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SpokEasy

Food

Clocks Back

BACK ISSUES, Food /

Clocks Back ⏰ This past wekend was time to set the clocks back! I, for one, am glad to return to Standard Time. With Daylight Time it stays light too late in the evening; and mornings don’t look look like morning! When it’s time to set the clocks back, I do it the lazy way. I remove the batteries from the clocks; and set the kitchen timer for one hour. When it rings, it’s time to put the batteries back. The return to Standard Time means an extra hour to sleep; not that this is a big deal for me now. I don’t have to go to work; and I’m not ready to resume riding yet. I don’t seem to be ready for the kitchen just yet, either. Kitchen 🧑🏼‍🍳 I need to get back to the kitchen; my diet since the accident has not been good! I’m tired of  microwave meals; but the scar at my left elbow still feels the strain when I pinch-hold things — as when chopping zucchini. I don’t even have to  be pinching hard. Fortunately I can use some of my canned goods, because I have a I have a battery-powered can opener. I set it atop the can; press the button; and it goes around the can. This can opener removes the top of the can rather than cutting off  the lid; so there are no sharp edges. But no pull-top cans just yet! Unfortunately, cooking often means a pot to wash; and if it’s a big pot, I can hardly avoid some use of my left hand. My elbow’s not ready for that. Setting the clocks back hasn’t changed much; whether in the kitchen or elsewhere. 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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Underway

BACK ISSUES, Food /

Underway 🌌  My physical therapy got underway yesterday. We’re starting with some range of motion exercises; and we’ll see how it goes. You don’t have to tell me that riding is good; and I wish I could get out there and put in some miles. Even on days when I don’t feel like riding, I typically feel better once I’m underway. Our humidity is doing weird things. It dropped considerably during the day yeaterday; yet this morning it’s foggy. Humidity 💦 Humidity is a fact of life here; and as a result, hot weather tends to be sweltering. It’s foggy this morning; so I’m glad I won’t be driving! Chopping food is still difficult; holding the cabbage (or whatever) in place  as I chop it strains the sutures around my injured elbow. So I got lazy and placed an online order for frozen, microwaveable meals. That’s much more costly than preparing meals at home; and probably no cheaper than restaurant take-out. It will be good to get kitchen work underway again; but it won’t be for a while yet. 😞 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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Which Is It?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Food, Outdoors /

Which Is It? 🤔 Come on, which is it? Are we in for very windy weather; or not? If we are, Wind-Blox Pro are great for reducing wind noise; but the forecast keeps changing! About midday, I saw a forecast for “breezy” conditions tomorrow through next Tuesday or Wednesday. It said that gusts could reach 40 mph! Several hours later, that forecast had been taken down. So which is it? I guess I’ll have to play it by ear again! By Ear 🐰 Playing it by ear is rather galling when I want to plan for a long ride. If I don’t know when (or even whether) adverse conditions will arise, I don’t know whether I’ll need to cut the ride short. Will I need to stay close to home; or can I get away with riding out for 10 miles? Which is it? I’ll skip ear buds; I need to hear what’s going on around me, no matter what the weather. I’m a classical music fan, too; and the pieces I’d be putting on my playlist constantly change volume. I can’t be adjusting the volume all the time while riding. I might also want to stay rather close to home because —  if you’ll pardon the indelicacy — I’m on a course of antibiotics. That can wreak havoc on the GI system! I’m trying Activia to see whether it will settle things; and I hope it does! 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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Weakening

BACK ISSUES, Food, Outdoors /

Weakening 😩  Nobody wants weakening in their training scheme. We all like to get stronger and stronger, right? With the hope that Clif Builder’s bars will help! Who wants to be “weak as water”? Sometimes I’m glad to see weakening, though. Hurricane Erin’s winds have dropped from 160 mph to 140 mph; but she’s still a powerful storm.  She’s not expected to cross Florida and enter the Gulf. That’s good news for us; but the East coast could be in for a rough time. I sure feel for those in the storm’s path. Keep Going 🚲 Meanwhile, all I can do is keep going. I’m easing back into my regular riding schedule; and nudging my diet back on track.  Continuing to ride in the mornings is a wise idea. It’s a bit cooler then; and there’s a lower chance that I’ll get caught in a T-storm. Yesterday evening we had a humdinger of a T-storm; complete with heavy downpour and some very close lightning. The power kept going off; and that played havoc with my Internet connectivity. I couldn’t keep going with blogging; or social media; or watching videos. As I type this, I hear the mutter and grumble of thunder again. I hope the storm undergoes weakening before it gets here. I don’t want a repeat of last night! 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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More Minutiae

