SpokEasy

June 2024

And They’re Off!

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment /

And They’re Off! 🐎 And they’re off … no, not thoroughbreds; nor foot racers. Not even bicycle racers; but the named storms of the season. Tropoical Storm Alberto has gone ashore; but there’s been another system off the Florida/Georgia coast for a few days; and there’s a new system in the Bay of Campeche! It seems that, once the first named storm appears, further storms follow in rapid succession. And they’re off! They might keep coming as late as November, too. What a drag hurricane season is! Hurricane season means worrying about when the next hurricane will appear; how strong it is; and where it will go. It’s about concerns over having to flee on short notice; and a big question: how will my cycling be impacted? Indoor Cycling 🥱 I guess it’s time to think of indoor cycling, boring though is. This Mini Cross-Trainer is lightweight, and you can use it for both legs and arms. It even has an automatic stop in case of bad muscle cramps. The Mini Cross-Trainer is designed principally as a rehab tool; but I don’t see why it can’t substitute for a bicycle in a pinch. At least, for some gentle pedaling to prevent leg-muscle atrophy! For more vigorous indoor cycling, rollers might fit the bill. I personally found rollers too slick when combined with slick road-bike tires; but in retrospect, I think I was too tentative about my pedaling! 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 And They’re Off! June 20, 2024 Senior Cycling June 19, 2024 Dull Days June 18, 2024 False Alarm June 17, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Senior Cycling

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Senior Cycling 👵👴🏼 Senior Cycling has been around for two decades, offering easy cycling tours for riders age 50 and over.These multi-day rides are primarily on Rails to Trails routes; and follow interesting and scenic places in North America. Tour groups are small (limit 13 riders); and led by experienced guides. SAG support is available; so you can feel safe. The Tours 🛣️ The tours offered by Senior Cycling are structured; yet allow ample time to enjoy things along the way. Some of this year’s tours are already sold out; so don’t delay! Cape Cod still has room as of 06/19/2024; and will let you enjoy late Summer on the beautiful coast. The North Idaho & Washington Rail-Trails tour still has room; and includes four scenic trails; some of the most beautiful in the USA. Or, you can pre-register for next year! Some of the routes on the schedule are: Dunedin Hub Tour; Uncommon Florida; and NC Outer Banks. Details are not yet settled; so check their web site later. These tours sound great, and I wish I could do some of them — the Katy Trail, for one. With SAG service available, I might not need to carry much on my bike. I guess I’ll have to add these tours to my bucket list! 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 Senior Cycling June 19, 2024 Dull Days June 18, 2024 False Alarm June 17, 2024 Thwarted Plans June 16, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Dull Days

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Dull Days 🥱 I’ve got some dull days ahead; and with no tent to crawl into while I wait them out. I’ve got no park bench to rest on, either. This morning I had trigger finger release surgery; so of course for today I’m practically forced to take it easy. I’m still a bit groggy from the sedation; and the surgical site is “waking up” from the local anesthetic. I need to avoid putting much pressure on the site for at least a few days; and besides that, the dressing needs to stay dry. With more rain in the forecast, that would be quite a job if I were outdoors.  The surgeon says, don’t ride until I can comfortably use the bicycle’s brakes. That’s a very important point; if I can’t stop safely, I’m an accident waiting to happen. And using a bicycle pump might be hard. After the hand surgery last year, I managed by using the forearm on the pump handle; but that caused bruising! Gosh, these are going to be some dull days! Waiting It Out 😐 I can’t even cook while I’m waiting it out. Cooking means washing and chopping veggies; and washing dishes and pots. My brother came for a few days to help; and I’m leaving kitchen duty to him. (Kind of nice to have a temporary slave! 😉) After today, I’d better start doing a lot of squats, to try to keep my legs halfway in condition. Lunges are a good exercise, but they’re still a problem because of last Fall’s bunion surgery. And I can keep planning future rides, to keep my mind active. From my reading about training, if you miss two or three days, there’s no big adjustment needed. More than that and you need to scale back. I hope I’m back on the bike by the weekend; but I might be wise not to attempt a distance much over 20 miles. So here I am, waiting it out; an all I can do is wait and see how things pan 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 Dull Days June 18, 2024 False Alarm June 17, 2024 Thwarted Plans June 16, 2024 My Group June 15, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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False Alarm

