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Views #586 | Intermeidate 5

Bike Worries

Terry talks about bad weather, illness, and vehicles. (Part 5)

Script
Vocab
Quiz


Terri	Todd

Todd: Now, Terry, when you bicycle on these long trips, across America, what do you do on a really bad day, when it's foggy or rainy or windy do you just keep on peddling?

Terry: Usually, yes. The philosophy kind of goes that if you're going to take a day off, and you need to take a day off every eight days or once a week, whatever, just to give your body a chance to recover and recuperate, um, if you want to take a day off, if you want to enjoy the day, so ideally you want a day off when the sun is shining so if it's, if you wake up in the morning and you're scheduled to ride that day and it's raining, you just pack up and you ride in the rain. As far as the fog goes, I just, the main thing I try and be aware of is increasing my visibility just to make sure that the drivers have a chance to see me. So I have ***** covers that are a high visibility yellow and I tend to wear a high visibility yellow jersey and put a strobe on the back of my light, anything I can do to increase my visibility.

Todd: Mm, man, OK. Are there any other problems that you face when you're traveling, like do you get sick or do you get fatigued or things like that?

Terry: Oh, sure. I definitely get fatigued on trips and yeah, you sometimes you have, you don't feel well or whatever but it's part of the trip I guess is just pushing on. I think, you know for me, part of it's just the, I'm fairly competitive anyway and it's a challenge to try and do a trip like that and, unless you're really ill, or you've had an accident or something, most days you can persevere and struggle through. Fortunately most days are in enjoyable, I mean that doesn't happen that often, but as far as riding in the rain, some trips you have rain and some you don't. Amazingly on this trip, I had no rain. This is the first trip I've ever done in my life with no rainy days. Had a lot of fog, but no rain.

Todd: Oh, wow, that's great. OK, well thanks Terry.

Terry: Thanks.

Learn Vocabulary from the lesson

recuperate

Just to give your body a chance to recover and recuperate.

'Recuperate' is very similar to recover, or regain former strength. We also use this to describe when someone recovers from an illness. Notice the following:

He will need a few weeks to recuperate after surgery.
You need rest and good food to recuperate your strength.

strobe

Put a strobe on the back of my light, anything I can do to increase my visibility.

A 'strobe' is a blinking light. The light goes on and off at a rapid pace and is used so cars can see you when you are on your bike. Notice the following:

The strobe light at the dance club made my head hurt.
When we danced in the strobe light, it was like being in a movie.

fatigue

Do you get sick or do you get fatigued or things like that?

If you are physically tired you are 'fatigued.' Notice the following:

The walk from the store fatigues me so much now. I am really getting old.
My legs are fatigued from walking around all day.

push on

Part of the trip I guess is just pushing on.

To 'push on' is to continue forward even though something is difficult and requires a lot of force. Notice the following:

He pushed on slowly through the rain.
Even though you feel you will never reach the end you have to push on.

persevere

Most days you can persevere and struggle through.

To continue toward a goal even though there are many obstacles and difficulties to conquer is to 'persevere.' Perseverance implies keeping a strong motivation and having little fear of failure. Notice the following:

You have faced bigger problems than this and you have persevered.
She has had some difficult experiences in her life, but she has persevered and become stronger.