SpokEasy

SpokEasy

Author name: CAL

Giving It a Shot

BACK ISSUES /

I’m giving it a shot when it comes to avoiding COVID-19. Of course I wore masks from the start of the pandemic. In fact, I\’ve worn them for many years because of my sensitivities to \”fragrances\”. I avoid crowds if at all possible. When I shop at a brick-and-mortar store, I go early; and get in and out as quickly as I can. But today I was finally able to get my first dose of the COVID vaccine. It was a bit weird. I didn\’t really feel the needle; but it did feel like somebody punched me in the arm! For a while my arm felt a bit sore here and there; but so far nothing bad. Maybe I was giving it a shot when I rode this morning; but I didn’t know it. I really wasn’t looking for the water bottle that I dropped yesterday; and that I thought I’d never see again. But, incredibly, I spotted it! Apparently I had dropped it a bit closer to home than I thought; and even at a rather low speed, a dropped water bottle can roll a long way. Today I rode at a rather leisurely pace; and I made it short. I had to catch a shuttle bus to get to the appointment for my COVID shot; and of course I didn’t want to miss it. I wish I could have done a longer ride, because this was another non-windy morning. It looks like tomorrow morning won\’t be bad, though; and I can try some more \”light in the saddle\” work. If I really want to get faster, it\’s worth giving this a shot.

Giving It a Shot Read More »

Dropsy?

BACK ISSUES /

“Dropsy” is what I call it when I’m trying to get a water bottle back into its cage and miss. This morning I dropped a water bottle; and it seemed to vanish entirely. That\’s a drawback to riding in the dark. Or is there a black hole for bidons out there? Not that dropsy is anything to joke about. It can be the result of a serious medical condition; and it isn\’t something to ignore. Getting back to the problem of handling that water bottle: sometimes I don\’t have any trouble with it. Other times, I just can\’t seem to manage it. This morning I began to pull the bottle out of its holder; and for some reason let go of it before it was all the way out. My heavy gloves, with Hotnwarmers inside, no doubt contributed to my case of \”dropsy\”! Unfortunately the bottle was too far out of the cage to keep it from falling out. I stopped as quickly as I could, but several minutes of searching yielded no result; and I finally decided I had to go on. After all, I got very little riding last week; and I didn\’t want to miss any more! Aside from losing my water bottle, this morning\’s ride was great. The weather was clear; and while it was chilly, it wasn\’t frigid. There was almost no wind! I could have used an additional layer on my legs; but even so, it was nice to climb aboard without the binding effect of slacks over leg warmers. Next Step? And today, I began something new! My next step in improving my pace, I hope. Sometime last year, out of the blue, I found that I was pulling up on the handlebars and easing my weight on the saddle when “climbing”; that is, while riding over a hump or up an access ramp. I noticed that this let me push harder on the pedals. It\’s harder on my legs; but I seem to be able to climb more effectively when I do it. A few weeks back, I began to think: how about taking the next step; and using the same technique when I want to ride faster?  This morning, almost without conscious thought, I started to work on it. I can’t keep it up for long. My arms and upper body need a lot more strengthening; and my legs sure felt it, too. But it makes it easier to push 15 mph or more; and during long rides, short spurts of this \”half-stand\” pedaling will help when I need a bit of relief from saddle contact. By the way, \”dropsy\” is sure to happen again; and after work I rode to the bike shop and bought two water bottles. I want to have a spare on hand!

Dropsy? Read More »

Splits

BACK ISSUES /

Splits are nice when they\’re banana splits. I\’d love to have one, if only I didn\’t have prediabetes. There are splits within the world of gymnastics, or ballet. Time was when I could do a split; but now I can\’t. Cycling has tightened up my hamstrings. Maybe my age is catching up with me, too.? With the cold weather come nasty splits at the corners of my fingernails; and they aren\’t fun at all. They\’re ugly; sometimes they even bleed; and they hurt because it\’s so hard to keep from bumping them. They also wreak havoc with fingertip sensitivity; and the fact that I so often can\’t keep my hands out of water (food prep, dishwashing, etc.) doesn\’t help. For years now I\’ve been making my own hand cream using grape seed oil, jojoba oil, and beeswax. The formula comes from Better Basics for the Home. I like it better than any commercially available hand lotion that I\’ve tried. Unfortunately I still get those mini-wounds. Maybe I\’ll try something else, such as Neutrogena. My sister-in-law says she really likes it. Skin care is important when you do a lot of outdoor activity; especially in cold weather. We sure got a lot of that last week; and today it got up to 68 degrees! Back down to 43 tonight; get out those leg warmers for tomorrow morning\’s ride! But bring along shorts to change into for the ride home from work: high of 70 degrees! Which season is this, anyway? Does our weather have a split personality?

