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Another Excursion

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Uncategorized /

Another Excursion Good for on-bike fueling; or as a quick meal. This morning I made another excursion to the salvage store. I was a bit uneasy about the weather. On the way there, I could see a big cloud in my rearview mirror; and I forgot to pack the poncho! However, I was lucky. It didn’t rain; and part of the time the sun was behind the clouds. That kept me a little cooler; and as of 3:55 pm it hasn’t rained yet. The salvage store ran out of those Gatorade bars several weeks ago; and I’ve used up the supply that I had.  I was glad to find some other protein meal bars at 50¢ each. I hope the store has a good, long run with them. Today the grab-bag bins were empty. I hope they have something when I go there again. Sometimes I find good stuff there, including ride food. Once home, I put away the things that needed refrigeration. Then I started another excursion to get bananas; celery; and an onion. I want to make Leapin’ Leo; and I needed the vegetables for it. The bananas are for pre-ride snacks. Naturally I’m planning a long ride for tomorrow. It looks like the greatest rain chances are for the afternoon; and I hope that’s accurate! I’ve got a 40-mile trek in mind; and it won’t be fun if it rains and gets my ride food wet. But I’m getting ahead of myself. I have to clean up the kitchen and do my laundry. And get back into my off-bike exercises! I’ve been terribly slack about them for months!

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more than balance

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More Than Balance This More than Balance DVD guides the new rider into many aspects of cycling. Riding a bicycle is also about having a bike that fits your body. It’s about  learning how to ride safely in motor traffic; and even basic repairs. I’ve never really learned how to make bicycle repairs. Last December I got a flat when I was 17 miles from home; and fixing that flat bothered my arthritic hands big time. It also took big time! I rarely need to change a tube; and of course I was all thumbs at it. Often I wish I could do things such as adjust derailleurs; and the only way to learn, is to do! But I’m too afraid of ruining my bicycle to try it. Riding next to traffic is another skill I’ve never developed. I don’t have to do it often; and when I do, it makes me very nervous. I never know when someone might fling open a door right in front of me. The result could be catastrophic injury; or even death. As to a bicycle that fits, a professional fitting is well worth the cost; especially if you want to do a lot of miles. It isn’t only the bicycle frame that must fit. A good saddle is also important. Should you get a firm saddle; or a cushier one? By all I’ve ever read, that depends on the kind of riding you want to do. For casual short rides around the  neighborhood, a wide, soft saddle might be OK. For longer, faster riding, a narrower and firmer saddle is in order. The main thing is that your saddle supports your sit bones properly. See where we’re going here? Cycling is, indeed, about more than balance!

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Taking Chances

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Uncategorized /

Taking Chances It felt like I was taking chances today. I had to go to a doctor’s appointment a good distance away; and on the way home I decided to get Chinese food. It was hot; I was tired; and I didn’t feel like carrying a full takeout box home; so I ate in for a change. The restaurant was perhaps half-full; but even so, I really wasn’t comfortable being in there with so many people. Of course I had to take my mask off while I ate. There were also possible exposures on the bus; and at the doctor’s office. I sometimes feel like I’m taking chances anytime I go outdoors. The news is constantly full of reports of car-jackings; murders; and on and on. But a body’s got to get on with  everyday life; and I can’t do that if I stay indoors all day, every day. How could I go riding? I have to go to work; and I have to get groceries. All anyone can do is to stay alert; and hope for the best. Ideally I’d have a few riding companions; but how many people want to ride at 5:00 am? Every day I’m taking chances with the weather. As long as the forecasts include chances of T-storms, I’m a bit on edge; and I admit that I’m rather weary of hauling along rain gear day after day. A poncho is hard to fold or roll so that it’s truly compact; thus it takes up more space than I want it to.  This morning it wasn’t raining; but there were too many clouds for me to get a good look at the moon. A brief break in the overcast let me see the moon through thin, high clouds; and that was better than nothing. But how I missed seeing the moonlight on the river!

