SpokEasy

SpokEasy

Author name: CAL

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

Fool’s Day?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Fool’s Day? 🤡 Today’s Featured Product! THALOUS Crank Arm MTB New! Isopure Zero Carb Protein For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! It’s already April Fool’s Day! I don’t suppose anyone here is thinking of Carnival now, though; Easter is less than a week away. Nobody was cracking April Fool’s Day jokes at the orthopedic clinic I visited this morning. My primary care physician referred me to a doctor there for trigger finger; and a cortisone injection is no joke. But the soreness is wearing off; and maybe I’ll go out for a short ride later. IF it’s not storming by then! I got caught in the rain yesterday; and it’s a good thing there wasn’t any lightning. Bike Month 🚴🏿 I had thought that the Love to Ride Bike Month began today; but it’s not until May 1. That’s all to the good; I had the idea that I might not want to hold on to a handlebar after that cortisone shot! My calendar includes another doctor’s appointment tomorrow; and I didn’t want to miss two days during a Bike Challenge month. But the weather outlook for tomorrow is better than today’s; and it’s not getting too terribly hot yet. I can ride later in the day. And see whether the river is rising yet! Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Logged in as CAL. Edit your profile. Log out? Required fields are marked * Message* Δ 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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Rain Doesn’t Wait

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Rain Doesn’t Wait 🌧️ Today’s Featured Product! Better Basics for the Home New!! SANTINY Women’s Cargo Shorts For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! Rain doesn’t wait until a time that’s convenient for us. It falls when and where it wants to; and if we happen to be there on a bicycle, too bad. This morning I checked the hour-by-hour forecast; and it looked like rain wasn’t expected before 11:00 am. I figured that, even starting rather late (8:00 am), I could beat the rain home. But rain doesn’t wait; and I passed through several showers. The rain was heavy enough to leak through the zippers on my bicycle trunk; and now I have stuff lying all over the place to dry. That’s what comes of miscalculation! Miscalculation 🧮 This miscalculation meant stopping to put on the poncho. I was riding past a spot where there’s a gap in the trees; and I could see a curtain of rain approaching from the other side of the river. On top of the rain, the wind was pretty strong; and it’s not easy to get the poncho on when it’s flapping all over the place in the rain! My glasses had water droplets all over the lenses; and it was hard to see. When I arrived back home, it looked like it hadn’t rained a drop; and I don’t think it has yet. That’s a weird thing about rain. One location gets a downpour; another spot two miles away stays dry. Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Logged in as CAL. Edit your profile. Log out? Required fields are marked * Message* Δ 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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Let’s Get Shifty!

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Let’s Get Shifty! 💨 Today’s Featured Product! Arctic Zone Titan Guide New!!   Coconut Ropamo Men’s Short-Sleeve For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! Let’s get shifty, said the wind today — and proceeded to drive me crazy all the way home from the store. It was blowing out of the North and Northeast at 16-17 mph; that was an unpleasant headwind. And it kept shifting directions! First it would be a headwind; then a sidewind. Now and then the wind would seem to get behind me. Then that dratted wind would be in my face again! So let’s get shifty — multiple gears are a great help when the wind won’t calm down. Calm Down 😌 It looks like the wind will calm down overnight; but it will start to get frisky again late tomorrow morning. I hope I’m back home by then; I had quite enough of fighting headwinds today. The gusts were pretty fierce, too. April is a Love to Ride challenge month; so any participating cyclist hopes the weather will cooperate. But some parts of the USA have been getting terrible weather; and folks there have more than cycling on their minds!   Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Logged in as CAL. Edit your profile. Log out? Required fields are marked * Message* Δ 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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I Hung Ten!

