bicycling Archives - Page 22 of 126

Tutu?

Tutu? 🩰 What on earth made me think of a tutu? I’ve never been a dancer; and I haven’t been to a ballet performance in many years. Call it word association. At physical therapy this morning, the therapist measured my elbow extension; and my elbow flex. Both are only two degrees away from normal; and he said, “Two and two.” I suppose it’s natural that I thought of a tutu! Any form of dance means getting exercise; and I sure need that! I doesn’t have to mean donning a tutu; you can have a great time dancing around on the beach, or in the park. Exercise 🚴🏿 I need more exercise than I’ve been getting, though. Today I didn’t ride until at least 2 pm; and I cut it short because the sky looked so threatening. It was actually beginning to mist/drizzle a bit; and the wind was strong. I decided to head home before conditions got bad — and as it turned out, I needn’t have! Thus I didn’t get much exercise today. Tomorrow looks iffy; and I haven’t decided whether to make the trip to the salvage store. I’ll probably wait until tomorrow morning to decide, when I can check the weather forecast again. At present, the forecast indicates a slight chance of T-storms tomorrow morning. If it’s pouring, I think I’ll stay home! 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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Happy 2026

BACK ISSUES, bicycling / CAL

HAPPY 2026! 🎆 Happy 2026! It’s hard to believe the New Year is here already; and it comes faster and faster. Today I rode again, after skipping two days. I tried riding a few miles per hour faster for one minute at a time; and it seemed hard. That’s what happens when you get out of shape! How about my cycling plans for for this year? I don’t know yet; “Happy 2026” doesn’t magically make any such blueprint. Blueprint ✏️ Hey, how can I make a blueprint when I don’t have a blue pencil? It’s hard to devise a training plan when I don’t even have a specific event to train for, anyhow. RAGBRAI, you might say. Right after last year’s event, I was seriously considering RAGBRAI 2026. Then came last September’s accident. I was off the bike for three months; and now I’m less sure that I’ll be able to train adequately. I’m not yet back up to riding 12-mile days; and RAGBRAI might mean average daily distances up to 70 miles. Even if I don’t do RAGBRAI, maybe I can work up to a century when I have a road bike again? Riding 100 miles in a day gets very tough when I have to battle the wind all day; and that’s apt to happen when I’m up on top of the levee. I don’t have to make a blueprint right away; but having some kind of plan doesn’t hurt. 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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Silvesterabend

BACK ISSUES, bicycling / CAL

Silvesterabend 🎆 Here it is already — Silvesterabend. What happened to 2025? Today I rode again; and I need to watch my posture. My lower back feels rather sore; and that usually means that I’m arching backwards as I ride. And also when I’m merely sitting around at home. I’ve got to correct that pronto! So, what to do on New Year’s Eve? I made sure to finish any errands by mid-afternoon; sometimes folks start shooting off firecrackers as early as 3 pm! I call that jumping the gun on Silvesterabend; but all the same, I’ve got to think about what I’ll do next year.. Next Year 🎉 It feels funny to think that next year is tomorrow. How about plans for next year? Maybe the jauntiness of 12th Street Rag will jostle my brain. A big item for 2026 is rebuilding my fitness. Another is to get my eating habits back into line! But I’d better not try to work on too many things, or I won’t work on any of them. How about RAGBRAI 2026? I think it might be better to sit out this year’s event; I don’t even have a new road bike yet. I’ll see how things go over the next few months. I don’t want to start trying rides longer than 12 miles before I’ve gotten a Camel-Bak; and when I do get one, I’ll have to readjust to riding with that load on my back. That will take at leas a few weeks. Oh, well. I’ll think about it next year! 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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Exaggerated Caution?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors / CAL

