SpokEasy

SpokEasy

Author name: CAL

Cycling enthusiast; classical music lover; experimenter in the kitchen!

Hibernation

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Hibernation ? I feel like I’m going into hibernation mode. The weather is cold; and that makes me feel tired and sleepy. Today the wind is strong; and I just don’t feel like fighting it on a bicycle. I hope to come out of hibernation tomorrow. The wind will be less; but unfortunately it will be even colder than today! I don’t want to stay on reduced mileage for too long; so it’s time to haul out the hand warmers. Not to mention extra layers. Even with several layers, though, I often still feel cold. In a humid climate like ours, the chill seeps through everything. Tired of the Park ?? Oh, I do get tired of the park. Yes, it’s good to have it on days when the weather makes me want to stay off the levee; but riding laps gets very tedious! There’s also the 10 mph speed limit for cyclists in the park. Not everybody obeys it (to be exact, many don’t); but I try to be good. Unfortunately that’s not useful for improving my pace. On cold, windy days, getting tired of the park isn’t the only difficulty. Heavy gloves make on-bike eating awkward, no matter where I ride. They rob me of my fingertip sensitivity; and it’s hard to wiggle my fingers into a snack bag to pull out a bite. Then I have to be careful that I don’t snag the bag and inadvertently pull it out of the top-tube pouch! Anybody got any ideas on how to improve that? All this is a bit overwhelming. It tempts me to stay in hibernation mode! 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 ✍? Hibernation January 6, 2025 How to Time It? January 5, 2025 The Wolf Returns January 4, 2025 Have a Blast! January 3, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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How to Time It?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors, Training /

How to Time It? ⌚️ How to time it over the next few days? We’ve got cold temperatures and stiff winds in the forecast for much of this week; and it looks like tomorrow will be especially blustery. I don’t want to skip too many days of riding; so how to time it to minimize my time spent struggling against the wind? Pedaling round and round the park means less headwind trouble than riding on top of the levee; but the tedium of doing laps makes it hard to get in the desired mileage.  I’m not a big fan of afternoon riding; probably because I spent years riding early in the day. Before I retired, that was the best way to be sure I did get to ride; but now I’m not as pressed for time as I was then. And for the time being, I sure don’t need to worry about excessive heat! Slow Start ? Actually, 2025 is getting off to a slow start. Today I rode fewer than 10 miles; and my legs felt tired besides. Do they need a lube job? I need to decide how to time it for my rides during the week. During the final months of 2024, I was working to bring my long-term mileage total to 70K; and rarely skipped a day. But now that I’ve met that goal, I can work out a schedule that lets me take off one day per week. I don’t want to take off too many days, though; and the weather in the coming week will make that hard. In addition, it’s time I started reintroducing intensity; especially if I have any idea of doing RAGBRAI. That will mean climbing! I suppose last year’s suggested training schedule will do for this  year; but before I decide whether to register for the event, I need to know where the start/finish towns will be. I might be able to manage if I go by Amtrak. How’s that for training? ? 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 ✍? How to Time It? January 5, 2025 The Wolf Returns January 4, 2025 Have a Blast! January 3, 2025 Tabula Rasa January 2, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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The Wolf Returns

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors, Uncategorized /

The Wolf Returns ? The wolf returns, to plague us cyclists — including me — with his windy habits. Maybe strewing some Epic Snack Strips in my wake will distract him, and make the wind ease up? I’m none too happy with the forecast for the coming week. I guess the unusually warm weather has spoiled me, because temperatures down to freezing are a very unpleasant prospect. For a few days it will be windy, with gusts as strong as 30 mph. So it seems that the wolf returns. Sleet? ? Is there sleet on the way? I hope not; but tomorrow night it will fall to 37 degrees; and rain is in the forecast. I’m not sure that’s cold enough for sleet; but I think I’d better not risk going for an outdoor ride, just in case. Neither of my bicycles has tires designed for riding in icy conditions; especially not the road bike. Add strong wind gusts, and it’s a recipe for an unpleasant ride. Tomorrow will be another Spring-like day; but with a chance of showers. The wind will be pretty strong, too. It’s a good day for riding in the park, where I won’t have a headwind mile after mile on the way home! I got quite a headwind on the way home from the salvage store this morning; and I’m not in a hurry for more of it.  My usual plan for a ride in the park is to use the hybrid, so I can have the bike trunk. The trunk can hold my cell phone; poncho; and ride food. The catch is that I have to stop every time I want a bite to eat! 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 ✍? The Wolf Returns January 4, 2025 Have a Blast! January 3, 2025 Tabula Rasa January 2, 2025 2025 Already? January 1, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Have a Blast!

