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SpokEasy

August 2026

Cooking up a Storm?

Leave a Comment / BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Cooking up a Storm? 🌀 Today’s Featured Product! 🤩 Nuzest Clean Lean Protein New!! EVOC IRONMAN Road-Bike Bag   For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! Cooking up a storm? I’d better be careful about that! If I could conjure up some rain for us, that would be one thing. We need rain; but a storm? Who wants a hurricane? Or a tornado? I’ll be cooking up a storm another way, though. My stock of frozen stuff is almost gone; so I need to prepare some more large batches ot various dishes to freeze. For example, Kooky Kookaburra; and squash cooked in pasta sauce; and maybe a “garbage soup”.  Riding Again 🚲 No matter what I’m cooking up in the kitchen, I’m riding again! Today my legs felt better than they did yesterday; and I think I’ll ride 13 miles again tomorrow. Then I’ll add a few more miles the next day. I must admit that it’s easier to make time for cooking when I’m not putting in 20-mile rides; so I’ll strike while the iron is hot, as the saying goes. If I can find my anvil, that 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 © 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 ✍🏻 Facebook Twitter Youtube INTERPRETER Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Logged in as Cecile Levert. Edit your profile. Log out? Required fields are marked * Message* Δ

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Readjustment

Leave a Comment / BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Readjustment 🔄 Today’s Featured Product! 🎇 Car Free Living New!! Welwoos  For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! Now I’m in that maddening readjustment phase; whem I’m just back from visiting a cooler, less-humid locale. I sure could use some ice cream right now!  The climate isn’t the only readjustment; my legs need to get used to exercise again. Yesterday’s ride didn’t seem to bother me at the time; but today my legs muscles felt sore. I don’t know why. I didn’t ride hard yesterday; and I didn’t ride long. This morning I did  short ride, because I needed to walk somewhere; and tomorrow I’ll try pushing for 12 miles or so. Poco a poco is the way to go! Heat Advisories 🥵 All these heat advisories sound almost like it’s the heat that’s dishing out the advice! We don’t need anyone to tell us that the heat will persist; that’s a given in August. So we must keep the hydration pack and cool rag handy; and do our best to hold out for cooler weather. I’m not holding my breath, though; this heat is liable to stick around until at least October. It will be nice when the weather is cooler, and I can go riding a bit later. Getting up at 6:00 am is rather wearisome!   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 © 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 ✍🏻 Facebook Twitter Youtube INTERPRETER Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Logged in as Cecile Levert. Edit your profile. Log out? Required fields are marked * Message* Δ

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Heimkehr

Leave a Comment / BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors, Uncategorized /

Add Your Heading Text Here Heimkehr 🚪 I know; today isn’t Xmas. But hey — it’s a house! Today’s Featured Product! 💥 365 Vegan Smoothiets New!! Swiftwick For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! Yesterday was Heimkehr — I’m back from a visit to my sister. While there, I took a break from pretty much everything. I gave my legs a break from the bike; and I gave my hands a break from the keyboard. But now that Heimkehr is past, I’m ready to get back to riding. Early in the day, of course; extreme heat warnings are posted for the next three or four days. 🥵 A trip to the salvage store — not quite 11 miles round trip — was a nice way to get started cycling again. I decided to go today, because it looks like it might be raining Saturday. And do we need it! What about the Tropics? 🌀 OK, but what about the tropics? Inland Washington State doesn’t have hurricanes; but my last few days there, I began to watch the NHC site again. I’m glad to say, the tropics are quiet for now. Everyone hopes they stay that way! After about a week, I must begin doing hard efforts again. I don’t want to push intense woek too much, too soon; but it’s not as though I were off the bike for several months. 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 © 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 ✍🏻 Facebook Twitter Youtube INTERPRETER Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Logged in as Cecile Levert. Edit your profile. Log out? Required fields are marked * Message* Δ

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Desert

BACK ISSUES, Outdoors /

Desert 🌵 I complain about the heat all the time; but at least I’m not in a desert! I should at least be thankful fot that. In a desert environment, hydration is a huge problem. My 3-liter Camel-Bak might not last me more than one hour; and in a desert, your perspiration evaporates so fast, you don’t know you’re sweating. This, to put it mildly, is a problem. When the ambient temperature is 100+ degrees Fahrenheit, wind doesn’t feel cooling; it’s hot air moving. I suppose that would also be true of motion-generated breeze. I’ll be glad to skip the desert! 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 © 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 ✍🏻 Facebook Twitter Youtube INTERPRETER

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Hurricanes

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Hurricanes 🌀 Hurricanes. That’s almost a dirty word around here. Anyone who remembers Katrina would agree, I suppose. We’ve been almost too lucky for several years; and that can lead to complacency. And I don’t think that anyone really wants to drop everything and flee when hurricanes threaten the city. But what else is there to do? I’ve often thought that evacuation might not be so bad if I could make a bicycle trip out of it. And now that I don’t have to worry about a job, time for such an evacuation shouldn’t be an issue. What is an issue, is a bicycle route out of town. I’m not going to fight 18-wheelers on the interstate! 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 © 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 ✍🏻 Facebook Twitter Youtube INTERPRETER

