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We Got It

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We Got It! 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.” We got it overnight! There was heavy rain; and we had a power outage as well! I woke just before 4 am; heard it raining; and then a loud bang that wasn’t thunder. I flipped the bedroom light switch; and nothing happened. I guess a transformer blew. I’m glad I was’t out there riding! I’m also glad the outage didn’t occur while I was using the blender to whip up a post-ride smoothie! Or trying to cook something on the stove. I grew up with a gas range; and having an electric stove is a distinct disadvantage when the electricity goes out. I couldn’t heat anything for breakfast! I was about to make hot chocolate; and then had to say, no, I can’t; because the stove won’t work. I didn’t know how spoiled I was by having a GAS stove all these years! Even if I could ride, I think I would have skipped the trip to the salvage store this morning. Rain; lightning and thunder; and waiting for the power to come back on. We got it at last; but not until almost 11 am. It’s a good thing the weather wasn’t cold, or I might have been miserable. With electrical power restored, I got to work in the kitchen; although not with the The Feed Zone Cookbook. I’m busy thinking of ways to use up the stash of canned goods that I built up during the pandemic. That’s going to take quite a while! When my foot is restored, I first need to ease into cycling with regular, easy rides; and I hope it isn’t long before I can try some more intense work. But I’m afraid I might not be able to begin for a few more weeks. My foot is still too swollen for a sneaker; so forget cycling shoes! 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 We Got It December 2, 2023 All or Nothing December 1, 2023 Another Step Forward November 30, 2023 The Sound of Music November 29, 2023 Load More TRANSLATOR

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All or Nothing

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All or Nothing 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.” Life sometimes seems like all or nothing. Our weather, for example. For a long time it was exceptionally dry; and now, from 6 pm this evening until 6 am tomorrow, we’ve got a flood watch! I’m glad I don’t have to go anywhere tonight. I’d want a Piscifun Rain Suit, for sure! Especially if I were on a bicycle; I can’t ride one-handed for long enough to make it practical to hold an open umbrella while riding. All or nothing isn’t a wise approach to training. How often I’ve read that all hard, all the time does more harm than good! Sooner or later, your body will say NO MORE, in no uncertain terms. You need to be especially careful when returning to riding after illness or injury. I guess I won’t make it to the salvage store tomorrow. It’s quite likely to be raining; and I still have to keep the surgical site clean and dry. And I might get carried away with stocking up on canned goods; something I don’t need. Besides, the salvage store is big; and I don’t seem to be up to much walking yet. Today I walked/limped to the pastry store a block and a half away; and my toe hurt afterwards. Blocks here aren’t long, either — 15 to a mile, I’ve heard. Speaking of cans, I found a way to use up six of them today. But I still have many to go. Maybe it’s time for all or nothing when it comes to canned food; preferably the former. 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 Lapiplasty Limp December 3, 2023 We Got It December 2, 2023 All or Nothing December 1, 2023 Another Step Forward November 30, 2023 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Another Step Forward

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Another Step Forward! 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’m another step forward! Today I had my first post-lapiplasty follow-up; and am finally rid of that bulky surgical dressing. That’s a major relief; and next Tuesday I get the stitches out! I’m not yet ready to get my foot into a Fizik, though. The podiatrist says I may try wearing a regular shoe; but I couldn’t get my foot into my sneaker. I think I needed to unlace the shoe more; and I think the foot is still a little swollen, too. But I may walk as tolerated; and I didn’t really need to be limping around on my heel for the past eight days. I did it because I thought I needed to keep stress off of the sutures as much as possible; and better be safe than sorry. In fact, it’s still uncomfortable to walk normally. I suppose it will be until those stitches are gone. I still have to keep the surgical site clean and dry; and I may be stuck indoors for a day or two. The forecast is full of rain; and in fact we got a light sprinkle already today. The sun came out for a while; and I celebrated my new freedom by getting Mediterranean take-out for lunch. Vegetarian-stuffed grape leaves! YUMMY! When it’s more comfortable for me to be on my feet, I think I’ll haul out The Feed Zone Coobook and try some recipes. Or at least choose some to try later, when I use up what’s already in my fridge and freezer. Some new, healthful recipes would be another step forward in getting my diet back on track!   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 Lapiplasty Limp December 3, 2023 We Got It December 2, 2023 All or Nothing December 1, 2023 Another Step Forward November 30, 2023 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Food Coma

