SpokEasy

February 2024

Drop It

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Drop It ⚖️ If only losing weight were as easy as saying, Drop It! Unfortunately, it’s never that simple. The theory behind weight loss is well known: eat fewer calories than you burn. In practice, this gets tedious. I know it does for me! The constant meal planning; recording of what I eat and how much; calories and grams of carbs — and that’s not taking into account other aspects of diet. It’s also important to keep cholesterol and fat in mind.  For over a year, I did intense reconstruction work on this website; and a good portion of that time was before I retired. I wasn’t taking the time to plan meals and prepare proper food. As a result, I regained the weight I had lost; and now I have to work to get it back off. In other words, to drop it. The inactivity resulting from hand surgery was no help; and I was finally starting to feel back up to scratch when the foot surgery came up. It’s taken about three  months for me to approach normal weekday mileage; and Sunday rides of 40 miles are still a way off. But my Camel-Bak is waiting for me when I start doing those long rides again; and in fact, I’m using it when I push for a 19-mile ride. I need to become accustomed to having that weight on my back again. When I’m out for two or more hours, I can’t just drop it anywhere. 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.” 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 I Scream February 18, 2024 Another Windy One February 17, 2024 Breakfast on the Roll February 16, 2024 This Is February? February 15, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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I Scream

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

I Scream? 🙀 “I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!” That line has been around for ages; and sometimes I succumb to the temptation.  Today I didn’t go for Halo Top. The drug store a short walk away doesn’t carry it; and besides, their freezer’s been out of order for several weeks. I didn’t feel like walking the greater distance to a grocery store; even in the early afternoon, the wind still felt quite biting. I went to Baskin Robbins instead (it’s almost next door to the drug store); and got a single-scoop cone. Not that I needed the extra calories. This morning’s ride was under 14 miles; and I burned off barely over 500 calories. I need to give more thought to the advice in Ride Your Way Lean! But I’m starting to work at increasing my mileage; last week, I did two rides of 19.6 miles each!  I know this, however: don’t try to build up mega-miles too quickly; or your muscles will be telling you, I scream! It isn’t fun to do too much, too soon; you’ll only get over-tired, and you’ll also be risking overuse injuries and burnout. Some sources say, that’s especially true for older riders. I’m not a trainer, so I can’t speak with authority; and I’m not in serious training for anything. But it’s a good idea to listen to your body. If you don’t, sooner or later it’ll scream. 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.” 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 #163026 February 18, 2024 Another Windy One February 17, 2024 Breakfast on the Roll February 16, 2024 This Is February? February 15, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Another Windy One

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment /

Another Windy One 🥶 It’ll be another windy one tonight. Good thing I won’t be riding. Wind gets very noisy! So-called cat ears help tone down the wind noise on days when it’s warm enough that I don’t need a skull cap. On cold days, that cap does a lot to deaden wind noise. This morning I started out for the salvage store on the hybrid, only to turn back very soon. The headwind was tremendous. Gusts were up to 28 mph; and maybe I had the bad luck to run right into one at the outset. It felt cold, too. I had thought that half-fingered gloves would suffice; but no — my fingers were too cold. On top of that, I knew that a wind from the North meant a headwind on the way home from the store; and somehow I couldn’t face that. So I went and made one lap of the park; then detoured to the nearest grocery store for bananas before returning home. Yesterday I rode over 19 miles; so maybe I was a little tired this morning. Gloomy gray skies and a light drizzle did nothing to help me feel livelier!  Tomorrow I’ll be on the road bike. I can get more aero on “Scottie” when I’ve got the wind against me; and I’ll  probably need to. It’ll be another windy one!   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.” 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 #162978 February 17, 2024 Breakfast on the Roll February 16, 2024 This Is February? February 15, 2024 Queen of Hearts February 14, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Breakfast on the Roll

