SpokEasy

SpokEasy

Author name: CAL

Far to Go

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I sure have far to go before I get back to my pre- hamstring injury fitness, although I\’m not about to abandon my poor bicycle in the middle of a field when the process is frustratingly slow. I\’ve been gradually increasing the distance that I ride, but am still taking it easy. That muscle isn\’t quite ready to to resume the gearing and speeds that I had been using. My cardiovascular fitness had most definitely taken a hit. I had been able to ride up the access ramp to the top of the levee and barely get into heart rate Zone 3. This morning the climb put me in Zone 4! Because I wasn\’t going to be out there for hours, I skipped the Camel-Bak. I took along a cereal bar just in case, but didn\’t use it. For a long, long time I had been somewhat aware of a quirk of mine: tensing up the left ankle, pulling the heel down, and jabbing at the pedal. I\’ll bet that had a lot to do with the tendonitis I got in the foot! I suspect that a weak quad is involved. So now is a great time to keep aware of what my left leg is doing as I ride. I must make a constant, conscious effort if I don\’t want to drift right back into the old habit. The harder a gear I use, the easier it is to start using \”old-style pedaling\”, so it makes sense to stay in easier gears. Here and there I\’ll shift up to the big ring for a bit; but as soon as that ankle starts to misbehave, I shift back to the small ring. Years of incorrect habits aren\’t corrected in a few days, so I\’ve still got far to go.  

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Catrike

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My apologies. Catrike doesn\’t look at all like my old tricycle, but I don\’t have a pic that does. The March 2019 issue of Adventure Cyclist carried an article about Catrike. A Catrike is recumbent style, and has the so-called tadpole wheel configuration; two wheels up front, and one in the back. This trike that I used to have has what is called delta configuration. There are about nine different styles of Catrike. I quickly found myself eyeballing the description of the Pocket model, designed with shorter riders (under 5\’8\”) in mind. Seeing as I\’m barely five feet tall, even a Pocket model might be hard to fit to me; especially positioning the pedals so that I can ride without stressful overextension of my knees, because I  have short legs. The Trail model is for recreation and touring. That, too, might be a good one for me. Or the Road model. If I ever get into \’bents, that is. They do have their drawbacks. You can\’t pedal out of the saddle. I\’m not sure the entrance into my current residence is wide enough to let a Catrike through. I know my old tricycle couldn\’t fit; I tried it. I\’ll keep on pedaling my road bike for as long as my body lets me, but the Catrike is something to keep in mind when that evil day comes when I can\’t manage two wheels any more.

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Tikka Masala Goes Abroad

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Tikka Masala Goes Abroad 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.” Tikka masala goes abroad! Time for a travelogue, here. My experiments in the kitchen have included hot dog tikka masala, a twist on the Chicken Tikka Masala recipe in The Feed Zone Cookbook. Now, the tinkering continues. Tikka Masala is, I suppose, an East Indian dish. A while back, I found a jar of gochujang Korean cooking sauce when I visited the salvage store. I bought it with the idea of figuring out some way to use it, and today I finally got down to it. I’m making what I think I shall call Gochujang Dogs. I followed the same procedure as I do for hot dog tikka masala, but substituted the Korean sauce for the tomato sauce; and I omitted the curry powder. Gochujang sauce is a bit sharp, and I suspect that curry would clash with it. The mixture is marinating in the fridge even as I type this, and I think I’ll have some for supper. Incidentally, I finally got to the salvage store today! It seemed the hardest ride I’ve done in a while. My hamstring isn’t completely back to itself yet; I was riding the hybrid; and had loaded panniers on the way home. It was great to get to that place again, though. I got my usual load of cheap snacks from the make-your-own-grab-bag bins. On the way home, I saw the AmTrak train crossing the bridge. For some reason I really enjoy that, even though I’m many years beyond the “look at the choo-choo” stage! Maybe tikka masala abroad travels by train, and I yearn to go with it.

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Paradox

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What a paradox we\’ve got here! Weatherwise, things don\’t seem to add up. The temperatures are finally feeling more like Fall. At the same time, there\’s a system out there in the Gulf of Mexico that has high potential to reach tropical storm strength! Not the time to take off for a century ride, that\’s certain. Currently it\’s moving NE, and if it keeps going that way, New Orleans might feel only minimal impact. The trouble is, those storms, in their own way, are as erratic and unpredictable as tornadoes. I might go out for a ride later, depending on conditions. I can always \”spin\” in the trainer for a while if it\’s pouring and/or there\’s a strong wind. I hope the weather allows me to ride to the salvage store tomorrow. I think my hamstring might be able to take it now. Next Monday I go back to work, i.e. my regular job. I\’m still working like crazy on this site, and have been for hours a day during my vacation. Another paradox; or, rather, an oxymoron — a working vacation. A web site is far from static. Always something to update, delete, or add. I must admit, it adds up to a lot of time. In effect, it\’s a second job.

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Feeling Jumpy?

