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Hurry Up and Rain

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment /

Hurry Up and Rain 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.” I wish it would hurry up and rain. The forecast keeps predicting rain; but so far we’ve gotten little but a light drizzle all day. I prefer a good downpour that’s over in a half-hour or so. This persistent drizzle is far more likely to penetrate electrical transformers, and cause an electrical outage. On the other hand, it’s been so dry for so long that the ground probably can’t absorb a sudden large amount of water. This morning I donned the poncho and headed for the park. It wasn’t raining at the time, but the wind was pretty strong; and I wasn’t in the mood to fight it up there on the levee. The temperature was about 63 degrees; and with the wind it felt quite chilly. The poncho gave me some extra warmth! I used the hybrid, partly because it has fenders; and partly so I could bring the trunk. I wanted to get a few things at the drug store; and knew I might not go there if I had to go home first! But now I need a real ride with some hard efforts. There’s a wind advisory in effect for tomorrow. If I have a strong sidewind, bike control isn’t so easy; and if it’s a headwind, well, I’ve got my hard efforts built into my ride. I want it to hurry up and rain; but let’s get the rain done tonight. Rain plus a hard wind makes for miserable riding conditions! 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 Hurry Up and Rain November 14, 2023 Ride Inside or Outside? November 13, 2023 Rise and Shine November 12, 2023 Wet or Dry? November 11, 2023 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Ride Inside or Outside?

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Ride Inside or Outside?  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.” Ride inside; or outside? That is the question when it’s drizzly and gray; and the wind is as high as 15 mph. The Saris Fluid 2 is useful on those days when you’re rarin’ to ride; but the weather outdoors is too foul. It can accommodate both road bikes and MTBs; and is Zwift compatible. I have an indoor trainer, but reserve its use for days when the weather is at its nastiest; such as when the chill factor is below freezing. We had some days like that last Winter; and riding outdoors was tortuous! On such days, thermal socks over regular socks can’t keep my feet warm; and cold feet are no fun. I wish there were enough room in my cycling shoes for warming packs! So, to ride inside; or outside? This afternoon it really isn’t cold; the temperature is in the mid-60s. But the gray skies; the drizzle; and the wind make it seem more chilly. I went for a ride in the morning; and cut it short when it seemed like rain was imminent.  But why do I do that? It’s not as though I’m riding to work, and have to deal with wet clothes when I get there. If I get poured on during a ride, I’m going home; and I can dry out and warm up.   Or even relax with a mug of hot chocolate! What a luxury that is!  

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If the Shoe Fits

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If the Shoe Fits 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.” If the shoe fits, especially if it’s these Shimano SH-MT502W shoes, how about a good off-road ride? This footwear is great for off-road cycling. The midsole, of reinforced fiberglass, transfers more of your power to the pedals. The Shimano SH-MT502W is lightweight; and the mesh uppers help keep your feet cool in hot weather. Outer sole is of grippy rubber, for more secure footing both on the bike and off. If the shoe fits, it might also bring the happy news that you don’t have a bunion. I’ve got one at the base of my left big toe; and it has bone spurs as well. So I have surgery scheduled for two weeks from tomorrow. If it were only the bunion, I think I’d let it go; but those bone spurs mean I have little flex left in the joint. Sometimes it hurts — both for walking longer distances; and for cycling. I just bought a new pair of cycling shoes, because my old pair was getting soft around the heels. When I tried them on in the bike shop, they seemed OK; but when I wore them for a ride — OUCH! So they’re on the shelf until my foot recovers from the surgery. Today I did only a short, easy ride; and I had to take a detour because of a train! Tomorrow I might have to let riding wait until late morning. (Pre-op visit with the podiatrist at 8:30). I’m glad we’re past the 80-degrees-at-5:00 am season! I need to get out there and do some short, very hard efforts; I’ve been too lax about them. And my (old) shoe still fits!

