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Anytime Anywhere

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Food /

Anytime Anywhere ⏰ ↷ Some things can strike anytime, anywhere. The Bonk, for instance. This morning I think I may have been approaching it, even though I did a shorter ride. Some days I’m simply not in the mood for peanut butter and banana; so I ate a protein bar (not a Bonk Breaker, though). This particular bar didn’t have any fewer calories than PB and banana; and in fact, it was a few more calories! Just to be on the safe side, I cut up a small protein bar to take along; and it’s a good thing I did. Apparently a protein bar doesn’t fill me up the way PB and banana does! I needed to eat part of the bar I took along; which shows that the bonk can strike anytime, anywhere.  I did some rather intense intervals; was that the cause? Un-Black Friday? ⚫️ I call the day after Thanksgiving Un-Black Friday, because I avoid the Black Friday madness. In fact, I’ve heard horror stories of bargain hunters getting badly injured — even crushed to death — in the stampedes. Who needs that? I’d rather be out for a bicycle ride than fighting crowds for the “best deals”. When I do go shopping, a my set of panniers is very useful. They can carry quite a lot, whether it’s Un-Black Friday or not; and are useful anytime, anywhere. Like if you undertake a bicycle tour! But tomorrow is Thanksgiving; and I hope it isn’t raining when I go out to ride. As so often happens, the forecast keeps changing; and forecast or not, we never know what the weather will 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 ✍? Anytime Anywhere November 27, 2024 Wet Turkey November 26, 2024 Empty Headed November 25, 2024 Every Little Bit November 24, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Wet Turkey

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment, Food /

Wet Turkey ? It’s going to be a wet turkey day, I think. The forecast predicts rain and even T-storms. I’m not sure how well the Mediterranean Diet would go with the typical Thanksgiving Day dinner. I’m not all that familiar with the diet; but it looks like turkey doesn’t fit into it very well! But I like legumes and veggies and fruit; and I suppose that hummus is part of the Mediterranean diet. Speaking of turkeys, a wet turkey is something you don’t want if you’re raising the birds. From what I’ve heard, they literally don’t have the sense to come in out of the rain. Then they’re apt to get sick and die. Ride Anyway? ? If it’s raining Thursday morning, shall I ride anyway? As usual, that depends on how hard it’s raining; and whether there’s lightning. I’d use the hybrid, because it has fenders; and wear rain gear unless there’s just a light sprinkle. We’ll see how things are Thursday morning. After Thanksgiving the weather is supposed to turn cooler. It’s more than high time it did; but I must say, I don’t enjoy battling a stiff, cold wind while I’m riding a bicycle! Question: Say, how fast can a wet turkey (or a dry one) run? Answer: A wild turkey can reach 25 mph in short spurts; so I don’t think I’d do very well trying to race one! A now-defunct local grocery store used to have large paper bags (before plastic grocery bags took over) in November, showing an image of somebody wielding a hatchet overhead while chasing after a turkey. Did they ever catch it, I wonder? 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 ✍? Wet Turkey November 26, 2024 Empty Headed November 25, 2024 Every Little Bit November 24, 2024 Cotton Tale? November 23, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Empty Headed

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Food /

Empty Headed ? I sure feel empty headed sometimes. It almost makes me wonder why I protect my head when it seems like nothing’s in it! If only getting a new idea were as easy as the illustration at left! In part, I’m spending too much time viewing YouTubes. Since I began serious work on my diet, I’ve drifted back into watching episodes of My 600-lb Life; maybe partly for inspiration. But thank goodness I’ve never had such a serious weight problem as the unfortunate people featured in these films. Watching videos is actually a rather mindless activity; so no wonder I feel empty headed. I hope that a good ride tomorrow morning will wake me up again! It looks like the weather will be good for it.  Maybe I’ll shoot for 22 miles; and even throw in some hard efforts. I’ve been VERY lax about them for the past two months; and I need to stop being so lazy. Lucky? ? With prediabetes hanging over me, I need to be careful to keep both diet and weight under control. Maybe I’m lucky; once I make up my mind to lose some weight, I seem to be able to do it quite easily. The flip side of that coin is, I also gain it back easily! Having an outsized appetite for sweets doesn’t help; but I’m working to control that. I can’t get empty headed about my eating; I need to keep watch all the time. Unfortunately I’m apt to reach a point where I wear out; and then I can easily fall off the wagon.  It’s so hard to be good all the time, as anyone knows who has tried to change dietary habits. Some of it is the same as on-bike eating: don’t wait to eat until you’re starving. At that point, anything goes! 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 ✍? Empty Headed November 25, 2024 Every Little Bit November 24, 2024 Cotton Tale? November 23, 2024 Cold Turkey? November 22, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Every Little Bit

