SpokEasy

May 2022

Bare Skin Time

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Bare Skin Time We’ve got to take care of that “top layer”! It’s warm again; and that means it’s bare skin time. That, in turn, means it’s time for lots of sunblock! I can’t have too much of this on hand. I almost have to take a bath in it; and it’s rather annoying. When I get home from my Sunday long ride, I have three or four layers of sunblock to wash off; and I really don’t like washing all that stuff down my drains. That’s the price I pay for not needing leg warmers and long sleeves! I’m getting back into riding after a week of low mileage. Mondays I usually only ride to work; and Tuesday was prep day for a medical procedure. Who can ride long and/or strong on Jello® and Mountain Dew®? I didn’t even do five miles that day! The next day, of course, I couldn’t ride; and Thursday I made a supermarket run before work. Friday I finally got to do a real ride; and yesterday I rode to the salvage store. Today I put in 42.1 miles; and according to my Love to Ride statistics, that gets me to 1996 miles so far this year. I need to bump it up to 2500 by the end of this month; and that will take some doing. I’m lagging on my progress towards my 2022 mileage goal; and if I have to have surgery for that bone spur in my hand, I’ll lose several more days! Bare skin time at least makes it easier to get out on the bike. When it’s cold and windy, I have to prod myself into riding; and it takes longer to get dressed! Now I probably don’t need to worry about that until October.

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What the Doctor Ordered

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Food /

What the Doctor Ordered Is this what the doctor ordered? Pills might be just what the doctor ordered. Or increased exercise; or maybe a change in diet. Helpful if you’ve got prediabetes hanging over your head I’m not elated at having to take any medication long-term; but if an ℞ is what the doctor ordered, what else can I do? But today I rode to the salvage store; and to my delight, the grab-bag bins were well stocked. It took some digging; but I found a dozen — yes, that’s right, twelve — RXBars! I found me some ride food today! Some were Peanut Butter Chocolate; some were Chocolate Sea Salt; and some were Blueberry. If this is what the doctor ordered, then the doc should be very happy with me! I also found a half-dozen Special K Protein bars; and five or six junky snack items. I sat down after I was home to calculate my savings; and the grab bag meant major savings: it boiled down to about 13¢ per item; and at the drug store RXBars are usually 2/$5.00. Multiplied by 12, I saved over $26 right there! I don’t want to bore my readers by elaborating on what I saved on everything I got at the salvage store; but suffice it to say that I saved something on just about every item, even if was only three pennies. Pennies add up, though! Today I took the trailer; and what a welcome relief it was to have almost no wind! Even so I stayed on my granny gear most of the time. I just didn’t feel like working hard; and I didn’t need to. There was no need to hurry; and why not take it easy now and then? Sometimes rest is just what the doctor ordered!

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Forgetful Friday

Uncategorized /

Forgetful Friday Sometimes we just go totally blank! Today was Forgetful Friday, all right! First, I forgot to put on my chest strap. Maybe that’s normal, because the last time I used the road bike was Sunday. I didn’t notice until I turned on my Garmin, and saw there was no heart rate reading. I wanted to get out there and ride; so I decided not to bother with my heart rate today. Tracking your heart rate can help with your training Then, after I had carried my road bike down the steps, I noticed that I had forgotten my cell phone. Back in I went to get it; and I turned off the bike’s tail light while I was fetching the phone. Then I forgot to turn the light back on! What next; will I forget how to ride a bicycle? I hope Forgetful Friday never gets that far! How Friday Went I was pessimistic about this morning’s weather. The forecast looked like it might be too stormy to ride; and in fact we got a huge downpour around 1:00 am. I heard it raining; and there was lightning and thunder as well. At 5:00 am, the sky was partly clear; and it wasn’t raining! I was both surprised and relieved; and went for a ride. Even so, it felt like taking chances, because the weather can change very quickly. It began to drizzle a bit shortly before I got to work; and I’m glad it didn’t really rain again until a little later. I felt sorry for the Tour de Rouge riders. I figured they were pedaling through the rain; and I hope they didn’t have such conditions all the way from Houston! I hope Forgetful Friday doesn’t extend past today. I must remember to get some cooking done this weekend; and I don’t need to forget my appointment with the rheumatologist on the 18th. For one thing, I want to discuss what I can do about that bone spur in my left hand. When I’m on the road bike, it makes shifting from the small ring to the big ring painful; I hope this doesn’t make me cranky! and it affects other aspects of my daily life as well. I’m not in a hurry for surgery; but I can’t think of any other way to get rid of that spur. If only Forgetful Friday could make it go away! Share via:

