SpokEasy

April 2023

Am I Blue

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Food /

Am I Blue? Am I blue; or was it only the bird? During my ride this morning, I saw what I thought was a bluebird!  It wasn’t a jay; the shade of blue was wrong; and the bird was smaller than a jay. I could see only the bird’s back; but if I had been able to see the bird’s breast, I would have known whether it was a bluebird. Today, for once, I had a tailwind most of the way home. It was cool enough for leg warmers; but am I blue? Not blue with cold, thank goodness. That would have been utterly miserable! I got in 21.10 miles; so I’m making progress on the distance aspect of my riding. Over 15-20 miles is enough of a ride for me to need on-bike eating; and my latest ride food is the Tahoe Trail Bar. As often happens, I found a Tahoe bar in a store (I think it was the salvage store); and got it to test as potential on-bike chow. I liked it; so I got more. The Tahoe bar is all plant-based; not that I care much about whether it’s vegan, but for some people that is important. For me, the important thing is: Does It Taste Good? Incidentally, a hunt through the grab-bag bins at the salvage store  yesterday yielded three FitCrunch bars! With a find like that, there’s no reason for me to feel blue!

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Don’t Count Your Chickens

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Don’t Count Your Chickens Don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched, as the saying goes. This morning I rode to the salvage store. There wasn’t much wind; and on the way there, the wind was against me. I was counting on a tailwind on the way home. Guess again. While I was waiting for the store to open, I noticed that, 1) it seemed to be getting cooler; 2) the breeze was getting a little stronger; and 3) the wind was changing direction. The sky was mostly overcast; and I hoped the rain would hold off until I got home. Several other customers were also waiting; and one of them said there was some bad weather out in the Gulf, with plenty of lightning strikes. When I got out of the store, it wasn’t raining yet; but as they say, don’t count your chickens. As so often happens, I had a headwind on the way home. I had thought that I would have a tailwind! Riding felt like hard work; and I didn’t even have much of a load!  It’s a good thing I won’t be out there this evening, though. There’s a wind advisory posted, starting at 7:00 pm. It looks like tomorrow will be pretty windy, too. Not so great for riding; but at least it won’t be cold.      

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light up her ride

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment /

Light Up Her Ride Light up her ride with the Schwinn Girl’s Lighted Basket! The motion-activated flowers require no batteries; and the adjustable velcro straps make installation and removal quick and easy. If I had done much cycling as a kid, I bet I would have loved to have one of these baskets. Now, though, it certainly won’t fit a load of groceries! With the end of school approaching, it’s time to be gearing up for Summer fun. This Schwinn basket can let your child carry a picnic lunch to the park; or take a favorite toy to a friend’s house for play. It can light up her ride; and perhaps her spirits, too. But — this is a girl’s basket. What about the boy who wants a bicycle basket; but thinks a basket decorated with flowers is sissy? Not to worry; the boys needn’t miss out! The ANZOME Kids Bike Basket is an alternative. It’s made of sturdy, impact-resistant, rust-resistant metal mesh; and fits most children’s bicycles and tricycles. Velcro straps make taking it on/off the handlebars quick and easy. The handle lets this basket be easily carried off the bike. The ANZOME is roughly the same size as the Schwinn basket; and is available in four colors: Black; Pink; Royal Blue; and White. As this basket is plain, you can decorate it your way: flowers, if you like; or perhaps attach your youngster’s favorite action figures. So there’s a bicycle basket for everyone — kids and adults alike!

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Verbal Gymnastics

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Verbal Gymnastics Verbal gymnastics are a lot of fun; and you don’t need any space-hogging aparatus, either. The English language is great for this, thanks to the abundant homophones available. Several years ago, I was playing around with this; and wrote down the definitions I came up with. Reasonable fee: fair fare Trouble with window glass: pane pain Receive word on the spot: hear here Jackrabbit’s coat: hare hair Entire excavation: whole hole Best a red veggie: beat beet Smokey without fur: bare bear The gang’s yonder: they’re there This isn’t a complete list; but I think I’ll save some for later. After all, there are days when I can’t think of a blog subject; and it’s nice to be able to fall back on this stuff. Today was a rather odd day. I didn’t get up until about eight o’clock; and this morning I didn’t go out on the road bike. Not because of occupational therapy — in fact, last week I was “graduated”; but I’m continuing the exercises. But I needed to run some errands. Getting ready to move means clearing out stuff; and burnt-out compact fluorescent light bulbs had piled up for a couple of years. So I took them to a drop-off place; then took a few items to the Salvation Army. After a stop at the drug store for a soda and a bag of chips, I headed home. First I had something to eat; then spent a couple of hours packing. That’s quite tiring, I can tell you! And, I’m running short of boxes. Finally, about 3:45 pm, I went out on the road bike. No; not a fancy electric bike. I’m not ready for that yet; but I was ready for a ride. The sky was getting cloudier; and the forecast for tomorrow is not favorable. Heavy rain is predicted; and it’s not fun to ride when it’s pouring so hard that I can hardly see.  Hmm. Pour — pore — maybe it’s time for some more verbal gymnastics. 

