25.10.2023 Why only [impoverished] idiots shop on a bike!

 ~o~

 Wednesday 25th. 49F/9C. A grey day is forecast. Though the radar shows the rain avoiding this area. There is flooding reported on roads and motorways in east Jylland. Vejle and Odder are flooded after 50mm/2" of rain.

 Museum day, but we [the farm museum volunteers] are all going to another museum for an outing. I shall go in the Morris. Not only to avoid the possible showers but because it is so much more relaxing. No special weatherproof clothes, shoes, gloves, helmet, bags, security, batteries, insurance papers, assorted keys or glasses required. That's before I can even leave home! Once I reach my destination I have to change clothing to something more suitable. Then store that which I have bee wearing on the bike. All change again before the ride home. 

 All acceptable for longer rides, in suitable weather, but increasingly irritating for local journeys. The idea was to do most of my shopping on the e-bike. In reality, apart from the long list above and probably more besides. Is that I have to dole out the shopping from the carrier bags to go in the panniers. If only to avoid damage to the very different items. Tins, packets, bottles, jars, bags and cartons. Then the whole process has to be repeated in reverse back at home! You can't just carry the shopping bags indoors!

 The trike had a rear rack. Which I modified with a larger, plastic tray. So I could fit a huge, 40L Overboard, PVC, water sports bag. Whole shopping bags could/can be lowered straight into that. Making shopping much less of a struggle. 

 The major downside was its short mouth. Due to its roll top design. Making the maw much smaller than the total footprint. Warm weather made life easier as the bag was soft. Colder weather made it as stiff as a board! Making loading and unloading much more difficult. Upside was the ability to not roll the top. This provided a huge, clear volume for things like boxes.  

 The Ortlieb panniers are fine in themselves. Capacious but tall and very narrow. Only rarely can I lower a full carrier bag into one of those. Despite early promise. Even the largest Carradice saddlebags are "girly" purses in comparison with most duffle bags. Carradice saddlebags are less waterproof than a blotting paper purse. They hang upside down and have stiff straps with rusting buckles.

 The Moustache rack would have to be modified with a large, preferably, lightweight tray. To properly support the entire base of a 40 litre, water sports bag. Its footprint is far larger than the tiny rack. The bag needs to be safely retained so it doesn't fall off when loaded! 

 

 A basket or deep tray would be good. Is there one on a  shelf somewhere? The duffle bag could then be taken into the shop. Loaded straight from the belt and then simply dropped into the tray or basket outside. A bungee or strap could take care of keeping it in place. 

 Perhaps I should consider doing this mod. If only to reduce my car mileage and petrol consumption. Got to think of the climate. Even if nobody else does. It would have to be a quick release arrangement. Definitely no messing about to go back to panniers for longer rides. If there was any hassle I would quickly get fed up and ignore the option. 

 Ortlieb do a 40L duffle bag but it costs £140! Double the price of the Overboard bag of the same size. Te upside is it has a long, waterproof zip. The main downside to a duffle bag on the rack is having to swing my leg over the top. Already a serious struggle lifting it over the saddle. Even after I fitted a dropper post.  The top tube is far too high to lift my foot over that. 

 Even with my dropper post right down, I often struggle to reach the road. Whenever I have to come to a halt. All due to the very high bottom bracket height. Grounding on corners, or rough stuff, is very unlikely. I tend to pedal through every corner, no matter how sharp. The Moustache Friday came from a line of e-mountain bikes. I consider the height a serious danger to most users! Including myself. I have literally dropped the bike sideways onto the handlebar end several times. To my acute embarrassment! Usually while trying to balance briefly. As traffic lights were about to change. Or some idiot overtakes me in a car and then brakes to turn. 

 I note Moustache now fit a dropper post as standard. Not to mention the latest "J" model has a much lower step-through height. Bottom bracket height? I have no idea. It still looks very high. Try the smallest size, if in doubt. Practice getting on and off repeatedly in the shop. Before parting with your many thousands of pounds! These e-bikes cost too much to waste your money.

 The trike had a very low bottom bracket. It didn't lean on corners. So no hitting a pedal on the ground. I didn't even need to put a foot down on that. Just remain safely in the saddle. Perhaps the trike is the real answer to local shopping? Only in fine weather of course. I haven't ridden it for months. The e-bike has made cycling so effortless, comfortable and fast in comparison. It's a mental no-brainer as an option. But so is going in the car. By a huge margin!

11.00 Returned early from a group visit to another museum. Again, largely run by volunteers. We had a conducted tour by one of our own committee members. He manages to find time for both. The Flax museum at Krengerup was beautifully arranged and presented. Masses of incredibly complex weaving and preparation machinery in delightfully restored, old farm buildings. 

 All tastefully and suitably decorated with proper lighting and associated with Krengerup stately home. The house itself is not open to the public. There is an adjoining Skoda museum in another vast barn.

 https://hoervaevsmuseet.dk/?lang=en

 The overall impression was again reinforced. That elderly volunteers can enjoy a social life which would otherwise be denied to them. They can participate at any level they like or are able to. The rewards for feeling needed, while remaining usefully active, should not be forgotten. Cost savings in health care?

 There was more admiration for my old Morris Minor. They were not only impressed but had their own stories to tell.   

 The fields were now showing clear signs of recent rain. With large pools and puddles forming in many places. The field adjoining the drive is partially flooded. Quite normal in the winter months. There is a clay component to the soil with high, winter water tables. Trenches or holes will partially fill with water at less than 60m/2' depth. There are still only a few puddles visible in the field behind.

 12.15 Early lunch over. I now have to find something interesting to do for the rest of the day. It would be a waste to sit on the computer or nap. The DMI radar shows only isolated showers well outside this area. Not really cycling weather but I could have a drive in the Morris somewhere. I know where too.

  15.15 50F/10C and overcast. I visited every charity shop as far as Middelfart and two more off the other main road coming back. I saw a few metal baskets which could have served on the e-bike. Nothing else took my fancy but I studied the glass display cabinets. To see how well they matched their purpose. All of them had much thicker glass shelves than the flimsy IKEA Milsbo examples. Talk about penny pinching!

 Several people stopped to admire the Morris and chat about it. Including one teenager who said it was; "a fine car." 😊

  Dinner was a salad. I forgot to buy eggs so went with what I had. No potatoes either. It would have been late by the time they cooked.

~o~