11th July 2012

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Just one of quite a number of thatched timber-framed buildings in Føns.

11th 63-66F, 17-9C, windy, rather grey with only occasional sunny periods. The forecast was rain all day but I took a chance and was rewarded. The leg stiffness and pain continues but not so badly today. I actually had cramp in my calf yesterday. After climbing a single step indoors. One which I use all day, everyday. Weird. It may be a virus. I left the Zero "bath salts" out of my water bottle today. It seemed like too much of a coincidence that I should suffer leg pain and then cramp only the day after first adding it to my bottle.

The cheapo saddle was okay until about 30 miles. When it made itself felt again. I think it helped to tilt it slightly forwards compared with the previous setting. Who knows what level is when a saddle has no flat surfaces?

I hardly noticed the extra weight of the mudguards. I only seem to notice the weight difference when I take them off. Still managed 39 miles before morning coffee. I returned home just in the nick time. It has just started a torrential downpour. As heavy as I have ever seen and blowing like mad. I just made it back indoors after settling Mr Higgins down in his shed. It would have been no fun to be caught on the road in this cloudburst!

One of the most isolated houses I have come across.

For the umpteenth day in a row the i-GotU GPS logger died half way around. It is charged until the red light goes out every single day. It seems to fall asleep in a shop and then not reawaken. I am always careful to place it in my jersey back pocket facing outwards to get a good view of the sky. Fortunately the Ventus GPS logger is still working well.

A memorial to the women's movement from 1915.The engraved stone is at the top of the steps beyond the font/birdbath. Somebody obviously cares enough to keep it all maintained. Rather oddly, I feel, since the entrance is only a small unmarked gap in a high hedge on a busy road between two small villages. Rolund and Viby on the Gl.Assensvej to Middelfart. Cars couldn't possibly stop anywhere near it. Nor will most drivers even notice its existence. This is my first visit as curiosity was further fuelled by a break in the traffic . This peaceful sanctuary, from quite another time, has two circular paths through the enveloping trees. One on each side of the head stone. I cannot confirm the rather obvious, anatomical symbolism to this layout.


12th 58-63F, 14-17C, very windy, showers. Just a run down to Assens and back. It stayed dry. Going out again. 22 miles so far. Legs back to normal today. 10 miles later on. Still blowing hard but remaining dry. It was supposed to pour down all day long.

It's odd how hills on which I'd get exhausted in the past seem almost nothing these days. Agonising pain in my legs is a rare event these days. Hitting a wall of oxygen starvation almost completely forgotten. I just wish my overall speeds were noticeably higher. Perhaps I'm not trying hard enough to stress myself to previous levels? Or unwilling to do so.

13th 56-65F, 13-18C, cool, sunny, rather breezy. The forecast rain has cleared. I set off towards Nr.Åby via the coastal lanes and villages. As I had run out of photos I decided to explore as much as possible. So I followed a tongue of land which goes for miles out to sea. Known as Fønsskov. I also found a few thatched timber framed houses in the coastal village of Føns itself.

My legs were getting a bit tender after 40 miles. Particularly my quads. So I am still not free of whatever caused my leg problems. A bit of a drag into the wind for the last 15 miles home without enough to eat. The saddle is still not very friendly. Though I'm quite surprised that I have managed 200 miles on it so far without switching back to the "safe" Brooks 'Professional'.

Part of today's GPS logger track superimposed on Google Earth. 
I prefer a map but can't save an image of the GPS trace map itself.

An old moron towing a caravan drove right around me on a sharp right angle bend in a village. Total lunacy! Totally unfit to drive!

Erholm mill is always wonderfully atmospheric on its knoll.

The i-gotU GPS logger died at half way again. I don't think it's the battery. It has simply lost the will to live. Its mapping software has crashed my computer for two days running now! Total freeze-up! My legs are still hurting this afternoon. Which they should not be after a leisurely 4½ hours for 50 miles with several stops for photography and shopping. 

It seems that the French government's readiness to empty the lunatic asylums for the Tour de France has backfired. Bradley Wiggins was slightly injured by a Roman candle firework thrown by onlookers. Apparently the peloton threw water bottles at the culprit. Update: It may have been a flare rather than a Roman Candle. I didn't know that flares were still popular with deranged lunatics. It seems the race organisers legally own the road while the riders are using it. All they need to do is ban these escaped apes from running alongside the riders. If I want to watch performing apes I'll go to the bløødy zoo!


"Retard confuses bike race with delivering the Olympic Torch."


 

Click on any image for an enlargement.

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