BACK ISSUES, Food, Outdoors /

More Minutiae 📌 ⧾ I keep coming up with more minutiae to share. RAGBRAI has so much to it! As I watch others’ YouTubes about the 2025 event, I’m reminded of things that I already forgot. There was the Queen Anne’s Lace along the road. I wish we had it at home; it’s really pretty.  I  had forgotten “Team Baby” until I saw them in a video (about 24:40); then I remembered that I saw them several times along the route. In Minnesota, the road surface had an odd reddish tint. I think I saw that in Iowa, too. Day Three, was it, I found a big map where you could put in a pin to show where you’re from. Somebody had beaten me to New Orleans; but I added a second pin, anyway. “More minutiae” also includes sounds. Sometimes we were riding alongside bodies of water; and I heard some loud frogs! I also enjoyed hearing birds; and the sound of the wind in the corn. At least one morning was cool enough for me to start out in my cycling jacket. Inevitably, it got warm enough that I had to remove that jacket; and it took up a crazy amount of space in my Camel-Bak’s pocket. If only I hadn’t had to keep several prescriptions with me! Still Thinking about Food! 🌽 🥧 🌮 I’m still thinking about food on RAGBRAI. At least one video showed Our Grandkids Ice Cream. Then I remembered seeing it; but I had already gotten other ice cream. After all, I was trying to be mindful of the prediabetes. I had also forgotten about Cold Oatmeal, which I got once; I think it was in the very first pass-through town. It was OK; but to tell the truth, I prefer my own cold oatmeal made with yogurt; nuts; and dried fruit. Or frozen blueberries! Once I got some kind of avocado bowl; and of course there were bananas. I didn’t once get a pickle, though. I feel like I’ve missed out on something. And there’s still more minutiae! Seeing Things 👀 There were also times during RAGBRAI when I was seeing things. Many a time, I’d look at the crest of an upcoming hill; and think I saw a line of trees. Moments later, I’d realize that I was looking at a crowd of riders. That was sort of funny. Seeing things wasn’t so funny when I noticed big clouds building up; and I’d start worrying about getting caught in a T-storm on the road. I believe it did rain on Day Seven; but I was on the SAG then. I would have liked to see more of my spork. It was in my handlebar bag; and all too often I forgot to get it out when I bought something to eat. During the entire week, I used it only once.  If only I had been seeing things on the fourth night! Lots of lightning; and an absolute deluge. But it was only too real! 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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Roll out the Kinks

BACK ISSUES, Food, Personal Care /

Roll out the Kinks 😌 Roll out the kinks with these Massage Balls! You can get a massage in the comfort of your own home! Set of three balls: Orange (long, soft spikes); Yellow (medium-firm spikes); and Red (short, hard spikes). Their tennis-ball size makes them easy to carry; and allows you to target small, specific areas. Great for sore muscles after any ride!  While you roll out the kinks, enjoy some Muscle Milk. Its protein content helps to rebuild your muscles; each serving provides 25 grams of protein; and no sugar. Muscle Milk comes in Chocolate (shown); Strawberry; Cookies & Cream; and S’mores. 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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Lost?

