SpokEasy

February 2023

Always Be True

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment /

Always Be True? Always be true with the TS-4.2 Truing Stand! This item, from Park Tool, lets you true your bicycle’s wheels yourself. It can accommodate wheels up to 29 inches, even with the tire still on. This includes fat tires! TS-4.2 is professional grade; sturdy; and versatile. It earns a 4.6-star rating from consumers. With this piece of equipment, you can be sure that your wheels are, well, always be true. Many times I wish I could do more towards the maintenance and repair of my own bikes. I often wish I could get into long-distance cycling in a big way; and being able to tend to my bicycles’ wheels would be a major asset! So would knowing how to take care of other repairs. Unfortunately, I barely know how to change a tube; and arthritis in my hands is no help. $479.95

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Taxing

BACK ISSUES /

TAXING! Hard rides aren’t the only taxing thing in life. It’s that taxing time of year! I’m trying to get my IRS form done; but there are one or two things I still need to get. And just wait till next year! I worked one week this year before I retired; and that might mean filling out TWO forms. I’m not looking forward to it. You could say that our weather is taxing; it’s far too warm for February. This afternoon, in fact, it reached 79 degrees. A weather-breeder, you say? It looks that way. T-storms are in the forecast for tomorrow night; and then back down to 54 degrees. That’s more seasonable. I’m sure some folks are concerned that our weather portends another active hurricane season. I don’t think about it all day; but it’s nagging at the edge of my mind. If I were to relocate, getting out of the immediate reach of hurricanes would be my Number One reason. Tomorrow morning I have occupational therapy; and I hope to make it back home before the rain begins. It’s likely to be foggy in the morning; so I’ll wear reflective ankle bands when I go out to catch the streetcar. And I’ll take the poncho, in case the the rain doesn’t wait until night. Always worries about the weather. It’s taxing!    

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CamelBak Mule

BACK ISSUES, equipment /

CamelBak Mule This CamelBak Mule hydration system is great for long rides; hikes; and other outdoor activities. It can hold up to 100 oz (~3 liters) of fluid; and its pockets can hold your cell phone; snacks; and other small items. The chest strap is adjustable to most users; and the harness is of breathable material. Channel down the CamelBak Mule’s back helps keep your own back a bit cooler! Comes in several colors: $100.01 (black) $97.99 (Gibralter navy) $109.15 (kelp/black) $86.48 (racing red/black) I’m still recuperating from hand surgery; so I haven’t been able to use one of these for almost a month. When I can finally do so again, I hope it won’t be heavy enough to fell a mule!    

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Road to Recovery

All, BACK ISSUES /

Road to Recovery I wish my road to recovery could be at lightspeed. Unfortunately I have to take my time. Yesterday I had occupational therapy again. The therapist seems pleased with how things are going; and has added some gentle squeezing exercises to my regimen. She even gave me an old tennis ball to use. I still have to find ways to do many things one-handed, though. Yesterday afternoon I wanted to open a small can of mixed vegetables, to heat in some squashed sauce. It was a pull-top  can — should be easy, right? Wrong! The pull ring broke off; and I had to figure out a way to get that can open. I didn’t want to keep it for later in case the seal was broken. If my left hand weren’t out of commission, the can opener would have done fine; but that hand can’t bear the hard gripping needed to operate a [manual] can-opener. I had to use the tool right-handed to pry open a small slot at the edge of the can’s lid. Then I fetched a heavy screwdriver; washed it; and wiggled the shaft tip into the slot. Finally I was able to pry off that lid. Along the way, I had to use my left fist (to keep stress off my thumb) to brace the can. Even that is probably more than I ought to have done. The road to recovery is long and slow, and it’s hard to be patient; but I don’t want to ruin things! Today I didn’t go ride a WattBike®. Such pedaling tends to make the inside of my left knee hurt; so maybe it’s better that I don’t do it daily. I suspect that part of the problem is, I have to use clip-in pedals like platform pedals. I hope I can get in a pedaling session tomorrow. But when it comes to meal prep, I sure miss being able to use a pepper mill!  

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soggy rodent

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Soggy Rodent? I think we had a soggy rodent this morning. After all, it’s Groundhog Day; and our weather isn’t conducive to shadow-viewing. We had fog in the morning; with a  humidity level of 100%! Hence my opinion about a soggy rodent. The sky has remained overcast; and there’s a 50% chance of rain. There’s an even higher chance of rain overnight; with patchy fog. It’s going to get cooler again; so it looks like our groundhog’s forecast missed fire. All the same, I wish I could go out for a real ride. My hand is getting better; but I still can’t use it for gripping activities. Thus no holding on to handlebars, much less pulling hand brakes. For the same reason, real cooking is still beyond me. I’d love to have brown rice with refried beans; but if I don’t have any pull-top cans of refried beans, that’s out for the time being. Of course I could go to a Mexican restaurant; but I’ve made enough splurges for the time being. This gloomy weather makes me want to do nothing; and I’m sitting around far too much. My brain doesn’t have much energy, either. As I write this, it’s 57 degrees; and still misty. But maybe getting myself out there for a good walk is just what I need. Here’s my question: does fog block UV rays?

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