~?~
Friday 3rd 38F/3C [8.00] Overcast but dry until later. The westerly wind steadily increasing throughout the day. 65F/18C in the room. 50F/10C in the greenhouse.
Up at 7.20 after a very untidy night. I was awake for at least an hour from 2-3am. Was going to get up at 6 and then it was suddenly well past seven. Lots of very silly dreams.
The new railway bridge on the road to Grønnemose from Gelsted With the loader bringing soil to build up the roadside embankment on the far side. This road is set to re-open at the end of April. It is already showing a remarkable change from my last visit. Where before there were huge drops on either side. Vast quantities of sand and a soil must have been brought to the site.
I must pull myself together and go for a ride today. Sitting on the computer is making my lower back pain worse.
Happy 80th Birthday to my brother Dave! It took you long enough! 😉
9.40 40F/4.5C. Back from a half hour walk around the field spray tracks. It was cold. Made worse by the westerly wind. My hands were cold in the GripGrab gloves. I wore my heavier, pile lined, [recycled] fleece jacket and was glad for it.
A small group of tiny Coal tits arrived in the roadside hedgerow. They
have surprisingly deep voices but seemed unaware. Or simply uninterested
in my being at arm's length. As they foraged rapidly over the bare
stems. I think there were four of them. Though it was difficult to keep
track of all of them at the same time. They moved so quickly.
I'll have morning coffee and then see if I still want a ride. I'll have
to dress warmly. It's not that easy to add enough layers under a close
fitting rain jacket.
The new, High Speed railway route is in a cutting here. As it passes behind the Grønnemose industrial estate. Which is currently being transformed. With new buildings, car park resurfacing, landscaping and new businesses. Looking towards 25km distant Odense. From the new bridge on the road from Gelsted.
10.50 Exit for a ride. Long, thermal, ski underwear vest, racing jersey, synthetic jumper, pile lined fleece jacket under a windproof, hi-vis jacket. Long thermal leggings, DHB shorts under cargo trousers. GripGrab winter skull cap under my ABUS helmet. Sorel walking boots. GripGrab lobster mitts.
13.20 46F/7.8C. Back from a 39km ride. Two supermarkets were open in the next village. Staffed by retirees at the one I shopped in. I was never too warm. Despite all my layers. I stopped to admire a Panasonic heat pump on a cottage right beside the road and ended up chatting to the owners. They can heat three rooms of their home with one high level blower unit. Their cottage was very similar to mine in dimensions.
There were several crossings on the new railway. Where I paused to take new photographs. A large, front bucket loader was building up the new, roadside bank with soil. The driver seemed to be the only one working today. [Easter Good Friday]
The new road can be seen on the right leading up the slope to the new bridge. Now looking from the opposite side to the image at top right. Grønnemose behind me and looking towards more distant Gelsted. Which is several kilometers away.
18.00 I have just had a chat with my brother. A keen e-biker and skilled bike mechanic. Who has opened my eyes to potential improvements to make my Trykit trike much more fun in old age. I had been building mental obstacles which may not exist in real life.
Conversion to straight handlebars need not be hugely expensive. I was getting lost in pull per click for gears and braking problems. I am using 2x11 Campag Ergo gears and brake levers. Which I won't need just for pottering to the shops. Fewer gears mean lower costs for cassettes and levers. I could even add a low cost, low power battery-electric, conversion kit. Interesting!
Dinner was beans on toast with tomato soup.
~?~
