SpokEasy

SpokEasy

Outdoors

Irish for a Day

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Irish for a Day 🇮🇪 Today’s Featured Product! CyclingDeal Stabilizer Wheels New!! Burley Kazoo Trailercycle For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! We’re all Irish for a Day! The rest of the year, I’m not; as far as I know, my ancestry doesn’t include anyone from the Emerald Isle. The wind has died down somewhat; but this morning the chill factor was in the 30s. I waited until almost nine o’clock to ride; and even then I did only three laps around the park. It sure makes me feel lazy! But at least, by that time, the sun was high enough in the sky to provide some warmth. I’m wearing a shamrock pin that I bought eons ago; I’m Irish for a day, after all! But I didn’t wear it while cycling; it would have been hidden under all the layers I was wearing!  Berth Order? 🛏️ Yesterday the wind provoked me into staying indoors, and I used some of the time to get into berth order; namely, putting fresh sheets on the bed.   Yeah, I know — it’s a bad pun. The English language is full of points for such verbal gymnastics. I’ve no doubt that non-native speakers of the language find it most confusing! Tomorrow it will still be in the mid-40s in the morning; but the wind will be almost calm. I’m planning a ride of 20-22 miles; but the next day I have an appointment in the morning. It might be 11:00 am by the time I get out on the bike; so I’m glad it’s not going to be hot! Oh, yes — does Irish for a Day mean I should be eating corned beef and cabbage? 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 Add Your Heading Text Here Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo. For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo. 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

Irish for a Day Read More »

I’m Staying In!

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

I’m Staying In! 🚪 Today’s Featured Product! CHATA Refried Myocoba Beans New!! XJD 2 in 1 For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! I’m staying in today! But not in the kitchen; I’m not quite in the mood for cooking. Temperature-wise, it’s really not too terrible: 49 degrees. That’s tolerable if I bundle up enough. But oh, the wind! Gusts up to 37 mph! I simply don’t feel like tussling against that; so I’m staying in. Everybody needs a break from the bike sometimes, anyway. I read somewhere that most of us love cycling so much, that we can’t get enough of it. It went on to state, let’s be sure it stays that way; don’t ride so much that we burn ourselves out. Gray Day 💨 A gray day makes me feel sleepy; like this koala. Incidentally, I wonder what it’s like in Australia today? Tomorrow the wind will have died down a lot; and the sky is expected to be clear. It will be cold, though, colder than today; and I think I’ll go ride some laps around the park. Using hand warmers, of course! 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 Add Your Heading Text Here Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo. For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo. 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

I’m Staying In! Read More »

Blowing Up

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Blowing Up 💥 Today’s Featured Product! KaZam Co-Pilot Bike Trailer New!!   SIFE Kids’ Safety Vest For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! It’s sure blowing up out there. When I began my ride at about 7:30 am, the wind was only 5-6 mph. But on the way back home, the wind increased to 12 mph; and now it’s 17 mph. Gusts are up to 29 mph; and by tomorrow, the wind will be blowing up big time. There’s even a wind advisory in effect; and T-storms are in the forecast, too. The weather outlook is one reason I wanted to put in a 20-mile ride today. Tomorrow won’t be a very good day for riding; so I wanted to ride today while I could. What to Do? 🤷‍♀️   What to do if I can’t ride? There’s always cooking; but I’m planning on making a garbage soup later today. Maybe I won’t want to cook again so soon. There’s always work on this website; or I can read some Adventure Cyclist magazines. The floor for sure needs sweeping. Or, I can be lazy and do nothing! Probably I’ll play it by ear. I’m not keen on having a strict schedule (i.e. do this at 8:00 am; and do that at 9:30 am; and so on); and you never know when something will come up and disrupt that timetable! 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

Blowing Up Read More »

Here We Blow Again!

