Outdoors Archives - Page 24 of 47

A Piggy-Wig Stood

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 / CAL

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 / CAL

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 / CAL

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 / CAL

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 / CAL

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 / CAL

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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Final Week

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors, Training / CAL

Final Week 🌞 🌞 I can hardly believe it’s the final week before RAGBRAI. Where did the time go? Naturally I hope I’m adequately trained; and if I’m not, it’s too late to do anything about it now. I do know that frantic, last-minute training is apt to do more harm than good. So this final week will be devoted to shortish rides; one day off from riding; and getting packed. I’m perusing the NOAA site, so I can get an idea of which day would be best to take a break from the bike. Probably Tuesday or Thursday; but I’ll take it day by day. I still want to keep a bit of intensity in my riding; so today I included a half-dozen 30-second hard efforts. Come to think of it, I’d better make Tuesday the off-bikes day. Taking Thursday off will mean two consecutive days with no riding; and I’d rather avoid that. Day by Day 🌅 RAGBRAI will also be a day by day thing. I’ve been browsing the official website, and taking pics of the daily route maps. So far I haven’t found a list of what attractions will be available in which town; but I suppose it’s in there! This final week before heading to the big ride is the time to triple check all my lists; not only what to pack, but checklists of things I need to do each evening and each morning during the event. For example, I must be sure that my prescriptions are in my Camel-Bak’s pockets each day. If the mileage seems a bit daunting, well, take it day by day. Think of RAGBRAI as a series of rides; not one big huge 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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Loose Ends

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors / CAL

Loose Ends 😵 I’m starting to tie up loose ends now; and as usual before I travel, I’m getting anxious that I’ll forget something vital! Among the loose ends is tapering my training. It’s so easy to think I can’t be properly prepared if I don’t continue to put in long miles; but I suspect that, if I’m not ready now, it’s too late. As far as cycling shoes go, the hazard of loose ends is why I prefer shoes with velcro closures. Years ago, on the trike, a shoelace came untied; and got caught in the pedal. It was pulled too tightly for me to wiggle my foot out; and I could’t reach it from the saddle to loosen the lace. I had to carefully dismount, and get my foot loose; then untangle the lace. Even that was barely possible! Now I’m looking at the weather for the next few days; and it’s looking wet. Looking Wet 💦 I do not like it when the forecast is looking wet. Apparently rain chance are greater day after tomorrow than tomorrow; but I intended to take tomorrow off from riding. So should I do a ride tomorrow; and take Wednesday off? Probably I should stick to my plan, because I feel like I need a day off. Besides, tomorrow I must take my road bike to the shop to get it shipped to RAGBRAI. Anyway, just because the forecast is looking wet doesn’t mean that rain is guaranteed. Today I gave my bicycle a bit of cleaning — more loose ends to tie up! As a rule, I’m terrible about cleaning my bikes; but I don’t want the bicycle to be too dirty when I’m getting it ready for shipment. I also lubed the chain; and I hope we don’t get rained on in Iowa! 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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Already July

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment, Outdoors / CAL

Already July 🗓️ Can you believe it’s already July? We’re past the Summer solstice; and before I know it, I’ll be exclaiming that it’s Fall already. But it probably won’t cool off until November! With the heat, a cool rag sure is useful. The heat index is often over 100 degrees; but one aspect of it puzzled me. One day last week, I saw that it was a few degrees warmer than it had been a day or two previously; and the heat index was a little higher, too. Yet there was no heat advisory; whereas there had been one on the earlier day. I looked it up; and there’s a factor besides temperature and heat index: how long such conditions last. So now I’ve got it figured out. But I still need to beat the heat! Beat the Heat 🧊 Like most other cyclists, I want to beat the heat. Some riders start by 6 am, if not earlier; but I usually go out a little later. I’m getting lazy in my retirement; and I need to practice riding in the heat for RAGBRAI. The big ride is almost here; as I’ve said, it’s already July! And of course it’s hot. If I had a third hand, I could use a small fan to help me beat the heat during these hot rides. Heat and sunshine seem to go hand-in-hand. I’m glad I got auto-tint-changing lenses for my prescription glasses. I’ll take along my Ray-Bans to the big ride, just in case something happens to my regular glasses. Fortunately my vision isn’t so poor that I can’t see without corrective lenses! 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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