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment /

False Alarm 😱 I got a false alarm this morning. I checked the weather forecast at about 6:15 am; and it showed that T-storms were possible from 8 am onwards. I decided there was enough of a weather window for me to go for a ride. The sky looked very stormy; and it was making me nervous. I can’t crank a weather radio as I ride, so I couldn’t know what might happen. As a result, I turned back a few miles early. It was a false alarm, even though it briefly got quite dark. It’s annoying to lose those miles; but I didn’t want to take chances with lightning! More Forecasts ⛈️ There are more forecasts comparable to today’s in the coming week. Sometimes I think I should invest in some good rain gear; but I wouldn’t be surprised if the legs of a rain suit were too long for me. If they aren’t too long, they might well not be wide enough. I’ve long had the impression that manufacturers of these items think that short legs mean skinny legs. Not automatically, they don’t! In hot weather, a rain suit might cause me to get overheated; and that does no good. It has the potential to lead to dehydration. That’s a more serious problem than bonking. At least I did get in a ride today; and I included four 5-minute efforts at pushing for 15 mph or over. I don’t know how it will go for the rest of the week, though. I have trigger-finger release surgery scheduled for tomorrow; and my brother is here. We’ll probably be doing some visiting; and as I said, there are more forecasts for stormy weather! If I can fit in rides around all that, I’ll ride. If not, well, we need a bit of downtime now and then! 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 False Alarm June 17, 2024 Thwarted Plans June 16, 2024 My Group June 15, 2024 SAG June 14, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Thwarted Plans

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Thwarted Plans 🚧 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.” Thwarted plans are part and parcel of a cyclist’s life. How often have we had to postpone or cancel a ride because of bad weather? Or change a planned route because of some other event in our path? It’s hard to enjoy the ride under such circumstances! Today was one such time. I wanted to take the hybrid to the park; do a few laps; and then go home. This was a case of thwarted plans! As I approached the park entrance that I planned to use, I saw that the street alongside the park was full of parked cars. This is unusual for 8:30 am on a Sunday; and I knew immediately that something was going on. What now? Change of Plans 🤔 I soon realized that some kind of foot-race was about to start; and that meant a change of plans. I knew that, if I continued riding laps, I’d be caught up in that crowd. It’s happened before; and is quite frustrating. Foot traffic on the jogging/cycling path is supposed to stay to the left; but not everyone does it. Especially not during an event that draws a big crowd. I wasn’t a quarter of a way through Lap 1 when I heard the cry of, “On your marks; get set”; and a blast on a trumpet. I decided to get around the park to the entrance I’d used; and then leave the park to the runners. Some of those runners were FAST! About halfway around the park, someone on a bicycle came along calling out that the lead runners were approaching. I was going 9-10 mph; and those guys were passing me! So I stuck to my change of plans; and got out of the park. 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 Thwarted Plans June 16, 2024 My Group June 15, 2024 SAG June 14, 2024 Grease June 13, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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My Group

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

My Group 🚴‍♀️ 🚴🏿 Have I found my group? Today I did a ride (not on a Tommaso, though) with four other riders, at least two of whom have done RAGBRAI. It was great to chat with some folks who have actually done the ride. One of them says, RAGBRAI is a go-at-your-own-pace event. When we first started pedaling, we had a bit of a tailwind; and I had no trouble hanging with them at 13 mph. After 6-7 miles, we hit a bit of a headwind. Then I wound up lagging behind; but not by too far. Ergo I should do OK on RAGBRAI; at least, when the ground is flat and the wind doesn’t act up!   I have more questions; and I’ll be glad to get “insider information”. Do or don’t I need to bring a bicycle lock? From videos I’ve watched, opinions vary on that point. Are bicycle pumps available; or must I bring one with me? It looks like “bike jams” are most likely at the start of the day’s riding; and when coming in/out/through towns. I get the impression that riders spread out much more after hitting the open road. Is that right? Plenty of Time ⏰ I’m glad I have  plenty of time to work on this; to sleep on it, so to speak. RAGBRAI seems like one of those things that, the more you find out, the more questions you have! I hope my group can help me answer them. When a group of riders does RAGBRAI together, do they stick together on the road; or regroup at stops? Some riders are faster than others; and I don’t want to hold back my group by being a slowpoke. On the other hand, it won’t do me much good to be continually pushing beyond what I can do. And, do charter services provide air mattresses? If I don’t need to bring one, it’ll save space and weight in my luggage! And more and more. Good thing there’s plenty of 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 My Group June 15, 2024 SAG June 14, 2024 Grease June 13, 2024 How about Some Joplin? June 12, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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SAG