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment, Training /

Every Little Bit ? They say that every little bit helps; whether it’s easing goodies out of your diet, or extending your mileage. Or increasing the weight you lift if you do off-bike strength training! Today I added a mile or so to my ride for a total of 23.1 miles. That wasn’t a major increase; but every little bit helps! I wonder, am I ready to add a 30-miler once a week? Today’s ride was quite poky; my average speed was less than 11 mph. I’m not quick as a bunny! Not yet, anyway! But rides of 22-23 miles at a rather casual pace don’t leave me gasping for breath at the end; so going for 30 miles shouldn’t be a major undertaking. RAGBRAI? ? Is RAGBRAI possible? I’m still interested; but I must admit that I seem to have run out of options for getting to and from Iowa with a small group of riders. Traveling there by air will be frightfully costly; and going by Amtrack will mean a long trip in a swaying passenger car. My head doesn’t like that sort of thing! All the same, I’ve bought a few things that I’d need on RAGBRAI. I got an air mattress similar to the HiiPeak Sleeping Pad shown at left; and I got a cooling rag, too. In fact, I tried it out during that extremely hot spell in July/August; and it really helps.  Every little bit helps when you’re aiming for a mileage goal; and maybe I’ll ride to Whole Foods tomorrow. Or shall I wait for Saturday, and skip the salvage store? 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 ✍? Every Little Bit November 24, 2024 Cotton Tale? November 23, 2024 Cold Turkey? November 22, 2024 Thermal Shock November 21, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Cotton Tale?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Cotton Tale? ? Have you ever heard a cotton tale? Here’s mine: when I was six or seven years old, my father raised a few cotton plants in his backyard garden. I think it was so that we kids could see what growing cotton plants looked like; because it was a one-time thing. Daddy preferred to grow tomatoes that he could eat! Of course it wasn’t nearly enough of a crop to make a T-shirt; and as I discovered, it’s hard to separate the cotton from its seed without tearing it apart. It really makes me respect the folks who had to “seed” an entire cotton crop by hand! This morning I came up with another cotton tale — I mean, a cotton tail. On the way to the salvage store, I saw a rabbit running along; and that white tail was very visible! But Don’t Wear Cotton! ? But don’t wear cotton for riding, they say. It absorbs perspiration; and then doesn’t dry out. That’s not what you want on a cold day; especially if you intend to include hard efforts. Sure, you’ll get heated up during those efforts; but when you slow down, you’ll quickly begin to feel the chill. I’m not feeling much of that just yet. This morning was chilly; but over the next few days it will warm up again. As usual, Winter is taking its time coming in! Even so, I’m hauling out the cold-weather wardrobe! I’ll want to keep it handy for when it really does get cold. 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 ✍? Cotton Tale? November 23, 2024 Cold Turkey? November 22, 2024 Thermal Shock November 21, 2024 Cold Shock November 20, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Cold Turkey?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Cold Turkey? ? It looks like Thanksgiving Day won’t be “cold turkey”. The weather will be warming up again; and for next Thursday there’s a chance of rain besides. I hope the rain waits until afternoon, so I can go for a ride first. I’ve been working on my diet. The smart watch shown at left won’t help me to cut out sweets cold turkey; but it can do a lot of other things! You can track your heart rate; keep track of time; and so on. Bluetooth connectivity, too. Unfortunately this smart watch doesn’t seem to be for cycling; but some of us swim or go for runs, in addition to riding a bike. If It Rains ?️ Getting back to the weather for Thanksgiving, what shall I do if it rains? Stay home and eat ice cream? Like Butter Pecan and Cookie Dough? Obviously, I should avoid ice cream on a prediabetic diet; but I still love it! It isn’t that I don’t know how to ride in the rain, but I don’t enjoy it; and I’ll have to get out a new poncho. The one I’ve been using for years got a big tear in it a few days ago; and it’s hit the trash bin.  If it rains on my ride, I’ll feel colder; especially if it’s windy. But I hope I don’t end up feeling like cold turkey! 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 ✍? Cold Turkey? November 22, 2024 Thermal Shock November 21, 2024 Cold Shock November 20, 2024 Front? November 19, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Thermal Shock

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Thermal Shock ? How long will it be, before thermal shock returns? We just got some cold shock; but I know that it might be of brief duration. It could well be in the 80s on Christmas Day! Riding in cold weather certainly has its downside. My nose runs like crazy; and if it’s windy, of course the temperature feels even colder. The upside is that I’m mostly covered; and need sunblock only on my face. I’m glad our brand of thermal shock is nothing like that of Herculaneum. The victims, they say, probably never knew what hit them. But it’s bad enough when you’re out on a bicycle; and the heat index is 100+ degrees! Storm Protection? ? Maybe a good cold front or two will act as storm protection; and push away any further potential hurricanes. If so, being chilly will be worth it. Speaking of weather, it might be fun to track temperature, barometric pressure, and so on with a Fischer Sheraton Weather Station! Early today I rode laps around the park. All morning the wind was 13-14 mph; with gusts as high as 26 mph! I decided to get in some miles on the road bike while avoiding the worst of the wind. It was the lazy way; but I wanted to ride over to Walmart later in the morning. I knew that I’d get the full brunt of the wind then. And I was right. For part of the way, I could barely ride at 5 mph in my granny gear! It looks like the wind won’t be nearly as strong tomorrow. Good thing; I want to get out there and do a good 22 miles! 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 ✍? Thermal Shock November 21, 2024 Cold Shock November 20, 2024 Front? November 19, 2024 Cop-Out? November 18, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Cold Shock