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rack up the miles

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment /

Rack up the Miles Rack up the miles? I’m sure not doing that this morning. My head feels all stuffed up; and I feel dragged down in general. I’ll see how I feel later; and then maybe I can ride. If you have a car; and need to go some distance to reach your favorite bicycle trails; the ERKUL Bike Rack can get your bicycle there so that you can put in that distance. The ERKUL  fits most car-top racks; and can hold most road and mountain bikes. It needs no tools for installation; keeps the bike frame free of contact; and can hold up to 35 pounds. Color: Black; or Silver. Product of Turkey. $179.00 I really need to rack up some miles; I’ve got RAGBRAI 2024 on my mind. That means some serious training! I only began riding again in mid-March; and my legs seem to be taking their time getting back into condition. Maybe I’m what some coaches call a “slow responder”! But I do try to ride every day, as April is a Love to Ride challenge month. May is their Bike Month Challenge; so I’ll want to rack up the miles during May, too. But without the ERKUL, because I don’t have a car!  

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Off My Mind

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment /

Off My Mind It’s good to have some things off my mind — tax forms for one! I finally got mine completed today. A good bicycle helmet can help keep some things off my mind, such as head injuries. This Giro Register MIPS Helmet for adults is designed to protect against both direct-impact and rotational-impact injuries. It’s constructed of lightweight polycarbonate; and has a one-hand dial in the rear for size adjustment. Multiple vents help keep your head from overheating during hot-day rides. $59.95 Naturally I wore my helmet when I rode this morning. My legs felt rather sore and tired (they could use a session with the foam roller!); but I wanted to ride today in case the weather prevents my riding tomorrow. The forecast is for rain — possibly heavy — and the chance of T-storms. Naturally I don’t want to ride in such conditions! Things were tough enough today. The wind got up to 15 mph before I got back home; and of course it was a headwind on the way back! I hope it isn’t pouring tomorrow afternoon, when I have an appointment with the hand specialist. I’ll have about a mile and a half to walk; and that’s a real nuisance when I have a flapping poncho to deal with. It looks like Saturday’s weather will be much better, at least as far as rain goes; and that’s a load off my mind. Of course I want to ride to the salvage store! But it will still be rather rather windy.🙄

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Every Journey

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment /

Every Journey Every journey begins with a single step; or, in the case of cyclists, with a single pedal stroke. This Sixthreezero EVERYjourney hybrid bicycle for women can make every journey a breeze. Its 500-watt motor is there to assist  during tough climbs; or when battling a stiff headwind. There are seven gears, so you can adjust to various types of terrain; and full-electric mode allows a top speed of 15 mph. Electric-assisted pedaling makes 28 mph possible! Riding with full-electric power permits a range of 18-40 miles. The Sixthreezero has a rear rack, so you can carry home a load of groceries; or go for a tour. Two-inch wide semi-slick tires make for a stable ride; and the ergonomic frame lets you ride in a comfortable, upright position. This bicycle fit riders from 5-foot-zero to six-foot-two; and weighing up to 250 pounds. The bike weighs 66 pounds; color, gold coral. $1549.99 I have yet to try out an ebike; but maybe I’ll want one some day — say, in fifteen or twenty years. An electric assist from a Sixthreezero, I admit, would have been useful this morning. The wind was 13-17 mph; and gusts were as strong as 28 mph! It was so bad that I turned around several miles early, and rode several laps around the park to fill out my mileage. I hope things are calmer next Sunday.

