CAL, Author at SpokEasy - Page 16 of 129

Planning around the Weather

Planning around the Weather 💦 ⚡️🥶 I get tired of planning around the weather; especially when it’s unseasonably warm, and who know what will happen next. It’s hard to know what the weather will do, anyway. From Thursday, there’s a chance of rain; and that includes Saturday morning. Maybe I’ll go to the salvage store on Wednesday! Or should I wait for Saturday, anyhow? What, exactly, does “chance of showers” mean? Planning around the weather is tricky when you don’t have a crystal ball. And sometimes, getting good weather is a matter of plain old luck. Crystal Ball 🔮 Sometimes I think a crystal ball would do just as well as modern meteorological forecasts. Even with all the advances made in the science, it seems to me that there’s still a pretty big element of guesswork in weather prediction. I, for one, wouldn’t want the job. It’s hard to learn how to “read” the weather when you’re indoors much of the time; and it probably takes years of experience (and errors!) to become proficient at it. I don’t have a crystal ball; so I’ll have to keep relying on weather forecasts — and keep on planning around the weather. 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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Testing the Waters

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Training / CAL

Testing the Waters? ♨️ I’m testing the waters, you could say. My rides are still very short; but today I made the expedition to Walmart. It’s the next step in getting back to real riding! I had received a gift certificate to the store as a Christmas present; and Sunday morning was a good time for the ride, as there wasn’t much road traffic. The weather was a bit chilly; but at least the wind wasn’t very strong. The sky was overcast; and that actually is a good thing this time of year! At this season, the sun stays rather low in the sky all day; and on clear days, I have constant trouble with Old Sol shining right into my eyes. I’m also testing the waters when it comes to off-bike exercises. I had to avoid core work while my ribs healed; and now I need to keep doing the core exercises regularly. But after having to skip them for about two months, it’s easy to forget about them! Easy to Forget 😒 It’s easy to forget lots of things. Like social media. While recuperating from my accident, I took to endless watching of YouTubes; and it’s a habit that’s rather hard to break. I can get so absorbed in viewing that I lose track of time; and, to complicate matters, I keep finding more videos that pique my interest. It’s easy to forget blogging, because it’s been harder to come up with blog topics. Sometimes I’ll watch YouTube after YouTube, hoping one of them will provide a spark of inspiration! It looks like it will be very foggy again tomorrow morning; so maybe I won’t ride early. But I do want to ride; and maybe the next day I’ll skip it. Physical therapy is still ongoing! 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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Sour Grapes

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors / CAL

Sour Grapes 🍇 I can say, “sour grapes” today. The forecast was for fog; and I figured I wouldn’t be able to see the full moon. I was tired anyway; so I didn’t try for a moon viewing. As it turns out, I may have been able to see ol’ Luna this morning, after all; so saying fog probably would have obscured the view is sour grapes! The day became clear and sunny; and it’s close to 80 degrees. Summer in January! As usual, such weather makes me wonder what this year’s hurricane season will be like! Summer in January 😎 I should be used to Summer in January; it’s happened so often! Offhand, I don’t remember what our temperatures were like in early January 2025; but no doubt everyone remembers the late January 2025 snowfall! That was downright freakish. It looks like this weather will continue at least until next Friday. I’ll be hauling out my warm-weather riding gear; but I’d better not put away the leg warmers and jackets yet. It’s sure to get cold again — someday. Today the headwind bothered me; and I made only small effort to work hard. I’ve got to get over that laziness if I’m to regain my fitness! 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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Tutu?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling / CAL

