bicycling Archives - Page 22 of 123

Pedaling Again

Pedaling Again! 😊 I’m pedaling again! To be sure, it’s an indoor exercise bike; but my legs really need to get going again. Especially if I have ideas of participating in a cross-state ride next July! As planned, I began with a 30-minute session. I intend to do it again tomorrow, or maybe 35 minutes. I can easily fit it in before my physical therapy appointment. Sure, it’s boring — I’d far rather be outdoors on a real bicycle — but getting pedaling again is great! But not too much, too soon! Bit by bit is the way. Bit by Bit 🧩 I have to do this bit by bit. Sort of like playing Bananagrams; lay down one tile at a time. I read something somewhere about how long you need to get back up to scratch when you begin pedaling again after time off the bike. I don’t remember the source (maybe The Cyclist’s Training Bible); but you need to be especially careful if you had to miss riding due to illness or injury. The longer you were away from riding, of course, the more time you need to allow for regaining fitness. Your muscles will be weak; and your stamina will be diminished. You’ll also need to readjust to riding outdoors in the weather. Summer here hasn’t released its grip yet; but someday it will get cold! 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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Fermata

BACK ISSUES, bicycling / CAL

Fermata 𝄐 Eager though I am to plunge into RAGBRAI 2026, I’m calling a fermata. Things can wait a bit. Early registration lasts through December 31; and Pork Belly registration doesn’t open until January 1, 2026. I’d better see how things go with my recovery over the next month. By Christmas, I should have a better idea of whether I can build up to RAGBRAI; and maybe I’ll even have my new road bike by then. I plan to start working out on an exercise bike tomorrow. At first, I think I’ll “just ride” for 30 minutes. After two months off the bike, it won’t be wise to ride long; or to include hard efforts. If that goes well, I’ll start adding 10 more minutes every few days. After a few weeks, I can step up the intensity. Maybe getting to an exercise bike means that tomorrow is my lucky day? Lucky Day? But maybe today should be my lucky day. In my experience, four-leaf clovers aren’t rare; but all the same, this is the first one I’ve found in quite a while. I was out for a walk; looked down at a patch of clover; and there it was! So, how am I lucky today? My arm seems better. The weather was nice this morning, albeit the afternoon is warm for November. That’s become quite the norm, though; and as long as the tropics stay quiet, I guess we’ll just ride it out. We might get some rain by Thursday; so if I were doing real rides, that might put a fermata on my pedaling. It will take a while to readjust to riding outdoors in real weather; especially when it gets cold. We’ll see how it goes! 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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Self-Healing Roads?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling / CAL

Self-Healing Roads? 💊 Self-healing roads? Oh, I wish! I bet the ancient Romans could have built them. Check out this video between about 9:47 and 11:24. Even if we could get the volcanic ash, though, would it work? Maybe the ash available to the builders of the Colosseum happened to have the chemical composition that let it work the way that it did. Perhaps there’s no guarantee that ash from any old volcano will serve; and if all the world tried to build self-healing roads using volcanic ash, said ash might go the way of the dodo within a rather short time. Then we’d have to wait for more eruptions to get the ash; and what disruption that would wreak! Same Old Bumps 🙄 Since self-healing roads seem to be a pipe dream these days, I’ll to just ride over the same old bumps. Street surfaces in this neighborhood have been terrible for decades! I’ve been approved for Emeritus membership at the recreation center I mentioned; and I used my cell phone to take a pic of the email notification. I don’t think I’ll try to go there before Monday, though; this is Parents’ Weekend at the university; and it will probably be pretty crazy through tomorrow. But it’s great to feel like I’m getting my normal energy back. It took at least six weeks! 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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Hope for RAGBRAI?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling / CAL

