December 2025 - SpokEasy

Silvesterabend

Silvesterabend 🎆 Here it is already — Silvesterabend. What happened to 2025? Today I rode again; and I need to watch my posture. My lower back feels rather sore; and that usually means that I’m arching backwards as I ride. And also when I’m merely sitting around at home. I’ve got to correct that pronto! So, what to do on New Year’s Eve? I made sure to finish any errands by mid-afternoon; sometimes folks start shooting off firecrackers as early as 3 pm! I call that jumping the gun on Silvesterabend; but all the same, I’ve got to think about what I’ll do next year.. Next Year 🎉 It feels funny to think that next year is tomorrow. How about plans for next year? Maybe the jauntiness of 12th Street Rag will jostle my brain. A big item for 2026 is rebuilding my fitness. Another is to get my eating habits back into line! But I’d better not try to work on too many things, or I won’t work on any of them. How about RAGBRAI 2026? I think it might be better to sit out this year’s event; I don’t even have a new road bike yet. I’ll see how things go over the next few months. I don’t want to start trying rides longer than 12 miles before I’ve gotten a Camel-Bak; and when I do get one, I’ll have to readjust to riding with that load on my back. That will take at leas a few weeks. Oh, well. I’ll think about it next year! 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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Touched by the Frost?

BACK ISSUES, Food, Outdoors / CAL

Touched by the Frost? 🥶 Have I been touched by the frost? It’s hard to say; although the weather got much cooler last night, it wasn’t quite cold enough for frost. Even if the temperature dropped low enough, the wind was too strong for any frost to form. But the cold seemed to affect me: my elbow was achy during physical therapy this morning. After therapy, I had to go for a follow-up with the oral surgeon. By the time I finished that appointment, it was getting towards noon. Then I needed to head for the bank; New Year’s is coming up; and I might need a bit of extra cash. After that, I got a fancy sandwich for my “New Year’s dinner”. But no chicken today. No Chicken! 🐓 I decided on a sandwich with no chicken; and no, not because my brain was touched by the frost. There’s a saying that you shouldn’t eat chicken for New Year’s, or you’ll fo backwards in the coming year. You’re supposed to eat pork, so you’ll go forwards. That odd superstition stems from the different ways in which chickens and pigs search for food. A chicken scratches backwards; but a pig roots forwards. A popular January 1 dish around here is ham hocks cooked in blackeye peas. I’d better get in some riding tomorrow. I let it go again today; I wasn’t home from all my appointments and errands until at least noon; and the wind was still strong enough to dissuade me. And, after that huge lunch, my stomach felt too full for vigorous exercise! 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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Exaggerated Caution?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors / CAL

Exaggerated Caution? ⚠️ Maybe my decision to skip riding today was exaggerated caution. The wind didn’t get really strong until about midday; and it was tiresome staying indoors so much. Tomorrow the wind won’t be quite as strong; but it’s going to be colder. I have both physical therapy and a follow-up with the oral surgeon; so I won’t get a chance to ride until afternoon. Even if I don’t ride, I’ll get in some walking; and the movement should help me to keep warm. Keep Warm ♨️ Another way to keep warm is to wear lots of layers. That’s one of the things about cold weather that annoys me. When I’m doing a long ride on a cold day, what do I do if I start to feel a bit overheated? My Camel-Bak pockets don’t have room for storing layers, once I’ve stowed a cable lock; a tube of Chamois Butt’r; and so on. About all I can do is to open the zippers on my jackets. I’m glad, though, that it’s not going down to freezing tonight. My pipes are wrapped; an exaggerated caution, perhaps; but if we do get a cold snap later, I’m prepared! 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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Kicking Up

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors / CAL

Kicking Up 🏈 Things are kicking up; and I don’t mean football. (Or, as my father used to call it, “feetsball”). Our weather is as crazy as ever; it reached 80 degrees today. The wind is kicking up, too. It’s become stronger than it was this morning; and stiffer breezes are on the way. Tomorrow, wind gusts could be as strong as 40 mph; a good reason to take a day off from cycling. Today my legs felt rather stiff and tired; but with the forecast in mind, I decided to go for a ride this morning. It’s supposed to get cooler, too; down to about 50 degrees tonight; and into the upper 30s tomorrow night. It won’t be fun walking to physical therapy Tuesday morning! The wind will still be going strong. There’s even a Special Weather Statement about enhanced fire risk. We’ve got a combination of high winds and low humidity levels; and there hasn’t been much rain lately. Going Strong 💪 The wind will be going strong; but I’m not, yet. I don’t quite dare to push myself hard for the time being. If riding 10+ miles yesterday made my legs feel stiff today, trying to force myself through 20 miles is not a wise move. But I hope it won’t be long before I’m going strong. I really need to get back into shape; and lose the weight I’ve gained during my time off 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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My Own Power

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Training / CAL

My Own Power ⚡️ Today I got to the salvage store under my own power! It’s great to be riding again. This was another very foggy morning; and unfortunately I’ve been having trouble getting my tail light charged up. In dense fog, I need a tail light as well as a headlight. And I’m so glad I have anti-fog wipes for my glasses! Even after using one on my glasses and rearview mirror, visibility was a bit of a problem. The forecast is foggy again; but I plan to ride, anyway. Now that I can get around under my own power, I want to work at rebuilding my fitness — both on and off the bike. Rebuilding My Fitness 💪 Rebuilding my fitness won’t be any quick-and-easy fix, though. It won’t be easy getting myself back into the off-bike fitness routine after more than three months away from it. I’ve started by doing a few exercises; and I’ll work up to 15 or so reps. No push-ups yet; I’m not sure my left elbow can take it. Today my legs felt a little stiff while riding; and I don’t dare try to ride 20 miles yet. Today I put in almost 11 miles; and in a day or two, I’ll push for 12 miles or so. Soon I’ll have to bundle up to ride. Monday night it’s supposed to fall to 36 degrees; and as far as I’m concerned, that’s cold! The wind will be strong; and that only makes it feel colder! Rebuilding my fitness in the teeth of a cold and powerful headwind isn’t my idea of fun. 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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Hello Old Friend

