Foggy morning, and warm sun later.
This gave me a start this morning.
It was there, on my sleeve as I started to pull my jersey on. I was immediately enchanted. What a wonderful thing to see, it made my day. He’s outside now, birds and bats permitting.
Jess, a friend tells me it’s a Scoliopteryx libatrix (The Herald). They can live in ivy (which does indeed grow by my bedroom window). Possibly, it was looking for somewhere to hibernate, though it seems a bit early for that.
7°C, clear and still.
Alarm set for 02.50am. Perfect conditions.
Total lunar eclipse
I leant out the window and saw this. It only took half an hour to get the camera and tripod. My lens is limited to 200mm, so here’s the best I could do.
The supermoon wasn’t really apparent. High in the sky with no nearby reference, the size looked normal to me.
4°C, clear and still.
I rode Cross with MapMyRide+! Distance: 15.8mi, time: 01:25:29, pace: 5:25min/mi, speed: 11.07mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/1185515511
Relaxing way to start the weekend. This ride, along my favourite canal loop is always different. Today, these wispy cones of mist rise from the still water. I tried to think of a word for them, what about ‘mist-maidens’?
6°C, sunny start, warm later.
On the scales, the unexpected. I weigh less that the start of term, 3lbs less. Didn’t see that coming, I even thought it would read a slight increase. Still under the magic 14St 4. barrier (200lbs) and now under 13st. Six months ago I touched 15st.
A few things have changed in my mind to lead this way.
1, don’t be afraid of occasionally feeling hungry,
2, smaller portions,
3, eat until I don’t feel hungry rather than eat until I’m full.
Cycling is more fun now, especially on the climbs. But, I don’t want to get any lighter.
Later; car shopping. After lunch, I will test drive an Audi A4 Avant. Then it’s a decision between it and the Volvo (from last week).
Audi A4 Avant.
I rode Racelite-8 with MapMyRide+! Distance: 52.95mi, time: 03:25:58, pace: 3:53min/mi, speed: 15.43mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/1166315675
At the end of every ride, you have to stop the recording and switch off the gps. Today, I caught it just in time, there was only 3% left in the battery!
Anyway, the ride: relaxed and easy to keep the speed up. This time of year is great for mushrooms. Some were as large as dinner plates, amazing.
Bike saddle for scale: and this is one of the smaller mushrooms.
18°C, heavy showers, then sunny.
Poor car, it needs some work, but the cost could be equal to a new replacement. If not new, nearly new. Therefore, I’m shopping around. First way to eliminate a car is to sit in it. Almost all cars are too small. Most cars have too little headroom. I don’t want my hair brushing against the ceiling, what happens over a speed-bump?
1, Audi A4, fits and promises good handling. Not able to test drive today, but it remains high on the list.
2, Skoda, related to VW so should meet the first criteria. Slightly ugly.
3, Volvo,
4, Seat, another VW clone. Better looking than n.2.
The salesmen often ask what colour I want. It doesn’t matter, I can’t see the colour from inside. And I am not going to stand around looking at it from outside, I have better things to do. I explained how I’m too selfish to care what other people think of my car. I want it to be fabulous inside- where I will be.
Volvo were willing to do a test drive, in the end, two. The first was the big V70, bigger than my Passat. It felt big but refined. It stood a little uncertain on the road, but nothing like the wallowing motion I have to live with currently.
Then V60, a slightly sporty version with stiffer suspension and it was immediately obvious that it was great. The D4 engine was probably more powerful than I need but the R-design suspension was excellent. I had the fizzy feeling!
Online reviews have said the R-design’s ride is too hard. Are they written by middle-aged men who’s core strength makes the shaking a problem?
I commuted with MapMyRide+! Distance: 9.91mi, time: 41:00, pace: 4:08min/mi, speed: 14.51mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/1158327043
An ordinary ride but for the thick fog. About a quarter of drivers think it’s fine to drive in dense fog with lights switched off. I shouted at one who was also clutching her phone. She wound down the window and clearly didn’t realise her lights were off, only the daylight running lights were on at the front. She didn’t know how to put the lights on because they are automatic.
You have to question automation, it has undesirable side-effects. More automation makes people think less.
Here is the seed of errors.
I rode Racelite-8 with MapMyRide+! Distance: 27.47mi, time: 01:47:06, pace: 3:54min/mi, speed: 15.4mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/1155933491
Cars can cost a lot of money. Mine has been pretty good for a big car. It’s now 12 years old and has done 112,000 miles. Now I face a few repairs which added to the annual cost of running it, equal the cost of buying and running a new car. The calculations include the assumption that big repair bills will come more often. A new car would cost nothing in repairs, less in fuel and tax. But then, maybe there will be no expensive repairs next year on my old car, it’s down to chance.
My calculation includes supposed fuel economy of the new car. What Car runs tests on fuel consumption and they don’t match manufacturers’ figures. The new Passat is only 5mpg better than the one I have.
Also, I actually feel some sentimental attachment to my current drive. We’ve been places.
Golf Estate, a possible replacement.
I rode Arrow with MapMyRide+! Distance: 16.42mi, time: 01:03:53, pace: 3:53min/mi, speed: 15.42mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/1153061165
Not a long ride, but add on 10 miles from this morning’s commute.
Speaking of that, something strange seen on the way to work. Under the railway bridge, a bird standing in the road. I veered round it and it didn’t even flinch.
So I stopped.
Ruffled feathers suggests a youngster, perhaps he took wing too soon. The Bird just stood there, blinking.
What could I do, I scooped it up in my gloved hands and placed it in a garden.
With luck, somebody will do something more useful, something before a cat gets there.
A wasp struggling after getting stuck in the car.
I rode The Jake with MapMyRide+! Distance: 16.25mi, time: 01:23:20, pace: 5:08min/mi, speed: 11.70mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/1148282977
I have a pair of summer cyclocross tyres on order. They have a faster rolling file surface in the middle, and blocks at the sides.
However, the towpaths are soft again and quite muddy in parts. It’s seems that I don’t need these tyres this year.
The latest news in cycling is Gravel Bikes. They are like ‘cross bikes but for different geometry. The also make excellent commuting machines, most come with eyelets for guards and rack.
Gravel racing isn’t going to take off here, it’s not dry enough.
Micycle 