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More Minutiae

BACK ISSUES, Food, Outdoors /

More Minutiae 📌 ⧾ I keep coming up with more minutiae to share. RAGBRAI has so much to it! As I watch others’ YouTubes about the 2025 event, I’m reminded of things that I already forgot. There was the Queen Anne’s Lace along the road. I wish we had it at home; it’s really pretty.  I  had forgotten “Team Baby” until I saw them in a video (about 24:40); then I remembered that I saw them several times along the route. In Minnesota, the road surface had an odd reddish tint. I think I saw that in Iowa, too. Day Three, was it, I found a big map where you could put in a pin to show where you’re from. Somebody had beaten me to New Orleans; but I added a second pin, anyway. “More minutiae” also includes sounds. Sometimes we were riding alongside bodies of water; and I heard some loud frogs! I also enjoyed hearing birds; and the sound of the wind in the corn. At least one morning was cool enough for me to start out in my cycling jacket. Inevitably, it got warm enough that I had to remove that jacket; and it took up a crazy amount of space in my Camel-Bak’s pocket. If only I hadn’t had to keep several prescriptions with me! Still Thinking about Food! 🌽 🥧 🌮 I’m still thinking about food on RAGBRAI. At least one video showed Our Grandkids Ice Cream. Then I remembered seeing it; but I had already gotten other ice cream. After all, I was trying to be mindful of the prediabetes. I had also forgotten about Cold Oatmeal, which I got once; I think it was in the very first pass-through town. It was OK; but to tell the truth, I prefer my own cold oatmeal made with yogurt; nuts; and dried fruit. Or frozen blueberries! Once I got some kind of avocado bowl; and of course there were bananas. I didn’t once get a pickle, though. I feel like I’ve missed out on something. And there’s still more minutiae! Seeing Things 👀 There were also times during RAGBRAI when I was seeing things. Many a time, I’d look at the crest of an upcoming hill; and think I saw a line of trees. Moments later, I’d realize that I was looking at a crowd of riders. That was sort of funny. Seeing things wasn’t so funny when I noticed big clouds building up; and I’d start worrying about getting caught in a T-storm on the road. I believe it did rain on Day Seven; but I was on the SAG then. I would have liked to see more of my spork. It was in my handlebar bag; and all too often I forgot to get it out when I bought something to eat. During the entire week, I used it only once.  If only I had been seeing things on the fourth night! Lots of lightning; and an absolute deluge. But it was only too real! 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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In Summary

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

In Summary 🚲 🌽 🌈 Home Sweet Home — for a Week   In summary, my first RAGBRAI was a mixed bag. There was the pleasure of meeting Ryan Van Duzer! I got to try some fantastic foods: Chris Cakes; Beekman’s Ice Cream; Classic Cheddar and Bacon on Sourdough sandwich; and Thelma’s Ice Cream Sandwiches. And I added another state to my “visited” list; the first in many years. On the downside, I had to SAG much more than I wanted to; in part because my bicycle kept giving me mechanical problems. On the fourth night, a deluge left many of us with flooded tents. My sleeping bag got soaked; and then it weighed a ton. I totaled 238.67 miles out of the 406 miles of the RAGBRAI route; not much more than half. That was a disappointment. But in summary, this RAGBRAI actually was pretty good. I never expected that every moment would have me over the moon; and things weren’t so bad that I’ve been scared away from trying RAGBRAI again. Little Things 🌈 Then there are all the little things that didn’t quite fit into any of my blogs; but that are a part of RAGBRAI. I’ve mentioned the piggy-wig; but I never said anything about rumbles. Cyclists understandably go around rumbles when they can. If you have to roll over them, it’s like riding over a washboard! Rumbles typically come in sets of three; and are designed to slow traffic in the approach to a stop sign I’ve been watching YouTubes of RAGBRAI 2025; and it’s good to see them. There are so many little things that I had already forgotten; and the videos refresh my memory. Like the tulip signs on the way out of Orange City. Next Year 📅 I’m already thinking of RAGBRAI next year! Although I had problems this year, at least I know why. Next year, examine my bicycle more carefully when I get it back from the shipping service. If I had done that, I might have had much less trouble. Start training earlier; and train harder. For this RAGBRAI, I didn’t get my hard efforts past 90 seconds. I need to work them up to at least five minutes! Who knows; in 2026, the route might throw 15% grades at us! Maybe I should consider a touring bike with a triple crankset? Or perhaps a lighter-weight road bike. I’ve read of a formula for long-distance cyclists: the bike shouldn’t weigh more than 12% of the rider’s weight. According to that formula, the road bike I have is far too heavy! I’m a petite; and maybe there aren’t any bicycles that light, except for pro-tour racing bikes. But they’re far beyond my budget. Next year I want to try some goodies that I missed this year: Farm Kids Breakfast; corn on the cob; Mr. Porkchop. And a few more pieces of pie. If I can improve my cruising speed to 15 mph, I might have more time to spend at such attractions. 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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Minutiae

