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Find My Way

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Find My Way I have to find my way sometimes. Don’t we all? This Sun Company Clip-on Compass will at least help me to get oriented. I ride in the dark a lot; and in these days of overwhelming light pollution, how can I find my way by the stars? Even though I know how to find Polaris, the knowledge isn’t much use here. At about 30 degrees North, Polaris is too low in the sky; and trees, buildings, etc. hide it. Air pollution also helps to dim the stars; and here, we have salt haze from the Gulf. And sometimes it’s overcast; or foggy; or flat-out pouring rain. Thus a compass is useful. If nothing else, I want to know where North is when I’m out for a ride. When I’m doing a long ride on a cold day; and there’s a northerly headwind; I can see when the hard work is coming up! I can also see when the wind will be off my nose, so I can ease up a little. My concern about this product is: can it fit over my road bike’s handlebars? I’ve discovered that the Incredibell won’t fit there; and I sure wish it did! But don’t use this compass with iron or steel handlebars. Such materials will only “confuse” said compass; and that’s not what we want when pathfinding!

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Not Only Wheels

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Not Only Wheels It’s not only wheels that roll in cycling. If you have sore, tired muscles after hard riding, a foam roller can help. Not that I should talk. I haven’t used my foam roller in months; and I really need to get back to it.  The 321 Strong Foam Roller mimics the hands of a massage artist; and you don’t have to leave home to do it. That saves both time and money; and besides, I still don’t think we should let our guard down re: Covid. A good massage might be even better if you follow it up with an epsom salt bath. The plug in my bathtub doesn’t fit right; so I’ll have to skip such soaking. I tried a body scrub made of epsom salt; sea salt; baking soda; and vegetable glycerin instead. It was OK; but it took a lot of rinsing! Getting around to cycling equipment, it’s not only wheels and tires! We need so many things to keep that bicycle rolling: a pump; chain lube; and more. That’s even before we get around to caring for the “engine” — namely, proper nutrition; getting enough sleep; and so on. Getting enough sleep is easier said than done when I want to get up early to ride. Usually I don’t do that on Sundays; but today did it so I could go see the moonlight on the river. It was worth the trouble!

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Elephants

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Elephants? Speaking of trunks makes me think of elephants. “Elephants are useful friends/Equipped with handles at both ends”, as Ogden Nash put it. I don’t think I can manage such an animal; so it’s lucky that a bicycle trunk is much smaller; doesn’t need housing; and is easy to carry! MTX Trunkbag DX I just added this MTX Trunkbag DX to my Shop. I would have saved my money; but the rack on my new hybrid is incompatible with my old trunk. It’s tricky to get this trunk onto the rack over the panniers that I have; so I might have to replace them, too. My panniers are at least nine years old, and showing signs of wear, anyway. anyway Thule Shield Bike Panniers Panniers can hold a surprising amount; so I don’t need elephants to carry my stuff for me. I use panniers regularly to bring home the groceries; and to carry my lunch cooler to work. If I ever do a bicycle tour, panniers front and rear will be a must. But I’ll leave the elephants in case I ever go on safari.

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Sock It to Me

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Sock It to Me Sock it to me! Or have I blogged about “sox” before now? We’re still getting afternoon temperatures in the low 80s; but it won’t last forever. When we start to have cold fronts, I’ll want warm socks. I have a pair of the Socks Daze shown here; but as of this writing, they’re unavailable. Maybe Bymore Thermal Socks would do instead? Maybe it’s our humid climate; but my feet get cold no matter what I put on them. Even thermal socks over regular “sox” don’t keep my feet warm. Compression socks are another story. I tried them after long Sunday rides; but finally gave up on them. They’re very hard to get on in the first place; and they hurt! I have to pull them off after only 15-20 minutes.  It’s all enough to make me wish I lived where it never goes below 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Even 70 degrees is cool enough to set my nose off; and the constant sniffling drives me crazy. It’s been like that every morning this week; and I’ve got several months of it coming. Maybe that nose is trying to sock it to me — it thinks it’s the boss!  

