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Still Nervous

Still Nervous ? These hurricanes are giving me headaches! I’m still nervous about Helene. Forecasts continue to show the storm heading for Florida; but there’s time left for it to switch its direction. Maybe some Alter Eco Truffles would calm my jitters. Chocolate is a great comfort food! Another reason for me to be still nervous about that storm, is a medical procedure that I have scheduled for tomorrow afternoon. If Helene goes crazy and begins churning our way, who knows whether I can keep the appointment. I want to get it over with; and get varicose veins off my mind. My Big Toe ?? Once again, I’m dipping my big toe into speed development. I don’t have Fizik shoes; but that doesn’t matter. I tried several 30-second attempts to reach 18 mph; but only the last one succeeded, when I had a tailwind. Why 18 mph? The choice was quite arbitrary; but if you want to be able to cruise at X mph, you need to make regular efforts to go a few mph faster than that. So, if I want a cruising speed of 15 mph, it makes sense to try for 18 mph here and there. I didn’t want to do too many efforts, because I planned to add a few miles to my distance. Next month, I want to get back to on-bike force development exercises. I’ve let them go for quite some time; and it’s none too soon to prepare for RAGBRAI hills. I’m still nervous about 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 Still Nervous September 24, 2024 Not so Belle? September 23, 2024 Cramming September 22, 2024 RAGBRAI Menu September 21, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Not so Belle?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling / CAL

Not so Belle? ? Oh, dear; now we’ve got not-so-belle Helene to worry about! Maybe if we petition Helen of Troy with these charms, she’ll destroy that storm for us! So far, meteorological models show the most likely landfall to be in Florida; but (it can’t be repeated often enough!) with hurricanes, one never knows. At the moment, New Orleans seems to be in the clear; and I say, Francine was enough for us! But for poor Florida, it looks like not-so-belle Helene will visit later this week. Holding My Breath ? I, for one, am tired of holding my breath about hurricanes. It’s harder than wearing filter masks, which I frankly find rather smothery. At least I can be glad that I don’t live right on the Gulf coast. Rough waves are expected all along that coast; and I don’t envy those who do live there. Even though it looks like we won’t get hit, I’m making preparations; among them, putting containers of water in the freezer to make ice. They’ll help to keep things cooler if we do suffer any impact from Helene; and the power goes out again. I hope I can do some longer-than-usual rides over the next few days. Who know what’s going to happen with that storm? 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 Not so Belle? September 23, 2024 Cramming September 22, 2024 RAGBRAI Menu September 21, 2024 Calm Weekend September 20, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Cramming

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Food / CAL

Cramming ? Looks like I might need to do some cramming in the next few days. I don’t mean last minute, frantic studying prior to a final exam; nor stuffing myself with food. A new system has developed off of Central America; and it has the potential to affect the northern Gulf coast later this week. Therefore I want to get in all the riding I can, in case I can’t ride after Wednesday or Thursday. Hence my comment about cramming. Not that I need a long ride tomorrow. I actually was planning a short, easy ride after this past week’s mileage. But if a hurricane is a possibility, I want to ride all I can, while I can! What to Do? ?‍♀️ So, what to do? I’m just feeling back to normal post-Francine; and have only begun to restock my freezer with home-cooked food. Now we have to worry about getting hit by another hurricane? And possibly the need to evacuate? Again, what to do? I dare not get that freezer too full. That’s cramming that I’d be wise to avoid at this point; I don’t want to lose another seven quarts’ worth of meals. Maybe I should make tomorrow’s ride a trip to the supermarket for crackers? Oh, as to cramming on the bike — it’s better not to stuff yourself; especially if you’ve got hard efforts coming up. And as always, what should you eat? This video is quite helpful! 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 Cramming September 22, 2024 RAGBRAI Menu September 21, 2024 Calm Weekend September 20, 2024 Restocking September 19, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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RAGBRAI Menu

