SpokEasy

February 2025

Gearing Down

Leave a Comment / BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors, Training /

Gearing Down ⚙️ Today I practiced gearing down. Sort of. I used the hybrid for a run to Walmart; and stayed on the biggest cog most of the time. It isn’t the same as spinning in low gear on the road bike; but it was better than nothing. A slow cadence in a hard gear feels very different from low-gear, high-cadence spinning. They say it uses a different type of muscle fiber. I’ll be gearing down for the hills on RAGBRAI; that’s for sure. I even contacted RAGBRAI to ask what gradients I can expect; but they won’t know that until about April. The overnight towns have been announced; but not the pass-through towns. Until that’s been determined, things are still up in the air. So is the weather. I hope we’re spared the rough weather that they say could hit the South next week! Rough Weather ⛈️ ⚡️ 🌪️ I hope RAGBRAI doesn’t encounter rough weather this year. One night during RAGBRAI L, in 2023, rough weather struck on the sixth night (see here at ~12:31); and some tents were blown over. Thank goodness there wasn’t a tornado! Gearing down to ride into a headwind isn’t my idea of fun; but I’ll have to be prepared for it. I get headwinds often enough up there on the levee; and I don’t suppose the open stretches of Iowa roads will be any different. Even if I don’t like it, it’s good training! 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 ✍🏻 Gearing Down February 28, 2025 Potpourri February 27, 2025 Nudging the Brain February 26, 2025 Climbing Legs February 25, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Potpourri

Leave a Comment / BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Training /

Potpourri 🪴 A training plan can seem like potpourri — it’s quite a mix of things. From what I’ve always read about it, training needs to incorporate several elements; and if you’re working towards an event, this is even more important. Got a long event (e.g. RAGBRAI) on your calendar? You’ll need to train for endurance by doing progressively longer rides; but you’ve also got to prepare for Iowa’s hills! For me, that means working to push hard against a hard gear; there aren’t hills here. And don’t forget to practice spinning in a low gear. I’ve got to start doing that, too! And when climbing, I’m apt to be in a very low gear; but the gradient makes pedaling feel hard! Hard on my legs and also hard on my cardiovascular system. So I also need, at some point, to work to increase my tolerance for riding at or near my maximum heart rate! See why I say that training is like potpourri? But be careful to avoid burnout; some days you need to just ride. Just Ride 🚴‍♂️   A good day for “just ride” is when I visit the salvage store on Saturday. I don’t need to  hurry; so if I have a headwind, I don’t have to work hard. It can be hard to remember to “just ride”, though. I think I’ve gotten too used to working to push the pace! But easy rides are part of the potpourri that is cyclist training. No matter how serious you are about riding and training, don’t forget to just ride for fun 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 ✍🏻 Potpourri February 27, 2025 Nudging the Brain February 26, 2025 Climbing Legs February 25, 2025 Dry for Now February 24, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Nudging the Brain

Leave a Comment / BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Training /

Nudging the Brain 🧠 Is cycling a way of nudging the brain? Or does the Mind Diet Cookbook work better? I was thinking of taking a day off from riding today; but by mid-afternoon, I decided to do a short, easy spin on the hybrid. My legs were feeling restless; and I couldn’t think of a blog topic. My brain was a blank slate! I thought a ride might be a way of nudging the brain. Maybe I would see or hear something that would give me a good blog idea! Unfortunately I didn’t notice anything of particular interest; and it was hard to ride easily. I kept wanting to push the pace! So I didn’t dare ride long; and I came home with my mind still a blank slate. Blank Slate 🫥 A blank slate of a mind is quite annoying. How can one get anything done? Especially if you can’t come up with a way of nudging the brain! My plan for tomorrow’s ride is another session of working to push the pace. That means riding against a harder gear than usual. Incidentally, I’m glad I have a compact crankset. That should make RAGBRAI‘s hills a bit easier. I even asked my bike shop whether it would be possible to get a triple crankset. They say, yes; but it wouldn’t be a quick and easy fix. So I’ve got to develop a good set of climbing legs with what I’ve got. Day before yesterday, I did 5-minute pace efforts; and next week I’ll push for 6 minutes. I’ll hold it at 6 minutes the week after that, before adding a little more time to these efforts. I also need to add a few miles to my distance. It isn’t too soon to put that on the schedule … looks like I’m filling up that blank slate 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 ✍🏻 Nudging the Brain February 26, 2025 Climbing Legs February 25, 2025 Dry for Now February 24, 2025 Rain Daze February 23, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Climbing Legs

