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Melissa

BACK ISSUES, Outdoors /

Melissa 🌀 Now we’ve got Tropical Storm Melissa to think about; right when we should be thinking of squash and Jack-o’-Lanterns and Hallowe’en. Melissa’s forward speed has slowed to a crawl; she’s barely moving. That’s not good news. The more slowly a storm travels, the more time it has to intensify. And Melissa could reach hurricane strength by the end of this week. I don’t think they’re sure yet where this storm will go ashore; but of course I hope it isn’t here. Waiting ⌚︎ So now it’s a waiting game. Although I wish I were able to ride yet, at least I’m not agonizing about missing out on my miles because of bad weather. All I can do is say: well, if  Melissa comes, she comes. I have drinking water; canned food; and a battery-powered can opener and  fan. What bothers me is that the stove in this place is electric! It would be tiresome to go several days without anything warm to eat. I’m still waiting to get my arm out of this splint. At least I’ve been freed from the sling. But the splint will remain; I guess for at least a few more weeks. 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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Autumnal?

BACK ISSUES, Outdoors /

Autumnal? 🍁 Are our days becoming autumnal? It was almost cold this morning; and the wind felt like Fall. When it gets cold enough, I can enjoy some hot cocoa! However, by midday the temperature had risen to 80 degrees; and that doesn’t seem very autumnal to me. Our seasons get crazier all the time; but at least I won’t freeze on the way to physical therapy tomorrow.  I hope I don’t learn that I’ve been doing my exercises incorrectly — and I hope to get a better idea of what’s coming as far as my recovery goes. What’s Coming 🍁 🌀 I want to know what’s coming with my elbow; and I also wish I knew what’s coming when it comes to tropical weather. Will we have problems; or won’t we? I’ve been ordering quite a lot of frozen microwave meals, since cooking is difficult at best; but I’d better use them up! Tropical weather can easily mean a power outage. Overnight, it will drop to 65 degrees. That’s more autumnal than 80 degrees; but it will get quite warm by afternoon. It looks like cold fronts are going to take their time! 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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Eye on the Storm

BACK ISSUES, Outdoors /

Eye on the Storm 🌀 I’ve got my eye on the storm; or, at least, the potential storm. There’s an area of disturbed weather headed for the Caribbean; and it might reach the southeastern USA by next weekend. Like we really need a hurricane! Just in case we do get such a storm, I’d better work on using up what I have in fridge and freezer. I can save the canned stuff in case the severe weather hits, and we get a power outage. We really do need to keep an eye on the storm;  who knows what it might do. It would be great if a cold front pushes through in time to repel bad weather from the Gulf; but we can’t count on it. So here we are, holding our collective breath again. Cold Front 🥶 The first cold front of the season seems to arrive later and later every year. Already it’s mid-October; and afternoon temperatures are still 80 degrees or so. I wonder, though: is keeping an eye on the storm worse for hurricanes; or for blizzards? In tropical weather, I wouldn’t worry about hypothermia; but I wouldn’t expect a blizzard to result in flooding. 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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Take It Easy

BACK ISSUES, Outdoors /

Take It Easy 😴 It’s amazingly hard to take it easy.  I’ve done some cooking over the last two days, but that’s been enough; or so my elbow says. The area around it is still tender; and I have to be careful not to strain it. I’m also trying to keep dishwashing to a minimum. After all, Im supposed to take it easy. But I have to eat; and buying take-out is too expensive for every day.  Ive got to think up meal prep that doesn’t require chopping veggies; but I don’t want to eat bars all the time. So what to do? What to Do? 🤔 And what to do while I can’t ride? If only drinking Biosteel would give me muscles of steel! While I take it easy, my muscles are going soft. 😞 I’m trying to extend my walks, but today I forgot to wear my cap; and had to cut the walk short. It drives me crazy to have the sun in my eyes; bright light and glare have always bothered me. That’s why I use the visor on my bicycle helmet! I don’t care if it makes me look like a newbie; comfort matters more. 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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Waking Up

BACK ISSUES, Outdoors /

Waking Up? 🥱 Am I finally waking up a little? Today I feel a mite more alert than I have since the accident; but I’m still tired. I need to go for a good walk; but the weather is unsettled today. I’d rather avoid getting that splint wet; so here I am sitting at home again. Getting some exercise would feel like waking up. It still doesn’t feel like Fall; and there’s a system in the Gulf that needs watching. It’s expected to reach Texas by tomorrow; but it might account for our rain. The system is too close to land for much development to be likely, which is good news. Development 🚲 Speaking of development, I’ll have a lot of leg-muscle and core development to do once I’ve finally recuperated. My entire body has considerable waking up to do! When I can get back on a bicycle, I’ll start with the hybrid. It will be weird to ride only a few miles per day when I was used to putting in about 20 miles per day. I’ll just have to be patient — easier said rhan done. ****************** Evening update: mid-afternoon, I finally went out for a walk. I just had to get moving! I wore my backpack so I could take along the poncho; and a light rain did start before I got home. Luckily it didn’t last long. Now, what will tomorrow bring? 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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Tie My Shoes

