Orange Rolls

Remember that sweet tooth I mentioned earlier? Well, I figured this would be a good way to get some sweets for breakfast! If you do not like cinnamon rolls, I have also seen this recipe with rolls.
 
Orange Rolls

You will need:

Oranges
Cinnamon rolls

We will need to buy both of these on the road.

1) Cut oranges in half and scoop out the good fruit inside! (Please do not waste the orange. Just add the fruit with your rolls for your meal!)


2) Place rolls inside of orange

3) Place in cooking device (we will use tin foil)

4) Cover with tin foil

5) Cook until golden brown

6) Spread icing!





Enjoy!

Very simple! Please share with your friends and family during your next camping trip.

Safety First!

Knowing how I am clumsy, there is higher percentage of a collision for myself than the average bike rider. Honestly, I usually go to the hospital at least once every 1-2 years. As a result, I decided to investigate and share safety tips with everyone. (So yes...this post will probably be boring)

After extensive research I have made the following conclusion: Do not be stupid while riding a bike!

Basic rules that were learned in kindergarten will suffice for a beginner bike rider. For example, STOP, LOOK, and LISTEN!, look BOTH ways before crossing the street, or Be respectful of others. Yes, these principles that were learned many years ago have come back to haunt you.

What if you already apply these wonderful sayings when crossing a street, but still get hurt? Well, join the club! This is why I have searched "bike safety" in Google. Here is a summary of what was found.

1) Own the correct gear. A cyclist should have a light on the front of the bike, reflector on the back of the bike, bell, and helmet (yes, you may get helmet hair). This will allow you to be seen and protect yourself if you do get into an accident.

Helmet Laws - Blue: Statewide laws exist. Red: local laws. Gray: No laws

Helmet Laws in other countries

2) Know the laws. Every state has different laws. Some states do not require a helmet, while others require a helmet if you are under a certain age. There are laws for car drivers to obey in certain states! Being familiar with these laws will allow you to not get a ticket. Overall, make sure you know the laws of the state you are riding.

3) Wear a helmet...and correctly. I hope you can recognize from the picture above the correct way to wear a helmet, but how do you know it fits correctly?

1) With the straps undone, check the position of the helmet on your head. Using the 'two finger' method is one way of checking. Simply position the helmet so you can fit two fingers between your eyebrow and the helmet. This will allow you to see the world around you when you ride.
2) With the straps still undone, move your head around vigorously and even bend forward tipping your head upside down. This simulates riding over rough terrain, and if fitted the helmet should stay in place.
3) The helmet should now be fitted comfortably and positioned correctly. Now for the straps.
Adjust the straps so the "V" is sitting just below your ears and do up the buckle.
4) Tighten the strap until you can still fit 1-2 fingers between the strap and your chin.

4) Use hand signals. This allows you to communicate with others around you. Do not be afraid to ring that fancy bell or talk to communicate with others.

5) Always ride with traffic. This will help you to avoid car accidents.



There are more tips cyclists can use to be safe on the roads, but overall remember to have fun!

Be safe!

Caramelized Bananas

I have a saber-toothed tiger size sweet tooth, but when biking it is important to consume nutritional calories. Unfortunately, chocolate consumption is empty calories. I never realized how many calories a person burns while biking. To satisfy my cravings and consume the appropriate amount of calories, I am trying to find easy recipes that can be cooked while camping. We are trying to travel light, and carry items that will not spoil quickly. These caramelized bananas will be the perfect way to solve this food problem!

Caramelized Bananas

Prep and cook time: 10 minutes
Make: 1 serving
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

1 large, ripe banana (you do not want this mushy)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon butter

We will bring sugar and butter with us on the road, since these will not spoil. (Hopefully it will not be too hot cause then the butter will melt)

1) Peel the banana and cut into 3 pieces. Then slice each piece in half (lengthwise).
2) Place the six banana slices into cooking device (we will try tin foil)
3) Sprinkle bananas with sugar and rotate each slice to ensure sugar is coating all surfaces of the banana.
4) Set your bananas aside
5) Place butter in cooking device (we will try tin foil)
6) Melt the butter
7) Add the bananas
8) Fry until bananas are golden brown and flip to another side
9) Bananas will be done when all sides are golden brown


Please enjoy!