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Food /

Breakfast on the Roll 🥚 Now and then, I try breakfast on the roll. I’ll cut a protein bar (such as Alani) in pieces; put the pieces in a snack bag; and put the bag into my top-tube pouch. It gives new meaning to the expression, double-bagged! Today I decided to tackle breakfast on the roll, supplementing my Alani bar with a Salted Caramel GU-Gel. I put in 19.6 miles; and figured the Alani bar wouldn’t be enough calories.  As it turned out, I got back home with one piece of the bar uneaten; but by then I was ready for real breakfast! The ride went pretty well, except for the weather. It was gloomy and gray, and there was a light drizzle most of the time; although not enough for me to stop and break out the poncho. Not much wind this morning;🙂 and I averaged a hair over 12 mph. If I want to do more frequent rides of 19+ miles, maybe I should experiment with rice cakes, à la Feed Zone Portables. I get my protein bars cheap at the salvage store; but home-made food might actually provide better nutrition! Especially if I plan to do breakfast on the roll several times a week.  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.” 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 Breakfast on the Roll February 16, 2024 This Is February? February 15, 2024 Queen of Hearts February 14, 2024 On the Qui Vive February 13, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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This Is February?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

This Is February? 🍳 This is February? Now I don’t mean that we’ll be frying eggs on the sidewalk; or taking the kids to the beach. But 64 degrees? Looks like Mother Nature is jumping the gun on Summer. Again. At least it’s calm this morning. It would have been great for a ride; but I had planned a walk with a former co-worker, who leaves nearby and who is also retired. After all, it’s good to take a break from the wheels now and then! More rain is in the forecast; and that’s not good news. Precipitation is most likely Friday night and Saturday. My ride to and from the salvage store might get pretty wet; and that can make the place an inconvenience store. Or inconvenient going there, anyway. How do I ride in the rain? If it isn’t raining before I start a rice, I take along the poncho and hope for the best. If it’s already raining, I wear the poncho, of course. It’s a good thing that I can see well enough without my glasses, to remove them when it’s raining. They get so wet that I can see better without them! The hybrid is a better choice for wet-weather riding than the road bike. Its wider tires mean better stability; and the hybrid has fenders. If I’m bringing home loaded panniers, having fenders mean they don’t get quite as wet; and I don’t get a wet, dirty stripe up my back. I hope I can go for a long ride come Sunday. With these crazy temperatures, I’m almost tempted to skip leg warmers; but after all, this is February. 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.” 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 This Is February? February 15, 2024 Queen of Hearts February 14, 2024 On the Qui Vive February 13, 2024 Pre-Carnival February 12, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Queen of Hearts

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment /

Queen of Hearts 💕   Queen of Hearts would have been a great costume for yesterday’s Mardi Gras celebrations; with or without a FitBit. Today is Valentine’s Day, when a Queen of Hearts outfit would be even more fitting. I’m starting to watch my heart rate again while riding my road bike; but I have an unfortunate tendency to forget to wear my sensor strap. The result is some “heartless” rides! Heart rate training for cyclists is a method of developing strength and speed without getting burned out. From what I see, I seldom reach my maximum heart rate while riding; but then I haven’t been trying to get there! My foot is still a little swollen; and I don’t think it’s quite ready yet for the intense efforts that would let me reach my max heart rate. Too often these days, the height and angle of the sun make seeing my Garmin’s readout screen difficult. There’s too much glare. Should I go back to pre-dawn rides? It’s hard to say. This is the season when the sun is rather low in the sky; and that makes sun-in-my-eyes typical during most rides.  So it can be hard to watch my heart rate while riding. On top of that, I never have figured out how to download my heart rate zones into my Garmin! Therefore I have no idea what my workloads are after any ride. Maybe I need the Queen of Hearts to help me out.    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.” 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 On the Qui Vive February 13, 2024 Pre-Carnival February 12, 2024 Keyed Up Again February 10, 2024 Trigger Finger February 9, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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On the Qui Vive

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Food /

On the Qui Vive 🎉 This penguin seems to be on the qui vive. From all I’ve read about it, bicycle racers also need to stay on the qui vive. They say that pro tour riders in the peloton are inches away from each other. Let your concentration lapse, and the result might well be contact with another bicycle/rider; and, consequently, a big crash. I think most of us have seen pics of major crashes in the Tour de France; and I wouldn’t like to be caught up in one! On the qui vive also sounds like the excitement some people find in being caught up in a crowd. Like today: Mardi Gras! I’m quite happy to stay away from all the hubbub. I don’t enjoy being in a Carnival parade crowd. For one thing, there’s the risk that my foot will get stomped on; and it’s not ready yet for such abuse. I went for a nice, long ride instead. This gave me the opportunity to try a new electrolyte drink: Hoist! Orange-flavor Hoist was a salvage-store find; and I like it when I find new things to try for cheap. Hoist is OK; but I think Propel is better. 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.” 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 #162168 February 13, 2024 Pre-Carnival February 12, 2024 Keyed Up Again February 10, 2024 Trigger Finger February 9, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Pre-Carnival

