SpokEasy

SpokEasy

Author name: CAL

Shame on Us?

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Shame on us? Why? Are we cyclists included in the \”naughty pups\” column on this list of Santa\’s? Granfondoguide.com (not secure) gives ten reasons why cyclists are bad for the economy: We drive less than other folks, and don\’t buy cars as often. Ha! Who\’s got the money to pay for a car sitting around? We also buy less gasoline. That stuff\’\’s expensive, and it doesn\’t smell good. When it\’s burned in internal-combustion engines, it gives off nasty fumes. We make less use of garages and car washes. Of course I don\’t use garages and car washes. I don\’t have a car! Car washes are a waste of water, too. We make fewer payments for parking the car. See number 3. We don\’t get obese. I bet I\’d weigh more than I do if I didn\’t ride a bicycle. We shell out less for healthcare. Maybe some of us cyclists do. I\’ve got a genetic nervous system disorder that has to be monitored. We spend less on prescriptions. See number 6. We do rides to raise funds for good causes. Tour de Cure! Bike MS, to name only two. We\’re more apt to shop locally. I think that\’s a natural outcome of relying on a bicycle for transportation. Admittedly it does limit our range, and the amount of stuff we can haul home. Panniers carry only so  much. We consume less, and thus don\’t put as much into the GDP.  Hey, don\’t expect me to spend more than I can afford! OK, shame on us for being bad for the economy. Maybe that will get us all a stocking full of coal for Xmas. But that would be bad for the environment!

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The Maple Leaf

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The Maple Leaf Northeast Southeast Midwest Southwest West Globetrotting Bike Packing Equipment Home Hamburger Toggle Menu Say, “maple leaf”, and I’m likely to think of  the Joplin rag before anything else. And I think of maple syrup! It also conjures up images of our neighbor to the North; namely, Canada. Here are ten possibilities in what I might call “The Land of the Maple Leaf”. The Great Lakes Waterfront Trail covers more than 3600 kilometers (about 2237 miles). Numerous communities, including First Nations, are on this route. You’ll pass many parks and other natural areas. This trail is fully signed. Perhaps you would enjoy Quebec’s Route Verte, which includes the Whale Trail. As you pedal along the Saint Lawrence River, you just might catch a glimpse of humpback whales! The Cabot Trail of Nova Scotia apparently has some pretty stiff climbing, but some great scenery; woodland and marine alike. The Confederation Trail on Prince Edward Island sounds like it would be right up my alley. It was build on abandoned railway beds. Sounds like Rails to Trails! How about Newfoundland’s Viking Trail? This one is not for the faint-hearted; it’s rugged, but the scenery looks great! The Yukon is a place I associate with dogsleds and prospecting for gold; not bicycling. You could put in some lo-o-o-ng days if you go there in Summer! If downhill is your cup of tea, try British Columbia’s Kootenay Rockies. Grab that MTB and head North! You could head to Alberta and ride the Parkway for glacier-watching. Or you might pedal through the prairies of Saskatchewan. Or how about Manitoba’s Duck Mountain Provincial Park? Cycling trails there are marked at the head according to level of difficulty. Wow, that’s quite a list. Would this be an “inn-to-inn” style trips? Self-supported, with panniers and all? It’s a lot to consider; but Canada is a big country! 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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Cherry Blossom Land

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Cherry Blossom Land Cherry Blossom Land would be a beautiful place for bicycling when the cherry trees are in bloom, don’t you think? Japan, like any country, has quite a variety of cycling trips to choose from.  I’m sure I would have a difficult time deciding which one to take. There are trips for families, with activities that can be enjoyed by ages 5 through 80. They combine cycling with swimming, birding, and more! For a really young one, consider a Copilot Child Carrier. If you want to escape cities, there’s the Eastern Hokkaido Lakes & Coast tour. See virgin taiga; calderas; and a beautiful coastline during this loop. June through September is the best time for this tour; but you’ll need to get your climbing legs ready! Are e-bikes are your preferred mode of cycling? How about a tour especially for e-bikes? Ride through the Setouchi region of diverse landscapes; hot springs; and delicious food. For cyclists who prefer to go it on their own, there’s the Kyoto to the Coast self-guided tour. Ride through areas rich in heritage; and enjoy wonderful cuisine! Cherry Blossom Land has a lot to offer cyclists. Just be sure to read up on any restrictions before you go. 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 ¡Feliz Navidad! December 22, 2023 Joyeux Noël! December 21, 2023 Fröhliche Weihnachten! December 20, 2023 Christmas Past December 20, 2023 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Neapolitan