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Food Coma 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 think I was in a food coma yesterday; and maybe still am today. I feel brain-dead; and the gloomy skies are no help. My sister-in-law and nephew arrived Monday; and we visited a local farmers’ market the next day. There is still plenty of produce left from that trip. My brother came Wednesday evening, and there was a lot of kitchen activity going on — and there’s still a LOT of stuff for me to use up.  We had a plan to make a pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving. My brother even shipped a pumpkin here; but it didn’t arrive until yesterday. We tried to bake the pumpkin in the oven so we could mash it for pie filling; and it wasn’t working well. The squash had gotten too dried up in transit; and we finally gave up on it. By then it was about 8 pm, too late to try making a pie using canned pumpkin. Just now I’m not physially equal to buzzing around the kitchen doing a lot of cooking, thanks to my foot. Maybe a KneeRover would help with standing and walking; but I have a hunch that a KneeRover isn’t suited to sudden, quick turns. When you’re cooking, such movements are inevitable. My brother and his family departed today. Now that I have my space back (things were rather crowded with four people in here), I need to do some non-weight bearing exercises to try to keep my  leg muscles toned. But not at the moment. This food coma needs to wear off first.

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Not the Dessert

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Food /

Not the Dessert 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 not the dessert; even though balaclava makes me think of baklava. We’re getting to the time of year when I might wish for a balaclava, though. Next Wednesday night, the low is predicted to be 49 degrees; and the wind, 15 mph. That’s going to feel cold! Not that I’ll be riding. My lapiplasty is scheduled for Wednesday morning; and of course I won’t be able to ride for a while after that. I’ll sure miss the pedaling, though! So I hope to get in good rides tomorrow and Monday.   Despite the upcoming hiatus from riding, I looked for ride food at the salvage store this morning. And found some, too; including four A.M. RXBars in the grab-bag bins. They’ll keep until I can ride again. Incidentally, how would baklava do as ride food? Not that I really have to ask that question; I know how sticky it is. So not the dessert on the bike! I’ll stick with protein bars.   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 I’m Trying November 17, 2023 The Small Stuff November 16, 2023 Endorphins November 15, 2023 Hurry Up and Rain November 14, 2023 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Back at the Ranch

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SpokEasy Welcome! My Story Hardware & Software Today’s Featured Product Bicycle Touring SpokEasy Kitchen Spokeasy Store Blogs YouTube 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.” This Hoppin’ John variation took me back to the ranch, with Ranch Style Beans. Like so many of my Hoppin’ John variations, it uses brown rice. As always, I cooked the rice on the stovetop; but if you have too much to do while the grain cooks, a rice cooker would come in handy. This Aroma Housewares Rice Cooker keeps your cooked rice warm for you, too; and can cook other things as well. I did most of the prep work yesterday afternoon; and today only needed to cook the rice and assemble the final dish. And, of course, wash dishes afterwards! I’m debating whether to ride. It’s overcast; and rain chances are 60%. If I do ride, I’ll use the hybrid, which has fenders. Then, if it does rain, I won’t get all splattered with dirty water; and my bike will stay cleaner. With the hybrid, I can use the trunk; and thus take along the poncho. It’s 74 degrees, which doesn’t feel like November. This might be a good, old-fashioned weather breeder. It’s supposed to cool off slightly over the next few days; but it will still be warm for this time of year. Maybe I’ll head for a short ride in the park. I’m getting tired of sitting around; and I’ll see you back at the ranch. 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 Sunday on Thursday November 9, 2023 What’s the Joke? November 8, 2023 Buoyed Up November 7, 2023 If the Shoe Fits November 6, 2023 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Prison?

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Prison? Do protein bars ever feel like dietary prison? Don’t you sometimes wish for a change in your on-bike food? Sure, MET-Rx bars and the like are convenient; but let’s face it, sometimes they get monotonous. They can also get expensive when used exclusively as ride food. Feed Zone Portables offers some alternatives. This book includes a discussion of digestion and what an active rider — more specifically, a serious competitive rider — needs; and, of course, recipes. These include rice cakes; mini-pies; and baked eggs, among others. Rice cakes are a favorite of many serious cyclists. I’ve experimented with them, using sushi rice. Mine tended to come out too soft; when I tried to pull one out of my snack bag, it would fall apart in my fingers. I guess I used too much water in the cooking. It’s been some time since I last tried making rice cakes; and I keep saying that I must try it again. So far, I haven’t! I remember making one batch with three or four different kinds of cheese; and that one tasted pretty good. I bet currants would be good; or maybe grated carrot mixed with lemon juice. As with Hoppin’ John variations, the sky’s the limit. Mini-pies are out as long as I don’t have any flour on hand; and eggs aren’t a favorite of mine. Until I can kick myself into culinary gear, I’m stuck in the prison of protein bars.

