BACK ISSUES Archives - Page 35 of 295

RAGBRAI on the COB

RAGBRAI on the COB 🌽 The COB! RAGBRAI on the COB helps us Porkers find our way around Pork City. It’s posted each day; and unfortunately, most days I didn’t get around to taking a photo of it. This Campground Orientation Board, aka the COB, shows where everything is: tents; showers; and so on. My phone screen is small; and squinting at such a tiny map doesn’t help me much. I usually just asked my way around. Next time, though, I must pay more attention to RAGBRAI on the COB, so I don’t feel so disoriented! On RAGBRAI Day One, I visited the charging trailer to get my power block; got some breakfast; packed up my stuff; and visited the Shower Thingy, aka the water fill station. Then I could take off for RAGBRAI Day One! Not the Best Day 😒 RAGBRAI Day One, I must confess, was not the best day. I thought I had charged up my Garmin; but apparently I didn’t. About five miles into the ride, it gave me a Low Battery warning. A few miles later, it gave me a Critical Battery Warning; so I shut it off. Then it began to feel like my bike had brake rub. I stopped and got off; and fiddled with the rear brake assembly a bit. It seemed to help; so I went on. Of course I noticed the climbs. The climbs weren’t all that bad per se; but there were so many of them! Then the headwinds got going. As though climbing weren’t hard enough! I kept plodding along; and that afternoon, a mile or two past May City, muscle cramps set in. First my right hamstring; and, moments later, my left quad. I figured that the onset of muscle cramps meant it was time to bail out. Bail Out 😞 Frustrating though it is, sometimes you have to bail out. I had just taken a swig of electrolyte drink; and was trying to get the bottle back into its cage. I was on an upward slope; and was having such trouble with that bottle that I flung it to the ground so I could stop and pick it up. I nearly fell over; but luckily some kind of go-cart for RAGBRAI was right behind me; and they got me to a SAG wagon. I tried to think what the cause of my cramps might have been; and was puzzled. I had downed a good quart or so of electrolyte drink; plus several liters of water. Even so, was I dehydrated? Had I eaten too little? Whatever it was, I had to bail out. Not the best day; RAGBRAI Day One was down the tubes. But soon I was checking out RAGBRAI on the COB again. 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

RAGBRAI on the COB Read More »

Summer Cold

BACK ISSUES, Personal Care / CAL

Summer Cold 👃🏻 A Summer cold is no fun; especially when it hits just as you’re starting the biggest cycling adventure of your life. I first came down with a cold about three weeks into June; and by the time RAGBRAI rolled around, it still didn’t seem quite gone. Now I’m not sure whether I’ve still got the same cold; or whether I’ve caught a new one! A Summer cold is the worst type, they say; and I’m inclined to agree. About halfway through RAGRAI, my throat started to feel dry; and when I tried to talk, it would catch; and make me cough. After I got back home, it continued to happen; so I suppose that my hydration status wasn’t a factor. I visited a doctor after I was back home, to be sure I didn’t have strep throat. Fortunately, I don’t. There’s not much you can do for a cold but wait it out; but that’s tedious! Wait It Out ⏱️ I’ve got a Summer cold; so what can I do while I wait it out? Well, I’m working on drafts for my blogs about RAGBRAI; one for each day of the ride. I’m continually editing them; and I don’t want to start publishing them until all the editing for all seven posts is finished. Would warm tea help me feel better? I don’t know; I’m not crazy about hot drinks, especially when the ambient temperature is at least 80 degrees! As I type this, it’s 91 degrees; with a heat index of 106! I can ride slow and easy while I wait it out; and soon I must start cooking big batches of food to freeze. I didn’t dare leave too much in the freezer while I was gone, for fear of a possible power outage. But here’s the test: I read this somewhere years ago. Put a cup of water in the freezer. When it’s frozen solid, lay quarter on top of the ice. Then, when you’re back home, look to see whether the quarter is still on top of the ice. If it is, there was no power outage; and you don’t have to throw food away. It reminds me of how my brother used to joke about cold cash and hot change! 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

