SpokEasy

July 2024

Am I Old?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment /

Am I Old? 👴🏼👵 Am I old? That depends on what you mean by “old”. I remember when 25 seemed unimaginably old; and here I am, with age 25 far behind in the rearview mirror. That doesn’t mean I can’t ride; and in fact, I began after I was 50! But fast? I seem to be stuck at 11-12 mph. Maybe I need to put in more really, really easy rides, so my muscles can recover. Other factors make me ask, am I old? I don’t have arthritic wrists; but I’ve had trouble with bunions. Good thing my shoes don’t bother me much while I’m actually pedaling! Too Old for Cycling? 😳 But too old for cycling? No way! If you’re an older beginner; and have concerns about balance; a MOPHOTO Adult Folding Tricycle is a possible solution. Maybe I would have been better off with a MOPHOTO when I was starting out. The trike I bought was a single-speed; and the MOPHOTO has seven speeds. At the time, however, I did not forsee that I would become interested in long-distance rides! Getting back to age, you’re never too  old for cycling. One of the many RAGBRAI YouTubes I watched included a brief conversation with a rider who was in his late 90s! So — am I old? Compared to him, I’m still a kid. 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 Am I Old? July 31, 2024 I Did the Split July 30, 2024 New Approach July 29, 2024 Frozen July 28, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

Am I Old? Read More »

I Did the Split

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment /

I Did the Split 🚴🏿 Today I finally did the split ride that I planned over a week ago. First, I hung the panniers on the hybrid, and took a trip to Walmart. There really wasn’t much that I needed; but the drug store doesn’t seem to have any cool rags. I think it’s a good idea to have an extra one handy. I can use them alternately; or I can put away the new one in case I get to do RAGBRAI next year. The countdown has already begun! After I got home from the store, I went out on the road bike. I did only a short ride (under 11 miles), as it was getting hot; with a heat advisory starting at 11:00 am. But a double ride now and then doesn’t hurt.  And can I say, I did the split in the gym? Not anymore, I can’t! Showing my age, I guess. Heat Index 📇 The heat index has shot upwards again. Otherwise, I might have stayed out longer on the road bike! We’re all tired of heat; and I do get weary of slathering on the sunblock! I like it when it’s just cool enough for long sleeves and leg warmers; then I need sunblock only for my face.       Sun sleeves do help keep you cooler. When I rode to Walmart, it was still quite early; and already 80-some degrees. Naturally I got quite sweaty during the ride; and so, of course, did my sun sleeves. While I was in the store, my arms were getting downright cold! I’ll be glad when the heat index goes down. How much longer until that day? We’ve still got August and September, at least! 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 New Approach July 29, 2024 Frozen July 28, 2024 Success! July 27, 2024 Wait Til Morning July 26, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

I Did the Split Read More »

New Approach

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Food /

New Approach ⾨ Sometimes a new approach is very helpful, be it cyclist training or meal preparation. When it comes to the latter, my new approach is to weigh non-liquid foods, rather than measuring them by volume. “One cup” of a vegetable can mean different things, depending on how large (or small) the pieces are. But who wants to stand there measuring pieces of chopped cauliflower to be sure that they’re a half-inch long?  A good kitchen scale is very useful here. I bought mine years ago, when I was into soap-making. I needed a precise scale for measuring lye and oils/fats. Now this scale is really coming in handy. After all, I’ve got to watch the carbs. My A1c level crept up to 6! I’ll see a wellness coach in two weeks; and I hope I get some good pointers. August Training 🚲 But what’s my August training going to be? Have I got a new approach lined up? The plan I have in mind is to reduce mileage; but work on improving my pace. Cutting back on the distance isn’t so easy for a mileage hog like me. Easing up enough between hard efforts is, if anything, harder! But it’s quite evident that that’s what I need to do. All these years on the road bike, and I’m stuck at 11-12 mph. What’s good fuel for these efforts? Refritos? Yes, they’re full of carbs; but the sports nutritionist I consulted several years ago said, my exercise level means I need about 200 grams of carbs a day. Just not carbs from goodies! 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 New Approach July 29, 2024 Frozen July 28, 2024 Success! July 27, 2024 Wait Til Morning July 26, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

New Approach Read More »