BACK ISSUES, Outdoors /

Tie My Shoes 👟 Wow, I was able to tie my shoes this morning! My hand seems to be recovering quickly from all the swelling (surgical insult, I suppose); and the main thing is to be careful of that elbow. I expect that I’ll have a built-in weather predictor for a long time. One year in high school, we read Our Town. In the opening scene, the town doctor is asking a boy how his knee is now. The boy says the knee is fine: “Except like you told me. It lets me know when it’s going to rain.” That struck a chord with me, because my sister had injured her knee a few years earlier. I’m glad I can tie my shoes, even though the elbow has a long way to go. And it will be great when I can ride again, because some things are better on the bike. Better on the Bike 🚲 Ever notice that some things are better on the bike? Electrolyte drinks are among them, as far as I’m concerned. I’ve been advised to be sure I drink adequate amounts of fluid during my recovery. This afternoon I got tired of plain water; and mixed up a serving of GZ, as I call it. I can tell you, that stuff tastes better on the bike! I can’t ride for the time being; but I can tie my shoes and walk. I’m getting far too little exercise; and it’s making me antsy! I’ll feel better on the bike. 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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Which Is It?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Food, Outdoors /

Which Is It? 🤔 Come on, which is it? Are we in for very windy weather; or not? If we are, Wind-Blox Pro are great for reducing wind noise; but the forecast keeps changing! About midday, I saw a forecast for “breezy” conditions tomorrow through next Tuesday or Wednesday. It said that gusts could reach 40 mph! Several hours later, that forecast had been taken down. So which is it? I guess I’ll have to play it by ear again! By Ear 🐰 Playing it by ear is rather galling when I want to plan for a long ride. If I don’t know when (or even whether) adverse conditions will arise, I don’t know whether I’ll need to cut the ride short. Will I need to stay close to home; or can I get away with riding out for 10 miles? Which is it? I’ll skip ear buds; I need to hear what’s going on around me, no matter what the weather. I’m a classical music fan, too; and the pieces I’d be putting on my playlist constantly change volume. I can’t be adjusting the volume all the time while riding. I might also want to stay rather close to home because —  if you’ll pardon the indelicacy — I’m on a course of antibiotics. That can wreak havoc on the GI system! I’m trying Activia to see whether it will settle things; and I hope it does! 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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Big Surprise

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Big Surprise 😮 I got a big surprise this morning; almost like having a rabbit suddenly pop out in front of me. The temperature was still 75 degrees; but it felt cooler than that! Is Fall coming so soon? I did go out earlier than usual, at about 5:15 am; so cooler temperatures shouldn’t have been a big surprise. Of  course it isn’t as hot before the sun comes up. It’s full-moon time; and I got to see the moonlight on the river. We won’t get to see the eclipse here; but there will be more. And now can I start making Fall plans? Fall Plans? 🍂 I’m not sure exactly what “Fall plans” means, though. Certainly not going back to school; but maybe drawing up a more definite training plan? I know, I know; RAGBRAI 2026 is a long way off. But how long would it take me to train up for a personal century? Before I even consider shooting for a century, I have to ride a few extra miles to see whether the bike path is open again. The mini-park where I could make a pit stop is two miles past the closure; and reaching it would mean riding on a busy road. With a big curve to create a blind spot for motor vehicle drivers! Even with a written plan — Fall plans or otherwise — I’m prone to changing things; and that isn’t necessarily bad. The weather can take an unexpected turn; or I might have a cramp-y muscle that won’t tolerate hard use that day. Roll with the punches, they say! 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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I Got Hot!

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

I Got Hot! 🥵 I got hot today; and this was a very short ride! However, I didn’t go out until nearly 9:00 am; and it heats up fast. I forgot to wear my cooling rag; so of course I got hot. When I did remember it, I was half a mile from home already. I had some things that I wanted to drop off at the Salvation Army donation center; and that’s just 2.5 miles from here. So I decided to keep going. If I’d had 20 miles planned, I might  have gone back home to get that cooling device! And now it’s still 91 degrees. Amazingly, the heat index is just a degree above that; the humidity is rather low for once. I hope it lasts for a while. Still 91 Degrees! 🌡️ Half of me wants to do some easy laps around the park; but it’s still 91 degrees! So the other half says, better not to ride just now. If I got hot this morning, I’ll absolutely broil if I go out this minute. This is the season for carrying electrolyte drink on almost every ride. After about half an hour, plain water simply doesn’t cut it; and endless water without replacing electrolytes means risking hyponatremia. The Tour de France went almost unnoticed by me this year; I was too busy with RAGBRAI. Those poor TdF riders are out there racing when the temperatures are in the 90’s; but I thery’re properly  trained for it. I’m not; so when it’s still 91 degrees, maybe I shouldn’t 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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Come on and Rain!

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors, Training /

Come On and Rain! ☔️ “Come on and rain!” is what I feel like saying when it’s been overcast all day; and it seems that it’s likely to pour, anyway. The catch with being stuck indoors and waiting for rain is, I want to munch Alter Eco Truffles! An overcast sky is why I made a split-second decision to ride the hybrid today. It let me use the bike trunk, so I could take some rain gear. And it didn’t rain, after all, except for an isolated drop here and there. The sun even broke through for a short time. Mid-afternoon, I received word that it was raining hard only about six miles away; so maybe it’s on the way here. Come on and rain, and get it over with! I don’t want rain tomorrow morning, when I plan to work on simulated hills. It’s flat  here; but I’ve gotta pretend sometimes! Gotta Pretend Sometimes 🚵🏽 I’ve gotta pretend sometimes; such as when I want hill practice without any hills. If I want to improve my climbing ability, I have to try, try again. On the way home from the salvage store, I ride up a vehicular access ramp to the top of the levee. I’m riding the hybrid on such trips; and bringing home a load that might total twenty pounds. It’s hard to find a gear on my road bike that simulates this climb; which makes it hard to simulate hills. Maybe I should do “hill” practice on the hybrid? And when I’m back home afterwards, it can come on and rain. 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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