31.05.2023 Weeding voluntary.

 ~o~

 Wednesday 31st 12C/53F [7am], bright sunshine and breezy. I was woken at 4.45am by a rumbling tractor. So I closed the window fully and went back to sleep until 6am. Breakfast over. An early walk? Museum day. Dry, with lots of sunshine forecast for at least a week ahead. I shall ride there.

 Partial interior of the barn at the museum. A series of spaces are separated by head height, partition walls. Perhaps to segregate animals over the winter. The "rooms" now house displays of historical farming equipment and provide storage for lots more. Changes are being made following the repair of one section.

 Donations of obsolete equipment and furniture are regularly made to the museum. Often when an elderly farmer retires. Or gives up farming and the family need to downsize the contents of his/her outbuildings.

 The  central, upright, timber supporting the roof are believed to have been repeatedly recycled from the 14th century or earlier. They show lots of sockets for bracing timbers in previous constructions. 

 Note the round poles used for rafters. Thatch is a relatively lightweight roofing cover. So it does not need massive support construction more typical of tiled roofs.

 The museum's present dining/master bedroom. Though it is unlikely to always to have served that dual purpose. A four poster bed rests out of sight in the right corner. 

 The walls are covered in painted murals. Which have been damaged beyond all hope of restoration by later wall coverings. An old loom sits in the far corner. The massive ceiling joists must bridge the entire span of the room. No doubt they were painted in far darker colours in the past.  

 17.00 20C/68F. Safely back from the museum. Where I mostly weeded gravel paths and the cobbles around the smithy. With a bit of brushing in between. I wore shorts and a t-shirt to help my tan. 

 The headwind at lunchtime required I use Turbo mode to get home quickly. Though I only needed Sport to return to the museum at 40kmph.

 I finally left about 2.30. After a chat with some passing, Dutch e-cyclists. Who arrived too late for a tour. Some shopping on the way home through the village. Before a more relaxed ride to reach home at 15.00.

 The washing up backlog had to be done before I could start dinner. Which was going to be toast but the chicken had to be used up. I made rather too many chips, but so what? 😋

~o~

30.05.2023 Going the extra miles for coffee.

 ~o~

 Tuesday 30th 58F/14C. Bright at first then overcast. More sun promised for later. Wind highly variable.

08.30. Last laundry finished, put away or hung outside. Warblers are chattering away in the garden trees. Time for a walk. Then a ride to the shops?

11.00 64F. Becoming more sunny. My walk was filled with birdsong. The solitary male pheasant was in the same place on the big field. He seems okay because he was standing and feeding. There were drifts of catkins and seeds everywhere.

 I took a few photos with my camera. Just for a change. Going to the shops now. Slightly more distant supermarkets to reach outlets other than those available locally.

13.30 Back from a 31km ride to the shops. 27km/hr average and 80rpm. Only a jar of coffee to show for my efforts. The bread shelves hadn't been restocked after the holiday. Lovely weather and lots of birds. Including a harrier. Which drifted across the road. At head height and just in front of me. 

 I was overtaken by a keen cyclist riding on the drops. He was averaging 32-35km/hr. I could have overtaken him but let him make a gap and then stayed well back. I used Turbo mode on a couple of climbs on the way back. 320% assistance will help me up anything at impressive speeds!

I heard back from the Moustache dealer. They said it would take a fortnight to receive the replacement prop stand. I told them to go ahead and order it.

 18.00 It reached 20C/68F this afternoon. I did a local shopping ride into the village to catch up after the long weekend. Only 10km. More experiments with Turbo mode. Climbing at 40kph to quickly get out of the way of the traffic on a blind bend. I forgot to buy more potatoes!

Chips, fish fingers and beans. There weren't many chips left so I needed a filler. 

~o~

29.05.2023 A bit of a stretch.

 ~o~

 Monday 29th 14C/58F. Bright sunshine after a cloudy start. Another bank holiday. "They" should cut back on them. So pensioners can do their daily shopping. Oh, they have! There will be one holiday short of a set next year in Denmark. This is to pay for shiny, new [Chinese] replacements for Ukrainian subsidies of obsolete weapons.

 I have invented an outdoors clothes airer. For when the rotary clothes airer is full to overflowing. Due to a lack of motivated laundry workers at Chez Hovel. I am going to call it "a washing line." Because it is straight, you see? It'll never catch on but I have applied for a patent anyway. Or, I could just register the name..?

 More seriously: Where shall I go today? I have run out of bread rolls. So a quick, local shopping trip is indicated. Nearest open supermarket? 8km or 10km? Choose one.

 13.00 20C/68F. Just returned from a stretched ride to the shops. I managed to push it up to a hilly 48km instead of 16km. 1h:50m of moving time. Averaging 26km/hr. 81rpm  and 90W averages. Battery down to 38% after 78% use of Sport Mode. The rest in Tour mode. I overtook three keen cyclists out training. Again, they were no match for the e-bike on the hills.

 I reached the coast and spotted Oystercatchers, Lapwings and Shelducks. Multiple gulls as well of course. All my padded cycling shorts were drying outside. So I had to wear ordinary shorts. These weren't too bad. Provided I shifted around on the saddle occasionally. The saddle nose was tilted up slightly before I left. Which seemed to help. My legs are looking pink. I kept my cycling jacket on. So my arms were covered again.

 Continuing to battle the backlog of laundry while the sun shines. All done and put away! Just a load of socks drying on the outside clothes airer. My poor T-shirts are just rags! Full of holes and coming apart at the seams. Some of them must be over twenty years old.

 Dinner will be mackerel on toast. It's ages since I had that. After yesterday's Sunday Dinner triumph I deserve a rest from such extreme culinary duties. This domesticity thing is badly overrated! 

~o~

28.05.2023 Look, no hands!

 ~o~

 Sunday 28th 51F. Overcast, after earlier hint of brightness. Light, variable breeze from the N-NW.

 I must have picked up a bug somewhere. I keep feeling cold, headachy and slightly dizzy. Slept until 6am. Back aching. I need a walk. Lots of flowers coming up in the garden. I still haven't mowed yet. 

My late wife's flower bed is blooming without my help.