Summer Cold Read More »

Little by Little

BACK ISSUES, Outdoors / CAL

Little by Little 📏 I’m tackling things little by little. There are still a number of items I need to clean up before putting them away; and today I washed my Travelon. I didn’t see a care instructions label; but I washed the pouch by hand; rolled it up in a hand towel and squeezed it; then laid it flat to dry. I’m increasing my mileage little by little, too; still on the hybrid while my road bike is being shipped home. But I’m not so sure I’ll get to ride tomorrow; the forecast looks pretty iffy! Iffy ⛈️ An iffy forecast drives me crazy. Will it rain, or not? Even more, will there be lightning? Luckily there wasn’t lightning during the day during RAGBRAI. But one evening — the third one, I think it was — we could see a big cloud. Someone said it was to the North; and did it have some LIGHTNING going on! I was glad when it stayed away from us. But during the fourth night, a big T-storm broke out around 10:00 or 11:00 pm; with plenty of lighting and a torrential downpour that seemed like it would never end. My tent was in a low spot; and I wound up feeling like I was lying in a river. At 3:00 am I gave up even trying to sleep. For the next two nights, I turned in feeling like things were iffy. Would we have a repeat of night four? I’m so glad we didn’t! My sleeping bag never did get really dry; and I’m lucky it was warm enough that I didn’t need it. I didn’t know how spoiled I was by having a solid roof to sleep under; and an apartment that stays dry during storms. 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

Little by Little Read More »

Cleanup Time

BACK ISSUES / CAL

Cleanup Time 🧽 Now that I’m settling back in at home, it’s cleanup time. Scott Shop Towels are great; but today I put an clean, old sock over my hand; and used that. At one point during RAGBRAI, I got sunblock on my sleeping pad. It wasn’t possible to clean it well right then; so it had to wait until now. In any case, I wanted to clean the pad before storing it. My sleeping pad is closed-cell foam; and I wasn’t sure how well it might tolerate immersion in water. I figured that damp-rag cleaning was a better option. What a tedious operation, though! All those little dimples needed cleaning. Then I used a damp rag to clean my duffle bags. Not that they were really dirty, but a wipe-down doesn’t hurt; and they need airing. After all, they had sweaty clothes in them for a week! Cleanup time also includes putting away quite a lot of stuff; and I sure haven’t tried to finish it all in one go! And I didn’t want to put my foot to hard use too soon. My Foot 🦶🏻 My foot seems be a lot better; it doesn’t look as swollen as it did. All the same, I’m riding short and easy until it’s back to normal. I hope my foot is normal Saturday, because I want to ride to the salvage store. When pedaling, I still have a tendency to stretch my left heel down; and jab with my foot. That started years ago, when I had pulled a hamstring muscle. Normal pedaling hurt; so I worked around it. Now it’s hard to pedal properly! Maybe one-legged drills in the trainer would help. Proper pedaling form is important if you’re going for long distance cycling. Cleanup time can also refer to how you 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

Cleanup Time Read More »

My B*** Hurts?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling / CAL

My B*** Hurts? 😬 More than one YouTube I’ve viewed about RAGBRAI has someone saying, “My b*** hurts”. Is there something wrong with me? I didn’t have that problem. When I first began riding a two-wheeler, I did feel stiff/sore “back there” after a ride; but this discomfort wore off after a week or so. Are the people saying, “My b *** hurts” referring to muscle aches; or skin irritation? For the former, gradually longer rides are the solution. Chamois Butt’r helps with the latter. I tend to carry a tube rather than the little packets; even though it weighs more. I tried the packets; and never needed to use up a whole one at once. It was a nuisance to try to fold down the top of the packet once I’d torn it open. The important thing is having that product on hand, so I won’t be complaining that my b*** hurts! Riding Again 🚲 I began riding again today; although it was a short, easy one. I was on the hybrid; and not bothering about heart rate and whatever. Incidentally, my heart rate monitor wouldn’t went on strike all last week. After three days, I quit wearing it. It’s great to be riding again, however short the distance. I don’t want to wait too long, or I might start griping that my b*** hurts when I do get back into the saddle! My road bike is in transit; and should arrive late this week or early next. Since I got home last Sunday evening, we’ve had very hot weather; even some extreme heat warnings! This afternoon we got a T-storm; and I hope that cools things off a little. It will make riding again more comfortable! 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

