SpokEasy

SpokEasy

Author name: CAL

What\’s in Store?

BACK ISSUES /

Goodness knows what\’s in store with all this coronavirus upheaval. It would be wonderful if the solution were something that could be bought in a store. If only it were so simple, this would have been stopped dead in its tracks before it could get going. How long will this state of affairs continue? It\’s certainly created a great deal of havoc already: sickness, death, economic upheaval, and more. Who knows what will come next. Many events around the world have been canceled, or at least postponed. Oktoberfest is off the calendar; bad news for lovers of beer and oompah. Tennis lovers will have miss the Wimbledon. The Tour de France is at least put off until later in the Summer. Last week I received word that the local Tour de Cure will be virtual. I can\’t say that I\’m surprised. \”Virtual\” seems to be the new normal. I don\’t have Strava ,  but maybe I can use my Garmin. It would be a relief if a virtual TdC means, no cut-off time. All the same, I mean to keep working to increase my pace; and I have FAR to go! Not two weeks ago, I was trying to push 15 mph into a breeze of 7-8 mph. My legs were screaming Uncle after only 20 seconds! When it feels like a struggle to ride against the wind, I tell myself, \”I need this\”. And I do. Weather is fickle; and, despite forecasts, you never know what\’s in store.

What\’s in Store? Read More »

Building Up

BACK ISSUES /

Building up to any event includes quite a range of things. There\’s building up mileage, starting far enough in advance of your event so that you can do it gradually. This could require months, depending on your current level of fitness and the difficulty of the event. As some non-race events have a cut-off time, you might also have to work to improve your cruising pace. That\’s one of the things on my current agenda. When I rode the 50-mile Tour de Cure in 2018, I squeaked through with only two minutes to spare. I want to do better this time! Today I rode 36.8 miles, but averaged under 12 mph. What a slowpoke! I had decided, however, that today wasn\’t going to be about working on my pace, much less hard efforts; so my sluggardly progress didn\’t matter. Maybe I need more lunges and squats to help develop my leg strength. But not today! The day I do my weekly long ride, I skip off-bike work. The trouble is, I\’ve been skipping it to often. Core work shouldn\’t be neglected if you don\’t want an aching lower back. These exercises look tough; I suspect they aren\’t intended for anyone just beginning core work. See here for a beginner\’s core workout. And don\’t forget this aspect of building up : gut training! Gut training is why I now need to start working to push the pace during long rides. I\’ve already noticed that fueling at 12-13 mph is very different from fueling at 14-15 mph! What to use as fuel is an individual thing. For me, commercially available bars seem to work fine. I\’ve tried making rice cakes, too, per the recipes in Feed Zone Portables. They tasted good, but I think I got too much water in them. When I picked one up, it would fall apart. I guess I need some building up as a cook?    

Building Up Read More »

I Dood It!

BACK ISSUES /

Yep, I dood it. In fact, I\’ve done two things. Last night I got to work and made the potato tikka masala. It was the same recipe as the cauliflower tikka masala; except, of course, with spuds instead of \”flower cabbage\”, as German calls it. Note to self: next time use the FIVE-quart pot. The two-quart one was barely big enough. Also, next time try some Old Bay Seasoning instead of curry powder. Maybe not a whole tablespoon of it, though. I find Old Bay to be strong stuff. I dood it this morning, too: I finally hitched up the trailer and rode to the salvage store. And did I find some good stuff! I must have hit it at just the right time; sometimes it happens. Lately I\’ve been experimenting with using various salsas on rice and beans.  One aisle in the salvage store always has some \”Hispanic\” grocery items, I guess you could call them. Today there were 10-oz cans of mild red enchilada sauce, three for a dollar! On the opposite side of the aisle were 5-oz cans of water-pack tuna, 69 cents each. I picked up six cans. Soon afterwards, four aisles over, I found a different brand of the same thing; but 59 cents each. I took eight cans, and put the other tuna back where I\’d gotten it. In effect, I got the seventh can of tuna for 58 cents; and the eighth one for free! Of course I visited the grab-bag bins, but this time most of the things I picked weren\’t candy. I\’ve got enough goodies to last me for months! And of course I got some \”luxury\” items, such as a can of black cherries in apple juice. There were 5-oz bags of NUT-rition squares, for $0.99 each. I bought three bags; I think they might make good ride food. Incidentally, one variety of those NUT-rition squares is \”digestive health\”. It makes me think of digestive biscuits!  

