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Uneasy Times

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Uneasy Times ? These are uneasy times; and I don’t mean worrying that we’ll be misfits in some way. The tropics seem to be revving up to high gear. Some folks are still reeling from the onslaught of Debby. Now there’s a system out there with the potential of becoming this season’s next named storm (Ernesto). Its projected path looks like this system might impact areas just hit by Debby. No wonder these are uneasy times. New Orleans, being surrounded by water, has to stay on the alert. I have moments when I wonder whether I’d be better off relocating entirely; but that would probably mean dealing with other weather threats. I’ll take hurricanes over tornadoes any day. With hurricanes, you get much more advance warning. Long Ride Problems ? “Uneasy times” isn’t only worrying about hurricanes. There are long ride problems even if you aren’t shooting for the century mark. Putting in lots of miles can mean uneasy times; especially in this heat. Today I put in 29.3 miles. When the temperature is already in the low 80s at 6:00 am, that’s enough distance to have me worrying that my Camel-Bak will run dry. When I use the Camel-Bak, I carry a spare bottle of water in the cage on the seat tube; but I prefer to reserve this water in case I need more electrolyte drink. That, however, means I have to remember to bring along the needed tablets or powder. To help solve these long ride problems, I really need to leave the bike path on the levee to find stores where I can buy water if I need it. The trouble with me is, I don’t like going out of my way! 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 Uneasy Times August 11, 2024 Go Homemade? August 10, 2024 If I Were Fortune August 8, 2024 Remain a Camel August 7, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Go Homemade?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Food, Outdoors /

Go Homemade? ? Should I go homemade with the electrolyte drinks? It’s been so hot that I’ve been taking such beverages along even when I’m only riding to the salvage store. Store-bought electrolyte drinks, such as Gatorade, can get quite expensive, even when I get them from the salvage store at a lowered price. Can I make my own electrolyte drinks? I once decided to go homemade; and tried a drink recipe that I found online. As well as I can remember, it had a bit of maple syrup in it; and I love maple! But highly-diluted maple syrup with a bit of salt in it tasted rather odd. And I can’t keep fluids chilled when riding in hot weather. Even a frozen bottle of electrolyte drink thaws and melts quite quickly. How Does Cool Feel? ? How does cool feel? After weeks of unrelenting heat, I think we’ve forgotten; and we need to find ways to keep from melting. An Arctic Air Fan is an alternative to a cool rag; but what if it runs out of charge in the middle of a hot ride? I would get most uncomfortable if it did! I think having the cool rag has spoiled me; but on the other hand, we’ve got to do what we can to avoid heat-related illnesses. The heat index today is below 100 degrees; but it’s still plenty hot. So how does cool feel? Maybe we’ll find out when October arrives!  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 Go Homemade? August 10, 2024 If I Were Fortune August 8, 2024 Remain a Camel August 7, 2024 Tic Tac Toe? August 6, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Remain a Camel

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Remain a Camel ? I must remain a camel for a while longer; and use the Camel-Bak even for shorter rides. With a large-size bite valve, so I can get more fluid per sip! In this weather, I need about one liter of water per hour; and a full Camel-Bak (about 3 liters) is quite a load. But better that weight on my back, than collapsing from overheating and dehydration! Today I did a comparatively short ride, and covered less than 13 miles. I didn’t ride either hard or fast; and took two bottles of water, instead of the Camel-Bak. But after half an hour, I wished I had used the big hydration system, and taken along electrolyte drink. The air temperature was already in the low 80s when I set out; and the sun was blazing down. Plain water wasn’t quenching my thirst; so it’s obvious that I need to remain a camel for about two more months. Waterworks? ? Waterworks are vital during hot weather, especially when you’re outdoors and active. Many a YouTube about RAGBRAI mentions some kind of waterworks: Slip ‘N Slides; wading pools; even kids with hoses ready to spray you with water. By all accounts, RAGBRAI 2023 was very hot; and riders needed every chance they could get to cool off. Part of of my waterworks is a cool rag. I don’t know how I got along without it; and I’ve even bought a second one to have as a back-up. Don’t think that using a cool rag is “sissy”. When the heat index is already 94 degrees before mid-morning,  you need some kind of cooling device. It’s also a good idea to pull back on distance or intensity, or both. Cutting the mileage goes against the grain with me; but I think I need a bit of a break. 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 Remain a Camel August 7, 2024 Tic Tac Toe? August 6, 2024 How Much Longer August 5, 2024 Plan for Heat August 4, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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How Much Longer