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Pre-Carnival 🃏 It’s pre-Carnival today; and I’m glad I don’t have plans to attend any parades tonight! Or, in fact, to be outdoors at all. Since noon we’ve been under a wind advisory; and it’s in effect until midnight. That’s bad news for those floats! On top of the wind, the temperature is starting to drop. By 5 pm it will be in the mid-50s; and the wind of course will make it feel colder. But suppose I were to be a participant in a parade? Or if I were planning one? A unicycle corps ought to be entertaining. The riders could dress in jester/clown/harlequin costumes! This morning I did a mere two circuits of the local park, using my hybrid. During the night, I heard rain; and I reasoned that the ground would be wet. I wasn’t in the mood to get a dirty, wet stripe up my back; and the hybrid has fenders. Maybe pre-Carnival is making me feel lazy. I actually wanted to ride more; but off in a westerly direction, the sky looked stormy. I didn’t want to get caught in the rain; so I went home early. As so often happens in these cases, I would have been OK staying out longer! Maybe I need Climb! to provide advice for both climbing and battling headwinds. Or, lacking the book, I do know that pushing into headwinds is good practice for tackling hills. Say, start with 10 seconds of pushing hard; ride easy for several minutes; then do another hard push. Over time, increase the length of the hard efforts. As for tomorrow (Mardi Gras), I’ll play it by ear. Maybe I’ll ride; and maybe I won’t. I only know I want to avoid the Carnival craziness! 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.” 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 Pre-Carnival February 12, 2024 Keyed Up Again February 10, 2024 Trigger Finger February 9, 2024 Wrong Call February 8, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Keyed Up Again

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment /

Keyed Up Again 🗝️ I’m keyed up again about the upcoming weather. Doesn’t it drive you crazy when that happens repeatedly? This weekend looks to be a repeat of last weekend, with T-storms possible. From which direction will the storms come? I use a compass on my road bike, mostly so I can see when I’m about to turn into a headwind; but that compass doesn’t keep me dry if it starts to pour. It also doesn’t show the barometric reading. I can’t take along my home-made barometer, anyhow; and where would I hang a Fischer Barometer in my apartment? As a renter, I’m not supposed to nail things to the walls! All I can do is watch the forecast; and plan accordingly. NOAA shows that the barometer is dropping; and in fact I can see that on my counter-top rig. So no wonder I’m getting keyed up again. The hour-by-hour forecast doesn’t show rain tomorrow before 10:00 am; but how can I be sure it will wait until then? And will the T-storms delay until then? It’s another case of taking my chances!  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.” 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 Trigger Finger February 9, 2024 Wrong Call February 8, 2024 Was the Groundhog Wrong? February 7, 2024 One Hundred Dollars? February 6, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Trigger Finger

BACK ISSUES /

Trigger Finger 🔫 No, trigger finger isn’t about practicing on the rifle range. That’s far too much noise for me! All the same, this condition isn’t fun.  Some years ago, I developed trigger finger in both middle fingers, after doing some spading. Ultimately, I needed release surgery on both of them. A year or so ago, my right ring finger cropped up with this condition! Fortunately it doesn’t interfere with my using brifters so far; but it still is aggravating. After a session of keyboarding, it starts to catch; and is often at its worst when I first wake up mornings. I don’t know why I’m susceptible; but my sister mentioned that an uncle of ours had trigger finger. Maybe there’s a genetic component. I have to be cautious about doing anything that puts pressure on the bases of the knuckles. I keep an old pair of half-fingered cycling gloves to wear during activities such as sweeping. It’s a good thing I don’t have to sweep all day, every day! And if I have to have the release surgery? As I remember, recovery was quick; I was riding again in a day or two. All I can do is see how things go. 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.” 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 Trigger Finger February 9, 2024 Wrong Call February 8, 2024 Was the Groundhog Wrong? February 7, 2024 One Hundred Dollars? February 6, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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