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Hottest Days

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Hottest Days 🥵 Here come the hottest days. It’s the same old thing every year; and my apologies if you’re tired of hearing about it. Keeping cool is almost impossible during these dog days. It’s when we all start longing for a good, stiff cold front; but cool weather usually doesn’t arrive before October. The hottest days are also when we have to keep a wary eye on the tropics. The 2026 seaason is off to a slow start; but for all anybody knows, activity might suddenly go into high gear. Speaking of high gear, I think I need to low gear for a while. Not so much my legs as my hands and wrists! They need a break from constant keyboard use! 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 © 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 ✍🏻 Facebook Twitter Youtube INTERPRETER

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GPS

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment, Outdoors /

GPS ➡️  Today’s Featured Product! ☄️ COOLSTEELANDBEYOND Bike Chain Bracelet New!! Danish Endurance Cycling Socks For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! GPS is quite popular nowadays; but so far I’ve never gotten interested in it. In fact, I’m not sure I can trust it! Once, while biking on the levee (where I usually ride), there was someone driving a car up there! They said their GPS had directed them there; and that tells me not to rely solely on any such “positioning” system. I think I”d rather have a printed cue sheet! Familar Territory 🏞️ Of course, it helps that I’m nearly always in familiar territory. If I really did plan to go for a bicycle tour of, say, the Loire Valley, GPS might be warranted. I suppose there was a time when paper maps were distrusted — just as I have reservations about global positioning systems. Before print, people found their way by other means, including the  stars. Somewhere in Kon-Tiki, the author mentions that it was “incredibly easy” to steer by the stars. Alas, between light pollution and air pollution, it’s getting hard to see the stars at all. But if I’m able to spot a familiar constellation, there’s a chance that I’ll have my GPS! 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 © 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 ✍🏻 Facebook Twitter Youtube INTERPRETER Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Logged in as Cecile Levert. Edit your profile. Log out? Required fields are marked * Message* Δ

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Can I See?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment, Outdoors /

Can I See? 😳 Today’s Featured Product! 💥 Kryptonite Kryptoflex 1018 New!! LARABAR Variety Pack For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! Can I see; or can’t I? I’m trying to get used to wearing my glasses while using the computer, but  it’s a bit of a headache. Lately I can’t seem to see text on the screen very well without visiual correction; but the glasses make things look weird, too! I guess it’s the astigmatism correction. No matter how I tilt my head, I have a hard time getting a clear view. Whatever the cause of these visual “kinks”, it makes wonder, can I see? Line of Sight 👀 Thank goodnes my line of sight is OK when I’m on the bike. The trouble there is that my spectacles have a most annoying way of sliding down my nose! Then there’s the problem if having the sun in my eyes as I’m riding back home. I’m not sure even a Tontron would help; because at that hour, the sun is still rather low in the sky. I have reservations about such a brim for another reason: I suspect that it catches a LOT of wind! So I wouldn’t wear one in a hurricane! 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 © 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 ✍🏻 Facebook Twitter Youtube INTERPRETER Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Logged in as Cecile Levert. Edit your profile. Log out? Required fields are marked * Message* Δ

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Linus?

BACK ISSUES, equipment /

Linus? 🤓 Today’s Featured Product! 🌍 Planet Bike Seat Leash New!! F Prolon Fasting Bars For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! I’m often reminded of the Peanuts character Linus these days. In some of the comics, Linus wears glasses. In one such strip, he complains — understandably — that the wost part of glasses is keeping them clean. He says that he’s seen factory windows that were cleaner. So he holds his glasses out towards Snoopy, who licks the lenses. When Linus puts his glasses back on, he comments that now things are even worse. Snoopy is gagging, and thinking, “They didn’t taste very good, either!” My glasses frequetly get smudged with sunblock; so I”m always cleaning them. Smudges make it hard to see my computer screen! In Between ↔️ I’m in a maddening in-between phase with my glasses. I got a new prescription fairly recently, and I guess I’m still adjusting. In fact, I hadn’t been using glasses while working on my laptop; but lately I noticed that it’s gotten hard to see the text without them. But it’s also hard to see WITH my glasses. What a tug-of-war! Bifocal problems, I suppose. I’m glad I don’t have that problem on the bike, or I’d be in big trouble! 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 © 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 ✍🏻 Facebook Twitter Youtube INTERPRETER Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Logged in as Cecile Levert. Edit your profile. Log out? Required fields are marked * Message* Δ

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Multi-Purpose

BACK ISSUES, equipment /

Multi-Purpose 🛠️ Today’s Featured Product! 🚀 LARABAR Cashew Cookie New!! Milkadamia For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! I like multi-purpose things. It’s better to have one tool that can do two or three jobs; than to have three tools! For instance, if a 2-quart pot can serve as a mixing bowl; why get the bowl? Space is precious, after all; and I like to have some elbow room. Despite that, things keep piling up! Today I went into multi-purpose mode while sewing. After an error, I needed to take out some stitches. The lighting in here isn’t the best; and my eyes are like the old gray mare: they ain’t what they used to be. Ergo I was having a hard time seeing the stitches. Digging for Treasure? 🪎 So I went digging for treasure in my box of RAGBRAI equipment. I knew I had a headlamp in there somewhere; so I fished it out and put it on. It worked pretty well for the purpose; and now I know I don’t need to buy a standing lamp. It would be just another thing that needs space; and it would be much too hot under such a light, anyow. It would be interesting if I could make my bicycle multi-purpose; but so far I haven’t come up with any ideas. 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 © 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 ✍🏻 Facebook Twitter Youtube INTERPRETER Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Logged in as Cecile Levert. Edit your profile. Log out? Required fields are marked * Message* Δ

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