 Whitsun bank holiday Sunday and Monday. Many of the shops are shut until Tuesday. Though not all. 

 9.00 14C/58F. First glimpse of sunshine. Blue splodges appearing. The birds provided the entertainment on my walk, as usual. So many voices from invisible sources. 

 The roadside hedgerows, which were cleared a few years back, are now growing new species and heading for the skies. Some of the trees must be 8m high.  Loads of poplars. They grow like weeds. Three tabby cats sat and glared. Or hid from me. A solitary male pheasant hid out in the middle of a large field. With only a low grass crop for cover. It didn't work. 

Grubbe Mill near Fåborg. Wind and water.

 9.45 15C/60F. Continuous sunshine. I keep mulling over suitable routes for a ride. So many options, but I have already covered a lot of ground. I know, SE to near the coast. I have remembered a suitable goal. Haven't been there for years. How well will the GPS route in the Nyon cope?

 I didn't use GPS guidance. Only the mapping occasionally. Just to confirm my direction where a choice wasn't signposted. I reached my goal after a slight detour. The conditions were perfect. Sunny, but not too hot. So I kept my cycling jacket on all the way there and back. My knees are slightly pink. The jacket covered my arms.  

A self built, domed house from a US kit. My wife and I visited it years ago. We were given a tour during the construction phase. It was my goal today to see if it was finished. It obviously was and to a high standard.

 I climbed what must be the three longest and steepest hills on Fyn today. Dierness, Håstrup and Jordløse all have serious climbs. I quickly overtook half a dozen clubmen out training at the bottom of the Dierness climb. 

 They were already out of the saddle in the first few yards and using the whole width of the road. So there was no point in sitting behind the untidy bunch. It was not only steep but went on and on. They were no match for Sport mode and my 110rpm climbing cadence. There were lots of cyclists out today. Including a few on e-bikes.

 14.00 16C/63F. I rode 80km [50 miles] at an average of 26km/hr, 84rpm and 96W of power. I wasn't hurrying and used Tour mode a lot on the way. Hoping to save the battery. It wasn't enough and I still had to change batteries on the way home. The 1st battery was down to 16% by the time I finally stopped. 57% Sport mode. The rest in Tour. 71% motor assistance. 29% my own input. There is usually a 3:1 difference. This must be due to the use of so much Tour mode.

 After the battery change I could use Sport mode. To fight the light headwind on the last leg. I should have tipped the saddle up at the nose but couldn't be bothered to search for the correct hex key. It felt as if was sliding forwards slightly. The saddle was leveled carefully yesterday. It really needs a slight upwards tilt.

 Sunday dinner will have to be with gravy and chips. I didn't buy any more spuds and the shops were closed.

 It worked out well. I needed to use up the chicken and mushrooms. The chips provided filler in the absence of boiled potatoes. I threw the last of the baby carrots in with the frozen peas. Then boiled them for as long as possible. They were perfect by the time the chips and chicken were ready.

 Thanks to the continuous fine weather I am catching up on the laundry. I also did two days worth of washing up.

~o~

27.05.2023 Broken Moustache Friday 27FS prop stand, continued.

 ~o~

 Saturday 27th 41F. Bright and clear. Waiting for sunrise. Up at 3.45. Dreaming about my wife again.

 I have wasted hours online. Searching for a replacement prop stand for my Moustache e-bike. The only stockist I can find online is in the UK. With Brexit, that means I'll have to pay three times as much to get it here. Moustache has used a unique fitting for the prop stand. 

Online reviews of the Moustache 'Friday' talk about the wobbly stand. It is impossible to fit a centre stand because of the rear suspension. The wheel fills the entire space of the chainstay fork with very little clearance. 

 When I asked the Danish Moustache dealer they wanted me to send them a picture. So they know what they are looking for!!! They ignored my last email requesting a replacement under guarantee! Not even a response!

 I have now sent them four pictures of the broken prop stand bracket and await their response. [Again!] 

Meanwhile, I shall visit the bike shop in town to see if they can help. The manager is extremely helpful and knowledgeable. Such a heavy bike without a prop stand is difficult to use. It can't be leaned against anything without risking the paintwork. The mirror and levers on the handlebars make it fragile. So parking becomes very difficult. The tires are far too fat to go in any bike rack so far. 27.5 x 2.4.

 9.45 14C/58F. I went back to bed and slept well. I have since been preparing the e-bike and myself. Morning coffee over. No walk so far.

 12.30 17C/63F. Returning from a 1h:50m ride time into town with detours. Sadly the bike shop couldn't help with the prop stand. 45km at an average of 25km/hr. I was overtaken on a main road by a convoy of motorcycles. It was quite safe but rather intimidating. Another lovely day. With constant sunshine. I chased a fit young, racing cyclist back from the village. He was averaging 32km/hr on his carbon steed without effort. I was in Sport mode and working hard against the wind. I needed Turbo mode to catch him. It's all about wind resistance and my being an old fart.

 The unused B17 "Special" was truly awful! Though I noticed instantly that there was no more resistance at the tops of my thighs. It was all sit bone pain almost from the start. Like sitting on a small, round rock and pedaling hard! Even as I sit here on my padded computer chair. Fitted with a soft cushion. My sit bones are still hurting!

 I'll have to put the black, broad gauge saddle back on.  It is far more comfortable than anything else I have tried so far. It is odd how its springs don't seem to do anything. Until I ride a saddle without springs. The narrower, B17 saddle form is also available with springs. Though, again, it is intended for a rider leaning forwards. Not sitting [almost] bolt upright. 

 Ideally, I need something in between, on width, but with more delta shoulders. To avoid the hard front edges of the black saddle on the thigh/buttock line. I wonder if tightening the wide saddle slightly would soften or lower the front edges? The flat top can be pushed downwards with normal finger strength. So there is probably room for more tension. The Contec appears to be a Brooks B67 in every detail. Borrowed from a Danish sales website:  

• Type: Brooks B67
• Kørestilling: 60º Rider lean angle.
  
• Farve: Sort  Colour: Black.
  
• Længde: 26 cm Length.
  
• Bredde: 20,5 cm Breadth.
  
• Højde: 7,3 cm   Height.
  
