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Heat of the Day

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Heat of the Day ☀️ Is it really a good idea to go out in the heat of the day? I try to avoid it; but today I had a 10:00 am appointment. For almost two months, I seem to keep getting colds; and I wanted to consult with my primary-care physician about it. Of course I don’t want to get too sweaty and stinky before visiting any doctor; so I skipped riding this morning. The doctor thinks this is could be an allergy problem; and he’s having me use a nasal spray along with an oral medication. I hope it helps! But did I have an allergic reaction to all that corn in Iowa? By early afternoon, the lack of activity was getting to me; so I went out in the heat of the day. I used the Camel-Bak, and took along electrolyte drink. I also kept it short and easy, just over 11 miles; and I rode in the park, where I can get some shade. Get Some Shade 👒 We all want to get some shade; especially in the heat of the day. A Tontron Helmet Visor  can provide more shade than a regular helmet visor; but I have reservations about using one. It looks to me like the Tontron would create a lot of resistance in a headwind! Today I rode the hybrid; and mostly in low gear. I’m still working on my pedaling mechanics; and am at the aggravating stage where neither the old way nor the new way feels quite right. But I’m not training up for anything big at present; so I can afford to take my time. 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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Shorter but not Cooler

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Shorter but Not Cooler ♨️ Our days are now shorter; but not cooler. At least, not by more than a few degrees. I still very much need the Camel-Bak for rides over a few miles; and I need to take electrolyte drink along. We’ve actually had a few consecutive days without a heat advisory; and that’s a relief. Even so, I try to ride early. We still have many daylight hours, even though the days are shorter (but not cooler!) Continuing heat and humidity means we’re still nervous about possible hurricanes. That won’t end for about three months! Still Nervous 😟 Of course I’m still nervous about what the tropics might do. Tropical Storm Fernand is heading for nowhere; but today I saw an online article that said the Gulf might start to fire up soon. So shorter-but-not- cooler days won’t help inhibit storm formation! I’m still not back up to my regular mileage; and if tropical storm conditions become  a threat, I’ll miss even more riding. Unfortunately I just don’t feel quite right; so it’s probably wise not to ride too long and/or hard. I see the doctor tomorrow; and I hope we can figure out what’s going on. 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 ✍🏻 Shorter but not Cooler August 26, 2025 Empty Again August 25, 2025 Cooling Trend? August 24, 2025 Not So Fast August 22, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Empty Again

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Empty Again 🫙 Here it is, blogging time; and I’m empty again. 🙄  That drives me crazy. Maybe all those posts about RAGBRAI left me drained. It doesn’t help that I seem to keep getting colds, which saps my energy. I see my doctor day after tomorrow; and I hope we can figure out what’s going on. Today I took off from bikes; and I hope I’m not “empty” again when I ride tomorrow. If only I had the energy and stamina of the kids in this video! Would a good dose of peanut butter help? Peanut Butter 🥜 Sometimes I wish I could take peanut butter along on the bike. It would be a nice change from all those bars and gels. I must try it some time. Maybe “PB” would be good fuel for hard efforts! For now I’m letting hard efforts go. I don’t need to plunge into intense work too soon; I’d wind up feeling empty again, especially as I’m not feeling quite up to par. I don’t think it’s the heat. I’ve ridden in hot weather for months; and I go out pretty early in the day, usually by 7:30 am. I hydrate and use a cooling towel. Did all that corn in Iowa do something 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 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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Cooling Trend?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Cooling Trend? 🥶 Have we got a cooling trend? At noon, it was only 91 degrees; and the heat index was below 100! That’s not as hot as it’s been; and any cooling is welcome. It’s more comfortable to ride when the heat lets up a little; but real Fall is at least a month away. I have to create my own cooling trend by wearing a cooling rag. I don’t know how I got along before I had it! Thinking of  “cooling trend” makes my thoughts turn to Winter. Who know what might happen: will we have a freak snowfall? Will it be 30 degrees one day; and reach 80 degrees the next? Is weather everywhere as variable and unpredictable as ours? In a way, things are much easier during Summer: we know it will be hot! Winter ❄️ Winter will arrive eventually; and when it does, I have to haul out the cold-weather gear. I get tired of having arm warmers; leg warmers; gloves; and so on, hanging all over the place. But one day I’ll need them; the next day, I won’t! People understandably complain about the crazy variables in temperature, saying that we never know how to dress. One of the tricky aspects of Winter rides is layering. And if I need to remove a layer, where do I put it? My Camel-Bak pockets are already full with a cable lock and a tube of Chamois Butt’r; plus I carry some toilet paper just in case. There’s not much room for anything else. If I start to feel overheated, the best I can do is to partially unzip my jacket; and create a bit of a cooling trend! 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 ✍🏻 Cooling Trend? August 24, 2025 Not So Fast August 22, 2025 Feeling the Heat August 20, 2025 Weakening August 18, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Feeling the Heat

