SpokEasy

SpokEasy

Author name: CAL

Worth the Tired Legs

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Worth the Tired Legs Sometimes a trip is worth the tired legs. This morning I hitched up the trailer and rode to the salvage store. There was a minute when I was afraid I might not get to go; it drizzled a bit at around 7:15. But the drizzle soon stopped, and off I went. On the way to the store, what wind there was, was behind me. Coming home the breeze had picked up, and I had to ride on the smallest ring most of the time. Such rapid spinning can get quite tiring! As always, when I got to the store I headed straight for the make-your-own-grab-bag bins as soon as I was inside. I can take as much time on that as some customers do to go through the entire store! I usually find some items that will make decent ride food. Once I even found a couple of  Clif Builder’s Protein Bars (that was a rare find, but I got to try a new ride food for cheap!) I get things I can take to work for snacks. If I’m going to nibble on junk food instead raw carrots, I might as well take advantage of this grab-bag deal. It’s major savings! Sometimes I buy things I would pass up in a regular store. For instance, a can of Beefaroni. I saw commercials for it on TV when I was a kid, but my mother never bought it. Now I can try it, and at a low price! The savings at the salvage store make it worth the tired legs — even if I’m hauling a heavy trailer and have a headwind on the way home!

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In the Shadows

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Some riders are lost in the shadows. We hear a lot about the cycling greats. Eddy Merckx. Fausto Coppi. Greg LeMond. But what about the lesser-known riders? There\’s Stan Ockers, Eddy Merckx\’s idol. Ockers is another tragic case of a cyclist being killed in a crash. There are only too many such stories. There\’s Michael Rogers, of Australia. I love this video of him taking a bow on his bike as he won stage 16 of the 2014 Tour de France; my favorite TdF video/pic of all time! It was his first stage win in ten Tours, so he really earned that bow! I never heard of Alfonsina Strada until very recently. She sounds like one tough lady! Imagine having to repair your handlebars with a piece of  broomstick during a race! I hadn\’t heard of Gino Bartali, either. There was a lot more to him than cycling. He must have had a great deal of courage to do the work that he did to save Jews during World War II. Doubtless there are a great many more cyclists out there whose names aren\’t well known, if at all. Just to begin with, how many of this year\’s TdF riders could I name? Precious few. I guess that\’s the way it\’s always been, and always will be. Only a few will shine brightly, but that doesn\’t mean the ones \”in the shadows\” aren\’t important. And you never know when one of them might turn supernova!  

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Don\’t Overdo It!

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Don\’t overdo it with the water! How often do we hear about the importance of adequate hydration during exercise? Plenty often, but so far I\’ve seen far less attention given to hyponatremia. Yes, it is possible to drink too much water. Scads of water with too little in the way of electrolytes (especially sodium) causes the blood\’s sodium level to drop too low; in effect, it gets diluted. The consequences can be serious; in a worst-case scenario, death can result. Although it\’s now September, the heat and humidity haven\’t yet abated. Not where I live, anyway! It probably won\’t really cool off for another month. Advice for hot weather riding is therefore not out of place in a September blog; especially considering that it can get into the 80s on Christmas Day here! To get back to hyponatremia, I don\’t think we need to be terrified of riding in hot, humid weather. Ride early in the day, if possible. Even after the sun sets, the day\’s heat lingers. Yes, do take plenty of water; use a Camel-Bak if necessary. If you\’ll be out more than an hour, take along some kind of electrolyte drink. Is drinking by thirst the best way? Some say it is; others disagree. Back to the old admonition, I guess: Moderation in All Things. Or, in other words, don\’t overdo it.

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Wearing of the Green?

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Wearing of the Green? ☘️ The wearing of the green? As I compose this page, it isn’t Saint Patrick’s Day; but the expression quite naturally makes me think of the Emerald Isle. At least one person has paddled a sea kayak all the way around Ireland. As I remember his account, parts of the journey were really rough. I don’t think I want to try to emulate that feat. For one thing, I don’t have the upper-body strength. But, just perhaps, I have the legs to pedal a bicycle all the way around Ireland? Taking my own sweet time, naturally! But if you’re in a hurry, there’s the Race Around Ireland! Like other ultra cycling events, such as RAAM, RAI sounds like “a contest of sleep deprivation”. For example, a solo woman rider must finish the route in six days, which means something like 217 miles per day. Making time for breaks to rest a bit and to get some sleep; and still cover those miles, would mean maintaining a fairly brisk pace. There’s a lot of climbing; a total of over 72,000 feet. I’ll bet I’d need a triple crankset! There are bound to be headwinds at times when you’re on a route of over 1300 miles. Heck, I get headwinds many a day when I’m putting in 15 miles or less! Am I strong enough to fight them for hours; and at a speed that would make me competitive in an event like RAI? I don’t suppose I’ll get the chance to find out; but if you go in for RAI, don’t get distracted into chasing leprechauns! And don’t forget about the wearing of the green. 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 I’m Staying In! March 16, 2026 Blowing Up March 15, 2026 Here We Blow Again! March 14, 2026 Shipshape? March 13, 2026 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Rarin\’ to Go?