I Dood It! Read More »

Cooking

BACK ISSUES /

Cooking up a storm? I should think not. The Southeast has had more than its share of storms in the last month. And in one more month, hurricane season begins! Leaving storms aside, I always seem to be cooking up something. Using a certain Feed Zone recipe as a starting point, I\’ve fixed hot dogs about half a dozen different ways. Then I made it with cauliflower! I bet it would be good with potatoes, too. A month or two ago I found Taco Complete in the salvage store. I added a can of it to a pot of cooked lentils. Success! I tried it in black beans, too, and finally ordered a six-pack of Taco Complete online. Then, day before yesterday, I stopped in the local Walgreens to get a few more Quest Bars. On my way to the checkout, I walked through the aisle where canned goods are. To my astonishment, I found Taco Complete there! I\’m sure it wasn\’t ever there before. I grabbed two cans, and now I can try \”TC\” in pinto beans! What about the aforementioned hurricane season? I\’ll have to watch things. Cooking up too much stuff to freeze could result in loss of a lot of frozen food! What if the power goes out for more than a day? It might not happen, though. Meanwhile, I\’ll keep on thinking up more things to cook.

Cooking Read More »

Morning Lark

BACK ISSUES /

I\’ve always been a morning lark. At any rate, I seem to be one. But at times I question that. Last Friday, while I was still on vacation, I intended to go out around 6 am on the road bike; then ride the hybrid to the grocery store around 8:00. I shut off the alarm clock and fell asleep again. I wasn\’t awake enough to get up until 8:10! When I go to sleep again like that, it\’s when I seem to get my deepest sleep. How ironic that is!  It\’s also when I have dreams; some of which are really weird. Past eight o\’clock seems like too late to go for a ride, and it took a bit of prodding to get myself out there. What a difference it is to ride in the daylight! I startled a bird that was near the edge of the back path. It was blue, but not a blue jay. As I was riding about 16 mph, I couldn\’t see much detail. I\’m not quite sure, but I thought I saw a red breast, which would mean a bluebird. I\’ve never seen a bluebird around here, although we\’re within the range of the eastern bluebird. Getting back to the ride, I would have been better off if I had gotten out a couple of hours earlier. The wind then was 3-4 mph. By the time I began my ride, it was blowing at 7-8 mph. My plan for that day was to practice riding 15 mph or more for five minutes at a time. With that wind behind me, it wasn\’t very difficult. Coming back home, it was. My legs were throwing in the towel after 20 seconds! Now I\’m back to early-morning rides; like a morning lark.

Morning Lark Read More »

Variation Number X

BACK ISSUES /

I made variation number X on chicken tikka masala last week. It makes me wonder what I\’ll come up with next. And what would the authors of The Feed Zone Cookbook think? I\’ve used hot dogs for tikka masala many a time. I\’ve used black beans, and I\’ve tried it with garbanzos. The cauliflower curry I made is actually another variation on the tikka masala recipe. If you\’re keen on trying it, here\’s how I made it. For the marinade, I mixed 1 cup plain, low-fat yogurt; 1 cup tomato sauce; 1 tablespoon curry powder; and 1/2 teaspoon salt. I had half a cauliflower that needed to be used. I cut it into small pieces; about 2 1/2 cups. I also had part of a red onion. It made about 1 cup chopped. I minced a clove of garlic, and a small (about 6\” long) carrot, sliced very thinly. I stirred all the veggies into the marinade, and let it sit in the fridge one hour. Then I put the pot over medium heat and let the mixture get bubbly, stirring now and then. I turned the heat down to a simmer, and let the stuff cook until the cauliflower was crisp-tender, about 8-10 minutes. Voila! A cupful of cauliflower curry over brown rice made a good supper. I bet it would be good with a little cheese on top, too. I froze what I didn\’t eat that evening, and already my brain was mulling over Variation Number X + 1. Potatoes?  

Variation Number X Read More »

Something Smells Fishy

BACK ISSUES /

Of course, something smells fishy. I just opened a can of tuna! I took it into my head to make potato-tuna salad; another new venture into \”gourmet\” cooking. Yeah, I know. \”Gourmand\” cooking is more like it! This idea came about because I bought a 5-pound bag of potatoes yesterday. One potato was significantly larger than the rest. I didn\’t think to weigh it, but I\’d guess it was 6-8 ounces. So I boiled it this evening. I went into my stash of canned goods, and got out a can of tuna. While I waited for the potato to get cool enough to handle without scorching myself, I drained and flaked the tuna. Next I peeled and diced the potato, and tossed it with the tuna fish. This can of tuna was oil pack, so I didn\’t add any oil or mayonnaise. I used a quarter-cup of plain yogurt instead; and added a squirt of yellow mustard. For seasoning I turned to freshly-ground black pepper and garlic salt. This salad turned out to be more potato-y than fish-y. Not that there\’s anything wrong with that; tuna in a mixture so often overpowers everything else. It made enough for me to keep half for tomorrow. While I\’ve got fish on my  mind, tomorrow morning might see me wishing I had gills. The weather outlook isn\’t too good. Scattered T-storms at 5:00 am, then T-storms from 6:00 or so. The temperature is forecast to be in the low 70s, so rain alone wouldn\’t be too bad to ride in. Lightning, however, is something else again. Now I\’d better go put out the trash, and get that tuna can out of here. Otherwise I\’ll be thinking that something smells fishy around here.    