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Minutiae ✳︎ ✦ ✢ RAGBRAI is full of minutiae. I’ve forgotten so much already; and I wish I’d had time to take more notes. And more photos. Unfortunately I always had to get moving; and often didn’t have my camera with me. In towns, I’d leave it in the “burrito bag” on my handlebars, because I needed both hands for eating. I ought to mention the Mile of Silence on the first day of RAGBRAI, when riders pedal in silence to remember cyclists killed on the road during the past year. There was a sign for each person to be remembered. I don’t know how many signs there were; but one was, tragically, for an eight-year old boy. More and more minutiae keep coming back; but I often don’t remember when they happened. Which day was it that I got the spoke bracelet? Day One? And which town was that?  When did I get the Classic Cheddar and Bacon sandwich? The Classic has four slices of bacon; and there was also the Baconator, with eight slices of bacon! Which town was it where I saw the Amish horse and buggy? Day Six, I think it was. Incidentally, by that time in RAGBRAI I was getting very tired. On the first day, we had to go over a set of railroad tacks. A sign warned, “rough tracks”; but I rolled over them and thought, “You call that rough?” Doing RAGBRAI  was a chance to be out in Nature, too! Out in Nature 🐦 It was good to be out in Nature. Although I’ve been griping about headwinds, I liked to hear the wind making the corn plants rustle. I often heard redwing blackbirds calling. Once I saw a bald eagle landing; and I saw a chipmunk one day. Oh, and there are fireflies in Iowa! It was a delight to see them, because there aren’t any at home. Being out in Nature doesn’t always mean there’s time to sight-see; and I wish I could have paid more attention to the landscape. Other riders were often at least several feet away from me; but even so, they were there; and I had to look out for them. There’s a lot of minutiae connected with Nature; and too often we miss them. I’d say it’s worth cultivating an eye for 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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A Piggy-Wig Stood

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

A Piggy-Wig Stood 🐖 What would Edward Lear think? To paraphrase Edward Lear, “And there in the cubby, a piggy-wig stood!” As I was with Pork Belly, I thought this little pig would be the perfect way to mark my charging cubby. Sure, there are letters and numbers (letters horizontal; numbers vertical, I think it was; or was it the other way around?) to help you find your cubby; but who wants to try to remember, say, K6 at five o’clock in the morning? A visual marker is much easier. I only had to remember, there a piggy-wig stood! RAGBRAI 2025 Day Three was another tough one. I tried to think KYLL; but it’s hard to keep at it in the face of relentless hills and headwinds. KYLL 🦵🏼 If only I were better at KYLL: Keep Your Legs Loose. The repeated hills and relentless headwinds were a killer combination! I tried to keep going; but for one thing I’m not very fast anyhow; and in a pass-through town, it’s easy to lose an hour and more by the time I can get something to eat, and visit the KYBO. At about 6:00 pm, I had to bail out. I stilll had 10 miles or so to go; the roads re-open to public traffic at six; and SAG service also stops. On top of all that, it was starting to rain. Just then a SAG wagon went past; and I waved it down. Luckily there was still room  for  one more passenger/bike. We saw a beautiful rainbow; so the rain had an upside. But the SAG dropped us at the main campground; and Pork Belly camp was a good walk away. I say “walk” because I couldn’t face any more hills that day. Unfortunately my cycling shoes are NOT good for walking; even if I practice KYLL while I do it. My right bunion got a sizeble blister on it. Ouch. On Strike? 🪧 About mid-week, my electronics seemed to go on strike. My cell phone kept running out of charge. It was OK before I went to RAGBRAI; and it’s been all right since I got home. Was it the charging blocks? Those blocks seemed to work all right at home, before the trip!  I had a similar problem with my headlight; and the heart rate monitor refused to work all week! Why? I got  new battery put in within the last few months. After a few days, I quit wearing it. I’m glad my legs didn’t go on strike! 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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RAGBRAI on the COB

