I recently noticed a blog Mollie started the day after we got back that speaks to some lingering questions I have about bike touring, caloric intake, and weight loss.  Mollie writes:

I’ve been back for less than 24 hours and the most frequently asked question I have had is: So are you, like, really buff now? Followed by: So did you lose tons of weight. I haven’t measured my quads or weighed myself but I’m going to guess “No” on both accounts. I did, however, accumulate a gorgeous patchwork of bruises on my right leg from banging myself on my bike, falling off my bike, and walking into things. I also may have developed a low-grade addiction to oversized salty Virginia peanuts.

I would also have to admit that, no, I’m not any thinner (I was kind of hoping to get those skinny, svelte biking arms, but we only put in seven days of riding, so, I can’t be too disappointed), nor am I significantly stronger (though I went on an easy 5-mile run a couple days after our trip and felt like I could have kept on going and going and going).

Admittedly, we ate a lot of really good food.  But then, when I think back, we didn’t eat that much, especially during the day, when we subsisted primarily on cookies, crackers, and Virginia peanuts.  I don’t love the idea of counting calories; when you’re exercising all day long, I feel like you should be able to eat what you want and not feel guilty about it.  At the same time, I do wonder:  Is my bike computer telling the truth?  Did I really burn an extra 3,000 calories a day?  And if so, why aren’t I at least a few pounds lighter?

In going back through some emails I flagged for the trip–and then promptly forgot about–I found an UrbanDaddy email on the Fitbit, which is described as “a Nintendo Wii for your pocket.”  The basic idea is that it’ll track all your movements (steps taken, miles traveled, sleep time, and so on) and tell you exactly how many calories you burned on any given day.  Wonder if it works for biking?

In the weeks leading up to the trip and then the two weeks we were on the road, there were emails, tweets, and comments that slipped through the cracks.  As I am now in the process of officially (eep!) making the switch from PC to Mac (reluctantly, oh so reluctantly), I’m also sorting through old mail, merging folders, cleaning things out.  In the next few days, I’ll likely be posting about sites, experts, and gear that would have been useful to know about before our first trip.  Ah, hindsight.

I lived in New Orleans for a short while, from January 2007 until August of the same year.  And while I love the city, I cannot say the same for the quality of the roads.  I’m going to guess that things were bad even before Katrina, when things undoubtedly took a turn for the worse.  It’s not exactly a haven for cyclists, who have to deal with flooding, pot holes, and narrow roads.

Still, as I plan a two-day jaunt down to New Orleans, I’ve been contemplating bringing my bike along for the ride.  Luckily, I was able to hunt down this list of rides from the local cycling club.  I’m excited about the River Levee and the Lakeshore Drive routes–though the masochist in me is contemplating the alternate Red Bluff loop.

Of course, post-ride there will be plenty of good eats:  oyster po’boys at Domilise’s, beignets and cafe au lait from Cafe du Monde, and I’ll be checking out John Besh’s new restaurant, Domenica, at the newly renovated Roosevelt Hotel.  Helmed by Alon Shaya, who spent a year in Italy, brushing up on his pizza and pasta making skills, the restaurant serves up home-style “Sunday dinner” fare.

Zippy, sleek, and feminine

I was just rehashing our tour de Virginie (I’m Frenchifying it–everything sounds more romantic in French) with my father-in-law, who suggested that next time, we skip the bikes and go on scooters.  While I do have an appreciation for Vespas, I’m not sure about scooter-travel.  It’s certainly greener than getting about by car–and it sticks to our original premise:  Taking on the South, two weheels at a time.  But there’s something about getting to your destination by your own might.  Though, I do love this retro cream colored Vespa with its brown leather seat and chrome accents.