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SpokEasy

April 2026

Get Ahead?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors, Training /

Get Ahead? 🤯 Today’s Featured Product! Honey Joy Wiggle Car   New!! ROCKBROS Polarized Sunglasses For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! It’s hard to get ahead, isn’t it? I don’t feel on top of my riding at all! So how can I get ahead with my mileage? Yesterday I took off from the bike; and today I didn’t go even seven miles! My head is stuffy, making me feel tired and listless. The wind was pretty strong; and that made things hard, too. Would music help? I don’t wear headphones while I ride. It’s important to me that I can hear what’s going on around me; and if thunder is moving in, I need to head it! Harbinger 🌧️ I was uneasy about the clouds this morning; but as it turned out, they weren’t a harbinger of rain. As always, I was glad to not get rained on; but we need rain. How about tomorrow? It will still be windy; but I need to put in some real miles. Maybe I’ll just have to be a slowpoke; but the main thing is that I get out there and pedal. Soon, though, I’ll need to haul out the cooling equipment. We have to guard against heat-induces illnesses! Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Logged in as CAL. Edit your profile. Log out? Required fields are marked * Message* Δ 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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Not at the Beach

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors, Training /

Not at the Beach ⛱️ Today’s Featured Product! BERGRISAR Men’s Long-Sleeved Jersey New!! Giro Gauge Women’s MTB For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! I’m glad I’m not at the beach today. It might be fun to ride alongside the surf on a fat-tire bike; but the wind would be a killer. It’s strong enough that there’s a coastal flood advisory in effect! Wind gusts here are up to 25 mph; so I’m glad  I’m not riding. I need to get out and ride tomorrow, though; but not at the beach. Even without any flood advisories, I’d manage to track home a lot of sand; and sand is maddeningly hard to sweep up. Take Five? 5️⃣ I guess it’s time to take five minutes’ hard effort at a time. Or did I start that last week? I need to make better notes of my rides! But ride hard for 5 minutes; and ride easy for two minutes. Do three hard efforts; ride easy for 15 minutes; and start another set. It should help me to get stronger, even if I’m not gaining speed any too fast. There’s a 20% chance of showers tomorrow. OK, take along the poncho; but I hope it won’t rain. My bike trunk’s zippers have an unfornate way of leaking! The wind will still be 10-15 mph; so I’ll have a headwind on the way home again. How tired I am of that! Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Logged in as CAL. Edit your profile. Log out? Required fields are marked * Message* Δ 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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Not Only Legs

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors, Training /

Not Only Legs 🎒 Today’s Featured Product! Dynacraft Magna Throttle New!! Shimano SH-EX300W For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! It’s not only legs when it comes to cyclist training. We can tell those limbs to shut up as much as we want; but  if you’re training for long rides, it’s important to get your body used to carrying a load. A full Camel-Bak does affect how you feel on the saddle; and it also can affect your stability until you get adjusted to it. That’s why I’ve been using a hydration pack; to keep myself trained to carrying that load. If you’ve got a long event on the calendar (say, a century), you might not be able to count on chances to refill standard water bottles as often as needed. That’s why a hydration pack is important; and don’t wait for event day to ride with three liters of water on your back! That’s why I say, it’s not only legs.  Frisky 🍃 The wind was pretty frisky this morning; and a headwind on the way back home, as usual. I’m glad I took along electrolyte drink as well as water! The effort to ride against the wind had me doing a lot of mouth-breathing; and that dries me out faster. When the wind was behind me, on the way out, I worked at riding on the big ring. I need that for developing strength. Six minutes at a time worked great, until the path turned and I got a headwind. On the way back home, I was on the small ring most of the time; and all that spinning tired me out! That’s the trouble with a frisky wind. Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Logged in as CAL. Edit your profile. Log out? Required fields are marked * Message* Δ 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 Add Your Heading Text Here

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Don’t Forget Sunblock!

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors, Personal Care /

Don’t Forget Sunblock! ☀️ Today’s Featured Product! Feed Zone Table New!! Mission Cooling Helmet Liner For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! Don’t forget sunblock, even on a cloudy day. UV rays don’t take a break just because of an overcast sky. I’ve tried various sunblocks, including KINeSYS; but I prefer non-spray types. A bottle of liquid will make a huge mess if it leaks! This morning I had to run an errand; and I went on foot. It’s cloudy; and — don’t forget sunblock? Well, I did forget. It’s a good thing I didn’t have to be out for hours.   Ride Later? 🚴‍♂️ Maybe I’ll ride later.  It’s supposed to clear up as the day goes on; but at the moment, wind gusts are up to 30 mph! And from the Northeast,too. I don’t feel like fighting such a breeze. I need some hard efforts; and who knows, the physical work might clear up my stuffy head! After all the Easter candy, I need to burn off some calories, too. If I don’t ride later, there’s still plenty to do at home. Come to think of it, Monday is very often my off-bikes day. So shall I stick with tradition? Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Logged in as CAL. Edit your profile. Log out? Required fields are marked * Message* Δ 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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Wet Hare

