27.04.2026

 ~?~

 Monday 27th 37F/2.8C [7.30] Another, cool, sunny day. A moderate breeze. 63F/17C in the room with no overnight heating. 43F/6C in the greenhouse.

 Up at 7am after dozing for two hours. Another quiet night. I have changed from milky coffee. To black breakfast tea after dinner. 

I don't trust my back. Even when it feels okay early on it quickly becomes painful. I have been using the same office style chair for years at the comuter. I wouldn't mind a ride today. Make the most of the sunshine. Just wrap up well. My foolish optimism doesn't keep me warm! The second battery needs topping up. I cycle between them to avoid depletion.

 9.30 Back from a walk. My lower back hurt like hell but I just kept going. I did a very slow loop of the rear drives. A slight improvement as I progressed. I dragged the emptied recycling bins back with me. The gentle downhill slope did not make me breathless. 

 Good to see so many fresh leaves and birds. The neighbour's screening hedge is doing well. Professionally planted and close to 100% survival over many hundreds of saplings. Their new lawns constantly improve too. Though their robot mower was sulking in a dip. After being overtaken by the big tractor mower. 

 11.30 Going for a ride along the lanes of the deserted west coast. Extra clothing if needed.

 

  ~?~

26.04.2026 Just another day.

 ~?~

  Sunday 26th 36F/2C. Overnight frost. Wall to wall sunshine. Cooler still today. Peaking at only 12C/53F. Winds lighter and variable. 63F/17.2C in the room unheated overnight. I switched the heat pump back on set to 19C. Reading 68F/20C at 8.30. 47F/8.3C in the greenhouse.

 Up at 7am after a very quiet night. I got up only once a 3am. Lower back and buttock pain unchanged. It only hurt when I shifted position on the saddle during yesterday's ride. 

 My back hurt too much for a walk this morning. So I spent the day on the computer again.

 I opened up the greenhouse to the indoors. To borrow some warmth. It worked. The heat pump was turned off earlier. When it reached 70F/21C in the room.

 I sorted the indoor recycling bins into the outdoor wheelie bins. Then dragged two bins along the drive. Which left me completely breathless. 

The nice neighbours seem to have added another goat. Their patch is at the other end of the paddock.

 Dinner is going to be beans on toast. I have done the fish, eggs and cheese. No pictures.

 

  ~?~

25.04.2026 34km and thousands of motorbikes.

 ~?~

  Saturday 25th 42F/5.6C [7.20] A bright but much more cloudy day is promised. Unfortunately it will be windy all day. Gusting to 14m/s from the NW. 

 Up at 6.30 after lying there for what seemed like hours. Drifting in and out of dreams. I'll try to have a walk again. See how far I get. My Saturday morning ride is still possible.

 8.15 I Didn't make it to the end of the drive before turning back. The lower back pain, the overcast and the cold wind offered no pleasure.

 10.30 Off we go for a ride. 

 12.00 51F/10C. Back from a 34km ride. I looped through several villages before reaching my goal at 23km. It was continuously overcast and far colder than I expected. I was being buffeted by the wind and should have taken a spare, warm jumper but didn't. I changed into warmer GripGrab mitts and scull cap before heading home. My hands were already aching with the cold. I knew there would be a headwind for the last 10km. When it blew as  a crosswind I was being pushed sideways and had to lean into it.

 The traffic was light apart from the hundreds of motorbikes. They were everywhere and not all seemed to be going the same way. There is a big, annual motorbike meeting at Egeskov with free entry. They are expecting thousands of bikers to attend. It's a shame it isn't warm and sunny but at least it is dry. Last year the numbers reached 6642 bikes! 

 Motorcycling is very much a seasonal pastime in chilly Denmark. With icy roads a potential hazard for six months of the year. It is very unusual to see a motorbike in winter. Yet cyclists persist unless there is lying snow. During my triking days I was often the only cyclist I'd see all day when conditions were really poor. I'd ride even on snow and black ice. The trike was very safe and could manage to climb steep hills even on 2"/50mm of snow. Thanks to the Trykit 2WD [two wheel drive.]

 Today the wind and low outside temperatures have required a boost from the heat pump. The greenhouse has only reached 80F/27C in the bright, but not sunny overcast. Which makes it pleasant to sit out there. Rather than the rather chilly 65F/18C in the room. The heat pump is now pushing out 42C/108F while set at 19C on the remote. Fan speed 3 out of 5. Blades directing a downward arflow for maximum heat spread.

 Dinner was the salad I bought yesterday. With tuna.

  

  

  ~?~