Frozen

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment, Food /

Frozen 🥶 Nobody likes to get frozen. So hand warmers come in handy during frigid weather. If the rest of me is chilled through, at least I can keep my fingers warm. But what do I do in this hot weather?  A number of sources that I’ve read say, get cool fluid if possible. Cool liquids are absorbed more easily by the body; but when it’s been hot for weeks, my cold tap produces only warm water! Last Thursday, I though of something else that I had read: to freeze your electrolyte drink the night before a ride. I tried it; and it did keep my drink cooler for a while. I think I’ll keep on doing it; that is, if there’s room in the freezer. Last night there wasn’t! Different Kind of Ride 🐌 I did a different kind of ride today. Instead of putting in long miles on the road bike, I did a shorter ride on the hybrid. There was a 50% chance of rain, so I wanted to take along the poncho; and I also wanted to stop at the ATM. I thought the hybrid was better for that, because I could use the trunk. So there I was, with Camel-Bak and a bike trunk. I did consider shooting for 25 miles; but on the hybrid I’m slower, because it’s heavier than the road bike. On top of that, I didn’t feel like hurrying today; and I became concerned that I would run short of water if I pushed for 25 miles. I have no handlebar bag for the hybrid, and I had to stop and dismount every time I wanted a bite to eat. That’s definitely a different kind of ride! On top of all that, it was getting very hot. It was already about 84 degrees when I set out around 7:30 am; and of course the temperature kept climbing. So I decided to leave the ride early. Now — where’s those T-storms they were talking about?   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 Frozen July 28, 2024 Success! July 27, 2024 Wait Til Morning July 26, 2024 Second Guessing July 25, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

Frozen Read More »

Success!

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Success 👍 Today’s trip to the salvage store was a success; at least, as far as the weather goes. But no trailer this time; I’m still trying to use up the canned stuff that I already have. On the way to the store, I had my eye on a big, dark cloud towards the South. The forecast I checked predicted rain and T-storms from late morning; and I hoped to make it back home before things began to happen! And I did; in plenty of time. I didn’t start to hear thunder for more than two hours after I hit my doorstep. Shopping itself wasn’t quite as big a success. I didn’t find much that would make good ride food; and ride food is always high on my list! The Ride 🚲 For the ride, I used the hybrid, as usual for trips to the salvage store. Actually, the ride to and from the salvage store is a chance for me to get in some fairly easy pedaling; except, of course, for a vehicular access ramp that I need to climb. But that ascent requires only about 12 seconds in a trek that takes a half-hour or more. My technique for climbing is: pull with my arms (a steady pull; not a series of jerky tugs). This means I don’t have my full weight on the saddle; but I maintain contact with it. This lets me push harder on the pedals. I also engage my core, to help me hold a more-or-less straight line. As I pedaled home, I kept watching the sky. The clouds were building up; but at least I had a bit of a tailwind for a change.  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 #177471 July 27, 2024 Wait Til Morning July 26, 2024 Second Guessing July 25, 2024 Ready for More? July 24, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

Success! Read More »

Wait Til Morning

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Wait Til Morning 🌅 I might as well wait til morning to check any weather forecasts. Too often of late, the evening predictions of stormy weather don’t come to pass. Why cause myself unnecessary worry? Because of the heat (overnight lows around 80 degrees), I want to get going early. That often means less than an hour between rising and rolling; and that, in turn, means not much breakfast before I climb aboard the bike. I’d like to try these Sweet Loren’s Vegan Breakfast Biscuits; but I take along cut-up protein bars to eat on the bike. It takes my body a while to wake up enough for a real meal. Besides, if I eat a full meal; then wait several hours to ride; I won’t get started until about 10 am. That’s right when the heat starts to get bad; and also when T-storms are likely to start firing up. But if a forecast has shown rain and T-storms for the following morning, I’ll be on tenterhooks; expecting to wake up to a storm. So I say, wait til morning to worry about the weather. Eye on the Clouds ⛈️ All the same, I keep an eye on the clouds while I’m out riding. Even if the morning’s forecast says it won’t rain for several hours, I just can’t be sure; and I for sure can’t carry a barometer with me! This morning I had an eye on the clouds, all right. Off towards the South there was a big thunderhead; and I couldn’t know whether it were coming my way, or not. But as I rode, it seemed to collapse; and that was a relief. Speaking of clouds, it looks like the tropics are waking up again. Time to sort through my stash of canned goods; and fix up a box of emergency supplies. If a storm forces me to stay home several days, I’ll need them! 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 Frozen July 28, 2024 Success! July 27, 2024 Wait Til Morning July 26, 2024 Second Guessing July 25, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

Wait Til Morning Read More »

Second Guessing

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Second Guessing 🤔 Were all familiar with second guessing; and I sure am doing it now. Not exactly what I like to see recorded in my training diary! This morning I had an appointment at 8:45, and I didn’t go for a ride beforehand. I didn’t want to arrive there all hot and sweaty; or, worse, be late because I forgot about the time. When I got back home after the appointment, it was already hot enough that I didn’t want to start a ride. (Geez, what a wimp I am!) The forecast for tomorrow looks like there might be rain and even T-storms by my usual ride time; and that’s triggered second guessing! I Should Have Ridden! 🚴🏿 So here I am; thinking, I should have ridden. Doesn’t matter whether it’s road bike or hybrid; just so I’m riding.  But at 6:45 pm, it’s too late to be going for a long or vigorous ride. They say, you should finish workouts at least one hour before trying to go to sleep. So, suppose I tried to go for a regular weekday ride right now? Allow at least 20 minutes to get ready: fill the Camel-Bak; prepare an electrolyte drink; get dressed; apply sunblock (it won’t be dark for an hour or so). Then, if i put in 19-20 miles, as I often do, I won’t be home until nine o’clock or later. That leaves almost no time between riding and hitting the sack. Gee, I should have ridden this morning, after all! 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 Second Guessing July 25, 2024 Ready for More? July 24, 2024 Selective Blindness July 23, 2024 Downhearted? July 22, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

