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Holding Its Breath

Leave a Comment / BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Holding Its Breath 😮‍💨 Today’s Featured Product! 🚀 ADDMOTOR CITYTRI   New!! Populus 700c Road Bike For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! That weather seems to be holding its breath. I’m waiting for those 35 mph-gusts; and in fact there’s a wind advisory in effect. But so far the breeze is only 7 mph. In light of the forecast for tomorrow — gusts up to 35 or 40 mph — I went off schedule and rode to the salvage store today. The wind will be from the North tomorrow; and that means a headwind on the way home. The effort of fighting such a wind makes me feel like I’m wearing a hypoxic mask; and I’m not eager for it! If I were training to race in the mountains, there would be some point in it. Before a Storm ⛈️ Some people say that, before a storm, it feels like the air is holding its breath. I don’t dispute it; but I don’t seem to have that sensitivity. Or is it only that I didn’t grow up working outdoors all day, every day? If I had, maybe I could read Nature! Then there’s post-storm worries. Is it really over? Is the threat of lightning past? Will I need a poncho? Or a jacket? I’d want one tomorrow; it’s supposed to drop below 60 degrees! 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 © 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 ✍🏻 Facebook Twitter Youtube INTERPRETER Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Logged in as Cecile Levert. Edit your profile. Log out? Required fields are marked * Message* Δ

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Wind A-Comin’

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Wind A-Comin’ 💨 Today’s Featured Product! 🧨 Delta Cycle Foot Fenders New!! Mini Bike Tire Pump For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! I hear tell that we’ve got wind a-comin’. By Friday night, it’s really going to be blowing! Gusts could reach 40 — yes. that’s FORTY — mph! That’s enough to blow me right off the levee; so it looks like I may have to skip the ride.  A set of “cat ears” would be nice to have with that wind a-comin’; as it is, wind whistling around my helmet’s straps is uncomfortable for my hearing. Forecasts can always change, though; and I hope this one changes! Tire Liners 🛞 I’ve gotten tire liners for the road bike; so a tire repair kit isn’t a top priority. I know what to do to  change a tube; but doing it is another matter. At best, I’m all thumbs at it. At the bike shop, I mentioned that riding the road bike seems to tire my legs more than riding the hybrid. They said it does, because I’m using my muscles in a different way. My perception that I need a different kind of legs for said road bike is accurate! Now if only I had the legs to fight a 40-mph wind!   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 © 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 ✍🏻 Facebook Twitter Youtube INTERPRETER Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Logged in as Cecile Levert. Edit your profile. Log out? Required fields are marked * Message* Δ

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Beef It Up!

Leave a Comment / BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Food, Outdoors /

Beef It Up! 🐮  Today’s Featured Product! 🙌🏻 BALEAF Men’s Cycling Jacket New!! Merach Walking Pad For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! Sometimes I take it into my head to beef it up. I enjoy rice and beans; but now and then I want something — um — meatier. Yesterday I got busy in the kitchen; and this is the result. I’m going to combine some of it with canned corn; more onion; and more tomatillos. I need to make a “garbage soup” soon, too; then I must stop cooking. The freezer will be too full! I need to beef it up on the bike, too. My rides are too often too leisurely! Working Up ⬆️ I’m working up to longer rides on the road bike. Not today, though. All I did was to take a few things to the Salvation Army donation center. Round trip, just over five miles. It makes me feel quite lazy. 😴 Tomorrow, I plan to do a longer ride; but I might stick to the park. I don’t have tire liners for the new bicycle yet; and I certainly don’t want to get a flat when I’m six or more miles from home. That would be a long walk! Fall seems to be trying to come. This morning it was only 65 degrees! I don’t expect the weather to stay cool, though. In fact, afternoon high temperatures are still 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 © 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 ✍🏻 Facebook Twitter Youtube INTERPRETER Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Logged in as Cecile Levert. Edit your profile. Log out? Required fields are marked * Message* Δ