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Rarin’ to Go Are you simply rarin’ to go? Do you always find yourself trying to outride your buddies? Love seeing how much faster you can get? Maybe racing is for you! I’m a long, long way from trying it. I’d need to learn a lot more about race tactics, how to “read the race”, and about training up. Training up specifically for racing, that is. I’ve read quite a lot about century prep, including the need to taper during the last week before the big day. Probably tapering is even more important before a race. A recreational century, after all, is a RIDE. A race is about who can out-maneuver the competition in addition to being fresh, strong, and fast. Study the race ahead of time, they say. How many miles (or kilometers) will you have to ride? If the event goes by time rather than distance, how much time is allowed? What is the race’s profile? Rolling hills? Mountainous? Flat as a pancake? How well do your strengths as a cyclist match the needs of the race? What can you do to improve your weaknesses so that you’re better prepared come event day? Just don’t forget to maintain your strengths in the process! Can you ride the race course ahead of race day? Or practice riding a route that has a similar profile? If possible, study your competition. Can you watch bicycle races, and start learning “how things are done”? What are the other riders’ tactics? What are their strengths and weaknesses? At first, race just to get the experience, it is said. Don’t expect to win your first race. Of course, if you do, that’s terrific! Well, don’t let me get too excited here. I’ll wind up a-rarin’ to go, and then I’ll have to rein myself in!

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Want a Trade-In?

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Do you want a trade-in? Are you tired of bicycles, and wish you could turn equestrian? Maybe this version of William Tell Overture will help you to find your gait. It certainly gave me a good laugh. When I was about thirteen, I went through a horse-crazy phase. I had found an all-about-horses paperback book, and loved it. I wished I could have a horse. It sounded wonderful. Grooming a horse sounded like an easy, enjoyable task. Riding horseback sounded easy and fun. Now I know a lot better. Just acquiring a horse is a very costly proposition. Then there\’s stabling, feed, vet care, grooming, tackle (saddle, etc.) and so on. Add in daily grooming and mucking out the stable. It adds up to a great deal of money and time. I don\’t have money like that; and making time to groom a horse day after day would wear me to a frazzle. From what I\’ve heard, the horse is surprisingly delicate. You\’ve especially got to watch out for colic, I believe. A bad colic can result in a horse having to be put down. Riding a horse means keeping your wits about you; no daydreaming! Horses spook easily. Be especially alert to anything approaching from behind. Having all that in mind certainly gives me second thoughts about having a horse. The bike and I get caught in the rain, I don\’t need to worry about the bike catching a cold, or developing pneumonia. I put too much lube on the chain, the bike won\’t get colic. If it gets a little dirt on it, and I don\’t clean it right away, no big deal. I think I\’ll skip the trade-in, and let the horse gallop off into the sunset.

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Having Fits?

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Are you having fits about  your shoes? How anybody can even stand in high heels, let alone walk in them, amazes me. Just looking at such shoes makes my feet hurt. I\’m glad I don\’t need them for cycling! If we\’re going to ride a lot, well-fitted cycling shoes are a must. But do pro cyclists go into as much detail about shoe fit as a dancer getting fitted for pointe shoes? Sickling might not be an issue, but what about bunions? Might the arch of the foot come into the picture? What if you have feet like mine? Wide across the toes, and narrow at the heel? Pronation, and the need for orthotics, complicates the picture. A pair of custom-made orthotics costs several hundred dollars, a price that made me cringe. I had noticed, however, that my left foot rolled inwards when I rose out of the saddle. This caused the inner side of the knee to feel strained. I knew that, over time, this was likely to cause serious problems with the knee. That would cost even more than the orthotics. A pair is good for three years or so. I never could adjust to wearing them in my walking shoes, and used them for cycling only. I ride more than I walk, anyhow. For pro cyclists, shoe fit is vital, I\’m sure. It\’s not a case of one-size-fits-all; that usually means that it \”fits all\” in the sense that it doesn\’t really fit anybody! A pro racing cyclist needs footwear that\’s both sturdy and lightweight; and probably needs a shoe that fits like a glove. It sounds like a tall order. But if your shoes fit, you won\’t be having fits about foot pain on your next ride.  

