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SpokEasy

bicycling

At Ease?

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At Ease? Being at ease like this critter here would be wonderful, if only we could manage it. Unfortunately it isn’t so easy to relax when your muscles are all in knots. How do we get rid of those knots and cramps? Prevention is, of course, the best cure. What can we do to keep cramps at bay? More specifically, what are some natural means of preventing and relieving cramps? Proper hydration helps. Use a Camel-Bak, so you’ll have plenty of water. Using electrolyte drinks is said to help, too. Warm up before riding, paying special attention to muscles that you know are prone to cramping. OK, so you’ve done all that, and you still get nasty cramps while riding. Here’s a remedy that one of my cycling books mentions: when you feel a cramp developing, grab your upper lip and pinch it hard. Somehow that helps, although it’s uncertain why. Some experienced riders/bike handlers relieve on-bike quad cramps by unclipping the foot; bending the knee; and lightly pulling on the foot. I, for one, am not skilled enough to attempt that move. Then, what about post-ride cramps? Grab a foam roller and ease out the kinks. Perhaps an epsom salt bath. See here for some other natural cramp/spasm remedies that might help ease those sore, aching muscles; and don’t push too hard on the bike for a few days. At ease!

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Cycle Antarctica?

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Cycle Antarctica? 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.” Cycle Antarctica? Could Antarctica be the next big thing for cycling tours? Why not? After all, I’ve touched on big rides in all other continents; so why leave out the South Pole? Maybe we could start by trekking across the Ross Ice Shelf. Would a Mongoose Malus Fat Tire bicycle be best for that? I’m sure of this much: to cycle Antarctica would be extreme icebike! An Antarctic two-wheeled trek would be a great opportunity to penguin watch; and to get acquainted with the continent’s animal life in general. There’s other wildlife to be seen besides penguins; and maybe it’s not quite fair that penguins seem to steal the show all the time! A bicycle ride in Antarctica in itself sounds mad enough, doesn’t it? You might want to get really, really crazy; and use your fat-tire bike to go  zooming up and down the slopes of Mount Erebus! My fantasizing, it turns out, isn’t completely off the wall. I though I was writing a humorous bit about what cycling “way down South” might be like. Some people have, indeed, done it. One of them used a bicycle with 8 inch wide tires! The Antarctic Summer is cool according to my experience of temperatures: parts of it get up to 60 degrees (~15 degrees Celsius). See here for more on Antarctic weather. Several months of the year, the sun never sets. Even at that season, parts of Antarctica seldom get above freezing; so you might want to wear a scarf across your face, and forget about sunblock. And you might need special goggles to guard against snow blindness; super high-tech polar clothing; and who knows what all else. Come to think of it, I don’t believe I’ll try to cycle Antarctica.

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South Africa

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South Africa 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.” Cycle South Africa? Sure, why not? Many tours are available; and if you’re not keen on climbing, much of the country is flat. The catch? How high is “high”? I think I’d want to train up using a hypoxic mask! Cape Town & the Garden Route follows the nation’s southern coast. Along the way is a penguin colony; and you’ll roll along the fringes of two oceans during this trip. Daily mileage is 31 miles or less; and this tour is rated Easy to Moderate. It’s suited to riders at all skill levels.   This moderately difficult South Africa Cycling Tour takes in beautiful scenery (both coasts and mountains); includes wine sampling; and you’ll get to visit a penguin colony. The roads for this route are paved; you can use a road bike; e-bike; or hybrid. Daily distances are about 19 miles to 44 miles. A support vehicle will assist you if necessary. For the MTB enthusiast, there’s the South Africa Mountain Bike Tour. Along the way, you can sample some of the nation’s top wines; and roll through a nature preserve. On a scale of 1-4, this one rates 3 for difficulty. I suspect it isn’t for me! 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 Holiday Food December 16, 2023 Glad I’m Home December 15, 2023 Getting Wild December 14, 2023 Sooner or Later December 13, 2023 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Sawi Proba

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Sawi Proba “Sawi proba” is an expression that crops up in Agatha Christie-Mallowan’s “Come, Tell Me How You Live”. According to the book, it means “make trial”; and was a favorite saying of one of the drivers who worked for Max Mallowan while he was conducting archaeological work in Syria. Isn’t “sawi proba” what we cyclists do all the time? If we want to improve our speed, we might try interval work. If we have our sights set on a century, we try longer and longer rides to get our bodies ready. We try different food and drink on the bike, so we’ll know what agrees with us; and will be suitable for a long event. It could also pertain to girding one’s self up to go out and ride in foul weather. That’s a trial, all right, as is braving cold and wind to get in some miles. Since we’re only a week into December, there are at least three more months of it ahead of us! “Sawi proba” + bicycles of course brings to mind the time trial. That event even has its own special kind of bicycle! Sometimes when I’m out riding, I hear a peculiar whirring sound coming up from behind; and it turns out to be somebody riding a bicycle with one of those disc wheels. Gosh, will I ever get around to doing another century? Well … sawi proba.

