SpokEasy

SpokEasy

March 2025

Getting Easier!

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

Getting Easier! 😌 My weekday rides of approximately 20 miles are getting easier. Today’s ride seemed quite easy even though I was on the much heavier hybrid;  and I think that means it’s time to start working to increase the intensity of those rides. This morning the weather was bad; so I didn’t go out until early afternoon. Just before I got ready to ride, I checked the weather. The temperature was in the upper 60s; so I wore leg warmers. Over the ensuing two hours, the temperature rose by a good 10 degrees; and I was almost too warm by the end. I forgot to take into account that the sun was out full force. But at least the ride is getting easier! But I forgot to pack along a second bar; and had to fill out with GU-Gels. If not for that, I would have stayed out a little longer. So don’t forget to take extra ride food! Extra Ride Food 🍌 🌮 🍳 Extra ride food is a good idea. You never know when some unforeseen occurrence will keep you out longer than you planned; or you simply might be extra hungry that day. Even when your rides are getting easier, you need to have adequate fuel. Don’t risk bonking! According to what I’ve read, The Bonk can come on quite suddenly; one account said the rider felt great; then suddenly developed tunnel vision and was totally exhausted. Having extra ride food that you don’t eat is much better than that! 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 Getting Easier! March 31, 2025 What a Forecast! March 30, 2025 You’re a Brick! March 29, 2025 Storms Love Weekends? March 28, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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What a Forecast!

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

What a Forecast! ⛈️ 🍃 What a forecast we’ve got for the upcoming week! I wish I had more rain gear. Tomorrow, showers and T-storms are likely; especially in the morning. There could be heavy rain; and even when the storms are past, the ground is liable to be wet. I’ll have to resign myself to getting a wet, muddy stripe up my back. It will probably be windy; with gusts up to 20 mph. Tuesday will be better; but the following two days are going to be windy; and more strong gusts are coming. What a forecast! All this crazy weather is complicating my RAGBRAI prep! Try Try Again 😓 I’m still working to get my Sunday ride up to 40 miles; but I haven’t quite made it yet. Well — try, try again! Today I rode out to the point where the levee bike path is closed. Then I doubled back; and went to the local park to ride some laps. It’s lucky I didn’t start my ride by doing those laps! When I arrived at the park, I saw that some kind of event had taken place. If I had been trying to ride ’round and ’round the park two hours earlier, I likely would have had to leave the park. Some people in those walk/run events tend to wander into the bike lane; and that’s hazardous to both them and the cyclists. It makes me feel nervous. But I did four laps. I had thought of doing five laps; but my legs were starting to tire; the wind was getting stronger; and I felt like I was running low on energy. Thus I decided to head home; and I thought that I can try, try again. I hope the weather cooperates; but gosh, what a forecast we’ve got! 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 What a Forecast! March 30, 2025 You’re a Brick! March 29, 2025 Storms Love Weekends? March 28, 2025 No End? March 27, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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You’re a Brick!

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

You’re a Brick! 🧱 If you’re a brick, your friends are in luck. Then there’s the charging brick; aka the charger block. The one shown here has 4 USB-C Ports and 4 QC USB-A Ports; charge up to 8 devices simultaneously. Output of 200 watts; and the brick is small enough to fit into hand luggage.  I’m considering one of these for RAGBRAI; the charging block that I already have can power only two devices at once. That’s why I’m got a headlamp that uses batteries; so maybe my two-port brick will do. (The main thing will be my bicycle headlight, as I anticipate pre-dawn starts.) Then I can say to the thing, Gee, you’re a brick! But I’ve got other things on my mind today. Where’s the storm? Where’s the Storm? ⛈️ So, where’s the storm? I’m tired of weather forecasts indicating doom and gloom that doesn’t happen. Well, if I do ride, and get caught in the rain, a Youphoria Microfiber Travel Towel can dry me off. That’s yet another product I’ve bought for RAGBRAI. It takes up far less space than a typical terrycloth towel. I gave it a “test run”; then put it through the laundry. When it’s dry, I’ll put it away for the big ride! I took a walk a few hours ago to get chain lube from the bike shop; and I asked the shop owner where to lube my bike pedals. My road bike’s left pedal squeaks; and he showed me where to put the oil. I should have told him, Hey, you’re a brick! Then I stopped at the little grocery store for frozen blueberries and almond milk. On the way home, I saw it was looking stormy towards the North; and now the sky is overcast. But still no rain. Where’s the storm? 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 You’re a Brick! March 29, 2025 Storms Love Weekends? March 28, 2025 No End? March 27, 2025 Preppie? March 26, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Storms Love Weekends?