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After the Storm

Leave a Comment / BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

After the Storm 💨 Today’s Featured Product!🥇 Misfits   New!! Sahale Berry Macaroon Almond For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! Now it’s “after the storm”; not that we got much from Isaias here. We’re certainly thankful for that! Unfortunately there have been, as of this writing, at least four deaths from the hurricane. It was still cloudy when I set out for the salvage store at 7:30 am; and I was a bit concerned about rain. There was a little misting here and there; but I’m glad it didn’t pour. There are still wind gusts up to 25 mph; so I’m skipping the road bike .today. “After the storm” doesn’t mean we’re done with wind! Skipping ⏩ Skipping the ride on a still-not-quite-familiar bike sounds wise to me when I could be dealing with strong wind gusts. My legs feel tired today, too. Maybe it’s the switching back and forth between two very different “rides”. The wind is supposed to die down a great deal by tomorrow morning; so I don’t suppose I’ll be skipping the Sunday ride. I think I’ll work on the road bike for a while; then put in 10 miles or so on the hybrid. Then maybe do some cooking! 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 © 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 ✍🏻 Facebook Twitter Youtube INTERPRETER Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Logged in as Cecile Levert. Edit your profile. Log out? Required fields are marked * Message* Δ

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Hurricane Watch

Leave a Comment / BACK ISSUES, Outdoors, Technology /

Hurricane Watch 🌀 Today’s Featured Product! 🎆 Hurricane Bike Saddle New!! Floura High Fiber Bars For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! I’m on hurricane watch today. There’s no official hurricane watch for my area; but Isaias is no joke! We can’t  afford to let our guard down. It looks like the Alabama/Florida border has the highest chance of a direct hit; and I sympathize with residents of that region. I can’t help but be glad that I don’t live on the coast! Today I didn’t ride. At about 7:30 am, I checked the weather site; and it said the wind was 20 mph. When I looked outside, it appeared that there wasn’t any wind; but I decided to skip the ride anyway, and play engineer instead. Play Engineer 👷🏻 I have to play engineer when I order an item, and it comes unassembled. Sometimes this makes me feel like I’m all thumbs! I wanted one of those rolling baskets with a clothes rod on top; like you find in laundromats. I was tired of having my bicycle’s saddlebags in a big box on the floor. So I ordered the basket. Somehow, I had an idea that this basket would come fully assembled, in a huge box. Wrong! It was in parts, with tools and assembly instructions included; and I had to get to work and play engineer. The process took at least two hours; but now I can store my panniers off the floor. When cold weather arrives, I can hang my cycling jackets there, instead of on the bookcase. And now, back to watching that hurricane! Will I be able to ride tomorrow; or will the wind still be 20 mph? 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 © 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 ✍🏻 Facebook Twitter Youtube INTERPRETER Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Logged in as Cecile Levert. Edit your profile. Log out? Required fields are marked * Message* Δ

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Blowdown?

Leave a Comment / BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Blowdown? 💨 Today’s Featured Product! 💥 Rose Hip and Hibiscus Tea New!! Thunderbird Cashew Fig Carrot For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! Have we got a blowdown coming? With Hurricane Isaias out there, conditions might get rough. Will I even get to ride in the next two days? That storm is definitely strengthening; and locations such as Pensacola apparently are in for a hard hit. Our wind tomorrow might be as strong as 25 mph. As a tailwind, that would be glorious; but if I rode on the levee, I’d be fighting that wind all the way home. What a blowdown! Watch and Wait 👀 All we can do is watch and wait. I’m glad I have sufficient supplies to get me through a few days if things do get bad here. I have a road bike again; but I took the spindle for my trainer to the bike shop; and they say it isn’t suited to the new bike. The hybrid doesn’t fit the trainer. 🙄 So no indoor rides for me at present. Today I tried using my clip-in shoes with the road bike. It didn’t go too badly; and I’m starting to feel like a roadie 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 © 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 ✍🏻 Facebook Twitter Youtube INTERPRETER Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Logged in as Cecile Levert. Edit your profile. Log out? Required fields are marked * Message* Δ

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Losing?

Leave a Comment / BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors, Training /

Losing? 😕 Today’s Featured Product! ❇️ Bikepacking New!! Perfect Keto Collagen-Protein Bars For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! I seem to be losing conditioning fast. Concerns over the weather kept me from doing much for several days; and today I was determined to put in 20 miles. I want to ride some real miles in the next few days; by the weekend, tropical storm conditions aren’t impossible! But those miles this morning seemed awfully tough! On the way home, I had a 12 mph headwind; with gusts up to 20 mph! Not only was that tough on my legs; but my arms started to ache. By the time I reached home, I decided it wasn’t wise to try any work on the road bike. I’m losing conditioning for it before I even have it! More of the Same ⇉ Tomorrow might bring more of the same; at least, later in the morning. It’s a good thing that I habitually go out early. And today I sure wished I had some “cat ears“! Using the road bike still makes me a little nervous; so I still walk it to the bike path. That’s tedious, as there’s a  half-mile to go. I’m not using my biking shoes yet, because they really aren’t designed for long walks. It’s hard to be patient! But I won’t get completely back to road biking overnight. 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 © 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 ✍🏻 Facebook Twitter Youtube INTERPRETER Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Logged in as Cecile Levert. Edit your profile. Log out? Required fields are marked * Message* Δ

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Can I Ride?

