15.11.2026

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  Sunday 15th 38F/3C [8.40] A sunny start with rain later is forecast. Already windy from the south. Peaking at 6C/43F and 10m/s.

 Up at 8am after another disturbed night. 

 Where can I go for a ride? I'd have to wrap up against the cold.

 Tomorrow's therapy session will have to be reached in pouring rain. 11km with a strong headwind! Easier coming back. The Morris Minor is in for a service. It's a cooking week as well! Though the forecast for Thursday is light winds and sunny.  

 I used a cycling app on my PC to discover my usual route to Assens. Is, in fact, the shortest. It follows mostly narrow, winding lanes with very little traffic. Though quite hilly in places this hardly matters on the e-bike. 

 The stated duration of the ride is 40 minutes. That would be on a normal bike. Wet autumn leaves are a consideration at the moment. I found plenty of these on the cycle paths yesterday. Though the bike remained steady. The Schwalbe 2.4" "Super-Moto" tires are perfect for these conditions. I have never lost grip on a corner in 15,000km. 

 The route I drive to town is via a busy main road. Which offers no protection for cyclists. Where the speed limit is completely voluntary and the road is very exposed. Totally unsuitable for cycling. Fortunately there are are alternative routes.

 10.40 Back from my walk. Much cooler and windy too. Despite the sunshine. 

 11.30 Just a shopping ride. With possible detours. 

 

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14.11.2026 25km Sneaky crosswind!

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  Saturday 14th 42F/6C [9.00] A mixed day of cloud, wind, showers and sunshine. Peaking at 9C/48F. Gusting to 13m/s from the SW slowly reducing. 

 Up at 8.20 after early signs of consciousness. 22C/72F in the room. 

 A house [allegedly] under reconstruction since at least 2014. Structural brambles and Japanese Knotweed are [allegedly] its USP.

 10.10  Back from my walk. Mostly sunny. I felt comfortable with my down sweater open. Despite the wind picking up. 

 A shopping ride later. After cancelling plans for yesterday afternoon.  

 13.30 Back from a 25km ride to another shopping village. The wind was about 45º off my right shoulder on the way. Then felt about the same on my left should on the way back. Which makes absolutely no sense. It should have been a tailwind. 

 It was mostly sunny until I turned for home. Then it became overcast. I was comfortable in my choice of clothing and mid-weight gloves today. 

 I spent the afternoon on YouTube. Avoiding my usual, timed nap after dozing off. For who knows how long?

 

Dinner was poached eggs on toast. 

 

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13.11.2026 21km fighting a gale.

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  Friday 13th 38F/3C [8.10] Wall to wall sunshine is promised but windy from the WNW. Peaking at 7C/44F and 16m/s. 

 Up at 7.10 after another wakeful night.

 I am still trying to send scans of the documents relating to the cashing in of my investment. The PDF I sent, after spending ages filling it out, didn't save anything. Despite telling me it had. So they got only the blank form back via email. 

 So then I scanned and sent half a dozen images of relevant blocks of text. They didn't like that because it couldn't be separated into the three original pages. So now I have scanned and sent images of three full page A4s. Being Friday 13th and the last day for the compulsory cashing in does not bode well.

 Back to more important matters: Cycling in cold weather. Yesterday was a farce. I threw on a hi-vis jacket and put my warmest gloves in the panniers. Before loading the rack and e-bike on the Morris. For the journey to the garage.

 When I got there I had to unload the e-bike from the heavy rack. Then remove the rack and store it nearby. Then chat about my car and repairing Minors in general. 

 It was about 3C and blowing a gale. So I was already chilled before I climbed onto the bike. 11km straight into the wind at that temperature was never going to be fun. My core temperature was probably low. So no gloves were going to have much of a chance in keeping my extremities warm. 

 Today I shall probably go shopping in a village to the north. The supermarket there sells the organic porridge oats I like. That puts the wind on my shoulder. On what is a very exposed and fairly busy main road. Sadly there is no other north going road or lane I can borrow. Major detours would be involved.

 There is hardly a hedge to be seen over ten kilometers of main road. Few drivers adhere to the speed limit. There are no cycle lanes. Just the white line. Marking the edge between muddy grass and the muddy asphalt. Which has been repeatedly dug up and poorly resurfaced at short intervals. For expansion of the district heating system. Over several years now and still ongoing.

 I've had a chat with my minder. She has survived the flu.

 10.00 40F/4C. Back from my walk. Sunny, chilly and windy. I wore my new [recycled] down jacket. It was toasty warm without overheating. I was even able to walk with my bare hands exposed. Not needing the beautifully warm jacket pockets all of the time.

 11.30 Off we jolly well go for my ride. 

 13.00 And back again. 21km. Three supermarkets and I still didn't get everything I wanted. A fierce head/crosswind on the way. More behind my shoulder on the way back. I was trying to average 30kph in Sport Mode on the return. 

 I wore a wind and showerproof jacket under the Game Hi-Vis jacket. It was too much and I was getting sweaty. I also wore long thermal underwear, a racing jersey and padded racing shorts. 

  

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