Hilly Hundred

One hundred hilly miles that take you through breathtaking views of southern Indiana! This was my first experience riding amongst other cyclists. Knowing my past hospital track record, I decided to ride on a tandem in order to feel more comfortable. Zach, my boyfriend, was the captain (front) and I was the stoker (back). If any couples/friends are looking for ideas to improve their communication skills with each others then they should try riding a tandem bike together!

Riding a tandem may seem easy, especially as the stoker, but it takes coordination and communication with the captain to successfully ride. The monon trail became the usual spot to train to build trust and synchronize with each other. Our first problem was successfully mounting the bike. The bike was not custom fit for us, due to the amazing deal we got on craigslist, but this meant that mounting the bike was slightly difficult at first. Our next defeat was starting the bike. It is quite difficult to get momentum and synchronization from two people until you practice. Starting at first required counting, deciding where the pedals should be located, and balance. Thankfully, I was a dancer since the age of 5, and I have some practice on balancing. I would try to sit on the bike while I waited for my captain to get situated. After some practice and several times counting down from three, we have mastered this technique. Since we needed to pedal after switching, we worked on shifting gears. There were several times where the pedals would hit me due to lack of communication. I did not realize that it requires continuous pedaling in order to shift up or down. The captain would inform me that we were shifting and would command pedal twice. This helped to decrease the amount of bruising seen around my ankles from the pedals.

Being a stoker during the Hilly Hundred allowed me to become comfortable riding alongside other cyclists. I learned the proper hand motions and mannerisms of cyclists. For example, when passing another bike you should pass on the left while informing the other person. To inform the other cyclist simply saying "on your left" is sufficient communication. As a non-confident rider, I enjoyed riding as the stoker. I did not need to worry about breaking, shifting, or steering and I could enjoy the scene around me. You do not have the best view, because there is a person in front of you, but they do block all of the wind! Overall, the experience was amazing!

THE RIDE!

Due to the two of us being in our last year of pharmacy school, we could not get to the camp site until later that night. When we arrived it was starting to rain. Our wonderful friends, Trent and Leanne, helped us with the tent. Unfortunately, water had seeped into the tent and I woke up in a puddle! From there we gathered our bags and slept in the car for the remainder of the night. This is the reason why I am not fond of camping.

The first day of the trip we had freezing rain. We wanted to start at 7 A.M., but due to the weather we decided to start at 9 A.M. Thankfully, there was a huge biking tent where people could buy bike gear. (Yes, we stocked up on rain gear!) We were ready to rock and roll as we approached the starter's line...and the chain fell off. This is when we knew that our first bike event was not going to roll as smoothly as we would prefer. The chain constantly fell off and we only had 1/3 of our gears, but through communication and positivity we were able to work through these kinks and successful ride in this two day event. In the first day we rode 63 miles, leaving the remaining 47 miles for Sunday. The most amazing part was the shower trucks, especially after riding in the freezing rain. Saturday night we were able to enjoy the company of our friends at a local brewery. Next year we hope to wrap the handlebars in pink to support breast cancer!

Since I loved this event, I asked Zach if we could do another bike trip. We decided to ride the Natchez Trail, which is a 444 mile long bike ride that starts in Nashville, TN and ends in Mississippi. I am excited to prepare for this event and view the scenic parts of southern region of the United States.

 

Inspiration

Having adventures is a common theme of my life. I enjoy new experiences that allow me to see the world from a novel perspective. I am new to the cycling community, and I do not know all of the proper language or norms, but I am excited to immerse myself! 

Before I met my boyfriend, Zach, I disliked anything with wheels that required a helmet. I am very klutzy and these forms of movement typically promote cumbersome hospital visits. I am not very keen on camping, mostly due to poor previous experiences that I shall share at a later date, but I have slowly learned to step away from my previous city necessities and enjoy nature.

Zach is the person that has guided me through my bicycling experience. Our first cycling trip was October 2013 when we participated in the Hilly Hundred. This is a two day bike event that is located in southern Indiana, and as the name alludes itself, there are 100 hilly miles to complete. I truly enjoyed this tandem ride, and have invested into my own road bike. In our next adventure, we will be riding the Natchez Trace.

Spinning Spokes will hopefully become a guide to other beginner cyclists, and to immerse you all on the journeys that lay ahead. As time allows, I will post details of our planned trips including food, travel plans, bike parts, training, and pictures from the actual trip! I hope this will inspire others to start their own amazing journey and enjoy life with the beauty of nature.