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Cold Shock ? We’ve got cold shock coming: the temperature is going to drop to the low 50s tonight; with winds of 12-13 mph. That might not be “cold” per se; but according to me, it’s cold shock! Maybe I’ll go out early and ride laps around the park; go home for breakfast; and then ride to Walmart. If I wait until about nine o’clock for the Walmart trip, I ought to miss the rush-hour traffic. Cold weather means that I have to dig out  the leg warmers; skull cap; jacket; and full-fingered gloves. Heavy socks might not be amiss, either. Thank goodness it won’t be raining. Rain only makes the cold and wind feel colder. A Day Off ? Today I took a day off from cycling; but not from cooking. I borrowed a bit from one recipe in The Feed Zone Cookbook; and added some curry powder to today’s concoction. I named it Brassica Curry, because I put cabbage and cauliflower in it. I must add it to my recipe collection soon, before I forget it. I still have big stash of canned food; and making Brassica Curry let me get rid of four cans. Even so, I have lots of canned stuff left. But I have to back off from cooking big batches for a while (today’s recipe yielded about 8 1/2 cups!) because I’m running out of freezer space. I’m lucky that cold shock doesn’t cause the food to multiply itself! 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 ✍? Cold Shock November 20, 2024 Front? November 19, 2024 Cop-Out? November 18, 2024 Weather Plans November 17, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Front?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Front? ?   Was this morning’s rain the leading edge of a front? It  wasn’t cold — in the 70s. But tomorrow night, they say it will drop below 50 degrees. That will feel more like November. We’re certainly due for a cold front! Today I had an 8:00 am appointment; and I knew that there might be heavy rain. Possibly lightning, too. I had intended to leave home around seven o’clock; but went out at 6:20 am. It wasn’t raining much where I live; and who could say what things might be like if I waited until 7:00? The light rain didn’t last long! Half a mile or so out, I could see that there was rain ahead. It poured so hard for a while that I could hardly see; especially as it wasn’t yet daylight. Such conditions mean keeping extra alert for other cyclists; and for joggers. If I had been wearing my glasses, visibility would have been even worse. It’s lucky that I’m not terribly nearsighted! And thank goodness there wasn’t any lightning. Bundle Up! ??   Before long I’ll need to bundle up to go riding. Yeah, I know what they say: it’s better to be a little underdressed, than to wear too many layers. However, being cold is misery to me. I’d rather be a little too warm while riding than shiver; and on top of that, my Camel-Bak pockets can’t hold many clothes when they’re already stuffed with a cable lock; tube of Chamois Butt’r, and so on.  It helps a little that I don’t have to ride at 5:00 am any more. No matter how cold it is, seeing sunshine eases the frigidity a bit. Such small psychological boosts are a great help when a cold front blows in. 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 ✍? Front? November 19, 2024 Cop-Out? November 18, 2024 Weather Plans November 17, 2024 Storm Weary November 16, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Cop-Out?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Cop-Out? ? Was today’s ride a cop-out? Instead of riding on the levee, I went to the park to ride laps. I didn’t feel like fighting the wind; but I did need to get some miles in while I could. Goodness knows what conditions might be like tomorrow morning! The forecast predicts “heavy thunderstorms” right about the time I’ll need to be riding to an appointment; and if things are really bad, I won’t want to be up there. It sounds like a cop-out; but who wants to get struck by lightning? Skidding? ⇢ I pulled a cop-out on my diet, too: I met with some friends at a Chinese restaurant for lunch. I got the moo goo gai pan combination lunch plate, which is one of the lighter options on the menu. Even so, that meal likely takes care of my carb allowance for the day! I’m sure skidding, aren’t I? If I went for a ride now, I could burn off some of those calories and carbs; but the sky has become completely overcast. The wind is strengthening, too; and I find myself waiting for the outbreak of bad weather at any minute. I don’t think it’s supposed to rain during the next few hours; but around here, you simply can’t tell. So for tomorrow morning, all I can do is hope for the best. If it’s raining, that might even spur me to ride faster — and get some needed interval 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 ✍? Cop-Out? November 18, 2024 Weather Plans November 17, 2024 Storm Weary November 16, 2024 Brief Fall November 14, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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