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CATabolic?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

CATabolic? Don’t go catabolic!  I sure felt like I was catabolic yesterday morning. Tuesday all I could eat and drink were clear bouillon; yellow or green Jello®; and clear liquids. Then there was that awful prep; and yesterday the test. The prep is far worse than the procedure! It left me feeling utterly drained and exhausted; and I wonder whether that’s how Grand Tour riders feel by the third week of a race. I read somewhere that, by that point, the riders’ bodies are going catabolic, because they burn so many calories; and because it gets harder and harder for them to eat enough. It was a great relief to get back home after the procedure, and be able to eat some real food! Do Grand Tour riders feel the same elation at the post-race meal? By late afternoon I still felt rather groggy from the morning’s sedation; and had to let riding slide. This morning I made a pre-work run to the supermarket; and boy, did it feel good to be riding again! Then I rode to work; and of course I rode home at the end of the day. The odds for tomorrow morning’s ride don’t look so good; and Tour de Rouge might get wet! Tour de Rouge? I don’t remember hearing about Tour de Rouge before; but that doesn’t mean I didn’t. This six-day bicycle ride goes from Houston, TX to New Orleans, LA. I saw route signs for it next to the railroad crossing near home; and looked it up. TdR is a fund-raiser for people who have intellectual or developmental disabilities; such as autism or Fragile X Syndrome. The route covers an average of 90 miles per day; and this year’s ride ends tomorrow, right here in New Orleans. I’m not up to 90-mile rides yet; and to do it every day for six consecutive days is far beyond my present capabilities. If I tried, I’d go catabolic for sure!

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Weak as Water?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Weak as Water? Weak as water? Think again! “Weak as water” is an odd expression. Often it’s used to mean just plain “weak”; and that’s how I felt this morning after — ahem — colonoscopy prep. I’m glad it’s over for another five years! We don’t want to be weak as water while riding; and that’s why proper fueling is so important. But don’t forget to stay hydrated. Water is necessary for life itself, after all. Keep hydrated! Water is the “force of life”. And over time, water can wear away rocks. The moral: persistence pays off! On the other hand, water can wreak utter havoc. A mere six inches of moving water is strong enough to knock over an adult; and one foot of swift water can sweep a car away. Hurricane Katrina is branded into our minds as an example of what water can do; and the possibility of a repeat performance is always in the back of our minds. Of course we know the power of water — namely, rain — to ruin a ride. In hot weather it keeps us cooler; but even so I, for one, don’t like riding in the rain. When the rain begins while I’m out riding, I’m always concerned that lightning is about to break out! It’s much harder to see in a heavy rain; and wearing a poncho doesn’t work at all well when I’m on the road bike. Unfortunately, road bikes and ponchos don’t mix. It looks like we aren’t expecting rain before tomorrow night; so maybe I can make a pre-work run to the supermarket. Rain chances are greater on Friday; so I can’t be sure whether I’ll be able to ride and stay dry. I suppose we cyclists are all gamblers: we’re always gambling on suitable riding weather!

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Count Me Out

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Count Me Out If only counting could stay this much fun! You’ll have to count me out from some things. Often enough I’ve mentioned such long-distance events as RAAM; or PBP. With long and hard training, maybe I could become strong and fast enough to qualify for participation; but both demand a good dose of self-sufficiency. Riders need to be able to fix mechanical issues; and they need to be able to fix a flat quickly and easily. That right there is a “count me out”. If I practiced, I might be able to change a tube much more quickly; but will my hands be able to tolerate it? Always carry a spare! Flats happen. I have rheumatoid arthritis; and the base joint of my right index finger is swollen. I also have a bone spur at the base of my left thumb; and between the two, getting a tire on and off its rim is difficult and painful. If I can’t fix a flat on my own, RAAM and PBP are beyond me; especially RAAM. After all, RAAM is a race; PBP isn’t. I had to count me out of a regular ride this morning. Today I have to stay on a clear-liquid diet because of a medical procedure I have scheduled for tomorrow; and it sure is a nuisance! Jello® and Mountain Dew® aren’t much sustenance for real miles; and I did only a short ride on the hybrid. Tomorrow I probably won’t get to ride at all; but I hope to get a regular long ride Sunday. It will be hot; but I suppose I have to expect that. After all, it’s May; and sometimes that summery heat and humidity begin in March. And before I know it, it will be hurricane season!

