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Out to Pasture?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Out to Pasture? Out to Pasture? 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.” Where do pro cyclists go when they retire from racing? I’m not so sure they’d want to go out to pasture. After so many years of vigorous physical activity, I doubt that they’d want to merely sit around. Maybe to Switzerland? A climbing specialist would probably feel right at home in the Alps. There are also routes suited to beginners and families; so KOM ability isn’t necessary! How about the Bodensee? The path around this lake is well-marked and flat. It’s 166+ miles around; but you don’t have to do the whole thing. You’ll find playgrounds and cafés along the way. The Lakes Route leads from Lake Geneva to Lake Constance; and passes a total of 10 lakes. This route does include some stiff climbing. Use alternate transportation if you legs aren’t up to it (I’ll bet mine aren’t!) Tremola Pass is for the advanced rider. With an elevation gain of almost 7300 feet, it includes cobbles and switchbacks. Want some mountain biking in Switzerland? Head for Zermatt! I, for one, would love to see the Matterhorn “in the rock”, instead of always in pictures. Be sure to take enough layers, as it’s likely to be chilly. Would I like to go out to pasture in Switzerland? I’m not sure. I hear it’s expensive to live there; and it would take quite a while for my lungs to adjust to high altitude. But the country has its share of great cycling routes.    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 Real Saturday January 6, 2024 Roadie Again! January 5, 2024 Pomp and Circumstance January 4, 2024 I Bee’d Lucky January 3, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Far West

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Far West 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.” Far West is what you might say that Guam is. This island territory is as far west as the U.S. gets. Guam has many cycling routes. Hilly or flat, long or short; despite its small size, Guam offers a wide variety. Try the Tour of Guam if you like climbing. Choose your route: 42 km or 105 km (26 and 65.25 miles, respectively). The “figure 8” course takes you through the central and southern parts of the island. Guam also has something for the MTB fan. There’s the Black Jack Loop; although rated as “intermediate”, it looks to me like it’s better avoided when the weather is wet.  How would it be to live on Guam? Like anywhere else, it has its good and bad. It’s quiet there? I would LOVE that! Quiet is hard to find around here. The temperature is warm enough year-round that I might not need a heater. On the downside, Guam is an expensive place to live. It might be more humid than I’m used to; how long will it take a pair of cycling shorts to dry? I might want to keep a poncho handy at all times. Employment can be hard to find. You’ll need plenty of sunblock. And the island is in Typhoon Alley.  It sounds to me like Guam would be a great place to visit: enjoy the cycling trails and the tropical breezes. Enjoy water sports too, if you like. But while I was there in the far west, I’d stay on land! 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 Holiday Food December 16, 2023 Glad I’m Home December 15, 2023 Getting Wild December 14, 2023 Sooner or Later December 13, 2023 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Old Faithful?

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Old Faithful? Old Faithful is a “must see” if you visit Yellowstone.  You can bring your own “old faithful” if you want to bicycle through the park. Road biking season starts once the snow has been cleared from the roads. For a short time in Spring, only non-motorized traffic is allowed on the roads. Repeat in the Fall. Doesn’t that sound marvelous?   Enjoy wildlife sightings: coyotes, bison, elk, eagles. Just be sure to give these denizens of the park their space. Maybe wear jingle bells🎶 on your shoes if you want to avoid startling a grizzly bear. Springtime weather in Yellowstone can be fickle, as it can in many places. Wear or carry warm clothing, such as leg warmers. Even after the park’s roads are open to motor traffic, the road cycling can still be pretty good; at least where there are shoulders. You still have to be on guard, of course. (So what else is new?) For a more exciting cycling experience in Yellowstone, try out some mountain biking. Available trails range from easy to intermediate. The Mount Washburn one sounds interesting. Many years ago, we visited Yellowstone. One of the things we did was to take a ranger-guided walk up Mount Washburn to the fire watch tower. We followed a dirt road; I guess what’s called a fire trail. On the way, I kept smelling skunk. Yes, on those road trips of ours we occasionally passed a flattened “stink animal”, as German aptly calls it. I know what skunk smells like. I mentioned several times that I kept smelling skunk. It turned out to be what the ranger told us was skunk flower. I remember it as resembling violets in appearance; but it smelled like skunk! So if you want to see Yellowstone “close up and personal”, dust off your Old Faithful, and bicycle through the park. 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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Appalachian

