27th October 2014

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Monday 27th 53F, 12C, overcast, windy. My 'flu has finally downgraded to a bad cold. Still short of breath with coughing fits but I'm still keen on a gentle ride later. Shame about the wind.

I managed a typical loop of 3 miles on my walk. Spending considerable time admiring and photographing a huge flock of mink gulls. I also saw a canary-yellow Yellowhammer in a hedge by the road. I'm still planning on a ride today but the wind is supposed to fall as the day gone son with a better chance of brightness later.

No chance. It remained heavily grey all day. I suddenly realised that I had left it too late to be able to return in daylight thanks to the c,locks going back. So had a mad rush, mid afternoon, to find and fit my lights. 3 x 1/2W Smart lights flashing at the rear and a brighter one at the front. The flashing Smart front light can be easily seen reflected in the road signs but throws a poor beam for seeing the road itself. Though it always guarantees oncoming drivers dip their headlights. Steady beam rarely does this because the driver has to try and recognise the light as a bicycle first.  Steady beam lights can often be a house number light. Or even a simple reflection of their own headlights. Only bikes use bright flashing lights. So it's a complete no-brainer. Even for the thickest driver.

I was going quite well, though a little breathless, with a tailwind going. Then I'd have a violent coughing fit and there'd be school meal custard and silicone snot flying on the wind.

The supermarket crooks are still blaming their suppliers for not having stock of special offers. I haven't been able to find Heinz beans in any of the supermarket chain outlets claiming to have special offers of Heinz in stock. I wonder why the lying bar stewards bother to advertise special offers when they can't get stock? It only leaves a very bad taste in the customer's mouth. Heinz beans vanished from the last independent outlet years ago when they were taken over by another chain. So we were rather looking forward to getting some after all this time. Fat chance. Four, perfectly normal, stock items not on the shelves too. I can remember being told decades ago by the BBC that all supermarket ordering and stock levels are run completely automatically by computer. So what is the excuse for not having lettuce, bread, crackers and butter? Is bread and butter out of season in China or South America where they get their stock?

It was an interesting experience riding home in the pitch dark. I so rarely need to do so even in winter. I discovered that I no longer need visual clues to ride a trike in perfect comfort under all conditions. Adverse camber and inclines are handled by my internal automatic pilot. It was a headwind on the last 10 mile leg home which slowed me a little. <cough-spit-snot> 22 miles, no Beanz and that's a Fakta!

Tuesday 28th 50F, 10C, windy, but promise of some sunshine.

I was just reading that it is becoming commonplace for amateur cycle racers right down to 13 years of age to take painkillers. These are mixed with strong coffee in their bottles to improve their performance and given to them by their proud parents or trainers. Apparently they have learned this trick from the Pros. Everyone knows how what the Pros do is copied slavishly by the amateurs.

It seems that the Pros routinely use the same technique towards the end of races. So there's another nail in the coffin of Pro cycling, money laundering, advertising and endless cheating. It's time the practice was not only made illegal but back dated where past blood and urine tests can prove this cheating occurred.

And, if you are not good enough to compete fairly on the strength of your hard training and natural talent then get out of the damned sport! Why should anybody "clean" even bother to compete against a cheat like you? There's always work as a male or female prostitute. According to the newspapers 13-year olds are always welcome in the ranks of "service providers." Many use the funds to support their drug habits. So everyone's a winner! Except the local cycle shop losing out on your parent's endless expense. To provide the new 10k carbon bike you need every 3/6 months just to compete under UCI [Utterly Corrupt Incumbents] rules!

Started the day with a 3 mile walk in bright sunshine. Saw some Redwings but no vast flocks of gulls.

I left on the trike late morning for Assens. International headlines about my miraculous recovery from Man 'Flu were pure hype according to insider information. The paparazzi were wasting their time camping outside the trike shed in the hope of an exclusive. Whatever.

Tame cannon fodder.

Yet again I was going well only to be confronted with violent coughing fits. To quote the sage of YouTube; I haz finally mostly got Heinz Beanz. They were incredibly well hidden but the third chain outlet had seven tins. Consuming one tin for Christmas dinner over the next 7 years will be a rare treat. Sunshine out of a cloudless sky. 22 miles.

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