Second Guessing Read More »

Ready for More?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Ready for More? ➕ How do you know when you’re ready for more? When are you ready for more miles; more intensity; more speed? It doesn’t have to be cyclocross, either. Today, as I was approaching the end of my ride, I realized that I wanted to keep going. Does that mean that I’m ready to push for 25-mile rides, several times a week? Am I ready for more? If so, it seems that I’ve succeeded in my plan for July; namely, to extend my daily mileages. August Plan 🗓️ My August plan certainly includes keeping that cool rag handy! The eighth month of the year is often one of the hottest here; and having my neck cool helps a great deal. In fact, it’s quite spoiled me! The rest of my August plan is to reduce mileage; but work on greater intensity. My Garmin will help with that, because I can get a direct reading of my heart rate. Perceived exertion, in my humble opinion, isn’t necessarily the same. On a day when I feel tired at the start of a ride, my perceived effort level might be higher than it was the previous day, when I was better rested — even if my actual heart rate is the same or lower. Part of working on short, fast, hard bursts is easing up a LOT in between efforts. That lets your body recover for the next effort; and it’s something I’ve never been very good at doing. I think I’m too hung up on my overall average speed. I hope that my August plan won’t have to include dodging hurricanes. At present, the tropics are quiet; but that isn’t necessarily good news. There are four months left of official hurricane season; and the busiest part of the season is approaching. 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 #177205 July 24, 2024 Selective Blindness July 23, 2024 Downhearted? July 22, 2024 Forget the Split July 21, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

Ready for More? Read More »

Selective Blindness

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Selective Blindness? 🕶️ No offense meant to people who are blind; but I think we’re all subject to selective blindness now and then. If we don’t use something, we soon stop noticing whether it’s there or not. For those of us who live car-free, availability of parking spaces for motor vehicles is a non-issue. I, for one, hardly notice how many parking spaces are empty when I arrive at a store; and for people who use cars, the presence — or lack thereof — of bicycle racks probably doesn’t enter their minds. For example, this morning I rode my hybrid to the bank. When I got there, I found that the bike rack was gone. I asked one of the bank’s personnel what had happened to it; and they said that they’d never noticed that there was a bike rack. Selective blindness, I suppose; that person probably uses a car. Sun Blindness ☀️ Then there’s sun blindness, which I’m sure we all know. Today I kept finding myself heading into the sun; and sunglasses don’t do any good under such circumstances. That’s all the more worrisome when I have to ride near traffic. I’m lucky there wasn’t a lot of it this morning; but I bet that will change soon, when school starts. I might avoid sun blindness if I rode later in the day, when the sun isn’t so low in the sky; but when the weather is hot, riding early is important. We’re actually getting a break from the extreme heat this week; but cool it is not! I don’t expect cool weather for at least two months; probably longer. Speaking of heat, RAGBRAI is in progress. Last year’s RAGBRAI suffered a bad heat wave; and I hope this year’s event is cooler. 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 Selective Blindness July 23, 2024 Downhearted? July 22, 2024 Forget the Split July 21, 2024 Split Ride July 20, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

Selective Blindness Read More »

Downhearted?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Downhearted? 💙 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.” We all get downhearted sometimes. Our training isn’t going as well as we might expect; or constant bad weather gets us down. Let’s hope it isn’t blood pressure problems that sit heavily upon our shoulders! Then there’s downhearted as in, get my heart rate down as I ride. Lately, my road bike’s computer often tells me that I’ve spent much of a ride in my heart rate Zone 4; which is 85-94% of my maximum heart rate. Could I be spending too much ride time there; and do I actually need to pull back on the intensity? Slow Down Get Faster? ⏩ Slow down, get faster? That’s what I’ve read; and here is where keeping records of your rides pays off. As already mentioned, I often spend a considerable portion of my ride time at a quite intense effort level. Is that why I seem stuck at an average speed of 11-12 mph? Am I riding too hard, too much of the time; and not allowing myself adequate recovery time? This morning I worked to stay in my heart rate Zone 3; and for the most part, I succeeded. But guess what I noticed? In order to keep my heart rate down, I do better riding in a relatively hard gear, at a rather slow cadence. Today I did most of my ride on the big ring; and used the larger cogs. Actually, that’s how I usually ride, anyway; but this ride I needed to keep in Zone 3. So I made a special effort to pedal more slowly. If I had stayed on the small ring, I would have pedaled faster; with the result being a higher heart rate. Slow down, get faster? It’s worth a try. 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 Downhearted? July 22, 2024 Forget the Split July 21, 2024 Split Ride July 20, 2024 Pretend July 19, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

Downhearted? Read More »