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Technology /

Appalachian Bicycling along the Appalachian trail? Yes, indeed! This trail spans more than 2000 miles, running through fourteen states from Maine to Georgia. This is not an adventure to be undertaken lightly; especially if you’re aiming for more than a single day’s riding. Parts of the AT are quite rugged. Hazardous weather is a possibility. Summer can see strong T-storms; and cold weather can bring snow and ice, making riding much more difficult. Packing for this adventure seems to be quite a challenge. You want the right stuff, but don’t need to be weighed down with things you won’t really need. To begin with, how about the bike? Is a touring bicycle best? If you’re going to spend nights along the trail, will you need a tent? A sleeping bag? Oh, and don’t forget, there are bears there! We visited Great Smoky Mountains when I was a kid. I remember them as being quite wet; a waterproof tarp to put under your tent wouldn’t be a bad idea. Neither would a poncho. And a first aid kit … there we go, getting overloaded already! Naturally there’s more than the Appalachian Trail to cycling in North Carolina. These routes range from the easy Neuse River Loop from Mini City, to the expert Roadbike Loop from Brevard. So many trails, and so little time to ride them! 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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Mississippi

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Mississippi How do you spell “Mississippi”? My mother used to put it: “Capital M-I- Hump-back, Hump-back I; Hump-back, Hump-back I; Crooked-letter, Crooked-letter-I.” However you want to spell it, Mississippi is home to the Natchez Trace. From Natchez, Mississippi to Nashville, Tennessee, the Trace is 444 miles of beauty. Roll past farms and creeks; forests; and interesting historic sites. For the most part, motor traffic is light. The entire Trace, in fact, is a designated bike route. Then there’s Tanglefoot Trail. Despite its name, don’t go getting tangled up in your bicycle chain! “TT” gives  you 43 miles of riding through farmland and small towns, with numerous opportunities to dismount and explore; or have a picnic lunch. Is the history of the Civil War your thing? Visit the Vicksburg National Military Park. This ride is more challenging than the Tanglefoot Trail; but beautiful. Fans of the paranormal might want to visit Windsor Ruins. These remains of an antebellum plantation house are said by locals to be haunted. It’s a hilly 10 miles to get there, so be sure you’ve got your climbing legs in order! Now how do you spell “Mississippi”, 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 © 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 Chop Chop Chop! June 21, 2026 Electrolyte Season June 19, 2026 Whirlwind June 18, 2026 Here Comes Number One! June 17, 2026 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Road Warrior?

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Road Warrior? The State of Illinois seems to have “road warrior” built into its name! Not that this means that you have to hammer away all day. Why not take your time, and enjoy yourself? And even use an e-bike? For example, there’s the 46-mile Tunnel Hill State Trail. Along the way you’ll find a variety of scenery, trestle bridges, and even ghost towns. The George Rogers Clark Discovery Trail is comparatively new. About four of its nine miles run through Fort Massac State Park. Here the history buff can enjoy re-enactments and living history. Mountain Bike Trails at Touch of Nature includes paths suited to both the beginning rider; and those who are more advanced. These trails are also open to hikers; runners; and walkers. What do you do when all this easy pedaling gets to be too dull? You might want to shake things up a bit and Ride the Fault Line! This week-long event takes you through parts of four states, including Illinois. Learn about the New Madrid earthquakes. Experience Civil War history, and ride along the Mighty Mississippi. Do your tastes lean toward urban riding? The Windy City has plenty to offer. You can ride along the lakefront. Ride the Major Taylor Trail, commemorating the African-American cyclist who both set world records and broke through racial barriers. If you’re daring enough, there’s the June Naked Bike Ride, meant to promote positive body image as well as cycling. Or, it you like, you can always abandon casual riding paths, and be the road warrior. 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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Hoosier

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Hoosier What’s a hoosier? It always sounded to me like someone who makes hosiery! I was wrong about that, but nobody seems to know for sure exactly how the word originated. When I hear “Indiana“, I think of the Bugs Bunny cartoon in which Elmer Fudd gets a robot to try to get rid of “that wascal wabbit” Bugs, who is always getting into his “cawwots”. I don’t know for sure whether either Bugs or Elmer ever rode a bicycle; if so, they could tell me what the cycling is like in the Hoosier State.  There’s a two-day tour through Amish country. At rest stops, you can sample local produce; or enjoy baked goods. I, for one, would love to try shoofly pie! There’s a century ride that follows the shore of Lake Michigan; and which benefits the Visiting Nurse Association. SAG stops provide food and drinks. Bloomington is home of the Little 500, a two-day event that is the cyclist’s parallel to the Indy 500. Participation is restricted to full-time undergraduate students at the University of Indiana. There are separate events for men and women. Tickets are sold for the public. Whether you’re a native Hoosier or not, Indiana has a lot to offer cyclists. 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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Through the Woods

