14.11.2025 40km Electoral bias?

 ~o~

  Friday 14th 42F/5.6C [7.40] Dark grey. Another long, grey day is promised. Hovering around 7C/45F all day. Light winds, cartwheeling towards the east later. As cooler and brighter weather moves in. Possible sunshine tomorrow afternoon.

 Up at 7am after an unusually quiet night. I got up only twice. I am feeling more positive and my hands are in less pain after visiting the doctor. Talking helps? Perhaps it was the longer walk to the forest yesterday. Even some sunshine. My daily walks had been getting much shorter and repetitive recently. I was becoming very apathetic. With no motivation to do anything but sit on the computer watching YouTube. 

 I could blame the long dark days. SAD? To that end I have been using a bright, LED work light over my plants. Though above and behind me, this lights up the whole room. Which would otherwise only be lit by a table lamp near the computer. Talking of which: The Philips LED bulb had gone dark and dim. It was only a year old. I replaced the bulb and the room is very much brighter. I always open the blinds as soon as there is some light outside.   

 Perhaps I should go for a ride today. Light winds are always more pleasant. The higher speeds of the e-bike only add to the buffeting when it is windy. Even though they can usually be overcome by the pedal assistance. It is a fine balance between clothing and temperature. Much like an ordinary bike or trike. Though with less warmth generated by the rider while pedaling. Higher headwind speeds add to the cooling effect. I wear far more layers than I would on the trike in the same conditions.  

 I could check the progress on the new railway line. It is strangely hard to see any actual activity on my visits. Yet they are moving vast quantities of soil. To flatten the route over the undulating landscape. As well as building lots of new bridges and retaining walls for deep cuttings. Often to provide a crossing for very minor roads and lanes. 

 The new rail route crosses the island from east to west. Lying very close to the existing motorway for most of its 35km distance. The rolling, road closures are evidence for how quickly things are really moving. The map above shows only the central stretch of crossings. There are more to the east and west. Which fall under different local councils.

 8.35 Light enough for a walk. I'll go "the wrong way" for a change of scenery. 

 9.30 Just under an hour's walk. I headed towards the village. Then took the direct route up the south face to the forest. Maintaining a brisk walk even where it climbs to 1-in-4 near the top. 93m of vertical movement. Sopping wet underfoot but my boots were fine. Not much wildlife to see. Only a cat sitting in a roadside orchard. Horses being horses.

 The village lampposts are presently decorated with countless portrait placards. Of candidates for the local elections. It seems some of them are illegally placed. As to rules regarding clearance from cycle paths, height, etc. Which has resulted in complaints, reports and a story in the online news channels. The boundaries of some villages are similarly decorated with placards staked in the grass verges. 

 However, there is a distinct. Let's call it a 100% bias. Towards a particular party in rural areas. A party which might as well be run by the farmer's union for all it matters. Which means that only their own party may erect placards. 

 Or even vast hoardings on roadside fields. Supporting ONLY their own party candidates. One can travel for many kilometers and never see another party's placards planted on the fields. Not one. 

 I would argue that such advertising has a far greater impact than the crowded, village lampposts. Nor least because of the difficulty of isolating individual faces and names from the multitude. Particularly while driving safely in a built-up area. Very few voters are on foot these days. Not unless there are shops within walking distance. For the elderly using walking frames. 

 While the placards on the roadside fields are often much larger and so nicely separated. That drivers [and their passengers] can easily see and recognize this one party's candidates names and faces. Simply because they are so easily seen, identified and read at leisure. 

 13.20 43F/6C. Back from a 40km ride. The images above show a new bridge structure from both sides. Where the new railway and existing motorway both cross a busy main road.  

 I explored more crossings. Another new bridge had been built. There was a whole fleet of earth moving tipper trucks, bulldozers, excavators and tankers. All parked beside mountains of soil and sand. I couldn't take a picture because the edge of the road was full of huge drainage pipes. Which completely blocked the view.

 The Ryet "Aircode" 3D printed CF saddle went unnoticed today. The warmest possible accolade. I wore a pair of DHB padded cycling shorts under my thin, cargo trousers.

 I wasn't nearly warm enough. Though I stopped after a couple of km to add a spare jumper under my jacket. I wore a racing jersey, long sleeved, man made sweater, the medium weight jumper and a soft, "Nuckily" cycling jacket. 

 Every time I stopped after that I was literally shivering. I didn't feel it on the bike. My feet were cold too. Thin socks with Scott flats. My hands were progressively colder in GripGrab split mitts until they ached. So I changed to a pair of Reusch "Powder Spirit" GORE-TEX gloves to get home. I presume these were designed for skiing. 

I don't wear them much because they are rather bulky. Making them very clumsy on the silly little Bosch handlebar, motor control panel. Presumably designed to suit a little girl. Just to be properly inclusive. 

 Talking of Bosch: I keep getting a "Service Required" notice on the Nyon display. Which requires I remove my gloves [yet again] to return to the normal display. Because it demands I confirm I have seen the message. With a finger press on the displayed button. Every single time I turn the display back on after a stop. 

 It does the same thing every time I want to show the route map on the screen! A screen full of microscopic text appears. With dire warnings against touching the screen controls while riding!!! Which means one has to come to a stop. Take off one's gloves, find one's reading glasses to read the warning. Then press the damned button repeatedly. Always after a long delay for the button to become 'active.' What drooling, utter idiocy!!!  

 16.25 Back from the village shops with two new kinds of tablets and a load of groceries. 

 Dinner was a humongous fry-up with beans. 

 

 ~o~