have to leave home at 5:30 am; so as to be back home by 6:40 am; so I could get to work on time! I didn\’t have to rush through the store; and I could take my time putting the groceries away once I was back home. I took a shopping list with me; but forgot to put olives on said list. I remembered them just as I was taking the panniers off my bicycle at my front steps! Doesn\’t it gall you when that happens? A short time later I had to ride to the bank; and there\’s another grocery store on the way. I don\’t use that one often because their prices are on the high side; but I stopped there and got those olives. The sky was gray; and there was a sprinkle of rain here and there. Thank goodness it didn\’t actually rain! The temperature was 50 degrees. That\’s not so cold per se; and the wind wasn\’t bad; but it was very humid. All in all, it was miserably chilly. My new cycling jacket has a problem. The zipper pulls on the side pockets are very small, and I\’ve found that they\’re not so easy to grip; especially when I\’m wearing full-fingered gloves. Apparent arthritis doesn\’t help with that; and in addition my hands were numb from the chilly day. In Reversal To continue the timeline, I did breakfast and lunch in reversal Monday. A bologna sandwich was much quicker to fix than measuring out rolled oats, frozen blueberries, and yogurt; and mixing them together. Besides, it was cool enough that I didn\’t want to gulp down frozen stuff in a hurry. Yesterday Yet more of the timeline. Yesterday I went to Whole Foods. I didn\’t need any more groceries; but I like the store-brand, unscented dishwashing liquid. I wanted vegetable glycerine, too. Adding a small amount of vegetable glycerine to the BBH baking soda soft scrubber (see pg. 96) keeps it from drying out so fast. Before I rode to the store, I dressed as I would for a ride on the road bike. I figured that would make it easier for me to get out there on the road bike after I got home from the store; and it did. The ride was not without a snag or two, though. Five miles out, it suddenly occurred to me that I hadn\’t applied sunblock. That\’s what happens on a gray, overcast day! It\’s a good thing I keep sunblock in the road bike\’s under-saddle pack; or I would be sunburned now! Soon after the sunblock halt, I thought that my bike was rolling funny, and stopped to check the tires; but they were OK. I\’m sure glad of that. It was colder yesterday than it was the day I got that flat tire; and changing a flat would have been much harder, thanks to cold, numb hands. After I got home I had some lunch; then put brown rice to cook for Mayocoba Madness. I have to cook up stuff to freeze for when I\’m back at work. And Today And today I didn\’t have to worry about getting to a store before the traffic got heavy; so I allowed myself the luxury of staying in bed until 8:00 am. I wish I could do that more often! Today the sky is clear, and it\’s nice to see the sun again. Of course I went for a ride; and very soon noticed that pedaling felt like hard work. It wasn\’t my tires, and it wasn\’t brake rub; so I guess my legs were a bit tired. After all, I rode a few extra miles yesterday! Even so, I put in a few force intervals. I\’ve been slacking lately when it comes to such work; and I need to get back into it. But I still haven\’t figured out how to get my heart rate zones into my new Garmin! It would help if I could see what\’s going on as I ride. After I got back from my ride, I downed a recovery drink; and then juggled eating lunch with making Mayocoba Madness. I\’ll take it easy for a while; then do some more cleaning. I think I\’ll let the timeline end here. Keeping it up takes a lot of time.

Timeline Read More »

Bodyweight

BACK ISSUES /

Bodyweight Bodyweight training is an alternative to having a lot of space-hogging equipment hanging around. You can do it just about anywhere and any time; and that’s another advantage. In effect, your own body is your gym! Most of us are quite familiar with bodyweight exercises, even if we don’t do them: pushups are an obvious example. Then there are prone planks; and crank planks. Lately I’ve discovered that I seem able to hold a prone plank better if I engage my quads. The trouble is that this exercise requires bracing my feet against the floor in a flexed-toes position; and that hurts the base joint of my left big toe. I have to roll my foot outwards to the smaller toes; and I’m not sure that’s a good thing. I remember my earliest efforts at the crank plank exercise. I couldn’t even get into the proper start position; and I don’t have my supporting arm straight! It was all I could do to approximate the position by extending my free arm out in front of me; and it was very hard to hold that position for three seconds! It took me a long time to build some upper-body strength, because I don’t put in lengthy sessions. After all, I have a day job; and this blogging is, in effect, a second job! Besides, I’m not body-building. Cyclists don’t need a lot of upper-body bulk to carry along. It adds weight; and that’s no help for climbing.    