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\”Neapolitan\” reminds me of ice cream. But how about revisiting Italy for a bicycle tour of that city on the Bay? Naples by bicycle can mean several things, as is true of so many cycling destinations. Want a flat path? Head for the waterfront in the city\’s center.  If you like the sea, perhaps the Riviera di Chiaia would be more to your liking. There are uphill rides for the climber; \”green\” rides for the nature lover. The usual cautions apply: if riding near traffic isn\’t your thing, seek routes with less traffic, or plan your outings for hours when there will be fewer cars. Of course there\’s staying safe; in addition other possible risks there\’s the chance, however small, that Vesuvius will decide to let loose! For the lover of ancient history, plan a side trip to Pompeii or Herculaneum.  Hop on the Circumvesuviana Train and head to the famous ruins. If your interests lean toward volcanology/geology, visit Mount Vesuvius itself. I\’m not sure I\’d want to try to ride a bicycle up the side of Vesuvius; and it sounds as if the funicular railway no longer exists. Evidently such a ride is possible, but it apparently takes terrific legs and lungs! Well, one never knows. I can daydream about cycling up Vesuvius while I\’m chowing down on Neapolitan ice cream.

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Turkey Trot?

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Turkey Trot? 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.” Turkey Trot might better be called Turkey Roll in this instance! A bicycle tour through Turkey may seem like an outlandish undertaking, fraught with peril. The country isn’t exactly alone in that respect, but here are some pointers for staying safe. A lot of it is plain common sense; but some items, such as appropriate dress should you visit a mosque, are more specific to Turkey. So, are fancy socks considered inappropriate? This is quite a large nation; the northern parts can be getting snow while at the southern end, people can be sunbathing on the beach! Many cycling routes are available, but for ideas on visiting specific areas see here.   The accounts I’ve read of bicycling through Turkey mention avoiding certain regions; but frequently mention how delightfully hospitable the people are. That must be most welcome to cyclists pedaling their way through the land; especially if they’re half a world away from home. Sharing the road with livestock would be a new one for me! I hope that cows, goats, etc. wear bells so it’s possible to hear them before getting too close to them. It also wouldn’t be the tidiest thing in the world to ride along behind them (I don’t need to say why). There’s one aspect of being in Turkey that didn’t seem to be mentioned in the articles I read. Is an exposed female ankle still a crime there? If so, what would the authorities think of a woman in lycra riding a bicycle? Or dancing the Turkey Trot? 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 ¡Feliz Navidad! December 22, 2023 Joyeux Noël! December 21, 2023 Fröhliche Weihnachten! December 20, 2023 Christmas Past December 20, 2023 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Featherheaded

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Featherheaded sure is what I feel like today. I didn\’t get out on the road bike this morning until about 9:30. Yesterday morning I was so tired that I didn\’t try doing a grocery run. Then, today, I made a trip to Whole Foods. Some things that I use, such as whey protein powder, are unlikely to show up in the salvage store. Even though I still have about a third of a large canister left, I wanted to get more before I ran out. I also wanted jojoba oil for the next time I make hand cream. When I was finally ready to ride with \”Scottie\”, I turned on the Garmin. Only then did I realize that I hadn\’t put on my heart rate monitor! Yesterday I took it to the bike shop for a new battery, and forgot to take it out of the bike trunk when I got home. Thus it wasn\’t where I normally keep it. Since I didn\’t see it, well, \”out of sight, out of mind\”. I decided to skip the HR monitor. Even had I gone back to put it on, it would have taken several miles of riding for it to warm up and start recording. It\’s funny that way. I\’m getting featherheaded with composing posts, too. All that work on Products in my Shop means that I forget to click Save Draft, and instead click Publish before I mean to. I\’m afraid I\’m confusing my readers. Sorry about that.

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Same Old Thing

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It\’s the same old thing every year. As Fall sets in, then Winter, we\’re inundated with advice about riding in the wind. We hear about riding into the wind on the way out, and relaxing with a tailwind on the way home. How I wish I could do that! Unfortunately I can\’t do anything to change the prevailing winds, so most of the time I\’m stuck with a headwind on the way back home. The evening before a ride I usually check the weather forecast for temperature; wind speed and direction; and chances of rain. If it looks like conditions will be bad, the trainer is always an alternative, but I don\’t enjoy prolonged pedaling indoors, no matter how bad the weather is. Wind is the reason I got a compass for my road bike. If I know, for instance, that the wind is from the ENE, I can check the compass when a bend in the bike path is coming up; and know whether I\’m going to have the wind on my nose. Now that we\’re getting some chilly weather, wind is much less fun than when the weather is hot. It\’s time to layer up; reach down to ride on the drops; and make myself as aero as I can — it\’s the same old thing.