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

How Much Longer? ? 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.” How much longer will this heat continue? That, of course is quite the rhetorical question; and I know the answer, anyhow. It’s apt to continue until October! So don’t pack away the cooling beanie, and other cooling items, just because school is about to begin. Take the usual precautions when cycling in this heat. Ride early in the day if at all possible. I prefer going out very early, because after sunset, it’s still very hot from the heat of the day. If necessary, hold back your pace and/or cut your mileage. Yes, it’s hard to shorten your rides, especially when you love doing those miles; and when you don’t know how much longer this excessive heat will last. Some parts of the USA might begin to cool off fairly soon; other parts — well, as I said, we’re likely stuck with hot weather until October. Maybe even later! Not Only Heat ? It’s not only heat itself that we have to worry about. What about hurricanes? We in New Orleans can breathe a sigh of relief as far as Debby is concerned, but now there’s a new system out there; and who knows where it might go. I have to set aside some non-perishable foods (refried beans, anyone?) in case I have to evacuate for a storm. Then I can just do a grab-and-go. I have an ample supply of bottled water; so if I have to hunker down at home for a few days, I should do OK. Getting back to the not only heat thing, this is a humid climate. At the moment, our humidity is 49%; which is rather on the dry side for us. But it’s still 95 degrees; and the heat index is still 105! At 7:35 pm! Guess why I ride early in the morning? 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 How Much Longer August 5, 2024 Plan for Heat August 4, 2024 I Got off Cheap August 3, 2024 Everything in Its Place August 2, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Plan for Heat

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Plan for Heat ♨️ We’ve got to plan for heat; and I don’t mean being sure the heater is in working order for Fall. According to the forecast, we’ll get some afternoon high temperatures at or near 100 degrees later this week. That’s only air temperature — before considering the heat index! I hope I can haul myself out of bed in time for some pre-dawn rides. Today I didn’t get going until 8:30 am; and a heat advisory went into effect at 10:00. I didn’t get home before then; but the wind helped cool me a bit. Along with my cool rag, of course!   So plan for heat. Freeze your electrolyte drink the night before your ride; fill up that Camel-Bak before starting; and wear that cool rag! Take a Break ? I think I need to take a break. I don’t mean that I won’t ride all week; if I did that, I’d get too out of shape. But this week, I plan to “just ride”. That means skipping hard efforts; and reducing the mileage. Today I was in my heart rate Zone 3 most of the time; but it felt like I was working harder than Zone 3. That probably means I need to ease up!  With the super-hot afternoons ahead, I want to ride earlier, so I get home before the worst of the heat. It would be great if we could take a break from this heat; but the only way to do that is to stay indoors with the air conditioning. Oh, and my headlight still doesn’t work. I had it plugged into the charger overnight, with the new cable. But it only turns on when it’s plugged in. I didn’t get off so cheap, after all!   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 Plan for Heat August 4, 2024 I Got off Cheap August 3, 2024 Everything in Its Place August 2, 2024 August Already? August 1, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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I Got off Cheap

BACK ISSUES, Food, Outdoors /

I Got off Cheap ? I got off cheap today; not just once, but twice. First, I got some good stuff at the salvage store. I found a box of a dozen Special K Protein Bars; and for a couple of dollars less than they’d cost elsewhere. That was good, because my stash of ride food was running low. I also found hummus; and Gatorade Zero powder. So now I’m all set for protein bars and electrolyte drink for a few weeks.  I got off cheap at the bike shop, too. I thought my headlight had died; and went to the shop for a new one. But first they did some troubleshooting; and it turned out that the charging cable needed replacing. They didn’t even charge me for it (no pun intended)! Trouble-Free Ride? ? Naturally I hope for a trouble-free ride tomorrow. Unfortunately I feel a bit tired; and maybe I need to plug myself into a charger block overnight! Joking aside, the big worry is — again — the heat. By midday today, the heat index was about 110 degrees; and there’s another ? heat advisory tomorrow, starting at 10:00 am. Can I hope for a trouble-free ride tomorrow, then? Hard to say. It’s been so hot that I’ve taken to using the Camel-Bak for the ride to the salvage store, lest a single bidon be too little water. I even took electrolyte drink today. According to the forecast, there won’t be much wind tomorrow; and that always helps. But the overnight low is predicted to be 80 degrees; and it heats up fast. Should I take a day off from riding? I usually take Mondays off; and besides, Tropical Storm Debby is out there now. Who knows what the weather might do in the next few days? Debby is expected to make landfall in Florida; but these storms are capricious. She might change her mind and make a beeline for us; and then the wind would probably make outdoor riding impossible! 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 I Got off Cheap August 3, 2024 Everything in Its Place August 2, 2024 August Already? August 1, 2024 Am I Old? July 31, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Wait Til Morning

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Wait Til Morning ? I might as well wait til morning to check any weather forecasts. Too often of late, the evening predictions of stormy weather don’t come to pass. Why cause myself unnecessary worry? Because of the heat (overnight lows around 80 degrees), I want to get going early. That often means less than an hour between rising and rolling; and that, in turn, means not much breakfast before I climb aboard the bike. I’d like to try these Sweet Loren’s Vegan Breakfast Biscuits; but I take along cut-up protein bars to eat on the bike. It takes my body a while to wake up enough for a real meal. Besides, if I eat a full meal; then wait several hours to ride; I won’t get started until about 10 am. That’s right when the heat starts to get bad; and also when T-storms are likely to start firing up. But if a forecast has shown rain and T-storms for the following morning, I’ll be on tenterhooks; expecting to wake up to a storm. So I say, wait til morning to worry about the weather. Eye on the Clouds ⛈️ All the same, I keep an eye on the clouds while I’m out riding. Even if the morning’s forecast says it won’t rain for several hours, I just can’t be sure; and I for sure can’t carry a barometer with me! This morning I had an eye on the clouds, all right. Off towards the South there was a big thunderhead; and I couldn’t know whether it were coming my way, or not. But as I rode, it seemed to collapse; and that was a relief. Speaking of clouds, it looks like the tropics are waking up again. Time to sort through my stash of canned goods; and fix up a box of emergency supplies. If a storm forces me to stay home several days, I’ll need 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 Frozen July 28, 2024 Success! July 27, 2024 Wait Til Morning July 26, 2024 Second Guessing July 25, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Selective Blindness