Leave a Comment / BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Training /

Climbing Legs 🦵🏼 I’m working to develop a pair of climbing legs. I’ll sure need them five months from now; and those months will fly by. Yes, I’ll need climbing legs for RAGBRAI; but for me, the most worrisome aspect of RAGBRAI’s hills is gradient. That’s why I’m working to develop better force (aka strength) on the bike. Not so easy when you live where it’s flat. So, one day a week, I do a force development workout.  I ride comfortably for 10 minutes or so, to get warmed up; then put in short efforts at pushing hard against a hard gear. Today I did 45-second interevals; and next week I’ll try for 50-60 seconds. Every third week, I take a break from this intense work; that’s recommended for riders over 40 years of age. However, I seem to have a way of changing my workout plans. Looks like I’m velut luna! Velut Luna 🌒 Weather forecasts are also velut luna, as it says in Carmina Burana. After a lifetime here, I still can’t tell what the weather will do. Aren’t I illiterate? Yesterday the forecast predicted more rain tomorrow afternoon; now it says mostly sunny, after patchy fog in the morning. Well, I’ll be glad if it does not rain! I’m still not completely dried out from two days of wet rides! The ride plan for tomorrow is short and easy. Going hard every day is not the way to develop climbing legs, because you’re likely to burn out. Unfortunately it’s easy to get carried away; especially if you happen to be velut luna. 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 ✍🏻 Climbing Legs February 25, 2025 Dry for Now February 24, 2025 Rain Daze February 23, 2025 Ride While You Can February 22, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Dry for Now

Leave a Comment / BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors, Personal Care /

Dry for Now 🌵 It looks like we’re dry for now; or, at least until Thursday. Then there’s a chance of showers again. I hope it doesn’t rain. After two days of riding in the rain, I’ve got damp clothes all over the place; including two pairs of shoes. A DX Boot Dryer would be handy right now, if I had room for one. As I don’t have a boot dryer, I’m stuffing the wet shoes with pages torn from old magazines. I have to change this stuffing as it gets soaked; and it’s rather a nuisance. So I hope the weather stays dry for now! A few months back, I got an unusually long stretch of un-rainy rides; and I guess I got spoiled. That makes it all the harder to go out for a ride when it’s raining; and I have to remind myself of RAGBRAI. The weather should be better tomorrow; and the wind will be less than it was this morning. According to the forecast, we’ll be becalmed! Becalmed 🥱 No sailor wants to become becalmed; but a calm wind is good news for me as a cyclist. And after a good ride, some massage balls can help ease out the kinks in your muscles; especially if you weren’t becalmed. Riding against a headwind is hard work! Roll out the kinks in your muscles using these three balls with various properties: long, soft spikes (orange); medium-firm spikes (yellow); and short, hard spikes (red). Then kick back and relax like this kitty! If it stays dry for now, maybe I can tidy up a bit in here. I don’t dare put things away if they might be damp; this climate is only too good for growing mildew!  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 ✍🏻 Dry for Now February 24, 2025 Rain Daze February 23, 2025 Ride While You Can February 22, 2025 On the Fence February 21, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Rain Daze