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Rolling through South America

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Rolling Through South America   Rolling through South America would be quite the adventure; but there’s an awful lot of ground to cover! If you’d prefer to focus your efforts on a particular country, Brazil offers quite a variety. For city touring, try São Paulo or Rio de Janeiro. If nature is your thing, Chapada Diamantina is great for mountain biking; and Cananéia to Paranaguá, Sao Paulo and Parana is reputed to be one of the best routes of all. Of course there’s more to South America than Brazil. Bolivia offers a number of bicycle tours. Some are at very high altitude; and/or involve some very stiff climbing! There’s an annual event in cities throughout Bolivia called Día del Peatón (Day of the Pedestrian). Motorized vehicles are forbidden from driving until sunset. Local cyclists can enjoy cruising around the empty city streets. It sounds like fun! The 2019 Tour de France certainly got Colombia onto the world cycling stage. For the first time, a rider from Colombia took the yellow jersey. Not that cycling is anything new in that South American nation. How about a cycling tour there? There are terrific climbs for those who have the legs (and the lungs!); coffee country for the caffeine lover; and – did you say non-distracted drivers? What a welcome change! But do take along some filter masks, as air quality in the cities is poor. Try some panela! Oh, and the ciclovia! Wouldn’t it be just wonderful if cities in the USA observed it! Thinking about rolling through South America might get your adventurous spirit up. Me? If I began serious training right now, I might be fit enough in, oh, ten years or so. 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 Holding My Breath Again! January 8, 2024 Bolivia January 7, 2024 Beating the Weather January 7, 2024 Real Saturday January 6, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Pedaling ’round the Philippines

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Pedaling ’round the Philippines 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.” Pedaling ’round the Philippines, except for busy urban areas such as Manila, is said to be pretty good. The nation has many natural beauties, and options range from mountainous to beachside to wildlife sanctuaries. Maybe try it on a Schwinn Twinn Tandem? Would you like to skip from island to island? After all, there are 7000+ to chose from! Just roll your bicycle onto a ferry; sail to another island; and roll back off again. When is the best time to visit? Many people suggest going between December and May. Road quality is variable, but for the most part OK unless you’re on a skinny-tired racing bike. If you stay in Manila, it’s not hard to ride out to see natural attractions. You might see a  jeepney or two on the roads. These public-transit vehicles were first built from military jeeps that were left over from the Second World War.  Apparently they have no opening doors; passengers get in and out through the back. Great news for cyclists who are concerned about getting “doored”. The Filipino people are said to be welcoming; and the country is budget-friendly. However, in poor rural areas it can actually be hard to get food. Pack up those  MET-Rx Bars and get ready go go pedaling ’round the Philippines. 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 Here Comes the Chill December 28, 2023 Frumenty December 27, 2023 Twelve Days December 26, 2023 Season’s Greetings! December 25, 2023 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Don’t Bonk Like This!

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Don’t Bonk Like This! 🇨🇳 Don’t bonk like this! Who wants to feel like they’ve just hit this famous barrier? The Bonk is something dreaded by cyclists. Also called “hitting the wall“, we try to avoid it by on-bike eating. But how about bicycling along the Great Wall of China?  Or even a tour through the country? To tour the entirety of China by bicycle would take a long time; the country is 3.7 million square miles. That’s nearly as big as the USA!   The terrain is very diverse. Some areas are mountainous; others are flat. Not surprisingly for such a large nation, the climate, too, is quite diverse. So, if I were to take a bicycle tour of China, which part would I visit? There’s much more to China than the Great Wall! I would have to be prepared for culture shock, I’m sure. The language barrier wouldn’t be one tenth of it! The only Chinese words I know are “ming” ( bright) and “ma”; and “ma” can mean one of four things, depending on the inflection. The food eaten day-to-day by the Chinese people, I hear, is quite different from what we in the USA know as Chinese food.  Of course there’s the matter of safety. And lodgings; visas; courtesies; you name it. So I’d spring for a guided tour. If I tried to go solo, I’d run into numerous barriers as hard as the Great Wall! No, I don’t want to bonk like this.   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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