My B*** Hurts? Read More »

Readjusting

BACK ISSUES, equipment / CAL

Readjusting 🔧 Now that RAGBRAI 2025 is past, I’m readjusting to regular life. I must admit that it’s a relief to not have to cram a lot of stuff into two 40-liter duffle bags each morning. Every day, my things seemed to need more and more space; and when I practice-packed at home before heading to Iowa, I made the major error of forgetting to allow room for my sneakers! I ended up having to squeeze my sleeping pad inside the bag’s carrying straps. I’m quickly readjusting to having room to move when I take a shower. What a luxury that is! The Pork Belly showers were nice and clean; but small. That was a necessity, though. The shower truck had to go from one overnight town to the next; and the truck could be only so big. Naturally RAGBRAI had some downs; but already I’m thinking of next time! Next Time ⏱️ Next time I do RAGBRAI, I’ll be more careful to ask for tent service when I apply for Pork Belly. This year, I somehow missed it; and was put on a waiting list. I had some anxious days before I got a tent; and I was glad I didn’t have to haul one with me. There wasn’t room for a tent in my bags, anyhow. For packing, I’ll get a sixty-liter duffle bag to replace one of the bags I have; the 40-liter size just wasn’t big enough, even with two of them. There are some items that I think I can leave at home next time, too. Since the showers are cleaned regularly, I didn’t actually use flip-flops. I can leave them home and save a bit of space in my bag. Maybe I’ll pack my little battery-operated alarm clock next time. By mid-week, I was having trouble with my cell phone running out of charge. I’m not sure whether the problem was the phone itself; or the charging blocks. The charging trailer cubbies each have two standard household outlets; and I can bring the little item-specific charging blocks I use at home. And I’m very easily readjusting to being able to leave stuff all over the place. I always was a slob! 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

Readjusting Read More »

RAGBRAI 2025 Day Zero

BACK ISSUES, bicycling / CAL

RAGBRAI 2025 Day Zero 0️⃣ Let’s Go to Orange City! RAGBRAI 2025 Day Zero saw me on the Pork Belly shuttle from Omaha, Nebraska to Orange City, Iowa. Along the route, I was amused to spot a sign indicating how far it was to Mondamin. A town called “cornstarch”? Well, after all, Nebraska is the Cornhusker State! The shuttle left Omaha at 8:15 am; and when we got to Orange City at around 10:30, I had to visit the Pork Belly information booth to get my packet. This included my tent number; and baggage tags with my tent number. Pork Belly services not only include tent set-up/take down; they also take your luggage from truck to tent and back. The tent number on the bag(s) let the crew know which bag(s) go to which tent. Am I ever grateful that I didn’t have to lug my two duffle bags around every day. They were heavy! But on that first day, I did have to carry my bags to the tent. Fortunately, some kind person helped me. In addition to their weight, my bags hung almost down to the ground; and hit my legs as I walked. After finding my tent, I had to pick up my bicycle. I should have given it more of a test ride! I immediately noticed that the saddle was too high; and had to get that fixed. I let it go at that, which was a major error. As RAGBRAI went on, I kept having various mechanical issues; and my local bike shop suspects that some damage occurred during shipment. I didn’t get around to hitting the Expo until nearly 2 pm. RAGBRAI 2025 Day Zero kind of slipped away from me! And my tent was right on the edge of a slight slope. I’d step outside and fall over because the ground wasn’t flat. Hitting the Expo 🎪 Meeting Ryan Vn Duzer! It was rather frustrating, not hitting the Expo until at almost 2 pm. I would have liked to spend more time there; but I had to find my tent and get my bicycle before I went running off. My tent wasn’t a Night Cat tent; but it was a tent! I also had to get some idea of the layout of the Pork Belly camp. My tent, it turned out, was a good way from the amenities; and I got tired from all that walking back and forth. When I finally did reach the Expo, it seemed quite sprawling. I tried to find the meeting for RAGBRAI newbies; but unfortunately didn’t succeed. RAGBRAI 2025 Day Zero didn’t go quite as planned. As I was walking around, I unexpectedly came across Ryan Van Duzer! I’ve watched a good many of his YouTube videos; and it was a great pleasure meeting him. I even had the honor of getting a pic taken with him! I also met ridewithdanusa at the same time; and my apologies to Dan for not getting a pic taken with him, too. Hitting the Expo did let me try a RAGBRAI food. I think it was a cheddar/bacon sandwich, and wish I had made notes about it when I got back to my tent; but I needed to head for dinner and a shower. After that, I had to head for the sack. It didn’t get really dark until about 9 pm; but even so, there was little time for journaling before it got too dark for writing. And I needed to rest up for the start of the ride the next day! 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