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Have a Blast! ? We all want to have a blast; whether it’s popping the cork to bring in the New Year; or having a terrific bicycle ride. That’s the kind of blast that most of us enjoy; but we’re about to have a blast of cold weather! Our current warm temperatures are expected to last through Sunday afternoon; but Sunday night, it’s down to about 37. The following night, the temperature will drop to barely above freezing! For New Orleans, that is COLD! This cold spell will come riding in on some pretty strong wind; and rain is possible as well. As so often happens, Winter is late; but will arrive with a vengeance. Bundle Up! ? So that means that it’s time to bundle up; and that presents its own difficulties. How many layers do I need? Two? Three? Will I need a poncho? Is it better not to ride if it’s both raining and barely above freezing? I don’t need for rain to turn to sleet when I’m far from home! Struggling to ride in icy conditions is definitely not my idea of having a blast. Neither is having to bundle up so much that my movement is restricted. Thick thermal socks can easily make my cycling shoes feel too tight; and tight shoes seem to make my feet get cold faster. As usual, I’ll have to play it by ear. And I might have to ride inside!  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 ✍? Have a Blast! January 3, 2025 Tabula Rasa January 2, 2025 2025 Already? January 1, 2025 New Year’s Eve Bash December 31, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Tabula Rasa

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Food, Training /

Tabula Rasa ?  A new year is tabula rasa, a chance to start anew; and of course that includes riding plans! Not that anyone has to coax me to give riding a try. I’ve been cycling for 15+ years now! But it’s still a good time to work up a new training plan; and to consider some new cycling adventures. When the route for RAGBRAI 2025 is finally announced, I’ll be able to figure out whether travel to Iowa by train for the event will be feasible. It’s also tabula rasa as far as my eating habits go. I pretty much let things slide for the week between Christmas and New Year’s; but now I’ve got to get back to work on it. Sometimes it’s a bit of a problem, though, such as when I’m not sure of the nutritional info of a home-made soup. New Ride Food ? ? I’m considering new ride foods, too; and I’m especially looking for things that aren’t too high in saturated fat. It might be more cost-effective to make my own on-bike food; and I was once again looking at some of the recipes in Feed Zone Portables.  I’ve tried rice cakes, and am not at all sure I made them correctly. Mine tend to come out too soft; and that sushi rice gums up my teeth in a most annoying way. And then the rice tends to stick in my throat; something I don’t need while cycling. If I want to try other recipes in Feed Zone Portables, I’ll have to make an expedition to a supermarket for flour; and possibly other ingredients. New ride food can take careful planning; but after all, wasn’t I just talking about tabula rasa? 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 ✍? Tabula Rasa January 2, 2025 2025 Already? January 1, 2025 New Year’s Eve Bash December 31, 2024 Something Is Rotten December 30, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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2025 Already?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

2025 Already? ? Can you believe it’s 2025 already? How time flies! I went for a ride, or course; and was surprised that there wasn’t much litter from fireworks. Some years the mess left on the bike path is incredible; and bad enough to provoke me to carry my bike through it! It was a bit chilly, in the low 50s; and it’s a shame that Campfire S’mores GU-Gels don’t make me warmer. The wind was a nuisance, too. But now that I’m home, I’m thinking of having some hot chocolate later. It’s 2025 already; and why not celebrate the new year? Blueprints? ⏩ How about some blueprints for the upcoming year’s cycling? Maybe some long-distance rides? Can I still hope to do RAGBRAI? It’s 2025 already; and time flies. For all I know, registration for RAGBRAI is already full. I started thinking about RAGBRAI almost two years ago; and a major hurdle is how to get to and from Iowa. Perhaps by Amtrack? The fare alone wouldn’t be too bad; and from what I could find out, the travel time to Des Moines is less than seven hours. But that’s only half the story. The RAGBRAI route won’t be announce until January 25; and I need to know the nearest train station to that point. Even then, how do I get from the train station to the RAGBRAI start town? Is there a shuttle service? Do I need a bicycle travel case to safely transport my bike? So much to think of! This is why it’s vital to start your blueprints early. You’ll need “wiggle room” to make changes if need be! 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 ✍? 2025 Already? January 1, 2025 New Year’s Eve Bash December 31, 2024 Something Is Rotten December 30, 2024 Rev It Up December 29, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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New Year’s Eve Bash

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

New Year’s Eve Bash ? My New Year’s Eve bash might not seem like a bash to most people. I’m not going out to celebrate; I’m not setting off firecrackers (I believe they’re actually illegal here); and I’m not popping the cork. I’d far rather stay quietly at home, where I can easily get another layer if I start to feel chilly; don’t have to worry about getting hit by a carelessly lobbed firecracker; and where I don’t have to worry about the, um, results of hydrating. And where I can go to bed when I get tired! I tried to find pretzels, without success. I think it’s supposed to be good luck to eat pretzels for New Year’s. But I did have a small bottle of eggnog in the fridge; and I drank some of it today (without any booze!); and I’ll have some tomorrow. Half of the bottle is in the freezer, to have later on. So you see, my New Year’s Eve bash is pretty tame. Quite mundane, in factdon. Farewell 2024 ✈️ I can hardly believe it’s already time to say, Farewell 2024. In a few hours’ time, it will soar off into the sky. Then begins another year of riding; with some good miles tomorrow to start the New Year right. My desire to ride tomorrow, in fact, is a good reason to keep my New Year’s Eve bash very low-key.  Today I rode the hybrid; I didn’t dare risk having the pedals freeze up again, perhaps when I was 10 miles from home. When I got home from riding, I called the bike shop to be sure they were open; and walked the road bike over there. The problem with the pedals turned out have a very simple fix. When I had the bike tuned up, someone fastened the rear wheel too tightly! I’m amazed that the trouble didn’t show up immediately. But that means I can ride the road bike tomorrow — after I say, Farewell 2024. 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 ✍? New Year’s Eve Bash December 31, 2024 Something Is Rotten December 30, 2024 Rev It Up December 29, 2024 Rein in the Rain December 28, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Something Is Rotten