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Through the Woods You’ll really be riding through the woods when you go cycling in Pennsylvania. It’s all in the state’s name; and Pennsylvania offers a great deal to fans of Rails to Trails. The Great Allegheny Passage runs through the state and neighboring Maryland. This one is a favorite! The Allegheny River Trail is a close rival, with great scenery and chances to spot wildlife. Like waterfalls and geology? Try out the Pine Creek Rail Trail. Fantastic rock outcrops for much of the way! Ghost Town Trail will appeal to history buffs. Historic markers tell stories of old towns, blast furnaces, and more. Heritage Rail Trail, too, is full of history. Have lunch at the restored New Freedom rail depot! Lehigh gorge Trail is a 26-mile (42 km) multi-use trial from White Haven to Jim Thorpe; and is part of the much longer D & L Trail. Want to get away from it all? Perhaps Sandy Creek Trail would suit you. This path is in remote northwestern Pennsylvania, and has some terrific scenery. The Butler-Freeport Community Trail is 20 miles of riding through the woods and over bubbling creeks. Oil Creek State Park Trail might sound like something that would upset the EPA. Apparently it’s quite the contrary. Along this trail you can find fly fishing as well as cycling; or, in winter, cross-country skiing! Finally, there’s the Redbank Valley Rail Trail, the 2014 Pennsylvania Trail of the Year Award. Choose your trail; pump up your tires and fill your water bottles (or Camel-Bak); and pack your ride food. Happy riding in the Keystone State! 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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Southern Ease

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Southern Ease Southern ease sounds to me like sitting in a shady porch in a nice rocking chair; and sipping at my favorite cold drink. If that’s a little too much ease for you, South Carolina has ten easy bicycling trails that the whole family can enjoy. Swamp Rabbit Trail sounds rather like cottontails running (or do I mean hopping?) all over the place. This 13.5-mile trail is fun for cycling, walking, and jogging. And who knows? You might spot one of those long-eared critters. A funny aside: not long ago my sister told me of a joke that her brother-in-law told her: Q. What do you call a line of rabbits hopping backwards? A. A receding hare line! 😆 If the thought of all those rabbits makes you hopping mad, don’t let them become a pain in the neck. You can Bike the Neck instead. This 16-mile trail runs between the Atlantic and the Waccamaw River. If you’re a nature lover, this would be a good trail for you. For those looking for a more challenging ride, it sounds like the Ravenel Bridge might fit the bill. It says you’ll “burn some calories” getting across it. It’s less than three miles long, but is steep. Or, depending on your direction of travel, can you count on having to battle a strong headwind? That doesn’t exactly sound like southern ease to me. Or ease from anywhere. When I want some southern ease, I’ll just stay in the old rocking chair and be lazy. 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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Rhode Island

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Rhode Island How is the Ocean State of Rhode Island for cycling? It’s a very small state, to be sure, but cyclists have a number of choices. I think I’d like the Blackstone River Bike Path, as it runs along a river much of its length. Maybe I’d see some water birds other than the ones I see around here all the time. The Quonset Bike Path is 2.5 miles of entirely off-road riding; great for a family outing! I must admit, however, that 3.7 miles isn’t much more than a warm-up for me. The western two-thirds of Rhode Island are rough and hilly. That sounds like MTB territory! For riders who find flat trails much too tame, there are some mountain bike trails out there. Big River/Carr Pond has trails for all levels of riders, from beginners to experts. Burlingame State Park also has something for MTB enthusiasts of moderate ability. This Yellow Dot Trail sounds interesting. It’s open to hikers; and to snowshoeing and skiing in Winter. As always,  if you plan to be out more than an hour or so, use a Camel-Bak to be sure you have enough water. Pack along some ride food: protein bars, GU-Gels, and so on. You certainly don’t want don’t want to bonk! 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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