• Vægt: 850 gram Weight.
  
• Understel: Stål  Steel frame.

  17.00 18C/65F. I seem to have discovered the problem. The leather top of the wide Contec saddle was completely slack. I used a hex key on the nose bolt and managed several turns before the leather took on any tension. A test ride up and down the drive confirmed a great improvement. I was unaware of my sit bones while riding on the Contec. The front "shoulders" now seem to have sunk relative to the new [raised] surface level. 

 Previously, I must have been sitting in the equivalent of a bowl of slack leather. This raised the front "shoulders" relative to the sunken top. Which was weighed down by my sit bones pressing in the middle. "Shoulders" feels like the wrong term. If the saddle were a delta jet it would be the "leading edges" of the wings. 

 19.00 16C/61F. It is 23C/73F at my computer chair but I had to put on a thick jumper and fleece trousers. Just to stop myself from shivering. Perhaps there's a draught. I keep feeling cold despite the elevated, indoor temperatures. Slight headaches as well.

  The choice of dinner now looms. I bought some more chicken and mushrooms but do I really want that? I had toast yesterday. So that is not allowed again.

 In the end I went with cheese on toast. Then kept falling asleep all evening. 

 ~o~

26.05.2023 Small but beautifully formed.

 ~o~

 Friday 26th 50F. Bright sunshine after a cold night. There was mist on the outside of the new, triple glazed, bedroom window. Breezy again. Which makes a ride a careful choice of direction again. I have a hairdressing appointment after lunch. So I shall have to ensure I get back in plenty of time for lunch and a shower.

 Cornus seen through the kitchen window.

 I bought a pack of desperately needed, ankle socks from the supermarket. These were a pack of 5 pairs of organic cotton socks. With a little man made fiber. I haven't had new socks for a decade. The mauve, ankle socks, which I always wore on my trike, have finally disintegrated. They literally fell apart as I put them on. 

 A bit of research suggested new socks ought be washed before I wore them. So I filled the bathroom sink/basin with hand warm water and added some washing up liquid. When I dropped the socks in the water immediately became absolutely filthy! Not just excess colouring leaching out but it actually looked very dirty. 

 Several repeats finally made the water clear. Though still quite dark from the black sock dye. There followed at least half a dozen rinses, with clean water, before the colour was almost gone. I left the socks to soak well in between washes and rinses. Lots of squeezing in between. To ensure all the dye came out. Finally, they could be hung on the outside airer. To dry in the sun and wind. Hopefully without the stench of pig shit on the air.

 8.00 52F. I'd better have a walk. My back and knees are hurting.  

 I was soon free of pain. Though it was quite cool in the northerly wind. I had to button up my jacket. A male pheasant was showing off his finery to a female out in the middle of the fields. I didn't hang around to see if his ruse was successful. 

 The traffic mirror had slumped on the pole opposite the far end of the drive. So I walked the 250 yards along there carrying a ladder and spanners. I got some funny looks from passing motorists. The view to the right on this dangerous, blind bend has now been returned to normal. One can exit the drive with much reduced risk. 

 A high proportion of crash test zombies cut the corner at high speed. Despite the double white line, road markings for miles in both directions. A second mirror gives a view to the left. That had remained firm since I last adjusted it.

 I rode north into the wind to do some shopping. Even in Sport mode it was hard work. I was able to maintain 40km/hr, for a while, on the way back. Only 20km. I did some exploring of a housing estate. It had once been a wild area. Now it is all bungalows and a maze of paths and roads.

 I rang the Danish Moustache dealer about a replacement prop stand but got nowhere. So, mid afternoon I repeated the same ride as in the morning. The bike shop doesn't open until the afternoon. I bought a prop stand in the hope that I could adapt it to match the Moustache fitting. 

 Once back home I drilled out the hinge pins from both. However it would require a solid metal spacer to bridge the gap between the two channel sections. I might try my luck at the other bike shop tomorrow. It is in the opposite direction and further away. 

 I had fitted the Brooks B17 "Special" just to see how it went. It was as hard as a boulder and like balancing on a shiny marble ball. While still having to pedal. The Proofide had no discernible effect.

Dinner was poached eggs on toast. What do you mean they look undernourished? High inflation means the eggs have to get smaller. To ensure an obscene profit for the offshore-money owned, supermarkets.

 

~o~

25.05.2023 Maturity beckons but is always ignored.

 ~o~

 Thursday 25th 48F. Bright sunshine is expected to continue for the foreseeable future. I seem to be making a habit of getting up at 5.45. 

 I discussed the local lad on his high performance e-bike yesterday. It was not intended to be a criticism of such machines. More a wish for the young rider's survival and [perhaps more importantly] greatly increased maturity. He is clearly a serious risk taker and this may well end in tears. Probably for his family. Or, far worse, that of some innocent victim. 

 Such power and speed demand rather more than mere skill at riding. It requires maturity in one's thinking. Which is clearly absent by the behaviour I have seen for myself. Foresight is required to avoid placing oneself in very serious danger. Plus enough empathy, for others unknown.  To care about those likely to be seriously harmed by such poor rider decisions. 

 Riding the wrong way along a cycle path at 80kph/50mph invites a serious collision. Cars emerging from their drives. With poor visibility due to their high hedges. Will not be expecting a 50mph cruise missile coming from the wrong direction. Nor will those innocents emerging from their homes on foot or bicycle. 

 Riding [or driving] defensively requires intelligence, experience and maturity of thought. Not just the necessary funds to afford such a machine. My chances of speaking to the young rider are very slim. Even though I ride a "45" e-bike myself.  He is clearly far more interested in showing off. Than listening to some old fart. With 70 years of riding/survival experience. Prattling on about safety in my clumsy Danish. 

 He may well be reported to the police before he dies prematurely. Though it won't be by me. He is breaking far too many rules in public places to go unnoticed. We all went through the risk taking years in our youth. Most survive. Some do not. This lad will probably end up drooling down his chin in an electric wheelchair. If he is very lucky. Somebody else may end up the same way. As they step out into his adrenaline-fueled, sociopathically selfish world.  

