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Striking a Balance

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Food /

Striking a Balance ? Cycling is about striking a balance in more ways than one; even if you aren’t on a unicycle. There’s striking a balance between riding and the other things in life: family; work; and so on. So many of us don’t have nearly as much time as we would like for riding; and that was the case with me before I retired. Now I can ride nearly two hours a day if I want; and I intend to work towards extending that time in the saddle. For the beginning cyclist, of course there’s getting the hang of balance; and getting used to the fact that it’s easier to stay balanced when you’ve got a bit of speed going! It sounds contradictory; but it’s true. Feast or Famine? ? ?️ As to on-bike fueling, does it matter whether you choose feast or famine? Actually, neither is good. You needn’t stuff yourself with protein bars — or anything else, for that matter — but it’s unwise to go for long rides without eating. This is about striking a balance between eating enough to keep your energy up; but not so much that you start to feel queasy. If you’re doing a long, organized ride, don’t spend too much time at rest stops; and don’t stuff yourself while you’re there! When you start riding again, your stomach is apt to feel like you’ve been eating bricks. Experiment with this during training rides. As I discovered while preparing for my first century, what tastes good early in a ride might not be appealing later on; and prolonged hard effort makes me lose my appetite. But I’ve still got to eat — or bonk! 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 Striking a Balance March 26, 2024 Superfit March 25, 2024 Bite the Bullet March 24, 2024 Wear Out Your Gears March 23, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Re-View

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Food /

Re-View? ? You get plenty of re-view when you ride the same route day after day. (Or maybe night after night!) Whether you see it through polarized lenses or not, it often seems like nothing changes from one ride to the next. The same old path. The same trees along the riverbank. For now, at least, I can see something of the river between the trees; but that won’t last long. Soon those trees will be leafing out again! Today’s major re-view was a ship that I believe I saw before; the Pelican State. I was surprised I got as good a look at her as I did. When I first got up on top of the levee, I got intermittent glimpses of the ship between the trees; but she was getting ahead of me. When I reached the first point where there weren’t trees in the way, the ship was too far away for me to see the flag on the stern staff; or the port name on her stern. I simply kept riding; and seemed to have a slight tailwind. I was hanging around 13 mph with little trouble. ? Eventually, I could see that I was getting a bit ahead of the ship; and when I stopped at my turnaround point, there she was! Getting Back ⏎ Getting back home was harder than going out. Part of the time there was a little bit of a headwind. Same old story! But at least my legs seem to have gotten stronger. Today I was fueled by Special K Protein Bars; and I experiment with eating a bite every 15; 20; or even every 30 minutes. In part, it depends on how hard I’m going; and in part, it depends how much I ate before starting out. This morning, for instance, I ate a banana and a Built Puff. For some of my longer rides, I experiment with not eating before I set out. Whether I eat before the ride or not, I usually begin on-bike eating after 15 minutes. And don’t forget emergency rations! Even on short rides, I take a couple of gels along — and there have been times when I needed them! 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 Re-View March 12, 2024 Looking Ahead March 11, 2024 See-Saw March 10, 2024 Saving Daylight March 9, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Lion or Lamb?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Food /

Lion or Lamb? ?? Is March playing lion or lamb for you? Night before last — or maybe early yesterday morning — it sure seemed like the lion. I woke up, and heard thunder and heavy rain. But since then, it’s been more of a lamb. The wind dropped; and the ride to the salvage store was quite pleasant. It’s going to stay on the cloudy and warmish side for a few days, at least; and come Monday, we’re likely to get more rain. I wish I were better at reading nature, so I would’t have to rely on forecasts all the time. I don’t know whether it will be lion or lamb unless I check the NOAA site. And sometimes that isn’t accurate. I seem to be getting my leg strength back. ? Riding up a vehicular access ramp to the top of the levee has gotten easier. Putting in two 19-mile rides during the week isn’t taxing me too much. The catch is, I keep feeling hungry afterwards; but I’m not sure I’m truly hungry! Tomorrow ☀️ So, what’s the outlook for tomorrow? Lion or lamb? It looks like the latter: temperatures between 61 and 72; some fog early, and then mostly cloudy. Wind up to 10 mph, from the SE. I plan to go out on my road bike; and aim for 20-25 miles. I have a new flavor of RXBar to try; and I’ll take along an extra bar, in case a single RXBar isn’t enough.  Longer rides mean having electrolyte drink, such as Biosteel, on board; and planning a recovery drink for when I get back home. I wish I had frozen blueberries for a smoothie! 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 Lion or Lamb? March 2, 2024 All Clear? March 1, 2024 Hop to It February 29, 2024 Purebred? February 28, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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First Sure Sign

