SpokEasy

SpokEasy

bicycling

Owlish?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Training /

Owlish? 🦉 I got owlish today. “Wise as an owl,” the old saying goes; and sometimes we have to emulate that owl. Sunday is typically long-ride day; and I was tempted to push for 50 miles. But I did little riding during this past week; and I had a feeling that it would make more sense to do a shorter ride. So I turned around at a point about 19 miles from home. Maybe that was just as well; because about 4 miles before I got home, a spot near my left knee began to feel strained. That’s not a signal to be ignored; and I don’t want to do anything tht will force me off the bike! I had been riding on the small ring, using a rapid cadence; and I figured it was a good idea to slow the cadence. Gotta be owlish sometimes! I hope to make it to 5000 miles for 2018, road bike plus hybrid. I’ll need to total about 91 miles per week to meet that goal. It looks like the weather during the coming few days will be better than that of this past week, thank goodness. It feels like November now, not February, which will make it a little easier to get out there and ride. And who-o-o knows? I just might hear an owl!  

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Long Ride Prep Time

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Long Ride Prep Time So many roads; so little time! It’s long ride prep time: Saturday evening, and time to start getting things ready tomorrow! Long ride prep time means I’ve put my electrolyte drink in the fridge to chill, and prepared my recovery drink. I’ve chosen my ride food for tomorrow, and plan to try a new one: pitted dates! As to the Camel-Bak, I like to wait until just before the ride to fill the reservoir, in case it should leak. I also pack a cable lock in the Camel-Bak’s pocket, in case I have to make a stop at a store. The weather forecast looks good. It’s gotten warmer again, but it will be clear, and the wind not too bad. Nine mph is still more than I really like, though! When I look at a pic that shows a view like the one above, I wish I had such a route to ride. I could use some occasional variation from the MRT. The catch is, is this route hilly? This sure looks like a downslope; and if what goes up must come down, then the road that goes down must surely go back up!

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GEORGIA on My Mind?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Georgia on My Mind? Why would I have Georgia on my mind? Some years ago, I began using a program called Google Analytics; abbreviated as GA. When I see that, however, the first thing I think of is the postal code for the state of Georgia. We visited Georgia when I was about 12 or 13. I know we were at Stone Mountain. It’s so long ago that I remember very little of it; only that we were there. When I was in high school, there was always a radio blaring on the school bus. That must be where I heard a song that had something in it about Georgia on My Mind. In fact, those words are the only thing I can remember of the song. The reception for the radio on that bus apparently wasn’t the best, because it usually was hard to understand the lyrics of any song. Not to mention that there was also the constant talking of a busload of kids. But how about bicycle rides in Georgia? I’ve heard of the Six Gap Ride. That’s beyond my capabilities, for sure! I don’t even have a mountain bike. Even that shorter Three Gap is more than I can mange, I would guess. Trying to train for such a ride when I live in flat country would mean going out and pushing hard in a very hard gear, working up to doing it for … who knows how long? Ten minutes? Twenty?? Oh, my aching legs! 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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Katy Trail

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Katy Trail The Katy Trail first came to my attention in early 2013. A then co-worker, who was originally from Missouri, told me about this route. He had ridden it twice. (I don’t know whether this pic is really the Katy Trail, but it looks nice). It sounded wonderful. There’s an annual organized group bicycle ride that covers the entire length of the trail. The route alternates between East to West one year; and the opposite direction the next. The Katy is one of the Rails to Trails paths, following a former railroad route. I hear that those routes are almost flat, having at most a very slight grade. That’s good news for a spoiled flatlander like me! For the history buff, more than half the Katy follows the route of the Lewis and Clark expedition along the Missouri River. I was considering going for the Katy Trail group ride. Unfortunately this would have meant getting to the trailhead to begin with. I don’t own a car; and transporting a bicycle by air wouldn’t have been so cheap. I was reluctant to bother somebody to drive me up there. It would’ve meant finding a way to borrow (or — gulp! — buy) camping equipment such as tent and sleeping bag if I don’t want to pay for provided accommodations. If I bought those things, where would I store them? Would I ever use them again? The more I thought about doing the Katy Trail, the more I realized that I could spend several thousand dollars on something that would last about two weeks. That put rather a damper on my enthusiasm; and I decided that I’d be better off spending that money on a road bike. I’ve never regretted the decision; but the Katy Trail is still on my bucket list! 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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