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More Than the Vuelta

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More than the Vuelta 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.” There’s than the Vuelta to a cycling tour of Spain. There’s the Basque country in the North. It’s interesting that the Basque language is unrelated to either Spanish or French. I wonder where it came from? Did it just ride in from nowhere? Are self-guided tours your thing? There are many to choose from that will let you see different parts of Spain. Lanzarote sounds interesting. For some reason I’ve had a thing about volcanoes since I was about eleven. The bigger the eruption, the more interesting it was! Hence Krakatoa was one of my favorites. For the enophile, the Rioja tour awaits. This 8-day guided tour takes you through Logrono, and three other towns as well. I think I’d find it interesting to visit the villages; but if doing so means I’d be expected to try the local vintage, I’ll have to skip that tour. My tolerance for alcohol has always been rock-bottom. Like old architecture? How about the Conquistadors tour? Visiting such places is like going back in time. Oh, and do you enjoy climbing? There’s the coast-to-coast Route des Cols des Pyrenees! There are other tours, too. If, however, you don’t like rain, you might want to avoid the plain! There’s more than the Vuelta to cycling in Spain. So grab your maps, clap on your helmet, and Ten un buen viaje!   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 Roadie Again! January 5, 2024 Pomp and Circumstance January 4, 2024 I Bee’d Lucky January 3, 2024 Sunblock Day January 2, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Heads Up?

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Heads up about cycling in Yorkshire! Okay, I don\’t know whether that map is of Yorkshire or somewhere else, but cyclists from there have some things to tell the rest of us. Climb a \”chimney\”? I think I\’ll skip that 33 percent grade. Besides, I\’m not Santa Claus. The cafe stop? Yorkshire pudding sounds interesting. I\’ll bet it would be great with maple syrup! Or how about melted cheese and fresh chives? Tea beats out coffee? If you mean green tea, I agree. Drop a green tea bag in a pint jar full of water; put on the lid; and let sit in the fridge overnight. The expression \”chain gangs\”, for me, conjures up images of convict labor. It\’s refreshing to find chain gangs that are people who ride bicycles. I guess they mean that they\’re \”chained\” to those bikes! Riding up a lot of short, steep climbs would harden your muscles, I\’ve no doubt. I think it might do me a lot of good as a cyclist if I could tackle such rides more often. It isn\’t raining all the time in Yorkshire? Hooray!! But I\’d take along a poncho, just in case. The item about Yorkshire having/not having a Tour puzzles me. It seems to contradict itself. Can anybody figure it out? A hill that isn\’t a hill?? I guess even I could manage that! As to whether Yorkshire is \”sexy\”, I\’ll let the individual judge. My opinion might not agree with the next person\’s. Actually, when I\’m out for a ride, I don\’t think about such things. I just ride.

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Thailand

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Thailand Looks like a beautiful place! 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.” How would Thailand be as a cycling destination? According to at least one person, there’s nowhere better to ride. I like the idea of avoiding the usual touristy spots. Bypassing the beaten path lets you see more of the real ways of a country. Food, for instance. Food seems to be everywhere in Thailand. The article mentions scooters with a side-car rigged up as a mobile kitchen. I think that’s neat. And the food, it seems, is delicious. Not having to cook would make a cycling tour much easier. No worries about finding somewhere to set up your kitchen in the first place! No washing up afterwards! You can use the time you save on kitchen duty to get in a few more miles on the bike each day. Spice Roads offers group tours in Thailand. If I went to Thailand, I think  I’d like to visit Bangkok. It would be good to see the real city; my view of Bangkok is admittedly much colored by “Anna and the King of Siam” (now said to be a complete fabrication). I did learn this much from the book: NEVER touch anybody’s head. Thailand’s climate is tropical. The average annual temperature is 82 degrees Fahrenheit (almost 28 degrees Celsius); and it’s humid. I ought to be used to hot and humid; I’ve lived in it all my life. So maybe Thailand would be a good bicycle tour destination for me. 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 ¡Feliz Navidad! December 22, 2023 Joyeux Noël! December 21, 2023 Fröhliche Weihnachten! December 20, 2023 Christmas Past December 20, 2023 Load More TRANSLATOR

