15th June 2015 Comfrey invasion!

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Monday 15th 56-60F, 13-16C, breezy but bright. No walk due to an early appointment. Rode into the wind to the shops. Tailwind coming home. Rather cold in/on the mitts going. Comfortable coming back, heavily loaded despite three, everyday items not in stock. If it gets any worse there'll be bread queues! Every supermarket is constantly cutting back on stock. You can't ever guarantee to get the same thing twice!

We have to find a new kind of quality bread every three years, on average, because the Danish baking monopolies get bored and stop making it. Usually after shrinking the loaf size dramatically and then ruining the quality by stuffing it with rye to prepare the customer for the end of a production run. Hardly a day goes by when I don't have to ask the supermarket staff for something missing from the shelves. Udgået [discontinued] is the most common word in the Danish language. 19 miles.

Tuesday 16th 50-59F, 10-15C, breezy with heavy cloud cover. Even cooler than yesterday. If this is summer I shall be expecting a discount. The tame hare was playing on the track just inside the woods. Where I also met a tractor. The grass is getting very long on many of the tracks. Making progress quite difficult and often damp or downright wet. Comfrey is threatening to take over the world! Thank goodness it is much better looking than most wannabe despots. There was a threat of rain too in the air as I walked back.

The headless duck was extremely relaxed about my close presence to the young.

Left on the trike after lunch into bright sunshine. With a strong crosswind which felt just like a headwind. I felt strangely detached. Detoured to photograph some tiny ducklings on a village pond. Had to tour three supermarkets just to find decent potatoes, red cherry tomatoes and organic milk. I kid you not! The headwind had reduced to an  irritating crosswind coming home and I was able to cruise at 16-17mph. One of those days which isn't warm nor cool enough. I wore a jacket and sweated. Too cold to take it off. I caused a cattle stampede on a roadside field! Two young ones were quite near the road and veered away on my arrival leading to total panic! 14 miles.

Wednesday 17th 50-56F, 10-13C, breezy and rather grey with rain promised for all day after 9am. There were some brighter periods as I plodded around the village block while avoiding getting too far from home and a couple of potential short cuts.

A flower powered carriage? It will never catch on! I wouldn't want to meet the martial arts expert who could swing that weapon on the wall!

A family of Coots was pottering around each of the village ponds. Ploughing through the surface weed without disturbing the smooth green covering suggests they have no fear of large pike. Or any other large fish for that matter. Denmark is strangely lacking in rivers to fish. With no fish, there can be no fish eggs, to attach to duck's feet, to spread them about the landscape. The wind was stronger than I had expected but still no rain by 10am. This is despite the weather radar showing several blocks of rain having passed right over us. Mustn't complain, though, certainly about not getting wet!

With rain spitting in the air it was no day for detours or longer rides. Just a couple of large saddlebags full of organic fruit and veg. Another item has been discontinued. Once it started, the rain and wind kept up all day! Only 7 miles.

Thursday 18th 54F, 12C, cool, overcast and rather breezy. Another day of [lighter?] showers than yesterday but gusting to 15m/s or 30+mph. I'm still waiting for confirmation of my rebate for summer's failure to perform under existing consumer protection legislation. My walk was uneventful except for the familiar hare guarding the entrance to the woods. Staying dry so far @ 10.45am.

Just a short ride for 10 miles. Still dry at 2pm though with some dark and threatening clouds. Going out again. IT poured dopwn just before I was going to leave. Riding a main road with a crosswind is no fun when every lorry sprays me from head to foot. It even felt like my legs were being sandblasted. The roads were drier for the return journey. Plus 13 miles more.

Friday 19th 55F, 13C, overcast, showers and breezy. Forecast to be much the same as the last few days.

A hilly ride through a more distant forest. 21 miles of which half was on wet roads with drizzle falling steadily. Am I having fun yet?

Saturday 20th 52F, 11C, breezy, overcast with promise of brightening. Left for my walk into a cool breeze only for the temperature to soar to a balmy 60F [15C] in warm sunshine.

Rode to the shops. Cruising at 19-23mph with occasional bursts of 25mph. I was overtaken by a young chap out training. Harder work coming home heavily laden. Overtaken by four immaculate Morgans. Only 15 miles.

Mmm! McBlubbery! Relax, take the weight off on.

Sunday 21st 56F, 13C, mild with a grey overcast and light breeze. I discovered two more families of coots, each on their own ponds. The young look very strange with bright red heads and ginger ruffs. It has been a successful year for the birds with huge flocks of sparrows and starlings working over the large, rural lawns. More signs of Japanese Knotweed spreading unrestrained along the verges. The Sunday drivers seemed pre-occupied, senile or drunk. I had to take to the verges several time to avoid oncoming cars headed straight for me! It is quite unnerving to realise that the violent twitch back on line was probably only the result of my sudden movement. Had I not taken quickly to the shrubbery I would probably have failed to return from a simple, morning walk. This is quite unacceptable driving behaviour by any reasonable standards. Lots of weekend warriors riding individually, in pairs or small groups. It is time I joined them.

It remained overcast but dry as I rode over to the west coast enjoying the undulating but quiet lanes and hamlets. This is not an area I visit much.  I paused in a wood and was instantly attacked by midges. Remarkably few people about for Sunday morning. Though there were plenty of motorised lawnmowers roaring out of sight behind overgrown hedges. I don't think I heard the sound of children playing all morning. For once the wind was light enough not to be a nuisance. Plenty of cyclists out and about. The spring on the buckle of my right NorthWave MTB shoe has broken. I can neither tighten nor escape from the shoe when I get home! 25 miles.

Click on any image for an enlargement.

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