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors, Training /

I Hung Ten! 🔟 Today’s Featured Product! Garmin Fenix 7X Pro New!! Baleaf Women’s Half-Sleeve Jersey For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! I hung ten today; and without a surfboard! As planned, I rode 22 miles. For once, there was almost no wind. When I checked my average speed after I got home, I saw that it was 10.1 mph! At my turnaround point, I ate a Chocolate Outrage GU-Gel (one of my favorite gel flavors); and reapplied sunblock. Part of the way home, I had a slight tailwind; and that made it easier to get in some work on the big ring. Stiff Legs 🦵🏼 You know how, on some rides, you start out fine; but after a mile or two, you’ve got stiff legs? What to do then? Cut the ride short; or tough it out? Today, I just kept going; but it took quite a while for that stiffness to wear off. I suppose that’s part of developing fitness. As long as there’s not actual pain, you can probably keep on with your ride. But that “no pain, no gain” thing makes absolutely no sense to me. How about the weekend? It looks like the wind will strengthen overnight; and by Sunday afternoon or evening, there’s a chance of rain. I don’t want it to rain on my ride; so I’ll go out early!   Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Logged in as CAL. Edit your profile. Log out? Required fields are marked * Message* Δ 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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Hang Eleven?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment, Outdoors /

Hang Eleven? 🏄 Today’s Featured Product! MOPHOTO Adult Mountain Tricycle New!! Bikewa Men’s Rain Jacket For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! Hang eleven sounds almost like a surfing term; only they hang ten. I had a surfing-crazy spell when I was about twelve; but I don’t know how I got that idea. There wasn’t an ocean anywhere near our neighborhood! This morning I tried to hang to 11 mph; with only middling success. I kept forgetting to keep an eye on my Cateye; and kept slowing down. Thus I didn’t hang eleven very well. Don’t Speed! ⏩ Don”t speed in fog, they say; especially if you’re driving a motor vehicle. Some years ago, there was a horrible chain collision one very foggy morning; and I think they said that speed was a factor. Riding in dense fog is a bit of a nail-biter; especially if I’m doing hard efforts. Now that I have anti-fog wipes for my glasses, I can at least see better when it’s misty. My plan for tomorrow is a 22-mile ride; but I think I’ll omit hard efforts. If I happen to hang eleven, fine. If I don’t, no big deal. The ride is the main 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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What to Do?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment, Training /

What to Do? ⁉️ Today’s Featured Product! Avasta Govet New!! Women’s PRO Barrier Jacket For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! Do you wonder what to do when you don’t have a bike handy? It’s hard to sit around when you’re used to acticivity! I couldn’t even check the news online because my browsers wouldn’t respond. That  happens sometimes, for some reason or another; and it  makes me realize how much I take the Internet for granted. I finally gave up on it; and went to sweep out front. I was wondering what to do; and here was something to be done! The kitchen was off-limits for the time being; there was already soup cooling on the stove. I got my hybrid back this afternoon; and for my next ride I’ll try pushing the pace. Not the 3-minute hard efforts I’ve been doing; just working to ride 1-2 mph faster than ususal for longer intervals. Intervals 📏 I guess intervals are  a way to measure your progress: if you can do them faster than you could a few weeks earlier, you’re likely getting stronger. The catch here is, speed isn’t an absolute measure. What if you’re fighting a strong headwind? That’s apt to slow you down. A power meter would tell me for sure whether I’m getting stronger; but I’ve never trained seriously enough to make the cost of one worthwhile. I did in fact consider a power meter once; and before I could buy it, up came the need for oral surgery! So I’ll continue to ride as usual; and I don’t need a power meter for that. 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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I’ll Stay Home