Tutu? 🩰 What on earth made me think of a tutu? I’ve never been a dancer; and I haven’t been to a ballet performance in many years. Call it word association. At physical therapy this morning, the therapist measured my elbow extension; and my elbow flex. Both are only two degrees away from normal; and he said, “Two and two.” I suppose it’s natural that I thought of a tutu! Any form of dance means getting exercise; and I sure need that! I doesn’t have to mean donning a tutu; you can have a great time dancing around on the beach, or in the park. Exercise 🚴🏿 I need more exercise than I’ve been getting, though. Today I didn’t ride until at least 2 pm; and I cut it short because the sky looked so threatening. It was actually beginning to mist/drizzle a bit; and the wind was strong. I decided to head home before conditions got bad — and as it turned out, I needn’t have! Thus I didn’t get much exercise today. Tomorrow looks iffy; and I haven’t decided whether to make the trip to the salvage store. I’ll probably wait until tomorrow morning to decide, when I can check the weather forecast again. At present, the forecast indicates a slight chance of T-storms tomorrow morning. If it’s pouring, I think I’ll stay 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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Happy 2026

BACK ISSUES, bicycling / CAL

HAPPY 2026! 🎆 Happy 2026! It’s hard to believe the New Year is here already; and it comes faster and faster. Today I rode again, after skipping two days. I tried riding a few miles per hour faster for one minute at a time; and it seemed hard. That’s what happens when you get out of shape! How about my cycling plans for for this year? I don’t know yet; “Happy 2026” doesn’t magically make any such blueprint. Blueprint ✏️ Hey, how can I make a blueprint when I don’t have a blue pencil? It’s hard to devise a training plan when I don’t even have a specific event to train for, anyhow. RAGBRAI, you might say. Right after last year’s event, I was seriously considering RAGBRAI 2026. Then came last September’s accident. I was off the bike for three months; and now I’m less sure that I’ll be able to train adequately. I’m not yet back up to riding 12-mile days; and RAGBRAI might mean average daily distances up to 70 miles. Even if I don’t do RAGBRAI, maybe I can work up to a century when I have a road bike again? Riding 100 miles in a day gets very tough when I have to battle the wind all day; and that’s apt to happen when I’m up on top of the levee. I don’t have to make a blueprint right away; but having some kind of plan doesn’t hurt. 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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Silvesterabend

BACK ISSUES, bicycling / CAL

Silvesterabend 🎆 Here it is already — Silvesterabend. What happened to 2025? Today I rode again; and I need to watch my posture. My lower back feels rather sore; and that usually means that I’m arching backwards as I ride. And also when I’m merely sitting around at home. I’ve got to correct that pronto! So, what to do on New Year’s Eve? I made sure to finish any errands by mid-afternoon; sometimes folks start shooting off firecrackers as early as 3 pm! I call that jumping the gun on Silvesterabend; but all the same, I’ve got to think about what I’ll do next year.. Next Year 🎉 It feels funny to think that next year is tomorrow. How about plans for next year? Maybe the jauntiness of 12th Street Rag will jostle my brain. A big item for 2026 is rebuilding my fitness. Another is to get my eating habits back into line! But I’d better not try to work on too many things, or I won’t work on any of them. How about RAGBRAI 2026? I think it might be better to sit out this year’s event; I don’t even have a new road bike yet. I’ll see how things go over the next few months. I don’t want to start trying rides longer than 12 miles before I’ve gotten a Camel-Bak; and when I do get one, I’ll have to readjust to riding with that load on my back. That will take at leas a few weeks. Oh, well. I’ll think about it next year! 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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Touched by the Frost?

BACK ISSUES, Food, Outdoors / CAL

Touched by the Frost? 🥶 Have I been touched by the frost? It’s hard to say; although the weather got much cooler last night, it wasn’t quite cold enough for frost. Even if the temperature dropped low enough, the wind was too strong for any frost to form. But the cold seemed to affect me: my elbow was achy during physical therapy this morning. After therapy, I had to go for a follow-up with the oral surgeon. By the time I finished that appointment, it was getting towards noon. Then I needed to head for the bank; New Year’s is coming up; and I might need a bit of extra cash. After that, I got a fancy sandwich for my “New Year’s dinner”. But no chicken today. No Chicken! 🐓 I decided on a sandwich with no chicken; and no, not because my brain was touched by the frost. There’s a saying that you shouldn’t eat chicken for New Year’s, or you’ll fo backwards in the coming year. You’re supposed to eat pork, so you’ll go forwards. That odd superstition stems from the different ways in which chickens and pigs search for food. A chicken scratches backwards; but a pig roots forwards. A popular January 1 dish around here is ham hocks cooked in blackeye peas. I’d better get in some riding tomorrow. I let it go again today; I wasn’t home from all my appointments and errands until at least noon; and the wind was still strong enough to dissuade me. And, after that huge lunch, my stomach felt too full for vigorous exercise! 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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Exaggerated Caution?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors / CAL

