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Dead Heat

Leave a Comment / BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment, Outdoors, Training /

Dead Heat? ♨️ I thought of “dead heat” when I rode today. It was already at least 2:00 pm when I went out; and it was 76 degrees. Just coming out of Winter, that’s quite warm; but it’s time I started doing rides in the hotter part of the day. I’ll need at least one such ride per week. Having the sun overhead makes it seem even hotter; and I’m used to riding early in the day, when the sun is lower in the sky. But during RAGBRAI, I’ll be riding more than 20; or 30; or even 40 miles most days. Luckily I won’t need to worry about getting caught up in the dead heat of a race; but I won’t be able to avoid riding in bright sunshine. And it could get very hot! So, I’m considering ways to take the edge off of the heat. Take the Edge Off 🔪 A cooling rag really does help take the edge off of the heat; and I definitely plan to take one to RAGBRAI. Or maybe even two! I can use one during the day’s ride; and one to drape over my head if it’s hot in my tent at night. I won’t want to be in a dead heat while trying to sleep! A fan would be nice; but a fan would be one more thing to 1) take up space — and add weight! —  in my luggage; and 2) another thing to keep charged up. So I’m looking for another way to keep cool. A cooling rag should at least take the edge off! 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 Dead Heat April 14, 2025 Stacks April 13, 2025 Horning In? April 12, 2025 Trampoline? April 11, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Horning In?

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Horning In? 📯 As a rule, horning in is something we don’t want. It can be most annoying; but this morning was a time when it was nice. I went for a short, early ride to get my moonlight-on-the-river fix; and heard an owl. I’ve heard that kind of hooter before; but didn’t know what kind of owl it was. It didn’t sound quite like a barred owl; and it certainly wasn’t a screech owl. I finally googled “hear Louisiana owls”; and now I’m sure that I heard a great horned owl. For some reason, I thought we didn’t have them here; but evidently we do! Sometimes horning in is actually a good thing. Mornings are still cool; but when I’m out before dawn, I see flying insects. It’s getting buggy! Getting Buggy 🪲 🦟 Now that it’s getting buggy, eyewear for cycling is a good idea; and would be even if you don’t need visual correction. It’s not fun to have a gnat or tiny moth land in your eye; and a corneal abrasion is no joke! ROCKBROS Photochromatic Bike Glasses mean that you don’t need to bother with both a pair of clear lenses; and a pair of sunglasses. No having to stop when you want to swap from clear lenses to dark ones. And my Ray-Ban Sunglasses, I eventually discovered, are too wide for my face. I was riding over a very bumpy street surface; and with each bump those glasses went flying. I had to continually grab them to shove them back on my nose; and after that, I used a retainer. But the catch is, I had to take my helmet off in order to take that sunglasses-retainer combo off! The next time I had an eye exam, I opted for a pair of new glasses with photochromatic lenses. It’s great to have only one pair of optics to deal with! 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 Horning In? April 12, 2025 Trampoline? April 11, 2025 Jump Start April 10, 2025 Delays April 9, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Trampoline?

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Trampoline? 📏 What ever put a trampoline into my mind? This isn’t a gym, after all. This morning I went for my bike fitting; and the fitter said my saddle was too high by a good centimeter. So he lowered it; and that got me to thinking of the seat drop. No wonder I’ve got the trampoline on my mind! Now I’m to ride as usual for about two weeks; and call the fitter if things seem “off.” When I rode home post-fitting, it did seem that my legs were moving in smaller circles than usual. Was that the adjustment in saddle height; or the effect of a tailwind? Which reminds me, I’ve got to check the weather outlook! Weather Outlook ☀️ The weather outlook for the upcoming week looks good; so I won’t have to resort to bouncing on an indoor trampoline. But this morning the wind felt pretty stiff! I had a headwind of some 13 mph on the way out; and I practiced riding hard against it for a minute at a time. Bit by bit I’ll increase that time; I’m pretty sure there will be longer climbs that on RAGBRAI. As the ride date approaches, I’ll start checking the weather outlook for Iowa. Then I’ll have some idea of what I can expect. Incidentally, I missed the moon this morning. Either it was already down; or clouds near the horizon obscured it. But maybe I can do an early, short ride tomorrow; and I hope to see it then! 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 Elementor #197445 April 11, 2025 Jump Start April 10, 2025 Delays April 9, 2025 Visit the Tailor April 8, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Visit the Tailor