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Don’t Get Unhinged

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Don’t Get Unhinged Don’t get unhinged! Keep those hinges warm with Louis Garneau Knee Warmers! Sometimes it’s a bit chilly; but not really cold enough for full-length leg warmers. Some of us have knees that are sensitive to cold; and that’s where knee warmers come in handy. I have a bit of arthritis in my knees; but oddly, they don’t seem to be bothered by the cold. It’s my hands and feet that get so cold; and warming packs are a godsend. For my hands, anyway; but I wish I could fit them inside my shoes!  It’s easy to say, don’t get unhinged by bad weather, be it T-storms or a stiff cold front. After all, they say that there’s no such thing as bad weather; only bad clothing choices. I wish it were so simple. On cold days, socks plus thermal socks don’t keep my feet warm; and slacks over leg warmers don’t keep my legs warm enough. In this humid climate, the cold seeps through any amount of clothing. I’m thankful for those warming packs; at least I can keep my hands halfway warm! Our cold weather will be here only too soon; and when it arrives, dressing for a ride will take at least twice as long! It isn’t only the extra layers. I often forget that I need put my keys in the pocket of an outer jacket. Then I have to pull off my gloves so I can get the keys out of a blouse pocket. The same thing applies to my cell phone. It’s a lot of extra work; and many a day it seems like I’ll never get out the door. It’e enough to get anybody unhinged.

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Let’s Go Tubing

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Let’s Go Tubing! Let’s go tubing! If you want to get wet and wild, that’s one way to do it. Whitewater tubing is one thing; but it’s another thing entirely when you have to change your bicycle tire’s tube. I know what to do; but the physical ability to carry it out is my problem. CMC arthritis makes such work very painful; and I need to avoid flats if possible. That’s why I use tire liners; and I still get the occasional flat. Then have to haul out the spare tube; get to work as best I can; and hope someone comes along who can help me get that tire back onto the rim! In fact, that happened last December. Presta valve tubes The road bike’s tire tube have Presta valves; and the hybrid uses Schraeder-valve tubes. The tricycle also had Schraeder tubes. Schraeder-valve tubes In spite of tire liners, I recently had a rear flat on my hybrid — TWICE! Thanks to my physical problems, I had to take the bike to the shop to get the flats fixed. Let’s go tubing? I wish I could!  They say that one of the hallmarks of the touring cyclist is self-reliance; and that includes fixing a flat. If I can’t manage that basic task, I fear that bicycle touring is not for me.  At least, not the self-supported tours; but if there’s a SAG wagon following along, I don’t have to worry about that.  So maybe I can still pin my hopes on that elusive “someday”!

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Esnow Toe Clips

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Esnow Toe Clips Esnow Toe Clips are made of environmentally-friendly plastic; and the adjustable straps are of sturdy nylon. Toe clips let you put more power into your pedal stroke; and they keep your feet from slipping. That’s very handy in wet weather; and where I live, we get plenty of that! These toe clips are suitable for a variety of outdoor bicycles; or for an indoor bike. I had something similar to Esnow Toe Clips on my tricycle. After I had them installed, I began to use my quads; and what a different feeling that was! But it always annoyed me that I couldn’t get the strap on the left pedal properly snugged. Chalk it up to my right-handedness, I suppose. When I moved on to two wheels, I knew that clips with straps weren’t practical for me. With the trike, I didn’t  have to worry about keeping my balance; and it was easy to reach down and adjust the straps while I was sitting still. But I’m wasn’t comfortable with the idea of reaching down to my feel while rolling on two wheels; and I’m still not. That meant looking for something else. Enter strapless toe clips! It’s easy to get my feet in and out of them; and with toe clips you don’t have to have your feet attached to the pedals. The thought of riding clipped in is scary when you aren’t used to doing it! With these strapless clips, I can take my foot out either to the back; or to the side. They’re lightweight, too. Toe clips are definitely worth it!