 He is giving electric bikes a bad name. Which may affect the laws governing a wider uptake if he makes the national headlines. Cardiff had a riot about a supposed police chase of an e-bike ending in two deaths. 

 The real truth has yet to come out. Meanwhile all those paying attention to the headlines will want more restrictions. Even though these two were probably traveling at illegal speeds on an illegally modified machine. Or even a stolen one. Nor is a passenger allowed. For obvious safety reasons. The brakes and suspension can't cope with the increased loads and speeds involved. 

 None of this is meant to suggest this was actually true. I am just putting forward potential reasons. For the tragic and completely unnecessary deaths of two young boys. Both of whom would have been banned from riding a high speed e-bike on age grounds alone. It's all blood under the bridge on the long road to e-bike maturity. 

 14.00 20C/68F Back from cooking class. We made meat balls on a bed of vegetables. Which was under-cooked. Dessert was ice cream and raspberries. Last class this season is in a fortnight. Then a summer break until August. I rode there on my e-bike in breezy conditions with continuous, bright sunshine. The hilly route is through glorious countryside. 

 20km each way at an average of 26km/hr. Cadence 80rpm. Mostly in Sport Mode. With a little Turbo mode to maintain my speed for the steepest hills. My average power was 77W. With a 3:1 ratio of assistance from the motor. 440m of ascent and descent.

 My skill and confidence, on two wheels, climbs with every outing. I have just reached a total of 2000km on the e-bike since its arrival in March.

 I am reconsidering saddles. [Again!] The wide saddle feels as if it is resisting my leg movements as I pedal. As if it its T-shape is stopping the very tops of my thighs/buttock line from going any lower. So it is pushing me forwards despite being slightly tipped up at the nose. If I experimentally trap my fingers just there it hurts like hell!

 The narrower Brooks B17 [brown] has much more of a delta shape but is intended for a rider who is leaning forwards. While I am almost upright after my "high rise" handlebar stem changes.

 I have now plastered the unused B17 'Special' in Proofide to let it soak in overnight. Then I'll give it a trial ride tomorrow. I left it in the greenhouse, to help the Proofide soak in. The saddle leather turned very dark!

 The usual problem with new Brooks saddles is their [rock] hardness and high gloss. Subjectively, it is like balancing on a polished rock for the first few rides. The Proofide will at least cure the slipperiness. How much softening occurs overnight is quite another matter. Nothing ventured. Nothing gained. 

 Interestingly, the wide, black, sprung saddle feels soft already. I can easily press it downwards on the flat top. It went almost unnoticed today. While wearing ordinary clothes. Rather than padded shorts. A good sign, despite my reservations about the forward facing 'shoulders.' Marked here on the image in red.

  I keep wondering whether my saddle soreness problem is more to do with trapped flesh. Or trapped padding in the shorts causing friction. Rather than soreness directly under my sit bones. The wide saddle is supposed to support more of me. With the effect of reduced pressure per square unit of area. Rather than only a narrow support line through the middle of my crutch. I  have never got on with laterally curved saddles. Always preferring a flat top in the "bench" area. The Cambium C17 hurts immediately I sit on it! It feels as if it is prizing my sit bones apart! I am described as slim. So I don't have much padding.

 There was no need for dinner. Because I at at the class. So I had a beer, a coffee and a micro Corny bar. In that order. Not together.

 

 ~o~

24.05.2023 Clocks on stilts?

 ~o~

 Wednesday 24th 47F. Variable overcast. Light winds, dry and some sunshine promised. I can ride to the museum. Up early. So I can go for an early walk. 

 The dandelions "clocks" are strangely tall. Some heads are up to and over 60cm off the ground. As if stretching for the light. Could it be due to the drought? There is no shortage of light. More sunshine than usual. Definite lack of rain. 

 7.40 10C/50F. Increasingly heavy overcast. Just a short walk to capture a few pictures of the oil seed rape going over. The flowers remain yellow but fall off the plants. Leading to a noticeable thinning. A thin mist hung over the landscape. Softening even the foreground views.

 14.30 Safely returned from the museum. I dusted display items from the original kitchen. The kitchen area had to rebuilt due to subsidence and rotting timbers. So the barrels and huge bowls had been stored. Later I helped to move a massively heavy, wooden trough back into the original beer cellar. This was followed by hoeing the gardens to remove weeds. The soil is dust dry and as hard as concrete!

 On the way there and back I twice saw a teenager on an electric motorcycle but with pedals. After pulling a couple of wheelies on the road. He swung across the road to travel along the opposite cycle path in completely the wrong direction. Then blasted it up to 80+km/hr! Or over 50mph! I was traveling at 35km/hr and he left me behind like a dragster racing against a push bike. Obviously showing off to his mate, or me.

No helmet. Road legal? I doubt it. Insurance? Who knows? Large, black rear hub. Enclosed front triangle, again all black, may contain the batteries. Wider tires than a standard bike. Certainly not a home built design. Not by the look of it.

 Far too fast for the Speed-Pedelec "45km/hr" [28mph] standard. By a very, very long way! I met him again later. He was cruising at high speed down through the shopping village. Where 40km/hr or 25mph speed limit applies. Not that all cars bother to adhere to it.

 His having a twist grip throttle is probably illegal too. Unless the bike is registered and insured as a motorcycle. No number plates make it unlikely. Normal, road legal, electric bikes must be pedaled to gain electric motor assistance. He was not pedaling at all. A "45" requires an approved helmet be worn. He was bare headed. Bright, approved lights must be showing, front and rear, at all times. He had no lights either.

 17.30 It reached 67F/19C this afternoon as the sunshine took over from cloud. It is 32C/ 90F in the west facing, glazed gable end, former balcony room. With no easy way to ventilate it. I hoped the roof space above the attic ceiling would be cooler but it wasn't. I slipped an external sensor to a digital thermometer up there and it only dropped by 1ºF. Opening a lower window has had no effect at all so far. [After 15 30 minutes] 

 The now closed, balcony space needs a vent for removing the heat to the outdoors high up. To take advantage of heat rising. A small skylight window on the north side of the roof might do. It would be weatherproof and sealed in the winter. The digital thermometer, which I use out there, is at chest height and in the shade. It is probably even hotter higher up.

