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Is Weather a Woman?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Food, Outdoors /

Is Weather a Woman? 👩 Is weather a woman? It seems like it sometimes; it’s fickle! Yesterday the forecast still showed the possibility of snow showers tonight; this morning, it doesn’t. Is the forecast a woman, too? At any rate, one site does indicate possible rain/snow showers; and one doesn’t! Either way, it’s supposed to get cold. I haven’t decided whether or not I’ll ride tomorrow. Combine a temperature below 40 degrees with wind gusts up to 20 mph, and you’ve got a nasty chill factor. Chill Factor 🥶 If the chill factor keeps me indoors tomorrow, it might be a good time to try some new recipes; except that my freezer is already full!  I went for a short ride this afternoon. It was overcast; there was a drop of rain here and there; and the wind seemed to be getting stronger. It made me think of the chill factor! I rode three laps around the park; and might have done a fourth if not for the appearance of four kids on some kind of power bicycles. Those kids were riding rather wildly; and I decided to get out of the park. In fact, I rather hope park security caught up with them and made them settle down. I think they needed to chill out! 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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Ordinary Athlete

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Food, Outdoors /

Ordinary Athlete 🧑🏼‍🍳   For the ordinary athlete, The Everyday Athlete Cookbook is great. You don’t have to be an elite athlete to enjoy good food! The Everyday Athlete Cookbook includes recipes for pre- and post-ride meals; plus nutritious snacks. These recipes are easy to prepare; and you’ll find information on preparing plant-based and dairy-free foods. Your kitchen can become a lab! Now that I’m cooking again, I’m experimenting with foods — such as different combinations of legumes. Cooking Again 🥘 It’s a relief to be cooking again, rather than buying microwave meals. Some of them are actually quite tasty; but they’re rather expensive. Cooking again means washing pots again; but I’m not throwing away the packaging that comes with pre-prepared foods. It’s also good to be riding again. Today, though, I waited until afternoon. The wind was pretty strong today; and that makes it feel colder. It was also from a direction that made me feel like I had a headwind most of the time. That gets pretty frustrating; but on the other hand, riding against the wind is useful for building strength! 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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Touched by the Frost?

BACK ISSUES, Food, Outdoors /

Touched by the Frost? 🥶 Have I been touched by the frost? It’s hard to say; although the weather got much cooler last night, it wasn’t quite cold enough for frost. Even if the temperature dropped low enough, the wind was too strong for any frost to form. But the cold seemed to affect me: my elbow was achy during physical therapy this morning. After therapy, I had to go for a follow-up with the oral surgeon. By the time I finished that appointment, it was getting towards noon. Then I needed to head for the bank; New Year’s is coming up; and I might need a bit of extra cash. After that, I got a fancy sandwich for my “New Year’s dinner”. But no chicken today. No Chicken! 🐓 I decided on a sandwich with no chicken; and no, not  because my brain was touched by the frost. There’s a saying that you shouldn’t eat chicken for New Year’s, or you’ll fo backwards in the coming year. You’re supposed to eat pork, so you’ll go forwards. That odd superstition stems from the different ways in which chickens and pigs search for food. A chicken scratches backwards; but a pig roots forwards. A popular January 1 dish around here is ham hocks cooked in blackeye peas. I’d better get in some riding tomorrow. I let it go again today; I wasn’t home from all my appointments and errands until at least noon; and the wind was still strong enough to dissuade me. And, after that huge lunch, my stomach felt too full for vigorous exercise! 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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Propel