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors / CAL

Hello Old Friend 👋 Today I could say, Hello, old friend. For the first time since the accident, I went up on top of the levee to ride. It was good to see the river and the bike path again! The ride went well; and I think I’ll try a ride to the salvage store tomorrow. The round trip is only a little over 11 miles; and in the past week, I’ve done 10+ miles with no trouble. It didn’t feel like late December, though. Seventy-seven degrees! The sky looks more like June; and the wind feels summery. It’s become quite cloudy, too; but at least the overcast helps keep the temperature down. I’m riding the hybrid for now; I’m not sure my arm is ready for a road bike quite yet. But things are looking up! It’s great to get on the levee and say, hello old friend. June? ☀️ If it feels like June today, what will it be like six months from now? Are we going to get any real Winter? We do have some cold weather on the way; but now long will it stick around? Tonight it will be foggy again; and it’s getting tiresome. I’m glad I don’t need to head for the salvage store at 6:00 am! But even though it will be foggy, rain isn’t expected before Sunday night. Speaking of June, I hope I’m back in shape by then; less because I have any plans for bicycle touring than because I’m not enjoying being out of condition! 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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Merry Christmas 2025!

BACK ISSUES / CAL

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2025! 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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Gearing Up

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors, Training / CAL

Gearing Up ⛭ Now it’s really time to be gearing up for Christmas; and it’s an especially good time for chocolate! I admit, though, that the weather doesn’t feel at all seasonal. I hope Rudolph is around; Santa will need him tonight! Yesterday I skipped riding, because I had oral surgery. Today I rode over to the park and did four laps. I really need the exercise. I want to ride tomorrow; but I’ll have to be prepared for a lot of kids-on-new-bikes traffic. It can be quite busy in that respect at 6:00 am on Christmas. I’m gearing up to ride more; but I’m afraid RAGBRAI may be out of reach this time. I’m dreadfully out of shape! Out of Shape 😒 I’m out of shape; and, like Queen Victoria, I’m not amused. I’m happy that I can ride again; but do I ever feel the lack of riding over the last few months! It’s not just my legs that have gone flabby; my core has lost a lot of conditioning, too. I can manage a crank-plank position on my right arm; but my left arm isn’t ready for it yet. But I can do curls; bridge; and leg raiser exercises. I also need to get back to doing flexibility exercises. I’ve gotten stiff; that’s what being out of shape does to you! 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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Up and Down

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors / CAL

Up and Down 📉 Up and down goes the temperature. It’s still acting like Spring rather than Winter; but come Sunday night, the low temperature is predicted to be 48 degrees. Maybe it’s this unseasonal warmth that prompted me to watch a YouTube about Hurricane Camille. One of my memories of the storm is, we went outside for a few minutes, after dark. My father pointed out the way the treetops were tossing around in an almost circular motion. The next morning, there was a piece of a sycamore treetop on our front lawn. Maybe these up and down temperature swings explain all the fog we’re getting lately. And could it be why my nose is runny? I hope I can ride tomorrow. Today I had to skip it because of the oral surgery; it’s not sensible to ride a bicycle when a wave of sedative-hangover might suddenly overtake you! Sedative Hangover 😴 A sedative hangover can be a major nuisance. Mine didn’t seem to be a big deal; maybe because the sedation used didn’t put me completely to sleep. I’m surprised that taking a dose of the pain medication prescribed for me, didn’t make me drowsy! What bothered me most was the post-surgical numbness at the left corner of my mouth. It didn’t start to wear off until a good eight hours after the procedure! For today, I needed to avoid chewing; and it showed me how much I take for granted being able to chew! I couldn’t absentmindedly grab a handful of nuts and start munching; and raw carrots were out of the question. Tomorrow morning, maybe I’ll mix rolled oats with yogurt and frozen blueberries — or maybe I’ll fix a hard-boiled egg. I want some protein for a ride; and I hope the fog won’t be too bad! And I’m glad I won’t have an up and down route. 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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Where’s Rudolph?

1 Comment / BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors / CAL

Where’s Rudolph? 🦌 Where’s Rudolph? It looks like Santa will need him in these parts. Our forecast predicts fog! Right now it’s overcast; but I don’t know whether it will rain or not. It doesn’t look like “mostly sunny” to me. So shall I go for a ride, or not? If I do, maybe I can be on the lookout for that reindeer. Then, when it gets foggy, we won’t be asking, Where’s Rudolph? I’m still in physical therapy; and I don’t know how much longer it will continue. It’s something of a drag; I get rather tired of hiking a mile to each session. But it’s helped a lot! After today’s session, I had errands to run; and when I got home, it was lunchtime. I haven’t been out on the bike yet; and for a fact I’m rather tired. Shall I skip it today? Skip It? 😩 I can’t quite decide whether to ride; or to skip it. Yes, I’m a little tired; and I won’t be able to ride tomorrow; but do I ever need the exercise! Another reason for me to stay home is, I already got too much sun exposure today. I forgot to take my sunblock with me when I went to physical therapy; and running errands had me outdoors quite a long time. So maybe I’ll skip it. 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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