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I Lucked Out

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

I Lucked Out! I lucked out with the weather this morning; at least, as far as rain goes. The forecast last night didn’t look good for the ride to the salvage store. Then this morning I checked an hourly forecast; and according to that, the rain wouldn’t set in until about 11:00 am. The sky didn’t look very friendly; but I decided to take the chance and go. And I lucked out. On the way home I ran into light sprinkle beginning around 9:05 am; but it wasn’t enough to warrant pulling out the poncho. In fact, it stopped after about two miles; and the sun actually came out for a while. The big problem was the wind! I was very glad that I wasn’t hauling the trailer. A set of panniers was enough of an impediment, with a headwind that reached as high as 16 mph. I finally was forced to shift down to the bike’s smallest ring; and shifting back to the middle ring was downright painful.  I don’t think my hand is really ready for that yet! I got back home around 9:50 am; and after that I was on tenterhooks, listening for the onset of bad weather. By noon, I was still waiting; but I checked the NOAA site. A severe T-storm watch had been issued some 40 minutes earlier; and by 12:20 pm, I heard the grumble of thunder. It looks like things will be much better tomorrow morning; and that’s a good thing. Sunday is long-ride day; not that I’m back to doing truly long rides. But I hope to get in 20 or so miles. Today’s trip to the salvage store yielded some good grab-bag finds: a half-dozen Special K Protein Bars; and snack-sized packs of various nuts. And of course, some very junk-y candy bars! But now I have some more ride food; and that’s always good. OK, bad weather — if you’re going to happen, get it over with!

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Mirror on the Bike

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Mirror on the Bike Mirror, mirror on the bike, can you show me what I like? I use a product similar to this Evo Bar End Mirror on my road bike; and it seldom shows me anything. The problem with it is, I’m liable to knock it out of position every time I reach down for my water bottle. When I’m not using the Camel-Bak, that’s every few minutes; and it gets quite annoying to have to adjust the thing so often. I also noticed that, at certain times in the morning, that thing reflects strong sunshine right into my eyes! Otherwise, this gadget is quite useful.  $10.78 The mirror on the bike works much better for my hybrid, for which I use a MTB mirror. I don’t have to reach past it to grab the water bottle; and that makes a big difference! Being able to see what’s behind me also makes a big difference; especially if I have to ride alongside traffic. $14.85 Leaving looking glasses aside, I had occupational therapy again this morning. I might be able to “graduate” in a week! Then my mornings will be more free for riding; and that will be a relief. It won’t be long before the temperatures are 80 degrees at 5:00 am; so I’ll want to ride earlier. That’s especially true as I’m trying to extend my distance. Today I rode 13.10 miles; and might have ridden a bit farther if I hadn’t thought I was running too low on water. As far as RAGBRAI prep goes, that’s nothing; but I know that it won’t help much if I try to ride too far, too soon. After all, I’ve only been back on the bike for a month; and my hand is not up to scratch yet. This ride, I was able to shift to the big ring; but veggie chopping later in the afternoon seems to have been overdoing it a bit.

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Good Question

BACK ISSUES, Food /

Good Question What Do I Eat Now? is a good question when you’re faced with a diagnosis of prediabetes, or Type 2 diabetes. I was diagnosed with the former some two years ago; and admittedly haven’t done at all well with my diet for the last year or so. Late February last year, I began intensive re-working of my website. I’d get home from work and plunge right into it; and usually didn’t take time to prepare a proper meal. Weekends were similarly occupied; and proper eating  habits went out the window. Before I could get back on track, I had the hand surgery. I cooked things to freeze beforehand; but that supply ran out before I was really able to cook again. On top of that, we’ve just gone through Easter-candy season! So, start all over again. Today I made Hoppin’ John; and this time I put some worcestershire sauce in it. I also was a bit short on dry black-eyed peas; and filled in with pinto beans. I must clean the carrots I have in the fridge, and try to munch on raw carrots instead of chocolate eggs! They have fewer calories; fewer carbs; and far less fat than chocolate. Riding more miles will help burn some of those calories; but I have to watch that I don’t overdo the post-ride meal! Now — what is the weather going to do over the weekend? That’s another good question. For several days the forecasts have looked like it will rain; but so far we haven’t had much of it. NOAA shows heavy rain for Saturday; and if it’s storming, that means no trip to the salvage store! I can only wait and see what’s happening Saturday morning. Meanwhile I have occupational therapy tomorrow; and at least it’s supposed to be sunny tomorrow. But Sunday? Good question. It might be raining again!    

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