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Leg Warmers

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Leg Warmers Yep; it’s about time for leg warmers. This morning I wore them for my ride. The temperature was in the low 70s; and strictly speaking, that’s not cool enough for me to cover my legs. But the wind was strong enough that it felt a lot cooler; and that meant leg warmers. It’s a nuisance pulling the things on. I have CMC arthritis in my left thumb; and the pinch-and-pull of donning leggings makes it hurt. I expect to see an occupational therapist soon; and will probably need a custom-made brace. There goes more money! Twenty-twenty-two has been an expensive year! I was glad I used the leg warmers. Yesterday I did some hard efforts; and I suppose that’s why  I felt tired today. I decided to ride the hybrid, and to ride in the park; because I expected the wind to make bike handling tricky. This was a short ride, too, because I had to leave myself time to fix a box lunch. If I thought it was windy this morning, I was mistaken. Coming home, I had a headwind of about 18 mph! The forecast predicts a low of 61 degrees tonight; and a 15 mph wind. That’s a wind chill of 58 degrees. I’ll need those leg warmers for sure!  Now that the weather is starting to turn cool, I expect to see plenty of day-to-day temperature fluctuations. It drives me crazy, too. One day I might need three layers; and next day, only one. It’s annoying to have jackets, gloves, etc. all over the place. An easy way to give yourself a hand? Soon I might need warming packs; and I’m glad I have some left over from last Winter. Until then, leg warmers and a lightweight jacket should suffice.  As to keeping those legs warm, I’ve never tried embrocation cream. I suppose it’s as messy as sunblock!

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Heybike Cityscape

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Heybike Cityscape Electric The Heybike Cityscape electric bike is a power-assisted way to cruise around town. The battery can last as long as 40 miles; and the integral rack lets you carry panniers for your shopping needs. So far I haven’t tried an e-bike. The Heybike Cityscape is modestly priced as e-bikes go; but most e-bikes are way beyond my budget. They’re heavy, too, thanks to the battery. I doubt that I can carry this bicycle up the three steps to my front door. My muscle-powered hybrid can seem heavy enough! I’ve seen a few e-bikes, though; and the buzzing sound they make is rather annoying to me. I wouldn’t want that noise right behind me as I’m riding; and neither do I want to disturb the neighborhood with it. Today, however, I had no need of any power assist. It was gloriously un-windy this morning. Maybe that’s why I felt stronger than usual; and at times was pedaling at 15 mph or more! Even so, somebody on a fat-tire bike went whizzing past me. Those wide tires make quite a whirring sound. And think of the effort required to push such wide tires so fast! Getting back to wind, I hope Ian doesn’t change paths. If he does, we’ll get more wind than we want! At present, New Orleans is on the outer edge of the “cone“; and in fact, Wednesday is forecast to be “breezy”. I guess I’d better go for a ride tomorrow, in case wind conditions prevent a Wednesday ride. If I do ride Wednesday, I might wish I had a Heybike to help get me home!

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Light up the Night

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Light up the Night I sure need to light up the night. If I don’t, I can’t see where I’m riding! A good, bright headlight is essential; especially if you don’t want to plod along at walking pace.  I’m always complaining about the people out there who are in dark clothing; who wear minimal or no reflective material; and who do not use lights. Some of them are jogging, or walking the dog; but some are on bicycles! I don’t want to be among them; and when I’m riding, I want to move! So I’ve got to be able to see where I’m going. Light up the night! A tail light is almost as important as a headlight. People coming up from behind need to know that you’re there; and if they don’t have headlights, they might not see you in time! When on the road bike, I put the tail light on the seat stay; and when I use the hybrid, I put it on the back of the rack. I like to use the tail light in steady mode. I used to wear a white blinkie on my left wrist; but it wore out. Even with fresh batteries, it wouldn’t turn on. I couldn’t find a new one; but the one I had served me for many years! I use a Micro Red LED Light on the back of my helmet. Even with all those lights, I want reflective gear. I don’t care what color mine is; just so it’s highly visible. Incidentally, lights and reflective gear aren’t only for night riding. They’re a good idea at high noon. Even at that time, it can be hard to see a car that doesn’t have its lights on. How much harder it must be to spot little old me on a bicycle!

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