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SpokEasy

September 2026

Wobbly

Leave a Comment / BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Training /

Wobbly 🚴‍♂️ Today’s Featured Product! 💥 Hiland Full-Suspension Men’s MTB New!! Mountain Biking for Kids For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! I sure feel wobbly on my new road bike. That’s natural, after a year off of road bikes; but I hope it’s not long before I’m back up to snuff. Not that I’ll try riding like the person pictured above! These electronic gears will take some getting used to; and I miss having a handlebar end mirror! I feel like I’m riding blind! I need to figure out the app for my bike’s system. All this app stuff makes me feel thoroughly antiquated. The old road bike had push levers for shifting; but those brifters were, admittedly, getting harder to operate. Especially the left-hand one. In with the New 🆕 But as they say, out with the old and in with the new. This wobbly phase will pass; and I hope it doesn’t take too long. I’ve discovered that my memory of how to use my Garmin is wobbly, too. This morning I was sure I pressed “save ride”; but when I checked later, the ride wasn’t there! I wore the chest strap, but my heart rate didn’t show. After a year of lying idle, it might need a new battery. Or perhaps I didn’t have it positioned correctly. I might even have to get a new bicycle computer. We’ll see how it goes! 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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Shakedown!

Leave a Comment / BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment, Training /

Shakedown 🫨 Today’s Featured Product! 🎊 KOOTU Carbon Road Bike New!! Loire à Vélo For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! Tomorrow begins the shakedown! This afternoon, I brought my new road bike home. It was hot, in the mid-80s; and I didn’t want to try riding a road bike next to traffic. After all, I’ve been off the road bike for a bit  over a year. So I wheeled the bicycle home. The prospect of this shakedown has me partly excited; and partly nervous. For my first ride, I think I’ll skip the clip-in shoes. Probably I shouldn’t try riding in the streets for the first few jaunts; but it’s half a mile to to the bike path; and that’s too far for walking in cycling shoes!    Blisters? 🩹 Cycling shoes fit more snugly than sneakers; and have much stiffer soles. That means they aren’t suitable for more than a very short walk. I don’t want blisters or corns! It will feel weird to be pedaling without toe clips; and without being clipped in. But I think it’s wise to get the feel of that new road bike before I ride clipped in. I don’t suppose it will take very long. Then I can start twenty-mile rides! 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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On the Hop

Leave a Comment / BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

On the Hop 🐇 Today’s Featured Product! 💥 Backcountry Women’s Bib Shorts   New!! Luna Bar Variety Pack For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! Nobody likes to be caught on the hop; except perhaps  a rabbit. That’s their natural behavior, after all. But do you ever feel caught on the hop when you’re about to begin a ride; and realize that you’ve forgotten your ride prep? I usually mix up my electrolyte drink the night prior. That way it has ample time to chill in the fridge; I’ve always found that Propel and other such products taste better cold. They also say that cold liquids are more readily absorbed by the body. Sometimes I forget to mix the drink the evening before a ride; and then of course it’s not cold. Seasonal Tilt? 🌎 Is the Earth in a seasonal tilt? For the past two mornings, I’ve gone riding very early. I wanted to see the moonlight on the river; but the moon was much too high in the sky for a good effect. I also forgot that it get light much later now — closer to 7 am, instead of 5:30 am. It’s Fall, even if  the weather doesn’t feel much like it yet. But it was nice to not need the cool rag this morning! 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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Always Timing!

Leave a Comment / BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Training /

Always Timing! ⏳  Today’s Featured Product! 🏆 SKRATCH LABS Energy Chews New!! Hero Microfiber Towel For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! It’s always timing, isn’t it? Such as this morning, when I rode out early to see the moonlight on the river. If I had left home one minute later, I would have had to wait for a mile-long train. That would have been very annoying! On the other hand, if I had gone out 15-20 minutes later, the moon would have been lower in the sky. As it was, old Luna was too high for the moonlight to make a good show on the water. So, it’s always timing. When to begin a ride? How to time various aspects of training? When? 🕰️ Actually, I don’t worry much about when to do what. Although I try to get in at least one ride with hard efforts each week, my approach to “training” is — I admit it — rather lackadaisical. I think I need a definite goal to inspire me to keep a more structured riding schedule. Any century rides near here? Dare I consider RAGBRAI 2027? It’s already time to be training for it, so I can develop the endurance for lengthy hard pedaling. Iowa has hills! Just be careful not to burn myself out!   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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On the Same Page?

Leave a Comment / BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

On the Same Page? 📃 Today’s Featured Product! 🥰 Power Crunch Vanilla New!! KIEVODE Index Derailleur Hanger For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! Can I stay on the same page as everyone else? I don’t know; what book are we reading? Is it even a print book? It’s fun to read facts about cycling; and if you ride in a group, finding information about riding in a pack is important. During group rides, everyone needs to be on the same page. Not that I ride in a group. It seems like all the ones that I find either meet too far from home; or they’re race-oriented and pedal at a blistering pace that I can’t attain, much less maintain. Pages on My Mind 🧠 I’ve had pages on my mind this afternoon, for sure. It suddenly occurred to me that I should create a new page for my store; one that features products aimed towards senior citizens. After all, I’ve got a For Kids page. So I came up with Oldies but Goldies. I began with a book about cycling as exercise for people over the age of 60; and I’m adding adult tricycles. I’m sure to think of other items, too. Speaking of stores, I hope I can get to the salvage store tomorrow!   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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Wind Is a Prankster

