27th August 2018 Autumnal routine.

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Monday 27th 56-66F, dark grey overcast, with showers and blowing a gale. No walk but cycled to the shops. Only 7 miles.

A day of very heavy showers even when it brightened up in the afternoon.

Tuesday 28th 57-67F, patchy clouds but brighter today. The garden trees are full of small, over-excited birds. A longer walk to the far woods. Hundreds of crows were gathering on the fields. It was a pleasant day but I was too busy for a ride.

Wednesday 29th 56-72F, overcast and calm but dry. An early shopping ride is promised. And completed. An elderly women asked where she could buy a trike like mine. I had to point out how unstable they were compared with 'mobility' trikes. She gave the Trykit a good shake just to be sure. Only 7 miles.

Thursday 30th 60F, heavy overcast and becoming breezy. Which part of "wet" don't you understand?
Not much chance of a ride today. Rain and more rain.

Friday 31st 55F, cool, overcast and slightly misty. The distant mist was glowing at intervals as the sun tried to break through. There was an acrid smell on the air after several verge clippings. Too busy for a ride.

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20th August 2018 Autumn already?

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Monday 20th 62F, heavy overcast with a light breeze after overnight rain. Just a brisk walk to the lanes and back for 40 minutes of exercise. There are about 100 sparrows moving around the local hedges. I spotted two tabby kittens. No ride today.

Tuesday 21st 50F, bright and calm after a cooler night. A pleasant morning for a walk. Or to lime every field for miles as the breeze picked up. From the top of the rise leading into the woods I watched a small deer grazing on the strip of corn.

Late morning ride to the shops. A couple of clubmen out training waved. Only 7 miles.

Wednesday 22nd 62-78F, a warm one! No ride today.

Thursday 23rd 64-68?F, bright overcast with a breeze. I'm promised an early ride to the shops. There were a few bright moments but mostly a headwind. I detoured on the way back just to make a ride of it.  A dozen pheasants were poking abut opposite a junction. I'm not sure who was more surprised. Only 10 miles. I rode a couple of miles at lunch time looking for the postman after receiving an email falsely confirming a delivery. They finally turned up an hour later.

Friday 24th 61/65?F, overcast and breezy. No walk today. A windy day with heavy showers in the afternoon as I tried to work outside. No ride today.

I discovered my front brake was jammed on when I went to put the trike away. Rotating the whole brake and repeated application of the lever freed it. I added some more oil to the pivots, of course. Modern brakes aren't made like they once were. At least, not for those who don't clean and maintain their machines like they once did. Winter salting and repeated rain must eventually take their toll. I wish they'd use stainless steel fasteners for the pivot bolts. Mine are positively "furry" with corrosion. The pivots do get oiled whenever I remember to do so. I'll try to remember to check the brake's freedom from the rims while I'm at it.

Saturday 25th 58F, cool, grey and windy. Showers forecast but dry so far. A 40 minute walk. A Sparrowhawk left a roadside tree like a rocket aiming for a conifer several hundred yards away across a field. It was still there on my return. The traffic was almost non-existent on the way out but recovered on my way back. I was too busy for a ride and getting plenty of exercise anyway. A red deer and two young were grazing on the large front lawn. It is our neighbours' lawn. Not ours. What they call "borrowed landscape."

Sunday 26th 51-65F, bright but cool, with a light breeze. Showers possible. 40 minute walk. Lots of pheasants on the fields. Hundreds of swallows gathering too. Early ride to the shops. Fist cool morning so far. The hedgerows are laden with wild fruits. Only 7 miles.

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14th August 2018 Sneaking up on autumn.

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Tuesday 14th 62F, grey, calm, misty and damp. It was a very wet night according to the media. I pottered along to the rural lanes and cut back across the fields. An excavator was trying to improve the drainage of one field. The driver and helper were enjoying breakfast as is the habit of the Danes. They go to work very early and then stop for half an an hour. Rather quiet today with a soft glow to distant mist. No ride today.

Wednesday 15th 62-76F, grey overcast with a very light breeze. No walk today because I went shopping on the trike instead. Light rain on the way back. Brightened up at times with showers and a gusty wind. Only 7 miles.

Thursday 16th 65-76F, dark, grey and quite windy. It was far too warm for a jacket until I turned into the wind. Still able to use the stubble fields to avoid the traffic. It wont be long before they start working the fields again and it will become impossible to enjoy new viewpoints.  It brightened up later.

Friday 17th 63-71?F, grey, still and damp. An early ride home from delivering the car to the garage followed by shopping. It soon turned to bright sunshine. Car collected again by trike. I even printed out a new number plate to hang on the trike because the car's rear registration plate was hidden. 7 miles total.

Saturday 18th 61-?F, rather windy but bright. Walked a loop on the fields as it quickly clouded over. It looks and feels like it will rain any moment but none is forecast until this afternoon. Which was then cancelled as it brightened up again before becoming cloudy. Some large trees are already showing autumnal colours. No ride today.

Sunday 19th 64F, another grey day but without the strong, gusty wind of yesterday. It felt too warm in my jacket so I took it off for the climb up to the forest. It was there I disturbed a pair of deer resting under a hedge. They dashed off but stopped to pose mid field before continuing into the woods. After that I was able to cross the stubbled fields which had not yet been harrowed. It has remained grey but dry with increasing wind. No ride today.

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