Exaggerated Caution? ⚠️ Maybe my decision to skip riding today was exaggerated caution. The wind didn’t get really strong until about midday; and it was tiresome staying indoors so much. Tomorrow the wind won’t be quite as strong; but it’s going to be colder. I have both physical therapy and a follow-up with the oral surgeon; so I won’t get a chance to ride until afternoon. Even if I don’t ride, I’ll get in some walking; and the movement should help me to keep warm. Keep Warm ♨️ Another way to keep warm is to wear lots of layers. That’s one of the things about cold weather that annoys me. When I’m doing a long ride on a cold day, what do I do if I start to feel a bit overheated? My Camel-Bak pockets don’t have room for storing layers, once I’ve stowed a cable lock; a tube of Chamois Butt’r; and so on. About all I can do is to open the zippers on my jackets. I’m glad, though, that it’s not going down to freezing tonight. My pipes are wrapped; an exaggerated caution, perhaps; but if we do get a cold snap later, I’m prepared! 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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Kicking Up

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors / CAL

Kicking Up 🏈 Things are kicking up; and I don’t mean football. (Or, as my father used to call it, “feetsball”). Our weather is as crazy as ever; it reached 80 degrees today. The wind is kicking up, too. It’s become stronger than it was this morning; and stiffer breezes are on the way. Tomorrow, wind gusts could be as strong as 40 mph; a good reason to take a day off from cycling. Today my legs felt rather stiff and tired; but with the forecast in mind, I decided to go for a ride this morning. It’s supposed to get cooler, too; down to about 50 degrees tonight; and into the upper 30s tomorrow night. It won’t be fun walking to physical therapy Tuesday morning! The wind will still be going strong. There’s even a Special Weather Statement about enhanced fire risk. We’ve got a combination of high winds and low humidity levels; and there hasn’t been much rain lately. Going Strong 💪 The wind will be going strong; but I’m not, yet. I don’t quite dare to push myself hard for the time being. If riding 10+ miles yesterday made my legs feel stiff today, trying to force myself through 20 miles is not a wise move. But I hope it won’t be long before I’m going strong. I really need to get back into shape; and lose the weight I’ve gained during my time off the bike! 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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My Own Power

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Training / CAL

My Own Power ⚡️ Today I got to the salvage store under my own power! It’s great to be riding again. This was another very foggy morning; and unfortunately I’ve been having trouble getting my tail light charged up. In dense fog, I need a tail light as well as a headlight. And I’m so glad I have anti-fog wipes for my glasses! Even after using one on my glasses and rearview mirror, visibility was a bit of a problem. The forecast is foggy again; but I plan to ride, anyway. Now that I can get around under my own power, I want to work at rebuilding my fitness — both on and off the bike. Rebuilding My Fitness 💪 Rebuilding my fitness won’t be any quick-and-easy fix, though. It won’t be easy getting myself back into the off-bike fitness routine after more than three months away from it. I’ve started by doing a few exercises; and I’ll work up to 15 or so reps. No push-ups yet; I’m not sure my left elbow can take it. Today my legs felt a little stiff while riding; and I don’t dare try to ride 20 miles yet. Today I put in almost 11 miles; and in a day or two, I’ll push for 12 miles or so. Soon I’ll have to bundle up to ride. Monday night it’s supposed to fall to 36 degrees; and as far as I’m concerned, that’s cold! The wind will be strong; and that only makes it feel colder! Rebuilding my fitness in the teeth of a cold and powerful headwind isn’t my idea of fun. 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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Hello Old Friend

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors / CAL

Hello Old Friend 👋 Today I could say, Hello, old friend. For the first time since the accident, I went up on top of the levee to ride. It was good to see the river and the bike path again! The ride went well; and I think I’ll try a ride to the salvage store tomorrow. The round trip is only a little over 11 miles; and in the past week, I’ve done 10+ miles with no trouble. It didn’t feel like late December, though. Seventy-seven degrees! The sky looks more like June; and the wind feels summery. It’s become quite cloudy, too; but at least the overcast helps keep the temperature down. I’m riding the hybrid for now; I’m not sure my arm is ready for a road bike quite yet. But things are looking up! It’s great to get on the levee and say, hello old friend. June? ☀️ If it feels like June today, what will it be like six months from now? Are we going to get any real Winter? We do have some cold weather on the way; but now long will it stick around? Tonight it will be foggy again; and it’s getting tiresome. I’m glad I don’t need to head for the salvage store at 6:00 am! But even though it will be foggy, rain isn’t expected before Sunday night. Speaking of June, I hope I’m back in shape by then; less because I have any plans for bicycle touring than because I’m not enjoying being out of condition! 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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Gearing Up

