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Dried Up

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

Dried Up 🌵 I was surprised at how dried up it was this morning. It rained yesterday; and I expected the path to be wet. At least my shoes didn’t get wet. When they do, I find myself wishing for a dryer! Today I rode the hybrid because I expected things to be mucky. But just about everything was dried up; and it was sunny for my ride. I’m not sure I can say the same for tomorrow, though. Just how “isolated” are isolated T-storms? Isolated? ⛈️ The forecast is for isolated T-storms early in the day; followed by scattered T-storms; then progressing to T-storms. It’s no comfort to think of one little “isolated” storm when said little isolated storm is right on top of me! If it’s storming, I’ll have to get creative; and find a way to get a good workout in the trainer. This morning I worked at riding 13-14 mph for three minutes at a time; with three minutes’ easier riding in between. I lost count; but I think I did 8-10 such efforts. Mileage was about 26.7; rather short, but a lot better than yesterday’s estimated five miles in the trainer. And after all, my plan is to include shorter, harder rides in my schedule, as well as long, more leisurely miles. I hope the bike path stays dried up for all us cyclists! 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 Dried Up May 8, 2025 Waiting It Out May 7, 2025 Floodgates May 6, 2025 Short and Easy May 5, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Waiting It Out

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Waiting It Out ⏱️ Waiting it out is a tedious business; but what else can I do when the weather outlook isn’t in my favor? We’ve been under flood watch all day; and we even had a severe T-storm warning this morning. I finally got tired of waiting it out; and put my road bike in the trainer. Believe it or not, pedaling in the trainer gets more tiring than actually riding. I can’t coast when my front wheel is immobile; and I also have no idea of my distance. All I can do is guess; and I might be way off. Unfortuntely, more of this is coming; the weather pattern seems to be stuck on repeat. Stuck on Repeat 🔁 “Stuck on repeat” reminds me of Ravel’s Bolero. The composer himself described it as something like, “Seventeen minutes of orchestra without music.” It’s a terrific piece, though. But it’s generally played at a tempo that’s rather slow for pedaling; so while waiting it out by indoor riding, Sousa marches would be better for getting my legs moving. If I think the music in my head instead of actually playing it, I can keep it stuck on repeat indefinitely! 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 Waiting It Out May 7, 2025 Floodgates May 6, 2025 Short and Easy May 5, 2025 Forty Below? May 4, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Floodgates

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Floodgates? 🌊 I’m waiting for the floodgates to open. Or will it happen at all? Forecasts, in my book, aren’t always reliable. Heavy rain is possible; and we’re under flood watch for the next 48 hours. There’s one good thing, maybe, about not being able to go out for a ride. I won’t need to worry about breaking the bonk. Yes, that’s bonk; not bank. Although of course I don’t want to break the bank, either. When the floodgates do open, I don’t think I’ll want to be out there, whether riding or not; especially if the lightning is going to move in. As I’ve said so often, heavy rain makes it hard for me to see where I’m going; and lightning makes me very nervous! I don’t really need to wonder what to do under such circumstances; I already know what to do: get under cover as soon as I can. Unfortunately that’s not so easy when I’m ten miles from home. What to Do? 🤔 And what do do if the weather forbids my going for a real ride tomorrow? Maybe I could prepare a jar of fridge tea tonight; and guzzle it tomorrow while I view YouTubes about RAGBRAI. Since this is a bike challenge month, I do want to get in some mileage; and at least I know what to do about that. Spells of bad weather are why I have a trainer. Today I put in a short ride in the park, even though I hadn’t planned it. Knowing that the floodgates might open any time, I wanted to get in a few miles while I could. Yes, my legs were a little tired after two days of long rides; but they’ll perk up 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 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 Floodgates May 6, 2025 Short and Easy May 5, 2025 Forty Below? May 4, 2025 Weather Window May 3, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Short and Easy

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Short and Easy? 📊 Short and easy was my plan for tomorrow’s ride; but I’m starting to have second thoughts. Would it be better to get in some more real miles before the rainy spell sets in? Besides, this is a Love to Ride bike challenge month! Last week I kept seeing reports about bad weather in parts of Texas; and wondered how soon it would head our way. I think I have my answer now. From 7 pm tomorrow, we’re under flood watch for the ensuing 48 hours. Rain could begin by late tomorrow morning; and will it be only rain, or T-storms? I’m thinking of going to the farmers market tomorrow morning, if it’s not already raining; then doing a short and easy ride around the park. If the weather does start to act up, I won’t be ten miles from home. But the challenge of riding in bad weather is also good practice for RAGBRAI! I’ll take along the poncho; but unfortunately rain with a strong wind means a poncho flaps all over the place. Then I get pretty wet, anyway. But the Challenge? 🚲 But the challenge? May is Bike Month Challenge; and during a challenge month, I try not to miss a day — even if I ride only two miles. Short and easy counts, as does a forty-mile ride. And you don’t have to be training your brains out for the Bike Month Challenge; you can just ride! It looks like I might have to ride inside for a while to keep the challenge going. Pedaling in the trainer is tedious; but when the weather is just too bad to ride outdoors, it at least lets my legs get some action. I don’t dare pedal too hard, though, for fear I’ll dump myself over; which is why I wear a helmet for these “rides”. You’ve got to stay safe!         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 Short and Easy May 5, 2025 Forty Below? May 4, 2025 Weather Window May 3, 2025 A-riding I Will Go May 2, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Forty Below?