Bodyweight Read More »

Comet

BACK ISSUES /

Comet isn\’t only one of Santa\’s reindeer. There\’s a comet out there now! I wish I could see Leonard; but it\’s very unlikely that I can. I don\’t have a telescope or binoculars; and on top of that, the weather hasn\’t been conducive to star-gazing. Many mornings we\’ve had fog; and that can blot out things that are only a few yards away. Forget about seeing the sky when it\’s foggy! Saturday morning I did manage to glimpse the full moon through the fog, but that was fleeting; and probably a fluke. Beginning sometime Friday afternoon, out weather turned overcast; and Saturday evening some areas had a T-storm warning. Right here, not much happened, unless it rained late at night; but it wasn\’t helpful for comet-watching. From what I\’ve read, Leonard is rather faint. Which reminds me, I was very disappointed in the 1986 visit from Halley\’s. Halley\’s made a spectacular showing in 1910; and much of my life I looked forward to seeing it when it returned. When it did, it didn\’t make anything like its previous show. In fact, I didn\’t get to see it at all! Yesterday it was chilly and gloomy; and the wind was very bothersome. The weather should improve by the weekend; so Comet and the other reindeer should have a good trip.

Comet Read More »

BBH

BACK ISSUES /

BBH BBH, as I affectionately call it, is for you if chemical cleaners bother you; or if you want environmentally-friendlier ways to clean; or if you or a loved one suffers from multiple chemical sensitivities. I myself am sensitive to “fragrances” and the fumes of commercial cleaning materials; and BBH has many ways to avoid such things in the home. Baking soda and vinegar are easy to find; and while some essential oils are expensive, they’re generally not used in large amounts. This book even includes instructions for making your own soap! I did it for several years; and then the people in the unit adjacent to mine had a child. I certainly didn’t need a curious youngster nearby when was mixing the lye solution (which I did outdoors!); so I moved on from soap-making. I sure do miss that home-made soap, though. It was better than any soap I ever found in a store; and incidentally, it made nice gifts! The book also discusses skin (face) and whole body care; house care; and outdoor problems such as pest control. Sometimes I wish I could try making milk paint! In my opinion, Better Basics is worth adding to any book collection.

BBH Read More »

Winter Blahs?

BACK ISSUES /

I\’ve got the Winter blahs, I think. We\’re finally getting a taste of Winter. The temperature this morning was about 55; and while it isn\’t cold enough for warming packs, the sudden change makes it seem plenty cold. I don\’t know whether that\’s why I felt so tired this morning; but I wound up cutting my proposed 40 miles to a mere 19 miles. Cold weather saps my energy to begin with. The sky was overcast; and all that gray didn\’t help me to feel any peppier. Add to that problems with the wind. I was wearing a skull cap; but my head was still hurting from the cold. Eventually I realized that my helmet was fastened a bit too snugly. There was a pressure point that became increasingly painful; and I finally had to stop and take my helmet off for a moment to get some relief. It looks like the weather will be cold for at least a few more days; and tomorrow more rain is likely. Oh, these Winter blahs! At least tomorrow\’s rain is likely to be in the afternoon, so I should be able to get to Winn Dixie in the morning; and then go for a ride on the levee. After all, I need to make up for today\’s lack of mileage! It looks like my Winter blahs will be short-lived. Christmas Day\’s predicted high is near 79 degrees! Of course, after that comes January; and January through March often sees our coldest weather. Remedies How can I keep those Winter blahs at bay? Riding can help, of course, as long as I dress properly; and if I want to cozy up at home, I can fix some hot chocolate. Other remedies are The Nutcracker, with its delightful music; a good book; or some tea. Winter blahs don\’t have to rule the day!

Winter Blahs? Read More »

What Next?

