SpokEasy

March 2024

Looking Ahead

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Looking Ahead 😵‍💫 It’s time for looking ahead; and I don’t only mean keeping your eyes on the road while cycling. We aren’t to the middle of March yet; but hurricane season is already looming. At the moment, the tropics are quiet; but they’ve generated storms as early as April. That means it isn’t too early to start laying in emergency supplies. I don’t want to end up with that “deer in the headlights” look! I have an ample supply of canned goods, thanks to my numerous jaunts to the salvage store. In fact, I’m trying to use the stuff up! Looking ahead, I’ll want enough non-perishable food to last me a week or so; and I have to save some just in case we do get a storm. But I’d better get me some new jugs of drinking water. Meanwhile, I’ll keep spending time in the saddle. I love to ride; and while I need to be prepared for a possible hurricane, there’s no need to freak out just yet. Don’t borrow trouble, they say!   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 #164879 March 11, 2024 See-Saw March 10, 2024 Saving Daylight March 9, 2024 Gotta Say No Sometimes March 8, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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See-Saw

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

See-Saw 🥵🥶 Our weather thinks it’s a see-saw. It teeters back and forth between almost-hot and chilly; and can’t decide whether to be stormy or not. That can make it hard to plan a ride. If it will be 70 degrees or more by the time I’m done, will vest plus jacket make me too warm? Or will the jacket alone have me too chilly for much of the ride? I see-saw back and forth when it comes to how much to put on. Yes; I know they say it’s better to be a little underdressed than to wear too many layers; but what if you’re like me, and have difficulty tolerating cold weather? You can always put more on; but suppose you’re 10 miles from home; need another layer; but don’t have one with you? The Weekend 🚴🏿   The weekend has been weird. Day before yesterday T-storms were hanging around; and there was even a tornado watch! I was relived when I had enough of a weather break yesterday morning to go to the salvage store. Not that I needed to get much; but I wanted the ride. I wish I weren’t so illiterate when it comes to telling what the weather might do. The trip was worth it, too. Among other stuff, I found some Built Bars; the “puff” kind. They’re chocolate-coconut; and remind me a little of Mounds®. By this morning the sky had cleared; but the wind was a bother. I had thought of pushing for 25 miles, but let it go at less than 20. Last night the temperature dropped to the low- to mid-50s; chillier than it’s been for a while. At least it feels more like March!  It’s in the mid-60s at the moment; but by Thursday the see-saw is going to tilt in the opposite direction. The forecast predicts a high of 79! 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 See-Saw March 10, 2024 Saving Daylight March 9, 2024 Gotta Say No Sometimes March 8, 2024 Too Much Screen Time? March 7, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Saving Daylight

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Saving Daylight? ☀️ Are we really saving daylight? It sounds like cramming sunbeams into a piggy bank to use later — and needing more sunblock as a result — but I don’t enjoy this “spring forward” business. At all. Before I retired, it took me at least a week of feeling jet-lagged before I could adjust. Daylight Savings begins just when morning is starting to look like morning to a person who must rise early. All of a sudden, I felt like I was getting up in the middle of the night to ride; and it really went against the grain. I don’t have that problem now; but I’ll still have the difficulty of daylight too late. When it stays light until 8 pm, I often have a hard time judging when I need to begin getting ready for bed. Being retired doesn’t mean staying up until all hours; I need to keep a fairly regular schedule! Where’d I Put It? 👀 If I’m saving daylight, where’d I put it? It has a way of slithering away, like greased lightning’s brother; and, like time, you can’t get it back. Tonight we have set the clocks forward; and you can bet I’m not going to get up at 2 am to do it!  So what did I do when I used to ride before sunup all the time? Short answer: lights! I got in the habit of focusing straight ahead much of the time, in case someone un-lit was there. I put my headlight on my helmet, because I can see better that way. And I rejoiced when I was finally finishing my rides in daylight! 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 Saving Daylight March 9, 2024 Gotta Say No Sometimes March 8, 2024 Too Much Screen Time? March 7, 2024 IS It Coming? March 5, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Gotta Say No Sometimes

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Gotta Say No Sometimes 👎 I’ve gotta say no sometimes — say, when it’s overcast; T-storms are possible; and wind gusts are reaching 30 mph. Not my favorite riding conditions! It wasn’t bad before 8:30 am. I made a trip to the supermarket 🥕🍎; hoping during the entire ride that I would beat the rain home. I had my poncho; but it’s a nuisance to have to stop and put it on. I got home dry. An hour later, the wind had strengthened considerably; and strong gusts were setting in. Some were as strong as 30 mph; and I’m not sure I could make any headway against them. I was glad to be at home instead of riding. Ya gotta say no sometimes! When No Is Yes 👍 Then I remembered that I needed to call the bike shop to ask whether my road bike’s new cassette had arrived. It had; and this is a time when no is yes. Although I really didn’t want to go out, I prodded myself into it. I’ve been waiting for that cassette for a long time — the shop had to backorder it — and I didn’t want to delay getting my bike there. However, I decided to walk the bike to the shop rather than ride, in case it began to rain. I’m not a big fan of riding alongside motor traffic any time; but especially not in bad weather! We got a brief shower about noon; and more rain is likely. It’s an unseasonable 77 degrees; and T-storms are no surprise. I just hope they take a break for a few hours tomorrow, so I can go to the salvage store. If they don’t, well, I gotta say no sometimes. 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 Gotta Say No Sometimes March 8, 2024 Too Much Screen Time? March 7, 2024 IS It Coming? March 5, 2024 Safe Harbor March 4, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Too Much Screen Time?