 I had filled the [large] waste paper basket in the kitchen again. So I went outside to sort it into the bins. It is actually easier than before. With milk and drinks cartons being separated from the household rubbish. I can rinse and then throw the cartons straight into the waste paper basket. They go into the same bin as the plastic, poly bags, etc. 

 Even after I stamped on them, the milk cartons always bulked out the rubbish, pedal bin. The food waste is now going into the small container on the window sill. Which means the big pedal bin doesn't stink any more. Even though it was well sealed and the rubbish dropped into a plastic bag. I quite like the new system. Despite initial hesitation about the exposed food waste basket in the kitchen. Its enclosed bag need not wait for emptying day. To be dropped into the bin outside. 

 18.30 The inevitable question of making dinner now arises. Lazy toast? Or spend half an hour "slaving" over a "proper" meal? 😋 

 The same issue arises elsewhere in the domestic arena. I find myself in a foolish contradiction. I avoided washing up at home but volunteered to do it at the cooking class. User error! Does not compute! If I do the washing up every day I don't run out of cutlery or mugs. [I have lots of both] It takes less time to wash up every day. Instead of half an hour catching up. So it makes no sense to avoid the task. 

 Or, I could just buy more crockery from the charity shops. Extend the worktop for another meter/yard to hold the dirty dishes. Genius! 😏

Dinner was chips, chicken and mushrooms.

~o~

23.05.2023 Too wet to ride.

 ~o~

 Tuesday 23rd 13C/56F. Increasingly heavy overcast. The promised rain hasn't quite arrived at 7.20am. The radar shows a band of heavy rain approaching from the west. Sadly it will probably coincide with my needing to get to my cooking class. So the e-bike is unlikely to get the free wash it so richly deserves. There is still hope but the poor old car will probably get an outing. 

 8.05. The rain has just started. Denmark is suffering from a serious drought. Mostly in the east but not exclusively. Wildfires have already occurred in the east. My own area is least affected. Any plans for a walk have been postponed. 

 9.00 Still raining but not as heavily. Too late to go by bike now.

 14.30 I was able to leave later and it rained only lightly as I drove there. The cooking class was the usual fun. We produced rolled pork with multiple herb seasoning. Tied with string and boiled. Plus, sliced cold potato with seasoning and two cheese dressings on rye bread. Decorated with crispy bacon. Delicious!

  I ate a couple of slices of the rolled pork on a bread roll for dinner. The rest has been sliced and gone into the freezer compartment.

~o~

22.05.2023 Into the wind.

 ~o~

 Monday 22nd 14C/58F. Overcast and windy. Some sun is promised for this morning. Up at 5.45.

  9.20 20C/67F This morning's walk was quite magical. Walking between the high, protective hedgerows. I was surrounded by a sphere of birdsong of every character. 

 The feeling, where the hedgerows have been cleared by the farmers, is completely different. It was breezy but not cold. Just for a change I didn't need to put my hands in my pockets. 

 Still deciding where to go today. I had a complete rest from riding my e-bike yesterday. No obvious aches and pains. The easterly wind suggests I head that way. To allow the wind to help me home as I begin to tire.

 15.00 74F/23C I am never sure of wind direction once on the bike. My forward motion confuses the issue. 89km today averaging 26km/hr. 50% Tour mode and 50% Sport. A short stretch of Eco on the downhill to remind myself how it felt. 82rpm average cadence. 

 I rode a more direct rural route to get to my goal. An excellent garden centre in Ringe. I am still looking for a particular tree for the garden. Prunus "Kursar." A flowing cherry with bronze leaves and dark pink blossom. Nobody in Denmark lists it for sale.

 Returning along the converted, rural railway, cycle path between Ringe and Korinth on the way back. Six lone cyclists approached along the narrow, asphalt path. Mostly girls or women. So I took to the grass on the side each time to let them pass easily. Nobody caught me from behind and I never saw another rider in my rear view mirror. I was averaging 30km/hr. The were birds wherever I went. Kilometers of lilac hedges in bloom.

 I was comfortable in a short sleeved racing jersey all day. Returning still in good shape and hardly saddle sore. I ate two small Corny bars and drank two small cartons of apple juice while I was out. Changed the battery on the way back. Despite being an hour and half late, for lunch, I didn't feel hungry nor particularly tired. I wore my thickest, padded 'bibs.' Racing shorts with padding and fixed shoulder straps. 

 The broad gauge saddle was a  bit 'grippy' at first. Due to a residue of Brooks Proofide. Which I applied two days ago. I had polished it off with a microfiber cloth before leaving but the leather was still "sticky." This wore off over the course of the ride.

 I stopped at a supermarket, on the way back, to buy coffee. A chap rode up on a very sophisticated, long wheelbase, carrier, e-bike. A Riese and Müller, Load 75, with full suspension, Bosch motor and all the trimmings. This design was once called a LongJohn when they were just pedaled. I sold mine only recently. He had the same ABUS helmet but with the visor fitted.   

 I am considering dinner choices. It could be [lazy] toast but I have mushrooms and chicken in the 'fridge. Which ought to become something and soon. Curry? Not sure about that. A fry up? I had chips yesterday. So best not to repeat that. With gravy and boiled potatoes? A belated Sunday Dinner? Doable. I'd better check whether the mini carrots are still edible. Only a few frozen peas left. 

 It all worked out perfectly. Long, slow cooking while the potatoes simmered for 35 minutes. They could really have done with another five. Though they never went off the boil. 

~o~

21.05.2023 Wildlife gardening by default.

 ~o~

 Sunday 21st 15C/60F [8.45]  Bright and breezy with cloud and sunshine. Perhaps peaking at 22C today but a threat of showers or thunderstorms in the forecast. Up at 5.00 after a restless night. No walk so far.  It stinks of pig shit again. Shopping would be a good idea.

 I have been de-potting out on my wife's garden again. She left small plastic pots scattered amongst the plants on her "flower bed." Perhaps to fulfill some plan. She left labelled drawings and was getting interested in grasses. Panicum labels were attached to a few. So some are definitely grasses.