BACK ISSUES, Food /

Lost? 🔄 Lost? Can a Findway Pro Bike Helmet help  you get back on track? This helmet, for men and women, is great for cycling; and also for other sports, such as skating. Made for head measurements 54-61.5cm/21.26-24.21inc. Dial in the back allows for size adjustment; there’s also an adjustable chin strap. Durable ABS shell and dense EPS foam interior for protection from impacts. Fourteen vents to help keep your head comfortable in hot weather. Available in Black-Black (shown); Teal-White; and other colors. I’m unlikely to get lost while riding, as long as I’m starting from home; but if you’re worried about that, don’t forget extra snacks. Olyra Organic Breakfast Biscuits are high in fiber; low in sugar; non-GMO; and USDA certified organic. Available in Greek Yogurt & Blueberry (shown); Hazelnut; Dark Chocolate; and Variety Pack. 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 Flood Watch July 17, 2025 Packing Woes July 16, 2025 Team Up July 15, 2025 Always Electrolytes! July 14, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR Add Your Heading Text Here

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Ben’s Original Street Food

BACK ISSUES, Food /

Ben’s Original Street Food 🍲 Ben’s Original Street Food another of my salvage-store finds. I like being able to try new things at a low price! Ben’s Original Street Food comes in four delicious flavors. I like the Fried Rice with Vegetables (shown) best; but the others are good, too. These meals are ready to eat after 90 seconds in the microwave. They come in packs of six — well, there’s a new meaning for the term “six-pack“.  So just heat; grab your spork; and dig in!   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 Packing Woes July 16, 2025 Team Up July 15, 2025 Always Electrolytes! July 14, 2025 Final Week July 13, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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LMNT Sampler

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment, Food /

LMNT Sampler 🧂 LMNT Sampler lets you try a variety of LMNT (pronounced “element”) flavors. Each stick of powder supplies 1000 mg of sodium; plus magnesium and potassium. Just mix contents of one packet with 16-32 ounces of liquid. LMNT Sampler contains one stick each of eight flavors. I’ve tried them with the idea that this product might be a good choice if this year’s RAGBRAI turns out to be as hot as the 2023 event. I suppose I’d need to use the stuff regularly for a few weeks before I can be sure it works better than, say, Biosteel. I can’t say I’m crazy about the taste of this product. I love salt; but somehow salty electrolyte drinks don’t appeal to me. But LMNT is sugar-free; and contains no gluten or fillers. It isn’t, of course, recommended to folks who have hypertension; but supposedly many people actually need more salt. So fill up your bottle with your choice of LMNT, and take off! Beating the Heat ♨️ Beating the heat might be the name of the game during RAGBRAI; and a South Sport Cool Rag sure will help! I’ve been doing without it this past week, because I washed it; and wanted it to get thoroughly dry before packing it into a duffle bag. If it’s coo in the morning, I can stuff the cool rag into a  Camel-Bak pocket until I need it. I’m constantly mullig over what all I need to keep handy; the big ride begins day after tomorrow!   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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Always Electrolytes!

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Food, Outdoors /

Always Electrolytes! 🧂 Gosh, it’s always electrolytes! In this heat, that’s true even for a short ride of 10 miles. When the temperature is close to 80 degrees before 7:00 am, water alone just isn’t sufficient after half an hour; and I really noticed it this morning. I didn’t use the Camel-Bak because I want it to air out and get as dry as possible before I pack it up in a duffle bag. I thought that plain water would do; but as I’ve said, after 30 minutes of riding I wanted more hydration than plain water. And I was riding easily! Grab That Gatorade! 🐊 So grab that Gatorade! Actually, I go for Gatorade Zero; I can’t drink much regular Gatorade before my stomach starts to feel bloated and uncomfortable. Who needs gut rot? Since it’s always electrolytes, I’ve tried many things over the last dozen years or so. Skratch Labs was one of the earliest; and back then, they made a raspberry flavor that I really liked. Unfortunately it seems to have gone out of existence. Skratch Labs is also high-carb; and as I have prediabetes, I look for low- to no-carb drinks.. I’ve found things at the salvage store that I”ve tried, such as Biosteel and Propel Powder Packets. It’s great when I can experiment with new things at a low cost! Tomorrow I plan to ride 8 or 10 miles; and short a ride as that is, I’ll be sure to grab that Gatorade — I mean, that Gatorade Zero! 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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