BACK ISSUES, equipment /

Too Much Screen Time? ⎚ I think I’ve been getting too much screen time; and it isn’t all my bicycle computer. Or maybe too much time in the sun wearing cheap-o sunglasses? My good sunglasses broke not quite a month ago; and they couldn’t be repaired. They were prescription lenses, too; and cost an arm and a leg. There’s an optical shop a short walk from home; but they couldn’t make me a new pair of those glasses without a current prescription. The only copy I could find is about four years old; and I haven’t been able to get hold of my ophthalmologist (the clinic is in the process of relocating) to get a current copy. So there I was, limping along with a pair of toy sunglasses. They were better than nothing; but not really suited for several hours in bright sunlight. Then, today, they broke! So I had to go for a pair of regular, aka non-prescription, sunglasses. I chose a pair of Ray-Ban.  I remember seeing commercials for them on TV when I was a kid, so the brand has been around quite a while. All My Screens 💻 So, what are all my screens? The Garmin, of course; but is 8-10 hours a week too much screen time for a bicycle computer? I haven’t had a TV since 2006; and, as I’m retired, I’m not staring at a computer screen at work all day. I suppose my laptop is the culprit — there’s all the website editing, and I’ve become rather addicted to YouTube. I’ve developed the bad habit of viewing while I eat; and I also like to tune in to something while I do my hand exercises. About two weeks ago I found A Night in Vienna; and it’s terrific! Sometimes I listen to it twice a day; and that can add up to too much screen time. 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 IS It Coming? March 5, 2024 Safe Harbor March 4, 2024 Double Dozen March 3, 2024 Lion or Lamb? March 2, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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IS It Coming?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

IS It Coming? 🛬 “IS it coming?” is the question in many a cyclists’s mind when bad weather is possible. Will it rain; or won’t it? If I rode an e-bike, I might be worried about the battery shorting out. Actually, I suppose those batteries are designed to keep water out; but is an e-bike more likely to attract lightning?⚡️ Yesterday we sure got it — it rained hard; and at 5 pm, the street looked like a lake. Last night we had more rain and T-storms; and the forecast says there’s still a chance that we’ll get more of the same this afternoon. So, IS it coming? I’m rather tempted to go for a ride right now; but the possibility of rain and lightning makes me hesitate. Will Tomorrow Be OK? 🚴🏿 And, will tomorrow be OK? According to the forecast, it will be foggy early; then cloudy; and, later, sunny. Good thing; I want to push for a longish ride.  I’m working to get used to frequent rides with the Camel-Bak. More than 12-14 miles, and it comes along. I haven’t yet begun to load up my Camel-Bak with a cable lock; but I’ll need to begin it soon. Especially if — dare I think of it? — I want to do a century. I’m getting back to riding 90-100 miles per week; but that’s not the same as a 100-mile day! Could I train up by June? Will it already be too hot by then? After all, we’ve had days in the high 70s; and this is only March! But first things first. Will tomorrow be OK for a ride; or is the forecast off? Time will tell! 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 IS It Coming? March 5, 2024 Safe Harbor March 4, 2024 Double Dozen March 3, 2024 Lion or Lamb? March 2, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Safe Harbor

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment /

Safe Harbor ⛵️ Any sailor wants to reach safe harbor ahead of foul weather. We cyclists are the same.   Of course there are rain suits; but I, for one, would prefer to not need them. And if there’s rain, there is also the possibility of lightning; and even hail. I’m glad I reached safe harbor, aka home, before today’s bad weather. After several days of watching the forecasts, I knew that we might get rain and T-storms from late morning today. It looks like more of the same tomorrow; so I went for an easy ride, although I usually take Mondays off. Not only was there the threat of rain; it was foggy. So I rode the hybrid, which has fenders. It wasn’t as wet as I expected; the path’s surface was mostly dry. To avoid climbing, I pedaled over to the park to ride a few laps. As I neared the end of lap #3, I noticed that the wind seemed to be strengthening; and I decided it was time to go home. That was a good choice. About half an hour after I reached home, I checked NOAA; and a Special Weather Statement indicated a strong T-storm heading our way. As it turned out, we didn’t get much from it; but it’s wise to be in safe harbor when there might be heavy rain; lightning; and hail. The Gang’s All Here? 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 What should you do if you get caught outdoors in a hailstorm? Start singing; especially if the gang’s all here? In weather like that, we could all use something to lift our spirits! If I were on a bike, I’d be thankful for my helmet! Who needs a hailstone to the skull? But the rest of me would be at the mercy of the icy bombardment. An obvious solution is to find cover if possible; but suppose I’m up there on the levee, with nowhere to go? Just hope it’s over soon, I guess. Fortunately, hail is rare in these parts; so even if the gang’s all here, we might not need the song! 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 Safe Harbor March 4, 2024 Double Dozen March 3, 2024 Lion or Lamb? March 2, 2024 All Clear? March 1, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Double Dozen