Splits Read More »

The Thaw

BACK ISSUES /

We\’ve got the thaw today! At 8 am it was already 51 degrees; and by noon it was well into the 60s! Unfortunately it still feels cold in my apartment; and as a result I was actually overdressed for my ride. On the way out I had a tailwind; and I got to feeling almost too warm. Of course I had a headwind on the way back home; and the wind felt pretty chilly then. Now it\’s up to 20 mph, so I\’m glad I\’m not out there fighting it. The thermal socks that I had ordered came a day or two ago; and this morning I tried them. The sure feel warm; but since the weather is much warmer today, I can\’t be sure how they\’d feel when the mercury drops to freezing. I still might get the chance to test that; March can be very cold. On the other hand, overnight lows near 80 degrees can set in as early as March. That\’s taking the thaw a bit too far! After this morning\’s ride, I enjoyed a recovery drink made of almond milk and protein powder. It wasn\’t long, though, before I wanted something more to eat; and my mood shifted South. I prepared a high-calorie, high carb \”Mexican\” lunch: refried beans with a little cheese on top; two corn tortillas; some guacamole; and olives. Now I\’ve got to clean up the kitchen from lunch; wash my cycling shorts; and then get back to cooking. Oh, this never-ending cooking! But that\’s part of keeping on top of prediabetes.

The Thaw Read More »

Pure Inspiration?

BACK ISSUES /

Pure inspiration is something I could use; and I thought, maybe this protein powder will help! Purely Inspired Organic Protein is vegan-friendly; free of cholesterol; and has no added sugar. Each two-scoop serving (scoop included) packs in 20 g of protein! I found this product at the salvage store this morning, and decided to try it. The main reason was that it cost several dollars less than at a regular store; and that\’s one of the things I love about the salvage store. I can try out new things for less money! After lunch I got out the almond milk, and mixed up a serving of \”pure inspiration\”. I tasted it; and I think it\’s better than chocolate Vega. Most of the mixed drink is for after tomorrow\’s ride; it will keep for 24 hours, I\’m sure. Here\’s my problem with this: the canister is quite large in diameter; and smooth in texture. The lid is also smooth, and it\’s the twist-on type. It\’s a bit difficult for my hands to manage; and it probably doesn\’t help that my hands are cold! Incidentally, the ride to the store meant using another product: Hotnwarmer Packs. It was only a few degrees above freezing when I set out; and I knew my hands would get too cold without the warming packs (this danged Raynaud\’s!) Luckily there wasn\’t much wind, and it\’s now in the mid-40s. Of course I hit the grab-bag bins. I found a Fit Crunch bar; and got some carb-y snacks that will have to be worked into my day-to-day carb count, including some BelVita Sandwiches. Tonight the low will be around 43 degrees; but tomorrow the wind will be stronger. Going for a ride will mean being purely inspired, I guess!

Pure Inspiration? Read More »

Jamaica

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Jamaica 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.” Jamaica sure sounds attractive when we’ve had a few days of frigid weather. The island’s climate is tropical: hot all year round!  Jamaica has bicycle tours to offer. Maybe you’d like to undertake one uning a Sixthreezero EVERYjourney e-bike! There’s the popular Reggae Ride, based out of Montego Bay. This escorted group ride has something to offer cyclists of all ability levels. You can visit farmers’ markets; chat with school kids; or even climb a waterfall! Is downhill MTB your thing? The Blue Mountain Bike Tour might be right up your alley. This all-day tour is easy and fun; but do be prepared for wet weather. Part of the route takes you through a rain forest. The Fat Tire Festival is held annually, in the third week of February; and it sells out fast! Register early if you want to join this week-long celebration of MTB trail riding. Train up, too — some tough climbs are involved. If you’re looking for family fun, try the Braco Bike Trail. This one combines biking and hiking; and includes (of course) a visit to the beach. Relax and enjoy the sounds and sights of rural Jamaica; and learn about the island’s wildlife.  COVID-19 seems to be making a comeback; so traveling might be on the sidelines. In addition, as of September 19, 2023, Jamaica is under a Level 3 travel advisory. But when the COVID threat is over, you might still want to dust off your passport; pack up your bicycle and bathing suit; and head for the Caribbean.

Jamaica Read More »

Come on Summer

BACK ISSUES /

Come on Summer, we\’re ready for you! I\’m sure much of the USA is only too eager for the weather to warm up. I know I\’m ready for a real ride without miserably cold fingers. Thanks to my problems with Raynaud\’s, I\’m reluctant to ride outdoors while this cold snap lasts; and I\’m getting tired of it. New Orleans usually doesn\’t get this cold; and even more rarely does it stay so cold for so long. Some areas are even worse off than New Orleans, such as Texas. Those poor folks are really suffering; and my own problems seem trivial by comparison. At about 6:30 yesterday evening, I stepped outside to put a bag of trash in the bin. The wind was already cutting; and I was glad I didn\’t have to stay out there more than a minute. I knew it would feel even colder this morning. In fact, last night there was another freeze warning; and at 6 am this morning, the wind chill was 25 degrees. I want to go to the supermarket; but I can\’t face going out in that! On an unrelated topic, last night I thought of a new exercise. The hybrid has been set up in the trainer most of the week; so all was ready. I took a pair of two-pound weights; climbed aboard; and lifted the weights around as I pedaled. I tried to coordinate left hand forward/right knee up and vice versa; but wasn\’t doing very well at it. Tonight will get even colder than last night; and in the next few days it will finally warm up a little. But I sure feel like saying, Come on Summer! Maybe thinking of the Hotter N Hell 100 would help?

