10°C, v strong westwind. Rain to return.
A brief show of sunshine changed my plan this afternoon. I was setting up to do some wallpapering but an unexpected spell of dry presented itself. I’ve barely ridden this last few weeks, all the while it’s been either cold and icy or heavy rain.
Grey, wet and rain, 4°C & light N.
November is usually thoroughly miserable, it’s the wettest month here and rapidly darkens towards our shortest day.
I’ve been regularly swimming this last month. Usually for about 45′ after work at the Uni.
11C, fresh but bright. Getting sunny, light SE breeze.
I’ve been too ill to ride this week. I’ve not even walked to the outdoor gym. I don’t know what it was but I had no energy and many, many sleeps, I barely went out.
Anyway, out I’ve been. This actually may be the last ride on this bike this year. There were several places where my narrow, smooth 25c tyres precariously rolled over compacted black mud. One of them while being closely tailgated by an impatient car.
17°C, light rain and sunny bits.
Mustang; well chosen bike for the muddy sections although it’s a slow ride. The only problem is my foot still hurts. It’s not my Achilles now, more the ligaments on top of my smaller toes. Unlike the tendon pain, it doesn’t ease after a break. I don’t get what’s going on.
Besides, there were good rainbows on the way back. Not only double, but they overlaid Infront of hedges. We’re used to them standing on the horizon, but not today.
Another notable: in one village, the traffic in front was held up and weaving. Soon the cause came into view. Peahens were wandering about in the road. It seems they were trying to cross. Soi got off and shoed them over to release the waiting traffic. Then they waddled over to other birds in a small estate. Problem solved.
22°C, milky sun and a light SW.
I’ve been unwell for over a week now. Nothing serious but enough to deter me from cycling. Today, I ventured out but was aware of the empty feeling all the while.
26°C, calm with light E. Hot and humid
Kona Paddy Wagon, sunny & warm, no wind 21°C, dry
Today’s conditions are idewal for riding the single-speed. It’s windless and warm. I whizzed along at a comfortable pace.
New cockpit on the old bike.
Today, I fitted a new stem and bars to the Racelite. The fit has been wrong for a long time, the reach being far too long. I fitted a compact pair of bars which means less drop and reach.These actually came from two previous bikes – the Mustang and then the Kona Zing. That Mustang now has flared gravel style bars which I decided on after getting the cyclo-cross bikeAdded to that, the stem is 20mm shorter (and possibly slightly angled higher. The result is that the inner bars line up with the front hub.
The old bars were Cinelli 66/44s. . Anyway, in the same fixing things session, I put new Cinelli bars on the Zing just so it wasn’t standing there with brake levers hanging. It’s a shame really because the new bars look great. The Cinellis have an ovalised aero section on the tops which are probably more comfortable for the hands. The Racelite bars had a plastic channel for the gear cables. This time, I put the channel behind the bar which gives a similar effect. Aero is not that important to me, but the extra area to rest hands is the real bonus.
I don’t know what’s happening with the Zing yet but I’m told it is covered under the lifetime guarantee.
All the work this morning was justified on this 45km ride. I’m back in love with this bike. Not only is it more comfortable, but the front end feels lighter too. The shorter stem accounts for this as well as the shift in centre of gravity.
Bright sun, 22°C, brisk SW wind, humid and dry.
In school holidays and fully recuperated. I’m still nursing that ankle injury but the problem is all about stiffness now. The Achilles tendon sides have gone back to hollow (as normal). I’m wearing barefoot shoes most of the time now. They are working very well. Returning to running is still out of the question. Maybe in the new year….
Further, there is something I learnt from this injury; continue exercise when you have balanced recovery time with effort time. This applies to this week’s rides. The recovery time is there each day because I’m not in work. That’s how you can ride every day without degradation.
Rode the cross at a gentle pace through routes I used hundreds of times before I moved.
Micycle 