 Trapped in their small pots, I felt they had a poor chance of success. So I have been freeing those I could still find. I had previously worked my way over the bed and freed plants where they stood. Today I noticed a few, scattered more widely. The bed is really filling out with fresh green foliage. A few flowers are showing. Pinks, campanula, tulips and a few others. I have no head for remembering flower names. 

 Her shrubs are thriving in the better light. Since I removed the horse chestnut and giant dolobrata hedge. The grass in the foreground [above] is still getting established and it all badly needs cutting again. 

 Since I am no gardener I am aiming for a wildlife garden. There are stacks of twigs in many places. Some of which have been there for years. Compost heaps are sited in several places. The whole garden is generally overgrown. With the huge, chestnut branches left to rot. Shorter grass will pretend to be the lawn. Where the birds can more easily forage.

 The sun was been veiled by cloud at times. Though it soon reached 27C/80F in the greenhouse. So I opened both end doors to blow the heat away. The steel, fine mesh, security doors keep the wildlife out. Hardly a single fly ever gets through.

 I have now applied sticky labels to the fronts of the recycling bins. I find it is easiest to open the lids back against the wall. When I need to sort my large, indoor waste basket. With the lids open I was losing all identification for segregation. It won't take me long before sorting becomes completely automatic. 

 There are new days for emptying too. So I have added those to the Windows calendar to remind me.  Then I can drag the bins the 120m along the drive the night before. You can never have enough exercise! 

 I visited my British friend in the afternoon. To give him a hand with setting out his garden furniture for the summer. It was pleasantly warm. So we sat outside and chatted in his spacious, rural garden. 

 The lilacs in the hedgerows were spectacular on the drive there and back. It is about a half hour drive each way. On quiet, country roads and twisting, hilly lanes. Thee are numerous routes so I choose one, completely on a whim, each time. Many chain-built villages have low speed limits. So it can be quicker to avoid them despite a greater distance being involved.

  Dinner was chips, fish fingers and peas.

~o~

20.05.2023 My kingdom for a prop stand!

 ~o~

  Saturday 20th 40F. Bright, after a cold night. Thin, high cloud. A restless night.

 I need a new goal for a ride. Tomorrow and the next few days promise rain. So it has to be today. Winds mostly easterly. Gusting to 10m/s or 22mph by lunch time. 

 An early walk to be treated to a cacophony of birdsong. There were three warblers competing from my garden trees. Lots more along the roadside trees and hedges. It was amazing. 

 I know where I am going now. Heading north to a town on the coast. With a large, specialist, electric bike, scooter and vehicle shop and display. It looks interesting. I have a choice of routes and will play it by ear. Depending on the traffic on the main roads. Going via the lanes is longer but not by much.

 13.30 19C/66F I mixed main roads with lanes. The main roads felt very unsafe. With no protection from speeding cars. Other than a painted white line a foot from the edge of the asphalt. Half a dozen drivers brushed closely past me. Too lazy to slow briefly to let an opposing vehicle pass. GTGP on steroids. [Got To Get Past!]

 The electric bike and vehicle shop was huge! Outside, an elderly lady was being shown how to drive a small, electric, mobility car. This went on all the time I was in the display area. 

As I emerged the lady drove off at speed across the car park. Then disappeared around the corner of the building out of sight. Then there was a huge BANG! The attending family and staff rushed to look around the corner. I left before I became just another ghoul.  

 After a ride through town I rode along the waterfront far as I could. To reach the underside of The Old Bridge. This was via a rather busy foot and cycle path. Gravel and lumpy and humped, leading to lots of hills. Quite good fun at speed I would imagine. I ended up in a huge park. Where there was a wild pond full of beautiful flowers.

 86km/53 miles in just under 3.5 hours. Averaging 25km/hr/ 15mph, 82rpm and 88W. I ascended 820m. It felt kike a direct headwind on the way back. I had to swap batteries again to get home. I imagine my speed dropped due to riding along the footpaths at as nail's pace to allow pedestrians to loiter aimlessly.

 My prop stand broke off during the ride home. I have no idea where it went. Not that it would be any use. The metal has failed close to the mounting bracket. 

 Being unique to Moustache I will have to ask the dealer for a replacement. Hopefully under guarantee. A bike shop mechanic looked at it and said he had dozens but nothing like it. Life without a prop stand is extremely difficult for such a heavy machine. The tires are much too fat to fit in any bike stands or racks. A sturdy centre stand might be much better. If there was anywhere to attach it securely. While avoiding the pedals and cranks.

Dinner was beans on toast. 

 ~o~

19.05.2023 Need for speed.

 ~o~

Friday 19th 53F. Bright sunshine but a milky sky. With thin, high cloud. Back ache and painful knees are reminder of yesterday's little jaunt. The pain is already dissipating. It will improve further with a morning walk.

 Today I walked both ways. Doubling my distance without going very far. The birds were singing away as the farmers were spraying away. The air was heavy with the stench of pig shit.

 80km or 50 miles is not a huge distance by cycle touring standards. Though it should not be underestimated how much effort is required. An e-bike is certainly not for the lazy. Not if such distances must be covered in a few hours. 

 If I don't pedal I simply don't move. If I don't pedal quickly and with some force then I don't keep up the average speeds I aim for. Those who think an e-bike is an electric moped are completely mistaken. A moped rider can stop pedaling soon after pulling away. An e-bike rider needs fitness, agility and strength. If they are to travel at speed. Without rapidly depleting the battery. 

 I have chosen Sport mode to provide the assistance I need to complete my rides. Tour mode is fine for cruising gently through the countryside. Sport mode provides more impetus and higher speeds. At the cost of more rapid loss of battery charge. I used up 30% of the fully charged, second battery. Just to get home in Sport mode. The distance was less than 30km or twenty miles. 

 The first battery lasted only 50km or 30 miles. One could easily claim that this makes these faster e-bikes "45s" or "speed-pedelecs" a dismal failure.  The "range anxiety" with present  batteries is certainly very real. Particularly if both speed and distance are simultaneously required. 

 Now add the rider into this lopsided equation. I have gained distance and speed. Well beyond my years and present fitness levels. I am 76, with greatly reduced riding over the last few years. So I am no longer capable of cycling so quickly or remotely so far as the e-bike allows. On my touring trike I get so breathless on longer climbs now that my chest aches from panting. This is mainly because I can't slow down. I try to ride as fast as possible, within my limits, most of the time. 