Leave a Comment / BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Rain Daze 😵 Do rides in inclement weather leave you feeling like this?   I think I have rain daze today. The forecast showed rain all day; but by early afternoon, I was tired of hanging around at home, waiting for it to start pouring. By about 2 pm, I had had enough, and decided to go for a short ride; with a detour to the neighborhood supermarket on the way home.  It was raining, but not particularly hard. I pulled on leg warmers; shorts; vest; jacket; and poncho. I wore a skull cap, too; after all, it’s in the 50s. Then I went out for a ride. I guess rain daze isn’t only about the effects of a wet ride; it’s also about the rather depressing effects of a gray day. It can have odd effects on the brain.🧠 When I started my ride, I didn’t feel hungry; so I didn’t think to have a snack. After about half a mile, I realized that I was getting hungry; and I hadn’t brought anything to eat with me. That brought The Bonk to mind; so I decided to make my ride short. I figured I was flirting with the bonk. Flirting with the Bonk 😵‍💫 Flirting with the bonk is risky business; and I rode only one lap around the park. The planned trip to the grocery store meant more time for The Bonk to catch up with me. Rain daze was also catching up with me. Something about gray skies and falling rain is soporific; and I was also getting wet. My poncho’s sleeves don’t go all the way down to the wrist; and my jacket sleeves got soaked. So, of course did the blouse sleeves under it. My leg warmers got wet at least as far up as the knees; my feet got soaked; and my gloves were wet through. There I was, walking into the store, and dripping all over! I got a few groceries; including a Quest Chocolate Caramel Pecan bar. Once clear of the checkout, I made short work of that bar! Then I rode home. Perhaps the most tiresome aspect of rain daze, is the amount of time I spend wringing out and  hanging up wet cycling gear once I’m home. I’m glad this doesn’t happen every day. 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 ✍🏻 Rain Daze February 23, 2025 Ride While You Can February 22, 2025 On the Fence February 21, 2025 Lab Rat February 20, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Ride While You Can

Leave a Comment / BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors, Training /

Ride While You Can 🚲 Sometimes you have to ride while you can; be it cyclocross or merely getting in some miles for the heck of it. This afternoon I decided to do some miles because the forecast for tomorrow isn’t so great. They’re predicting rain again; and some showers might be heavy. The wind will strengthen as the morning goes on; and I’m SO tired of wind! At lest the temperature will be in the 50s, instead of freezing. 🥶 So, to ride, or not to ride? It’s rather annoying to be on the fence like that. If it isn’t raining in the morning, that’ll be great; and and I can go out. Ride while you can! If it is raining in the morning, but not too hard, I think I’ll pull on the poncho and go ride laps around the park. But if it’s pouring, I’ll do some indoor pedaling. I feel like a sissy when I take that course, though; foul weather training is necessary when preparing for an event. Foul Weather Training 🌧️  Foul weather training means, don the rain gear and get your bicycle in gear. But it’s harder to start a ride when it’s already raining, than it is to get caught in the rain mid-ride. If I’m already out, it’s easier to be philosophical about rain; the only way out is through! If it starts to pour when I’m still indoors at home, beginning a ride takes some self-prodding. I have to remind myself that this might happen during RAGBRAI; and I’ll need to be prepared. And sometimes you have to ride while you can — even in the rain — because other obligations (a job, for instance) mean you can’t ride 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 ✍🏻 Ride While You Can February 22, 2025 On the Fence February 21, 2025 Lab Rat February 20, 2025 More Winter February 19, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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On the Fence

Leave a Comment / BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment /

On the Fence 🤔 We all know the feeling of being on the fence; and it can make you feel out of “CTRL“. For example, I’m preparing for RAGBRAI LII; and am on the fence about bike locks. Should I bring one; or not? Some people say, don’t worry; you don’t need a lock. Others say, it’s better to have a lock; especially if you want to ride into the overnight town and will be away from your camp site. I have a cable lock; but it’s quite heavy. If I bring it along, maybe I can let it stay in my luggage; then I’ll have it if I need it at the camp site. And it won’t be weighing down my Camel-Bak all day long. Oh, and what about getting my electronic devices locked in at a charging station? Locked In? 🔐 Here is another subject on which I’m on the fence. PBV service includes a charging trailer, with locking compartments. Some videos I’ve watched say, bring a padlock. I immediately though of a standard padlock; the kind you might use for a school locker. Then I watched another video; and that one mentioned the small kind of padlock that you’d use for luggage. Wouldn’t you know, I can’t find that video again. Which kind of lock do I need? No wonder I feel like I’m on the fence! Of course I’ll want to get my devices locked in at night; and my list of RAGBRAI questions includes this issue. Are PBV users assigned a charging cubby, just as they’re assigned a tent number? If not, how will I easily find the cubby that I’ve chosen for my headlight, etc? I soon thought of putting a small piggy charm (such as you’d carry on a keychain) in the cubby. While I was considering where to look for such a thing, I remembered that I didn’t need to buy one; I already had one! I think it’s supposed to be a baby peccary; but that’s close enough. I was able to find it easily; and now it’s with the stuff I’m accumulating for RAGBRAI. 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 Fence February 21, 2025 Lab Rat February 20, 2025 More Winter February 19, 2025 Another Round February 18, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Lab Rat