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

SAG 🥀 No rider wants to sag; or, to be more exact, need the SAG wagon. RAGBRAI provides SAG wagons for registered riders who need them; and yes, some riders do require this service. Last year’s RAGBRAI coincided with a heat wave; and riders who came from cooler regions must have had a terrible time with it. A  heat index of 100+ is tough even if you live where heat and humidity are the norm. Ways to keep cool are essential; but even with them, hours in blazing sunshine and heat can really wear you down. Other riders, unfortunately, are physically unprepared for all the miles. Yes, it does happen. Add hills, and the difficulty intensifies.  Beat the SAG 🏋🏻 How do you beat the SAG? Train up, of course. You don’t have to resort to body-building; but a little bit of work with weights helps firm up your arm muscles. This is surprisingly important for riding a bicycle. And naturally, train your legs! You can follow this training plan; or create your own. My weekend long ride is short of what this plan indicates for June; so it’s a good thing I’m starting to work towards RAGBRAI 2025 right now! RAGBRAI, after all, is physically very demanding! Another way to beat the SAG: train your gut. I’ve read it often. Don’t do training rides on only a little food; then expect to manage long rides — when you’ll need to eat more — without stomach distress. And of course, look for ways to beat that heat! 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 SAG June 14, 2024 Grease June 13, 2024 How about Some Joplin? June 12, 2024 Blast Furnace Time June 11, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Grease

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Grease 🛢️ Grease doesn’t have to mean the presence of an oil pump in your backyard; but it’s sure easy to get a grease mark on your leg while cycling. Or, to get lube all over your hands if you have to put the chain back on the gears. Maybe I put too much lube on that chain! That’s why I keep Scott Shop Towels handy; both at home and on the bike. I pre-cut some of them, in case I don’t need a whole towel. But I never know when I might need to get rid of some oily marks. Anti-Grease 🧼 What’s your anti-grease routine? You can use paper towels; old rags; and some soaps work pretty well. But one day, some years ago, I made a fortuitous discovery. I was out on a Sunday long ride; and stopped to reapply sunblock. There was a greasy mark on my leg; and I saw that the sunblock was doing a good job of removing that mark! I’d had no idea that sunblock makes a good anti-grease formula; but I’m glad I know it now. Then there’s anti-grease in the kitchen. I’m not vegan; but I do have vegetarian leanings. That’s because I hate cleaning up oily, greasy pots; pans; and dishes! Meatless cooking/eating minimizes this distasteful chore. Plus, I don’t have to try to get the smell of raw meat/poultry off my hands. Maybe sunblock would work for that, too? 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 #173368 June 13, 2024 How about Some Joplin? June 12, 2024 Blast Furnace Time June 11, 2024 RAGBRAI for Seniors June 10, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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How about Some Joplin?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

How about Some Joplin? 🎶 Cooling rag made me think of ragtime; and so, how about some Joplin? I’m not sure I’d want to dance to ragtime in this weather, though —  the hectic pace of, say, Maple Leaf Rag would make me me overheat. That’s another time this cooling rag would come in handy! It’s getting really hot now; and before the end of June. Today it was already 82 degrees before 6:30 am; and it looks like day after tomorrow will be hotter yet. Riding in such heat can leave me feeling pretty ragged – so how about some Joplin? Un-Oh! 🌀 Uh-oh! There’s a system over the Florida peninsula that they’re watching. Development  looks unlikely, and it’s not heading our way; so I guess we don’t have to start chewing our fingernails just yet. It might be too far away to affect us at all; but we could use a cooling breeze here! It looks more like Sunday will be an uh-oh. T-storms are likely; especially in the afternoon. And another swelteringly hot day. Where’s my cooling rag? 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 How about Some Joplin? June 12, 2024 Blast Furnace Time June 11, 2024 RAGBRAI for Seniors June 10, 2024 RAGBRAI and Heat June 9, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Blast Furnace Time

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment /

Blast Furnace Time 🔥 It’s blast furnace time again; and I, for one, intend to forgo hot chocolate for about four or five months. Maybe longer! Of course, cycling during blast furnace time calls for some precautions. It’s so humid here that smothering heat persists well after sundown; and I try to ride early in the day. It’s already hot even then! How I Do It 🚴‍♀️ OK, so the weather is hot; but I want to ride! Here’s how I do it. In addition to riding early in the day, I keep in mind that hydration is very important. It’s important even when the weather is cold; and once the heat sets in, it matters much more. I use a large Camel-Bak; and I also need electrolyte drink, such as Propel. I’ve noticed that, at some point during any long ride, water alone simply won’t suffice. Especially when it’s hot, and I don’t have a shady path to ride. Sometimes you can’t avoid riding in the heat. Before I retired, I sometimes rode home in heat indices of 100+ degrees; and just look at last year’s RAGBRAI.  Many a rider stated that the temperatures were “brutal”. So, how do you keep yourself (a little bit!) cooler? Today I tried out the cooling towel I got a month or two ago. It does help, which is a relief. Mostly it’s the back of my neck that benefits. However, if the nape is cool, you feel a little cooler all over; instead of like you’re melting. 🫠 Or, in our style of humidity, like you’re dissolving! 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 Blast Furnace Time June 11, 2024 RAGBRAI for Seniors June 10, 2024 RAGBRAI and Heat June 9, 2024 Hold Your Line June 8, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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