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Can I Ride? 🚲 Today’s Featured Product! 😁   Iconic Chocolate Truffle Drink New!! Cycling Training Made Simple  For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! Can I ride tomorrow; or will the weather keep me indoors? This morning at about 7:00, it wasn’t raining; but I saw some big clouds building up in several different directions. That  made me wary of going for a ride that would take me five or more miles from home. I pedaled the hybrid over to the park, so I’d be fairly close to home if a downpour began. As there’s a bicycle speed limit there, I didn’t push the pace; but I do seem able to pedal more strongly now. During my fourth lap, the sun went behind the clouds; so I decided to go home. I wanted to take the road bike to the shop, anyway. Getting Set Up ⏲ Getting set up on a new bike is not without some kinks; and they’re more annoying than kinks in the muscles. I thought I needed to do this and that to set up the new road bike’s gearing; but as it turned out, I didn’t need to do anything! I could have skipped the visit to the bike shop, and gone to buy a few groceries, instead. Since about 11:00 am it’s rained on and off; at times, quite hard. Ergo I’m not anxious to go out. In fact, there’s now a flood advisory in effect! So, can I ride? Well, I could; but I’m not so sure it would be a good idea. And tomorrow looks like a repeat of today! 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 © 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 ✍🏻 Facebook Twitter Youtube INTERPRETER Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Logged in as Cecile Levert. Edit your profile. Log out? Required fields are marked * Message* Δ

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Oh Dear!

Leave a Comment / BACK ISSUES, equipment, Outdoors /

Oh Dear! 😳 Today’s Featured Product! 👏🏻 Proofide Leather Dressing New!! Long Distance Cyclists’ Handbook For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store!   Oh, dear, what shall I do? The forecast for the coming days is full of rain; and I don’t want to ride my new road bike in the rain quite yet. I also need to walk my new bike to the shop, so someone can help me with the app for my bike’s gears. I’ve watched some YouTubes on the topic; and oh, dear, I’m not at all sure I know what they’re talking about! I seem to be stuck in the wrong century. On the one hand, those electronic shifters are much easier on my hands than brifters. But on the other hand, now I have to worry about keeping those systems properly charged! I’ll have to write in my calendar when to check what thing for proper charge. What Day Is It? ☀️ I even want to ask, what day is it? A trip to the salvage store makes it seem like Saturday; and it isn’t. I went today, Friday, because the weekend forecast looked so unfavorable. Today I brought home a small load; but I found Sahale Berry Macaroon Almond snack packs; a box of nine 1.5-oz packs for $4.99! I guess some other store got overstocked; but that’s quite a bargain! After I got home from the salvage store, I might have given the road bike another try; but I needed to hike over to FedEx. It was past eleven o’clock when I got home; and getting more and more cloudy. I had even felt a light sprinkle or two. And of course it was hot! 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 © 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 ✍🏻 Facebook Twitter Youtube INTERPRETER Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Logged in as Cecile Levert. Edit your profile. Log out? Required fields are marked * Message* Δ

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Battle Scars

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Battle Scars 🤺 Today’s Featured Product! 💫 Coconut Ropamo Men’s Short-Sleeve Jersey New!! Cycling Exercise for Seniors For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! My new road bike is already accumulating battle scars! And it’s only two days old. This morning I was starting up; and put a little too much energy into it. The bike swerved; and I had to step down in a hurry. The bike fell onto its right side; and the shifter got pushed out of line. I had to go to the bike shop to get it fixed. This isn’t a brifter that I can push back into place; and I suspect that I’ll miss that. Cowering? 😧 I also suspect that I might spend considerable time cowering indoors for the next few days. The forecast is full of rain! I don’t want to be working to get the hang of a new bike when it’s pouring. Naturally I don’t want my shiny new “wheels” to get mucked up too fast; and it’s also a matter of safety. “Battle scars” doesn’t have to mean a serious crash! I’m debating whether to ride to the salvage store tomorrow. There might be rain by 9:00 am; but if it’s not heavy, a poncho might do. Saturday morning, however, there’s a greater chance of adverse weather. I’d rather avoid that! 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 © 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 ✍🏻 Facebook Twitter Youtube INTERPRETER Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Logged in as Cecile Levert. Edit your profile. Log out? Required fields are marked * Message* Δ

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