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Food /

Propel🫸 Good grief, I’m not even up to riding ten miles; and already I need Propel (or another electrolyte drink) on the bike. This, despite cool weather! Of course I brought along a bottle of water; but something about riding outdoors makes me get thirsty faster than indoor pedaling. Maybe I breathe through my mouth more? Whatever it is, I need something to help propel me forward. Yesterday I rode just short of seven miles; and today I added a lap. The total was well over 8 miles. It made my legs a bit tired; so I don’t think I’m ready for a trip to the salvage store quite yet. I’ll stay at 8-9 miles for a few days before extending the distance.  I’m not sure I’ll be doing Christmas riding; it depends on how I feel after the oral surgery. Doing Christmas 🎄 I’ve been doing Christmas since yesterday. Christmas dinner, I mean. Yesterday I got Chinese take-out for lunch; and today I had some eggnog (without booze). I was happy to find one-pint bottles of eggnog in the store. Today I drank about 1/2 cup of it; I’ll have another 1/2 cup tomorrow; and I froze the rest. Tomorrow? Maybe cranberry sauce and frozen blueberries. I’m trying to control my sweet tooth, though. That’s not so easy, because doing Christmas typically means a plethora of sweets! I’d better do some pedaling over the next three days, so I can burn off some of those excess calories! I won’t be riding Tuesday; and I might not be ready for it Wednesday. I’ll have to wait and see; it might be several days post-surgery before I can propel myself down the path again.  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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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Deep Freeze?

BACK ISSUES, Food, Outdoors /

Deep Freeze? 🥶 The deep freeze wasn’t quite what I expected. It did get cold enough to freeze; but it didn’t stay that cold for more than a few hours. The wind was strong, though; and the covers I put on the outdoor plants got blown off. I found ways to keep busy indoors: I finished the Tardy Turtle; and I did some cleaning. My left arm is still rather ornery, though; and I have to be careful not to over-strain it. My activities need to be done in start-stop mode. It’s a good thing I don’t have a deep freeze indoors; because I might not be able to keep active enough to stay warm. Stay Warm 🌤️ To be honest, it’s really quite easy for me to stay warm. I’m not living in a claim shanty on the frontier in the Dakotas; and the climate I’ve always known doesn’t even get down to freezing very often. It’s rare for it to stay so cold for more than a day or two. Snow is an even greater rarity; and I’d expect a visit from a UFO before I’d expect a blizzard. But YouTubes about the 1880/1881 Winter in DeSmet, Dakota Territory, are food for thought. How would I fare if we had a power outage that lasted seven months? And I couldn’t go out to get more food? How would I find a way to cook rice, and dried beans? Do I have enough canned food to last more than two weeks? And even with all that, likely I can stay warm, barring a freak change in climate. Come to think of it, one thing is sure: I don’t really know what a deep freeze is! 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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Coming along in Stages

BACK ISSUES, Food, Outdoors /

Coming along in Stages 🧩  My current cooking project is  coming along in stages. That’s how I usually manage any Hoppin’ John variation; and currently I’m working on Tardy Turtle. Last night I sorted and rinsed the dry black beans; then put them to soak overnight. This morning I drained the beans; and put them in the freezer until tomorrow. This afternoon I cooked the brown rice; and put it the fridge until assembly time tomorrow. I still have to chop the celery; but I think I’ll do that tomorrow. I don’t plan to go anywhere! It’s going to be cold; and I won’t want to go out. I won’t like to stay indoors all day; but if I don’t have to go anywhere, I might as well stay where I can keep warm. It makes me think, what if I lived in a claim shanty and had to keep a fire going? What If? 🔥 And what if I had to burn hay (~19:23)? Not merely to  to keep warm, but to keep from freezing to death? Would I have survived that long Winter? I don’t think I want to find out! I’m sure spoiled by modern indoor heating and hand warmers. So tomorrow I’ll stay close to the heater; and keep the Tardy Turtle coming along in stages. As I said, I need to chop the celery; and I have to get the red bell pepper out of the freezer. It will need to thaw out; just as I would if I went out into the big 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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Last Run

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Food, Outdoors /

Last Run ⏩ I guess today was my last run to the salvage store before Christmas. If only I could ride, I’d probably go again next Saturday; but when I  have to beg for transportation, it’s different. I don’t want to ask for too much; so today is the last run for a while. Today I finally found medium cheddar cheese; and amazingly, ice cream was still on sale for 99¢ per carton. So I got two pints of Halo Top®. One is a half-chocolate, half-vanilla mix; and it’s wonderful with maple syrup on it! Cold Weather Plans ❄️ I must come up with my cold weather plans; and they begin tonight. The list includes cooking and cleaning. Tonight won’t be bad: low of 52, and calm wind. But from midday tomorrow, the temperature is going to drop; and tomorrow night, we can see freezing conditions. Windy, too! Ergo I want to get to an exercise bike tomorrow, because Monday I might not be able to tolerate the weather for a one-mile walk. I need some exercise, because today I didn’t get much. Then on Monday, I want to make a batch of Tardy Turtle; and I need to sort, rinse, and soak the black beans tonight. Come Monday, when I’ll probably be indoors most of the day, I really must vacuum. Cold weather plans can get weird; I usually just use a broom! 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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Getting Festive

