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Lunatic?

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Lunatic? ? Lunatic sound like someone who goes berserk at the time of the full moon. Or somebody who loves to see the full moon setting over the river — like me! Lunatic might also describe someone who is very fond of these bars. Again, like me! As with Clif Bars, it’s fun to try different flavors of Luna Bars. A favorite of mine is Chocolate Peppermint. Luna Bars were designed at  Clif Bar & Company; and were the first nutrition bar designed  especially for women. The array of flavors is downright bewildering. There’s even chocolate-dipped coconut. It’s sort of like Mounds® for a bicycle ride; only not nearly as sweet as the candy bar. I suppose that’s to prevent a sugar energy spike-and-crash effect. Luna brand includes other products, too, but I haven’t tried any of them yet. Dark of the Moon? ? If I don’t have any Luna Bars, is it the dark of the moon? ? But there are always Clif Bars. As a matter of fact, I usually get Clif Bars. That’s mostly habit, I guess; I became familiar with Clif Bars first. Again, there’s quite a variety of flavors. Tastes can wax and wane as the moon. What seems delicious and exciting at first can get tedious if you eat it for every ride. If you get bored with bars bought in stores, you can try making your own ride food. Feed Zone Portables is full of recipes for rice cakes and other nutritious, easy-to-carry snacks. But I wouldn’t want to go, well, overboard with the on-bike smorgasbord. I don’t want people to think I’m a raving lunatic. 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; and I hope I can provide a bit of inspiration.   Along the way, I got into blogging; presenting my kitchen experiments; and even setting up a store. You can visit my Facebook page here; or check into my Twitter (aka X) page, Cyclo_Pathy. 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 ✍? Facebook Twitter Youtube Easy 100? October 15, 2024 Fitness Freak? October 14, 2024 Smog? October 13, 2024 Fall? October 12, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Overboard

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I really went overboard with the \”naughties\” today. In addition to minimizing candy and other sweets, I\’ve been paying more attention to my portion sizes. It seemed to me that I started feeling a bit hollow a little too soon after eating, and suspected that I might need to eat a little more. Today I kept getting downright hungry. I had raw carrot sticks with me, but they weren\’t doing the trick. During my morning break I got a bag of corn chips; supposedly four servings. Over the next few hours, I ate at least half the bag. That\’s quite a lot of fat; not so good for cholesterol levels. For lunch I had brought along some of one of my hot dog concoctions; a slice of rye bread; and an apple. Hot dogs aren\’t exactly low-fat food, either. By afternoon break, my stomach was growling again; and I was hankering after a chocolate fix. I went and bought a candy bar. Fat + sugar! Then, by the time I left work, I was hungry yet again! For supper I fixed boxed mac n cheese, but fancied it up. I still had some raw cauliflower, and cut it into small pieces. There was about 1/3 cup of sweet peas in the fridge, and I needed to use them up. I steamed the cauliflower and peas; and set them aside. Then I drained a 5-oz can of chicken breast, and sliced up about 7 black olives. Meanwhile, I had water for the pasta heating on the stove. After I cooked and drained the pasta, I tossed it with one tablespoon of olive oil; put in whatever spices I wanted; stirred in 1/4 cup of plain low-fat yogurt and the cheese; then put the pot back over low heat. After the cheese was well blended in, I added the veggies, olives, and chicken. So I got supper, tomorrow\’s lunch, and a third meal for Saturday. Just don\’t let me go overboard in the kitchen, or I won\’t get anything else done!

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No Holds Barred

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No holds barred – er, I mean, No bars to hold. Did you ever consider learning to ride a unicycle? I sure haven’t! Not that riding on only one wheel means that you can’t do anything but ride around the backyard, or perhaps join the circus. People have used unicycles for cross-state rides. Even for high-altitude adventures. How does a body get started on a unicycle? It looks and sounds so easy, and some say that it really isn’t hard. I\’ll have to take their word for it. I suppose it\’s the same as learning how to ride on two wheels: once you get the hang of it, you wonder what was ever so difficult about it. At least a uni doesn’t have a chain to mess with, which I would assume makes maintenance a bit easier. A uni would be a lot easier to keep indoors, as it wouldn’t need nearly as much space as a bicycle. If you rode one to work, maybe you could even bring it in with you! I\’ve got a question. Is it possible to use a trailer when riding a unicycle? It looks to me as though the pedal crank would run afoul of the trailer\’s tongue, so I suspect that the answer is No. So, carrying capacity would be limited to whatever I could carry on my back. Otherwise, it seems that much of what you can do on two wheels, you could do on one wheel — no holds barred.  

