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The Sky’s the Limit

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

The Sky’s the Limit The sky’s the limit; really. Can you imagine a 100-mile mountain-bike race at over a mile up? I feel breathless merely thinking about it. But a lot of riders head for Leadville, Colorado for just such an event. The course starts at over 10,000 feet altitude; and reaches well over 14,000 feet. The climbs/descents add up to something like 15,000 vertical feet. As this is a MTB event, I expect the ground to be covered tends to be pretty rough. Rougher ground means greater effort merely to keep moving forward. I notice that whenever I have to ride over a rough patch in the road; never mind climbing over such a surface. So just think of the calorie requirements of riders in the Leadville 100! That’s a lot of Power Crunch Bars, rice cakes, and Clif Bars. GU-Gels, too. And the hydration necessary! Leadville’s climate is semi-arid. That seems very dry to me; all the more so as I live where average annual rainfall is 60 inches. Fill up that Camel-Bak; and refill it at every opportunity! Better to have a bit more of a load on your back, than to “ride light” and get dehydrated. The Leadville 100 race sounds like a grueling event. To begin with, there’s the altitude. Merely qualifying to participate requires riding events with long, tough courses; lots of climbing is included. Earning a spot in the Leadville 100 is an accomplishment to be proud of. Finishing in less than 9 hours earns you a large gold and silver belt buckle. Need a little longer? Finish in less than 12 hours and you still win a silver belt buckle. Those riders have quite a piece of work cut out for them. They’ll really have to, um, get the lead out. They’ll also have to remember that the sky’s the limit. 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 Mini-Ride! December 7, 2023 I Still Can’t Ride! December 6, 2023 Unseamed December 5, 2023 A Stitch in Time December 4, 2023 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Let’s Head for Utah

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Let’s Head for Utah! 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.” Let’s head for Utah, and the Moab Rocks Mountain Bike Stage Race. The Moab event takes place in late March. I hope all the riding keeps the participants warm enough. Late March can still be pretty chilly even here at sea level. Don’t forget to pack along cold-weather riding togs; for example, a pair of lobster gloves. The city of Moab is 4,000 feet up, and the course tops out at over 10,500 feet. Merely thinking about that altitude leaves me gasping for breath.  If I couldn’t get my hands on a hypoxic training mask, I’d have a very hard time trying to ride the Moab course at all; never mind making a competition out of it. I’ll bet the scenery is exhilarating; but the course also looks scary. No guardrails; and precipitous drops. No sightseeing for pleasure, that’s for sure. Apparently it’s watch your every move, or go over the edge. The info I’ve read states that Moab Rocks is fully supported. Does that mean that riders who need to shed layers of clothing as they go can put those layers somewhere other than in their Camel-Baks’ pockets? I know that my Camel-Bak’s pockets have scant room for clothing once I’ve stuffed in cable lock, tube of Chamois Butt’r, and  roll of bathroom tissue.  For off-the-trails riding, you might even want to carry along a snake bite kit. If we think we can manage that high altitude, let’s grab our MTBs; and let’s head for Utah!

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Speaking of Volcanoes…

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Speaking of Volcanoes… Why are we speaking of volcanoes? I always seem to be finding out about another neat ride. Want to ride around a volcano? Head for Mount Rainier! Recently I looked up RAMROD. That one isn’t for those accustomed to sea level, I’d guess. Nor for a poor climber!  The ride includes 10,000 feet of elevation gain; and tops out at well over 4000 feet. The roads used are steep; and the shoulders are unpaved. RAMROD is a century-and-a-half, plus a bit more. Last time I rode 100 miles in one day was July 2013. Going for 150-something in one day would really be pushing it. I’d need to start planning and training right this minute if I intended to participate in RAMROD next year! It’s not only the distance; it’s the climbing. As for the altitude of RAMROD, what can you do when you live at sea level, and can’t afford to go train at altitude? Maybe a hypoxic mask? This year’s lottery registration is closed (sounds like RAGBRAI, right?) I was a bit late in dredging up a vague memory of having read about RAMROD some time ago. While we’re speaking of volcanoes, are there similar events at other such mountains? Cycle Vesuvius? Or Shasta? 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 It Comes Again January 19, 2024 IS This Winter? January 18, 2024 Bad Vibes? January 17, 2024 Pedals not Petticoats January 17, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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What’s In a Name?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment /

