~~
Saturday 4th 2C/36F, bright sunshine but the sky is a little hazy. The forecast ahead shows night frosts down to -7C in the middle of the week. Possible snow further north. This night change if the low alters course.9.00 A brisk walk to the lanes in bright sunshine but with a cold northerly wind.
10.00 Clouding over. My laptop battery has died. 0% charge after hours plugged into the PS. I have dismantled the case and removed the battery. Now I will have to place an order for a new battery online. 460kr incl. home delivery! That's £60 in Ye Olde Monie!
11.00 I feel the need for a ride but don't have a target. The wind is northerly and gusting to over 20mph. Heading east or west would be good.
The first long drag on my way to visit my friend. This hill continues to climb for another mile beyond the stretch visible in the image!
We had a good long chat, as usual and then it was time to leave. The wind had already turned for the ride back. My friend accompanied me for the first few miles/km. He was riding his electric 'city bike.' A very smart Batavus machine with the smallest Bosch motor. Their Comfort Line motor is mounted in the bottom bracket as usual with this respected manufacturer. His e-bike sports seven, internal, hub gears and disk brakes. With wider tires for comfort and grip.
He was able to ride away from me at will! Without so much as breathing more heavily than normal. Meanwhile I was turning myself inside out on the long uphill drag away from his home. Legs burning! Lungs burning! Oh the pain! 😩 My loaded trike is probably about the same weight as his electric bike. About 22kg/48lbs in the online specs. I'll have to weigh my trike again when I get home.
He was sitting bolt upright and riding completely effortlessly. Putting no real effort into the pedals at all. What an eye opener! If this was a standard 25kph/15.5mph machine. I can hardly imagine how a Speed-Pedelec will perform. With a potential [assisted] top speed of 45kph or 28mph!
We paused to part company when we reached the main road. As we would each go our opposite ways. Where he suggested I have a trial ride on his e-bike in the safety of an empty, petrol station yard. The moment I had my leg over the machine I realised that I could no longer balance. It wanted to fall over! I had ridden a trike for so long I shall have to learn to ride a 2-wheeler all over again!
So I declined his kind offer. In case I caused serious damage! Not least to my ego. 😳 Much practice in the privacy of the drive methinks! I wonder how quickly the knack will come back? Does one ever forget how to ride a bike? I don't have any bikes left. They have been sold off cheaply. Or gone to the scrap container for recycling.
I managed only 10mph average on the way home. By another, more southerly and far hillier route. I was feeling completely knackered and suffering on every rise. Very far off my previous form.
The sky had clouded over as I neared home. The only sign of the sun were glory light beams on the horizon. A total of 32miles or about 52km today. It was lucky I didn't try for a higher mileage!
Lunch was only three hours late. Just like the old days. When I'd go for a ridiculously long ride without food or drink. Though I cheated today and nibbled on a tiny Corny chocolate bar. Delicious, but the paper wrapper has room for a bar almost half as long again! Talk about cheating!
The first egg has to firm up. Before the second can be lowered, in the same cup, into the boiling water. So there is quite a long pause between the two. I can't have both eggs simultaneously in the same cup. The yolks would probably weld themselves together. There isn't room in the pan for two glass cups. This needs further thought. 🙄
~~
No comments:
Post a Comment