RAGBRAI 2025 Day Zero Read More »

Work to Do

BACK ISSUES, Outdoors / CAL

Work to Do 🛠️🪚 I’ve sure got work to do, now that I’m home from RAGBRAI; enough to keep me as busy as a spider spinning its web. I arrived at home yesterday at about 4:00 pm. Shortly I went to the neighborhood Chinese restaurant for take-out; and then got busy unpacking my two duffle bags. They were both crammed; and I was tossing various items in all directions. I brought out my clothes hamper, and threw in things that needed washing. I made piles of items that I had to put away; and sorted out unused GU-Gels and Propel packets. (I had to have my hydration!) I’ll be busy putting things a away all day; and with all that work to do, it’s just as well I decided I’d take today off from riding! It’s very hot out there, anyway. HOT!! 🔥 Yes, it’s very hot today, with an Extreme Heat Warning until 8 pm. I’m glad my work to do is indoor work! I did a pretty big load of laundry; and of course I want to compose blogs about my RAGBRAI experience. Unfortunately I don’t have many pics; and fewer notes than I hoped to make during the event. By mid-week, I was having trouble with my cell phone running out of charge. Maybe the charging blocks I had weren’t the right kind — but they seemed to be OK at home! I hope my phone isn’t defective or, worse, dying entirely. I’ve had it only a few months! I never got to much journaling because of lack of time. I’m not adept at downloading pics from my phone to my laptop; and that’s more work to do. But there’s no great hurry. Not surprisingly, I’m tired today. Part of it is that I’ve been short on sleep; and traveling by air is pretty hectic. But I’ll plug away at it. At least I’m not out there where it’s hot; the heat index at the moment is 106! I don’t even want to walk over to the store to get bananas. It feels like too much work to 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

Work to Do Read More »

Roll out the Kinks

BACK ISSUES, Food, Personal Care / CAL

Roll out the Kinks 😌 Roll out the kinks with these Massage Balls! You can get a massage in the comfort of your own home! Set of three balls: Orange (long, soft spikes); Yellow (medium-firm spikes); and Red (short, hard spikes). Their tennis-ball size makes them easy to carry; and allows you to target small, specific areas. Great for sore muscles after any ride! While you roll out the kinks, enjoy some Muscle Milk. Its protein content helps to rebuild your muscles; each serving provides 25 grams of protein; and no sugar. Muscle Milk comes in Chocolate (shown); Strawberry; Cookies & Cream; and S’mores. 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

Roll out the Kinks Read More »

Fitbit Kids

BACK ISSUES, equipment / CAL

Fitbit Kids 🧒🏽 👦 Fitbit Kids is an Android-operated smartwatch that allows messaging; tracking; and activity-based games. Its 16+ hours of battery life let you keep in touch all day. Resistant to water; bumps; and scratches. Has 32 GB memory. Available in Mild Strange Arcade (shown); or Spicy – Moovin. Speaking of kids, the Fitbit Kids would be great for the child who loves to go for long rides; especially as they get old enough to go solo. 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

Fitbit Kids Read More »