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The Power of Suggestion

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Food /

The Power of Suggestion ? Is anyone immune to the power of suggestion? I’m certainly not! Taking refried beans along as ride food never occurred to me; but after watching this video (17:13), I decided that I’ll give it a try. Think outside of the box, they say! I do think, however, that I’ll have to wait for refried beans and tortilla chips until I’m taking a break from pedaling; and I hope I can devise a leak-proof way to package the beans. The packets shown are quite large (15.2 oz each); and my road bike‘s top tube pouch isn’t big enough for one. And how do I transport tortilla chips (or corn chips) so that they don’t get crushed? I hope I can find some power of suggestion that will suggest a solution! Still Lingering ? With thoughts of a future RAGBRAI still lingering in my mind, I’m looking for on-bike fuel besides bars. I’ll need foods that don’t require refrigeration; and preferably in packs small enough that I don’t end up discarding half of the package! Camp cooking on RAGBRAI? Not likely, at least for me; and buying all my food all week might get very costly. Now is the time to try things like refried beans and squeeze-packs of fruit (e.g. applesauce) to be sure they won’t cause GI issues. If I’m considering RAGBRAI 2025, I’ve got plenty of time to work out these things; and to continue training up. Actually, so far, my weekly mileages are keeping pace; but I’m not sure my “hill practice” is! I wouldn’t want to go into RAGBRAI with the thought still lingering: I should’ve trained 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 #166521 April 4, 2024 Bare Legs April 3, 2024 Fuel Supply April 2, 2024 How Corny! April 1, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Fuel Supply

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Food /

Fuel Supply ⛽️ What’s your favorite fuel supply for long rides? I like Gatorade Whey Protein Bars; but the catch with them is, the chocolate coating can get very messy! If I can’t lick it all off my fingers, I end up wiping my fingers all over my shorts. A good fuel supply is very important. From what I’ve read, once you attain a certain fitness level, you can pedal pretty much endlessly as long as you’ve got a steady supply of fuel.  What fitness level does that mean; and how do  you know when you’ve reached it? If you’ll be doing a multi-day event, what kind of fuel will you find along the way? RAGBRAI Fuel ? How about RAGBRAI fuel? The videos I’ve watched about the event report on the food along the way. Mr. Pork Chop shows up often in these videos. I don’t know how big those pork chops are; and would that chop sit too heavily in my stomach if I ate the whole thing? Maybe I could take along plastic sandwich bags; and save part of my pork chop for later? If I did that, would the leftovers keep? I don’t need to get food poisoning if they don’t! Of course there’s corn on the cob; Iowa is famous for corn. They talk about all the home-made pie; ice cream; beer (I’ll skip that part!); pancakes; and more! I think I’d do much better eating a bite every 15 minutes than riding for an hour; eating a lot; then starting to ride again. What I’ve read about one-day century rides actually cautions against that! And doing it for seven days straight? I think I’d rather have my RAGBRAI fuel slow and steady. 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 Fuel Supply April 2, 2024 How Corny! April 1, 2024 Hoppy Ride? March 31, 2024 Overstock March 30, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Overstock

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Food /

Overstock ? An overstock has crept up on me. The shoebox that I use to hold my energy/protein bars is crammed! Should I use a bar chart to help me keep track of my supplies? I came home from the salvage store this morning with 11-12 assorted bars; and I also still have an overstock of canned goods. It doesn’t help that I brought home a few more cans of stuff today. Maybe I’d better plan a jaunt on the road bike for next Saturday; and skip the salvage store. The NOAA forecast doesn’t reach that far ahead, though; so who knows what the weather might do. Use It Up! ? Since I’ve got that overstock, I must find a way to use it up. That might take quite some time, though! It’s not a good idea to eat nothing but protein bars as long as other foods are available. I remember my century rides, when eating and drinking became tedious; but back then I hadn’t yet met many of the protein bars I use now. But I suspect it might be the same with FitCrunch, RXBars, etcetera. I have an oversupply; but I doubt very much that even RAGBRAI would be a good opportunity to use it up. Protein bars all day, every day, for seven days? I don’t think my gut would take very well to such a regimen. How would I even bring all that stuff along? RAGBRAI gets hot; and can I keep those bars from getting half-melted? The catch is, buying your food as you go along the RAGBRAI route can get expensive! 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 Overstock March 30, 2024 Good Sprinters? March 29, 2024 Gimmie a Break! March 28, 2024 Don’t Cross the Border! March 27, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Don’t Cross the Border!

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Food /

Don’t Cross the Border! ? Don’t cross the border; the border into Bonkland, I mean. Sure, have a South of the Border lunch before your ride if you like; and in fact, that could help fend off that bonk! Don’t start a ride on empty. I think I approached bonking yesterday. I didn’t get to ride until at least 10:30 am; and for fuel I cut up a Built Bar Puff. I didn’t think I needed to carry a lot for this ride; after all, I had eaten breakfast. And then, just before riding, I ate a yogurt. On the Edge ? All the same, I think I wound up on the edge. I had the Built bar; and ate a GU-Gel at my turnaround point. Next time, I’d better take along more to eat; what I had with me was barely enough. Yesterday I did some 5-minute efforts at pushing the pace to 14 mph or more; and that got tough when the path turned and I had a headwind. I did two of these intervals on the way out; and one or two on the way back. My efforts fizzled during the final minute of the last hard effort; and maybe I was already on the edge by then. Hard efforts like that burn up your fuel faster; and with about three miles left to go, my legs suddenly got an odd, weak feeling. All I’ve read about bonking nudged my mind; and luckily I had one piece of bar left. I knew I’d better eat it, even though I didn’t feel hungry. I’m glad I didn’t cross the border! 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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Striking a Balance

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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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