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Here We Blow Again! 🙄 Today’s Featured Product! Canon Powershot ELPH 360 New!! Baicycle Electric Bike For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! Here we blow again! Just a few days ago the wind was quite blustery; and now there’s more coming. It’s expected to last through Tuesday night; and I guess I’ll go ride in the park Tuesday morning. I want to put in a 20-miler tomorrow, Camel-Bak and all; and the wind could already be reaching 15 mph. From the South, too; which means a headwind for the last mile before I get down from the levee. As I said, Here we blow again. Return of the Chill 🧊 We can expect a return of the chill, too. I’m glad I didn’t put away my heater yet! I might also need hand warmers for my rides. It looks like I’m not done with layering for the season. When the weather can’t decide which season it is, it’s difficult to know what to wear, anyway! Speaking of Here we blow again, it’s not too early to start thinking of hurricane season. We were lucky last year; but who can say what this season will be like? Gosh, I get tired of that! But I guess I’d rather have to watch the hurricanes than be in, say, Oklahoma, where tornadoes are common! 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

Here We Blow Again! Read More »

More Like March

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors, Training /

More Like March 💨 Today’s Featured Product! Beautiful Ride Tote Bag New!! Digital Kitchen Timer For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! Today it feels more like March, for a change. Not that there’s snow on the ground; it’s not cold enough for that. But the temperature dropped to the 50s overnight; and there’s quite a wind. With gusts up to 26 mph, I decided to skip the ride today. Conditions are supposed to calm down by tomorrow; so I’ll be able to ride again. And go to the salvage store come Saturday! By the way, I had wondered at the beginning of the month where the March Hare was. A day or two ago, I finally did see a rabbit while I was out riding. So they’re out there! Maybe they’ll all come out, now that it feels more like March? Not in the Kitchen 🧑🏼‍🍳 But I’m not in the kitchen, even though I’m taking a day off the bike. I cooked quite a lot of stuff recently; and the freezer is pretty full. I’m considering what to do on the bike tomorrow; probably I’ll do a “just ride”. They say, don’t do intense work more than one day per week; and I did intense work just a few days ago. It left my quads a bit sore; but some muscle soreness is normal after a hard ride. From all I’ve read, it’s part of improving fitness, But I don’t follow the no-pain-no-gain boot camp mentality. If something actually hurts, very likely something is wrong!           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

More Like March Read More »

Nature Abhors a Calendar

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Nature Abhors a Calendar 🗓️ Today’s Featured Product!       Co-pilot Bike Trailer New!!   Kakigo Electric Adult Tricycle For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! Nature abhors a calendar, it seems. Here we are, not halfway through March; and it was already 80 degrees by 11:00 am! Our weather apparently doesn’t realize that it’s still Winter. But tonight and tomorrow it should be cooler; and then it will feel more seasonable. Along the way, we’ll probably get T-storms; and wind gusts are currently 28-30 mph. I’m glad I’m not out there on the bike!  By the weekend it will be warmer again. Well, as I said, Nature abhors a calendar. Windy!! 🌬️ And if I think it’s windy now, tomorrow will be even gustier — up to 35 mph! If I had been aware of that, I think I would have pushed for more miles today. I’m glad the wind is expected to calm down after tomorrow. Maybe then I can do another 22-mile ride, like I did yesterday. But I doubt that I’ll be riding like the wind! Not even during my hard efforts. This week I pushed those hard efforts to three minutes; with 90 seconds between effort. I have no idea what my power level was; but my heart rate got high! 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

Nature Abhors a Calendar Read More »

Quaking in My Boots

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Quaking in My Boots? 🥾 Today’s Featured Product! FanttikRide New!! EOEOTWO Electric Bike For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store!  I feel like I’m quaking in my boots. My home state of Louisiana has been having earthquakes! One was 4.9, which is pretty strong. I’d expect a hurricane far more than an earthquake. I think I’d rather have the hurricane, if I must choose. At least with tropical storms, we have plenty of advance warning. Even so, the prospect of a hurricane has me quaking in my boots, so to speak. Do I have enough bottled water and non-perishable food? Can I leave town if a mandatory evacuation is called? Oh, and I’d better keep the rain boots ready! Rain Boots 🌧️ I really might need rain boots later this week, if the forecast is accurate. I’m glad it didn’t rain today — I think it’s time to lengthen my rides a little; and I rode an extra mile before heading back home. There was still fog on the river; and one big patch of it across the bike path. The fog was considerably cooler than the air elsewhere; and I was glad of my leg warmers! Of course there was a headwind on the way home; and that’s become very tiresome! But I tried not to push too  hard; I did hard efforts yesterday, and my legs needed the break. 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

