30.04.2024 Springy!

 ~o~

  April 30th 51F/11C. Dark overcast but mild. A mostly dry, but cloudy day is expected. With possible sunny periods later. 16-17C maximum late afternoon. Meanwhile the DMI radar shows a huge blob of rain just about to invade the entire area? Virtual rain? The trees are waving intermittently.

 Up at 5.30. I dreampt my e-bike had been stolen and couldn't get back to sleep. Too many visits to the fire bucket didn't help. Only a cup of tea after early dinner last night. Still coughing occasionally.

 I shall probably visit my friend today. If they will let a plague carrier past the village boundary. The promise of a delivery of Danish pastries. Seems to have outweighed the perceived risks. A modest, easterly wind would slow my approach but help me home later. Am I up to such a ride? Or, should I go in the Morris? Decisions-decisions.

 8.30 Brightening with fleeting or watery sunshine. I had returned to bed for half an hour to catch up on missing sleep.

 Bosch e-bike has sent a sort of FAQ newsletter by mail. Presumably a result of the recent spate of fires resulting from Chinese e-bike ownership. Or perhaps just a coincidence. Hope of exciting spring sales? Getting away from Lithium batteries might be a way forward. YouTube is constantly claiming new breakthroughs with battery chemistry. With up to five times the power density and zero risk of fire in the lab. 

 I'd settle for twice the power density and half the weight. Which is probably a 4x gain. With faster charging. Then I need not carry a spare battery. E-bikes might then be said to have matured beyond first conception. From [say] steam power to Hit and Miss? One day we may look back on 2020's e-bikes like we do now on 1920s, side valve, belt driven motorbikes. The present 40 miles range, per full battery charge in Sport Mode [625Wh Bosch PowerTube] Is pretty pathetic by any serious cycling standards. 

 I also discovered that the "45" Speed e-bikes are banned from public transport in Denmark. Most trains and light railways have provision for bikes. Though one has to buy a bike ticket first. To ensure space is available. 

 13.45 Returned from visiting my friend. Enjoyed the full conducted tour of his large garden. Free of charge. With gratis coffee. A perfect day for sitting outside. The wind nicely balanced against the temperature and sunny periods. 

 Driving there and back in the Morris was a delight. Traveling for fun. Instead of trying to get the journey over with ASAP. There was tree blossom everywhere. Aided and abetted by the fresh, spring green leaves on many trees and hedges. 

 15.00 A comfortable 70F/21C indoors. I have had to shut the house windows and open the greenhouse doors to let some heat out. All the outside thermometers were showing over100F/38C! I have let the shade nets down as well. To cover most of the greenhouse roof and well down the front glass. Some slight adjustment of the tension ropes is still required. Now done.

 I use ultra-fine weldmesh screens on both greenhouse doors to keep [most] insects and all animals out. The screens are almost transparent and offer very little resistance to the air. Yet it was so windy today that the windward screen blew inwards to lie on the floor! Which was a first!  I have now braced the frames of both screens with 2m long alloy profiles. Loaded with bricks on the floor. 

 Dinner was fish fingers and chips. Predictable? Moi?

 

 

  ~o~