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors, Training /

Wet Hare 🐰 Today’s Featured Product! Places You’ll Go! New!! N¡ck’s Chocolate-Caramel Protein Bar   For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! True to the forecast, it’s wet hare day; although it’s not cold. We don’t need Rabbitroom Gloves here! It looks like the rain will stop by early afternoon; and then I can go for a ride. Meanwhile I’m enjoying some Easter candy; and simply being lazy. My head is stuffy this morning; and that doesn’t help make me eager to ride. Allergy season, I guess. 🙄 Also, I’m not especially eager to be a wet hare. I could wear a poncho, of course; but that thing annoys me by flapping all over the place! Intense or Long? 😬 How should I ride today: intense; or long? Both are needed to improve fitness. Intense efforts are to help build strength; and long rides develop endurance. Either type of riding burns off some calories; and I sure need that! Maybe some four-minute hard efforts; with one or two minutes in between? That might even help to clear my head! Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Logged in as CAL. Edit your profile. Log out? Required fields are marked * Message* Δ 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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Peter or Petra?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Peter or Petra? 🐇  Today’s Featured Product! Swedish Candy Easter Mix New!! Crankbros Lace MTB Shoes For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store!  Was that Peter or Petra Cottontail I saw this morning? It could have been either; but it looks like the March Hares decided to be April Bunnies. Well, it’s just in time for Easter! I wasn’t exactly quick as a bunny on the bike this morning; especially not on the way home. I couldn’t be  either Peter or Petra! The headwind rose to 14 mph as I was riding back from the store; and it was tough going. I’m not sure why I felt so tired. Maybe I needed to drink more water. Or maybe I was working too hard? Wet Egg Hunt? 🐣 It looks like a wet egg hunt tomorrow for anyone who plans one. They’re predicting T-storms in the wee hours; and showers between 6:00 am and early afternoon.  So I’m not sure I’ll get to ride tomorrow. If I do, I just have to  hope I’ll stay dry.  At least I don’t have to worry about having paint that will get washed way — I’m not psanky. Riding tomorrow will give me another chance to see Peter — or Petra. And even to try to ride as fast as they can run! Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Logged in as CAL. Edit your profile. Log out? Required fields are marked * Message* Δ 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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Finally Out

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Finally Out! 🚴‍♀️ Today’s Featured Product! Just Ride New!! Lingito Rain Ponchos For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! It was so good to be finally out for a 20-miler today! I took Monday off from riding; as I often do. I put in 20 miles on Tuesday; but  Wednesday morning I saw a hand specialist for trigger finger. After a cortisone shot, I wasn’t sure my hand would be up to holding those handlebars. Then yesterday, I had a follow-up with the orthopedic surgeon. I don’t need any more follow-ups! They seemed quite impressed at how my elbow has regained its ROM. In the afternoon I was finally out for a short ride in the park. As often happens, I was unsure about the weather!   Wet Hare? 🐇 It looks like our local Easter Bunny might be a wet hare; the forecast shows a chance of T-storms on Sunday. Therefore if I go for a ride, I could have wet hair. “Easter Bunny” makes me think of chocolate; and other goodies, too. I’ll need a good ride to work off those treats! In fact, I need to do some hard efforts soon. Maybe I can put a few in during the ride to the salvage store tomorrow; if we’re not getting a T-storm then! Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Logged in as CAL. Edit your profile. Log out? Required fields are marked * Message* Δ 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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Fool’s Day?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Fool’s Day? 🤡 Today’s Featured Product! THALOUS Crank Arm MTB New! Isopure Zero Carb Protein For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! It’s already April Fool’s Day! I don’t suppose anyone here is thinking of Carnival now, though; Easter is less than a week away. Nobody was cracking April Fool’s Day jokes at the orthopedic clinic I visited this morning. My primary care physician referred me to a doctor there for trigger finger; and a cortisone injection is no joke. But the soreness is wearing off; and maybe I’ll go out for a short ride later. IF it’s not storming by then! I got caught in the rain yesterday; and it’s a good thing there wasn’t any lightning. Bike Month 🚴🏿 I had thought that the Love to Ride Bike Month began today; but it’s not until May 1. That’s all to the good; I had the idea that I might not want to hold on to a handlebar after that cortisone shot! My calendar includes another doctor’s appointment tomorrow; and I didn’t want to miss two days during a Bike Challenge month. But the weather outlook for tomorrow is better than today’s; and it’s not getting too terribly hot yet. I can ride later in the day. And see whether the river is rising yet! Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Logged in as CAL. Edit your profile. Log out? Required fields are marked * Message* Δ 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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