27th September 2018 Emergency ponds are the next big thing.

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Thursday 27th 57F, light winds and heavy overcast. More gales with rain later. Walked up to the woods, and back by the main track. The lawn-like appearance of the fields is an optical illusion. Close to, the "grass" is really quite sparse.

I watched as flocks of birds circled over the prairie. Some were small shore birds judging from their calls and cranked wings.

The wind is picking up steadily and the skies remain resolutely grey but still holding off on the promised rain.   

Denmark is busy building emergency drainage ponds for combating heavy rainfall. One pond made the national news because it was dug in a public park. There are lots of them locally after extensive roadworks including a major drainage and district heating scheme. Plus new cycle paths and lanes on both sides of the resurfaced road.

 These ponds are usually dug on roadside farmland. One of the larger ponds has even been decorated with planted trees, a perimeter gravel path and water plants. The ducks and coots have already moved in. No doubt this pond forms emergency drainage for the industrial estate on the hill above. 

Being so relatively flat Denmark is presumably at greater danger from local flooding. Somebody is obviously worried about an increased risk of extreme rainfall in the climactic future. Not sure what plans they have for rising sea level. Most of the major Danish cities are on the coast or estuaries.

Trikes are an excellent answer to shallow flooding provided one's feet aren't submerged on the lower pedal stroke. Lowered bottom brackets are so yesterday when there is an increased risk of flooding. One can ride as slowly as one wishes without the balance problems of a bike. Dunlop Wellies on a racing trike? Probably not, unless you change the pedals to [diving] platforms for potentially wet days. Winter mountain bike boots, anybody?

You never know when you'll need to ford a flood. The Tricycle Association holds regular rides involving fords. Tricycle Fording at the next Winter Olympics? Rubber clothing optional? I can already feel my very first bout of asthma coming on. So must alert the doctor to my "special needs" to remain competitive into ripe old age.

Friday 28th 57F, a mostly sunny day but breezy. 40 minute walk. No ride.

Saturday 29th 39F, calm, quite cloudy but with some blue sky. It was quite breezy by the time I left for a Saturday shopping ride. Returned heavily laden after 15 miles altogether into a cross headwind.

Sunday 30th 52F, windy with a very heavy overcast. Suddenly lots of pheasants about. Presumably just released from their raising pens in time for the annual slaughter season. The wild ones have very smart plumage. The bred ones look like the scraggy caged chickens at an industrial production plant.

Click on any image for an enlargement.

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