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bicycling

Bluegrass

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Bluegrass BLUEgrass? I always thought grass was green! Kentucky is known for bluegrass; and for racehorses. But horses aren’t the only things there with saddles! The Commonwealth is supposed to be great for cycling tours; or for cycling in general. Cycling advocacy groups and clubs are abundant. Six hundred miles of the TransAmerica Bicycle Trail run through the state, with plenty to see and do. How about Mammoth Cave? Visit the cave, the longest known cave system in the world. Try out some of the park’s biking trails. Roadies may ride paved roads that are open to the public. Unpaved administrative roads are open to MTB riders. If distilleries are you cup of, er, tea, follow the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. You’ll get to tour a horse racetrack; spend a night in Shaker Village; visit some of the country’s best whiskey-makers; and even try a sample or two. The fifth and final day includes a visit to the horse farm that produced more than one Triple Crown winner! For horse lovers, there’s the Horsey Hundred ride. This scenic and challenging century rolls through the beautiful Bluegrass region. In Kentucky, there’s terrain varying from the swampy lowlands of the southeastern part of the state; to rolling hills; to the Appalachian Mountains. It sounds wonderful. Maybe I should consider living there? And, of course, cycling there! 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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Taiwan

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Taiwan   Taiwan, aka Formosa, offers a lot for cyclists. The “Huan dao” route circles the entire island; and takes 9-12 days. Road signs and road markings help you stay on track. If you love lakes, the Sun Moon Lake Full Cycle Loop. This route takes about seven hours to complete; and there are temples and other things to explore along the way.    For a bigger adventure, there’s the Bicycle Adventures tour of the island. Over eleven days, ride alongside the eastern coast; and test your mettle pedaling through Taroko Gorge. (Or get a boost from an e-bike if necessary!) See rice paddies and aboriginal villages; visit temples and meet some of the local folk. Along the way, enjoy the local cuisine. This tour is well-supported; all you have to do is ride. When planning a bicycle tour, don’t forget to check its difficulty. You don’t want your longed-for trip to turn into The Bicycle Ride from H*** if it turns out to be too hard for you. Naturally, choose the right bike. If  I were going on such a tour, and didn’t have the luxury of a support vehicle, I’d probably want a touring bike, complete with rack, panniers, etc. If there were such a SAG wagon to back up the group, I could use my road bike. Taiwan might not be on everybody’s radar; but that could be a good reason to do a cycling tour there. You know, go now and beat the crowd.   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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Kettle Moraine

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Kettle Moraine Huh? Kettle moraine? What kind of cookware is that? Actually, the Kettle Moraine is a geological formation in the State of Wisconsin. If you’re a mountain-biking enthusiast, it has possibilities for you! The trails range in difficulty from easy to difficult. Try the Brown Loop for an easy ride, 1.25 miles of mostly flat trails. At the opposite end of the spectrum is the Blue Loop; 12 miles of trail with hard climbs and at least one very rocky section.  On my road bike, 12 miles is nothing as far as distance is concerned. But that climbing would do me in! I’ll happily stick to flatter trails. If your tastes don’t lean towards cycling, Kettle Moraine also offers camping. The Pinewoods Campground, in the Southern Unit, sounds wonderful: a 24-hour quiet zone! It’s so hard these days to find real quiet. Ottawa Lake sounds good too; it has special provisions for campers who have disabilities. Whitewater Lake? Maybe not after a long day’s cycling. Not with no showers on hand! The Northern Unit, too, has some great sites. Mauthe Lake and Long Lake both have access for people with disabilities. Greenbush is open to group campers up to 40 persons; New Prospect is for horse riders. Kettle Moraine offers a lot of variety; but “kettle” still sounds like cooking to me. 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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Wet and Wild

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Wet and Wild Singin’ in the Rain? (With apologies to Gene Kelly) Wet and Wild — not! As expected, it was raining this morning. The temperature was in the low 60s. It wasn’t raining particularly hard; but it still wouldn’t have been pleasant for a bicycle ride. So I’m glad I rode yesterday. No alarm clock this morning! I was very tired, and didn’t even get up until 9 am; very late for me. As I wasn’t trying to get out the door and onto the saddle, I did other things that too often get pushed aside. Cooking, for instance; although nothing à la Feed Zone. I made what I call “squashed sauce”; chopped squash (zucchini today), onions, and garlic cooked in canned tomatoes. I also threw in about a cupful of red enchilada sauce that I had in the fridge, and that needed to be used up. While the sauce was cooking, I washed out my new cycling shorts and a pair of leg warmers. After that I had to sally forth to pick up a refill from the drug store. I would have liked to ride the hybrid over there, just to get some movement into my legs; but the strip mall where the store is located is situated between two streets that flood when it rains. Thus I walked to the store. Sure enough, both streets were awash. Now, at 1 pm, the rain seems to be over. It’s still overcast, though, so I can’t be certain. There isn’t much wind, so it’s not exactly wet and wild, is it?

