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Pedaling ’round the Philippines

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Pedaling ’round the Philippines 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.” Pedaling ’round the Philippines, except for busy urban areas such as Manila, is said to be pretty good. The nation has many natural beauties, and options range from mountainous to beachside to wildlife sanctuaries. Maybe try it on a Schwinn Twinn Tandem? Would you like to skip from island to island? After all, there are 7000+ to chose from! Just roll your bicycle onto a ferry; sail to another island; and roll back off again. When is the best time to visit? Many people suggest going between December and May. Road quality is variable, but for the most part OK unless you’re on a skinny-tired racing bike. If you stay in Manila, it’s not hard to ride out to see natural attractions. You might see a  jeepney or two on the roads. These public-transit vehicles were first built from military jeeps that were left over from the Second World War.  Apparently they have no opening doors; passengers get in and out through the back. Great news for cyclists who are concerned about getting “doored”. The Filipino people are said to be welcoming; and the country is budget-friendly. However, in poor rural areas it can actually be hard to get food. Pack up those  MET-Rx Bars and get ready go go pedaling ’round the Philippines. 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 Here Comes the Chill December 28, 2023 Frumenty December 27, 2023 Twelve Days December 26, 2023 Season’s Greetings! December 25, 2023 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Don’t Bonk Like This!

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Don’t Bonk Like This! 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.” Don’t bonk like this! Who wants to feel like they’ve just hit this famous barrier? The Bonk is something dreaded by cyclists. Also called “hitting the wall“, we try to avoid it by on-bike eating.   But how about bicycling along the Great Wall of China?  Or even a tour through the country? To tour the entirety of China by bicycle would take a long time; the country is 3.7 million square miles. That’s nearly as big as the USA!   The terrain is very diverse. Some areas are mountainous; others are flat. Not surprisingly for such a large nation, the climate, too, is quite diverse. So, if I were to take a bicycle tour of China, which part would I visit? There’s much more to China than the Great Wall! I would have to be prepared for culture shock, I’m sure. The language barrier wouldn’t be one tenth of it! The only Chinese words I know are “ming” ( bright) and “ma”; and “ma” can mean one of four things, depending on the inflection. The food eaten day-to-day by the Chinese people, I hear, is quite different from what we in the USA know as Chinese food.  Of course there’s the matter of safety. And lodgings; visas; courtesies; you name it. So I’d spring for a guided tour. If I tried to go solo, I’d run into numerous barriers as hard as the Great Wall! No, I don’t want to bonk like this. 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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Biking Bangladesh

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Biking Bangladesh 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.” Biking Bangladesh is something that I never thought of. Cycling is, however, quite popular among the people of this Asian nation. The Bangladesh Eco Adventure is suited to all ages. It lasts eight days and seven nights; and lets you see natural and cultural sites.    There are many other cycling routes to choose from. Most are flat or downhill; and that would suit me just fine! So far, I’ve never become much of a climber! The Trimohoni route looks good for a short, casual ride. At less than 10 miles long, it might serve as a warm-up to a longer route! The Chattogram to Dhaka spans 152+ miles; and is well suited to a city bike. Or, since this route is paved, would a road bike do as well? The climate of Bangladesh is warm and humid. Sounds just like home! December through February are the drier months; so it may be a good idea to cycle Bangladesh during that season. Of course, be mindful of local customs and courtesies. Pay attention to safety advice when planning your trip. Aside from bicycle touring, Bangladesh has a lot of natural beauty to offer: rivers; tropical rain forests; and a beach. Something for everyone! 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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Vietnam

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Vietnam 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.” “This is a paid link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.” Vietnam might not be the first country that springs to mind when bicycle touring abroad is mentioned. In fact, the nation’s very name has unfortunate connotations for some of us. Vietnam, however, can be a wonderful place for a bicycle tour. Of course there are some downsides, as is true of anywhere; but the people are said to be very friendly, and in general things aren’t very expensive. Vietnam also seems to have a reputation for being safe for tourists, which is more than can be said for many places. What is there to see there? If beaches are your thing, perhaps you’ll want to head for Phu Quoc island. There are Buddhist temples. See the rice paddies. Only about one-fifth of the country is flat. The rest of the country is densely forested highlands, or hills, or tropical lowlands. The climate is part temperate; part tropical; and the monsoons must be taken into account. The humidity tends to be high. Spring and Fall are said to be the best times to visit. If you do go there during the rainy season, be sure to take along a poncho. In fact, if Vietnam is anything like New Orleans, it can rain at any time; so remember Gene Kelly!

