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Heat Drill

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors, Uncategorized /

Heat Drill? 🥵 I got a bit of a heat drill today. The only way I’ll develop any conditioning is if I look hot rides in the eye! But more than anything, I wanted to get outdoors and get moving. This morning I had a doctor’s appointment, and I didn’t want to arrive there hot; sweaty; and stinking. So I didn’t ride beforehand; and by the time I got back home afterwards, the sky was starting to look threatening. And in fact, it did rain. By mid-afternoon the rain seemed to be over for the time being; and I was getting antsy from sitting around indoors. The heat index was only 94 degrees, far lower than it was a few days ago. There was still a good bit of cloud cover to help keep things cooler; so I kitted up; grabbed my cooling rag; and took off for a short heat drill. Stay Hydrated! 💦 Naturally I need to stay hydrated; even on a very short ride. It’s cooler today than it was two or three days ago; but still hot. Thus I had my Camel-Bak along for the ride. (Query: why isn’t that thing called a PIGGY-Bak? That’s what it does, after all; it rides piggy-back!) I decided I could skip the electrolyte drink for this jaunt; but I must be sure to take some along tomorrow. I’m thinking of shooting for 18-20 miles; and I’ve got to stay hydrated. Depending on what the weather does, I might get my hydration direct from the sky! I kept the ride short this afternoon, because it looked like it might storm again; and I also wanted to detour to the store. 🍌🥬 And with the hottest part of the year still to come, I’m sure I’ll have more opportunities for the heat drill! 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 Heat Drill July 11, 2024 Respite July 10, 2024 Dodge the Bullet July 9, 2024 Shoo In July 8, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Out with a Bang

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Uncategorized /

Out with a Bang 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.” A lot of folks like to send the old year out with a bang. I started hearing firecrackers by 3:20 pm; and it was still broad daylight! Cycling-wise I’m not exactly seeing 2023 out with a bang; but I can steadily increase my distance. Today I rode almost 9 miles; and that’s a big improvement from several weeks ago. Back then I couldn’t do more than two or three miles! I need to get back to my usual distances; my legs are turning to mush. I also need to burn off those holiday goodies! I’m not setting up big plans for 2024; my foot has to be my guide for a while yet. But something that I can plan for right now is improving my diet. While I’m not vegan, I know only too well that my eating habits need correcting! I’m working to curb my intake of sweets, which for me is the hardest part. How about a New Year’s ride? The overnight low temperature will be around 50 degrees; and not much wind. That isn’t bad for riding; but there’s a 40% chance of showers. Play it by ear, I guess. Like, maybe, 12th Street Rag?    

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Not Much Prep

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Uncategorized /

Not Much Prep There was not much prep for today’s ride. The road bike is in the shop for a tune-up; and the weather forecast wasn’t so great. Thus there wasn’t much to get ready. I didn’t get out until at least 9:00 am; and it was quite hot by then. I knew that T-storms were possible from 10:00 am onwards; so I didn’t want to go too far from home. Indeed, as I rode I could see dark clouds in my rearview mirror. They seemed to be getting darker; and I turned around a few miles early. As I rode homewards, I kept an eye on those clouds. I could see that somebody was getting rain; and I was glad to be home before my neighborhood was in the line of fire. I expected it to rain hard; but as of 1:30 pm, all we’ve gotten is a little drizzle. The sky is still overcast, though; and we still might get rain. I actually hope we do; we need it! It’s hard for me to remember that this is Labor Day weekend. That’s what happens when you’re no longer in the workforce! Typically this is a weekend for outdoor barbecues; but the Governor of Louisiana has asked that people not use any outdoor fires. That’s how freakishly dry the state is; and the risk of wildfires is too great. Maybe I can do a longer ride tomorrow. The greatest chance for rain is after 1:00 pm. But I suppose there will be not much prep; I’m not back up to 40-mile Sunday rides yet!

