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SpokEasy

Outdoors

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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Final Week

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors, Training /

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 /

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 /

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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To Be a Farmer

BACK ISSUES, Outdoors /

To Be a Farmer 🧑‍🌾 Do I want to be a farmer? I’d love to have the senses that medieval farmers did! I think this video is fascinating. My father would have loved it, I’ll bet. If I had the highly-developed weather senses of those farmers, it would be easier to plan my rides with less worry about the weather! Last night, the forecast made today look rainy/stormy. And what happens? It’s a beautiful morning. It would have been great for a ride; but I had already decided to take today off because I expected rain and T-storms. Never being certain of the weather makes me hesitate to wish to be a farmer — forever keeping an eye on the temperature; clouds; and so on. Eye on the Temperature 🌡️ I’m keeping an eye on the temperature; not only here, but in Iowa. I want to know what I might expect during RAGBRAI. Today, at 7:30 am, the local temperature was 78 degrees. In Iowa, it was some 15 degrees cooler; almost cool enough to warrant some cold-weather gear. At least one video that I watched mentioned that nights can get cold during RAGBRAI; so I have a sleeping bag. I’ll also pack things such as leg warmers, just in case. My phone has a weather app, so each evening I can check the next day’s weather. I can keep an eye on the temperature; rain chances; and so on. Oh, yeah, that’s what it means to be a farmer, right? 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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Dry Up Already!

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors, Training /

Dry Up Already! 🌵 “Dry up already!” is what I want to tell our weather. Although we actually need some rain, constant rain and T-storms make real riding difficult.  It does look like the rain chances will be greatest in the afternoons, except for tomorrow. That’s a good thing; RAGBRAI is less than three weeks away; and I need to keep training. If the weather won’t dry up already, I must drag out the trainer. It looks like there might be a weather window between 9:00 am and 11:00 am tomorrow; but I can’t count on it.  Weather Window 🪟 Even a weather window might not mean it’s a good idea to go out. Who knows how fast stormy conditions might return? If I take the chance on it, I might find myself wishing for a boot dryer!  I think I’d better not do intense work this coming week. The climbs on RAGBRAI aren’t worrying me as much as they did. That will let me have the following week for force work; I do still need to keep up some of it. The week after that, it’s time to taper. I hope I get a daily weather window for my riding! And in Iowa, I hope I won’t be saying, Dry up already! 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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Discouraging Word

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors, Training /

Discouraging Word 🗣️ Never is heard a discouraging word? Maybe that’s true on the range; but the weather forecast for the coming days is a discouraging word, all right! Maybe more than one word. Showers! T-storms! When will it change for the better? I definitely do not need to curtail my riding for the next week or so; the final week before I head to RAGBRAI is the time to taper. I don’t need to lose a lot of fitness because the weather forces me not to ride. Today, at least, I got in a few hard efforts; each two minutes long. The last one felt tough! I got another break from the wind this morning, which helped a lot. Taper ⌲ By all I’ve read, you need to taper during the last week before a big event; whether it’s a race or a long recreational ride. The trick, they say, is reducing mileage while maintaining some intensity. Of couse, don’t go out the day before your event and do a workout packed with lots of hard intervals; but a few short, hard bursts keep your muscles sharp. I’ve even read that it’s better to be slightly undertrained than to be overtrained. The latter is apt to mean you go into your event tired; and that means you probably can’t give your best performance. So don’t forget to taper. And the weather for event day? I just hope your forecast isn’t a discouraging word. 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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