SpokEasy

SpokEasy

December 2025

Oh Really?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Oh Really? ❄️ Oh, really? Winter begins today? As often happens, it doesn’t feel at all like Winter. Today the temperature climbed to 80 degrees! It’s nice to not be freezing; 🥶 but this simply does not feel like Christmas coming! Another thing that makes me say, “Oh, really? It’s Winter?” is the fog we’ve had for the last day or two. It was still foggy when I went out this morning; and more fog is predicted overnight. Fog seems like a Spring/Fall occurrence to me. Maybe I can conjure up a bit of the present season somehow. Today I did a shorter ride. My legs are feeling the effort; and pushing too hard, too soon isn’t wise. I need to ride tomorrow, because I have oral surgery scheduled for the next day; and I won’t want to ride after that!  Conjure Up 🪄 Maybe Tchaikovsky’s First Symphony will conjure up the mood of Winter, if nothing else. I don’t know how long this warm weather might persist; but when it does turn cold again, it’s likely to happen suddenly. I’m sure a lot of kids would love to conjure up snow ⛄️ like last January’s; a White Christmas is exceedingly rare for us. But I wouldn’t dare try to ride in it; I don’t have the right kind of bicycle tires! 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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Aluminum Foil?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Aluminum Foil? 🚴🏿 Have I got calves of aluminum foil? It seems rather like it. Today I went for a ride; and about halfway through, my calf muscles began to feel sore and tired. “Calves of steel”, indeed. Mine have lost a lot of strength; and they’re more like aluminum foil than steel. It will take some time for me to rebuild my fitness; and I’m reserving any decision as to RAGBRAI 2026. It’s not only a matter of physical fitness; there’s always the financial angle. Next Tuesday’s oral surgery won’t be cheap! I’ll be able to afford the surgery; but maybe I shouldn’t add the costs of going to RAGBRAI. Rebuild 🔨  Sure, I want to rebuild my fitness; but I’d better wait to start working on speed. I won’t be able to ride on Tuesday; and possibly not Wednesday. I depends on how I feel after having had a tooth extracted! Next Thursday is Christmas. I’ll be going to visit friends of the family; and if I want to go out on the  bicycle,  I’ll have to go very early! But I got my Christmas wish; and that’s the main thing. I can ride again; and I’ve begun to rebuild my cycling legs. I don’t need to wish for camping gear if I do decide to tackle RAGBRAI 2026; I got that stuff for RAGBRAI 2025. Except I might get a sixty-liter duffle bag. A pair of 40-liter bags was barely enough! 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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Propel

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Food /

Propel🫸 Good grief, I’m not even up to riding ten miles; and already I need Propel (or another electrolyte drink) on the bike. This, despite cool weather! Of course I brought along a bottle of water; but something about riding outdoors makes me get thirsty faster than indoor pedaling. Maybe I breathe through my mouth more? Whatever it is, I need something to help propel me forward. Yesterday I rode just short of seven miles; and today I added a lap. The total was well over 8 miles. It made my legs a bit tired; so I don’t think I’m ready for a trip to the salvage store quite yet. I’ll stay at 8-9 miles for a few days before extending the distance.  I’m not sure I’ll be doing Christmas riding; it depends on how I feel after the oral surgery. Doing Christmas 🎄 I’ve been doing Christmas since yesterday. Christmas dinner, I mean. Yesterday I got Chinese take-out for lunch; and today I had some eggnog (without booze). I was happy to find one-pint bottles of eggnog in the store. Today I drank about 1/2 cup of it; I’ll have another 1/2 cup tomorrow; and I froze the rest. Tomorrow? Maybe cranberry sauce and frozen blueberries. I’m trying to control my sweet tooth, though. That’s not so easy, because doing Christmas typically means a plethora of sweets! I’d better do some pedaling over the next three days, so I can burn off some of those excess calories! I won’t be riding Tuesday; and I might not be ready for it Wednesday. I’ll have to wait and see; it might be several days post-surgery before I can propel myself down the path 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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Set Free!