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The Maple Leaf

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The Maple Leaf 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.” Say, “maple leaf”, and I’m likely to think of  the Joplin rag before anything else. And I think of maple syrup! It also conjures up images of our neighbor to the North; namely, Canada. Here are ten possibilities in what I might call “The Land of the Maple Leaf”. The Great Lakes Waterfront Trail covers more than 3600 kilometers (about 2237 miles). Numerous communities, including First Nations, are on this route. You’ll pass many parks and other natural areas. This trail is fully signed. Perhaps you would enjoy Quebec’s Route Verte, which includes the Whale Trail. As you pedal along the Saint Lawrence River, you just might catch a glimpse of humpback whales! The Cabot Trail of Nova Scotia apparently has some pretty stiff climbing, but some great scenery; woodland and marine alike. The Confederation Trail on Prince Edward Island sounds like it would be right up my alley. It was build on abandoned railway beds. Sounds like Rails to Trails! How about Newfoundland’s Viking Trail? This one is not for the faint-hearted; it’s rugged, but the scenery looks great! The Yukon is a place I associate with dogsleds and prospecting for gold; not bicycling. You could put in some lo-o-o-ng days if you go there in Summer! If downhill is your cup of tea, try British Columbia’s Kootenay Rockies. Grab that MTB and head North! You could head to Alberta and ride the Parkway for glacier-watching. Or you might pedal through the prairies of Saskatchewan. Or how about Manitoba’s Duck Mountain Provincial Park? Cycling trails there are marked at the head according to level of difficulty. Wow, that’s quite a list. Would this be an “inn-to-inn” style trips? Self-supported, with panniers and all? It’s a lot to consider; but Canada is a big country! 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 Quantum Leap December 12, 2023 Afternoon Ride? December 11, 2023 Think Ten Times! December 9, 2023 Going Farther Afield December 8, 2023 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Turkey Trot?

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Turkey Trot? 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.” Turkey Trot might better be called Turkey Roll in this instance! A bicycle tour through Turkey may seem like an outlandish undertaking, fraught with peril. The country isn’t exactly alone in that respect, but here are some pointers for staying safe. A lot of it is plain common sense; but some items, such as appropriate dress should you visit a mosque, are more specific to Turkey. So, are fancy socks considered inappropriate? This is quite a large nation; the northern parts can be getting snow while at the southern end, people can be sunbathing on the beach! Many cycling routes are available, but for ideas on visiting specific areas see here.   The accounts I’ve read of bicycling through Turkey mention avoiding certain regions; but frequently mention how delightfully hospitable the people are. That must be most welcome to cyclists pedaling their way through the land; especially if they’re half a world away from home. Sharing the road with livestock would be a new one for me! I hope that cows, goats, etc. wear bells so it’s possible to hear them before getting too close to them. It also wouldn’t be the tidiest thing in the world to ride along behind them (I don’t need to say why). There’s one aspect of being in Turkey that didn’t seem to be mentioned in the articles I read. Is an exposed female ankle still a crime there? If so, what would the authorities think of a woman in lycra riding a bicycle? Or dancing the Turkey Trot? 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 ¡Feliz Navidad! December 22, 2023 Joyeux Noël! December 21, 2023 Fröhliche Weihnachten! December 20, 2023 Christmas Past December 20, 2023 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Rolling through South America

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Rolling Through South America   Rolling through South America would be quite the adventure; but there’s an awful lot of ground to cover! If you’d prefer to focus your efforts on a particular country, Brazil offers quite a variety. For city touring, try São Paulo or Rio de Janeiro. If nature is your thing, Chapada Diamantina is great for mountain biking; and Cananéia to Paranaguá, Sao Paulo and Parana is reputed to be one of the best routes of all. Of course there’s more to South America than Brazil. Bolivia offers a number of bicycle tours. Some are at very high altitude; and/or involve some very stiff climbing! There’s an annual event in cities throughout Bolivia called Día del Peatón (Day of the Pedestrian). Motorized vehicles are forbidden from driving until sunset. Local cyclists can enjoy cruising around the empty city streets. It sounds like fun! The 2019 Tour de France certainly got Colombia onto the world cycling stage. For the first time, a rider from Colombia took the yellow jersey. Not that cycling is anything new in that South American nation. How about a cycling tour there? There are terrific climbs for those who have the legs (and the lungs!); coffee country for the caffeine lover; and – did you say non-distracted drivers? What a welcome change! But do take along some filter masks, as air quality in the cities is poor. Try some panela! Oh, and the ciclovia! Wouldn’t it be just wonderful if cities in the USA observed it! Thinking about rolling through South America might get your adventurous spirit up. Me? If I began serious training right now, I might be fit enough in, oh, ten years or so. 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 Holding My Breath Again! January 8, 2024 Bolivia January 7, 2024 Beating the Weather January 7, 2024 Real Saturday January 6, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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