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment /

Something Is Rotten? ? It seems that something is rotten; and I’m not talking about the State of Denmark. I’m having trouble with my laptop; and it’s making it impossible for me to work on my Store. I wasn’t sure whether the problem was with the website itself; or my laptop’s system. Long story short, it might be several days before I can get things ironed out; so no wonder I think that something is rotten. Maybe ice cream will make me feel better, emotionally if not physically. I really do not need to be eating ice cream, candy, and so on. I’m continuing to work at minimizing such treats. Something to think about as we head into 2025! Frozen ? As if computer prohlems weren’t enough, my gears got frozen this morning; and I have no idea why. I had to stop pretty suddenly; and I was on the big ring. When I tried to turn the pedals by hand to get back on the small ring, they refused to budge. It took me a good 10 minutes of struggling to move the chain by hand before I could get moving again. Incidentally, that showed me that I need a good chain-cleaning system; that supposedly clean + lube stuff doesn’t seem to clean. Or am I using too little of it? So tomorrow I’ve got to ask the bike shop what might have made those gears get frozen. And I’ve got to get a chain-cleaning kit. I used to have one years ago; and switched to the self-cleaning lube because I didn’t know where I could dispose of dirty, oily water. I’m glad my fingers didn’t get frozen as I was working; and it’s going to be on the warm side again tomorrow.  It looks like New Year’s Eve will be foggy; but that won’t stop folks from getting out there with the firecrackers. I stay home and away from all that noise and commotion. I want to save my energy for a January 1 ride!  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 ✍? Something Is Rotten December 30, 2024 Rev It Up December 29, 2024 Rein in the Rain December 28, 2024 70K! December 27, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Rev It Up

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Training /

Rev It Up ?️ Tomorrow I must rev it up again. I skipped the ride today; but in my case, rev it up doesn’t mean hopping aboard any kind of e-bike. In fact, I want to continue relying on muscle power for as long as I can. Now that I’ve met the 70K-mile goal, I think I need to cut the mileage a little; and start doing some intensity work. This should help me to increase my strength; and they say it’s a good way to burn more calories. When you ride at the same old pace all the time, your body’s calorie-burning furnace adapts; and you need to push the pace to increase the calorie burn. That’s especially true if you want to shed a few extra pounds. Two Days Left 2️⃣ Only two days left of 2024! Fast away the old year passes!  And it seems like 2024 just began. Between my two bicycles, I’ve pedaled almost 5000 miles this year. To make it to 5000 miles, I’d need to ride something like 64 miles over the next two days. That’s a little bit much for me at this point; but I can aim for riding 5000 miles in 2025. RAGBRAI is still up in the air for me. Can I get there by train? Would I need a bicycle travel case? I’d better get more diligent about scouting social media for info. There’s got to be something there that’s helpful. As to training, it’s time to rev it up, and work on simulated hills. I’d need climbing legs for RAGBRAI! 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 ✍? Rev It Up December 29, 2024 Rein in the Rain December 28, 2024 70K! December 27, 2024 Sparring? December 26, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Rein in the Rain

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment, Outdoors /

Rein in the Rain ?️ I wish there were a way to rein in the rain. Even with a poncho, riding in the rain still gets me pretty wet. It’s not only the getting wet; if the weather is at all cool, wet leg warmers feel like no leg warmers. My poncho’s sleeves aren’t full length; and my jacket sleeves get wet from the elbow down. And, if it’s warm weather, a poncho feels smothery! Thank goodness there was someone to rein in the rain as I rode to the salvage store this morning. But the sky was gray; and as I rode, I began to hear thunder. That made me uneasy; especially as it seemed to be getting closer! Backtracking ? The thunder continued to grumble as I waited for the store to open; and I heard more thunder as I shopped. All I could do was to hope that it would pass before I left the store.  I found Alani bars that I can use as ride food; but not the medium cheddar cheese that I wanted. I would have liked to find additional ride food; but maybe next Saturday I’ll be luckier. When it came time for backtracking to home, the shower had stopped; but all the same I got into the poncho. It’s a good thing I did! Nobody did anything to rein in the rain during this leg of my trip; and there were some bands of heavy precipitation. I’m glad they didn’t last long; and I’m glad I’m not backtracking right now! Since I got home, the forecast is saying there’s the possibility of severe T-storms. Now I’ve got one ear cocked for the severe weather alert on my cell phone. Sometimes these predictions don’t come true; but sometimes they do!   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 ✍? Rein in the Rain December 28, 2024 70K! December 27, 2024 Sparring? December 26, 2024 Merry Christmas 2024! December 25, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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