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

RAGBRAI on the COB 🌽 The COB! RAGBRAI on the COB helps us Porkers find our way around Pork City. It’s posted each day; and unfortunately, most days I didn’t get around to taking a photo of it. This Campground Orientation Board, aka the COB, shows where everything is: tents; showers; and so on. My phone screen is small; and squinting at such a tiny map doesn’t help me much. I usually just asked my way around. Next time, though, I must pay more attention to RAGBRAI on the COB, so I don’t feel so disoriented! On RAGBRAI Day One, I visited the charging trailer to get my power block; got some breakfast; packed up my stuff; and visited the Shower Thingy, aka the water fill station. Then I could take off for RAGBRAI Day One! Not the Best Day 😒 RAGBRAI Day One, I must confess, was not the best day. I thought I had charged up my Garmin; but apparently I didn’t. About five miles into the ride, it gave me a Low Battery warning. A few miles later, it gave me a Critical Battery Warning; so I shut it off. Then it began to feel like my bike had brake rub. I stopped and got off; and fiddled with the rear brake assembly a bit. It seemed to help; so I went on. Of course I noticed the climbs. The climbs weren’t all that bad per se; but there were so many of them! Then the headwinds got going. As though climbing weren’t hard enough! I kept plodding along; and that afternoon, a mile or two past May City, muscle cramps set in. First my right hamstring; and, moments later, my left quad. I figured that the onset of muscle cramps meant it was time to bail out. Bail Out 😞 Frustrating though it  is, sometimes you have to bail out. I had just taken a swig of electrolyte drink; and was trying to get the bottle back into its cage. I was on an upward slope; and was having such trouble with that bottle that I flung it to the ground so I could stop and pick it up. I nearly fell over; but luckily some kind of go-cart for RAGBRAI was right behind me; and they got me to a SAG wagon. I tried to think what the cause of my cramps might have been; and was puzzled. I had downed a good quart or so of electrolyte drink; plus several liters of water. Even so, was I dehydrated? Had I eaten too little? Whatever it was, I had to bail out. Not the best day; RAGBRAI Day One was down the tubes. But soon I was checking out RAGBRAI on the COB 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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Little by Little

BACK ISSUES, Outdoors /

Little by Little 📏 I’m tackling things little by little. There are still a number of items I need to clean up before putting them away; and today I washed my Travelon. I didn’t see a care instructions label; but I washed the pouch by hand; rolled it up in a hand towel and squeezed it; then laid it flat to dry. I’m increasing my mileage little by little, too; still on the hybrid while my road bike is being shipped home. But I’m not so sure I’ll get to ride tomorrow; the forecast looks pretty iffy! Iffy ⛈️ An iffy forecast drives me crazy. Will it rain, or not? Even more, will there be lightning? Luckily there wasn’t lightning during the day during RAGBRAI. But one evening — the third one, I think it was — we could see a big cloud. Someone said it was to the North; and did it have some LIGHTNING going on! I was glad when it stayed away from us. But  during the fourth night, a big T-storm broke out around 10:00 or 11:00 pm; with plenty of lighting and a torrential downpour that seemed like it would never end. My tent was in a low spot; and I wound up feeling like I was lying in a river. At 3:00 am I gave up even trying to sleep. For the next two nights, I turned in feeling like things were iffy. Would we have a repeat of night four? I’m so glad we didn’t! My sleeping bag never did get really dry; and I’m lucky it was warm enough that I didn’t need it. I didn’t know how spoiled I was by having a solid roof to sleep under; and an apartment that stays dry during storms. 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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Work to Do