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors, Training / CAL

Gearing Up ⛭ Now it’s really time to be gearing up for Christmas; and it’s an especially good time for chocolate! I admit, though, that the weather doesn’t feel at all seasonal. I hope Rudolph is around; Santa will need him tonight! Yesterday I skipped riding, because I had oral surgery. Today I rode over to the park and did four laps. I really need the exercise. I want to ride tomorrow; but I’ll have to be prepared for a lot of kids-on-new-bikes traffic. It can be quite busy in that respect at 6:00 am on Christmas. I’m gearing up to ride more; but I’m afraid RAGBRAI may be out of reach this time. I’m dreadfully out of shape! Out of Shape 😒 I’m out of shape; and, like Queen Victoria, I’m not amused. I’m happy that I can ride again; but do I ever feel the lack of riding over the last few months! It’s not just my legs that have gone flabby; my core has lost a lot of conditioning, too. I can manage a crank-plank position on my right arm; but my left arm isn’t ready for it yet. But I can do curls; bridge; and leg raiser exercises. I also need to get back to doing flexibility exercises. I’ve gotten stiff; that’s what being out of shape does to you! 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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Up and Down

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors / CAL

Up and Down 📉 Up and down goes the temperature. It’s still acting like Spring rather than Winter; but come Sunday night, the low temperature is predicted to be 48 degrees. Maybe it’s this unseasonal warmth that prompted me to watch a YouTube about Hurricane Camille. One of my memories of the storm is, we went outside for a few minutes, after dark. My father pointed out the way the treetops were tossing around in an almost circular motion. The next morning, there was a piece of a sycamore treetop on our front lawn. Maybe these up and down temperature swings explain all the fog we’re getting lately. And could it be why my nose is runny? I hope I can ride tomorrow. Today I had to skip it because of the oral surgery; it’s not sensible to ride a bicycle when a wave of sedative-hangover might suddenly overtake you! Sedative Hangover 😴 A sedative hangover can be a major nuisance. Mine didn’t seem to be a big deal; maybe because the sedation used didn’t put me completely to sleep. I’m surprised that taking a dose of the pain medication prescribed for me, didn’t make me drowsy! What bothered me most was the post-surgical numbness at the left corner of my mouth. It didn’t start to wear off until a good eight hours after the procedure! For today, I needed to avoid chewing; and it showed me how much I take for granted being able to chew! I couldn’t absentmindedly grab a handful of nuts and start munching; and raw carrots were out of the question. Tomorrow morning, maybe I’ll mix rolled oats with yogurt and frozen blueberries — or maybe I’ll fix a hard-boiled egg. I want some protein for a ride; and I hope the fog won’t be too bad! And I’m glad I won’t have an up and down route. 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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Where’s Rudolph?

1 Comment / BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors / CAL

Where’s Rudolph? 🦌 Where’s Rudolph? It looks like Santa will need him in these parts. Our forecast predicts fog! Right now it’s overcast; but I don’t know whether it will rain or not. It doesn’t look like “mostly sunny” to me. So shall I go for a ride, or not? If I do, maybe I can be on the lookout for that reindeer. Then, when it gets foggy, we won’t be asking, Where’s Rudolph? I’m still in physical therapy; and I don’t know how much longer it will continue. It’s something of a drag; I get rather tired of hiking a mile to each session. But it’s helped a lot! After today’s session, I had errands to run; and when I got home, it was lunchtime. I haven’t been out on the bike yet; and for a fact I’m rather tired. Shall I skip it today? Skip It? 😩 I can’t quite decide whether to ride; or to skip it. Yes, I’m a little tired; and I won’t be able to ride tomorrow; but do I ever need the exercise! Another reason for me to stay home is, I already got too much sun exposure today. I forgot to take my sunblock with me when I went to physical therapy; and running errands had me outdoors quite a long time. So maybe I’ll skip it. 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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