August 2025 - SpokEasy

The Heart Is Back!

The Heart Is Back! ❤️ The heart is back in my riding! I finally got a new battery put into my heart rate monitor. Now that I can see what my heart rate is, I can start working at getting my heart rate up; an important aspect of training. And tomorrow begins Cycle September! I want to put in about 20 leisurely miles tomorrow; and after that, I’ll begin to mix in shorter, more intense rides. It looks like the weather will cooperate for at least the next few days; and I always like that. Good weather certainly helps to put the heart back in my riding; especially as the allergy symptoms that I had seem to be abating. And I’d rather be cycling than going somewhere amidst the Labor Day crowds. Labor Day 👷🏻 Labor Day isn’t really a big deal to me, now that I’m retired; but hey, it’s a holiday! A holiday isn’t a proper holiday to me unless I ride; so I plan to put in some miles. With some cut-up bars, of course. Probably not in the park, though. On Labor Day, as on any holiday, it likely will be quite crowded; and if there are small children involved, I have to be especially careful. Little kids can make some very unpredictable moves; and I don’t want to hit anyone. Maybe I’ll play it by ear again, though. If I can get going early enough, the park might not be bad. But wherever I ride, I’m glad the heart is back. 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

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Twenty Years

BACK ISSUES / CAL

Twenty Years 🌀 It’s hard to believe it’s twenty years since Katrina slammed New Orleans and Mississippi. In New Orleans alone, over one thousand lives were lost; and they say that some areas still haven’t recovered; even after twenty years. Suppose some such monster hurricane hit again? The neighborhood where I live is one of the few parts of the city that ecaped flooding in the levee breaches; but next time I might not be so lucky. Even if all I got were some street flooding, how would I manage in a prolonged power outage? A handheld fan wouldn’t be good for more than a day or so; with no electricity, I couldn’t recharge it. The thought of such a catastrophe makes me wonder, should I stay; or leave for an area less hurricane-prone? Stay or Leave? 🚦 The stay or leave question is a serious one; and truth be told, I have no plans to pull up stakes and move. For one thing, I’m too lazy to put in the thought right now! But suppose I did want or need to relocate? What do I want in a new home? How do I get there? If only I could make a bike packing trip out of it! If I did relocate, I want lots of easily accessible, good bike paths; that’s for sure. I need a location where it’s easy to live and get around without a car. I’d need to rebuild my healthcare team. Affordability 🤑 is a major factor; if not the biggest one of all. And don’t forget climate! Being out of the immediate reach of hurricanes won’t be a good trade for somewhere that’s tornado prone! Neither do I want to land in a seismically active zone. There will be some kind of drawbacks anywhere; and that tends to make me think that I may as well stay put! 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

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Planning around the Weather

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors / CAL

Planning around the Weather 🌧️ Don’t you get tired of planning around the weather? I sure do; but sometimes there’s no alternative. It’s what I’m doing now; and maybe I could plan better if I had a barometer! Wednesday I looked at the forecast for the weekend; and started planning around the weather. It looked like Saturday would be bad; so I made the trip to the salvage store yesterday. That trip went fine. The forecast didn’t predict rain before 11:00 today; so I went for a ride. The sky looked quite stormy already; and I was rather nervous about what this might portend. It began to drizzle just before I reached my turnaround point. Luckily it didn’t start to rain hard; and thank goodness the lightning didn’t start to fire up! For a while now, I’ll have to play it by ear. as the saying goes. Forecasts aren’t always reliable, as I’m sure we all know. By Ear👂🏻 Playing by ear, or course, makes me think of music. Playing by ear when it comes to cycling is more difficult; and most annoying. Conditions might seem favorable at, say, 7:00 am; but if rain and T-storms are in the forecast, I don’t know when they might arrive. I might go out for a ride when things are calm, or even sunny; only to get caught in a downpour 45 minutes later! Planning around the weather isn’t easy when said weather is so capricious! I keep expecting it to pour this afternoon; and so far it hasn’t happened. And what about tomorrow? I guess I’ll ride if it’s not storming; but I’ll keep it short, and stay close to home. I’ll ride by ear, too — if I start to hear thunder, it’s time to head home! 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