Hope for RAGBRAI? 🤞 Is there hope for RAGBRAI 2026? I have my physical therapy sessions at a facility that’s on the university campus where I used to work. It’s in the same complex as the student recreation center; and I thought there might be a way I can get in there to use an exercise bike until I can get back on a real bike. There is! As someone who worked for the university for at least 25 consecutive years, I can apply for Emeritus membership! So that’s what I did. I guess I’ll hear from them next week. I understand that I pay for that membership month by month; and I might not need it past January — maybe February. So there’s hope for RAGBRAI. Better Get Going 🏃🏼‍♀️‍➡️ I’d better get going, though. I’ve lost two months already; and it’s lucky I don’t have to go to work any more. Thus I’m not time-crunched like some riders are. I don’t have to go out at 5 am to be sure I get a ride; and if it’s cold, I can wait for it to warm up a little. I hope I can get my new road bike by February. I’ve got hope for RAGBRAI; but even so, I’ll need time to adjust to the new bicycle; and I’ll want to get a proper fitting. But when I can start pedaling, I’d better keep the pace casual for a week. Yes, I’d better get going; but if I go at it too hard right away, I might do more harm than good! 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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Should I?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling / CAL

Should I? 🤔 Should I go for RAGBRAI 2026? Registration opens day after tomorrow; and if I am going to do the ride, the earlier I sign up, the better. The same goes for getting a Pork Belly tent. But should I commit myself to the ride right now? That’s taking a major chance: I’ll probably be unable to ride for at least another month; and when I can ride again, I’ll have a long way to go before I can regain decent fitness. I’m not sure I can build up the necessary strength and stamina quickly; my body doesn’t seem to work that way. There’s the financial angle, too. For a fact, RAGBRAI is expensive; and I have other big expenses coming up! Financial Angle 📐 The financial angle is important any time I start to think about a bicycle trip. There will be the plane trip up to Omaha; and lodging there before and after the bus ride to Iowa. Then, another plane flight back home. I have the sleeping bag and pad from last year, so I’d be spared that expense; but I have to buy a new road bike. Add to that upcoming oral surgery; and no wonder I’m asking, should I sign up for the ride. I might not, after those expenses, want to splurge on RAGBRAI. Oh, yeah, if I do shoot for RAGBRAI 2026, I’ll want a sixty-liter duffle bag. A pair of 40-liter bags this past RAGBRAI was barely enough! 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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Reach Out

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Personal Care / CAL

Reach Out 🫱🏼 I can reach out more now! Today the physical therapist extended the splint; and I can extend my arm farther. I’m looking forward to being rid of that thing. Even though I can reach out more, using my left hand is awkward. My arm gets tired quickly because the splint is not weightless. For that reason, I’ve developed the habit of keeping my elbow flexed and the arm close to my body. Thank goodness I’m no longer worried about how I’ll manage if a hurricane heads our way. Evacuation would be enough of a hassle even if I didn’t have an arm out of commission! I just hope we don’t get a late-season storm. Late Season 🍁 A late season hurricane isn’t impossible; but the tropics are expected to remain quiet during the coming week. So we can relax for a bit! And I’m waiting to be able to ride again. How well must I be able to reach out before I’m able to manage the steering? I don’t ride with my arms fully extended; the elbows are supposed to have some bend in them. If your arms are straight and rigid on the bike, steering will be a lot harder; and you also will have a harder time if you hit a bumpy patch in the road. When I’m out of the splint, I have to get back some arm strength, too; but I don’t know how soon I may add a bit of weight to my therapy exercises. The scar area still doesn’t take well to weight! 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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October!

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors / CAL

October! 🎃 I wonder what Minnesota looks like in late October! Today really feels like October — now that October is near its end. It was only 59 degrees this morning; and the wind was strong enough that there was a wind advisory. Sometimes I reflect on those days of RAGBRAI; and the towns along the route. Is Brown Park coated in frost now? Is the photo-op tractor in Fairbank getting snowed on? Come to think of it, I suppose it’s been moved into a barn or garage. Or maybe covered by tarpaulins. Keep Warm ♨️ So now I’ve got to keep warm. It won’t be quite cold enough for hand warmers tomorrow; but 53 degrees is pretty darned chilly as far as I’m concerned. I want to go for a walk in the morning. How do I keep warm when that splint makes sleeves a problem? Maybe wear an arm warmer under the splint; and leave the arm inside the jacket? I’ll definitely need a head cover! The older I get, the more sensitive to cold my noggin becomes. Cooking would help keep my kitchen warm; but this activity is still a problem. I don’t seem quite ready for heavy-duty vegetable chopping; and the splint weighs down my arm. I hope I’m back up to it soon! 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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Cartwheel?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling / CAL