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Labeling Pics 2

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Labeling Pics 2 japan georgia laos? pakistan? india hawaii kansas kentucky louisiana maine maryland south korea sweden mesopotamia iran michigan minnesota illinois missouri montana nebraska nevada new hampshire NM NC ND OH OK PA SC UT VT VA WV WA WI WY UK IN

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labeling pics 3

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Labeling Pics 3 canada philippines indonesia china puerto rico greece mexico austria germany ukraine taiwan maylasia croatia nigeria kosovo switz venezuela cambodia UAE kuwait senegal hong kong NL/Holland belgium russia india lithuania moldova egypt slovenia norway kenya myanmar/burma cycling tour algeria peru jamaica guatemala poland bangladesh vietnam thailand/siam australia ukraine chile albania spain ireland singapore italy czechia sweden aruba andorra marshall islands malta South Korea PA

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labeling pics

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Labeling Pics boy doll yuk tongue mini pump phone talk yell shout clouds levee bridge belgium cook wok food grass book daisies blowers bike bicycle ride road fireworks celebration display thailand? siam? india? temple scotland cliff sea penguin bird antarctica south pole shop store door entrance book kindle? thailand taiwan laos Singapore maylasia cambodia greece ohio australia israel california franc japan pakistan mongolia austria switzerland matterhorn mexico firth of forth scotland texas fire mississippi

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Clouds to the Rescue

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Uncategorized /

Clouds to the Rescue It’s clouds to the rescue this afternoon! The chances of rain/T-storms are only 20%; but there’s enough of a cloud cover that it’s noticeably cooler than usual in here. That’s a major relief! I went out around 11:00 am to get Chinese take-out for my lunch; and off in a northerly direction, I could see what looked like a huge cloud building up. I hoped it would come our way; give us a good T-storm; and cool things off. So far it hasn’t rained; and I haven’t heard any thunder. But does it feel good to NOT have the sun blazing down! Even so, at the moment it’s 97 degrees; and the heat index is 113. Day before yesterday, the temperature hit 100 degrees! So I’m continuing to ride early; and I try to be  home by 8:00 am. It’s already very hot by then; and there’s another excessive heat warning posted for tomorrow. This has gotten very tedious. Today I tried one-minute intervals of trying for 14-15 mph. I didn’t do all that well; but I’ll keep trying. I did less than 13 miles today; so I didn’t use the Camel-Bak. It was nice to not have that load on my back! At present, I have another big website project going on. I’m putting navigation bars all over the place, so visitors can more easily move from one part of the site to another.  It isn’t difficult; but it’s very time-consuming. And I still need to check that all the buttons work properly, e.g. that the “Intermediate” button does, in fact, have the link to the page by that name; and not, let’s say, “Riding for Diabetes“. But right now, my eyes need a break.

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Activ Life Wheel Lights

4 Comments / BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment, Uncategorized /

Activ Life Wheel Lights These Activ Life Wheel Lights would have come in handy yesterday! Ordinarily, stuff like this is too gaudy for my taste; but when it’s raining, visibility is extra-critical. These wheel-mounted lights have LED illumination that’s easily visible from any angle. Suitable for riders of any age; and they come in a pack of two. Manufacturer’s lifetime warranty. $26.99 I’ve seen bicycles equipped with such lights; and they certainly are eye-catching. Maybe I’d want some Activ Life Wheel Lights if I did a big ride, such as RAGBRAI; but then, as far as I can see, RAGBRAI riders don’t ride in the dark. I don’t ride in the dark much, now that I’m retired; except at full-moon time. This month I missed it, because yesterday morning it was overcast. Today was more than overcast — it rained like crazy for a while!

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Did I Forget

BACK ISSUES, equipment, Uncategorized /

Did I Forget? Did I forget to post this week’s featured product on Sunday? If so, here it is:  This week’s featured product is the TSLA Women’s Cycling Jacket. It’s good for cycling, of course; and for other outdoor activities such as hiking. Waterproof yet breathable; and it can roll up small for easy storage. This garment is sweat-wicking; and you can stash it in a jersey pocket if you start to get too warm! The TSLA comes in sizes X-Small through Large; and you can choose from colors red; navy; blue; neon yellow; black; and neon orange. Hood has a drawstring; the roomy back pocket holds your cell phone and other needs; and reflective tape adds to visibility. Fabric is 100% polyester. Now that we’ve had some cold nights — down into the 40s! — I’m naturally thinking of jackets. and other cold-weather gear: leg warmers; warming packs; and so on. It’s time to bring out the hot chocolate, too! But after a cool spell, it’s turned warm again. How typical! When it does get cold again, I suppose it will happen all of a sudden. I’d prefer it to be more gradual. Then it’s easier to get used to lower temperatures. All I can do is keep that jacket and some warming packs handy!

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