BACK ISSUES /

What next? Where do we go from here? Many people are asking that now; and that\’s easy to understand. What next with all this COVID business? First it was COVID-19; then the delta variant; and now it’s omicron! Will it never end? I don’t know what’s going to happen about work. Back to remote work? If it’s going to come to that, I hope my employer offers a buyout. What next with my cycling? Is it overly ambitious to aim for 5000 miles during 2022? I don’t think I’ll make it this year; but I’m pretty close. I’m kept busy wondering what the weather will do next. It’s been too warm for December; yesterday it was cloudy all day; and rain is in the forecast. I hope the rain is over before tomorrow! 6:30 am It\’s full-moon time; and I got up early for a short, esasy spin on the road bike. The forecast predicted clouds and dense fog; but I hoped the atmosphere would clear just enough for me to see the moon. As soon as I stepped outside, I saw how foggy it was; and I figured that I\’d never see the moon through all that. But since I had gotten ready to ride, I decided to go riding anyway. To my surprise, I did see the moon. It looked very faint through the mist; but there it was! Then, in another minute or so, clouds moved over it. The hourly forecast says, rain and T-storms beginning about noon; so I should be able to get to the salvage store and back before the weather turns bad. Which reminds me, I need to pump up the tires on that trailer. 11:00 am I made it to the salvage store and back; and was surprised at how hot I got! It was still foggy during the trip; and here and there I could see big clouds through the fog. What next, a T-storm? Actually, it\’s quite possible later today. The high temperature will be close to 80 degrees; but some T-storms ought to cool thins off. By tomorrow morning it will be down to 55! It\’s crazy. Today I skipped making a grab bag. The bins didn\’t have much in them to begin with; and what was there, wasn\’t anything I really wanted. I got some canned goods, and found a couple of FitCrunch bars. Of course I got some goodies to have for Christmas. I need some things from the drug store, so I\’d better get that done before it starts to rain! 12:15 pm Back from the store. The sun is dodging in and out of the clouds; and now that my errands are finished, I don\’t care if it rains. People who must be out and about, of course, do care! So what next? I can try to get my heart rate zones into my new Garmin; and enjoy some YouTubes; and this evening I have to get the laundry done. Then tomorrow, the weekly long ride. I hope it doesn\’t get too cold; and especially I hope the wind isn\’t too strong!

What Next? Read More »

Long Day

BACK ISSUES /

To paraphrase the song, \’Twas a long day, my friend; I thought \’twould never end\”. The last work day before vacation usually is like that. It didn\’t help that I didn\’t carry a lunch with me, and ate junk all day. I\’ve been feeling tired, anyway. It was a relief to come home! As so often happens, I\’ve got a nervous eye on the weather. We got a little rain today; and the forecast for tomorrow morning is 40% chance of T-storms. That doesn\’t look so good for the trip to the salvage store; and it won\’t help with moon-viewing, either. Tomorrow is the last full moon of this year, and I\’d love to see it. I checked an hourly forecast; and it says, mostly cloudy at 5:00 am. I can drag myself out of bed early and hope for the best; sometimes the clouds part just long enough for me to see the moon. I won\’t have to do a full-scale morning ride; but it will be a few extra miles for Winter Wheelers. With Christmas just a week from tomorrow, some of us are doing last-minute gift shopping. Got a prospective triathlete on your list? I never was good at swimming; and I\’m none too keen on running. I can\’t cycle fast enough to be competitive; so triathlons certainly aren\’t for me. It looks like Sunday will be OK for my long ride — mostly cloudy, but rain isn\’t expected. I wish I could get in that century ride, but I simply do not feel adequately prepared. By the way, that would really be a long day!

Long Day Read More »

Shall We Gather?

