SpokEasy

SpokEasy

April 2025

Wool over My Eyes

Leave a Comment / BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment /

Wool over My Eyes? 🐑 I don’t like the wool over my eyes any more than the next person; but I can’t avoid it for that moment when I’m pulling a T-shirt over my head. Today I tried out my Merino Protect Wool T-shirt; and it’s quite comfortable. It was 78 degrees before 8:00 am; and that might sound much too warm to be wearing wool. But it wasn’t; and besides, there was a pretty stiff wind to cool me off. So I proclaim the experiment a success; and I ordered another one of these shirts. I’ll take them along on RAGBRAI! Wool over my eyes for that one moment is worth it for a comfortable shirt. But the ride is important, too! But the Ride? 🚲 But the ride, you say. T-shirts, merino or otherwise, are secondary, aren’t they? Well, yes. Today I used the road bike; but I think  I’ll take the hybrid tomorrow, so I can make a trip to the supermarket. With a strong wind blowing today, I rode laps around the park. Happily, it gave me a strong tailwind on the way home from that park; but it won’t die down overnight. 🙄 In fact, it will persist through Saturday. Wind from the Southeast is apt to give a sidewind; and that can be as much of a hassle as a headwind. But the ride is the important thing. I need to get those miles in. Just don’t put wool over my eyes. I need to see where I’m going! 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 RAGBRAI Grades April 4, 2025 Wool over My Eyes April 3, 2025 Keep Your Shirt On! April 2, 2025 Stuffing April 1, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Keep Your Shirt On!

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

Keep Your Shirt On! 🎽 Keep your shirt on; especially this Merino Protect Men’s Tee, shown at left. It’s not hot enough yet to go shirtless, I say; and the Merino Protect Men’s Tee keeps you comfy. It’s lightweight; breathable; and wicks moisture away. Odor resistant, too; and easy to care for. Another reason to keep your shirt on, is to prevent sunburned shoulders! I’ve seen numerous videos that show riders in tank tops; and I suppose they must use a lot more sunblock than riders in sleeves. Here is the Merino Protect Wool T-shirt for women. Like the men’s model, it’s breathable; lightweight; odor resistant; and easy to care for. The Merino Protect Wool T-shirt is made of ethically-raised materials. Both of these shirts are available in a variety of colors and sizes. I first heard of merino wool tees when I watched a YouTube about packing for RAGBRAI. I’ve bought one, and tried it on for size; but haven’t worn it for a ride yet. I plan to do so before long; but for now, it can still feel a bit chilly early in the day. Then I want long sleeves!  Where to Ride? 🚴🏿 But where to ride for the next two days? Even if life is a beautiful ride, it doesn’t mean that bicycle rides are always easy! Or fun. It’s very windy just now; and today, gusts were up to 40 mph! Tomorrow and Friday we can expect gusts up to 30 mph; and it’s not fun up there on the levee in such conditions. So, where to ride? Riding laps around the park is monotonous; but at least it means that I can frequently change direction. Then I can alternate headwinds; tailwinds; and sidewinds. That’s better than battling a headwind for mile after mile. Tomorrow morning it will be 74 degrees; but the wind is going to make it seem cooler. That’s a good reason to keep your shirt on; or even wear a lightweight jacket. Or do you prefer the chill? 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 Keep Your Shirt On! April 2, 2025 Stuffing April 1, 2025 Getting Easier! March 31, 2025 What a Forecast! March 30, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Stuffing

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Stuffing 🧸 Stuffing isn’t only for Thanksgiving turkeys; nor is it only for teddy bears. A long bicycle tour means you’ll be stuffing your bulkier items into small spaces, if at all possible. An eVac Compression Dry Bag can both do that; and keep your — er — stuff dry. These bags are air-permeable as well as waterproof; and come in sizes from 5 liters to 35 liters. At present, I’m trying to figure out what size I’ll need for the sleeping bag I bought for RAGBRAI. I might have to set such thoughts aside for a day or two, though; and think about how best to buck a headwind. Tomorrow and the next day are forecast to be windy. Here comes the wolf! Here Comes the Wolf🐺 Here comes the wolf, yet again. When he’s blowing like crazy, I wonder how much a windscreen actually helps. Maybe it keeps the wind off the rider; but does it make it easier to push against the wind? It seems to me that it would cause greater wind resistance; but I’ve never tried one, so I can’t say for sure. This morning the wind wasn’t too bad; but it was enough for me to feel it. I guess it’s a good thing that I’m not trying to push the pace this week; and I’m glad that I planned to take tomorrow off. Good timing, as here comes the wolf. When he gets to blowing, it wears the stuffing out of me! 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 Stuffing April 1, 2025 Getting Easier! March 31, 2025 What a Forecast! March 30, 2025 You’re a Brick! March 29, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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