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Selective Blindness? ?️ No offense meant to people who are blind; but I think we’re all subject to selective blindness now and then. If we don’t use something, we soon stop noticing whether it’s there or not. For those of us who live car-free, availability of parking spaces for motor vehicles is a non-issue. I, for one, hardly notice how many parking spaces are empty when I arrive at a store; and for people who use cars, the presence — or lack thereof — of bicycle racks probably doesn’t enter their minds. For example, this morning I rode my hybrid to the bank. When I got there, I found that the bike rack was gone. I asked one of the bank’s personnel what had happened to it; and they said that they’d never noticed that there was a bike rack. Selective blindness, I suppose; that person probably uses a car. Sun Blindness ☀️ Then there’s sun blindness, which I’m sure we all know. Today I kept finding myself heading into the sun; and sunglasses don’t do any good under such circumstances. That’s all the more worrisome when I have to ride near traffic. I’m lucky there wasn’t a lot of it this morning; but I bet that will change soon, when school starts. I might avoid sun blindness if I rode later in the day, when the sun isn’t so low in the sky; but when the weather is hot, riding early is important. We’re actually getting a break from the extreme heat this week; but cool it is not! I don’t expect cool weather for at least two months; probably longer. Speaking of heat, RAGBRAI is in progress. Last year’s RAGBRAI suffered a bad heat wave; and I hope this year’s event is cooler. 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 Selective Blindness July 23, 2024 Downhearted? July 22, 2024 Forget the Split July 21, 2024 Split Ride July 20, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Forget the Split

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Forget the Split ➡️ I decided to forget the split ride today, for two reasons. First, like the bicycle in the joke, I was two-tired to get up at 6:00 am for a trip to the supermarket. Second, the forecast I checked last night predicted rain and T-storms from about 10:00 am. It was already around 8:15 when I finally began my ride; and already there were a number of ominous-looking clouds in the sky. I wasn’t trying to push the pace; but I still wanted to try for more than 20 miles. All I could do was hope. When I stopped to eat a GU-Gel and reapply sunblock, I thought I heard faint thunder. That made me uneasy; and as I rode, I kept an eye on the sky. When I arrived home, I heard thunder just as I was heading in the door; and 15-20 mintues later, we had a full-blown T-storm in progress. I just made it! If I had gone to the supermarket, and then tried to put in 20 miles, I would have been caught in that storm; so it’s a good thing I decided to forget the split. Compensation ? Happily, I got some compensation for the storm. It wasn’t entirely overcast while I was riding; but part of the time the sun was behind the clouds. That kept me from getting so hot. Since I got home, it’s been mostly overcast; and that keeps it cooler indoors. What a relief that is! Compensation isn’t always financial. Today on the bike, I ate a Gatorade Whey Protein Bar; and part of a Zone Perfect Bar (plus the “goo”). Frijoles would be great; but my bike-handling skills are far from the a ability to ride no-hands while spooning frijoles out of a pouch!   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 Split Ride July 20, 2024 Pretend July 19, 2024 Nature’s Fury July 18, 2024 Gearhead? July 17, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Split Ride

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Split Ride ⇉ I was considering doing a split ride tomorrow. First, a trip to the supermarket to get a few things that the salvage store didn’t have; then a longer ride with the road bike. I’ve got to watch the weather, though. The forecast is for showers and T-storms; and of course that is bad news. It’s no fun to be caught in a downpour so heay that you can hardly see; and if strong winds and lightning enter the picture, I don’t want to be out there! A split ride would allow me to get in some miles; and if the weather cooperates, I might make it to 25 or even 30. And wouldn’t a banana split afterwards be good! Meanwhile in the Kitchen ? Meanwhile, in the kitchen there’s always something to be done; and I don’t mean Feed Zone or frying eggs. I’ve got to use up some of the rice and dried beans in my cupboard; and today’s result was Wild Saturday. Another addition to my SpokEasy recipe collection! The pleasure of inventing a new recipe, alas, is always dimmed by the chore of cleaning up the kitchen afterwards! Despite my uncertainties about tomorrow’s weather, I’m thinking about tomorrow’s ride: what to use for on-bike food; which electrolyte drink to take along; what time to ride for the best chance of avoiding storms; and so on. Meanwhile, in the kitchen there’s a pile of pots and dishes to be washed! 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 Split Ride July 20, 2024 Pretend July 19, 2024 Nature’s Fury July 18, 2024 Gearhead? July 17, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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