Come on Summer Read More »

Maintenance

BACK ISSUES /

Maintenance isn\’t only about keeping that bike in good working condition. It\’s also about diet and weight. Over the last year, I lost some 26 pounds. Last February I was uneasily aware that my weight had climbed to 128; and considering how short I am, that was way too much. But getting myself to do something about it was another story. The catalyst was bloodwork that showed my A1c levels were in the prediabetes range. I definitely did not want to progress to full-blown diabetes; and I went to work right away. The first step was to cut way back on the candy bars and junky non-sweet snacks. I began replacing them with apple wedges and raw carrot sticks. I\’ve always had a humongous sweet tooth; and at first that seemed hard. But after a month or so I had lost 5-6 pounds; and it was easier to get into my cycling shorts! That provided the motivation to keep going. I kept at it; but by November my A1c levels hadn\’t budged. I started working with a nurse practitioner and a nutritionist; and they helped me to determine my daily calorie and carb needs. Day after day, I recorded my meals and snacks. Now my weight is back down where I want it; and here comes the hardest part: maintenance! This relentless meal tracking is a drag sometimes; but if I stop doing it, those pounds will pile right back on. Additional motivation is the desire to avoid actually developing diabetes. I suspect that I won\’t be able to go back to my pre-prediabetes eating habits even if my A1c levels return to normal; and I don\’t want to wind up having to take insulin! I\’ll take meal tracking, thank you very much.

Maintenance Read More »

Extremes

BACK ISSUES /

Don\’t take it to extremes! Extreme training isn\’t for everyone. Certainly it isn\’t for me! However, there are other extremes going on around here. Namely, the weather. Monday night it dropped to about 26 degrees; and that\’s phenomenally cold for us. Happily, I was able to keep my water pipes in action. Yesterday, it barely got above freezing. It didn\’t help that the sun didn\’t start breaking through the clouds until about 2 pm. Last night wasn\’t quite as cold; but a brief power outage prompted me to go to bed by 8:15 pm. For me, no electricity means no heat. I also decided that it would be wise to run a trickle of water overnight, just in case. This morning it was still barely above freezing; and I had a cold walk to work. I had to help my hands with warming packs. Then, during the day, the temperature rose to about 54 degrees. What a change! It\’s nice to have it feel warmer in here; but severe weather is possible in the Southeast region tonight and into tomorrow morning. We could get heavy rain; and that puts a damper (no pun intended) on my desire to make a pre-work run to the supermarket. Forty degrees and wind 10-15 mph isn\’t fun, especially when you\’re on a bicycle; and if it\’s raining as well, it\’s a recipe for misery. Besides, there\’s nothing that I absolutely must have right away. Tomorrow night and the next, it\’s back down to freezing. If I find this cold spell so hard to deal with, I\’d have a terrible time trying to live in the Northern latitudes.

Extremes Read More »

It\’s Running!

BACK ISSUES /

It\’s running! No, I don\’t mean a foot race; I mean my water. We had a hard freeze last night. Such weather is unusual for us; and it often means a lot of burst pipes all over the city. My pipes froze during the 2018 cold snap. Naturally I wasn\’t eager for a repeat performance; so I did what I could to prevent it. I had saved several of those insulated bubble-wrap envelopes that Whole Foods uses to ship cold/frozen items. They\’re handy when I go grocery shopping by bicycle, and want to get frozen stuff! But if those envelopes can keep cold stuff cold, why can\’t the material keep cold out? Day before yesterday I cut pieces out of one of those envelopes; and I duct-taped the pieces around what exposed outdoor pipes I could reach. I had no idea whether that would provide adequate insulation, but I figured it was worth trying. It was certainly better than nothing. When a freeze is expected, the usual advice is to run a spaghetti-thin trickle of water overnight. Of course I did that, too. I wanted to have a water supply if possible. And today it\’s running! I think I\’ll leave that insulation on the pipes. Maybe, when hot weather returns, it will mean that my cold water faucet will produce cold water; not water that\’s lukewarm. And who knows; we could still get more freezing weather. It\’s only mid-February; and a cold snap in March isn\’t impossible. I suppose that this day will go down in local history as the Mardi Gras Deep Freeze. The hard freeze warning remains in effect until noon, and tonight it will be barely above freezing. Don\’t put away the heavy jackets just yet!

It\’s Running! Read More »