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Set Free! 😁 I feel like I’ve been set free. This morning I had a follow-up with the orthopedic surgeon; and he’s very pleased with how my elbow is doing. He says I’m ready for some weight-bearing exercise; and he said I may ride a bicycle again! Before I could ride, I needed to hike over to the bike shop to buy a new helmet. My new headpiece is white; the only other color available was black; and I like a visible color for a helmet! Then I walked home, and got ready to roll. It was great to be pedaling again; and moving while I did it. Pedaling Again 🚲 It was wonderful to be pedaling again. Now that I’ve been set free, I rode over to the park; did two circuits; and rode home. That was much more fun than using an indoor bike. Of course I didn’t attempt a long ride; that’s not wise when you’ve been off the bike for three months. I got in just under seven miles; and I’ll build from there.  The outside of my elbow, surprisingly, was where I started to get some twinges. This occurred during my second round of the park; and I decided it was better to head home after finishing that lap. I would have liked to do more; but I figured that those twinges meant I was pushing the limit. I can discuss it with the physical therapist tomorrow. I don’t know exactly how much weight the doctor meant; and did he mean push-up exercises; carrying; or both? Would an 11-mile trip be too much, too soon? If it isn’t, maybe I can ride to the salvage store Saturday! 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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Through a Glass Darkly

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Through a Glass Darkly 😎 How do you make eye contact with a driver when you’re looking through a glass darkly? That’s what tinted windows do; and I don’t like it at all. I remember my days as an automobile driver; and bright sunlight and glare were tortuous. But tinted windows create their own problems. I wonder how drivers using such windows see anything. It makes me nervous when I’m on foot, or on a bike. If I can’t see the driver, how can I be sure that the driver sees me? I’m looking through a glass darkly; and often I don’t see anything! I also don’t see yet when I’ll be able to ride again. I have a follow-up with the orthopedic surgeon tomorrow; and I hope it’s good news. Good News? 🗞️ I hope to get good news from the doctor tomorrow; but I don’t quite dare count on it. I have further physical therapy sessions scheduled for several more weeks; and that seems to indicate that I might not be ready to ride again. Must I wait until my elbow can reach out 100%? It still has an 8% bend when I extend it as far as I can; will I be able to control a bicycle properly with that bend? If so, it’s good news. Not that anybody should ride a bicycle with the arms fully extended; they should have a slight bend at the elbows to allow for emergency steering. It’s also hard on the joints to keep your arms rigid; especially when riding over rough surfaces! 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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Post-Christmas Already?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Post-Christmas Already? 🌲 Is it post-Christmas already? I don’t expect to see holiday merchandise on sale until December 26; but today I found gift bags and gift tags on sale, for 30% off! Not that I’m complaining; I needed the gift tags (to put away for next year!); and I was buying a small gift for someone. So post-Christmas already came at a good time! Good News? 📰 Stuff on sale is good news; but I’m hoping for good news from the orthopedic surgeon day after tomorrow. Physical therapy is going well; and my elbow can extend itself a little more. Today, when I straightened it as much as possible without excessive discomfort, there was only an 8-degree bend in it. So I hope it’s not too much longer before I can ride again. The recreation center will be closed December 24 through January 4; and for now, they don’t open until 8 am. When I can ride again, I won’t have any such time constraints. And if the doctor says it’s OK for me to get back on the bicycle, what a great Christmas gift it will be! 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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Deep Freeze?

BACK ISSUES, Food, Outdoors /

Deep Freeze? 🥶 The deep freeze wasn’t quite what I expected. It did get cold enough to freeze; but it didn’t stay that cold for more than a few hours. The wind was strong, though; and the covers I put on the outdoor plants got blown off. I found ways to keep busy indoors: I finished the Tardy Turtle; and I did some cleaning. My left arm is still rather ornery, though; and I have to be careful not to over-strain it. My activities need to be done in start-stop mode. It’s a good thing I don’t have a deep freeze indoors; because I might not be able to keep active enough to stay warm. Stay Warm 🌤️ To be honest, it’s really quite easy for me to stay warm. I’m not living in a claim shanty on the frontier in the Dakotas; and the climate I’ve always known doesn’t even get down to freezing very often. It’s rare for it to stay so cold for more than a day or two. Snow is an even greater rarity; and I’d expect a visit from a UFO before I’d expect a blizzard. But YouTubes about the 1880/1881 Winter in DeSmet, Dakota Territory, are food for thought. How would I fare if we had a power outage that lasted seven months? And I couldn’t go out to get more food? How would I find a way to cook rice, and dried beans? Do I have enough canned food to last more than two weeks? And even with all that, likely I can stay warm, barring a freak change in climate. Come to think of it, one thing is sure: I don’t really know what a deep freeze is! 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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Coming along in Stages