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment /

Feeling the Heat? ♨️   Are you feeling the heat? I’m not sure whether I am, or not. It looks like, technically, the dog days are behind us; but it’s still plenty hot. Today we had another heat advisory, too. It went into effect at 11:00 am; and I was home before then. In fact, after riding a mere five miles, I was suddenly profoundly tired! I’m sure it wasn’t the bonk; I ate before I rode. I had been hydrating, including electrolyte drink. I brought along a snack (although not this one) in case I needed it; and I ate half of it, along with a GU. But still, it took 20-25 minutes of riding at a snail’s pace before I started to feel a little better. A home COVID/flu test showed negative results; and my blood pressure isn’t low. So what’s up? Something to do with a new prescription I began taking last week? Or am I feeling the heat? I hope this passes off soon, whatever it is. I’m thinking of trying out new road bikes soon. Unfortunately this will get quite expensive; and I’m not made of money! Made of Money? 💰 At times I almost wish I were made of money. Big expenses seem to have a way of hitting me two or three at a time. In addition to bike-shopping, I’m facing probable oral surgery. That won’t be cheap, either! That means feeling the heat in a different kind of way: the heat of paying several large bills in rapid succession. I’ll manage; but I won’t enjoy it. The weather will continue to make us feel the heat for some weeks; the first cold front often doesn’t arrive until sometime in October. I’ve got to keep that cool rag handy!   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 ✍🏻 Feeling the Heat August 20, 2025 Weakening August 18, 2025 On Guard August 16, 2025 More Minutiae August 15, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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On Guard

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

On Guard! 💂🏻  We’ve got to be on guard. The NHC site shows that Erin is now a full-fledged Category 5 hurricane! Erin is still in the Atlantic; but her movement has shifted back onto a westward track. For the moment, anyway; it looks like they expect Erin to curve northwards; then to the Northeast. Then there’s the question: will Erin actually do that? Or will she switch tactics and get into the Gulf? It’s too soon to tell; but let’s be on guard. I’m glad I have no travel plans! If RAGBRAI were in a week or two, instead of two weeks past, I’d be very worried that Erin would ruin things. As if daily uncertainties about weather weren’t enough! Daily Uncertainties 🤔 Daily uncertainties about weather are enough, without having to be on guard against hurricanes. There’s always the big question of what to take along for ride food. Not Ben’s Original Street Food; I can’t ride no-handed at all, much less while eating out of a bowl! But I’ll occasionally have a serving of Ben’s at home. So, what shall I take for on-bike food for my next ride? It’s so hot that the coating of bars gets very soft and messy. Meat snacks make me too thirsty; and tend to be too hard to chew while pedaling. Such daily uncertainties make me wonder when I should plan an off-bike day. I usually take one day off each week; and if one day looks particularly likely to get bad weather, I can plan to skip the ride that day. My schedule is far more flexible now that I’m retired; and if I can’t do a long ride on Sunday, I can do it another day! 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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In Summary