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Skyline DRIVE?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Skyline DRIVE? Skyline Drive runs the length of Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. I remember we went over at least part of it on one of our Summer road trips when I was a kid. We stopped to look down into the Shenandoah Valley. I took a photo of it, which is probably still around here somewhere. Looking at it, I always thought of the song. Oh, and how’s this for a memory? For the first time, we saw a live skunk. Isn’t a shame that the skunk has such an unsavory reputation? It’s really a pretty animal. This one was ambling along near the road; heading home to sleep the day away, I suppose. Enough about driving now. How would it be if we could leave the car behind and bicycle that route? It’s not the easiest road, and isn’t for the beginning cyclist. Neither would it be a good choice for a cyclist whose climbing legs aren’t so good (here’s looking at me!). Taken from North to South, the route is 105 miles; and there is almost 15,000 feet of elevation gain, including 19 categorized climbs. To balance this out, there are numerous scenic overlooks; remember to take along the camera and get some great shots. Take from South to North, this road “has another jagged profile”. With all that climbing to do, a compact crank setis recommended. Be sure to bring along sufficient hydration and fuel. You might even want to split the distance into two days. If I were crazy enough to try a bicycle ride with so much climbing, I might need three or four days! Finally, check the weather ahead of time. Skyline Drive might close during bad weather. But if you have fair weather, enjoy pedaling your way through the Blue Ridge Mountains! 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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With Hoe and Spade?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

With Hoe and Spade? Why with hoe and spade? New Jersey is the Garden State, that’s why! New Jersey, like so many states, has some beautiful countryside. Why not see it from the saddle of a bicycle? A variety of tours are available; among them Farm to Table tours. I think it would be interesting to visit a small-scale farm, and see how they do things; sort of how-does-your-garden-grow. How is the soil prepared for planting in the first place? How do they decide what crops to plant; and when? Do they practice crop rotation? What do they do to minimize use of toxic pest control agents? I might even get some good ideas in case I can one day have a garden of my own. For would-be gardeners out there, wouldn’t it be neat if you could hook up your bike to a rototiller? You could prepare the soil for planting without burning fossil fuel; and get some good exercise into the bargain! The catch is, how does one keep the rows straight? I bet I, for one, would have some difficulty riding in a straight line. I couldn’t do much with hoe and spade to correct those crooked rows. I guess the tomatoes and kale wouldn’t care, but it wouldn’t satisfy aesthetics. Anyway, let’s get ready to roll through New Jersey; and when we’re ready for a break, we can enjoy taking our ease in some country gardens. 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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At Bay?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

At Bay? “At bay” sounds like a hunter’s quarry that’s been cornered by the dogs. We can twist the meaning to say, “on a body of water”. How about a self-guided bicycle tour of Connecticut’s coastal villages? You’ll be at the water’s edge; that is to say, “at bay”. The web site cyclenewengland dot com (alas, not secure) offers tours lasting from three to 10 days. There’s the six-day one described below. I think I’d enjoy the maritime exhibits at Mystic Seaport. Stonington village has a lighthouse museum; I bet I’d enjoy seeing that, too. Bluff Point State Park is another highlight. This nature preserve has abundant opportunities for recreation. An optional loop allows you to visit Groton, where the Submarine Force museum is located. A shuttle ride takes you to visit Conanicut Island and Jamestown, where you can ride alongside the rocky coastline. At day’s end, the shuttle takes  you to Providence. Next day you can take a ride to Colt State Park, enjoying several views of Narragansett Bay along the way. The final day’s loop will let you visit Slater Mill, where the American Industrial Revolution was born. Sounds good for the history buff. Daily routes vary from 13-53 miles. Most of the routes are easy to moderate. Bringing your own bike is recommended; preferably one that allows a comfortable riding position. Weather is always changing, so bring clothing that will allow layering. New England is one part of the USA that I haven’t visited. I think this would be a great way to do it — but it would be a VERY long ride to get up there! 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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Soggy Ride