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Training /

I’ll Stay Home 🏠 Today’s Featured Product! Nictemaw Portable Washing Machine New!! Cute Bicycle Bell For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! “I’ll stay home, thank you very much.” That’s what I think when I see news stories about the havoc at airport these days. I don’t think I”ll be cozying up to a fireplace in thermal socks, though. Or guzzling hot cocoa; it’s getting too warm for that. If I had signed up to do RAGBRAI this year, I’d be very anxious about getting to Iowa at all. I don’t know whether the local airport has the nightmarish TSA lines reported at some hubs; and I’d rather not find out! I see reports of travelers missing their flights because the lines to get through security are hours long. That doesn’t sound at all pleasant; so I think I’ll stay home. Plenty to Do 🚴🏿 There’s plenty to do at home; so I won’t suffer from FOMO. I can ride; or I’ll be able to ride once I get my hybrid back. It’s in the shop for a tune-up at present. Cooking? Maybe. I can always find an interesting video to watch. Or, I can read! This morning I did only a very short ride; and when I get my hybrid back, I plan to do a medium-length ride with some hard efforts. Even if I’ve decided to skip RAGBRAI, I need to work on 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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Wind Switch

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors, Training /

Wind Switch 🍃 Today’s Featured Product! GoGo SqueeZ New!! Larabar Kids Bakes Chocolate-Brownie  For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! We had a wind switch today: I had a tailwind most of the way home! Usually it’s the opposite; and I enjoyed not having to battle a headwind for miles when I was starting to tire. The temperature was quite comfortable; no need for a thermal jacket. I expect it won’t be long before I’ll be complaining about the heat. I wonder whether this wind switch is a harbinger of upcoming storms. Or is it just our usual Summer-in-March? Adding Miles 🚴🏿 Today’s wind switch was helpful, because I’m adding miles. I think I’m ready for some back-to-back 20-mile days. Yesterday I rode 22 miles; and today I did 20. Again, I saw some ships: one named Eternity; and one named, oddly, Puna. It wasn’t mistaken identify; the Pena that I saw las week had a black hull. The Puna had a dark green hull. The funnel was different, too. Adding miles is more fun when I see some interesting things; and, of course, when a wind switch lets me have a following breeze! 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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River So Low

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

River So Low 🏞️ Today’s Featured Product! CHENGU Water Bottles New!! Bike On, Bear For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! We’ve got river so low! It’s the time of year for said river to be rising; but so far, it’s not. I’m not sure whether to  be glad; or relieved. River so low could indicate drought conditions upstream. Or is the weather so cold up North that the snowmelt has been delayed?  On the other hand, a high river is not something we want come hurricane season. A hurricane brings the risk of a tidal surge; and we in New Orleans remember Katrina only too well! High Water 🌊 High water in the river can mean I’ll see more wildlife; such as wading birds. Once, some years ago, I spotted some roseate spoonbills! That was a great surprise; but when I looked up roseate spoonbills in a bird guide, I learned that we’re within their range. Today I didn’t notice much wildlife: no rabbits; no eagles. I extended my mileage to 22 miles again, something I began to do a week or so ago. Speaking of high water, we don’t want that in our streets;  but we still need rain! 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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Fog Surprise

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors, Training /

Fog Surprise 😳 Today’s Featured Product!   Garmin Amoled New!! Honey Joy Wiggle Car For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! I got a fog surprise this morning. The forecast hadn’t mentioned fog; and I’m glad it wasn’t enough of a mist that I needed anti-fog lens wipes! I’m also glad that there was only one patch of fog.  This was on the way to the salvage store; and while I’m trying to bring home only small loads, I keep going there.  In a way, it’s a bit of a social event. There are certain people that I see there regularly. I don’t know most of their names; but we tell each other hello, how are you, and so forth. On the way home, the fog surprise had dissipated. That’s all to the good; and I hope there isn’t fog tomorrow. More Miles 🛣️ I want to get in some more miles tomorrow; so I’m glad it’s not expected to rain. In fact, the entire week is likely to be sunny. Great for riding; not so great considering that we really need some rain! Plan for tomorrow: long, but moderate effort. And don’t forget the Camel-Bak! Aim for about 22 miles; next week, go for 25 miles. Monday: put in some hard efforts; but do a shorter ride. Tuesday: moderate distance; and then the bike goes to the shop for a tune-up. .And if a fog surprise emerges while the bike is in the shop, I don’t need to worry about riding through it. 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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