17.10.2025 95km on the Ryet "Aircode."

 ~o~

  Friday 17th 42F/5.6C. A cool, sunny day is forecast but rather windy from the NW. Peaking at 11C/52F and 11m/s. Showers this evening. It is clearly much lighter this morning after yesterday's dull grey.

 Up at 7am after a busy night at the fire bucket. 65F/18.3C in the room this morning. I lit the stove at 9pm to reach 69F/20.6C by bedtime at 10.30.

 I feel the need for a ride on the new, Ryet "Aircode" saddle. I think I had better take the brown, Brooks B17 with me. To get back home if the Ryet does not please. Perhaps I ought to head NW. So the wind can help me home. 

 I could ride up the quiet and pretty, coastal lanes to Middelfart. About 38km plus detours and tootling around the town. At least 80km/50miles round trip. Too far on a new saddle? We shall see. It's not as if it is going to break-in. I had better wear my best, Assos bibs. 

 It is probably too cold for bare legs. I could dig out a pair of black, thermal, long-johns. That would make a change from my usual cargo trousers. My main worry is the increasing pain in my right wrist and hand. I didn't wear the wrist brace yesterday and my right hand hurt like hell on the bike!

 8.00 Time for a walk. Get a feel for how cold it is.

 8.30 Back again. It was really rather chilly. A vast crop sprayer was out on the prairie. Based roughly on a harvester body. Its arms stretched over a large area. With the gulls getting an early shower. 

 Many of the fields have that smart look of huge lawns. Spread over the entire landscape like a golf course. As the next crop sends up grass-like shoots only a few centimeters high. 

 The 7-axle tipper trucks continue to trundle at speed back and forth. I saw one going though the village yesterday. While I was on my e-bike. So it left me well behind. I was hoping to see where it was dumping its many loads of soil. 

 My neighbours' small, but fierce, guard dog prevented me from walking my usual loop. Down one drive and back up the next. Talking gently to it was a waste of breath. It was much easier not to persist. So I retraced my steps. As she repeatedly called it back to no effect. Perhaps I should carry dog treats for such occasions? 

 The bird of prey was calling from its hiding place again. I passed my nice neighbour. Who was just heading off to work.

 9.00 I had better have morning coffee before I leave. The second battery has been on charge this morning. It is best to have the reserve. So I can use Turbo mode. To speed up the last few, hilly kilometers on the way home. An 80km ride would certainly flatten the first battery. Particularly when it is cold.

 10.15 Ready. 

 16.00 Back from a 95km ride to Bogense. The headwind going to Middelfart was just too cold and too strong. So I detoured more to the west. Though the wind remained a nuisance for the rest of the ride. 

 The Ryet saddle started feeling hard at about 60km/40 miles. Taking short breaks helped after that. I'd say the unbroken B17 is slightly worse and did not respond to climbing off so well. My quadriceps started aching beyond 70km. So I used Turbo mode more often than usual. It is a very hilly area in places.

 It was mostly sunny. Which brightened the beech trees' autumn colour. Leaves were strewn everywhere and being blown about. The onshore wind had the white horses coming right to the shore at Bogense. Where the shopping streets were closed off. For a Halloween theme for the children. 

  I did a battery swap at 65km when the charge dropped to 20%. So about 1km per 1% drop in charge. Mostly in Sport mode before the battery change. I took coffee and a cheese roll. Though finding anywhere sheltered from the wind was impossible. 

 The wrist brace made the ride tolerable. I had it strapped up tight and reinforced by the elastic cuff on the glove. I was extremely grateful for the jumper I took with me. Could have done with two! A cold headwind flattens the jacket against my torso and upper arms.

 I explored the new rail line where it crossed my path. Deliberately so because I went looking for it. Some of the cuttings are incredibly deep! Still a very long way to go before the new track bed is remotely level. The undulating landscape is quite a challenge for the contractors.

 Dinner was Heinz beans on toast. Finished off with a bread roll.

 

  ~o~