What\’s in a name? How do people and places acquire names, or nicknames? One of the signs of a true cyclist, they say, is that you name your bicycles. If that really is the case, count me in! I named the tricycle Valkyrie. That came about one morning when I\’d had the trike about 10 days. I was riding around the local park before going to work, pedaling as fast as I could; and a certain number by Richard Wagner popped into my head, out of nowhere. I had been considering names for the trike, and in that moment I had it: Valkyrie! The hybrid wound up with the name of Katy. Not long after I got it a co-worker, who is originally from Missouri, was telling me about the Katy Trail. It sounded like a lot of fun, and still does. As the Katy is a Rails-to-Trails ride, it\’s nearly flat, which would suit me just fine. For a while I was considering doing the Katy Trail Ride, and was thus inspired to name my hybrid bike Katy. As time went on, I began to realize that I could actually spend quite a lot of money on such a trip. I\’d have to find a way to get me and my bicycle to Missouri and back. I\’d need to borrow, rent, or buy a sleeping bag and tent. I decided I\’d rather put my dollars on a road bike, and have never regretted it; although I still would like to ride the Katy Trail some day. But the poor road bike got shortchanged when it comes to naming. It\’s a Scott, so I call it … Scottie. Now we know what\’s in a name; at least, where my bicycles are concerned.

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RAGBRAI

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

RAGBRAI 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.” RAGBRAI?! What on earth is that? Oh, those long rides to put on a bucket list! I’ve daydreamed about Adventure Cycling tours. And about riding the Katy Trail. Or at least doing another personal century ride. Now I’ve got another item on the list: RAGBRAI! Although there are moments in that video when I think that RAG-PIE is more like it! The Queen Anne’s lace (those white flowers growing beside the road) is beautiful. I get a big kick out of that Fiddler on Two Wheels. And did you catch the fleeting glimpse of the rider on a penny-farthing? I thought that the video made it look like RAGBRAI is a pretty flat ride. Not so fast. When I actually read about it, I saw that  this year’s route includes well over 14,000 feet of climbing! I guess I’ve never shed my childhood idea of Iowa as endless flat miles of cornfields. Well, come to think of it, I’m sure Iowa isn’t only about corn, just as Louisiana isn’t only about swamps. RAGBRAI sounds like a wonderful ride; but apparently it’s not about “register; show up; and ride”. It’s a sort of lottery. As I understand it, you pay the registration fee; and your name is “put in the hat”. If your name isn’t drawn to be a rider, the fee is returned. It’s too late for this year. But maybe I can dream of riding across Iowa in a few years? 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 Be Adaptable April 6, 2024 Smorgasbord April 5, 2024 The Power of Suggestion April 4, 2024 Bare Legs April 3, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Pre-Cinco de Mayo

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Pre-Cinco de Mayo 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.” Pre-Cinco de Mayo gives us a bit of a preview! Many cyclists do city riding: going to work, running errands, and so on. But all five boroughs of New York City? Yes, you read that right. It sounds like a great ride. Forty miles? I can ride 40 miles in four hours or so, including rest breaks. Five bridges, huh? How steep are they? And how long? There ought to be a ride profile in there somewhere; that is, a description of the terrain the riders will encounter. Any hills? All flat? “City” doesn’t necessarily mean no hills, as anyone who lives in, or has visited, San Francisco will know. I’d need to check the weather forecast, as I would before any ride. Will I need a jacket? Or will I still be hot in short sleeves? Is rain expected? Bring a poncho. No rain in the forecast? Don’t forget the sunblock! All that is the easy part. I’m unused to riding in a group; and being stuck in there with thousands of other riders would be scary. And staying upright and safe in such a pack for hours? That would tire me more than the miles! So use pre-Cinco de Mayo to get ready; and enjoy the ride through all five boroughs! 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 Elementor #155451 December 11, 2023 Think Ten Times! December 9, 2023 Going Farther Afield December 8, 2023 Mini-Ride! December 7, 2023 Load More TRANSLATOR

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They Sure Meant \”Challenge\”

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They Sure Meant “Challenge”! They sure meant “challenge” when they designed the April Love to Ride challenge! I really got it this morning; not so much the jaunt on the road bike as pedaling to work a half hour or so afterwards. While I was out on the road bike, I saw distant lightning; but heard no thunder. During the return leg of my ride, the lightning seemed to be getting closer, which made me uncomfortable. In fact, it almost seemed to be chasing me! I still didn’t hear thunder; but while I’m riding, lightning may be closer than it seems. Even if there isn’t a headwind, the wind noise from my own motion muffles the sound of the thunder. Outward bound, there was only a small drop of rain here and there. On the way back home, the drops became more frequent; and during the final mile and a half it began drizzling. I saw some fantastic lightning, too. It wasn’t close; but all the same I was glad to get home. It was actually a pretty good ride. I did some force intervals, and at one point reached 24.9 mph! Not at all bad for me; and I didn’t get too wet. Riding to work, however, was a very different story. The Challenge I donned the poncho before I left home, in case it started to pour; and was that a good move!  I set out under a  light rain; and soon the sky opened up. There was frequent lightning that got closer and closer. One strike wasn’t even half a mile away! My timing was terrible; I rode through the worst of that T-storm. Once at work, there was the problem of drying out. Before I even went indoors, I got under the overhang at the front of the building; removed the poncho; and gave it a good shaking. I rolled it up and stuffed it into the plastic bag that I brought along for the purpose. I can’t hang it up indoors because it would drip. My poncho’s sleeves don’t do a good  job of covering my arms below the elbows. I had rolled up my blouse sleeves and worn arm warmers; and they got soaked. I had to wring them out and hang them up. Of course my cycling gloves got wet through, too. It was rather cool today; but not too cool for shorts. That’s something to be thankful for! Slacks get sopping wet from mid-thigh down in weather like this. Naturally my socks and shoes got drenched. I decided not to change into the dry socks and shoes I keep at my desk, because I was sure of having to go outside during the day. That’s what comes of not packing a sack lunch. More rain is expected over the next few days. If I’m to rise to the Love to Ride challenge, I’ll have to bite the bullet and ride, no matter how wet I get. They sure meant “challenge”!

