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Something Is Rotten

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment /

Something Is Rotten? ? It seems that something is rotten; and I’m not talking about the State of Denmark. I’m having trouble with my laptop; and it’s making it impossible for me to work on my Store. I wasn’t sure whether the problem was with the website itself; or my laptop’s system. Long story short, it might be several days before I can get things ironed out; so no wonder I think that something is rotten. Maybe ice cream will make me feel better, emotionally if not physically. I really do not need to be eating ice cream, candy, and so on. I’m continuing to work at minimizing such treats. Something to think about as we head into 2025! Frozen ? As if computer prohlems weren’t enough, my gears got frozen this morning; and I have no idea why. I had to stop pretty suddenly; and I was on the big ring. When I tried to turn the pedals by hand to get back on the small ring, they refused to budge. It took me a good 10 minutes of struggling to move the chain by hand before I could get moving again. Incidentally, that showed me that I need a good chain-cleaning system; that supposedly clean + lube stuff doesn’t seem to clean. Or am I using too little of it? So tomorrow I’ve got to ask the bike shop what might have made those gears get frozen. And I’ve got to get a chain-cleaning kit. I used to have one years ago; and switched to the self-cleaning lube because I didn’t know where I could dispose of dirty, oily water. I’m glad my fingers didn’t get frozen as I was working; and it’s going to be on the warm side again tomorrow.  It looks like New Year’s Eve will be foggy; but that won’t stop folks from getting out there with the firecrackers. I stay home and away from all that noise and commotion. I want to save my energy for a January 1 ride!  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 ✍? Something Is Rotten December 30, 2024 Rev It Up December 29, 2024 Rein in the Rain December 28, 2024 70K! December 27, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Rein in the Rain

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment, Outdoors /

Rein in the Rain ?️ I wish there were a way to rein in the rain. Even with a poncho, riding in the rain still gets me pretty wet. It’s not only the getting wet; if the weather is at all cool, wet leg warmers feel like no leg warmers. My poncho’s sleeves aren’t full length; and my jacket sleeves get wet from the elbow down. And, if it’s warm weather, a poncho feels smothery! Thank goodness there was someone to rein in the rain as I rode to the salvage store this morning. But the sky was gray; and as I rode, I began to hear thunder. That made me uneasy; especially as it seemed to be getting closer! Backtracking ? The thunder continued to grumble as I waited for the store to open; and I heard more thunder as I shopped. All I could do was to hope that it would pass before I left the store.  I found Alani bars that I can use as ride food; but not the medium cheddar cheese that I wanted. I would have liked to find additional ride food; but maybe next Saturday I’ll be luckier. When it came time for backtracking to home, the shower had stopped; but all the same I got into the poncho. It’s a good thing I did! Nobody did anything to rein in the rain during this leg of my trip; and there were some bands of heavy precipitation. I’m glad they didn’t last long; and I’m glad I’m not backtracking right now! Since I got home, the forecast is saying there’s the possibility of severe T-storms. Now I’ve got one ear cocked for the severe weather alert on my cell phone. Sometimes these predictions don’t come true; but sometimes they do!   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 ✍? Rein in the Rain December 28, 2024 70K! December 27, 2024 Sparring? December 26, 2024 Merry Christmas 2024! December 25, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Head Start