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

In Summary 🚲 🌽 🌈 Home Sweet Home — for a Week   In summary, my first RAGBRAI was a mixed bag. There was the pleasure of meeting Ryan Van Duzer! I got to try some fantastic foods: Chris Cakes; Beekman’s Ice Cream; Classic Cheddar and Bacon on Sourdough sandwich; and Thelma’s Ice Cream Sandwiches. And I added another state to my “visited” list; the first in many years. On the downside, I had to SAG much more than I wanted to; in part because my bicycle kept giving me mechanical problems. On the fourth night, a deluge left many of us with flooded tents. My sleeping bag got soaked; and then it weighed a ton. I totaled 238.67 miles out of the 406 miles of the RAGBRAI route; not much more than half. That was a disappointment. But in summary, this RAGBRAI actually was pretty good. I never expected that every moment would have me over the moon; and things weren’t so bad that I’ve been scared away from trying RAGBRAI again. Little Things 🌈 Then there are all the little things that didn’t quite fit into any of my blogs; but that are a part of RAGBRAI. I’ve mentioned the piggy-wig; but I never said anything about rumbles. Cyclists understandably go around rumbles when they can. If you have to roll over them, it’s like riding over a washboard! Rumbles typically come in sets of three; and are designed to slow traffic in the approach to a stop sign I’ve been watching YouTubes of RAGBRAI 2025; and it’s good to see them. There are so many little things that I had already forgotten; and the videos refresh my memory. Like the tulip signs on the way out of Orange City. Next Year 📅 I’m already thinking of RAGBRAI next year! Although I had problems this year, at least I know why. Next year, examine my bicycle more carefully when I get it back from the shipping service. If I had done that, I might have had much less trouble. Start training earlier; and train harder. For this RAGBRAI, I didn’t get my hard efforts past 90 seconds. I need to work them up to at least five minutes! Who knows; in 2026, the route might throw 15% grades at us! Maybe I should consider a touring bike with a triple crankset? Or perhaps a lighter-weight road bike. I’ve read of a formula for long-distance cyclists: the bike shouldn’t weigh more than 12% of the rider’s weight. According to that formula, the road bike I have is far too heavy! I’m a petite; and maybe there aren’t any bicycles that light, except for pro-tour racing bikes. But they’re far beyond my budget. Next year I want to try some goodies that I missed this year: Farm Kids Breakfast; corn on the cob; Mr. Porkchop. And a few more pieces of pie. If I can improve my cruising speed to 15 mph, I might have more time to spend at such attractions. 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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Minutiae

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Minutiae ✳︎ ✦ ✢ RAGBRAI is full of minutiae. I’ve forgotten so much already; and I wish I’d had time to take more notes. And more photos. Unfortunately I always had to get moving; and often didn’t have my camera with me. In towns, I’d leave it in the “burrito bag” on my handlebars, because I needed both hands for eating. I ought to mention the Mile of Silence on the first day of RAGBRAI, when riders pedal in silence to remember cyclists killed on the road during the past year. There was a sign for each person to be remembered. I don’t know how many signs there were; but one was, tragically, for an eight-year old boy. More and more minutiae keep coming back; but I often don’t remember when they happened. Which day was it that I got the spoke bracelet? Day One? And which town was that?  When did I get the Classic Cheddar and Bacon sandwich? The Classic has four slices of bacon; and there was also the Baconator, with eight slices of bacon! Which town was it where I saw the Amish horse and buggy? Day Six, I think it was. Incidentally, by that time in RAGBRAI I was getting very tired. On the first day, we had to go over a set of railroad tacks. A sign warned, “rough tracks”; but I rolled over them and thought, “You call that rough?” Doing RAGBRAI  was a chance to be out in Nature, too! Out in Nature 🐦 It was good to be out in Nature. Although I’ve been griping about headwinds, I liked to hear the wind making the corn plants rustle. I often heard redwing blackbirds calling. Once I saw a bald eagle landing; and I saw a chipmunk one day. Oh, and there are fireflies in Iowa! It was a delight to see them, because there aren’t any at home. Being out in Nature doesn’t always mean there’s time to sight-see; and I wish I could have paid more attention to the landscape. Other riders were often at least several feet away from me; but even so, they were there; and I had to look out for them. There’s a lot of minutiae connected with Nature; and too often we miss them. I’d say it’s worth cultivating an eye for 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 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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All Types