Leave a Comment / BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Storms Love Weekends? ⛈️ Do storms love weekends? It sure seems like it! Yet again, the forecast for Saturday and Sunday is not for pleasant weather. How monotonous that looks in a journal: “T-storm again today.” “Strong wind again”; and so on. This morning I rode to the salvage store because of the forecast. Now I’m having trouble remembering that today isn’t Saturday! It’s amazing how easily my sense of time can get thrown off. I wasn’t sure about going out post-shopping to do some more miles; who knew when things might get nasty? And it seems that storms love weekends. At the same time, I wanted (and needed) to get my mileage count up. Mileage Count 🔢 By early evening I was tired of being cooped up; and decided to go ride a few laps around the park. That would get my mileage count up a little. And even in bad weather, I’d rather ride outdoors than on rollers! Because of the wind, I decided to ride the hybrid for its extra stability. I went to the park instead of riding on top of the levee; I didn’t want to have to battle a strong headwind all the way home. And, I wanted to be fairly close to home if the weather did turn nasty. I didn’t get my mileage count up as much as I really wanted. By my third circuit of the park, the wind was starting to feel cooler; and I thought I could smell rain. It was starting to get dark, too; so I went home. Today’s total mileage was about 20.25. I’ll see what’s happening tomorrow; but I’m not optimistic. Storms love weekends! 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 Storms Love Weekends? March 28, 2025 No End? March 27, 2025 Preppie? March 26, 2025 Team RWB March 25, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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No End?

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

No End? 🎬 Will there be no end to stormy weekend forecasts? Friday night and Saturday look especially wet; so it’s time to be sure the rain gear is ready! I’m debating whether to go to the salvage store tomorrow; and play it by ear for Saturday and Sunday. We could be getting T-storms by 10:00 am on Saturday. On the other hand, wind gusts tomorrow might reach 25 mph; and from the Southeast. That means a headwind on the way home. There’s no end to planning for weather! Even if I ride in the rain, though, I have to be sure I have adequate water with me. I don’t want to get parched! Parched 🌵 Getting parched isn’t wise; but it can happen. Today I didn’t ride until late morning; and I hadn’t drunk as much liquid as usual. The temperature was about 80; but after all, I intended to do a short, easy ride. So I didn’t use the Camel-Bak; and didn’t bother with electrolyte drink. I think I would have been better off with them; I felt persistently thirsty. After yesterday’s hard efforts, of course I was rather tired; and today’s experience reminds me: soon I must start taking rides in the heat of the day. Before long, the overnight low temperatures will hover around 80 degrees, anyway; but if I ride early I miss the blazing sunshine. Full sun is an important factor in RAGBRAI prep, so I learn how not to get parched. There’s no end to things to think of. That’s why it’s vital to start RAGBRAI prep early! 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 No End? March 27, 2025 Preppie? March 26, 2025 Team RWB March 25, 2025 Blank Again March 24, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Preppie?