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Soggy Ride A soggy ride or no ride was the choice this morning. At 8:00 am it was gray and drizzly. According to the forecast, it was going to rain all day. The temperature was 53 degrees. To be honest, I really did not want to go riding in such conditions. But lately I simply have not been getting enough riding; so I prodded myself to get ready to go. I filled my Camel-Bak. I pulled on leg warmers; and put on four layers “up above”. With the rain, I figured I’d need them. I donned the skull cap. Once outdoors and riding, I quickly wished I had two layers on my legs; not one. Naturally there were puddles to ride through; and it wasn’t long before my feet were wet and cold. I doubt that double socks would have helped. Despite my having FOUR layers on my upper body, I was soon damp and cold. Pedaling at a higher intensity might have warmed me up a little. The question is whether I could have maintained that intensity for more than a short while. If not, I would soon have been just as cold again; and possibly colder. I had thought of going about 9.5 miles from home before returning. Thanks to my feeling chilled, I turned around at about 6.3 miles. I’m glad that at least the wind wasn’t bad today, or it would have felt even more frigid! I got home wet; but at least I did get in some miles. That’s something to feel good about, even though it was a soggy ride.

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Korea

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Korea Korea is one of many countries that don’t readily spring to my mind for cycling trips abroad; perhaps because of what we hear about North Korea. It certainly discourages me from trying to go there. South Korea, on the other hand, has its possibilities. By the way, how did I start thinking about cycling trips there? Wouldn’t you know: hot dogs! A tikka masala variation using hoisin sauce. The cycling infrastructure in South Korea is said to be great; the trails have a variety of difficulty; beautiful scenery; amazing food; camping is easy to find; the people are wonderful. The weather during the Winter months can be very harsh; if you aren’t a dedicated cold-weather cyclist, you might not want to plan a trip through Korea for that season. It also might not be easy to find speakers of English outside of the capital city. Leaving that aside, choose your route. I love the pic shown of the Four Rivers Trail in Fall; those leaves are positively glowing. Even better, multiple lanes just for bicycles! For novice bicycle tourists, the Han River Trail would be great for a one-day trip. Nice and flat; and all paved. But this route is busy, so stay alert to other riders. The Jeju Bike Path is a good one for cyclists who would like to combine an easy ride with some beachcombing. This trail is mostly flat, and has some great scenic spots along the way. The East Coast Cycling Route is moderately difficult, and you’re on the coast all the way. Sometimes you’ll have the ocean on one side, and mountains on the other. The path is sometimes flat, and sometimes there are long climbs; but paved all the way. For the touring cyclist looking for a challenge, there’s the Chilbongsang Trail. This path is dirt and rocks; sounds like something better suited to a mountain bike than a road bike! It also is not intended for beginners. But make it to the top, and your reward is a panoramic view of the countryside. Except for that fifth route, I think I’d like any of them. Should I save my pennies towards a trip to South Korea? 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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Alla Polacca

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Alla Polacca Alla polacca? Why not? Let’s get off those bikes for a little while and dance! Then, let’s start pedaling through Poland. Which route would I choose? There are many factors to consider when planning any bicycle trip: how much time you have; how far your money can go (of course!); your fitness level; whether you enjoy climbing or want to stick to less challenging terrain. The Baltic coast route looks like a good choice for me; it’s one of the flatter routes. I’m always harping on my lack of climbing prowess. The Central Europe Route would be a good choice for those interested in European history. It’s 5000+ kilometers of diversity! The Iron Curtain Trail, as its name indicates, follows the path of the former Iron Curtain. You’ll ride through 20 countries; and enjoy mountains; vinyards; and seaports. The Capitals Route sounds good: “attractive landscapes” and national parks.  The East Europe Route gets hilly towards the end. How well I could handle that depends on how long and steep the hills are; and how frequently they appear! Finally, the Baltic Sea Cycle Route follows Poland’s northern coast, and in fact overlaps the Iron Curtain Trail. I think the old cities would be interesting to visit. So there you are: alla polacca. Six possible bicycle trips through Poland; fueled, perhaps, by pierogi! 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 Tire Saver July 16, 2026 Marvelous Twenty July 15, 2026 Back to Square One July 14, 2026 In Order July 13, 2026 Load More TRANSLATOR

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