Leave a Comment / BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Wind Is a Prankster 🤡 Today’s Featured Product! 🎇 Ponchos Family Pack New!! Self-Coiling Security Cable Lock For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! Wind is a prankster, for sure. How often does it start blowing hard halfway through a ride; when it was windstill when you started? Today, however, the opposite occurred. I set out with the idea of doing a 20-miler; and soon saw that I’d have a tough headwind on the way home. I turned around and went to ride a few laps around the park. Then, by the time I got home, it seemed that the wind had largely died down! Probably I could have done the ride that I had planned. I hope I have better luck tomorrow; but wind is a prankster! Touch of Fall? 🍂 Are we actually getting a touch of Fall? I noticed today that the wind feels a bit cooler; but I’m not holding my breath about Fall actually arriving! Speaking of wind, the remnants of Fay have regenerated. Fay is at about the same latitude as New Orleans; but she’s way out in the mid-Atlantic. May that storm stay out there and dissipate! Getting back to wind, I like it when I do get a tailwind; and it’s easier to ride on the big ring. I try not to do it all the time, though. My leg muscles still tire a bit too fast for that! 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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Food Deserts

Leave a Comment / BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Food /

Food Deserts? 🏜️ Today’s Featured Product! 🎊 BALEAF Women’s Cycling Jacket   New!! Dolomite One   For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! Food deserts are nothing to make jokes about. From what I hear, food deserts are most common in poor neighborhoods; and in a convenience store, a healthful apple can cost more than a helping of junk food. IF the store has apples at all. Going on a long ride can seem to me like riding through a food desert. Finding a store too often means leaving the bike path; and  looking for somewhere to buy something to eat. In unfamiliar surroundings, and pedaling alongside two lanes of traffic! Pack It Along 🎒 So if I’m to have food for a long ride, I’ve got to pack it along. Not a banana, though; they smash too easily. There are protein bars galore; but sometimes I get tired of them. I’ve tried alternatives, such as meat snacks; or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Unfortunately, meat snacks are often too tough to chew while riding; and they make me too thirsty. I don’t want to drain my Camel-Bak too fast! Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches proved to be much too sticky; and they’re also too bulky. So protein bars it 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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Not Even Indian Summer

Leave a Comment / BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Not Even Indian Summer 🌞 Today’s Featured Product! 👍 Fizik R5 Road Shoe New!! Full Circle Recycled Fenders For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! Migosh, this is not even Indian Summer! I looked up the term; and technically, Indian Summer is a spell of unseasonably warm weather that occurs after a hard frost. We haven’t come near to having frost; so, no, this is not even Indian Summer. It’s just plain Summer that’s playing far beyond it’s curtain time. Tomorrow is the first day of Fall; and our forecast predicts a high temperature of 93 degrees! That’s a good reason to ride early in the day. Ride Early 🌅 “Ride early” doesn’t have to mean starting out before sunrise; but I sure don’t like it when I can’t ride early! If I go out early, I’m more likely to see a rabbit; and there actually are some patches of shade! Even when I don’t set the alarm clock, I tend to wake up by 6:30 am. Thus going out on the bike early in the day is quite natural. I guess my body still hasn’t really learned that I don’t need to rise at 4:30 am to ride. It’s easier to work on hard efforts before the day gets really hot. What drives me crazy in that the sun is still fairly low in the sky as I’m riding back home; and it’s shining right in my eyes! 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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Sailor Wannabe?

Leave a Comment / BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Sailor Wannabe? ⚓️ Today’s Featured Product! 💫 CyclingDeal Bike Travel Case New!! Is My Bike OK? For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! I must be a sailor wannabe. Why else do I feel the pull to pause a ride to watch a ship? And enjoy sea-salt chocolate? My father was a shipyard worker; and we got to attend the occasional ship-launching. I always like that; and I guess it’s stuck with me. Maybe I was already a sailor wannabe when I was still little? Adagio 🐌 I carried out my plan to go adagio today; so naturally my ride took longer than usual. Sometimes I need to make myself ease up! But there’s a place for long, leisurely rides in any cyclist’s riding schedule. I’ve read it all over the place: going all hard, all the time, is apt to do more harm than good. I spent a good deal of today’s ride on the small ring — I kept getting a headwind! My legs didn’t feel like pushing hard, anyway. My cool rag kept me from getting overheated; but I’d really rather have cooler weather. It’s the third week in September; and it still feels like the middle of Summer!  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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Derailed Again

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Derailed Again 🛤️  Today’s Featured Product! 💥 Ziploc Snack Bags New!! Jocauto Folding Step Stool For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! My plans got derailed again; but not because of weather this time. To put it briefly, I had to go to pay a bill in person at a brick-and-mortar store; and didn’t get to ride. It’s still hot; so I didn’t want to go to the salvage store first. The store I needed to visit doesn’t open until nine o’clock; and by the time I got home, it was getting too hot to ride. So my ride plans were derailed again. Clear but Hot 🌞 Tomorrow it should be clear; but hot. Gotta keep that cool rag handy; but I hope that it isn’t long before mornings are more like 70 degrees. Then I can sleep a bit later; and still not get broiled alive when I ride. And the coatings on my protein bars won’t get half-melted. I think tomorrow I’ll push for 20 miles; but omit the big-ring work. It looks like there won’t be much wind; 😌 and that’s always good. So it should be a good ride! 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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