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Shuffle

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors / CAL

Shuffle 🔀 Sometimes I need to shuffle without having a deck of cards handy. The riding schedule needs to be shifted around at times; such as now. The forecast for the weekend looked pretty stormy; so I decided to make my visit to the salvage store this morning. I won’t want to try the trip if it’s storming! But I couldn’t find everything I wanted, and am debating whether to ride to the regular supermarket tomorrow; or to order online. I also need to shuffle things around in my cupboard, so the older items are at the front. That’s a drag, though — taking everything out, and then putting it back in! Drag 🥱 The upcoming Labor Day weekend looks to be a drag, and I don’t mean hauling stuff by tractor. The forecast shows constant chances of rain and T-storms. I suppose many folks will have to shuffle their plans from outdoor picnics to indoor munching; and I’m glad I don’t have my heart set on a backyard BBQ! The weather will, naturally, have some impact on my cycling plans. That’s a drag, too. I need to get back to my regular mileage, and start working to improve my pace. If I’m to do RAGBRAI again next year, the time to start working is now. 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

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Heat of the Day

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors / CAL

Heat of the Day ☀️ Is it really a good idea to go out in the heat of the day? I try to avoid it; but today I had a 10:00 am appointment. For almost two months, I seem to keep getting colds; and I wanted to consult with my primary-care physician about it. Of course I don’t want to get too sweaty and stinky before visiting any doctor; so I skipped riding this morning. The doctor thinks this is could be an allergy problem; and he’s having me use a nasal spray along with an oral medication. I hope it helps! But did I have an allergic reaction to all that corn in Iowa? By early afternoon, the lack of activity was getting to me; so I went out in the heat of the day. I used the Camel-Bak, and took along electrolyte drink. I also kept it short and easy, just over 11 miles; and I rode in the park, where I can get some shade. Get Some Shade 👒 We all want to get some shade; especially in the heat of the day. A Tontron Helmet Visor can provide more shade than a regular helmet visor; but I have reservations about using one. It looks to me like the Tontron would create a lot of resistance in a headwind! Today I rode the hybrid; and mostly in low gear. I’m still working on my pedaling mechanics; and am at the aggravating stage where neither the old way nor the new way feels quite right. But I’m not training up for anything big at present; so I can afford to take my time. 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

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Shorter but not Cooler

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors / CAL

Shorter but Not Cooler ♨️ Our days are now shorter; but not cooler. At least, not by more than a few degrees. I still very much need the Camel-Bak for rides over a few miles; and I need to take electrolyte drink along. We’ve actually had a few consecutive days without a heat advisory; and that’s a relief. Even so, I try to ride early. We still have many daylight hours, even though the days are shorter (but not cooler!) Continuing heat and humidity means we’re still nervous about possible hurricanes. That won’t end for about three months! Still Nervous 😟 Of course I’m still nervous about what the tropics might do. Tropical Storm Fernand is heading for nowhere; but today I saw an online article that said the Gulf might start to fire up soon. So shorter-but-not- cooler days won’t help inhibit storm formation! I’m still not back up to my regular mileage; and if tropical storm conditions become a threat, I’ll miss even more riding. Unfortunately I just don’t feel quite right; so it’s probably wise not to ride too long and/or hard. I see the doctor tomorrow; and I hope we can figure out what’s going 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 ✍🏻 Shorter but not Cooler August 26, 2025 Empty Again August 25, 2025 Cooling Trend? August 24, 2025 Not So Fast August 22, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Empty Again

BACK ISSUES, bicycling / CAL

Empty Again 🫙 Here it is, blogging time; and I’m empty again. 🙄 That drives me crazy. Maybe all those posts about RAGBRAI left me drained. It doesn’t help that I seem to keep getting colds, which saps my energy. I see my doctor day after tomorrow; and I hope we can figure out what’s going on. Today I took off from bikes; and I hope I’m not “empty” again when I ride tomorrow. If only I had the energy and stamina of the kids in this video! Would a good dose of peanut butter help? Peanut Butter 🥜 Sometimes I wish I could take peanut butter along on the bike. It would be a nice change from all those bars and gels. I must try it some time. Maybe “PB” would be good fuel for hard efforts! For now I’m letting hard efforts go. I don’t need to plunge into intense work too soon; I’d wind up feeling empty again, especially as I’m not feeling quite up to par. I don’t think it’s the heat. I’ve ridden in hot weather for months; and I go out pretty early in the day, usually by 7:30 am. I hydrate and use a cooling towel. Did all that corn in Iowa do something to 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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Cooling Trend?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors / CAL

