Friday 6th January 2017: Yeah, it's like, them three wheeled bikes, innit, eh?

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Friday 6th 15-26F, -9--3C, crystal clear with an occasional breeze. Cloud expected  by late morning.

The BBC News website has a piece on drift triking down the Cheddar Gorge. Since the journo had obviously never heard of tricycles they naturally <cough> descended to the "three wheeled bike" term. Dugh? Bi means dual or two of something. Normally referring to a creature which walks on two legs. There are connotations of tri in everyday life which might make some sensitive people blush. So cover your eyes now. Tripedal BBC journalists, anybody? Suit yourselves.

Cheddar Gorge drift triking road crash worry - BBC News

What I [badly?] want to see is a new sport of drift [bi]trikers pedalling UP the Cheddar Gorge against the clock! None of that wimpy dragging it back up by the scruff of its neck nonsense! Now THAT sport might be slightly more interesting than proving your complete lack of skill on an illegal, toy <cough> bike with three plastic wheels. The pedals are clearly not directly geared to the front wheel to allow "backpedal" braking. So these "drift" tri-bikes are NOT even road legal. Trikes [and bikes] must have, by law, two independently operated brakes. Riding with one's hands off the handlebars is also considered worthy of a hefty fine in "cycling friendly" Denmark. BTW: I can drift a whole foot sideways on one local, mini roundabout, even in the dry, but who's bragging? 😎

Walked my familiar forest route in superbly clear conditions with a low, blinding sun. The equally low, northern sky was dominated by a long, narrow roll of cloud from east to west throughout. I wore a double fleece hat pulled own over my ears and my best winter, cycling gloves. Thanks to the lack of wind I was very comfortable despite the hard frost. The temperature has only just reached 20F, -7C at nearly 11am. I shall be going out on the trike after coffee.

Mmm. McLitter. Hatin' it! Buuuuuuurrrp! Pardon me!

Spent ages in the DIY store, then the library, a charity shop and two supermarkets. Bright and very clear. Saw several birds of prey, flying geese, Bullfinches and Yellowhammers.  A water filled sand quarry was bristling with birds.

I wore my thinnest gloves inside my thickest for the first half. Took off the fleece "polo neck" at half way too. It is superb for keeping my neck warm in the bitter cold until I finally get too hot. Tailwind going but still made my face/sinuses ache at first. Then again on the way back straight into the wind and the sun. Despite wearing extra layers I could feel the cold headwind pressing on my chest at times. My nose was sore from the constant dripping and mopping with a rough glove.

The roads were dry but covered in salt. Every time a lorry went past it disappeared into its own white cloud. Somebody had fallen off the road into a hedge. Broken windows and people standing about on their phones but no obvious victims. Blind bends leading to the spot with cars racing well beyond their braking distance. The same everywhere I went today. Even when they had a blinding sun in their windscreen they couldn't stay within the speed limit. Nor stay on their own side of the double white lines. I was gone for three hours but only covered 22 miles. The temperature has soared to a balmy 26F, -3C now, at 16.00pm.

Brambles guarding my exit from the beech woods to the main track.

Click on any image for an enlargement.

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