CAL, Author at SpokEasy - Page 13 of 129

Birds of a Feather

Birds of a Feather 🦆 🦉🦅 “Birds of a feather flock together.” I thought of that old saying late last week as I was riding through the park. There seemed to be an unusual number of whistling ducks there; and I wondered if they had crowded into the park ahead of the approaching cold snap. I guess cyclists are birds of a feather, too. Often enough I’ve seen pacelines while out riding; and of course there are large group rides, ranging from the recreational RAGBRAI to the Tour de France. Which Season? The weather can’t make up its mind which season this is. Just a few nights ago, we had to let the faucets drip overnight to prevent frozen pipes; and the chill factor was sub-freezing. Yesterday it reached 72 degrees; and tonight it’s going to drop into the 30s again. So, which season is this? The groundhog claimed that we’d have another six weeks of Winter; and over last weekend, he seemed to be correct. Yesterday I wasn’t so sure about that rodent’s forecast; but now it’s going to get cold again! Today I went for a mid-afternoon ride, but kept it short and easy. The wind was pretty strong; and I got a good workout fighting the wind on the way home from the store yesterday! 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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Back to Off-Bike

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Training / CAL

Back to Off-Bike 💪 I’m working to get back to off-bike exercises; although I assure you, I’m not swinging around a kettlebell. After more than three months of little or no such work, I have to start easy! I had been doing these exercises using a pair of 5-pound weights, plus weighted gloves (1.5 pounds x 2). But for now, I’m using 2-pound weights; and I can tell that my left arm is still weak! It’s none too soon to get back to off-bike exercises. My legs sometimes feel weak too; as when I rode to Walmart this morning. By the time I was heading back home, the wind had risen to 21 mph; and that made for tough going. But I finally got me some rain boots; and now I feel like Puss in Boots. Puss in Boots? 😸 I don’t remember reading the story of Puss in Boots until I was far past childhood; a bit odd, as I’ve always liked cats. I got rain boots in case I need to go somewhere in a downpour. Around here, if it rains heavily, you can step off a curb and into calf-deep water. These aren’t expensive, high-tech boots; I don’t plan to go on hikes through rugged terrain. But they should keep my feet dry on a rainy-day walk to the drug store; and that’s all I need. I don’t have to go to work any more; so if it’s raining, I can delay errands until later. And while I wait to go out, I can get back to off-bike exercises. 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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Brain Food?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors / CAL

Brain Food? 🧠 Is cycling brain food? Maybe it is. Yesterday it was very cold again, but at least the wind wasn’t nearly as strong as it was the day before. By early afternoon, I was tired of sitting around indoors with my brain turning to mush; and decided to go for a short ride. Despite being bundled up, I was still cold; but when I got back home, I felt more alert. So maybe cycling really is brain food. I need to remember that, because there’s more Winter on the way. Incidentally, while we’re talking about brain food, there was a popular riddle when I was a kid: Q: Who invented spaghetti? A: The guy who used his noodle. More Winter ☃️ Yes, there’s more Winter coming — as if we haven’t had enough of it lately. Our local groundhog says we’ll have six more weeks of Winter. I sure hope it won’t be as frigid as the last few days! Even if it is, we probably won’t get to build any snowmen. Rain is possible by mid-week; but it will be too warm by then for snow. But who knows? With six more Winter weeks to come, there might be some; although the possibility lessens by the day. It will be good, however, to not have freezing temperatures in the morning; then I can ride early in the day, as I prefer. I like to get that brain food first thing! 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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They Were Smart

BACK ISSUES, Technology / CAL

They Were Smart ⛵️ They were smart, those Vikings; and not only when it comes to seafaring over long distances. Their home heating methods sound ingenious. If had the means to construct my own abode, I think I’d like to have something along those lines. It would be a relief to know I could keep warm without having to rely on the power grid. But oh, the learning curve! Learning Curve ↩️ The learning curve would have me going backwards a lot before I made any progress; I’m sure of that. And for many reasons; going back to such living has many considerations, wood- burning being only one of them. I barely know how to split a length of tree branch into firewood. How do I find such wood to begin with; and when is the best time of year to gather it? How does one store firewood so that it doesn’t become wet and un-burnable? Would I be able to find what my father called fat pine? I would need a hatchet, at least; and I don’t know how to keep one sharp. Dull cutting implements are more dangerous than sharp ones; they’re more likely to slip, and cut you instead of the log. If there were a flue, I’d need to keep up with its maintenance; who needs a chimney fire? I wish I could ask the Vikings; they were smart! 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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Gelid!!

1 Comment / BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors / CAL

GELID!! 🧊 🥶 Today it is gelid; and I do mean COLD!! At 9:30 am, the temperature stood just at freezing; and the wind chill factor was a bone-biting 19 degrees. Gusts are still as strong as 40 mph. I’d better wait at least until tomorrow to go for a ride. Even indoors, it’s chilly; although fortunately not gelid. Some of the bubble wrap is peeling off of the window panes, and that lets cold air in. This place doesn’t seem to be very well insulated, either. I don’t even have the comfort of observing a snow scene through the window; it’s quite sunny. Indoors 🏡 Since I expect to be indoors for hours — possibly all day — I figured I’d get some work done in the kitchen. I started by chopping a whole head of garlic to freeze; and I did the same with a red bell pepper. I can’t use up an entire head of garlic before the buds start to dry and shrivel; and bell pepper doesn’t keep very long in the fridge. Cooking? Maybe later. These gelid days make me feel lethargic. I’m too lazy to bake; but using the oven would warm up this place. If only my hybrid’s rear wheel could fit into the trainer! I could “ride” indoors; and let my legs have some action. It might wake me up a bit, too. 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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Wait Til Sunday

