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Thursday 25th 55F, 13C, very windy, overcast. Showers forecast. Walked to the woods to watch the pheasants scatter like headless chickens. Saw two ginger-brown deer grazing before they stepped delicately into invisibility in chest-high nettles. Eye watering wind coming back.
Rode to two village libraries via the rural lanes. Saw what I assumed were two different, buff-coloured, female Kestrels. One was retaliating to being mobbed by small birds. The other was trapped on the wrong side of a tall hedge and shot along like a rocket until it could find an exit. Kestrels are not at all common on my travels. Most of the birds of prey I see are buzzard sized. I stayed dry but my wife told me that several showers passed over at home. I was chased by a keen cyclist for a couple of miles into a roaring headwind. I could tell they were keen because they were wearing suicidal black.
The tarmac men are smoothing out the numerous level crossings from the now long-disused railways. It is an absolute tragedy that they can't fill between the lines to provide new cycle paths. Even Britain was far better served with old, railway bed cycle paths decades ago. The Danish tracks are usually reserved as dogs toilets and an occasional few, hired pedal trolleys in summer. Many of the old lines would make superb, direct cycle routes. With remarkably few inclines compared with the corrugated roads and lanes.Unfortunately they will insist in using tarmac over here. Which must be far more expensive, though longer lived and lower maintenance, compared with self-compacting gravel. The narrow-gauge, Korinth-Ringe path was surfaced with tarmac but foolishly narrow. Worse, it further handicapped by a wider stretch of flinty sand for horses riding alongside. The project architect was obviously working well above his pay grade and a non-cyclist to boot. Probably never a parent either. Or they would know a pushchair leaves no room for a passing bike on a 1.5m [5'] wide cycle path. Another publicly funded tragedy which will probably set back further track conversions to cycle paths for decades!
A typical sign found at the edge of privately owned, Danish woods with public access paths and tracks. The added yellow text tells us that cycling is allowed on paths suitable for normal cycles. Which suggests that mountain biking is prohibited on more demanding routes. This seems rather vague and might well lead to some discussion as to its exact interpretation. Access is limited to the hours of 6am-sunset. Which reminds me that the Continental 4000S tyres have yet to puncture. Famous last words if I dare to venture to the Korinth cycle path. My first set of 4000S punctured repeatedly on the first ride and were left full of gaping holes thanks to microscopically tiny flints! 21 miles.
Friday 26th 56-61F, 13-16C, grey and windy. Walked for an hour. Nearly run over by a registered blind, post office driver of a postal mini-bus. The driver had 200 yards/meters of straight road to see me ahead but still swung over to the white line on the verge just before he passed me. I took to the grass verge. It stayed dry all morning as I continued the war against the thorny hedge. Heavy showers after lunch continued on and off all afternoon. No pressure to go out. Another rest day.
Saturday 27th 56-61F, 13-16C, light winds and sunny. Windy and cloudy forecast. 3 mile walk up to the woods and back another way. The wind had picked up to 25mph gusts by the time I left for a ride. It remained sunny and rather too warm for my least windproof winter jacket. I rode an oval loop along the lanes down to the south coast and back. Coming home I was buffeted by a gusty crosswind. 25 miles.
Sunday 28th 55-63F, 13-17C, heavy overcast, light breeze. The SW winds should remain under 20mph gusts but it will be rather cloudy.Walked 3 miles in an hour looping through the woods. Saw a couple of Jays. Went for a ride after coffee. Lots of birds of prey. The area above Fåborg is a gorgeous mix of hills, fields, steep lanes, ponds and and woods. I was caught by a chap on an electric bike and he rode alongside me while we chatted. He dropped me easily going up a steep hill once he decided to press on. Bit of a headwind building as I came home with sunshine breaking through at the end. I hit 30 mph on a very bumpy, winding descent and nearly lost it! Today's temperature was comfortable for cycling. I wore the knitted cycling jacket. Which helped to avoid overheating on the many climbs. Almost no traffic in the lanes making it a very enjoyable ride. 45 miles.
Click on any image for an enlargement.
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