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Bike the Florida Keys

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Bike the Florida Keys 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.” Bike the Florida Keys! Combine your love for cycling with your love for the water and the outdoors!   Senior Cycling offers a number of bicycle tours. They sound like fun; but there’s one big precaution. Be sure there isn’t a hurricane prowling around! That could wreck your ride in a hurry. Distance-wise, the tours seem easy; and the terrain is mostly flat. I think I’d like to bike the Florida Keys!  I suppose these tours are held in January to minimize the chances that a hurricane will interfere with them. In addition, holding such a tour in Summer would very likely present a serious chance that riders will suffer from heat-related illnesses. These tours are aimed at older riders, after all, who may be suffering from chronic conditions as diabetes. SAG support is included, which might mean that bottles of water will be available. Even so, I would be sure to bring my Camel-Bak. Then I could be more sure that I wouldn’t run out of water. The description of Bike the Florida Keys doesn’t seem to say anything about wind conditions. I checked Google, and it says that the wind in the Keys is usually “calm”; maybe a bit over 9 mph. That’s not exactly my idea of calm, but all the same it’s not bad. This is yet another “maybe someday” ride. If I ever get to bike the Florida Keys, let’s hope I don’t get so keyed up with excitement that I crash. 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 How about Some Joplin? June 12, 2024 Blast Furnace Time June 11, 2024 RAGBRAI for Seniors June 10, 2024 RAGBRAI and Heat June 9, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Feeling Jumpy?

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Feeling Jumpy? 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.” Are you feeling jumpy from hanging around home? Tired of your local bike path? How about cycling the Australian outback? It would be interesting for me, after a lifetime in the Northern Hemisphere, to go stargazing in the Land Down Under. No familiar constellations such as Orion, Taurus, the Big Dipper, etc. If nothing else, I’d need to learn how to find the Southern Cross. I once read a book by a scientist who was studying one of the mass extinctions; one that occurred long before the famous K-T extinctions. He was in either Australia or South Africa. One night he was looking at the moon, and puzzling at its odd appearance. Then he realized that the Man in the Moon was upside down! I’ll bet that would be interesting to see. Crossing the outback on two wheels is no picnic, as I expected. I wonder whether my Camel-Bak full of water would last from one “watering hole” to the next. And that’s when staying on the main route! Electrolyte drink mustn’t be forgotten; and food! Fifteen days’ worth of food is a LOT to have to carry! I wouldn’t want nothing but bars, so what else could I carry? It would need to be compact and lightweight. Nuts, perhaps? Or maybe I’d be nuts to think about cycling across the outback! Actually, the very idea has me feeling jumpy. 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 Pedal or Walk? January 11, 2024 Swiss Cheese? January 10, 2024 Bucking the Wind January 9, 2024 Holding My Breath Again! January 8, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Long Way to Go

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Long Way to Go Do you ever feel like this cat? I have a long way to go before I’m ready to shoot for another 100-mile day. This morning I felt like this cat. Tired; sleepy; and do-I-really-want-to-ride? But Cycle September isn’t over yet; so I prodded myself out of bed and went for a long ride. In fact, I added a few extra miles over the long-ride distance that I’ve done the past two Sundays. Forty miles still seems like a long, tough ride; especially with a headwind all the way home. I had to make about four extra stops! If I have any idea of doing another century, I’ll need to work up to weekly long rides of 60-70 miles first. I have to improve my stamina, so that I can ride longer before needing to take rest stops; and increase my pace as well. And do not, of course, forget about training the gut! My right hamstring has been feeling strained, so for the most part I stayed off the big ring and in lower gears today. I didn’t try to push the pace, which meant my average speed was barely over 11 mph. But when I need to, even in lower gears, I can crank it up to 18 mph! Such a pace, of course, isn’t necessary for me to do a century ride on my own. If it were, I’ve sure got a long, LONG way to go!