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Which Bike for Me

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Which Bike for 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.” * “Which bike for me?” is a very sensible question for anyone who wants to take up cycling. How to choose? I admit I’m no expert; but I do know several things that must be considered: where and how much you plan to ride; whether you’ll need to carry loads; and, of course, your budget. Will your riding be primarily on paved surfaces? For the person who is brand new to cycling, I’d suggest a hybrid, because it’s more stable than a road bike. This Schwinn Discover hybrid bicycle for men and women has an easy-to-mount, step-through design; front and rear fenders; and a built-in cargo rack. Its 21 speeds let you adapt to a wide variety of road conditions. Just hang on a set of panniers, and you can bring home a load of groceries; or carry lunch and a change of clothes to work. Some folks will opt for a mountain bike, such as the Schwinn Traxion. The Traxion has 24 speeds, with trigger shifters; full suspension; and disc brakes. The catch with riding an MTB over pavement is, those knobby tires offer more rolling resistance than the smoother tires of a road bike or a hybrid. What about people who have balance issues? There are adult tricycles, such as the Tricycle Adult Folding Bicycle!  No worries about balance; and  you can even bring along a passenger! Front basket holds your cell phone and other needs. I know from experience that a trike is fun to ride. For the sheer enjoyment of putting in the miles, a road bike like the Tommaso Imola Endurance is great. It has 24 speeds; and delivers high performance at an affordable price. Built to last, too; an important aspect of anything you buy, I would say. The above are only a tiny percentage of the available bicycles out there; but I hope they can get you started on making your choice!

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Coming at Last

BACK ISSUES, equipment, Outdoors /

Coming at Last? 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 Fall coming at last? At midday today, it was only 72 degrees! Compared to what we’ve been getting, that’s cool. It’s rather windy as well. Tonight, down to the low 50s; and Tuesday night, it’s supposed to drop to the mid-40s! Time now to be eyeing cycling jackets, and other cold-weather clothing as well. Riding through the Winter drives me crazy, though. We can get crazy fluctuations in temperature; and it’s annoying to have all kinds of stuff floating around: gloves in several weights; thermal socks; leg warmers; and so on. In a way, dressing to ride in Summer is far easier. I know it will be hot; and I don’t have to worry that I’ll embark on a ride with too few layers. If Fall is coming at last, we ought to get some relief from the heat. We had a prolonged spell of extreme hot weather, when the heat index got over 100 degrees every day. I was glad to see that end; but it’s still very dry. We’re turning into a desert at the rate we’ve been going; and I hope we get the rain that’s predicted for tonight and tomorrow morning. Just not while I’m out cycling!

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Working Hard

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Working Hard 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.” “Working hard? I thought you were retired!” people might say. Well, I’m out of the paid workforce; but that doesn’t mean I’m through with work. I’ve said for the last few years that my website would be my job after I retired; and it sure is! It seems like the more I do, the more I think of further things to do. Today’s project was editing my Bicycles page. A site visitor who wants, say, a MTB, might not want to browse through a page showing 50-something bicycles to find a MTB. With the page’s new format, they can click on MTBs; and view the MTB page. Same for Touring Bikes; and so on. Luckily I had made almost all of the necessary pages earlier; so the project went more quickly. But I was still working hard! In fact, I’m hardly finished that project; and now I’m thinking of doing a similar job on the Boutique page! Today I skipped riding. I’m doing that too often of late; and I need to ride all I can before my foot surgery next month. Recovery might take several months; and I’ll miss being able to ride. I’m looking for non-weight bearing exercises that I can do while I wait for my foot to heal. Oops, I just now thought of yet another bike category for the Bicycles page. Retired? I’m still working hard!

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Dancing Shoes

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Dancing Shoes? Since when are cycling shoes, dancing shoes? I don’t think I would want to dance in my cycling shoes. The soles are too stiff; and even MTB shoes, with their recessed cleats, might lead to slipping. This morning, however, I was at my bike shop, buying a new pair of cycling shoes. The shop owner was teasing me about my dancing shoes; and I said, yeah, I’m ready for the foxtrot. I got a size larger this time, because of the bunion/bone spurs on my left foot. The shoes still feel a bit too snug at that spot; but I figure they’ll stretch over time. Shoes do that, you know. The pair I’m replacing are a good three years old; and they’re getting pretty soft around the heels. I read somewhere that you’re risking bio-mechanical trouble by “trying to milk more miles out of shot shoes”. I’ve got enough trouble without that! Better to pay for a new pair of shoes now, than have major doctors’ bills farther down the road. The weather forecast over the next few days shows a warming trend. I hope it doesn’t shoot up into the 90s again! Rain chances are low to none until next Wednesday; so at least I won’t need a rain suit.