Something Smells Fishy Read More »

Out to Pasture?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Out to Pasture? Out to Pasture? 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.” Where do pro cyclists go when they retire from racing? I’m not so sure they’d want to go out to pasture. After so many years of vigorous physical activity, I doubt that they’d want to merely sit around. Maybe to Switzerland? A climbing specialist would probably feel right at home in the Alps. There are also routes suited to beginners and families; so KOM ability isn’t necessary! How about the Bodensee? The path around this lake is well-marked and flat. It’s 166+ miles around; but you don’t have to do the whole thing. You’ll find playgrounds and cafés along the way. The Lakes Route leads from Lake Geneva to Lake Constance; and passes a total of 10 lakes. This route does include some stiff climbing. Use alternate transportation if you legs aren’t up to it (I’ll bet mine aren’t!) Tremola Pass is for the advanced rider. With an elevation gain of almost 7300 feet, it includes cobbles and switchbacks. Want some mountain biking in Switzerland? Head for Zermatt! I, for one, would love to see the Matterhorn “in the rock”, instead of always in pictures. Be sure to take enough layers, as it’s likely to be chilly. Would I like to go out to pasture in Switzerland? I’m not sure. I hear it’s expensive to live there; and it would take quite a while for my lungs to adjust to high altitude. But the country has its share of great cycling routes.    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 Real Saturday January 6, 2024 Roadie Again! January 5, 2024 Pomp and Circumstance January 4, 2024 I Bee’d Lucky January 3, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

Out to Pasture? Read More »

Far West

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Far West Far West is what you might say that Guam is. This island territory is as far west as the U.S. gets. Guam has many cycling routes. Hilly or flat, long or short; despite its small size, Guam offers a wide variety. Try the Tour of Guam if you like climbing. Choose your route: 42 km or 105 km (26 and 65.25 miles, respectively). The “figure 8” course takes you through the central and southern parts of the island. Guam also has something for the MTB fan. There’s the Black Jack Loop; although rated as “intermediate”, it looks to me like it’s better avoided when the weather is wet.  How would it be to live on Guam? Like anywhere else, it has its good and bad. It’s quiet there? I would LOVE that! Quiet is hard to find around here. The temperature is warm enough year-round that I might not need a heater. On the downside, Guam is an expensive place to live. It might be more humid than I’m used to; how long will it take a pair of cycling shorts to dry? I might want to keep a poncho handy at all times. Employment can be hard to find. You’ll need plenty of sunblock. And the island is in Typhoon Alley.  It sounds to me like Guam would be a great place to visit: enjoy the cycling trails and the tropical breezes. Enjoy water sports too, if you like. But while I was there in the far west, I’d stay on land! 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

Far West Read More »

Junk Food?

BACK ISSUES /

Junk Food Junk food has a dubious reputation, to say the least of it. Now and then I put a different twist on junk food by making a soup from the “junk” that’s crowding my freezer. Earlier this week, I put two cups of dried pinto beans to soak overnight. The next morning, I drained them and divided them between two containers, which I froze. Today I took out one container of the pintos, and put them in a big pot with some water. In went chopped onion and minced garlic. Sliced carrot and diced potato went in next. Now for the really junky part. I had used part of a can of peas for something, and frozen the rest. Ditto a can of green beans. When I made cauliflower tikka masala, I had almost half a can of tomato sauce left over. I poured the tomato sauce into the container with the green beans to save space. By yesterday I had almost run out of room in the freezer, and it was time to do something about it. Hence the “junk soup”. Since my diagnosis of pre-diabetes two months ago, I’ve been making a real effort to curb the non-nutritious food: chips; candy bars; ice cream; and such. Yes, I still eat them, but work to minimize them. How about ride food, though? Clif Bars, Quest Bars, and similar foods? They aren’t meant to be eaten as casual snacks. During rides that are long enough for you to need to eat, their density is more sustaining than, say, potato chips could ever be. Sometimes I use Combos® as ride food; but they lack “oomph”. So would many snacks on the store shelves. I think I’ll leave the junk food on those shelves. Even though I still like them, I want FOOD for my rides.  

Junk Food? Read More »