BACK ISSUES, Outdoors /

Work to Do 🛠️🪚 I’ve sure got work to do, now that I’m home from RAGBRAI; enough to keep me as busy as a spider spinning its web. I arrived at home yesterday at about 4:00 pm. Shortly I went to the neighborhood Chinese restaurant for take-out; and then got busy unpacking my two duffle bags. They were both crammed; and I was tossing various items in all directions. I brought out my clothes hamper, and threw in things that needed washing. I made piles of items that I had to put away; and sorted out unused GU-Gels and Propel packets. (I had to have my hydration!) I’ll be busy putting things a away all day; and with all that work to do, it’s just as well I decided I’d take today off from riding! It’s very hot out there, anyway. HOT!! 🔥 Yes, it’s very hot today, with an Extreme Heat Warning until 8 pm. I’m glad my work to do is indoor work! I did a pretty big load of laundry; and of course I want to compose blogs about my RAGBRAI experience. Unfortunately I don’t have many pics; and fewer notes than I hoped to make during the event. By mid-week, I was having trouble with my cell phone running out of charge. Maybe the charging blocks I had weren’t the right kind — but they seemed to be OK at home! I hope my phone isn’t defective or, worse, dying entirely. I’ve had it only a few months! I never got to much journaling  because of lack of time. I’m not adept at downloading pics from my phone to my laptop; and that’s more work to do. But there’s no great hurry. Not surprisingly, I’m tired today. Part of it is that I’ve been short on sleep; and traveling by air is pretty hectic. But I’ll plug away at it.  At least I’m not out there where it’s hot; the heat index at the moment is 106! I don’t even want to walk over to the store to get bananas. It feels like too  much work to do. 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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Feeling Tentative?

BACK ISSUES, equipment, Outdoors /

Feeling Tentative? 🏕️ Are you feeling tentative about sleeping out in the open? A Night Cat Pop-Up Tent provides waterproof shelter for one person. The Night Cat weighs less than 3.5 pounds, so it’s great for backpacking. For bicycle touring, too! This tent is easy to set up/take down; and has room enough for you and your stuff. If you’ve feeling adventurous in the culinary way, The New Camp Cookbook presents recipes for various meals and snacks; as well as meal planning advice, and even how to build a fire! 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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Flood Watch

BACK ISSUES, Outdoors /

Flood Watch 👀 Oh, how wonderful: we’re under flood watch; and it lasts until Saturday morning. Heavy rain and street flooding are my major concerns for tomorrow morning, when I must get to the airport. At least a flood watch is better than a flood warning. So far this morning, there’s been little rain. I went for a mini-ride (less than 3 miles), just to get outdoors and moving for a bit. It was actually nice to ride without slathering on sunblock; and I could do without electrolytes for such a short ride. And now I’m waiting with bated breath so see what the weather will do. Who can tell?  With Bated Breath 😮‍💨 Training with a Sparthos mask must feel like riding with bated breath. These devices are used by athletes who are training for high-altitude events; but who can’t get to high-altitude locations for their training. I’m not ready to try that yet! With a flood watch in effect, I’m not sure I want to be out there on a bicycle. Heavy rain wreaks havoc on visibility; and I worry about lightning, too. In fact, I just heard thunder, so maybe our rain is coming! 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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Always Electrolytes!

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Food, Outdoors /

Always Electrolytes! 🧂 Gosh, it’s always electrolytes! In this heat, that’s true even for a short ride of 10 miles. When the temperature is close to 80 degrees before 7:00 am, water alone just isn’t sufficient after half an hour; and I really noticed it this morning. I didn’t use the Camel-Bak because I want it to air out and get as dry as possible before I pack it up in a duffle bag. I thought that plain water would do; but as I’ve said, after 30 minutes of riding I wanted more hydration than plain water. And I was riding easily! Grab That Gatorade! 🐊 So grab that Gatorade! Actually, I go for Gatorade Zero; I can’t drink much regular Gatorade before my stomach starts to feel bloated and uncomfortable. Who needs gut rot? Since it’s always electrolytes, I’ve tried many things over the last dozen years or so. Skratch Labs was one of the earliest; and back then, they made a raspberry flavor that I really liked. Unfortunately it seems to have gone out of existence. Skratch Labs is also high-carb; and as I have prediabetes, I look for low- to no-carb drinks.. I’ve found things at the salvage store that I”ve tried, such as Biosteel and Propel Powder Packets. It’s great when I can experiment with new things at a low cost! Tomorrow I plan to ride 8 or 10 miles; and short a ride as that is, I’ll be sure to grab that Gatorade — I mean, that Gatorade Zero! 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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