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Feeling Jumpy? Are you feeling jumpy from hanging around home? Tired of your local bike path? How about cycling the Australian outback? It would be interesting for me, after a lifetime in the Northern Hemisphere, to go stargazing in the Land Down Under. No familiar constellations such as Orion, Taurus, the Big Dipper, etc. If nothing else, I’d need to learn how to find the Southern Cross. I once read a book by a scientist who was studying one of the mass extinctions; one that occurred long before the famous K-T extinctions. He was in either Australia or South Africa. One night he was looking at the moon, and puzzling at its odd appearance. Then he realized that the Man in the Moon was upside down! I’ll bet that would be interesting to see. Crossing the outback on two wheels is no picnic, as I expected. I wonder whether my Camel-Bak full of water would last from one “watering hole” to the next. And that’s when staying on the main route! Electrolyte drink mustn’t be forgotten; and food! Fifteen days’ worth of food is a LOT to have to carry! I wouldn’t want nothing but bars, so what else could I carry? It would need to be compact and lightweight. Nuts, perhaps? Or maybe I’d be nuts to think about cycling across the outback! Actually, the very idea has me feeling jumpy. 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 Blowing Up March 15, 2026 Here We Blow Again! March 14, 2026 Shipshape? March 13, 2026 More Like March March 12, 2026 Load More TRANSLATOR

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A Noon-Day Ride

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A noon-day ride is unusual for me. I’ve become well-used to going out before sun-up, because it’s the best way for me to be sure I do get to ride. When I’m working, that is. But this morning it was drizzly; I just didn’t feel like going out in it; and being on vacation means I can ride later in the day. So this morning I worked on my web site, getting a “Back Issues” feature set up. Somehow I hadn’t realized that site visitors couldn’t see any but the four most recent postings! Now I feel re-e-e-eally stupid. By noon I needed a break, and I was getting tired of sitting around. The sky was still mostly overcast, but I wanted to go riding, so I did. It’s still warm, and I wasn’t sure it wouldn’t start raining before I got back home; especially as I felt a drop here and there. I’m glad the rain held off. A poncho on a road bike is quite impractical. At any rate, the one I have sure is. Tonight it’s expected to drop to 61 degrees. I’m going to need the leg warmers tomorrow morning! In fact, I’ll probably catch myself wishing for a warm, noon-day ride.  

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Central Grocery

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Central Grocery, a mom-and-pop style store, has been in business for over a century. It\’s famous for its olive salad and the muffuletta sandwich. Now and then I visit Central Grocery when cravings for a \”muf\” (pronounced \”muff\”) strike. You can get either a whole muf or a half-muf, and believe me, a half-muf is a very generous meal! So this morning I headed down there. I needed a break from working on the web site, and besides that I\’ve really wanted a half-muf lately. Saturday mornings I\’m usually busy getting groceries, and Sundays I\’m usually out on a long bicycle ride. Now, before my vacation is over, was my chance. And here I am back home. Early this morning I took a short jaunt on the road bike, and rode over 6 miles. I felt a twinge in the hamstring here and there, and I still can\’t push the pace, but things are getting better. After a week or so of not riding until daylight, it felt rather strange to be riding in the dark. It\’s amazing how quickly I became unused to the visual aspects of riding in the dark. But I\’d better get used to it again, because next week it\’s back to the old grind. (Pic taken by web site author, June 2, 2018)

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Shopkeeper?!

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Shopkeeper is what I do NOT feel like today. I only came to realize a few days ago that the \”Shop\” I had set up was the equivalent of a brick-and-mortar store with a show window crammed full of merchandise; but no way for would-be customers to gain entry! I feel like a dumbbell now. And embarrassed. I apologize to site followers who have had trouble with that \”store\” of mine. At least now I know what to do; and because I\’m on vacation, I can spend lots of time on it. Soon, I hope, I\’ll be a better and more efficient Shopkeeper. Meanwhile I\’m doing what you might call \”baby bike rides\”. I still have to take it short and easy because of my pulled hamstring, but now I can ride up to 4.5 miles instead of barely two 🙂 It\’s progress. This morning I didn\’t go out until past 9:30. It was getting rather warm by then; it still doesn\’t feel like October. This is a far cry from Laura Ingalls Wilder\’s description of the severe winter which began with an October blizzard. At this moment, it\’s 79 degrees here! Oh, well, that\’s better than 81 degrees at 5 am. Now, back to the shop.    

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Dropout?

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Hey, where\’s that dropout been? Where are the blogs? I know I seem to have dropped out of sight lately. Fear not, I\’m still here. I\’ve been on vacation, and working like mad on my web site. In fact, I pretty much rebuilt it. I\’m learning that a web site is a work in progress: it\’s never truly finished! Now I\’ve gotten to thinking of dropper seat posts!  These allow a rider to quickly and easily adjust saddle height while riding: just press a button! Dropper seat posts have been popular among CX riders for years, and the technology has improved enough so that it is now a viable option for recreational MTB riders and racers. Having a dropper seat post allows a rider to have the best saddle height at all times, whether hammering the flats; climbing; or bombing down the mountainside. I take it that would be especially helpful on highly technical singletrack. I\’m nowhere near serious enough to consider a dropper seat post. Especially not if it makes this weakling\’s bicycle heavier! On a long tour, that might lead to my becoming a dropout.

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The Rocky Road?

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The Rocky Road? “Rocky Road” sounds to me like ice cream. For some cyclists, it means gravel riding. I’m a complete neophyte in that field. If I wanted to try it, this video might get me started. But common sense dictates that I not start with the Dirty Kanza. That’s 200 miles in a day, after all. I wonder which of my bicycles would be better for gravel riding. Probably the hybrid, because of its wider tires. I might want to remove the fenders for a gravel event, though. Gravel riders are warned about mud build-up possibly catching on the fenders and causing a wheel to come to an abrupt halt. If the front wheel does that, there’s the danger of flying over the handlebars and landing on the top of your head. If possible, I might also want to switch to wider tires. Oe even, if my budget could stand it, a gravel bike! It has disc brakes, which are more powerful than rim brakes. Disc brakes are also said to do better in mucky conditions than rim brakes. Well, maybe some day I can do the Dirty Kanza, and kick back with a pint of Rocky Road ice cream afterwards.

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