October 29th 2014

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Wednesday 29th 50F, 10C, breezy, heavy overcast, continuous rain. Should brighten up later. Woke with a splitting headache and a painful right hip.Nose and chest still bunged up with frequent coughing. Am I having fun yet? No walk but it cleared to sunshine by 11am. Headed for another outlet for Heinz beanz. No stock. I was coughing up thick mucous for the first few miles. Worse than the last two days! It was awful!




Came back via another Beanz outlet to miss the last [only?] 6 cans to a lady, with an English husband, by a few seconds. I fought as hard as I could but the 'flu had badly weakened me and she escaped with her priceless haul. Or words to that effect. It's not that I really care about having more beans but it gave me an ideal excuse to go out while I was still recovering. Over-training on beans? Better not go there. 20 miles.

The only difference between men and boys is the size of their toys. I couldn't get any closer because the access track was a mud bath.


Thursday 30th 35-47F, 2-8C, white overnight frost, thick mist clearing. Lowest temperatures so far. Should be bright when the sun comes up. Still bunged up with a foul taste from all those warring bacteria. A walk might help. 4 miles in an hour and three quarters taking 81 pictures. Weak sunshine softening the autumn woods. Rain promised for later so I'd better hop on the trike.

It was a perfect day for a ride with almost no wind and continuous sunshine. I felt tired and achy all over before I left but was going well enough. Still horribly short of breath but less coughing today. MY breathing seems to improve after a few miles. It is all seems like a bad case of OCD but I feel I have to make up for recent lost mileage. It was lucky my wife suggested a warmer jacket because it never did warm up properly. 28 miles.

Friday 31st 51F, 11C, breezy, heavy overcast, thin mist, spitting with light rain. What happened to yesterday's promise of a dry but grey day? I was on a roll and shall want a refund!

The shorter stem I bought yesterday was for normal rather than over-sized bars.[31.8mm] My back has been complaining again. It seems to be stiffening as I grow older. I reversed the existing stem to raise the bars but it doesn't help. My hands have been getting pins and needles on the bars. Which feels as if I have far too much weight on them. I also have to keep pushing myself back on the saddle.

Still bunged up to the eyeballs. 3 mile walk in the mist. It is no longer raining but feels very damp. Though certainly not enough to keep me home.

A ride to the shops. I was doing intervals escaping from a bus which would not overtake on a long uphill drag. Every time she had to stop I would put some distance on her. Only for her to catch me before the next stop. Thank goodness my 'flu is slowly giving up its strangle hold! At least it stayed dry. 15 miles.

Click on any image for an enlargement. 

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