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment, Outdoors /

Head Start ? I’ve gotten a head start on Christmas 2025; and I do mean I jumped the gun big time. Today I bought greeting cards for next year! They would have cost less if I had waited to buy them until December 26; but I figured there wouldn’t be much left by then. And now that I have the cards, I don’t need to worry about finding them in the stores when Christmas rolls around next year. It’s often good to get a head start on things. It sure beats frenzied, last-minute preparations! Especially for major undertakings, when a snowball effect is common. You know how each additional thing that you think of, makes you think of at least one further thing!  Like a helmet cover to add to your rain gear. Sometimes I wish I  had one; but then I remember, I use a helmet-mounted headlight. I’m afraid the heat of the light would melt the helmet cover! Winding up the Year ? It’s time to be winding up the year. I’ve recorded my rides regularly, as I’ve done almost since the very start. With only 12 more days left of 2024, I’ll want to get in some good miles. It won’t give me a head start on 2025, though. How about tomorrow? I’m thinking of using the hybrid to ride laps around the park, so I can make a trip to Whole Foods. Might as well kill two birds with one stone, as they say, and do my ride on a bicycle that lets me carry loads. If I do a ride on the road bike first, I might get home and then decide to stay put! There’s a chance of rain and even T-storms on Christmas Day! I hope that doesn’t persist too long. I don’t want to be winding up the year with a dismal mileage showing. 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 ✍? Head Start December 19, 2024 Spares December 18, 2024 Mistical Mornings? December 17, 2024 Spring in December? December 16, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Spares

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment, Personal Care /

Spares ? Spares have an important role to play. What happens when you’re on a long ride; and a tire goes flat? Or your bike falls, and the rear derailer hanger takes the brunt? My road bike’s rear derailer hanger seems to be a very vulnerable part! So it wise to keep spares on hand. An under saddle pack lets you carry a spare tube and tools for changing a flat; and has room for a tube of sunblock plus a snack or two. And I now carry a replcement rear derailer with me. As my road bike is over eleven years old, it’s getting harder to find parts for it. Spare Tire? ? A spare tire for a bicycle or a car is fine; and I use tough Gatorskin tires for my road bike to reduce the risk of flats. But a “spare tire” around the belt line is something nobody wants. I don’t mean to be insulting to anyone who’s carrying around excess weight; that’s no laughing matter. It’s possible to shed the extra pounds by cycling; and  Ride Your Way Lean tells how to go about it. Several weight loss plans are included, from a program for losing up to 50 pounds or more; to one that helps you lose 15-35 pounds; and “Shed the stubborn spare tire”, for losing 5-15 pounds. This title is also available in Spanish. I’m not really following any of these plans; but I’m counting the calories, and watching carbs and saturated fat. And continuing to ride, of course. I’m not as lean as I would like to be; but riding can do a lot to prevent the build-up of that spare tire! 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 ✍? Spares December 18, 2024 Mistical Mornings? December 17, 2024 Spring in December? December 16, 2024 What Fog? December 15, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Christmas Moon

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment, Outdoors /

Christmas Moon ? Strictly speaking, the upcoming full moon isn’t a Christmas moon — it’s ten days early. But it looks like the weather might be on my side. The forecast says, partly cloudy; and that could mean that I’ll have good viewing. The temperature will probably be around 60 degrees; and that’s quite comfortable for riding. Yes, I’ll want leg warmers; and a jacket; and a helmet liner. But that’s a lot better than riding when it’s 40 degrees!  Even if the moon isn’t visible, I’ll want to ride. Winter Wheelers is on, after all! I’m trying to get in 100 miles or so per week; and after tomorrow’s trip to the salvage store, I should easily reach that goal with Sunday’s ride. The catch with riding so early is that, once I’m heading back home, I’ll have the sun shining directly into my face! But getting to see the Christmas moon will make it worth the nuisance. Real Christmas Ride ?? Who know what the real Christmas ride will be like. Temperature down to the low 30s? Or 70 degrees? Clear, or rainy? If the latter, I’ll ride the hybrid, and avoid getting my bike all spattered with mud.   Windy? I hope not. A strong wind will make riding in the park more sensible; but a real Christmas ride in the park means this: even at 6:00 am, the path in the park will be full of kids trying out their new bicycles.  I understand that they’re excited and want to learn to ride; but let’s face it, youngsters wobbling all over the place on bikes can be hazardous! I don’t want to hit them; and I don’t need for them to run into me. That means riding at a snail’s pace! 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 ✍? Christmas Moon December 13, 2024 What Goes Down December 12, 2024 Subsidence December 11, 2024 Gamble Paid Off December 10, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Let’s Roll!