BACK ISSUES /

Shall we gather for the holidays — or not? I know many people have been chafing under the COVID restrictions; and are eager to meet with friends and loved ones again. But just when it looked like things might be settling down, omicron reared its ugly head. COVID sure is a beast; in fact, it\’s like the mythological Hydra. Where\’s Heracles when we need him? For many years, I’ve spend Xmas Day with the family that lived down the street from us when we kids were growing up. Last year COVID-19 held sway, and now the omicron variant is running rampant; so, shall we gather? I think it would be wiser not to, even though I\’d love to see everybody again. As long as COVID continues, I\’m not comfortable in a crowd; even when I\’m masked. We can\’t count on being able to hold the gathering outdoors. It\’s been very warm for December — too warm, in fact — but who knows when the weather will suddenly turn cold? Or, it might be pouring that day. I also have a new concern in the health department. To make it short, it looks like I might have rheumatoid arthritis. If I do have it, I don\’t need to risk getting omicron! At work, the first murmurs about a return to remote work have emerged. I\’ve been half-expecting it for a long time. The catch is, doing my job from home might not be possible. It involves physical handling of print books; and since I don\’t have a car, somebody else would have to transport those books between my home and my workplace. It\’s a good thing I\’m taking vacation next week; and don\’t return to work until January 4, 2022. That gives me some time to weigh my options.

Shall We Gather? Read More »

The Road Less Traveled

BACK ISSUES /

Is the road less traveled a better place to ride? That depends on many factors. As far as I\’m concerned, cobblestones are definitely the road less traveled. In fact, for me cobbles are the road not to be traveled! I have no desire to try them. Just look at that surface! Those interstices look wide enough to catch my front wheel; and then, over the handlebars I\’d go! I guess the road less traveled is safer where motor traffic is concerned. The fewer vehicles there are, the less chance we have of getting hit by a car; and there are fewer exhaust fumes that we have to inhale. When I did Bike MS in 2013, we were riding alongside a highway. Fortunately there was a wide shoulder we could use; but even so, having steady traffic almost at my elbow isn\’t to my liking. This traffic included several huge flat-bed trucks loaded with pine logs! The downside to the road less traveled is that you can be far from help in an emergency. Sure, most of us have cell phones; but if you\’re a long way from home, will somebody be able to come and get you? When I got that flat tire Sunday, there was no direct route via the roads between home and my location. Guess why it\’s so important to know how to change a tube? And I\’m just talking about rides that don\’t take you more than 25 miles from home. Some people do bicycle tours that take them to roads far less traveled; or even to places where roads don\’t exist! I don\’t have that kind of gumption; and if I did, I\’m not sure it would be wise to try it. Not when I\’m working to keep prediabetes at bay! Roads Most Traveled If we’re going to talk about the road less traveled, we might as well give a nod to the roads most traveled. For me, it’s the bike path on the levee. Over the years, I’ve almost worn a groove in that path! There are usually other riders out; so I\’m not entirely alone. Bicycle commuters have their roads most traveled; and probably have alternate routes as well. Sometimes I can\’t take my preferred route to work because a train is blocking the way. When that\’s the case, I have to go by the road less traveled (less traveled by me on a bicycle, that is); and that means riding alongside of traffic. I don\’t enjoy doing it any too much; which is why I usually go by the longer route. I like getting in a few extra miles, anyway. Which do you prefer: the road less traveled; or the roads most traveled?

The Road Less Traveled Read More »

Gay Apparel?

BACK ISSUES /

\”Don we now our gay apparel,\” as the carol goes. I guess my new cycling jacket falls under that category. After all, it\’s bright red! Cycling shorts are often black; at any rate, all of mine are. That doesn\’t fall under \”gay apparel\” — \”gay\” here meaning, \”brightly colored\”. But why are cycling shorts so often black? One explanation is that riders can wipe grease and dirt off of their hands without having it show! I\’m more likely to have to wipe sunblock off of my hands; and both shorts and leg warmers are pretty handy for that. Day before yesterday I did have to wipe a lot of dirt off my hands! I had a flat tire, and of course I was miles from home. My hands got plenty dirty; and I wound up with bleeding cuticles on top of it. With Christmas approaching, I suppose many of us are contemplating our gay apparel for the holiday. Furs? Not for me; it\’s likely to be too warm to wear fur; and I don\’t have any, anyway. Except for a little pin that my godmother gave me when I was fourteen. I think it looks like a possum; but it\’s probably supposed to be a mouse. It has a bit of fur on it that\’s supposed to be genuine mink. That\’s enough fur for me! In fact, I have no plans to go anywhere for Christmas. Now we COVID-weary folks have to worry about omicron; and I think I\’m better off not taking chances. Of course I want to go for a good ride; and then I can kick back and be lazy. I don\’t need gay apparel to do that!

Gay Apparel? Read More »