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Not a Bike?

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Not a Bike? When is a bike not a bike? That depends on your exact definition. To me, a bike is something that  you can pedal to make yourself move, be it a two-wheeler; an adult trike; or even a unicycle. An indoor exercise bike is in the gray area. You can pedal as fast and hard as you like; but no amount of effort makes you and that thing get anywhere. Your CV system might be getting a terrific workout; but I’d rather have my efforts transfer into forward motion. Hence I came up with the term un-bikes!  Our weather is finally turning into something more like October. It was below 60 degrees this morning; and with a 12 mph wind, it felt quite chilly. And down to 54 tonight! We’re into another spell of dry weather; and who knows how long it will last. We still need rain. This morning I rode in the park, short and easy. I didn’t feel like battling the wind on top of the levee. Incidentally, sometimes I see things up there that are not a bike, such as scooters. Those things can fly; but they don’t have pedals. Neither do roller blades.  Of course I’ll be getting chilly while riding; and that means it’s hot-chocolate time! In recent months, I stocked up on reduced-calorie hot chocolate that I found in the salvage store. I didn’t care how hot the weather was; I knew I would want that stuff come Winter. I’ve got four or five boxes of it; so I should be all set!

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October Already

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October Already?! Gosh, it’s October already? Where did this year go? We don’t get spectacular Fall colors here; so I won’t be going on any leaf-peeping rides. In fact, it still feels very summery! But as it’s October already, it’s time to start considering the Christmas gift list. Got kids? There are options ranging from balance bikes for toddlers; and trailercycles for kids ready to pedal, but not quite ready for independent riding. Older kids may want to take off on their own; and perhaps a Magna Throttle will fit the bill. Naturally there are bikes for adults and seniors, too. For someone who has balance issues, an adult trike is great; or it you don’t need a trike, but need a power boost, an e-bike can be a godsend. Know someone who wants to ride with a partner; but they’re both worried about being unable to stay together? A tandem might make a great joint gift. Then there are accessories, from helmets to pedals to lights. Spider Spoke Lights are more suited to Hallowe’en than Christmas, I would think; but some folks enjoy them any season. A Zukka Bike Handlebar Bag is great for carrying a camera; snacks; and a map when you go out exploring. I can tell it’s October already by how early it gets dark. But it still hasn’t cooled off much. In fact, it’s been so hot and dry that we’ve got a red flag warning! That’s rare for us; and of course it makes me rather uneasy. Not until Sunday night is it expected to get cool — a frigid 58 degrees! Maybe it will finally feel like Fall.

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The Road Goes On

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment, Food /

The Road Goes On “The road goes on, and ever on”; or something like that. Tolkien got that part right. During a long ride, our road sure can seem endless! What can we do to make seemingly endless miles more bearable? First, a proper bike fitting. This admittedly can be costly; but it’s well worth it. Then there’s conditioning. Trying to bang out 100 miles in a day with little or no training is unwise; although supposedly some riders have done it. How they got through those miles, I don’t know. Their legs must have given them agony in the following days! So, you’ve gotten a bike fit; and you’ve been working up to longer and longer rides. What else makes long rides more comfortable? Good bike shorts certainly are far more comfortable than regular shorts with underwear beneath them. Cycling shorts are meant to fit smoothly, and to be worn next to the skin. The other option is apt to mean two layers of fabric bunching up under you. That causes nasty chafing; and the last thing you want after a ride is saddle sores! Chamois Butt’r can help prevent skin irritation, so use it pre-ride; and take some to along so you can freshen up as the road goes on. Don’t forget about fueling during your rides. The best bike fitting; the most comfy bike shorts, can take you only so far. For rides of an hour or less, on-bike eating might not be needed; just have a snack before rolling out. For longer rides, there are many options. I like to try different kinds of bars, such as RXBars. And don’t forget hydration! Even when it’s cold, for rides much over one hour, plain water doesn’t make the grade. I need electrolyte drink, too. They say, once you’ve reached a certain fitness level, you can ride infinitely as long as you have an adequate fuel supply. So let the road go on!

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