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Wearing of the Green?

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Wearing of the Green? 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.” The wearing of the green? This isn’t Saint Patrick’s Day; but the expression quite naturally makes me think of the Emerald Isle. At least one person has paddled a sea kayak all the way around Ireland. As I remember his account, parts of the journey were really rough. I don’t think I want to try to emulate that feat. For one thing, I don’t have the upper-body strength. But, just perhaps, I have the legs to pedal a bicycle all the way around Ireland? Taking my own sweet time, naturally! But if you’re in a hurry, there’s the Race Around Ireland! Like other ultra cycling events, such as RAAM, RAI sounds like “a contest of sleep deprivation”. For example, a solo woman rider must finish the route in six days, which means something like 217 miles per day. Making time for breaks to rest a bit and to get some sleep; and still cover those miles, would mean maintaining a fairly brisk pace. There’s a lot of climbing; a total of over 72,000 feet. I’ll bet I’d need a triple crankset! There are bound to be headwinds at times when you’re on a route of over 1300 miles. Heck, I get headwinds many a day when I’m putting in 15 miles or less! Am I strong enough to fight them for hours; and at a speed that would make me competitive in an event like RAI? I don’t suppose I’ll get the chance to find out; but if you go in for RAI, don’t get distracted into chasing leprechauns! And don’t forget about the wearing of the green. 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 Sunblock Day January 2, 2024 2024! January 1, 2024 Out with a Bang December 31, 2023 Seven-Up December 30, 2023 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Things We Shouldn’t Do!

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There are some things we shouldn\’t do when going for a ride! Check this out. Backpedal on the downhills? Weird idea. Riding when I\’ve got a cold? Come on. My nose is sniffly enough when the temperature starts to drop below 70, never mind how it would behave if I had a cold. I can\’t use a 53 chain ring — I haven\’t got one 😉 I do have a 12-tooth cog, but wouldn\’t try to use it on a climb. Don\’t drink on a long ride?! I\’ve wound up in the ER with dehydration even when I had water with me. It wasn\’t fun. So don\’t forget the Camel-Bak! Plastic bag on my saddle? While I\’ve got my bike parked all day at work, sure. After all, the bike racks are under trees (I don\’t need to tell you what might happen as a result), and if it rains I want to keep my saddle dry. But ride with that plastic bag still over the saddle? Too slippery. One-legged pedaling drills are one thing when the bike is secured in a trainer. I don\’t think I want to try it while actually riding. Want frostbitten hands? I sure don\’t! Where are my gloves? No food on a long ride? I feel the bonk coming on just thinking about it! Find my Clif Bars! And my GU-Gels! Climbing to me feels like going as hard as I can, anyway… Grass to fix a puncture? Do they mean stuffing the tire so full of grass that there\’s no room for a tube? I\’m not that patient, I\’m afraid. My \”best bad\” advice? I don\’t dare give anyone any wrong ideas! So remember, there are things we shouldn\’t do.        

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Exotica

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Exotica? 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.” Is exotica your thing? Do you think that cycling in Europe is too tame? Do you want something more exotic than even Russia’s taiga? Would India fit the bill? Or maybe Mongolia? India is a huge place; and I don’t know what part I’d want to focus on. Maybe not Calcutta. It sounds like the city is not very cyclist-friendly. New Delhi? The Agra Tour?  Something more rural? And when to go? The dry season? Here are some pros and cons of doing the opposite, and visiting during the monsoon season. Let’s take a look at Mongolia. It’s a big place, too. How long does it take to ride all the way across? I’ve seen pics of the night sky in Mongolia, blazing with stars. How I would love to see that! “Exotic” locations, to me, conjure up images off-the-beaten-track places; and of bumpy, potholed dirt roads — surfaces that probably aren’t well-suited to road bike tires. Maybe a tour designed especially for a mountain bike? And Skedaddle offers tours for both roadies and MTB riders. Such a tour might be best done on a bicycle that will allow for a rack and panniers. Don’t forget the Camel-Bak! And who knows? Maybe you’ll even get to ride on a camel’s back! How’s that for exotica? 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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