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Visit the Tailor 🪡 I’ve decided it’s time to visit the tailor, so to speak: with RAGBRAI on the horizon, I want a bike fit. That’s nothing like making my own cycling jacket, even if I could get that kind of fabric; so I need to see an expert. It’s important that your bicycle fits you; don’t force yourself to fit the bike. It won’t be my first bike fit. About 10 years ago, I had my first fitting; something called Specialized Body Geometry. Then, perhaps five years ago, I went for a re-fit. That time, the fitter used Retül. I was surprised when they lowered my saddle a bit; but they said I have good hip flexion; and that a slightly lower saddle would help me make better use of it. I feel very comfortable on my road bike; but when I’ll be riding an average of 58 miles every day; for seven days straight; I think it’s time to visit the tailor. Doing it now will give me ample time to adapt to any adjustments made. Adjustments 🚴🏿 So I’ve made an appointment for a bike fitting; and it means making some adjustments to my plan for this week’s riding. Sometimes I feel like I’m twisting myself into a pretzel! I was hoping to the visit the tailor tomorrow; with just an easy ride to and from the fitting. As it turns out, I got a slot for day after tomorrow. So I’ll do a ride tomorrow, maybe 20 miles or so; then make Thursday short and easy. Maybe some cadence drills would be in order; but when you’re training, it’s not wise to do long and/or hard rides too many days in a row. Today I rode 30.2 miles; and yesterday I made it to 40.4 miles. This morning I did three seven-minute long efforts to push the pace; and that with legs that were already a bit tired. I’d better give them a bit of a break before making further adjustments, i.e. more longer rides. Oh, well. It’s good training for 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.” 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 Visit the Tailor April 8, 2025 Ahead of Schedule April 7, 2025 Break from Videos April 6, 2025 It’s Down! April 5, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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RAGBRAI Grades

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RAGBRAI Grades ✅ The RAGBRAI grades are out! Or rather, the RAGBRAI gradients. Last night I tuned into the RAGBRAI April Town Hall meeting; and they announced the maximum gradients for each day. It was a relief to learn that most of them will be 4% or less. The steepest gradient is on Day 7; and it’s 7.2%. To me that’s quite steep; but I’m reminding myself that it’s the day’s maximum gradient. It doesn’t necessarily mean that the whole day will be 7.2%. In fact, they say the first half of Day 7 will be fairly flat. It also doesn’t mean that every climb will be that steep. I hope those hills will be short, though. We’ll see how I do with the RAGBRAI grades; but I think I can train better, now that I know what’s coming. For the climbs, anyhow; but will there be crazy weather? Crazy Weather 🥵 Does Iowa have crazy weather like we do? Today the temperature climbed into the mid-80s; and that’s darned near outright hot! But Sunday night it’s supposed to drop to the mid-50s. That’s some crazy weather! Even with modern forecasting, I’m never sure what to expect. How about some RAGBRAI grades for weather? I expect the Three H’s; but at least one video says that the temperature can drop to the 50s at night. In fact, it advised that RAGBRAI-ers bring along a sleeping bag rated for 40 degrees. So I got one; and have a compression stuff sack on order. As far as my personal RAGBRAI grades go, I want to do well on packing! And riding, of course. 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 RAGBRAI Grades April 4, 2025 Keep Your Shirt On! April 2, 2025 Stuffing April 1, 2025 Getting Easier! March 31, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Wool over My Eyes