BACK ISSUES, Food, Outdoors /

Getting Festive 🎄  I’m getting festive! Today I put up some cling-gel decorations. I don’t have an actual Christmas tree; but this will serve well enough. I’ll probably be able to reuse these decorations at least several times, too; unlike a cut real tree that’s done for once Christmas is over. I also got some gourmet goodies at the local specialty store; as if I didn’t already have enough candy put away for December 25! I decided to try some Swedish candies. They’re expensive, but worth it. That’s really getting festive! How to Dress? 🧥 🩱 Getting festive is all very well; but I still hardly know how dress from day to day. Will it be warm enough for shorts? Or will a cold snap push through, and force everybody to bundle up? December 25 is still too far ahead for a forecast; but I hope it won’t get too cold. Christmas is when I expect cold weather; but sometimes it’s in the 80s! 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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Forget the Coyote

BACK ISSUES, Food, Outdoors /

Forget the Coyote 🦃 Forget the coyote. If you want a “wile-e” critter, look no further than the wild turkey!  Supposedly Benjamin Franklin wanted the wild turkey as the United States’ national bird (see video at 8:40). Whether that’s myth or truth, the wild turkey is said to be an intelligent critter; and quite wily. That’s why I say, forget the coyote. On the other hand, domestic turkeys, so I hear, are literally too stupid to come in out of the rain. Maybe it’s a good thing it isn’t raining today! But it’s cold — for me, anyway. This morning the chill factor was 45 degrees! So I had an early feast; and I’ll go for a walk when it’s warmer. Early Feast 🍗 I had an early feast today — Thanksgiving breakfast, rather than Thanksgiving dinner.  Yesterday I cooked up ground turkey in tomato sauce; and this morning I put a cupful of it over a slice of sourdough bread. I heated it in the microwave, and put some shredded cheese on top. On the side I had cranberry sauce and garlic-stuffed olives. It made a good feast! I wish I could go for a bicycle ride to burn off some of those calories; but alas, my elbow isn’t ready yet. Physical therapy tomorrow; and now it’s time to consider Christmas gifts! 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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Chill In?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Food, Outdoors /

Chill IN? 🧊 Chill in? Whatever happened to chill out? Well, I expect I won’t spend a lot of time outdoors tomorrow; so I’ll chill in. The overnight low temperature will be below 50 degrees; and the wind will be pretty strong. If I eat ice cream, I’ll do so in front of the heater! I won’t be able to get in any pedaling tomorrow or Friday, as the recreation center will be closed for the Thanksgiving holiday. I have physical therapy on Friday, though; and my elbow is getting close to being able to straighten all the way! Can I ride soon? Can I Ride Soon? 🚲 I guess I’ll have to ask the orthopedic surgeon, can I ride soon. Unfortunately, it’s over two weeks until my next visit with him. Until then, it’s chill out — or maybe chill in. I think I’ll wait until later in the day to go for a walk, when the wind won’t feel so cold. A runny nose is annoying enough when I’m on foot; and can pull out a tissue. When I’m riding a bicycle,  I can’t do that. I’ve got my Thanksgiving feast all planned. There was a cup of cooked, ground turkey in the freezer. I thawed it, and cooked it with tomato sauce; chopped onion; chopped red bell pepper; and some canned mushrooms. It’ll be great over sourdough bread, with a bit of cheese on top. I have whole-berry cranberry sauce; and Halo Top® ice cream. It’s too bad I can’t ride; because after all that indulgence, I’ll need some serious exercise! 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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