xendistar.co.uk

The day dawned wet and raining, well at least it did when I pulled back the curtain at about 7:30am and looked out the window, so I went back to bed, it looked as though the forecasted severe weather was right…………wrong. The heavy rain during the day never arrived, light drizzle and one heavy shower, by mid afternoon the sun had broken through complete with white fluffy clouds and blues sky. By late afternoon we went for a walk along the river bank. OK it was windy and the wind was cold but where was the severe weather??

A couple of post ago (this one) it was suggested that I speak about what kit I have got and that got me thinking how much I have amassed since I started riding bikes again in Oct 09. Back then it was a simple case of lets buy a bike and it will help with the weight loss. I knew I wanted a mountain bike, I had had a “Race Bike” as they were called when I was younger, a white 10 speed derailleur with drop handle bars and those extra arms on the brakes levers so that you could activate the brakes while your hand were on the top section of the handle bar, all mod cons in those days. And lets be honest, “Race Bikes” are built for anorexic stick insects, not somebody weighing just under 19st, at least that was my reasoning back then. Walking into the bike shop for the first time was an eye opener, the placed was packed with bikes and customers and some of the prices………. After about an hour I left having purchased a Cannondale F5 for me and a Specialized Myka for the wife, some lights, crud catchers and a helmet for the wife (I had a helmet at home I was intending to use).

It was not long before I was back at the shop purchasing a new helmet for me (I had forgotten why I stopped wearing it). This was quickly followed by a pump, puncture repair kit and water bottle & cage. Next on the shopping list was a track pump and some cleaning gear and lubrication. As anybody who has owned a bike will know how the list went on.

It was not only the ancillary bits that I was buying, the first item to change on the bike was the handle bar grips, I fitted a pair of Ergon GR2 handle bar grips. Due to a warranty issue I had to have a new frame, but the same frame was no longer available. So a better compatible frame from there F2 range was sourced from the USA, apparently the European F2 is a completely different bike to the American F2 and is a better frame than the F5. Just before I found out that I needed a new frame I ordered a new pair of Recon Race single air front forks, thankfully they went on the new frame. Since then I have changed the pedals to get a better grip, the handles bars and seat to improve the riding position. I keep telling the wife I am building another bike by stealth……..

Here is my bike as it stands today

My bike after a wash and service

and here is my old F5

My bike having a scenic rest

Not a lot of difference when you look at the pictures but it is a completely different bike now, a lot lighter.

The one aspect of biking I have not bought into yet is the clothing, the price of some of the kit really scares me even more than the price of bikes. I currently ride with a base layer top and a pair of lycra running trousers, a pair of normal shorts over the top, an old fleeced jacket and a pair of hiking shoes. The only concessions I have made to biking clothing is a pair of gloves and a pair of seal skin water proof socks.

While I was writing this I did thinking about adding up what I spent on cycling to date, I decided very quickly that it would not be a good idea……..

With the UK obsession with the weather you would of thought that the met office & co would be able to forecast the weather with some degree of accuracy. There certainly no need to to discuss their failing concerning our BBQ summer and mild winter…………NOT!

Friday’s forecast for us was rain, what we got, cloud, blue sky’s and sunshine. Today’s forecast, heavy rain shower in the morning clearing into the afternoon to give sunshine with occasional shower and light winds. Actual, damp grey cloudy morning leading to occasional sunshine, light rain shower (about 5 minutes) and winds between 18mph to 24mph.

They spend millions on satellites and we are no closer to forecasting it correctly than the guy with a rock and pampas grass in his garden. He looks out of his bedroom window first thing in the morning and concludes if the rock is wet, it is raining, if the pampas grass is swaying it is windy, if there is a shadow of the rock or pampas grass it is sunny………..you get the picture.

My interest in the weather today was based on the fact that it was supposed to be a good day today and a lousy day tomorrow. We almost did not ride today because the weather looked so miserable when we got up. But as we were being told that Sunday was likely to be a day of heavy rain and strong winds then I wanted to make the most of riding Saturday. Thankfully for us (the wife and thee) the forecasted rain this morning never turned up, the wind put in an un-welcome appearance and boy was it warm (when out of the wind). The only rain we saw was at 14:15 this afternoon as we were about to drive off from the New Forest.

The ride its self was not to bad a lot of standing water, must remember to keep my mouth shut when going down hill at speed, track water does not taste nice. We decided to do a shorten Linwood Loop in the New Forest. We started at the bottom of the South Oakley Inclosure (east of Burley), ride up to the Canadian War Memorial, then out towards the A31 going under the dual carriageway and then turning off towards Broomy Lodge and the Broomy Inclosure, then on to Linwood and the Red Shoot pub. We stopped at the pub for a nice sandwich and a drink, no it was coke in fact…….. and very nice it was to.
It was here that we had a problem, the battery in the GPS expired and the map of the route was in the car. I had only done this route once but fortunately remembered the directions to get us up onto Bratley Plain than back to the road under the A31 and back toward the War Memorial. Normally from here we would carry on past the War Memorial down toward the deer sanctuary and back to the car park where we started. But the short loop mean we go back down the track we came up on through the South Oakley Inclosure to the car park for a little under 17 miles with a few large hills (well they are to us).

Thankfully there was no problems with either bike this ride. If there is a chance I will ride tomorrow if not I will spend the day giving the bike a good clean.

I don’t mind some part of my body hurting if I have bashed it or done something to it, but I am not keen of those pains that just creep up on you from no where. Sunday afternoon I became aware of a pain in my neck………..right who said the wife, shame on you!!! Back to the plot, anyway as afternoon became evening it got progressively worse to the point when I got up Monday morning I could not turn my head without a lot of pain on the left side of my neck towards the back of my neck. I don’t have a clue what caused it, all I know is that it is damm painful and none of the painkillers I had in the house got any where near dulling the pain.

With not be able to turn my head I have not been able to drive, so I have spent the last two days off work. As it is now I can move my head with just some mild discomfort, so assuming nothing happens between now and tomorrow morning I will be back to work tomorrow.

Well yesterday night was weigh in night and as I could not drive we had to walk to the meeting at least it is only down the road. Not sure if it was the walk or the previous weeks diet but I managed to loose 1.5lbs last week, which considering everything that was not to bad. At least now I am heading in the right direction again.