Leave a Comment / BACK ISSUES, equipment /

Preppie? 📣 I remember when the preppie look was a big deal. In particular, I remember those shirts with the alligators on them. But I never got into it; for one thing, those clothes were beyond my budget. For another, it all seemed silly to me. At present, I’m being a preppie in another way: preparing for RAGBRAI. And it’s about more than getting my legs ready. I’m amazed at how much stuff I need! Among other things, I got one of those quick-dry, microfiber towels. It will take up much less space than the typical terrycloth towel; and microfiber is supposed to dry very quickly. Part of the prep is testing the towel to see how fast it dries; so I washed it by hand, and hung it up. That was about three and a half hours ago; and the thing isn’t dry yet. It probably won’t get as wet when I use it to dry myself after a shower, though. And, the humidity is 71%; which doesn’t help to dry things. Packing Prep 🧳 Yes, there’s packing prep, too; and I don’t care about a preppie look for my luggage! I had already bought a duffle bag; and decided to buy a second one, in a different color. One of them I’ve designated as my check-in bag; and the other will be the carry-on. I’m making lists of what to put into which bag; and I reasoned that the process would be easier if my two bags weren’t the same hue.  Packing prep also entails determining whether this or that may go into checked luggage, such as a tube of Chamois Butt’r. You can get Chamois Butt’r in little 9mL packets; but I’ve tried them, and I prefer a tube with a lid that snaps shut. I never needed to use all of a 9mL packet at once; and then I had to squeeze the remaining cream down into the packet; and fold down the top. I was always worried that it would leak all over the place, which would have made quite a mess.   It looks like alkaline batteries are good to go; and I must test the small bottles I got for body wash and shampoo. I’ll fill them with water; and if they leak, they miss out on 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 Preppie? March 26, 2025 Team RWB March 25, 2025 Blank Again March 24, 2025 Scatterbrained? March 23, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Team RWB

Leave a Comment / BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment /

Team RWB 🇺🇸 In watching all I can about RAGBRAI, I came across Team RWB. This organization supports veterans; those in the armed services; and their families and supporters. Team RWB discusses RAGBRAI packing in this video. It mentions some items that I might want to consider. Maybe this handheld fan? Some years RAGBRAI gets very hot; and even stays hot all night. If that’s going to be the case this year, a fan in my tent will be great. But the fan is one more thing to pack; and one more device that will need charging! Sounds like I need a charging block with a lot of ports! List Goes On ✍🏻 And the list goes on … and on! Seems like the more stuff I get, the more I need! I don’t need a tent, though; I’ll be using Pork Belly Ventures. PBV sets up/tears down your tent for you; and even puts your bags in it at the end of the day. PBV also picks up your bags in the morning. That’s a boon for a first-time rider; and I think it’s worth the cost. If I do more RAGBRAIs in the future, I might consider getting a cheap Walmart tent, as Team RWB mentions. There are things I’ll want to have on RAGBRAI that I already have at home; but they’re items that I use without a thought. They’re always here, after all. If I don’t write them down, I’m liable to forget them. Thus the list goes on! 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 Team RWB March 25, 2025 Blank Again March 24, 2025 Scatterbrained? March 23, 2025 Three H Club March 20, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Blank Again