 Battery technology is rapidly improving. As global competition, for a real breakthrough in energy density, is white hot. A patent will potentially, bring huge fortunes. Until the next chemistry magically pushes the boundaries even further. Lightness and huge charge capacity will make the present batteries look rather pathetic. 

 Whether these technologies filter down to the humble e-bike depends on take-up. Many governments are hesitant to allow e-bikes to achieve higher speeds. Speeds, which a race fit cyclist can manage for several hours, are not allowed, by law, for e-bikes. Or only within tight constraints. A faster cyclist has no need of a helmet. An e-bike rider is required to wear one all the time. Even if they dawdle at walking pace.

 Electric motorcycles are, like e-bikes, under rapid development. Electric motorcycles are in a completely different league. They demand full training, licensing, insurance, registration and normal safety rules. There is over a century of experience in their widespread use. At all levels of performance!

 E-bikes are a new hybrid and still unproven. They are neither a moped, a scooter nor a motorcycle. Governments fear that the young will modify their machines. To achieve speeds which the designs cannot safely cope with. Braking, suspension and the strength of standard bicycle components. Are all questionable as to fitness for purpose above "normal" cycling speeds. It depends what you consider normal.

 My own answer is to give each type of machine a distinctive class rating. Rider's age, licensing and insurance to match the speeds attainable. Speed increases must depend on the need to continuously pedal and the gear ratios provided. NO change being legally possible without moving up a type class. Registration plates could be colour coded according to speed class.

 Modification of e-bikes, for greater speed, is already rife and commercially available. Just as it is with internal combustion engine bikes and cars. How do the police discover these mods? Which show no external hint of the changes. Not even on the control computer display. It is no use saying that the maker's guarantee lapses. The excited owner doesn't care and the changes are easily reversible. Leaving no trace of the speed mod ever having been done.

 An annual official check might not show the more sophisticated changes. The e-bike doesn't need a foolishly noisy exhaust. To draw attention to the youthful owner's over-enthusiasm. Present MOT stations are poorly equipped to test e-bikes for safety and type compliance. It would need a whole new bureaucracy and specialist testing stations. Another burden on the poor taxpayer? To what purpose? 

 Existing laws seem not to capture the IC scooter tuning enthusiast. I was riding within the legal constraints the other day. As a motor scooter, without registration plates, screamed past and was soon gone out of sight. 

 There is a whole industry pandering to those who demand increased performance. Does a noisy exhaust really protect the public better than a silent e-bike? Who is most likely to be injured by youthful enthusiasm? The rider. Who can afford a fleet of tuned scooters. For the price of a single e-bike. 

 Where shall I go today? I need groceries but who wants to ride such a short distance?  I didn't desperately need anything from the shops. So I went for a ride around the local lanes in Tour mode before lunch. 20km in 54 minutes averaging 22km/hr. My average power output was 86W today. 

 Average cadence only 78rpm. This was deliberate. I wanted a more relaxed ride today. Just to remind myself how it feels. Not to be in a hurry. To just enjoy the scenery, birdsong and wildlife. I saw several hares and pheasants on my ride. Plus several birds of prey. The countryside is gorgeous at the moment. With some trees still bursting into leaf. Spotting the warblers, or other small birds, is becoming impossible.

12.00 16C/61F. I was not trying very hard. Changing gear becomes more important in Tour mode. It does not provide the extra power needed. To carry me up and over the hills. There were plenty of those. 220m ascent.

 Any failure to drop down the gears. Puts strain on my knees and my speed drops dramatically. Sport mode is far more forgiving of upward inclines. Though Tour mode is fine for descents. Amplifying what effort I put into the pedals to increase my speed as desired. Up to, but not exceeding 45kph/28mph. Only gravity will push speeds higher. In any mode. 

 My average top speed on a ride is always close to 45kph or 28mph. Only big downhill stretches push it up to 50kph or 30mph. Usually freewheeling after pedaling up to 45kph. There is no sense of increased friction or rolling resistance when freewheeling. There is a standard, wide ratio cassette on the back wheel. With quite a loud tick. 

 The greater weight, compared to my trike, probably accounts for slightly increased speeds downhill. The Magura disk brakes are incredibly powerful compared to the rim brakes of the trike.

 Dinner was boiled potatoes, chicken and mushrooms with peas.

 

~o~

18.05.2023 Coastal pursuits.

 ~o~

 Thursday 18th 44F. Bright, with sunny periods expected. 15C/60F maximum with much lighter winds.

 I walked the "wrong way" this morning. Hoping to capture the bright oil seed rape fields. I failed because the low sun beyond was making the views much darker than reality. So we'll have to make do with another, early morning landscape. 

 The choice of where to go now arises. It is a religious/bank holiday. I have the e-bike ready. Now I have to decide which direction I should take. 

 There is a gentle north westerly breeze. So, if I start against the wind it will [theoretically] help me home. Then I could work my way up the west coast. There is no real coast road, as such, but the quiet lanes wander roughly northwards. I could explore whatever offshoots present themselves as potentially interesting.

 I am safely home again after an 83km/51 mile ride. Averaging 24km/h over 3h30m. I explored lots of tracks and lanes going up the coast. Then returned inland via small lanes. A battery change was required on the way back. 

 I traveled for miles on rough gravel tracks to reach quiet beaches. The countryside was gorgeous. With birdsong everywhere I went.

  I saw numerous birds of prey. Including one huge bird being mobbed by another slightly smaller bird of prey in a thermal. A third bird of prey was circling higher up. A tame harrier drifted back and forth as I rode along a dead end lane. It went for miles. Then had a turning circle at the very end.

 It never became very warm. So I kept all my original clothes on. Including a scull cap under my helmet and a cycling cardigan under my windproof jacket. Normally I would have to take these off to avoid overheating. 

 It was only 14C/57F on my return at 13.15. Though now the temperature is creeping upwards to 16C/61F as it is approaching 14.00.