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BRAN

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

BRAN BRAN? Are we talking about muffins? No; we’re talking about Bicycle Ride Across Nebraska! BRAN takes place the first full week in June, passing through small towns in the rolling countryside of the Cornhusker State. Participation is limited to 600 riders. If you want to shoot for this one, register early! There are three route options: 3, 4, or 7 days. All types of bicycles are allowed, as long as they have two working brakes. E-bikes? Yes, provided they conform to the state’s laws. The Bicycle Ride Across Nebraska is fully supported. The SAG wagon will be patrolling the route should you need assistance. Towns along the way have meals for a cost. Of course, feel free to carry your personal supply of energy bars, etc.  What kind of bike should you use? With the SAG wagon available, a touring bicycle might not be necessary. That depends on how much you want to keep with you at all times. If I were to do this ride, I think I’d like to have a pannier or two; or at least a bike trunk. As BRAN is an all-weather event, keeping rain gear handy is a good idea. Mornings might be cool enough for a jacket; and I’d need someplace to stash it as the day warmed up. BRAN is another one of those pie-in-the-sky dream rides for me. Nebraska is a long way off. But one never knows. 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 © 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 ✍🏻 Facebook Twitter Youtube INTERPRETER

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Cape Cod

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Cape Cod Cape Cod, Massachusetts, looks like it would be a windy place to ride. This “hook” of land is only 20 miles across at its widest. With ocean all around, it seems to me that wind would be inescapable. Leaving wind aside, the Cape looks like a beautiful place for bicycling. Contrary to my expectations, the Cape isn’t all flat. Its highest point is 306 feet up! Parts of the Cape are, in fact, more or less flat; others feature steep hills. The Cape Cod Canal Bikeway is wide and flat; great for beginning cyclists and kids. At the other end of the spectrum, the West Barnstable Conservation Area offers off-road trails for MTB riders; difficulty ranges from beginner to advanced. This tour from Sojourn combines bicycling with sightseeing. Shingled cottages; views of the shore; wildlife. Daily distances range from 19 to 33 miles, with opportunities to visit a lighthouse; the oldest lifesaving station in the USA; and a salt marsh. The five nights of the tour will be spent at inns. and three covering only 15-20 miles. Day two has options of  27, 36, or 50 miles. You can opt for a family-friendly tour of Boston, if you prefer something more citified. Riding new trails is fun. I could travel to a part of the country that I haven’t yet visited. It would be wonderful to have a chance to familiarize myself with some bird species that we don’t have around here. The catch is, I would very quickly forget what I had learned! 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 © 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 ✍🏻 Facebook Twitter Youtube INTERPRETER 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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Taking Liberties

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Taking liberties is something I do quite often when cooking. Why not? For the greater part, recipes are general guidelines; not carved-in-stone rules. It can be a lot of fun to see what you come up with! Take The American Diabetes Association Vegetarian Cookbook. Day before yesterday I made Cauliflower Potato Cheddar Mash (pg. 87); and not exactly according to the recipe! At Whole Foods this morning, I bought the two pounds of russet potatoes, and a head of cauliflower. My question here: the recipe says to peel the potatoes and cut them into large chunks. How big is \”large\”? And as to the cauliflower, how big is a \”floret\”? I started checking them for doneness after about 10 minutes of cooking, instead of 15-18 minutes as the recipe says; and the potatoes were done enough! Oh, well — that cut down on prep time a bit. The recipe calls for 1/2 cup 2% milk; I substituted plain, low-fat yogurt. Because I wasn\’t using liquid milk, I reserved some of the cooking water; but used only 2-3 tablespoons of it. Instead of the 2 teaspoons of butter in the book\’s version, I used 2 teaspoons of olive oil. I had some Progresso® Broccoli-Cheddar soup in the freezer. I thawed it and used 1/4 cup of it, rather than the 1/4 cup of shredded, reduced-fat cheddar that the recipe specifies. I have to use up that soup somehow! The 4 chopped scallions I left as is. I didn\’t measure them, but I estimate they made about 1 cup. I also didn\’t change the freshly-ground (OK, grated) nutmeg, nor the salt and pepper. I\’m planning on taking liberties again next time I prepare this dish. There are many ways I could do it!  

