SpokEasy

SpokEasy

July 2025

Pare It Down

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment, Training /

Pare it Down 🍎 Now it’s time to pare it down; and I don’t mean peeling apples. It’s that taper that I keep talking about. I’m reducing the mileage considerably, but today I threw in some intensity work; perhaps five minutes total. I want to keep up a little bit of hard riding, so my legs stay sharp for RAGBRAI. Not that I’m too worried any more about the hills. The maximum grade I’m likely to encounter is about 4%; and as it’s the maximum grade, I probably won’t  be climbing all day. True, there are some grades of 7%+ on the final day, but mostly in the second half of the day. I’ve opted to hop on the halfway shuttle to be sure I get to the finish town on time for the shuttle bus to Omaha. When I look at all the stuff I have to pack, I wish I could pare it down! I won’t be taking seven kits; but there’s still lots of stuff! Lots of Stuff! 🧳 Yes, there’s lots of stuff. It seems that, every time I think I’ve collected everything, I remember something else I’ll need! “Lots of stuff” includes a sleeping bag. And a sheet to use in case it’s too hot inside the sleeping bag; but not so hot that I don’t need some kind of cover. I’m taking three or four pairs of cycling shorts; clean socks for every day; and some merino wool tees. I plan to wash the shorts in the shower each evening; then I won’t need to take seven pairs! I don’t know how easy it might be to buy sugar-free electrolyte drink mixes along the route; so I’m packing Propel Powder Packets; and Nuun tablets as well. The tablets are in a pop-top tube; and that’s easier to manage when my hands are slippery with sweat and sunblock. The list goes on and on. I wish I could pare it down! 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 Layout Found TRANSLATOR

Pare It Down Read More »

Send-Off

BACK ISSUES, equipment /

Send-Off ⏩ My road bike got the send-off today. It will probably get to Iowa before I do; but I don’t want (or need) the hassle of trying to travel by air with a bicycle to haul along! If I end up doing repeat RAGBRAIs, I might want to invest in a bicycle travel case. It would probably save me considerable money if I do RAGBRAI many times. The usual catch is, where can I keep it? I might soon want to give it the send-off, so I can free up some space! And now I’m working to take care of all those things we have to do before we travel: double-checking reservations and so on. Double-Checking ✅ Double-checking is a bit of a headache; but it can save bigger headaches on travel day! Who wants to arrive at the airport, only to discover they’ve forgotten something vital? That might mean no send-off at all; and who wants that? Double-checking travel arrangements is only one item on my to-do list. I keep experimenting with how I’m going to pack my duffle bags. I’m amazed at how much stuff I need to take along; and many items are the ones that I use daily without a thought. They’re always there; so I take them for granted. I have to make a special effort to remember that I need to pack them! But the effort is worth it for a smooth trip, and an easy send-off. 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 Layout Found TRANSLATOR

Send-Off Read More »

Loose Ends

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Loose Ends 😵 I’m starting to tie up loose ends now; and as usual before I travel, I’m getting anxious that I’ll forget something vital! Among the loose ends is tapering my training. It’s so easy to think I can’t be properly prepared if I don’t continue to put in long miles; but I suspect that, if I’m not ready now, it’s too late. As far as cycling shoes go, the hazard of loose ends is why I prefer shoes with velcro closures. Years ago, on the trike, a shoelace came untied; and got caught in the pedal. It was pulled too tightly for me to wiggle my foot out; and I could’t reach it from the saddle to loosen the lace. I had to carefully dismount, and get my foot loose; then untangle the lace. Even that was barely possible! Now I’m looking at the weather for the next few days; and it’s looking wet. Looking Wet 💦 I do not like it when the forecast is looking wet. Apparently rain chance are greater day after tomorrow than tomorrow; but I intended to take tomorrow off from riding. So should I do a ride tomorrow; and take Wednesday off? Probably I should stick to my plan, because I feel like I need a day off. Besides, tomorrow I must take my road bike to the shop to get it shipped to RAGBRAI. Anyway, just because the forecast is looking wet doesn’t mean that rain is guaranteed. Today I gave my bicycle a bit of cleaning — more loose ends to tie up! As a rule, I’m terrible about cleaning my bikes; but I don’t want the bicycle to be too dirty when I’m getting it ready for shipment. I also lubed the chain; and I hope we don’t get rained on in Iowa! 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 Layout Found TRANSLATOR

Loose Ends Read More »

Reining In

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment, Training /

Reining In 🐴 It’s time for me to be reining in the training. Although it’s tempting to keep going at a full gallop, I need to do shorter rides now; and not too much intensity. Today I rode 31.1 miles; and I’m thinking of doing 20 tomorrow. That’s so I can take Tuesday off while I get my road bike shipped off to RAGBRAI. Reining in the training means using the hybrid; and keeping the  distance between 15 and 20 miles per day. Maybe even taking an extra “off” day! Meanwhile, I’ve got packing the bike on my mind. After tomorrow’s ride, I’ll have to lube the chain; and give the bike at least some cleaning — something I’ve never been good at doing! Packing 📦 Oh, packing! Probably the worst part of any travel plans. What do I need to take? What do I have room for? Will I really need this or that? Can an item do more than one thing? I decided to use a bike shipping service rather than buy a bicycle travel case. I’m not comfortable with disassembling my bicycle; and that’s what using a bike travel case would mean. I’ve purchased a bike assembly service in addition to the shipping, so I shouldn’t have to worry that I’ll put my bike together the wrong way. Besides, where will I keep a bicycle travel case at home? If I get much more stuff, I’ll crowd myself right out of here! Reining in isn’t only about tapering my training; it’s about keeping the acquisition of stuff in check! 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 Layout Found TRANSLATOR