Cooling Trend? 🥶 Have we got a cooling trend? At noon, it was only 91 degrees; and the heat index was below 100! That’s not as hot as it’s been; and any cooling is welcome. It’s more comfortable to ride when the heat lets up a little; but real Fall is at least a month away. I have to create my own cooling trend by wearing a cooling rag. I don’t know how I got along before I had it! Thinking of “cooling trend” makes my thoughts turn to Winter. Who know what might happen: will we have a freak snowfall? Will it be 30 degrees one day; and reach 80 degrees the next? Is weather everywhere as variable and unpredictable as ours? In a way, things are much easier during Summer: we know it will be hot! Winter ❄️ Winter will arrive eventually; and when it does, I have to haul out the cold-weather gear. I get tired of having arm warmers; leg warmers; gloves; and so on, hanging all over the place. But one day I’ll need them; the next day, I won’t! People understandably complain about the crazy variables in temperature, saying that we never know how to dress. One of the tricky aspects of Winter rides is layering. And if I need to remove a layer, where do I put it? My Camel-Bak pockets are already full with a cable lock and a tube of Chamois Butt’r; plus I carry some toilet paper just in case. There’s not much room for anything else. If I start to feel overheated, the best I can do is to partially unzip my jacket; and create a bit of a cooling trend! 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 ✍🏻 Cooling Trend? August 24, 2025 Not So Fast August 22, 2025 Feeling the Heat August 20, 2025 Weakening August 18, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Not So Fast

BACK ISSUES, equipment / CAL

Not So Fast? ⚡️ Sometimes we have to say, not so fast. Like, don’t push too hard too soon in your training; or don’t get too eager to buy a certain bicycle. As my road bike seems to be approaching its end, I’m considering a new one. The bike shop suggested a certain model; and I’ve watched some videos in which purchasers of this bike say they really like it. So I was thinking I’d get one; until I looked up the specs. Not so fast. The bike I was considering isn’t available in the right frame size for me. Or can the saddle of a 44-cm frame be safely raised to make a 47-cm frame? I’m certain I couldn’t lower the saddle of a 56-cm frame far enough; so here I am, caught in the middle. In the Middle 🙄 So, what can I do when I’m caught in the middle? I can look at other models of road bikes; and I can slow down and take my time. I don’t need a new bicycle instantly. Good thing, too. I was about to hike over to the ATM at my bank; then get a few things at the grocery store. But I began to hear thunder; and when I went outside, I saw a very stormy-looking sky in the East. I decided, not so fast; and came back indoors. It hasn’t rained much; but I think I’d better wait for the lightning and thunder to move off before I go out. I’m glad this didn’t start when I was out on the bike! 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

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Feeling the Heat

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment / CAL

Feeling the Heat? ♨️ Are you feeling the heat? I’m not sure whether I am, or not. It looks like, technically, the dog days are behind us; but it’s still plenty hot. Today we had another heat advisory, too. It went into effect at 11:00 am; and I was home before then. In fact, after riding a mere five miles, I was suddenly profoundly tired! I’m sure it wasn’t the bonk; I ate before I rode. I had been hydrating, including electrolyte drink. I brought along a snack (although not this one) in case I needed it; and I ate half of it, along with a GU. But still, it took 20-25 minutes of riding at a snail’s pace before I started to feel a little better. A home COVID/flu test showed negative results; and my blood pressure isn’t low. So what’s up? Something to do with a new prescription I began taking last week? Or am I feeling the heat? I hope this passes off soon, whatever it is. I’m thinking of trying out new road bikes soon. Unfortunately this will get quite expensive; and I’m not made of money! Made of Money? 💰 At times I almost wish I were made of money. Big expenses seem to have a way of hitting me two or three at a time. In addition to bike-shopping, I’m facing probable oral surgery. That won’t be cheap, either! That means feeling the heat in a different kind of way: the heat of paying several large bills in rapid succession. I’ll manage; but I won’t enjoy it. The weather will continue to make us feel the heat for some weeks; the first cold front often doesn’t arrive until sometime in October. I’ve got to keep that cool rag handy! 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 ✍🏻 Feeling the Heat August 20, 2025 Weakening August 18, 2025 On Guard August 16, 2025 More Minutiae August 15, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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