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

All Types 🚲 🏕️ RAGBRAI is for all types: all types of “rides” for instance. There were road bikes; fat-tire bikes; tandems (was Daisy out there somewhere?); bicycles for three; and four-wheel fat-tire bikes. I once caught a glimpse of a rider on a unicycle; and there were even roller-bladers out there! RAGBRAI is for all types of riders, too. Some are the lean, super-athletic sort; but I can assure you, I’m not among them! 🫤 Some riders aren’t the super-lean sort; but what of it? RAGBRAI is for all shapes; sizes; ages; and fitness levels. You’ll find all types of food out there too; and I do mean food everywhere: from pork chops to ice cream to grilled cheese. And, of course, pie. Food Everywhere! 🥩 🌽 🥧 Food everywhere was actually a bit of a problem. With all types of food that I wanted to try, which one should I choose? I often gravitated to whichever booth was closest. Along the way I had, among other things, breakfast burritos; some kind of tacos; grilled cheese with bacon; and Chinese noodles with veggies. Too often, the servings were too big; and I didn’t want to cram myself before getting back on the bike. That meant tossing what I didn’t eat right away. I didn’t feel good about wasting food; but I couldn’t take it with me. For one thing, I wasn’t sure how safe the leftovers would be to eat after an hour or more in hot sun. I needed a trailer with an ice chest! 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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Cash Is King

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Cash Is King 👑 Cash Runs out Fast! Cash Is King at RAGBRAI, they say; and it’s amazing how fast you can burn through it. And I wasn’t buying eight-dollar beers! I ran into several situations (bike-related) where I needed up to eighty dollars in cash; and next time, I’ll bring along a cache of several hundred bucks for such emergencies. Cash Is King isn’t only about paying for food. At least I did have enough money for food; but I never got around to trying Mr. Porkchop. The big pink bus was always towards the end of a day’s route; and I had always just had something else to eat. Mr. Porkchop wasn’t out on Day Seven; and RAGBRAI Day Seven wasn’t a good one for me. I’d been plagued by bike issues the entire ride; and today my gears were acting up again. I’d shift into a low gear for climbing; but it sure didn’t feel like I was in low gear! Then my gears would start shifting by themselves! Several people had helped me with adjusting my gears; but only a mile or so into today’s route, I knew I was in trouble. I decided to SAG, because at the rate things were going, I knew I’d never make it to the halfway town (and the PBV shuttle to Guttenberg) on time. At the Mississippi 🚲 Riding on the SAG wagon, I was at the Mississippi River by about 10:00 am. The SAG wagon had dropped us at a Casey’s; and I finally got to try breakfast pizza! If cash is king at RAGBRAI, at least some stores let you pay with card. At the Mississippi, there was ample time for the tire dip (although I didn’t really feel that I had earned it); and to find Pork Belly’s booth. That meant a ride of several miles. The crew had already laid out the luggage; and what a relief it was to find my bags; pull out my sneakers; and get out of those cycling shoes! Too much walking in cycling shoes had given me a blister a few days earlier; and constantly sweating feet didn’t help it. Then I had to get things squared away with Bikeflights; and get something for lunch. It was rather tedious waiting around until 3:00 pm for the shuttle to Omaha; but that’s better than frenzied, last-minute rushing around. So ended RAGBRAI 2025. The End 🎬 So it’s the end of RAGBRAI 2025; but despite the difficulties, my thoughts are already turning towards RAGBRAI 2026! I didn’t get to try everything I wanted; but I did hit a number of items on my list: Chris Cakes; Beekman’s Ice Cream; Thelma’s Ice Cream Sandwiches. I was even able to get the Mint Double Chocolate, which I’d always heard sold out first. I had only one piece of pie all week — but that’s OK. Oh, and one time-honored thing for RAGBRAI newbies is to p** in a cornfield. I got that one done, too. That was a bit of a problem a day or two after a downpour. The ground was very soft; and  my cleats got full of mud. Next time, bring along cleat covers, and/or an old toothbrush to clean my shoes. Headwinds were a problem for everyone this year; and had me wondering who ever determined that winds in Iowa during July are typically out of the West! Maybe next year will be better.  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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