Reining In Read More »

Salt and Vinegar?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Food, Training /

Salt and Vinegar? 🧂 Do salt and vinegar, aka pickle juice, make a good drink? Today I tried mixing a quarter-cup of dill pickle juice with water to make one pint; and drank a little of it. I wondered whether it would work as an on-bike drink. Full-strength pickle juice at a rest stop is one thing; but I don’t think I’d enjoy sipping at that diluted stuff every five mintes. For on-bike electrolyte drinks, I’ll stick with things like Gatorade Zero. Tomorrow I’ll take along half a giant dill pickle, and eat some of it when I take a break from pedaling. That’ll give me some salt and vinegar without the diluted taste. And the sodium ought to be helpful. They talk about pickles and pickle juice shots at RAGBRAI. I’ve had these things along the Tour de Cure routes; and I’m aware of  how good a shot of pickle juice tastes on a hot day. And now it’s almost time for the final countdown! Less than two weeks to go! Countdown! ⬇️ I can’t believe it’s almost countdown to RAGBRAI time. Now that the event is getting so near, it almost doesn’t seem real! But it is. I’m considering what to do in the next few days as far as riding goes. I was thinking of riding 30 miles tomorrow; and maybe 20 on Monday. But the RAGBRAI training plan shows short rides during this week; 15 miles at most. Also, I’ve read plenty about event training; and I know that it’s counterproductive to try to make up miles in the last week or two before event day. I have only tomorrow and the next day for the road bike; on Tuesday I must get the bike shipped off. That will make the countdown seem more real! Oh, and maybe I should tank up on salt and vinegar before I  head to Iowa? 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 Layout Found TRANSLATOR

Salt and Vinegar? Read More »

Forty on the Fourth

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Training /

Forty on the Fourth 🧨 I rode forty on the Fourth! In fact, 43.5, to be exact. Unfortunately I haven’t gotten in that 70-mile day suggested in the RAGBRAI training plan; but my weekly totals have been keeping pace. And I’m so happy I don’t have to resort to a Chair Workout! I know that it’s the only way some people can get exercise; but it sounds tedious to me. Forty on the Fourth — or any day — doesn’t seem bad at all. 🙂 First I went out and put in about 22 miles; then I stopped at home for a break. Then I went out and did the rest of the miles. If anything, the second part of today’s ride seemed a bit easier than the first! But I had to break it up; and do two shorter rides instead of one long ride. My bicycle computer was acting up! Break It Up ⛓️‍💥  My Garmin’s antics meant that I had to break it up. Apparently the thing didn’t like being on Pause for 20 minutes. Or did I forget to put it on Pause? Forty on the Fourth was not without its problems! At any rate, when I began riding again, I kept getting a screen with a GPS display, instead of the usual data (speed, time, etc.). I had to stop and tinker with the Garmin until I could save the ride I had already done; and start a new ride. Oh, well. I’ll have to break it up during RAGBRAI; the daily routes are too long for me not to do it that way. And that’s OK. RAGBRAI is meant to be enjoyed! 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 Layout Found TRANSLATOR

Forty on the Fourth Read More »

Already July

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment, Outdoors /

Already July 🗓️ Can you believe it’s already July? We’re past the Summer solstice; and before I know it, I’ll be exclaiming that it’s Fall already. But it probably won’t cool off until November! With the heat, a cool rag sure is useful. The heat index is often over 100 degrees; but one aspect of it puzzled me. One day last week, I saw that it was a few degrees warmer than it had been a day or two previously; and the heat index was a little higher, too. Yet there was no heat advisory; whereas there had been one on the earlier day. I looked it up; and there’s a factor besides temperature and heat index: how long such conditions last. So now I’ve got it figured out. But I still need to beat the heat! Beat the Heat 🧊 Like most other cyclists, I want to beat the heat. Some riders start by 6 am, if not earlier; but I usually go out a little later. I’m getting lazy in my retirement; and I need to practice riding in the heat for RAGBRAI. The big ride is almost here; as I’ve said, it’s already July! And of course it’s hot. If I had a third  hand, I could use a small fan to help me beat the heat during these hot rides. Heat and sunshine seem to go hand-in-hand. I’m glad I got auto-tint-changing lenses for my prescription glasses. I’ll take along my Ray-Bans to the big ride, just in case something happens to my regular glasses. Fortunately my vision isn’t so poor that I can’t see without corrective lenses! 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 Layout Found TRANSLATOR

Already July Read More »