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Wool over My Eyes? 🐑 I don’t like the wool over my eyes any more than the next person; but I can’t avoid it for that moment when I’m pulling a T-shirt over my head. Today I tried out my Merino Protect Wool T-shirt; and it’s quite comfortable. It was 78 degrees before 8:00 am; and that might sound much too warm to be wearing wool. But it wasn’t; and besides, there was a pretty stiff wind to cool me off. So I proclaim the experiment a success; and I ordered another one of these shirts. I’ll take them along on RAGBRAI! Wool over my eyes for that one moment is worth it for a comfortable shirt. But the ride is important, too! But the Ride? 🚲 But the ride, you say. T-shirts, merino or otherwise, are secondary, aren’t they? Well, yes. Today I used the road bike; but I think  I’ll take the hybrid tomorrow, so I can make a trip to the supermarket. With a strong wind blowing today, I rode laps around the park. Happily, it gave me a strong tailwind on the way home from that park; but it won’t die down overnight. 🙄 In fact, it will persist through Saturday. Wind from the Southeast is apt to give a sidewind; and that can be as much of a hassle as a headwind. But the ride is the important thing. I need to get those miles in. Just don’t put wool over my eyes. I need to see where I’m going! 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 RAGBRAI Grades April 4, 2025 Wool over My Eyes April 3, 2025 Keep Your Shirt On! April 2, 2025 Stuffing April 1, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Keep Your Shirt On!

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Keep Your Shirt On! 🎽 Keep your shirt on; especially this Merino Protect Men’s Tee, shown at left. It’s not hot enough yet to go shirtless, I say; and the Merino Protect Men’s Tee keeps you comfy. It’s lightweight; breathable; and wicks moisture away. Odor resistant, too; and easy to care for. Another reason to keep your shirt on, is to prevent sunburned shoulders! I’ve seen numerous videos that show riders in tank tops; and I suppose they must use a lot more sunblock than riders in sleeves. Here is the Merino Protect Wool T-shirt for women. Like the men’s model, it’s breathable; lightweight; odor resistant; and easy to care for. The Merino Protect Wool T-shirt is made of ethically-raised materials. Both of these shirts are available in a variety of colors and sizes. I first heard of merino wool tees when I watched a YouTube about packing for RAGBRAI. I’ve bought one, and tried it on for size; but haven’t worn it for a ride yet. I plan to do so before long; but for now, it can still feel a bit chilly early in the day. Then I want long sleeves!  Where to Ride? 🚴🏿 But where to ride for the next two days? Even if life is a beautiful ride, it doesn’t mean that bicycle rides are always easy! Or fun. It’s very windy just now; and today, gusts were up to 40 mph! Tomorrow and Friday we can expect gusts up to 30 mph; and it’s not fun up there on the levee in such conditions. So, where to ride? Riding laps around the park is monotonous; but at least it means that I can frequently change direction. Then I can alternate headwinds; tailwinds; and sidewinds. That’s better than battling a headwind for mile after mile. Tomorrow morning it will be 74 degrees; but the wind is going to make it seem cooler. That’s a good reason to keep your shirt on; or even wear a lightweight jacket. Or do you prefer the chill? 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 Keep Your Shirt On! April 2, 2025 Stuffing April 1, 2025 Getting Easier! March 31, 2025 What a Forecast! March 30, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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You’re a Brick!