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Food / CAL

RAGBRAI Menu 🥘 🌽 🥓 The RAGBRAI menu is quite expansive. The more YouTubes I watch about the event, the more foods there seem to be! If I do RAGBRAI, I’ll want to try many of them. The “breakfast town” is often some 10 miles away from the overnight town; so I’d better bring some ride foods with me. I could already be hungry when I get up; and I don’t need to start the day by bonking! A few GU-Gels might be enough to tide me over. But what shall I have for my real breakfast? Something from Casey’s? Videos about RAGBRAI mention Casey’s quite often; and breakfast pizza sounds interesting. Or Chris Cakes? IF I can catch them on my plate! Farm Kids Breakfast is mentioned many times as well. Gosh, look at all that food. And this is only breakfast! There’s a lot more to come as we cycle — or should I say, eat? — our way across Iowa. Food, Food, Food! 🌯 🍕 🥧 And the RAGBRAI menu continues with food, food, food. I might not need to bring along, say, MET-Rx Bars. In fact, with so many places to stop and eat along the way, I fear I’ll get too stuffed to ride with my stomach feeling comfortable! Although I’m not a big meat-eater, I think I’d want to try Mr. Pork Chop. I hope I remember to pack along a big square of aluminum foil and a plastic food bag. They say that those chops are huge; and I have serious doubts that I can eat one in a single sitting. Somebody tell me, if I keep part of that pork chop for later in the day, will it still be safe to eat? Ice cream! I’ll want to at least taste it, even if I don’t eat an entire serving. After all, I do have prediabetes; and need to minimize sweets. Or will the calorie burn of doing RAGBRAI balance out that ice cream? Of Course 𝚷 What more is on the RAGBRAI menu? Oh, of course 𝚷 — er, I mean, pie. The very first video I watched about the event had me thinking that the ride should be called RAG-pie! Some videos mention Amish pie; and I’d love to try shoofly pie. Strawberry-rhubarb pie seems to be popular. Oh, and sweet corn dipped in melted butter — giant dill pickles — walking tacos — watermelon — after RAGBRAI, I might need to pedal all the way home to New Orleans to burn off all those calories! 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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Calm Weekend

BACK ISSUES, bicycling / CAL

Calm Weekend! ? The forecast predicts a calm weekend! I’m always happy to see that; and if I were a drone flyer, I bet I’d be even more glad. I’m not sure how well this drone can stand up to windy conditions; and who wants the wind to blow their drone away? This drone would be good for me if I decided to start filming myself while cycling. It can operate hands-free; and I’m not so terrific at one-handed riding, even with my dominant hand. A calm weekend would be a good time to try it out. Saturday Usual ? Tomorrow will be the Saturday usual: a trip to the salvage store. This morning I made a trip to the regular supermarket, because I can’t rely on finding everything that I want at the salvage store; but I like to go there to see what I can find. Like more of these MET-Rx Fruity Cereal bars! Maybe I’ll take the trailer this time. I don’t expect to get an especially big load; but pulling the trailer will be good for developing better strength. I’ll need strength for the hills of RAGBRAI; and a video I watched today mentioned an 18-mile climb! It didn’t mention the gradient, though; so maybe it wasn’t as frightful as it sounds. Sunday? Maybe shoot for 25 miles or so? If I’m going to push for more miles, I’ll be glad of a calm weekend. 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 Calm Weekend September 20, 2024 Restocking September 19, 2024 Another Lull September 18, 2024 Not My Job September 17, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Restocking

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Food / CAL

Restocking ? I’ve begun restocking; not in the sense of canned/packaged foods such as “refritos“; but stuff for the freezer. Today I began with the aptly-named Post-Francine; and I must make some more bean-and-rice big batches to freeze. The food that I lost included stuff that I was saving for a garbage soup. I’m starting over, with tomato juice and bean-cooking liquid left from today’s project. I’ll add to that soon enough. Speaking of restocking, my stash of canned goods is nowhere near to running out; but I don’t want to let stores get too low. Hurricane season isn’t over yet! Maybe I’ll get a few more things at the salvage store day after tomorrow. Keep Riding! ? Despite the need to get busy in the kitchen, I need to keep riding. Cycle September has eleven days left; and I’m trying not to miss any days! More and more often, my weekday rides are 19-20 miles. On the whole, this is getting easier; but I’m considering doing a shorter ride tomorrow. My legs have felt rather tired the last day or two; so I think it’s wise to ease up for a day. I don’t need to burn ? myself out! What do you do if you feel tired during a ride; but home is miles away? Shift to an easier gear; and don’t try to hurry. Often you’ll get a second wind; and that lets you get home just fine! 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 Restocking September 19, 2024 Another Lull September 18, 2024 Not My Job September 17, 2024 Trial Run September 16, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Another Lull

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors / CAL

Another Lull ? We’re enjoying another lull in tropical activity; but we still can’t afford to go to sleep. Hurricanes are still possible! Last week was full of rainy forecasts; and it’s a relief to see that change this week. Another relief is the break from 100º+ heat indices by 10:00 am! I’m starting to push for daily rides of 20 miles; and it’s nice to not need that cool rag! Get the Mileage First ?️ Oh, all this talk about getting faster! But maybe I’d better get the mileage first; because speed work will mean reducing the distance. Otherwise I could be risking overuse injuries; and besides, I still hope to bump up my long-term mileage total to 70K by the end of this year. There’s bound to be another lull in my riding after next Wednesday, when I have the second past of my varicose vein procedure. It’s another in-office procedure, with only local anesthetic; but I probably should ride short and easy for a few days afterwards. Naturally that’s the big question for the doctor! But I do want to ride. It’s Cycle September, after all. When there’s a Love to Ride month-long cycling challenge in effect, I try not to miss even one 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 Another Lull September 18, 2024 Not My Job September 17, 2024 Trial Run September 16, 2024 Out of Reach? September 15, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Not My Job

