29.08.2025 99km

 ~o~

  Friday 29th 58F/14.4C [7.10] A promising day. Dry, with some sunshine and light SW winds. Going southerly then from the SE later. The threat of early mist seems to be lifting.

 Up at 6.30 after another quiet night. No coffee. Just a small apple juice with a sub-micro Corny, dark chocolate, nut and seed bar for dinner. I had eaten well at cooking class.

 A good day for a ride. Both batteries are fully charged. Always the same problem: Where to go? 

 7.30 A walk first. 

 8.15 Back from my walk. It was warm and sticky due to the high humidity. The rain had brought out the killer slugs. To die in their thousands on the asphalt. Aided and abetted by the verge slashing tractor. Which was busy lowering the wildlife corridors. No more safe haven for the wolves, brown bears and wild bores. I am joking of course. The wolves haven't reached Fyn yet.

 I was met with a container at the end of my drive. Four men had come to strip the thatch from the abandoned house. Wearing white suits and light industrial masks. 

  A huge harvester beside a gorgeous agricultural building. The rotor was twice the length of the visible half.

This once beautiful house has been empty for years. After being bought by a property investor. The foreman suggested they wanted to renovate the house. After all these years? They should have started five years ago! Before the rodents moved into the roof. Leaving gaping holes. 

 After overnight rain it was too wet to take my post-harvest route out on the fields. I satisfied myself with a tour up and down the neighbour's drives. Where a lady with face like a sour prune drove past. I wasn't wearing a hat. So I couldn't raise it to the local nobility. I no longer have a forelock to touch at my age. Though I was sorely tempted to pretend. Perhaps she was still mourning the small, bent and damaged tree I had felled. To open up the gap for the first time in 25 years. Have a nice day Dear! Count your blessings! 😏

 8.35 Time to prepare for a ride. It has become quite dark. I shall be cross if it rains. 

 15.40 Back from a 99km ride. About 60 miles. I went to Bogense via Søndersø. Returning by a more direct route. I had to do a battery change near Harndrup. The antique flea market I was going to visit had closed down. Standing outside were half a dozen display cabinets. With glass sides. Just like the one in the living room. Somebody was carrying one into their flat nearby. 

Before leaving I swapped saddles to my old Brooks B17 from the trike. Well broken in and the skirts tied with a lace. I began to notice the saddle at around 50km. Though it never became painful. I had applied the Assos chamois cream before setting off.  

Hypericum "Miracle Night."

 The workers on the thatched roof have made excellent progress. However, they have added another container in the drive. Which makes my exit in the car rather difficult. I have to go shopping as soon as I've finished a very late lunch. I added another dark leaved plant to my collection. A Hypericum. 

 I took a picture of a dark bronze Hortensia/hydrangea on the way home. Google Lens doesn't recognize it by name. Only displaying varieties. None of them with dark "oak leaves." The garden centre had some supposedly dark Hortensia but only in early spring. A variety called "Black Diamonds." Which turns green in summer apparently.  

 There are several very dark varieties with the flowers I like. Black Diamonds "Angle Red" is spectacular! The only Danish stockists are out of stock. "Teller after Midnight" is even more difficult to find. "Eclipse" is nice too. I have found one of those. Click and collect. A tour in the car is now planned for tomorrow. 

 17.00 I completed my shopping trip. One of the workers checked I wasn't going to damage the paintwork. As I squeezed between the huge containers.[Eng: rubbish skips.] They have now covered the stripped roof with tarpaulins.

 Dinner was a fry up of chicken, mushrooms and tweggs.

 

  ~o~