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Steppes Towards Improved Cycling?

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Steppes Towards Improved Cycling? 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.” For steppes towards improved cycling, why not head for — well — the steppes? We see in this video people riding camels and horses there. Why not bicycles? Crossing Mongolia on two wheels sounds like a marvelous adventure. Wide open country has always appealed to me, maybe because I don’t get to see much of it. It would be great to ride where the racket of everyday life in “civilization” is far away. What steps does a cyclist need to take to prepare for such a trek? Or even for a comparatively short one such as a century? How can we improve our cycling abilities? Well, maybe exercises on an aerobic stepper would be a good start.  Actually, I think it depends on what you mean by “improve”. Do you want to get faster? Be able to ride longer, letting speed be what it may? Spend weeks riding across a faraway land? If you want to improve your speed, you’ll need to work on short bursts of riding several miles per hour faster than your current pace, gradually increasing the length of those intervals. Or do you merely want to be able to ride for longer at a time? Then add a few miles per week until you’re able to ride the mileage that you desire. I’m at sea when it comes to preparation for several weeks of riding; especially when it means packing along cooking equipment; sleeping bag, tent, and so on. This book might help you to get started. RUSA is another good source of info about long-distance riding. Even just starting to ride a bicycle for short errands, or to work, is steppes towards improved cycling. 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 Relearning December 19, 2023 I Traverse Afar? December 18, 2023 I Envy Time December 17, 2023 Holiday Food December 16, 2023 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Aye, Eye?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Aye Eye? Aye, eye? Is that really so? Yes, it is. Look where you want your bicycle to go. The bike wants to follow your eyes, they say. That can be tricky when you’re a beginning rider, and you very much want to NOT run into something or someone; it seems counterintuitive. The secret there is to glance at that thing or the person, but then look away and choose your clear path. Use your “third eye”: see Get Fast! I try to think of that when I’m turning corners or rounding curves. Whether I’m actually doing it, or only think I’m doing it, is unfortunately another matter. More important than the two points above is eye protection. There’s a vast range of sports eyewear out there. I’ve seen some that are crazy expensive (they must be ionosphere-high tech!) to the kind you can get for little more than pocket change. If you’ve spent much time outdoors, you’ve no doubt noticed that “sunglasses” don’t do under all conditions. That’s when lenses of different tints are handy. Something that drives me crazy is starting a long ride in overcast conditions, wearing vermilion lenses, and having the sun come out long before I get back home. Aye, eye; that sure can get miserable!

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Always Thinking of Food!

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Always Thinking of Food! Cyclists are always hungry! Why would we be always thinking of food? A true cyclist, it’s been said, is a bottomless pit. (See “The Cyclist Hunger and Eating Style”). Riding for hours certainly can work up an appetite, even if it isn’t apparent immediately after the ride ends. When I finished my tricycle century, I wasn’t hungry at all. The next day, it was another story. But that was AFTER the ride. What about DURING the ride? Many a web site discusses how much a pro tour rider must eat during a stage race, both on bike and off, to keep the “engine” going. I’ll bet they’re always thinking of food! Most of us don’t need nearly that much, but we do have to keep fueled during a long ride. The next question is what to eat. There are the questions: How long will you be riding? At what intensity? Do certain foods/drinks cause you gastric distress? What are your food preferences? Do you have any dietary restrictions? For the weekly long ride I mostly use Gatorade Whey Protein Bars, cut in pieces for easier handling. I always have a couple of GU-Gels with me, even on the shortest rides. Those gels are my emergency rations for riding to and from work; and running errands. I find that I’m getting a bit weary of Gatorade Bars, though. If you, too, are tired of commercially-produced ride food, I suggest these books: The Feed Zone Cookbook Feed Zone Portables There are many recipes in the above books that I haven’t been able to try because I don’t have the necessary equipment. But I hope that someday I can. As the song in Oliver! goes, “Food, glorious food!”

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