SpokEasy

July 2024

Green Light

Green Light 🟢 The hand surgeon has given me the green light! I had a follow-up with him today; and he says, go ahead and do whatever I want! I debated whether to go for a ride this afternoon. As of 4:30 pm, it’s still looking rather stormy; and the heat index is still close to 100 degrees.  And what about tomorrow? Chances for rain and T-storms are greatest after noon; so if I go out early I might be OK. Even more than that, I want to be back home before people start lobbing firecrackers. That’s what happens on July 4! Even though they’re not legal, some folks think they have the green light to set the things off. Turned Loose 🪢 Now that I’ve been turned loose (knots untied, so to speak), I can think again of RAGBRAI training — with or without a triangle frame bag. I’m afraid I’ll have to do without it, although I’d love to have one; because my bottle cages would be in the way. My plan for July is to work more on increasing my mileage than improving my pace; and I especially want to ride tomorrow because I skipped it today. But I’ll see what the weather is doing when I get up; and take it from there. When I get turned loose on the bike path, I’m apt to push for 19-20 miles; and for that, I need some ride food. A banana with peanut butter won’t last that long! 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 #175382 July 3, 2024 Nervous Nellie July 2, 2024 Cyclist’s Shuffle July 1, 2024 Turn Off the Oven! June 30, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Nervous Nellie

Nervous Nellie 😳 I’m a bit of a Nervous Nellie, knowing that there’s a bad hurricane out there. Not that there’s any real reason to get scared about Beryl just yet; but another system is close behind. It’s a good reason to get out there and ride while I can. In this heat, though, I’m using my cool rag a lot. It’s better not to try to push the pace; and I hope it cools off a little soon so I can ride more comfortably! The high temperatures make me a Nervous Nellie in another respect: being sure I take along enough water! This morning I put 2.5 liters of water in my Camel-Bak; and got home after two hours with just a half-liter remaining. It’s amazing how thirsty I got; and probably I should have drunk more before I began riding. I also drank almost a pint of electrolyte drink; and reached home with maybe a tablespoon left. Next time, take more. It was still fairly early when I went out; about 7:15 am. It would be better if I got going at 6:00 am if I want to ride more than 10 miles; but I’ve been very much a sleepyhead of late. Indecision 🤔 Oh, indecision! Should I ride tomorrow, or not? I have a mid-morning appointment; and going for a ride beforehand will mean getting up very early. I’m not sure I want to do that; but it would at least let me ride before the heat of the day builds up. Again, the forecast is for a heat index over 100 degrees! By the time I get back home after my appointment, it will be too hot to ride. When will this end? On the other hand, how else will I get used to riding in the heat? Hence the indecision! 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 Nervous Nellie July 2, 2024 Cyclist’s Shuffle July 1, 2024 Turn Off the Oven! June 30, 2024 Raising Alarms June 29, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Cyclist’s Shuffle

Cyclist’s Shuffle 👟 No, cyclist’s shuffle isn’t about fancy footwork on the dance floor. I’ve read about it in connection with pro riders, who tend to develop a shuffling gait when off the bike. I seem to be well on the way to developing cyclist’s shuffle myself; and I’m far from a pro! But my efforts to improve my pace apparently are adding up. My legs have come to like pedaling more than walking; and when I walk, my legs feel tired. So why don’t I get out there and ride right now? Because the heat index is 108! Yes, I need to learn to ride in such heat; but maybe not when my head feels stuffy (allergies, I suppose). The heat isn’t the only weather concern; there’s a big, bad hurricane out  there! Shuffle out of Town? 🚶 I hope we won’t have to shuffle out of town; or, worse, run like heck. At present, it doesn’t look like Beryl will pose a threat to us; but they’re still not sure what that storm might do in a few days. If Beryl starts to take a more northerly turn, we could be in trouble. For the time being, I’ll just sit tight; and ride when I can. This month’s plan is to work at increasing my daily mileage; and let pace work rest. After all, RAGBRAI 2025 is a long way off yet. Unfortunately my hand is still sore; and real work might have to wait a week or two. But hey, any riding is better than none at all. If I do have to shuffle out of town, what about my bicycles? I won’t be able to take them with me. If I did have a car, I’m sure it would have had a bicycle rack long ago; and then I could take them along. And hope to find somewhere to ride, wherever I ended up. 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 Cyclist’s Shuffle July 1, 2024 Turn Off the Oven! June 30, 2024 Raising Alarms June 29, 2024 Glutes and Quads June 28, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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