BACK ISSUES, Food, Outdoors /

Coming along in Stages 🧩  My current cooking project is  coming along in stages. That’s how I usually manage any Hoppin’ John variation; and currently I’m working on Tardy Turtle. Last night I sorted and rinsed the dry black beans; then put them to soak overnight. This morning I drained the beans; and put them in the freezer until tomorrow. This afternoon I cooked the brown rice; and put it the fridge until assembly time tomorrow. I still have to chop the celery; but I think I’ll do that tomorrow. I don’t plan to go anywhere! It’s going to be cold; and I won’t want to go out. I won’t like to stay indoors all day; but if I don’t have to go anywhere, I might as well stay where I can keep warm. It makes me think, what if I lived in a claim shanty and had to keep a fire going? What If? 🔥 And what if I had to burn hay (~19:23)? Not merely to  to keep warm, but to keep from freezing to death? Would I have survived that long Winter? I don’t think I want to find out! I’m sure spoiled by modern indoor heating and hand warmers. So tomorrow I’ll stay close to the heater; and keep the Tardy Turtle coming along in stages. As I said, I need to chop the celery; and I have to get the red bell pepper out of the freezer. It will need to thaw out; just as I would if I went out into the big 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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Last Run

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Food, Outdoors /

Last Run ⏩ I guess today was my last run to the salvage store before Christmas. If only I could ride, I’d probably go again next Saturday; but when I  have to beg for transportation, it’s different. I don’t want to ask for too much; so today is the last run for a while. Today I finally found medium cheddar cheese; and amazingly, ice cream was still on sale for 99¢ per carton. So I got two pints of Halo Top®. One is a half-chocolate, half-vanilla mix; and it’s wonderful with maple syrup on it! Cold Weather Plans ❄️ I must come up with my cold weather plans; and they begin tonight. The list includes cooking and cleaning. Tonight won’t be bad: low of 52, and calm wind. But from midday tomorrow, the temperature is going to drop; and tomorrow night, we can see freezing conditions. Windy, too! Ergo I want to get to an exercise bike tomorrow, because Monday I might not be able to tolerate the weather for a one-mile walk. I need some exercise, because today I didn’t get much. Then on Monday, I want to make a batch of Tardy Turtle; and I need to sort, rinse, and soak the black beans tonight. Come Monday, when I’ll probably be indoors most of the day, I really must vacuum. Cold weather plans can get weird; I usually just use a broom! 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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Get Braced

BACK ISSUES, Outdoors, Uncategorized /

Get Braced 😬 We’ve got to get braced: we have freezing weather on the way. Sunday night it’s expected to drop to 33 degrees! As far as I’m concerned, that is cold. I must double-check the wrappings on the pipes under the kitchen sink and the bathroom basin. Maybe I’ll drag in my old 30-gallon rubber trash can; and put some water in it, just in case. I can have some hot chocolate; and I think I’ll sleep in Monday morning! Meanwhile, is this Indian Summer? It doesn’t feel like December. Indian Summer? 🏕️ If this is Indian Summer, I’m not too sure how I feel about it. On the one hand, it’s nice to not be shivering; on the other, it doesn’t feel seasonable. When it does turn cold, though, I’ll be glad that I don’t have to live in a tent! Monday night will be cold, too; and I have to hike a mile to physical therapy the next morning! At least there won’t be much wind. Sunday night/Monday they’re predicting gusts up to 30 mph. That will make it miserably chilly outdoors.  But I hear it’s supposed to be warm again for Christmas. How can we really get braced for the weather when we never know what’s coming, when?   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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