Leave a Comment / BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Food /

Lab Rat 🐀 I’ve got to be a lab rat for a while. After viewing many a video about RAGBRAI, I can see that I might need to change my fueling strategy; and that means starting to experiment now. For years, my long-ride fueling strategy has been to eat a banana and some peanut butter before starting; and then eat a bite of an energy bar every 15 minutes. During RAGBRAI that might not be possible. I might need to eat more, less often, depending on how far apart food sources are. So, how will I do if I fuel that way? I won’t know unless I make myself a lab rat. That includes considering RAGBRAI breakfasts. RAGBRAI Breakfasts 🥞 I’m weighing my options for RAGBRAI breakfasts. Depending on how early in the day I want to begin riding, there might not be a way to buy any food first. I also might not feel secure riding one-handed if there are a lot of other riders near to me; and if so, my usual eat-on-the-bike strategy won’t be practical. But what to eat? I’m afraid that my usual protein bars won’t do. I suspect that the PBV trailer truck is not climate-controlled; and those bars — many of which have chocolate coating — will be an absolute mess! Will a packet of peanut butter and a GU-Gel get me to the breakfast town? Or how about packets of nuts and chocolate (in the form of M&Ms)? I’ll want to try Chris Cakes at least once; and that looks like a big meal! Or can I get a “short stack”, and eat less; so my gut won’t  be too uncomfortable when I resume pedaling? Of course RAGBRAI breakfasts will be only part of the day’s food. There will be ice cream; corn on the cob; home-made pie; and more! Being a lab rat for a while should help my stomach learn to adjust. I just hope I don’t gain 10 pounds in the process! 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 ✍🏻 Lab Rat February 20, 2025 More Winter February 19, 2025 Another Round February 18, 2025 Roll Over February 17, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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More Winter

Leave a Comment / BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment, Outdoors /

More Winter ❄️ We’ve got more Winter coming. There are cold-weather warnings posted for the next two nights; and early tomorrow the chill factor will be well below freezing! It’s good I’ve got some cold-weather clothing; but when it’s that cold, nothing seems warm enough. Leg warmers help; but even with an additional base layer, my legs get cold. A long-sleeved blouse with three layers over it doesn’t keep out the chill.  Would these AmFIB Lobster Gel Gloves keep my hands warmer? Even with hand warmers inside of my gloves, my hands can get pretty cold. Frigid wind on my head gets painful, even when I’m wearing a skull cap. My feet get cold, even with heavy socks. More Winter for us doesn’t often mean sub-freezing temperatures; and when they occur, it’s apt to mean a training disruption for me. Training Disruption 😞 Cold weather doesn’t have to mean a training disruption; it’s possible to “ride” inside. If only such exercise weren’t so tedious! I got enough of it during the recent cold snap; and now I need to resume it. And we’ve got more Winter. It’s not the end of February yet; but I hope it stops dropping down to freezing. This city isn’t made for it; and I don’t blame anybody for not wanting to buy a lot of polar-rated clothing that they’ll need only a few days per season. Hence a training disruption can easily occur when the mercury drops like a stone. 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 ✍🏻 More Winter February 19, 2025 Another Round February 18, 2025 Roll Over February 17, 2025 Law of Averages February 16, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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