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Forty Below? 🥶 Forty below? I hope the temperature doesn’t plunge that low! Maybe “forty down” is a better phrase. I got in forty miles today! I’m thinking more and more of consecutive long-mileage days, as mentioned in this video at about 6:57 minutes. It’s already May; and I don’t have time to waste. I’m glad it’s not expected to rain tomorrow; I want to shoot for at least 30 miles. Consecutive 20-mile days didn’t seem to cause much of a problem for me; so it’s time to go for longer days. Say, get 40 below the belt? Plodding 🐌 For the time being, at least, longer rides feel like plodding along. Today’s miles — 40.70 to be exact — took over four hours to complete. If that’s not plodding, what is? Riding 30-40 miles might mean another long day tomorrow. I plan to make Tuesday’s ride short and easy; but the next day, I want to work on force. I hope the weather cooperates; but the forecast, unfortunately, is for rain. Not the best conditions for exercises that might get me up to 18 mph. You need to see where you’re going to do speed work! During RAGBRAI I’ll have all day to complete each day’s mileage; except for Day 7. But the more often I can get 40 below my tires in one day, the better. As time goes on, I can increase the 40-milers to three a week. I can save pace improvement work for shorter rides. A mix of long and casual, and short and hard, is supposed to be a good way to work up to a big event. And RAGBRAI is big! 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 Forty Below? May 4, 2025 Weather Window May 3, 2025 A-riding I Will Go May 2, 2025 Vesti la Giubba? May 1, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Weather Window

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Weather Window? 🪟 I got a weather window today! 😊 Last night’s forecast had me expecting a downpour with lightning for this morning; but overnight the forecast changed. That’s happened quite often; and I was able to ride to the store. I guess the bad weather got itself out of the way overnight. I heard that one nearby location had had a tornado; or possible tornado. And there’s still the chance of rain and T-storms over the next few hours. I’m glad I don’t need to worry about a weather window for the rest of the day. And here comes the sun for tomorrow. Good thing; I want to get in some real miles. Here Comes the Sun ☀️ Here comes the sun again; and with it, the need for sunblock. Sometimes I wonder exactly how much of the stuff I need. Do I need to apply so much that my skin is white from it? Is it necessary in foggy conditions? If it’s actually raining, can I skip the sunblock? The rain is apt to wash it off, after all. Sunblock gets messy; but some years ago, I made the gratuitous discovery that sunblock is good for getting off grease! If I don’t want to slather sunblock all over myself, there are sun sleeves and leg sleeves. Yes, here comes the sun; but a sunny weather window means taking precautions. Especially when I want to do a long ride! This blog/page may contain affiliate links. “We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.” 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 A-riding I Will Go May 2, 2025 Vesti la Giubba? May 1, 2025 Lapping It Up April 30, 2025 Vested Interest April 29, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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A-riding I Will Go

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A-riding I Will Go 🚴‍♂️ A-riding I will go! Or maybe not; the weather outlook for tomorrow isn’t so great; and heading out into a T-storm isn’t the best idea. Of course I want to ride to the salvage store; but I don’t want to get struck by lightning. It looks like the stormy weather will persist all day; so a-riding I will go might mean a session in the. trainer. I hope we’re past the rain after tomorrow. So far it looks like Sunday and Monday will be OK; and maybe Tuesday morning. The forecast might well change overnight, though. Past the Rain 🌧️ When I get caught in a downpour while far from home, it’s always a relief to get past the rain. Rain makes visibility difficult; but maybe ARCHXX lens wipes would help. Getting caught in the rain when the weather is cold, of course, just makes me feel colder; but I shouldn’t have to worry about that for a while! A-riding I will go is getting more important, now that RAGBRAI is less than three months away. I might have to get past the rain, and get used to wearing a poncho to ride. After all, that might be the case during RAGBRAI! 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 A-riding I Will Go May 2, 2025 Vesti la Giubba? May 1, 2025 Lapping It Up April 30, 2025 Vested Interest April 29, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Vested Interest