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Double Dozen 🪺 I’m up to a double dozen miles! It’s great to be riding 24 miles of a Sunday. “Dozen”, of course, sounds like eggs; and, by extension, ovals. I like Breakfast Ovals; but they weren’t on today’s ride menu. They’re a bit too crumbly for on-bike food. Anyway, I had a pretty good ride this morning. There was a headwind on the way back home (same old story!); but although it was a nuisance, I felt stronger against it than I used to. It brings to my mind the Greg LeMond quote that it never gets any easier; you just get faster.  I think Mr. LeMond is right. Riding against a breeze of 10-13 mph used to push my speed back to 8 or even 6 mph; today I averaged a bit over 10 mph. It’s taken me a dozen years to make that improvement; but progress is progress! I hope I can do another double dozen or so next Sunday; but first, my weekday rides.   WEAK-Days? 🏋🏻 Nobody likes weak-days — you know, those times when you seem to have no energy. That can happen without sufficient recovery time; or if the weather is getting us down. And even the most enthusiastic rider has days when they simply don’t feel like riding. As to recovery, I often take a day off from riding once a week; usually Mondays. When Love to Ride has a challenge going, though, I try to ride every day. But this week, I think I’d better let Tuesday be one of my weak-days. The weather outlook for Tuesday is heavy rain; and that’s no fun to ride in. Not that tomorrow looks great, either: dense fog. And I don’t think I’d better try for another double dozen tomorrow!  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 Double Dozen March 3, 2024 Lion or Lamb? March 2, 2024 All Clear? March 1, 2024 Hop to It February 29, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Lion or Lamb?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Food /

Lion or Lamb? 🦁🐑 Is March playing lion or lamb for you? Night before last — or maybe early yesterday morning — it sure seemed like the lion. I woke up, and heard thunder and heavy rain. But since then, it’s been more of a lamb. The wind dropped; and the ride to the salvage store was quite pleasant. It’s going to stay on the cloudy and warmish side for a few days, at least; and come Monday, we’re likely to get more rain. I wish I were better at reading nature, so I would’t have to rely on forecasts all the time. I don’t know whether it will be lion or lamb unless I check the NOAA site. And sometimes that isn’t accurate. I seem to be getting my leg strength back. 😊 Riding up a vehicular access ramp to the top of the levee has gotten easier. Putting in two 19-mile rides during the week isn’t taxing me too much. The catch is, I keep feeling hungry afterwards; but I’m not sure I’m truly hungry! Tomorrow ☀️ So, what’s the outlook for tomorrow? Lion or lamb? It looks like the latter: temperatures between 61 and 72; some fog early, and then mostly cloudy. Wind up to 10 mph, from the SE. I plan to go out on my road bike; and aim for 20-25 miles. I have a new flavor of RXBar to try; and I’ll take along an extra bar, in case a single RXBar isn’t enough.  Longer rides mean having electrolyte drink, such as Biosteel, on board; and planning a recovery drink for when I get back home. I wish I had frozen blueberries for a smoothie! 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 Lion or Lamb? March 2, 2024 All Clear? March 1, 2024 Hop to It February 29, 2024 Purebred? February 28, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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All Clear?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

All Clear? ☀️ I wish our weather would give us an all clear; but the forecast through next Thursday shows chances of rain every day! Well, maybe I won’t need that lip balm; or sunblock, either. But that’s about the only upside to riding in the rain when the temperature is below 80 degrees. My hands and feet get cold, unless I use warming packs. If I’m doing a ride long enough for me to take food along, my food gets wet. My nose gets very sniffly; and if it’s windy, it makes the rain seem to be falling harder. I hope tomorrow morning is an all “clear” until 10 o’clock or so. I want to ride to the salvage store; and of course that’s easier if it isn’t raining. Overcast I don’t mind; but precipitation is another matter. Sunday Outlook 👀 The Sunday outlook isn’t exactly an all clear. At least the main chances for rain aren’t until afternoon; and I should be back from my long ride by then. The morning will probably be partly sunny, which means scrunched-up eyes. I got a new flavor of RXBar to try (Strawberry) for my Sunday ride; and I’ll take along a second bar of some kind in case a single RXBar isn’t enough. After all, I’m starting to push for around 25 miles on Sundays; and it’s better to have extra food and not need it, than to have too little food and bonk. Sundays I work at just maintaining a steady pace — no force-development work. That shouldn’t be done on a daily basis; and yesterday I put in some hard efforts against the wind. Today I only rode to Whole Foods. I seem to be falling into the habit of going long one day; and short and easy the next.  Well, nothing wrong with that. But I’m more than ready for the forecast to give the all clear. 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 All Clear? March 1, 2024 Hop to It February 29, 2024 Purebred? February 28, 2024 Gotta Start Somewhere February 27, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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