Exaggerated Caution? ⚠️ Maybe my decision to skip riding today was exaggerated caution. The wind didn’t get really strong until about midday; and it was tiresome staying indoors so much. Tomorrow the wind won’t be quite as strong; but it’s going to be colder. I have both physical therapy and a follow-up with the oral surgeon; so I won’t get a chance to ride until afternoon. Even if I don’t ride, I’ll get in some walking; and the movement should help me to keep warm. Keep Warm ♨️ Another way to keep warm is to wear lots of layers. That’s one of the things about cold weather that annoys me. When I’m doing a long ride on a cold day, what do I do if I start to feel a bit overheated? My Camel-Bak pockets don’t have room for storing layers, once I’ve stowed a cable lock; a tube of Chamois Butt’r; and so on. About all I can do is to open the zippers on my jackets. I’m glad, though, that it’s not going down to freezing tonight. My pipes are wrapped; an exaggerated caution, perhaps; but if we do get a cold snap later, I’m prepared! 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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Kicking Up

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors / CAL

Kicking Up 🏈 Things are kicking up; and I don’t mean football. (Or, as my father used to call it, “feetsball”). Our weather is as crazy as ever; it reached 80 degrees today. The wind is kicking up, too. It’s become stronger than it was this morning; and stiffer breezes are on the way. Tomorrow, wind gusts could be as strong as 40 mph; a good reason to take a day off from cycling. Today my legs felt rather stiff and tired; but with the forecast in mind, I decided to go for a ride this morning. It’s supposed to get cooler, too; down to about 50 degrees tonight; and into the upper 30s tomorrow night. It won’t be fun walking to physical therapy Tuesday morning! The wind will still be going strong. There’s even a Special Weather Statement about enhanced fire risk. We’ve got a combination of high winds and low humidity levels; and there hasn’t been much rain lately. Going Strong 💪 The wind will be going strong; but I’m not, yet. I don’t quite dare to push myself hard for the time being. If riding 10+ miles yesterday made my legs feel stiff today, trying to force myself through 20 miles is not a wise move. But I hope it won’t be long before I’m going strong. I really need to get back into shape; and lose the weight I’ve gained during my time off the bike! 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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My Own Power

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Training / CAL

My Own Power ⚡️ Today I got to the salvage store under my own power! It’s great to be riding again. This was another very foggy morning; and unfortunately I’ve been having trouble getting my tail light charged up. In dense fog, I need a tail light as well as a headlight. And I’m so glad I have anti-fog wipes for my glasses! Even after using one on my glasses and rearview mirror, visibility was a bit of a problem. The forecast is foggy again; but I plan to ride, anyway. Now that I can get around under my own power, I want to work at rebuilding my fitness — both on and off the bike. Rebuilding My Fitness 💪 Rebuilding my fitness won’t be any quick-and-easy fix, though. It won’t be easy getting myself back into the off-bike fitness routine after more than three months away from it. I’ve started by doing a few exercises; and I’ll work up to 15 or so reps. No push-ups yet; I’m not sure my left elbow can take it. Today my legs felt a little stiff while riding; and I don’t dare try to ride 20 miles yet. Today I put in almost 11 miles; and in a day or two, I’ll push for 12 miles or so. Soon I’ll have to bundle up to ride. Monday night it’s supposed to fall to 36 degrees; and as far as I’m concerned, that’s cold! The wind will be strong; and that only makes it feel colder! Rebuilding my fitness in the teeth of a cold and powerful headwind isn’t my idea of fun. 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