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Not So Sweet

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Not So Sweet Sugar is not so sweet when you’ve just learned that you’re pre-diabetic. That’s what mid-February blood work showed. In addition, my cholesterol is slightly elevated. I can’t say that I was surprised. My diet had been absolute c*** for at least a year. With those cheap snacks I was getting from the salvage store, I was eating far too much junk. On top of that, I often ate them when I wasn’t really hungry. I was tired; or bored; or stressed. Can you believe that I often ate several snacks AND several candy bars per day? I’ve been working to minimize the candy and other sweet foods. That even includes what I put into my hot dog concoctions. Sweet and sour sauce is on the sidelines; hoisin sauce’s first ingredient is sugar; I wouldn’t be surprised if gochujang sauce is high in sugar. Back to plain old tomato sauce. Buffalo sauce is probably OK, too. The last few times I’ve been to the salvage store, the make-your-own-grab-bag bins weren’t there. Now, at least, that temptation is removed. I continue to visit the store for things such as dry beans, brown rice, and canned goods. Want a vegetarian cookbook for diabetes? Meatless eating has interested me for many years, and now I have The American Diabetes Association Vegetarian Cookbook. The author, a chef, created this book when he was diagnosed with pre-diabetes. I tried an approximation of Cauliflower Potato Cheddar Mash (page 87). I’ve got to use up some of the huge pile of canned stuff I have, and I had a can of potatoes. I used them, and instead of cauliflower I used peas. I didn’t have any onions on hand, and can you believe I forgot to put in the cheese? Not so sweet, you might say.

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Climb!

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I just added a new book to my Shop. Climb! is the latest from Selene Yeager, aka the \”Fit Chick\”. I bet this is an interesting read. There aren\’t hills where I live, much less anything approximating Mont Ventoux. All the same, I\’m sure I could use the advice about developing strength in my climbing muscles by doing off-bike exercises. With no hills around, why am I thinking about training for climbing? I\’m considering riding this year\’s local Tour de Cure; the 63-mile route. I\’m not too worried about the distance itself, especially as I have about nine months to work up to it. My concern is my pace; especially if event day means a stiff headwind! So why didn\’t I practice riding hard into the wind this morning? I could have, and maybe should have. I certainly had the opportunity! Answer (excuse?): I\’ve felt \”off\” for about four days now. At first it felt like I was getting a cold, but this hasn\’t progressed like a cold. Maybe it\’s allergy. Whatever it is, it makes me feel tired and unenergetic. Climb! isn\’t entirely about the physical aspects of riding uphill. It\’s also about proper fueling and recovery; how to choose the best gear/cadence for your climbing needs; and turning off negative thoughts. Now if only I had more room in my bookcase!  

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Leapfrogging

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\”Leapfrogging\” is what I call it when I\’ve got a blog in queue for a certain day; but before that blog gets published, I\’ll compose a blog that I really want to publish right away. Then the originally scheduled blog gets put at the end of the blog queue; that is, it leaps over the other blogs. Like a frog! Do riders who do jumps think of frogs, too? It must take some time, and lots of practice, to develop the confidence to do those jumps. I, for one, can\’t even bunnyhop! I\’ll bet it requires a good deal of upper-body strength for pulling the bike upwards into the jumps. You see videos of BMX riders making soaring leaps over huge gaps, sometimes completing several mid-air turns before landing. That must take tremendous core strength! Another kind of leapfrogging is plyometric exercises. These involve explosive jumping movements, designed to develop leg muscles for sudden, explosive efforts on the bike; for example, making a sudden sprint. The book Get Fast! includes a few such exercises. Those with wanderlust might like to head to Indonesia for some leapfrogging from one island to the next. Several thousand islands means there\’s plenty of leaping to do! While we\’re talking about leaping, today is Leap Day! The Italian composer Rossini was born on February 29. The Gilbert & Sullivan comic opera Pirates of Penzance uses that date as part of its plot. See here for some celebrities born on Leap Day. One day maybe I\’ll learn how to do jumps, but you know what they say: Look before you leap.        

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Island Hopping

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Island Hopping Island hopping, I suppose, would be the name of the game if you did a bicycle trip around Indonesia. After all, there are thousands of islands in this country. With all those islands, there’s plenty to see. If group touring is your thing, this tour of eight days on Bali might fit the bill. It takes you past rice paddies; volcanoes; and temples. Explore caves; get a glimpse of how Indonesia’s ordinary folk live; and visit some hot springs.  There’s some pretty stiff climbing involved; on at least one day you’ll be riding around the crater of a volcano. I suppose that includes riding up there! Also, be prepared for the humidity, especially if you choose to visit Bali between October and April. I’m used to a humid climate; but for all  know Bali’s climate is even more humid. If you want to explore Indonesia by bicycle, on your own, it’s only fair to make note of the difficulties you might encounter. Depending on where in Indonesia you are, mountain grades might be 20+%! I wonder, are such climbs harder as an individual cyclist; or as part of a tandem team? Are the mountains that steep everywhere in Indonesia? How about Lombok? From the heights of Mt. Rinjani (yet another volcano!) to beautiful beaches, Lombok has a lot to explore. Pedal uphill and down; visit a black-sand beach; roll past rice paddies. Those islands are only a tiny part of Indonesia. If you’re interested in island hopping, though, those three are a start. 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 © 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 ✍🏻 Facebook Twitter Youtube INTERPRETER

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