BACK ISSUES, Outdoors / CAL

Not My Job ?? “It’s not my job!” is a frequently used phrase. People say it when they want to avoid doing whatever task is at hand. I’m glad that weather forecasting is not my job; but I was delighted that this morning’s predictions weren’t accurate. At about 5:00 am, I checked an online weather site; and it said, “mostly cloudy”. And at full-moon time! I decided to ride anyway; and hoped I might get a glimpse of the moon between the clouds. Most of what clouds there were, were down near the horizon. I got a great view of the moon; and the moonlight on the river! It would have been a fitting time to munch on Luna Bars. Where Is Fall? ? But right about this time of year, I begin to say, “Where is Fall?” Here it is, mid-September; and afternoon temperatures are still reaching the 80s! We won’t be wearing jackets any time soon, I guess. Not that I’m eager for freezing days; but I rather like it when it’s cool enough for leg warmers and long sleeves. It means less sunblock to wash off after every ride! I also don’t get so hot while riding. Despite the Summer-like weather, I can tell that Fall is setting in. It gets light later; and dark earlier. But those temperatures make us all ask, Where is Fall? Don’t ask me to detemine that. It’s not my job! 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 Not My Job September 17, 2024 Trial Run September 16, 2024 Out of Reach? September 15, 2024 Borrowing Trouble? September 14, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Trial Run

BACK ISSUES, equipment / CAL

Trial Run ?? The recent power outage was my chance to give my small, battery-powered fan a trial run. I though I would bring it along if I do RAGBRAI 2025, so I could get a bit of breeze in the tent at night. This trial run showed me that it won’t work out well. Thursday night I set the fan going before I went to bed. Partway through the night, I woke up and discovered that the fan was off. If a set of batteries doesn’t last more than a few hours, it’s not worth it to bring that fan with me on RAGBRAI. It uses four D batteries; and I’m not about to haul along dozens of those things. They’re much too heavy! Oh, and don’t try to tell me that the fan fiasco didn’t happen because it’s not on Strava! Another Idea ? Another idea is this handheld fan. It can fold, as shown in the image; so I don’t need to fnd a way to prop it up. I will, however, need a way to recharge it during the day. So I’ve got to get a charger block, too. If I use the Pork Belly Ventures charter service, I can charge up the block overnight; and then use the block to charge up the fan and other electronics during the day as I’m riding. If that will work when everything is packed up in a duffel bag! 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 Trial Run September 16, 2024 Out of Reach? September 15, 2024 Borrowing Trouble? September 14, 2024 Francine September 13, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Out of Reach?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling / CAL

Out of Reach? ? Is my mileage goal out of reach? This past week, the weather made outdoor riding difficult; and pedaling in a trainer is SO tedious that I can’t tolerate it for long. Of course, this threw my mileage out of whack. A few weeks ago, I hoped to get my long-term mileage total to 70K by December 31. Now I was beginning to think that this goal was out of reach. Or is it? Long story short, I did some math today; and to meet that goal I need to average 15 miles per day. That’s quite possible! It will mean a little more time behind bars than I’ve been doing; but not a drastic increase. First Week ?️ It looks like the first week of my plan shouldn’t be bad weather-wise. Highs in the mid-80s are tolerable; and I usually ride rather early in the day. I have no doctor’s appointments to work around, which is a great help. I haven’t given up the idea of doing RAGBRAI; and RAGBRAI means averaging about 70 miles per day, for seven days straight. I’m quite a way off from that kind of distance. Rides of 19+ miles are becoming more frequent, though; and soon I want to push for 22 miles. If I follow the 10% rule, that’s a reasonable increase. How about improving my pace? Today I tried a few 30-60 second hard pushes; and touched 18 mph. But I sure can’t stay there for long! This is the catch to my aiming for all those miles. As a rule of thumb, they say, don’t try to increase mileage and work on speed at the same time. Well, here’s an idea. Maybe I can wait until after New Year’s to introduce serious attempts at building speed. RAGBRAI 2025 is months away, after all! 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 Out of Reach? September 15, 2024 Borrowing Trouble? September 14, 2024 Francine September 13, 2024 Hurricane Update September 11, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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