Cartwheel?🤸🏼 Cartwheel? This looks like the remains of a very decrepit wheelbarrow; and it could use some wheel lights to brighten it up. It looks like Hurricane Melissa is going to do a cartwheel. Her direction has changed to WNW; and she’s expected to veer towards the Northeast. Melissa has become a monster; I don’t know how big she is, but any Cat 5 storm is a monster. On top of that, Melissa is a slowpoke, which gives her more time to intensify. I’m glad we’re out of reach of that hurricane! Out of Reach 🤜🏼 Yes, we’re out of reach of Melissa — for now. But over the last few days, her behavior has been erratic; and I, for one, don’t trust her to take the predicted path. Riding is still out of reach for me. It’s getting very tiresome. How long will it be before my arm can extend itself properly; and how quickly will it regain strength? When I can get back on the bike, will the action of holding the handlebars/steering prove good therapy? I’ve got to ask the therapist about that. Would kitchen work, i.e. chopping veggies, be good rherapy? Last time I tried it, it still made my left elbow ache; and strained the incision. But I’m getting weary of microwave meals! 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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Wrong Way

BACK ISSUES, bicycling / CAL

Wrong Way 🔙 Sometimes things rub me the wrong way — literally. The hinge on my arm brace rubs against the outer side of my elbow; and I’m very tired of it. I’m tired of the brace, too, of course. I remove it to do the physical therapy exercises, and to shower; otherwise, I’m still stuck with the dratted thing. Incidentally, I hope I’m not doing the exercises the wrong way. That would do more harm than good; but I have another PT session soon. Then I can get any concerns addressed. Meanwhile, I have to watch those tropics. I hope it won’t come to an attack by a hurricane. But that system that’s approaching the Caribbean has strengthened somewhat; so we can’t afford to ignore it. Those Tropics! 🌀 Those tropics are a nuisance; and they have us all keeping watch from June through November. By the way, it would be great if Iconic Protein Drink could give me the power of a tropical storm! When I’m finally back on the bike, that is. The thought of a hurricane is another thing that rubs me the wrong way. The preparations are a nuisance even when I don’t have one arm out of action. And every time I think my ribs are better, I find out that maybe they aren’t. So I hope that those tropics simmer down. 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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How Soon?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Personal Care / CAL

How Soon? 🕰️ Of course I’m wondering how soon I might ride again. Before I left the hospital, I thought they said, five weeks; but I suspect it will be longer than that. Yesterday I got the surgical dressings off. I may take the brace off to shower; and it was wonderful to be able to wash my hair. I wasn’t like being at a spa; but it still felt good. I’m now allowed to walk to my heart’s content. I hope I feel more energetic tomorrow; but the sheer difficulty of finding a comfortable position in bed makes sleep very difficult. No wonder I’m sort of spacey. I’ll soon be starting some physical therapy; a home health care person is coming in a few hours to give me an evaluation. Physical Therapy 💪 Once I’ve had the physical therapy evaluation, I might have a better idea of how soon I may ride again. I hope it’s not too long! When I get the green light to ride, I’ll start with the hybrid. It might be some time before I get a new road bike. The poor road bike that I had can’t be salvaged. You should have seen the wheels — some spokes gone; and others sticking out at weird angles. The front fork had been damaged, too; and the frame might have sustained damage that doesn’t show externally. That can happen with carbon fiber; and they say you should never ride on a cracked frame. It might fail drastically at any time. Then you could be in a situation that no physical therapy can fix. 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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