8th June 2019 It's becoming a habit!

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Saturday 8th 60F, overcast and breezy. Walked to the lanes under a grey sky with blue splodges. Breeze building nicely to keep it cool. I may be allowed out to trike to another village in our desperate search for tea. Seven miles there with a possible detour should I fail. I could be looking at another 20+ ride. Where will it end?

The news is that electric cars are still under 1% in Denmark. The recent change to a more centrist government might lead to government bribes to potential buyers. The extreme right have lost half of their seats this time around. So there might be a dash of green in any new taxation changes. 

On the same theme, there is a worry about a blossoming market for tuning products for electric cycles. This is despite there being only a few about so far. The 25kph class [15mph] petrol mopeds/scooters already enjoyed a strong after-market tuning products.

Having ordinary 25kph El-cycles tuned to reach 60kph [40mph] could lead to some nasty accidents. They just aren't designed for such speeds. Nor are their riders. Many bikes will be based on cheap Chinese products with very doubtful specs and completely inadequate brakes. It would take a very serious hill to reach 40mph on an ordinary bicycle. I seriously doubt there are many in Denmark for would-be, land speed record novices to practice on first. I sometimes see 30mph on the longest and steepest local hills on my trike.

Having novice El-riders competing with ordinary pedal cycles on the already crowded cycle paths is not going to end well. It probably means Draconian government measures to limit the damage from dire headlines caused by an El- terrorist few. Which will probably cause a massive backlash against El-cycle sales.

Many ordinary cyclists can't behave themselves already. With mobile phone use and a complete lack of signalling widespread. The El-bike offers a genuine alternative to the car for short commutes. You can probably arrive at work without needing a shower and complete change of clothes. Why aren't commuters PAID TO TRAVEL TO WORK ON A CYCLE instead of the taking the car?

How will the young El-retards possibly resist pulling wheelies away from the lights to prove their innate idiocy? I pull accidental wheelies all the time, on my trike. Though only when I'm trying to distance the pedalling hordes away from the lights in the city.

Because of my wider track I don't have the luxury of passing easily when I need to overtake another cyclist. So I have to be in front of the crowd from the very off. Very few "normal" cyclists ever catch me up.

Perhaps I should move my 70kg ABUS Mini-U lock up to the front? That might help to keep the nose on the ground. It may also explain the regular wheelies from having it stowed behind the rear axle line!

The ABUS anti-gravity software is peeling off badly now. If I stripped it all off I could probably save the equivalent, in weight, from moving up a couple of stages in the strict class regime of equipment group snobbery. I imagine I could become a Super-Record groupie without spending a single penny! Well, apart from having to stop at field gates every so often to "admire the view."

Today, I set off into a gusty gale of a headwind and almost wished I hadn't. One of the steepest local hills was straight into the wind. I was sheltered up half way but was already breathless from the previous descent just trying to maintain forward motion! 3/4 of the way up I hit a wall of wind and my own personal wall. There was noting else for it but to engage crawler gear. 34 teeth it was and to hell with my international reputation as a mountain goat! The following descent was little better. Still on the inner ring and pedalling hard while I buried myself in the top tube.

 I arrived at the remote supermarket to find the doors closed. A power cut had severed the thin skin of what passes for civilisation in those parts. Not my day at all! I hung about for ten minutes but there was no sign of them opening. So, ever onwards, with the wind now behind the hedge on my right. On the edge of the village I warned a walker that the shop was closed, thinking that was their goal and that I'd save them a wasted journey. He turned out to be British. So we chatted for a few minutes before I pressed onwards under darkening skies.

The gods of organic tea retailing were in my favour at the next village supermarket. So I bought their entire stock [5 packets] and staggered back out to the trike under the massive load. Now with a tailwind I was averaging about 16mph on the return journey by another route. Dodging errant gravel and fallen pine cones on the cycle paths became the order of the day.

There was a final port of call in the last village. Before it started spitting with rain as the wind turned more cross than tail. That's another 21 miles under my belt and off my [relaxed] waistline. This is becoming a habit! 😲

I can no longer use my Topeak JoeBlow Sport track pump because it has a proprietary rubber sealing bung. The rubber has worn away on the HP valve side which wont allow sufficient seal to hold the valve open.  Any extra air pressure just leaks out around the valve. Replacements parts are available but the postage makes a complete mockery of the purchase price.

I need more Schwalbe Durano Plus tyres in 700x25C but the cheapest online dealer doesn't have the Topeak repair kit. I was hoping to combine the purchase to save on postage. Whoopee! Found both items at one online dealer and placed an order.

Sunday 9th 56-67F bright, overcast and still blowing a gale. With the trees thrashing about. The wind is expected to ease off slowly during the day. I still don't have an excuse for a ride so far. Walked down the road and then up to the woods via the main track. Light and shadow played on the shining crops. As bright waves raced each other across the prairie.

It was a stunningly beautiful morning to be out in the wind under tumbling cumulus. Skylarks twittered overhead as warblers nattered busily in the roadside trees. Each being easily outdone by piercing Chaffinches more used to competing with the traffic. A speeding sky of 50% cloud and blue patches.

Click on any image for an enlargement.

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