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Food /

First Sure Sign ? Yesterday I got my first sure sign of Spring. I arrived at home from a longish ride; and found a gnat stuck in the sunblock on my nose! It was about 50 degrees when I set out; and foggy. I guess  fog is another sure sign of Spring, although not the first sure sign. Fog is possible in Winter, too: just read A Christmas Carol! Today I focused on going a few miles farther; and clocked up 21.8 miles. Even if RAGBRAI is out of reach for me, I want to get my Sunday long rides back up ro 40 miles or so; and now that I have time, I want to do longer rides during the week. Weekday Ride Fueling ⛽️ Longer rides during Monday through Friday means weekday ride fueling. I’m not sure that protein bars are really the wisest choice for more than one — maybe two — long rides per week. So what to do? I flipped through Feed Zone Portables; and Masala Chicken Rice Cakes (page 80) sound good. I could use canned chicken for the recipe; but I’ll have to get curry powder. Plain Yogurt, too. Previous attempts at rice cakes have often resulted in a finished product that was too soft; so I think I need to cook the rice a little longer. I’m always afraid of letting too much water boil out. A full recipe is rather more than I can use up easily, too. But if I start doing 20+ mile rides on an almost daily basis, weekday ride fueling will become vital. 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 Am I on Track? February 21, 2024 Logistics February 20, 2024 Drop It February 19, 2024 I Scream February 18, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Breakfast on the Roll

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Food /

Breakfast on the Roll ? Now and then, I try breakfast on the roll. I’ll cut a protein bar (such as Alani) in pieces; put the pieces in a snack bag; and put the bag into my top-tube pouch. It gives new meaning to the expression, double-bagged! Today I decided to tackle breakfast on the roll, supplementing my Alani bar with a Salted Caramel GU-Gel. I put in 19.6 miles; and figured the Alani bar wouldn’t be enough calories.  As it turned out, I got back home with one piece of the bar uneaten; but by then I was ready for real breakfast! The ride went pretty well, except for the weather. It was gloomy and gray, and there was a light drizzle most of the time; although not enough for me to stop and break out the poncho. Not much wind this morning;? and I averaged a hair over 12 mph. If I want to do more frequent rides of 19+ miles, maybe I should experiment with rice cakes, à la Feed Zone Portables. I get my protein bars cheap at the salvage store; but home-made food might actually provide better nutrition! Especially if I plan to do breakfast on the roll several times a week.  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 Breakfast on the Roll February 16, 2024 This Is February? February 15, 2024 Queen of Hearts February 14, 2024 On the Qui Vive February 13, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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On the Qui Vive

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Food /

On the Qui Vive ? This penguin seems to be on the qui vive. From all I’ve read about it, bicycle racers also need to stay on the qui vive. They say that pro tour riders in the peloton are inches away from each other. Let your concentration lapse, and the result might well be contact with another bicycle/rider; and, consequently, a big crash. I think most of us have seen pics of major crashes in the Tour de France; and I wouldn’t like to be caught up in one! On the qui vive also sounds like the excitement some people find in being caught up in a crowd. Like today: Mardi Gras! I’m quite happy to stay away from all the hubbub. I don’t enjoy being in a Carnival parade crowd. For one thing, there’s the risk that my foot will get stomped on; and it’s not ready yet for such abuse. I went for a nice, long ride instead. This gave me the opportunity to try a new electrolyte drink: Hoist! Orange-flavor Hoist was a salvage-store find; and I like it when I find new things to try for cheap. Hoist is OK; but I think Propel is better. 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 Elementor #162168 February 13, 2024 Pre-Carnival February 12, 2024 Keyed Up Again February 10, 2024 Trigger Finger February 9, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Seven-Up