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The Road Goes On

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment, Food /

The Road Goes On “The road goes on, and ever on”; or something like that. Tolkien got that part right. During a long ride, our road sure can seem endless! What can we do to make seemingly endless miles more bearable? First, a proper bike fitting. This admittedly can be costly; but it’s well worth it. Then there’s conditioning. Trying to bang out 100 miles in a day with little or no training is unwise; although supposedly some riders have done it. How they got through those miles, I don’t know. Their legs must have given them agony in the following days! So, you’ve gotten a bike fit; and you’ve been working up to longer and longer rides. What else makes long rides more comfortable? Good bike shorts certainly are far more comfortable than regular shorts with underwear beneath them. Cycling shorts are meant to fit smoothly, and to be worn next to the skin. The other option is apt to mean two layers of fabric bunching up under you. That causes nasty chafing; and the last thing you want after a ride is saddle sores! Chamois Butt’r can help prevent skin irritation, so use it pre-ride; and take some to along so you can freshen up as the road goes on. Don’t forget about fueling during your rides. The best bike fitting; the most comfy bike shorts, can take you only so far. For rides of an hour or less, on-bike eating might not be needed; just have a snack before rolling out. For longer rides, there are many options. I like to try different kinds of bars, such as RXBars. And don’t forget hydration! Even when it’s cold, for rides much over one hour, plain water doesn’t make the grade. I need electrolyte drink, too. They say, once you’ve reached a certain fitness level, you can ride infinitely as long as you have an adequate fuel supply. So let the road go on!

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What’s Up?

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Add Your Heading Text Here What’s Up? I’d like to know what’s up with the tropics. Hurricane Lee seems to be dissipating; but Tropical Storm Margot is crazy. She keeps changing direction;  and it’s a good thing she’s not close to land. If she were, people in her potential path would be having fits: will she strike here; or not? We’re at the peak of hurricane season; and have to stay alert. Of course hurricanes bring the prospect of an electrical outage; perhaps for days or even weeks. In a hot, humid climate, that’s miserable. I have a battery-operated fan, plus a supply of batteries; but a wearable device such as Ontel Arctic Air would be great! But here’s the snag: after six hours, the device needs recharging; and you can’t do that if the power is out! I have to think about what’s up with the weather for tomorrow. Low of 75 degrees tonight, they say; a little cooler than it’s been lately. Is Fall going to come, after all?  For my ride, I think I’ll wear sun sleeves again; but I’ll still need plenty of sunblock. I just tried KINeSYS; and it’s less heavy on my skin than my usual sunblock. Several weeks ago I was in a sports shoe store; and they had sample-sized bottles of KINeSYS. The drawback was, this version of the sunblock was only SPF 30. The spray-top kept twisting around as my hands got slippery from the sunblock; and I’d wind up spraying the stuff at nothing. That was quite annoying; not to mention wasteful. Alba Botanica has been my go-to sunblock for years. I like the shorter-size tube, because I can fit it into my under-saddle pack. This sunblock does feel a bit smothery, though; and it’s rather hard to wash off. What I like most about it is, it’s fragrance-free! Of course, what’s up with on-bike food? Lately I haven’t had much luck finding ride food at the salvage store; and today I had to buy some protein bars at a different store. MET-Rx Bars seem to be quite sustaining; but some of them are more crumbly than I like. Those crumbs tend to stick in my throat. I don’t know why, but electrolyte drink seems to wash them down better than plain water. I don’t need to drive myself crazy planning tomorrow’s ride, though. It’s not as though I were arranging an expedition to Antarctica.

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Extending

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Extending I’m extending my Sunday ride! Up to 25 miles today. And I think I need to start isometric exercises for my neck. That loaded Camel-Bak was pretty hard on me; and on top of that, I think I did something weird to my lower back during my off-bike exercises. It doesn’t exactly hurt; but when I make certain movements, it feels like something’s popping a bit. Not good. Ever think of using these for ride food? I had another try at finding that comet this morning; but I think I went out too late. It was already 6:15; and the horizon was reddening from the rising sun. But I just couldn’t get myself moving earlier. Of course I had to think (no pun intended) about ride food; and cut up a Think! bar. I also brought along another small protein bar, in case I needed it. As always, I had a few GU-Gels along. Today, as a matter fact, I ate two! That’s a lot for a ride of under 30-40 miles; and I might have done better to cut up two Think! bars instead. Maybe I was under-fueling a little; I got quite tired before the end. I wasn’t exactly bonking; but I didn’t feel all that strong, either. I need to start extending my weekday rides, too. One of the things I looked forward to in retirement was more time to ride. In any case, the Love to Ride September challenge is on! I hope the weather continues to cooperate. A few days ago, we had an afternoon T-storm that was right on top of us; and I was very glad I wasn’t out riding! 

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