Leave a Comment / BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Blank Again 😐 I was blank again today, trying to think of a blog topic. As blank as an un-started journal! It makes me feel so scatterbrained! So, I had to do something else. RAGBRAI planning was good as anything; and that meant two things. First, I ordered a second duffel bag. When I actually fly up to RAGBRAI, one will be my check-in bag; the other will be my carry-on. I began lists for what I’ll pack in each bag. Second, I ordered a few more things. A spork, for example. I have a spoon and fork set of recycled materials that my sister-in-law gave me; but I’m not sure  it’s sturdy enough for the rigors of a week-long bicycle tour. I’d rather not find out in the middle of RAGBRAI; and if I can avoid using throw-away plastic flatware, that’s all to the good. I’m kind of blank again about my riding for the rest of the week. An old friend who moved away is in town for a while; I ran into them by sheer chance this afternoon. We want to meet for breakfast one morning; and I’m also considering when to go to Lowe’s; go for a bicycle re-fit (a good idea before a week-long tour, I think); and a possible visit the thrift store. Stormy Start ⛈️ We had a stormy start to the week, with a severe T-storm watch this morning. It’s a good thing it happened today, when I was thinking about taking the day off from riding anyhow. Otherwise I would have been twisting my brain into a pretzel, figuring out how to get some exercise. Tomorrow looks good for riding, except for fog. I’m glad I found ARCHXX Anti-Fog Lens Wipes. When I use them, my lenses do get wet; but at least I can still see through them. A foggy morning isn’t necessarily better than a stormy start; in its own way, fog is worse than a downpour. Now I have a weapon to fight it! But what shall I do for tomorrow’s ride? Work on force? Or practice increasing my pace? Oh, dear; I’m blank again!    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 Blank Again March 24, 2025 Scatterbrained? March 23, 2025 Three H Club March 20, 2025 What Is This? March 20, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Scatterbrained?

Leave a Comment / BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Scatterbrained? 😶‍🌫️  I hope I’m not too scatterbrained; but sometimes I fear that I am! This morning, as the miles racked up, I began to wish I’d brought along a third energy bar. I usually take along two bars for a ride of 29-32 miles, and I usually finish with a few pieces of bar left. Today, however, I wanted to push for 40 miles. I had thought that two bars ought to suffice; but in the end, I let it go at 37.5 miles because I was out of food. I had already had to fill out the menu with two energy gels. For a good 10 miles I was working against a headwind; and that didn’t help. Our weather seems scatterbrained, too. The forecast is for scattered T-storms tomorrow; and who can say exactly when and where those storms will pop up? It’s been getting more and more cloudy since morning; so rain wouldn’t surprise me.  Surprise! 😮  But sometimes the weather pulls off a surprise. A stormy forecast doesn’t come true; and I might end up sitting at home all day, wishing I were out riding. At such times, I have too much pent-up energy! Of course, as we all know, there’s the reverse kind of surprise: it’s sunny and calm; we go out for a ride; and run into an unexpected downpour. That kind of thing is part of being a cyclist; but knowing that is not much comfort when I’m getting half-drowned, and uneasily awaiting the outbreak of lightning. I hope the weather lets me ride to the supermarket tomorrow; and I’m writing a shopping list in case I can go. I’m too scatterbrained to remember everything that I want; especially when I’m not quite awake yet. 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 Scatterbrained? March 23, 2025 Three H Club March 20, 2025 What Is This? March 20, 2025 More or Longer? March 19, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Three H Club

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Three H Club? ☘️ Three H club? Aren’t there supposed to be four? It’s a little different when it comes to RAGBRAI. There’s the distance, to begin with; and this event’s three H’s, so they say, are: heat 🥵; hills 😬; and humidity ♨️. Everyone can learn to ride; but there’s just riding around the neighborhood; and there’s doing RAGBRAI. In addition to the miles, we’ll all be in the Three H Club for a week. How will I fare? Well, I’ve got two of those H’s right here. Am I ahead of the game, then? Ahead of the Game? 🎲 Am I ahead of the game? It’s been unusually dry lately, but typically I have humidity, all year long; and I expect it won’t be long before the heat sets in. We’ve gotten heat advisories in March before now! Maybe I’d better get my cooling equipment ready. The hardest part of the Three H Club, for me, is going to be hills, as I’ve said so often. I hope my “hill training” is on the right track. In fact, I hope it has me ahead of the game! As I check the training schedule for RAGBRAI 2025, I see that I’m well ahead of the game as far as mileage goes. But I don’t need to let myself become complacent! If I do, it’s sure to catch up with me; and I’ll arrive at the big event underprepared. That’s not the way to approach 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 Three H Club March 20, 2025 What Is This? March 20, 2025 More or Longer? March 19, 2025 Switched My Plans? March 18, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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