~o~
Friday 21st 37F/2.8C. Bright again. Increasing easterly wind.
Up at 6am after a very quiet night. My thighs are still hurting. I am having to take tiny steps and using the chair arms to help me get up and sit down. I shall attempt a walk. In the hope that it loosens up my damaged muscles.
Some sick bar-steward is using superglue on the organic milk cartons again. I had to use a fork to try and break the glue bond on the pouring spout. This is just a glued fold in the top of the cardboard box. I must have opened thousands of cartons over the years by finger pressure alone. This time the cardboard was literally destroyed and the glue still held firm. Now there is a large hole in the base of the spout. Unless I overhang the bowl or cup. Most of the milk ends up on the countertop.
I can't discard it. Because it is my last carton of milk before I go shopping. I don't have a milk jug. If there was one it was probably donated to charity three years ago. Or wrapped in newspaper and joined the pretty china collection upstairs.
7.20 Walkies.
8.00 Back again after a loop around the spray tracks. Still nicely dry to avoid muddy boots. It was too cold for bare hands. Still a white frost on the grass and the car roof as I came home. A skylark landed a few meters away on the drive. I watched it through my binoculars as it pecked at microscopic items on the gravel. Greenfinches wheezed in the trees above. My legs objected to walking downhill. Probably because they were having to resist my weight. Steadily improving throughout my walk. I have to go shopping. So I'll try the e-bike again.
9.30 45F/7.2C. I can climb the stairs but it is painful coming back down. I'll ride into the village to shop. Just to see if my legs will manage a few km.
10.45 50F/10C Back from the shops. 16km. I took the hilly, forest route home to see if it caused any pain. It was fine except for the cold. Thanks to the easterly wind I just touched 50kph/30mph on a long descent. It is a beautiful route. High hedges and woods mixed with open views across the bumpy countryside.
I wore thinner gloves and a light rain jacket from Endura. My eyes and nose were streaming but the rest of me was quite comfortable. Ironically it was having to lift my weight off the saddle which hurt. This allowed the gas strut in the dropper post to function. Pedaling was fine and caused no pain. I used Turbo mode on the numerous climbs. I am still not sure I am ready for a much longer ride.
12.00 53F/11.7C. I am going for a ride. So that means I need to take my lunch with me. Two rolls,[one cheese one jam] a banana, a Corny sub-micro, chocolate bar and my first use of my shiny, stainless steel, Thermos Flask. I have made black coffee as an experiment.
15.30 Back from a ride to the north for 75km total today. The battery had dropped to 12% charge from 82%. With barely any range left. Perhaps a couple of kilometers. Not helped by the headwind all the way home. Dropping to Tour mode gave me just enough help to get home. I visited two more village, charity shops. No pain in my legs while I was pedaling. It felt as if I was being split in half by the saddle.
I was grateful for a proper lunch at 1pm. Where I stopped at a rural sand quarry with a huge lake formed by their ongoing activities. The coffee in the flask was scalding hot. Cooling quickly when the tiny cup was held in the hand. Made of plastic lined stainless steel. So it didn't burn my fingers but cooled quickly enough. Not to be waiting long for it to be drinkable. Ideal from all points of view. The pouring mechanism was a see-saw switch. Very useful, controllable and safe.
There was even enough coffee left. For another cup with the banana at 3pm. I had paused in a lay-by with seating to have a rest from the saddle and traffic. I was wearing an old pair of DHB padded racing shorts under my cargo trousers. Probably over 15 years old.
The work on the motorway expansion caused me major detours via main roads. With no short cuts for cyclists or walkers. The traffic was constant and exhausting. I escaped to the lanes as soon as it was possible.
I have opened the greenhouse to share the 102F/39C warmth. It has already reached 69F/21C in the room and climbing to 70F/21C. I brought in the towels from the rotary airer. The wind and sunshine had overcome the modest temperatures. To dry the towels. My legs still hurt when I walk.
~o~