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment /

Let’s Roll! ? Let’s roll! We don’t need a train to do it; Winter Wheelers has begun! “Winter” wheelers seems like a bit of a misnomer here. Snow and ice are rare; and in fact, the temperature this afternoon reached the mid-60s. I’d be at a loss to know how to ride in the snow; and  I might want a Mongoose Aztec Fat Tire bicycle, for better traction. Maybe it’s just as well that I don’t need such a bike; because I don’t have room for it. But whatever the weather, Winter Wheelers is here; so let’s roll! If you’re an adult beginner, and have trouble with balance, a set of CyclingDeal Stabilizer Wheels can help you to get going. These adjustable wheels fit most bikes with 24-29 inch wheels; and are heavy duty. Year’s Goals ? This is the time to reflect on the year’s rides; and ponder whether we’ll be able to meet the year’s goals by December 31. It might be a mileage goal; or improving your pace; or completing a certain ride, e.g. a century. The Cyclist’s Training Diary is a great place to record your rides; or you can take the cheap route, like me, and use a spiral notebook. Either way, it’s helpful to see the data set down on paper. It looks as though I’ll be able to reach my 70K-mile goal quite easily I just hope I didn’t make any arithmetic mistakes; that can make my mileage look greater than it actually is. Even if my math was wrong, it doesn’t take the joy out of riding — Winter Wheelers or otherwise. 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 ✍? Let’s Roll! December 1, 2024 Winter Wheelers November 30, 2024 Harbinger of Winter November 29, 2024 Day of Doom? November 28, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Harbinger of Winter

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment, Outdoors /

Harbinger of Winter ❄️ Today seemed to be a harbinger of Winter. Soon I’ll need to haul out the hand warmers and warm socks.  The temperature this morning wasn’t really terribly cold; about 51 degrees. The wind, however, made it seem much colder! It was blowing at 15 mph; and gusts were up to 23 mph. Those gusts made it feel like my bicycle was skidding sideways; even though the path was dry. Fighting the wind like that causes me to grip my handlebars more tightly; and at one point I had to remind myself to loosen up because my hands were on the verge of numbness Bundle Up! ? It’s a nuisance to have to bundle up for a ride. You want enough layers to keep you warm; but not so many that you’ll overheat. There seems to be a fine line between the two! The usual advice is that underdressing a little is better than overdressing; but if you go with the former, take along an extra layer in case something forces you to interrupt your ride. Wearing more layers means that I have more pockets; and sometimes I forget what I’ve put into which pocket. When I need to bundle up, it takes longer to prepare for a ride. If I do start to feel too warm during the ride, I’m in a rather tight spot. My Camel-Bak pockets are often stuffed with a cable lock; a tube of Chamois Butt’r; and bathroom tissue. There’s not much room to add clothes. So if I start to feel a little over-warm, I just put up with it. I hope today’s harbinger of Winter doesn’t prophesy weather so bad that we can’t ride. Day after tomorrow begins Winter Wheelers! 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 ✍? Harbinger of Winter November 29, 2024 Day of Doom? November 28, 2024 Anytime Anywhere November 27, 2024 Wet Turkey November 26, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Wet Turkey