Leave a Comment / BACK ISSUES, equipment, Outdoors, Personal Care /

Vested Interest? 🦺 Could you say that I have a vested interest in RAGBRAI? Maybe; I don’t expect to earn any money that way. But I’m weighing the possibility of getting an Ergodyne Chill Cooling Vest for the ride. This morning I was checking a news site; and it included an article about a hot, dry Summer coming up. Does that include Iowa? I read some of the comments about the Ergodyne Chill Cooling Vest; and one of them pointed out that this vest cools only as long as it stays damp. No surprise, really; the same is true of a cool rag. But this vest can keep cooling for up to five hours; and I should have ample opportunities to “recharge” this vested interest if I decide to take that option. I can re-wet the vest every time I stop in a town and refill my water bottles. Our weather is heating up fast, too; so it’s time for me to start at getting acclimated. And see how well a cooling vest works for me. Heating Up ♨️ By this time of year, it’s usually heating up; and on the one hand, it’s a relief to not need full-fingered gloves and other cold-weather gear. The flip side of that coin is, I have to be much more on guard against sunburn. It’s rather a bother to have to reapply sunblock every 80 minutes. Maybe I should work up a vested interest in the manufacturer, and buy stock in the company? Or invest in leg sleeves? Yes, it’s heating up; but I expect leg sleeves are like sun sleeves for the arms: once you get active; and they start to get sweaty; they have a cooling effect!   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 ✍🏻 Vested Interest April 29, 2025 Murky Waters April 28, 2025 At Ease! April 27, 2025 Why? April 26, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Murky Waters

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Murky Waters 🏊🏻 We’ve got some murky waters around here. In the past two weeks, the Mississippi River has risen a lot; and the backwater at the foot of the levee is some very murky waters. I’ve been watching for signs of alligators; but haven’t seen any yet. If I went for a pre-dawn ride, though, I’m sure I’d see their eyes gleaming in my headlight’s beam. Mornings are in the low 70s now; a bit too cool for me to omit a vest at the start of a ride. But by 9:00 am or so, it’s quite warm; and soon I’ll want the cool rag. I wish hot weather came on more gradually; but many a year it’s a very rapid crescendo! Crescendo 𝆒 I expect we’ll experience a steady crescendo in both heat and humidity now; and an Ergodyne Chill Cooling Vest sounds like a good thing to have. If, that is, the smallest size available isn’t too big for me! I was looking for the measurements, and didn’t find them. I bet this vest would be great if it gets very hot on RAGBRAI. Nobody wants it to get as hot as it did for RAGBRAI L; but we can’t predict the weather this far ahead. Long-range forecasting is murky waters. It’s time for a crescendo in my prep for the big ride in July. Yesterday I finally got up to 40 miles; but I think it’s time I took a day off. Today my legs felt tired; and I managed only 20.25 miles. I’m still keeping ahead of the recommended training schedule’s mileage; but I mustn’t get complacent! 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 Murky Waters April 28, 2025 At Ease! April 27, 2025 Why? April 26, 2025 Or Leave It? April 25, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Longer and Longer

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors, Training /

Longer and Longer 📏 My weekday rides are getting longer and longer. Today I pushed it to 30 miles; but I sure wasn’t fast! Yesterday I put in intense efforts; so today I rode at a more leisurely pace. For the time being, I’m riding the hybrid. The road bike is in the shop for a tuneup; and it’s also due for new tires and tubes. I’d rather get that done now; and not leave it until too close to RAGBRAI! The weekend long ride also needs to get longer and longer. It’s time to aim for 40-45 miles; after all, there are only three months left to train. It’s also getting warmer and warmer; a good “warm-up” for the conditions I’ll meet dudring RAGBRAI. Warmer and Warmer ♨️ Right when I’m working to make my rides longer and longer, the weather is getting warmer and warmer. I might as well say, “hotter”. Afternoon temperatures are climbing well into the 80s! Soon I’ll need that cool rag! It’s time to start doing rides later in the day, so I can get used to riding in the heat. In fact, I did one such ride last week. It’s getting warmer and warmer, so before long it won’t be difficult to pick a hot time of day. For now I can do short and easy hot rides, maybe 10 miles; and start making such treks longer and longer. It’s time to pull out the sun sleeves; and now that it’s warm enough for bare legs, I need a lot more sunblock! 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 Longer and Longer April 23, 2025 Dress Rehearsal April 22, 2025 In a Flash April 21, 2025 Down the Bunny Trail April 20, 2025 Load More TRANSLATOR

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