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Let’s Go Exploring

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Let’s Go Exploring Let’s go exploring! As its name suggests, the Schwinn Discover Hybrid Bike is great for cruising around. Take a ride through the neighborhood; and pause for a chat with a friend. Get some panniers to hang on the rack; and bring home the groceries.  My hybrid is my transportation to and from work; and I use it to ride to the salvage store. If I had to use public transit to get there, I wouldn’t go nearly as often! Taking the bus is much more time consuming; and I’d rather save the fare. If you’re eager for longer rides, a handlebar bag can hold your snacks and other necessities. Wait. Long rides, with a hybrid bicycle? Yes, you can do long rides on a hybrid! It isn’t as fast as using a road bike; but it’s definitely possible. I’ve sure put some miles on my hybrid; 17,000+ to date. A hybrid will even do for centuries if you don’t [yet] have a road bike. With racks for luggage, I suppose you could even use one for a tour; but if there are lots of climbs in store, be sure you’ve got the right gears! Yesterday, however, I didn’t feel any Let’s go exploring urge. The forecast was for T-storms; and I decided not to ride. Then nothing happened! It really annoys me when I lose the opportunity for a long Sunday ride. The forecast for much of this week is similar to yesterday’s; and I hope my rides don’t get rained out. It hasn’t rained here today — not as of 5:30 pm — but as I was riding home, I saw some big clouds building up; and there’s a 60% chance of T-storms. This isn’t the best time to say, Let’s go exploring!

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Always the Question

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Always the Question Ever wonder why; what; etcetera? There’s always the question when I don’t ride: could I have gone for a ride, after all? Today’s forecast was for T-storms, from about 4:00 am onwards; and in fact, I heard rain at about five o’clock. I decided it was better not to go riding; and as of 9:00 am, I was still waiting for  the bad weather to set in.  Of course, I don’t know what things are like ten miles from here; and as I’ve said before, weather can move really fast. Few things are more unnerving than being caught out when the lightning gets close! Well, there’s always the trainer if I want to do some indoor pedaling. There’s always the question of, will I ever get around to another century? I’m sure not doing any training for it today! It’s hard to do the amount of training that I think I need; and if I were to do a 100-miler in October, I need to be preparing now. Last night I put some Nuun in the fridge to chill, in case I did go for a long ride today. Now I have to drink it up, or pour it down the drain. Nuun is supposed to be used within a certain time frame after you mix it; and it’s not the cheapest stuff around. I find it to be quite tart; so I might be naughty and put some sweetener in it. The sun keeps dodging in and out; so I don’t know whether it’s going to rain or not. I want a few things from the drug store — should I ride over there, or not? That’s always the question!

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Diminishing Returns

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Diminishing Returns? This week seemed like diminishing returns – every morning I’ve biked fewer miles than the morning before! Today I rode less than five miles, which is next to nothing. I didn’t ride to work, either, because I had to get downtown for an appointment; and I didn’t want to drag my helmet with me. So I rode public transit; and noticed that many passengers were not wearing masks. This, right when the news is reporting another COVID spike! Incidentally, is all this business about vaccination and boosting a case of diminishing returns? Seems like they keep saying that it is; or am I getting it wrong? As cyclists, we have to guard against the diminishing returns of going too hard, too often. Training seems to be a double-edged sword: no structure in your daily rides, and you probably won’t make much progress (if any); but train too hard and you risk burnout; injury; and even loss of interest in cycling! We don’t want that, do we? I’ve been watching the weather, of course. It looks like tomorrow’s chances for T-storms are mainly in after 11:00 am; so I should be able to ride to the salvage store. I just hope it doesn’t turn into an inconvenience store, the way it did one time! Sunday looks like it might be a different story. The forecast says, scattered T-storms; starting at 4:00 am. Not fun.☹  Maybe I can take a Sunday off for a change. Or, if I’m lucky, I can get in some miles on the road bike after I get home from the salvage store tomorrow. I’ll have to play it by ear, I guess.

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Time Trial

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Time Trial This year’s Tour de France began with a time trial in Copenhagen, Denmark. But I have another kind of time trial on my mind. I hope to retire early next year; and I haven’t ruled out relocation. I wish I could take the advice given to retirees who want to relocate: to give a “new spot” a time trial (aka trial run). As long as I’m still working I can’t take the time for a proper trial run; and I don’t have the means for such experimenting. In effect, relocation for me is grabbing blind. Visiting a place is not the same as living there; and it can take a while before you’re sure whether you really like any location. It might take a full cycle of seasons before you know whether the local climate is a good fit. You might love hot weather; but how long is the hot season in “Newplace”? Is it suffocatingly humid; or so arid that your skin shrivels up? Do you love snow; but hate shoveling it? Even if you don’t mind the shoveling, are you physically capable of doing it throughout your golden years? In New Orleans, we spend at least six months out of the year worrying about hurricanes. I wouldn’t mind being out of their immediate reach; but suppose the Newplace I have in mind is tornado prone? That’s no improvement at all! With hurricanes we have several days’ warning, or even more; but with tornadoes it can be mere minutes. I don’t think a blizzard-prone area is a good fit for me, either. Is my Newplace bicycle friendly? Can I get around easily without a car? Is there a good public transit system? Of course I have to factor in the cost of rent; and the cost of essential goods such as groceries. What about the crime rate? And much more.