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Food /

Seven-Up? 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.” Seven-Up sounds like a soft drink; or, at least like some electrolyte drinks. Today’s ride, however, had me thinking of seven-up. Or, to be more exact, seven and up. Seven miles, that is. Bit by bit, I can ride farther and farther. My foot still tells me to take it easy; but today I rode just over 7.5 miles. I need much more exercise than I’ve been getting; this morning my legs were telling me that I’m getting very out of condition. But I hope that next weekend I’ll be ready to ride to the salvage store I’ll be going there with some friends tomorrow; they had something else to do this morning. I hope things aren’t too crazy in the store; and the roads had better not be a madhouse! Tomorrow is Silvesterabend, after all; but at least the real madness isn’t likely to be underway at 8:00 am! It looks like New Year’s Day might be wet. What a way to start a year! Needing a raincoat is an aggravation on any ride; but on January 1, an even bigger nuisance than bad weather is debris from fireworks on the bike path! Getting back to seven-up, I wish I could say, seven down. Seven cans down, that is. I still have a long way to go before I’ve pared down my stash of canned goods. But between yesterday and today, I did get rid of four of them!

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Frumenty

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment, Food /

Frumenty 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.” Huh? Frumenty? What  kind of a word is that? It harkens back to Tudor times; and I encountered it while watching a YouTube. In those days, Christmas really was a twelve-day celebration; and this tells a lot about it. Including “fromenty“, as I heard it. I decided to have a go at cooking a batch; using oat bran. Googling “fromenty” brought up “frumenty”; and the recipe is quite simple. Naturally, I’m already thinking up variations: adding raisins and/or chopped nuts; putting brown sugar in it; maybe using evaporated milk instead of almond milk. I bet that would make some rich stuff! Prior to my latest escapade in the kitchen, I went out for a short ride. My foot still won’t let me do as much as I would like; although it does seem to be improving.? Alas, it’s still a bit too tender for my cycling shoes. I’m glad I can wait to ride until afternoon if the weather is bad; or if an early-morning appointment means I can’t ride until afternoon. Come Friday I probably won’t want to be out early; the forecast says that some areas might have — are you ready for this? — FROST! Time to haul out those hand warmers for sure! Or maybe stay home and enjoy a bowlful of frumenty hot out of the cooking pot! 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 Frumenty December 27, 2023 Twelve Days December 26, 2023 Season’s Greetings! December 25, 2023 Buon Natale December 24, 2023 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Holiday Food

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Food /

Holiday Food 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.” It’s time to think about holiday food! Turkey; ham; baked sweet potatoes; cranberries; and, among many other things, chocolate! It seems odd to be talking about food other than ride food; but hey, it’s Christmas time. Speaking of ride, I hope I can get out for a short jaunt later today. Unfortunatey the wind is still pretty strong; and there’s the threat of rain. If I do ride, maybe Alter Eco Truffles are good for pre-ride fueling. Or maybe they’re better as a post-ride pick-me-up. What’s your favorite holiday food? It’s hard for me to choose a favorite. Naturally (and alas!) I love candy; but a dinner of turkey white meat with cranberry sauce and sweet potatoes is good, too. And maybe pumpkin pie for dessert! After that big dinner, I’d need a vigorous bicycle ride (Maybe on a Savadeck Phantom 2.0) to burn off some of those excess calories. Unfortunately I still have to keep rides short and easy because of my foot. This morning I got a lift to the salavage store, and was able to replenish my supply of goodies from the grab-bag bins (including a FitCrunch Bar). I forgot to look for cranberry sauce; but I laid in a supply of paper towels. It felt odd to not be riding there; and I hope I can be back at it before long. 

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I Still Can’t Ride!

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Food /

I Still Can’t 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.” I still can’t ride!? Although I can get my foot into a sneaker now, such a shoe is still too snug; and puts pressure on my scar. Yesterday I hoped I could do a mini-ride on my hybrid today; but I had to give up that hope. Walking with the normal flex-toes gait still is uncomfortable because the swelling isn’t all gone. The podiatrist says it’s OK to walk; but to stop if it hurts. My foot is telling me to take it easy; and I think I’d better listen! But sitting around at home so much is maddening. Oh, to get going on a bicycle again! Start with a short distance that my foot can tolerate. See how things progress from day to day; and if my foot hurts, back off. It will be similar to coming back after an injury; and in effect, that’s exactly what I’m doing. After all, you can call a surgical incision an injury, can’t you? While I’m at home so much, I’m trying to get some cooking done. Nothing like Feed Zone Table, though. Today I made another of my garbage soups; and incorporated leftover chicken from Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, I’m running out of food storage boxes! But I still can’t ride, no matter what I do in the kitchen. Worse, lack of exercise is making it hard for me to control my appetite. Time to pull out Ride Your Way Lean, I guess!  

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