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors / CAL

Wait Til Sunday 🕰️ It looks like I’ll have to wait til Sunday to ride again. Tomorrow will be sunny, but frigid — wind gusts up to 40 mph, with a high temperature of 37 degrees! I’ll want to stay home and huddle in front of the heater; and let the wind blow. Tomorrow night will be colder than tonight; so even I wait til Sunday for more miles, I’ll still have to bundle up. Tropics in January? 🌀 It seems like the tropics in January when the predicted wind gusts are tropical-storm force; or close to it. Barring the rare calm day, any time I go for a ride, I’ve got a headwind part of the time. Sure, working against the wind is a good way to develop strength; but pushing against 40 mph gusts is a bit much for me! I’m not sure I could make any headway at all. I suppose some riders will still be out there, and I respect their hardiness; but I haven’t got the guts to emulate them. So I’ll wait til Sunday, at least; and enjoy some hot chocolate in the meantime. 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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Big Blow Coming

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors / CAL

Big Blow Coming 🌬️ There’s a BIG blow coming! This morning the wind was calm; and despite a temperature just below freezing, it was actually quite pleasant for riding. It won’t last, though. I was checking the forecast again; and there’s a big blow coming. Tomorrow night the wind will start to pick up; and Saturday we can expect gusts up to 40 mph! I won’t want to be riding a bicycle in such conditions Then, Saturday night, we’ll get a hard freeze. Combine that with the predicted gusts; and the chill factor won’t be much above zero degrees! Ride While I Can 🚴‍♀️ With a forecast like that, I naturally think that I must ride while I can. Today I rode to the salvage store; tomorrow I’ll just put in some miles. Day after tomorrow? I probably won’t want to poke my nose outdoors! This morning I noticed heavy frost on some roofs — a rare sight for us — but stopping to take pics would have meant getting caught by a train. I didn’t want to take off my gloves, anyway; it was too cold for that. Yesterday I did some hard efforts, so my legs are a little tired today. But I need to ride while I can. 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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Cold Yet Again

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors / CAL

Cold Yet Again 🧊 It’s going to get cold yet again. The predicted low temperature for Saturday night is 25 degrees! I’m glad I don’t have to try to survive in a tent in such weather. It’s hard enough here inside an apartment without central climate control. When it gets cold yet again, it’s hard to get myself to go riding. Today I didn’t go out until half-past noon, when it was 40-some degrees. Last night it was in the 30s again; and when that happens, it feels cold in here. I can easily think it’s colder outdoors than it actually is. I’m glad I can get forecasts several days in advance. It lets me plan my riding; including errands. I don’t think I’ll want to ride Saturday: a high temperature of 38 degrees; and the chill factor below freezing. I intend to ride to the salvage store tomorrow. There’s supposed to be areas of frost in the morning; and I hope that doesn’t mean slick roads. Salvage Store 🥫 🍫 The salvage store is one of my favorite places; and a good way to try new foods at low cost. I look for new ride foods to experiment with; and occasionally I even find protein powder! Saturday is the usual day for a salvage store run; but on Saturday it’s going to be cold yet again. The wind will be from the North; which means (as usual!) a headwind on the way home from the store. And 15-20 mph, too, on top of temperatures not much above freezing. My nose wouldn’t like it, that’s for sure! 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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All for Nothing?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment, Outdoors / CAL

All for Nothing? 🫙 You know how sometimes your concerns turn out to be all for nothing? It’s so annoying, and can result in wasted time; especially when you learn that it’s been a false alarm. Early this afternoon the temperature finally rose to the low 40s; and the wind almost died down. I decided to go ride some laps around the park. During the second lap; my bicycle suddenly began to feel weird. I seemed hard to steer; especially when I rode one-handed to grab a sip of water. Had the headset gone loose? I cut the ride short so I could roll the bike over to the shop — and it was all for nothing. False Alarm 🧯 A loose headset actually seemed unlikely, as it was just tightened very recently. But when you’re riding, you don’t want your steering to fail. I finished my ride by walking the bike for the final half-mile. If the steering had gone wonky, I didn’t want to ride next to possible street traffic. After I got out of my cycling clothes, I rolled the bike over to the shop. As it turned out, both the headset and the wheels were fine. Have my arms gone wonky? I’m glad the bicycle is OK. I want to run errands over the next few days, before the next Arctic blast arrives. Late this week, low temperature will drop back down to the mid-20s. How nice if that forecast were a false alarm! 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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It’s COLD Out There!

BACK ISSUES, Outdoors / CAL

It’s COLD Out There! 🥶 🧊 It’s COLD out there; by our standards, freakishly so. As of late morning, the air temperature had barely risen up to freezing. The chill factor is about 18 degrees. Despite my need for exercise, I don’t want to go outdoors! We didn’t get any snow, although it was overcast last night. Snow would be a bit of compensation for this deep freeze; especially if I could go for a troika ride. But how many troikas are there around here? And who really wants to go for a streetcar ride today if they don’t have to? You’d turn into an icicle while waiting for a car to arrive. As I said, it’s COLD out there! Icicle 🥶 I don’t want to turn into an icicle! Hand warmers inside my gloves help; but they can’t keep my feet warm. Even with thermal socks, my feet feel like ice. Even so, I’m glad this isn’t De Smet in the Winter of 1880-1881. That must have been horrific. Back then, electric heaters were undreamed of; so were dry batteries; tap lights; and indoor plumbing with hot water. The wind chills we’re getting are described as “dangerous”; and they’ll persist until the middle of the day tomorrow. Maybe then I can go for a bicycle ride; meanwhile, maybe I’ll bundle up and go for a walk. I’ll just have to be prepared to feel like an icicle by the time I’m back home. 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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Author name: CAL