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment, Food /

Wet Turkey ? It’s going to be a wet turkey day, I think. The forecast predicts rain and even T-storms. I’m not sure how well the Mediterranean Diet would go with the typical Thanksgiving Day dinner. I’m not all that familiar with the diet; but it looks like turkey doesn’t fit into it very well! But I like legumes and veggies and fruit; and I suppose that hummus is part of the Mediterranean diet. Speaking of turkeys, a wet turkey is something you don’t want if you’re raising the birds. From what I’ve heard, they literally don’t have the sense to come in out of the rain. Then they’re apt to get sick and die. Ride Anyway? ? If it’s raining Thursday morning, shall I ride anyway? As usual, that depends on how hard it’s raining; and whether there’s lightning. I’d use the hybrid, because it has fenders; and wear rain gear unless there’s just a light sprinkle. We’ll see how things are Thursday morning. After Thanksgiving the weather is supposed to turn cooler. It’s more than high time it did; but I must say, I don’t enjoy battling a stiff, cold wind while I’m riding a bicycle! Question: Say, how fast can a wet turkey (or a dry one) run? Answer: A wild turkey can reach 25 mph in short spurts; so I don’t think I’d do very well trying to race one! A now-defunct local grocery store used to have large paper bags (before plastic grocery bags took over) in November, showing an image of somebody wielding a hatchet overhead while chasing after a turkey. Did they ever catch it, I wonder? 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 ✍? Wet Turkey November 26, 2024 Empty Headed November 25, 2024 Every Little Bit November 24, 2024 Cotton Tale? November 23, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Every Little Bit

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment, Training /

Every Little Bit ? They say that every little bit helps; whether it’s easing goodies out of your diet, or extending your mileage. Or increasing the weight you lift if you do off-bike strength training! Today I added a mile or so to my ride for a total of 23.1 miles. That wasn’t a major increase; but every little bit helps! I wonder, am I ready to add a 30-miler once a week? Today’s ride was quite poky; my average speed was less than 11 mph. I’m not quick as a bunny! Not yet, anyway! But rides of 22-23 miles at a rather casual pace don’t leave me gasping for breath at the end; so going for 30 miles shouldn’t be a major undertaking. RAGBRAI? ? Is RAGBRAI possible? I’m still interested; but I must admit that I seem to have run out of options for getting to and from Iowa with a small group of riders. Traveling there by air will be frightfully costly; and going by Amtrack will mean a long trip in a swaying passenger car. My head doesn’t like that sort of thing! All the same, I’ve bought a few things that I’d need on RAGBRAI. I got an air mattress similar to the HiiPeak Sleeping Pad shown at left; and I got a cooling rag, too. In fact, I tried it out during that extremely hot spell in July/August; and it really helps.  Every little bit helps when you’re aiming for a mileage goal; and maybe I’ll ride to Whole Foods tomorrow. Or shall I wait for Saturday, and skip the salvage store? 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 ✍? Every Little Bit November 24, 2024 Cotton Tale? November 23, 2024 Cold Turkey? November 22, 2024 Thermal Shock November 21, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Park Mode

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment, Outdoors /

Park Mode ?️ I might have to go into park mode tomorrow. The forecast predicts rain (again); and if the “cloudy” window between 8:00 am and noon means that it will rain anyway, maybe I’ll be better off riding my hybrid in the park. Yes, I’m glad to have my road bike back from the shop; and it’s more fun to ride than the hybrid; but the road bike doesn’t have fenders. In wet weather, riding the road bike means a mucky bike; and a dirty, wet stripe up my back!  I’ll see what the weather is up to in the morning; then I’ll decide whether to risk taking the road bike on the levee; or to ride the hybrid around and around the park. Hence the term, “park mode”. The Drawbacks ⚠️ The drawbacks to long rides on the hybrid — whether in park mode or otherwise — are the hybrid’s heaviness; and the fact that I don’t have a handlebar bag for it. I don’t need one often enough to make buying one worthwhile; and I have a rear rack on the hybrid, so I can carry a trunk to hold a poncho; food; and so on.  The catch is, this means that I have to stop and dismount every time want to get a bite of food. I’d rather be able to eat while rolling. Stopping every 15-20 minutes is no way to develop endurance; but if using the hybrid is what I have to do to get in a ride, then I’ll have to put up with the drawbacks. 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 Park Mode November 9, 2024 Woman Is Fickle? November 8, 2024 Twice Soaked November 7, 2024 Eye on the Weekend November 6, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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