15°C, sunny with a brisk SW.
Sunday: pulled the bike out and found the front tyre flat. I decided to swap to the gravel wheels and take in some non-road routes. Though the distance is no big deal, the time reveals a decent day out.
Tuesday: fixed the puncture and put the road wheels back in. The fault was a punch puncture. I did find fitting the tyres rather difficult.
Damp but some sun. Light SW wind, 11°C.
November is normally the wettest month here, this year is no different. There is lots of surface water around and nowhere for it to drain in this flat landscape. I rode the Mustang with its Marathon tyres. Before setting off, I bloew the pressures up and that makes more difference to handling than with any other tyre. The last ride felt like the brakes were on. I have mixed feelings about those tyres.
11°C, drizzle, almost still.
15st 10lb, what a shock the scales were recently! I need to cut the sugary snacking.
16°C, light S, dull, rain later,
The bridge at Solom is done now. It’s a small stone bridge not the big girder bridge that leaves your ears ringing with the noisy slats on top.
Arrow, 20°C, sunny with brisk S.
England is a filthy country, there is rubbish dumped in a field.
17°C, light SW, bright & dry.
Rode the Arrow round the back of Astbury Monument for some hill intervals. This bike is showing its age (26 years) but the repairs it needs are minor (a new chain and some creaking sounds).
16°C, strong W, gusts 40mph+, dry though.
The cafes are reopening. I went to my favourite, the Velo Café at Twin Lakes just as they were closing up. John let me in for an espresso.
20°C, dry spell between thunder clouds
Dodging showers today, in fact there were deep rumbles inland from thunderstorms that were to miss us. They passed going north but further inland. Hardly any rain fell here – I could have gone out on the Zing.
I don’t know what’s going on with this speedo, it gets stuck sometimes on a high speed and the distance is then wrong. As you can see, it’s parked going 36mph!
23°C, light Sth, full sun.
The oily black cloud of smoke seems to originate in South Lancashire. It seems too dark for a moorland fire. The plume trails all the way towards the lake District.
Later: news reports of an industrial fire in Newton-le-Willows, about 30 miles south of the place this photo was taken.
6°C, moderate NE, sunny. Mustang.
The cassette needs changing. There is one cog that skips a bit under pressure. The new chain and BB are running nicely however.
Fully back to health for the first time properly in over a month. One cold followed another this winter, perhaps the wet weather playedf a part. That’s nothing to what’s coming. I’m now out of work, all DofE cancelled for at least 6 weeks and schools have closed – no supply work either.
I may be driving deliveries soon to help fix the empty shops.
Micycle 