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Inertia

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Inertia We all have to fight this sometimes! Oh, inertia: we have those days when we just don’t feel like riding; and merely getting ready for a ride seems like a major undertaking. For me, such inertia is more likely to strike when it’s cold and windy. It’s irksome and time-consuming to put on all those layers; and extra layers on my legs interfere with pedaling. Multiple layers “up above” make me feel weighed down; and I lose track of which pocket has which thing in it! On cold days, I know that my nose will run like crazy; and I need warming packs for my hands. But having those things inside my gloves is awkward. Of course the opposite occurs, too: when it’s already 80 degrees at 5:00 am, I don’t always feel like going for a ride in a sweltering steam bath. We’ll be getting such weather before long; and it’s likely to persist as late as November! Already I see more insects when I’m out on the bike; and I’m not looking forward to riding through thick swarms of miniature moths; gnats; and whatever else is out there. On long-ride days in that heat, I have to plan for extra hydration, too. Plain water simply doesn’t suffice after about 45 minutes. Hydration to help “propel” you forward! I wonder how Tour de France riders manage in the hot days of July! I guess they’re better acclimated to it than I am; after all, they’ve spent years in training; and I’m a mere amateur. I have to fight inertia when it comes to household chores, too. Evenings and weekends, I get occupied with other things; and cleaning falls by the wayside. But do I ever need to get some cleaning done! Well, there’s always mañana.

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Short Long Ride

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Short Long Ride How do you measure up? Today was a short long ride. To begin with, I think I needed a break; and if it weren’t for the Love to Ride Bike Month Challenge, I would have skipped riding today. We all need a day off now and then! For another thing, there was the weather. Last night’s forecast said, scattered T-storms this morning; and when I set out at about 7:15 am, it was already quite cloudy. The North looked especially stormy; and as I rode, it seemed to get darker and darker. My original plan was to ride about 9.5 miles out; and then head home. I turned around more than a mile before that, because that sky’s appearance didn’t bode well. When I was still five miles or so from home, I was eyeing a cloud that was off in an easterly direction; and I thought I saw a blink of light in that cloud. There was enough daylight at 8:00 am that I could’t be sure; but I just hoped I would reach home before things got bad! I got home about 8:50 am; and as I was carrying my bike through the gate, I became aware of a faint rumbling sound. I thought, Is that thunder? It was; and over the next 20 minutes the thunder became closer. At around 9:45, I checked the NOAA site. There was a special weather statement about strong T-storms; so it’s a good thing I wasn’t still out there riding! Thus a short long ride turned out to be a good thing. I probably could have done this ride without eating; but all the same, I munched on pieces of protein bar. Gotta keep that gut trained!

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Another kind of recovery

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Another Kind of Recovery I’m seeing another kind of recovery; and I don’t mean getting over the pandemic, although it’s related. For some time, the grab-bag bins at the salvage store were nearly empty. I really got spoiled during the few years prior to the onset of COVID-19. Often those bins were heaped with stuff; and most of the time, I found items that were good for ride food. On more than one occasion, I found a half-dozen FitCrunch bars there! Now the grab-bag bins finally seem to be making a come-back. Among my grab-bag finds this morning were a Supreme Protein bar; and an RXBar! The former is certainly on tomorrow’s on-bike menu. Today I also found canned vegetarian refried beans; and it’s rare to find them at the salvage store at all. And 98¢ per can! I got almond milk, as usual; and a can of salmon, etcetera. Try this if you get tired of tuna I think I need yet another kind of recovery: getting myself to use up my canned goods instead of buying still more. If something meant I were forced to move next week, I’d have a hard time transporting all that stuff! For once there was little wind; and that’s always a help, especially when I’m dragging that trailer behind me. It looks like wind might not be a problem tomorrow; but I think I’ll wait until tomorrow morning to decide whether to go for 45-50 miles; or to do a shorter ride. Truth be told, I’ve rather pushed things for Love to Ride; and I think I need a bit of rest. But tomorrow begins Bike Month; and I don’t want to miss out on it. I’ll see how things are in the morning; and take it from there.  

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