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Things We Shouldn’t Do!

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There are some things we shouldn\’t do when going for a ride! Check this out. Backpedal on the downhills? Weird idea. Riding when I\’ve got a cold? Come on. My nose is sniffly enough when the temperature starts to drop below 70, never mind how it would behave if I had a cold. I can\’t use a 53 chain ring — I haven\’t got one 😉 I do have a 12-tooth cog, but wouldn\’t try to use it on a climb. Don\’t drink on a long ride?! I\’ve wound up in the ER with dehydration even when I had water with me. It wasn\’t fun. So don\’t forget the Camel-Bak! Plastic bag on my saddle? While I\’ve got my bike parked all day at work, sure. After all, the bike racks are under trees (I don\’t need to tell you what might happen as a result), and if it rains I want to keep my saddle dry. But ride with that plastic bag still over the saddle? Too slippery. One-legged pedaling drills are one thing when the bike is secured in a trainer. I don\’t think I want to try it while actually riding. Want frostbitten hands? I sure don\’t! Where are my gloves? No food on a long ride? I feel the bonk coming on just thinking about it! Find my Clif Bars! And my GU-Gels! Climbing to me feels like going as hard as I can, anyway… Grass to fix a puncture? Do they mean stuffing the tire so full of grass that there\’s no room for a tube? I\’m not that patient, I\’m afraid. My \”best bad\” advice? I don\’t dare give anyone any wrong ideas! So remember, there are things we shouldn\’t do.        

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Packing My Bag

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Last night I was packing my bag for a long ride. Preparing for such a ride can seem like getting ready for a trek across the Australian outback: Camel-Bak; electrolyte drink; ride food. I remember a game we used to play sometimes when I was a kid. \”I pack my bag with something to eat, and in it I put a ___.\” Each person in succession took whatever letter of the alphabet came next (starting, of course, with \”A\”). And was supposed to repeat all the things that had gone into the bag before his/her turn came. Packing my bag, i.e. my Camel-Bak, with something matching each letter of the alphabet would make it far too heavy! Avocado, banana, cabbage, dates… Today I did a ride of 38.40 miles. On the way back, the headwind drove me crazy. According to the forecast, the wind was from the NE to ENE; and from 7 am strengthened from 7 mph to 12 mph. I averaged a plodding 11.82 mph. Such incidents make me wonder whether I\’m really getting any stronger. I pulled out a cycling journal from 2015, and browsed through it a bit. I found a Sunday ride in March of that year. The forecast for that day: wind E 10-15 mph. My average speed, 11.6 mph. So it seemed like I\’m not improving any too much. Then I saw that on that March day I rode little over 10 miles. Battling a 10-12 mph headwind for over 19 miles is much different from riding in a similar wind for what was probably a round trip, with a tailwind for half the distance!

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Lest We Forget?

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Lest we forget? At any rate, lest I forget! Forget how to walk, that is. You’d think that any cyclist would have legs capable of walking any distance, fast and hard. I’ve discovered that being an avid cyclist seems to make walking, if anything, harder! Way back when I first started riding the trike, I commented that I mustn’t forget how to walk. It looks like I AM forgetting! Nowadays, when I walk somewhere instead of riding a bicycle, my legs feel heavy and sluggish. I feel SO slow!! It set in about this past June, and only seems to be getting worse. Too much intense work with too little recovery? Do I need to be more diligent about using that foam roller on my legs? Have my \”hammies\” become overly tightened? Whatever it is, I\’m amazed at triathletes. Swim, cycle, then run. Sounds exhausting. I never became very good at swimming. I didn\’t seem to have the upper body strength for it, and it would leave me gasping like a spent runner. It would probably take me 9 hours or so in the saddle to ride 112 miles. And then run a marathon?? I\’ll never make it to Kona, I\’m sure. Trying to train for the Kona event would likely leave me little time for going about on foot. I think, then, I\’ll skip it — lest I forget how to walk.

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