The Rides

The first week I had a ride so wet it degreased my bike chain. That was Friday at Big Creek Greenway. I thought the weather was going to clear shortly after we started, but about 3 quarters of the ride, including the entire return, was in pouring rain. Russ wasn’t feeling it and turned back way early. He didn’t know he was sick, but was testing for Covid two days later, so it was a good decision.

I felt like going ahead. When the weather is going to be bad for a few days, missing rides adds up. The stream and sewers were not flooded, so the water spray from my wheels was relatively clean. I rode a little slow. Falls = bad, and I take longer to recoup from them than I do from a few days of rain.

I got a little chilly at the start, then warmed up, and was coldish again by the end. It really wasn’t a bad experience at all, but Labor Day Weekend got rainier as it went on, and I didn’t choose to repeat the experience again right away. There were enough clear times and the clouds were really pretty. I never had a ride gap of more than a day for the week. This week I’m the one taking the Covid test though, neither of us tested positive, but I think that last pound I lost was fueling the fever.

The Bars

I’ve been relying on the Protein One bar heavily lately, sometimes having two in a day. The label wasn’t as scary to me as some, and where else can you get 10 grams of protein for 90 calories? I prefer whole foods, but when you want big increases in protein while also making big decreases in calories, protein bars and shakes are the easy way to get there.

Sitting on the picnic table eating the bar last week, I was re-reading the label and decided to look up chicory root extract. So, chicory root is 68% inulin by dry weight. I’m guessing “extract” is around 100%. Inulin has all kinds of benefits and some side effects. I laughed when I read the appetite suppressant part. Side effects were things like gas. I’ve had some really noisy gas, which is tolerable if you’re not around people, but I am, pretty constantly. And, it’s been out there in the range of drawing comments, funny expressions and jokes.

So I decided to stop eating the bars to test and the gas went away quickly, almost as quickly as my appetite spiked. That happens to me in the fall, right about the time evolution is telling my body to pack it on for the winter and the candy corn hits the grocery shelves. But, this was correlated perfectly with discontinuing the bar that is supposed to reduce appetite.

I waited a few days, had another and repeated. Yep, it’s the bars, for a few symptoms. Finding a substitute will be a little easier since I’m no longer trying to keep the carbs down as low as Keto lovers like to, but I bought so many of those bars when they were BOGO and I’m still struggling with the goal to increase protein and limit calories. I’ll probably have 1 or 2 per week rather than 1 or 2 per daily ride until I decide they’re too old, unless Russ snaps them up.

Last Week

I’ve been trying to get well without the antibiotics since last Thursday when I felt the current illness coming on during my ride. There are times when I’m afraid a sinus infection is coming on when I’d ride hard and hot to try to get my body temp up and maybe head things off at the pass, but the weather on Thursday wasn’t really that warm and and it didn’t feel like the right choice to make. As soon as I realized that what I needed to do was to cut the ride short, I did. I’ll be going to the Dr tomorrow. This wasn’t the sickness to tough it out on.

Until next time, have a glorious day, and we’ll see you on the trail.