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You’re a Brick! 🧱 If you’re a brick, your friends are in luck. Then there’s the charging brick; aka the charger block. The one shown here has 4 USB-C Ports and 4 QC USB-A Ports; charge up to 8 devices simultaneously. Output of 200 watts; and the brick is small enough to fit into hand luggage.  I’m considering one of these for RAGBRAI; the charging block that I already have can power only two devices at once. That’s why I’m got a headlamp that uses batteries; so maybe my two-port brick will do. (The main thing will be my bicycle headlight, as I anticipate pre-dawn starts.) Then I can say to the thing, Gee, you’re a brick! But I’ve got other things on my mind today. Where’s the storm? Where’s the Storm? ⛈️ So, where’s the storm? I’m tired of weather forecasts indicating doom and gloom that doesn’t happen. Well, if I do ride, and get caught in the rain, a Youphoria Microfiber Travel Towel can dry me off. That’s yet another product I’ve bought for RAGBRAI. It takes up far less space than a typical terrycloth towel. I gave it a “test run”; then put it through the laundry. When it’s dry, I’ll put it away for the big ride! I took a walk a few hours ago to get chain lube from the bike shop; and I asked the shop owner where to lube my bike pedals. My road bike’s left pedal squeaks; and he showed me where to put the oil. I should have told him, Hey, you’re a brick! Then I stopped at the little grocery store for frozen blueberries and almond milk. On the way home, I saw it was looking stormy towards the North; and now the sky is overcast. But still no rain. Where’s the storm? 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 You’re a Brick! March 29, 2025 Storms Love Weekends? March 28, 2025 No End? March 27, 2025 Preppie? March 26, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Preppie?

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Preppie? 📣 I remember when the preppie look was a big deal. In particular, I remember those shirts with the alligators on them. But I never got into it; for one thing, those clothes were beyond my budget. For another, it all seemed silly to me. At present, I’m being a preppie in another way: preparing for RAGBRAI. And it’s about more than getting my legs ready. I’m amazed at how much stuff I need! Among other things, I got one of those quick-dry, microfiber towels. It will take up much less space than the typical terrycloth towel; and microfiber is supposed to dry very quickly. Part of the prep is testing the towel to see how fast it dries; so I washed it by hand, and hung it up. That was about three and a half hours ago; and the thing isn’t dry yet. It probably won’t get as wet when I use it to dry myself after a shower, though. And, the humidity is 71%; which doesn’t help to dry things. Packing Prep 🧳 Yes, there’s packing prep, too; and I don’t care about a preppie look for my luggage! I had already bought a duffle bag; and decided to buy a second one, in a different color. One of them I’ve designated as my check-in bag; and the other will be the carry-on. I’m making lists of what to put into which bag; and I reasoned that the process would be easier if my two bags weren’t the same hue.  Packing prep also entails determining whether this or that may go into checked luggage, such as a tube of Chamois Butt’r. You can get Chamois Butt’r in little 9mL packets; but I’ve tried them, and I prefer a tube with a lid that snaps shut. I never needed to use all of a 9mL packet at once; and then I had to squeeze the remaining cream down into the packet; and fold down the top. I was always worried that it would leak all over the place, which would have made quite a mess.   It looks like alkaline batteries are good to go; and I must test the small bottles I got for body wash and shampoo. I’ll fill them with water; and if they leak, they miss out on 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.” 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 Preppie? March 26, 2025 Team RWB March 25, 2025 Blank Again March 24, 2025 Scatterbrained? March 23, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Team RWB

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Team RWB 🇺🇸 In watching all I can about RAGBRAI, I came across Team RWB. This organization supports veterans; those in the armed services; and their families and supporters. Team RWB discusses RAGBRAI packing in this video. It mentions some items that I might want to consider. Maybe this handheld fan? Some years RAGBRAI gets very hot; and even stays hot all night. If that’s going to be the case this year, a fan in my tent will be great. But the fan is one more thing to pack; and one more device that will need charging! Sounds like I need a charging block with a lot of ports! List Goes On ✍🏻 And the list goes on … and on! Seems like the more stuff I get, the more I need! I don’t need a tent, though; I’ll be using Pork Belly Ventures. PBV sets up/tears down your tent for you; and even puts your bags in it at the end of the day. PBV also picks up your bags in the morning. That’s a boon for a first-time rider; and I think it’s worth the cost. If I do more RAGBRAIs in the future, I might consider getting a cheap Walmart tent, as Team RWB mentions. There are things I’ll want to have on RAGBRAI that I already have at home; but they’re items that I use without a thought. They’re always here, after all. If I don’t write them down, I’m liable to forget them. Thus the list goes 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 Team RWB March 25, 2025 Blank Again March 24, 2025 Scatterbrained? March 23, 2025 Three H Club March 20, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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