Quaking in My Boots Read More »

Crowded?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Crowded? 👥 Today’s Featured Product!   Razor A5 New!! MET-Rx Crispy Apple Pie For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! Do you sometimes feel crowded? Yesterday my kitchen started to feel like it! But maybe a crowded kitchen is better than riding in a large pack of cyclists. For a recreational rider like me, pack-riding at any speed is a daunting idea. And at racing speed? Those riders are almost elbow-to-elbow. They may have it! Hey, but what about RAGBRAI? After all, there were thousands of cyclists taking part. But that wasn’t really pack-riding; riders were actually several feet apart most of the time. Crazy Weather 🌫️ ⛈️ We’ve got crazy weather, as usual. There’s was a dense fog advisory until mid-morning; and there’s a chance of showers and T-storms. It was 70 degrees at 8:00 am; and I think that’s rather too warm for March. Is this a weather breeder? We’re looking at high temperatures in the mid-80s through Wednesday; but after that, it’s supposed to get much cooler. See what I mean about crazy weather? Maybe I’ll go for a ride later; I didn’t get in much mileage yesterday. I think I’ll keep it rather short; and put in some hard efforts. And, keep an eye out for bad weather! Then, tomorrow, 22 miles. It’s time for me to extend the distance a bit! 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

Crowded? Read More »

Rain or Not?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Rain or Not? 🌧️ ☀️ Today’s Featured Product Baby Joy Wiggle Car New!! Larabar Kids Chocolate Chip For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! Is it going to rain; or not? The uncertainty makes me feel like this kitty — quite disgruntled! What with the switch to Daylight Time, I didn’t even get up until almost nine o’clock. My body is still on Standard Time; and I’d rather stay on Standard all year. When I finally went out to ride, I saw at once that it had already rained. The sky was quite cloudy; and I decided to head for the park to ride laps. Before I completed the first one, it began to rain again; and I stopped to don the poncho. I wanted to ride more but, mindful of the possibility of T-storms, I decided to go home. Mindful 🤔 We cyclists have to be mindful of more than just whether it will rain or not. What about the temperature? If it’s chilly at the start of a ride, but will heat up a lot, is there a way to carry that jacket if you need to take it off? Will it fit into your hydration pack’s pocket? Stay mindful of your body, too. If you try to push mind-over-matter too far, matter starts to push back. And it’s unlikely to be shy! Starting to feel tired during a long ride? Try to figure out why. Do you need to ease up your effort level? Is it time to grab a bite to eat; or do you need to drink something? Or maybe it’s time to stop for a few minutes. Stay mindful, and don’t risk overuse injuries. Even if we have to ride in the rain sometimes, we don’t like to miss riding. 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

Rain or Not? Read More »

Las Vegas?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Las Vegas? 🎲 Today’s Featured Product! Huffy Green Machine New!!   Kize Chocolate Lovers Energy Bars For our full list of products, visit the SpokEasy Store! I’m not in Las Vegas, am I? Today I certainly felt like I was taking a gamble with the weather. As of last night, the forecast said that showers and T-storms were possible from midday today. This morning it was already overcast; and it made me a bit uneasy about riding to the salvage store. But I decided to risk it, even if it did make me feel like I were in Las Vegas. Luckily it paid off. It Paid Off 🤑 It paid off to ride to the salvage store; but I paid for the pay-off. On the way home, I had a 15 mph headwind for a mile or so; and is that ever tiring! It was getting hot, too; and I guess it’s time I hauled out the cool rag. There were a few things that I didn’t find at the salvage store; so I took a hike to the neighborhood grocery store to get them. I’m glad the weather cooperated, but we actually need rain; so I hope it does rain soon. I also hope there’s nothing seriously wrong with my hybrid’s front wheel. On the way home, I kept hearing a sound like a cricket chirping; and realized that my bike was making it. But the bike shop is rather backed up just now; so I’ll have to wait until next week to take my “ride” in. I’d better ride short and easy until then! 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

Las Vegas? Read More »