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Calm for Once

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Calm for Once! Today the wind was calm for once! I wish we had calm winds much more often. I’m working to lengthen my Sunday long ride. After two weeks of doing only 28-29 miles, I knew I’d better not shoot for 50 miles; but I extended my distance to 37.90 miles. It helped a great deal that I didn’t have to fight a headwind.  According to the forecast, rain and T-storms were possible from 10:00 am; and as I rode back home, I watched the clouds building up. I got home ahead of any bad weather; and within the next hour, I decided to ride the hybrid to the drug store. By then the sky looked more threatening; but I took the chance. It paid off; and now I have ice cream for the Fourth of July. About 45 minutes after I got home, I began to hear thunder. As long as I’m home, it may storm; and it might even cool us off a bit.  The problem with rain is that the streets around here are in a mess. A little rain results in quagmires that clog bicycle tires with mud; and for now, I have to detour several blocks to get to and from the bike path. It looks like tomorrow morning will be OK for riding; and I’d better get in some miles while I can. I’m almost to 2900 miles for this year; and my goal is 5000 miles by December 30.  While today it was calm for once, there will be some wind tomorrow. Of course I don’t like that; but you’d think I would be used to it by now! The main thing is that any T-storms wait to break out until I’m back home.

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Great Strides

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Great Stides Let your youngster make great strides towards the enjoyment of cycling! The Strider Balance Bike helps a child to learn how to balance on two wheels; and she doesn’t have to worry about pedaling. Or he can start to explore his world; and the puncture-proof tires eliminate worries about flats. Back when I was about to “graduate” from the tricycle to two wheels, I googled around for advice; and I found this. It gave me the idea to temporarily remove the pedals from my new hybrid bike; and do glide biking. No, it didn’t make me feel silly; because I made up my mind that it wouldn’t! I’m not sure you can say I made great strides; but I did get the hang of two wheels after a while.  The Strider Balance Bike has a sturdy, easy-to-maintain steel frame; and can be adjusted to a child’s growth. The handlebars are especially designed for small hands; and the Strider can be used by youngsters ages 18 months to five years. Of course, don’t forget to equip the little one with a helmet. The Joovy Noodle X-small is for kids ages 1-4; and meets CPSP standards. Comes in assorted colors; so you might not have to settle for pink! I don’t much care what color my helmet is, although a light or bright color is a good idea. I’ve never had a pink one, though!

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Wishful Thinking II

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Wishful Thinking II One of these might satisfy my curiosity! Here’s  wishful thinking II for my wanting a power meter. More than once I was on the point of  buying one; and up came the need for expensive oral surgery! Sometimes I wonder how much wattage I’m able to generate; and a power meter would tell me that. But to be really  useful, a power meter must be properly set up; and that means doing an FTP test. This test doesn’t like fun; and in fact, by all accounts, it isn’t fun. Without it, however, a power meter is no more than “an expensive toy”. To be honest with myself, I don’t want to put myself through an FTP test; so I’ll skip the power meter. It’s not as though I’m in training for racing; and for some months I haven’t done any work to improve my force. Therefore ideas of my using a power meter are wishful thinking II. But I can still think about riding for the pleasure of it. Today’s ride wasn’t as hot as many a recent jaunt; but I turned back home some five miles sooner than I had planned. The sky wasn’t completely overcast, but the sun was covered; and something about the look of it made me decide to go home early. As I rode, I kept a wary eye on the eastern part of the sky. The clouds became darker and darker; and it even looked like it was raining somewhere. I got home shortly after 9:00 am; and about 20 minutes later I heard the first grumble of thunder. Shortly afterwards, I smelled rain. We’ve got a wet forecast for the coming week; and I hope I can still ride!

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