 15.30 It has reached 17C/63F. 34C/93F in the greenhouse before I opened the end doors!

 Interestingly [?] my digital thermometers are fading away. The button batteries are expiring at the same time. Which seems odd but true. Other digital thermometers last for years on a single "normal" cylindrical battery.

Dinner was poached eggs on toast. It is eight days since I last had this.

~o~

17.05.2023 Currying favour at the farm.

 ~o~

 Wednesday 17th 44F. Becoming brighter. Variably windy from the NW. Which means a tailwind as I ride to the museum. I put the summer duvet back on last night. Thanks to the lower temperatures. Then had very weird dreams. Google Blogger has changed. I get a very different screen when I want to add images.  

 15.30 Safely returned from the museum. After spending the morning weeding a compacted gravel path with a hoe and a rake. I managed to remove a wheelbarrow full for composting. Very strong headwind on the way home. The wind is supposed to die down by tomorrow. Did some shopping. So I shall be able to eat tonight.

 Dinner was chicken and mushroom curry. Ben's medium curry sauce.

~o~

16.05.2023 Laden bin sorting.

 ~o~

 Tuesday 16th 49F. Overcast and windy from the WNW, variable. Possible showers later.

 I am facing the prospect of sorting the rubbish for increased recycling. Or dumping all the mixed refuse into the new mixed refuse container. The paper/plastic is no problem. It is the requirement for  food waste and food cartons for segregation. I already had the large, kitchen pedal bin well underway. I still haven't decided how best to achieve refuse segregation within the kitchen. Do I buy a whole series of waste baskets and have them standing in rows? 

 The food waste, kitchen container seems to have been designed to maximize rotting food smells. It contains a polythene bag but the hinged top and sides of the plastic container are perforated. Did anybody give this matter a single moment's consideration? Before ordering tens of thousands for consumer use? 

 The stinking waste food bag might as well stand open on the counter top! Any open basket or container will do to hold the bag open around the lip. Hiding the contents with a perforated lid is just drooling idiocy! It will attract rodents, flies and ants! Aside from making the kitchen stink!

 Will the bin men be checking, from the first emptying, for exact compliance? It certainly happened last time. They simply refused to empty the green bin when it was first introduced. If they saw a single wrongly sorted item in there. 

 They even had cardboard "punishment" notices! To hang the card on the bin handle by its hook. With long waits between emptying it was a major problem to have an overflowing bin! And no, you could not hang an extra bag on the bin next time around. Or it was simply ignored! Give the employees of a private business a little bit of power...

 An interesting detail is that the new wheely bins have sorting labels on the top and on the handle side. BUT! Nobody ever uses the bins that way! They put the bin handles towards the wall or the hedge. Then lift the lid naturally from their own side. So, once the lid is lifted, all identification as to contents is lost to the user. 

Not my bins. I took this picture while I was out on my bike. Pretty background.

 Labels on the fronts of the bins, or inside the lids, should have been obligatory. The present segregation labels are only of use to the bin men. They only need to see them for a few seconds per year before tipping! The consumer needs the identification labels every single time they open the bin. Day and night and in all weathers and lighting conditions.

 7.50. Time for a walk. It is grey and cool. I have no idea how windy it will be in the open. The garden is very sheltered from that wind direction.

 My short jacket was no match for the wind. It was cold enough to keep my hands in my pockets. So I cut short my walk. I would have worn the Endura cycling jacket but it [very wisely] has no front pockets. For cycling this is ideal. Nothing to be squashed between the tops of one's thighs and one's chest while pedaling. Nor inhibiting leg movement in general. 

 Any jacket purporting to be for cycling should have no lower, front pockets. The Endura has a single breast pocket big enough for a phone. With a single rear pocket protected by a rain flap. Nowhere to put one's hands when it is unexpectedly cold.

 A lazy day on the computer. I ignored the desperate need for more grass cutting. Expecting it to rain at any moment. Of course it didn't but my ruse worked.

 I was going to chicken out and go for toast again. Toast, two days in a row, is not allowed. So I rather fancy fish fingers and chips. Those, who are keeping tabs, will know it is 9 days since I last enjoyed that combination. So there! 😋

~o~

15.05.2023 The call of the sea.

 ~o~

 Monday 15th 15C/59F. Bright but cloudy. The threat of thundery showers in the afternoon returns for a second day. Up at 5.30.

 Despite the high temperature [25C/77F] at bedtime I slept upstairs. I used an empty duvet cover and was comfortable. The double thickness provided a little more weight and warmth than a single sheet. There was the usual wrestling match to remain covered.

Lots of bird activity this morning. A red kite was circling over the mobile telephone mast. The two hares had moved further down the field. Pheasants stomped around. Six crows were having a tremendous scrap! Presumably invasion of territory by a stranger. It was more threat and wing flapping than bloodletting. Many trees and shrubs are in flower now. Others already gone over.

 I have a new goal for this morning's ride. SW to the coast via the quiet country lanes. Though I had better be back by lunchtime with the threat of thunderstorms still hanging.

  Another 62km at 25km/hr average speed in 2.5 hours. Single battery level down to 25%. A superb day. Sunny, 23C/73F and almost no wind. Not  much traffic either. Back at 12.30. 

 I passed dozens of swans foraging in the calm, protected waters inside the causeway. The open sea was unexpectedly calm outside it but only of interest to a few gulls. The air was full of flies and swallows throughout my ride. The flies were winning. So I had to keep my mouth shut. Just for  change.

 I began to suffer saddle soreness despite wearing my best, padded shorts. So I stopped and tilted the saddle backwards slightly. This felt better but the damage was probably already done. I'll leave the saddle like it is until after the next ride. Just to confirm any improvement. Or not.

 18.30. 15C/59F It became very dark but only a tiny drop of rain so far. The forecast sites show lightning strikes and rain to our east and west. I closed up the greenhouse in expectation of a cloudburst. 

18.45 The DMI radar shows us under heavy rain. Not a drop. The ground is still dry. 

18.50 Update: Now it is drizzling so lightly it is all but invisible. The drop in outdoor temperature has me putting on warm clothes. Yet the indoor temperature remains steady at 24C/75.5F. Windows now closed. 

 It rained some more.

 I am having cheese on toast tonight. With halved, fresh tomatoes.

~0~