1 June - London
Last Wednesday, my son drove Raven and me to Bridgwater for a well-deserved service (the one and only one on my trip having been a splendid one in Dubai, after which she looked so gleamingly brand new that I hardly recognised her). She ended up with 2 new tyres, new brake and gear cables, new rear brake pads, back light securely re-mounted. And that was all. Not bad, I thought. The bike mechanic and I discussed the state of the chain, which, we both agreed, was OK. I had a quick lesson in removing links, but thought I didn't really need to know this, as I'd most likely just go along to a bike shop if such was needed. Hmmm ....
Having loitered around Bridgwater town centre for a couple of, surprisingly pleasant, hours, I collected Raven and set off about 1.20pm to cycle the 50 miles back home. A few miles up the road - and my chain came off. Hmmm .... Having replaced it, I continued home. On Friday afternoon, I finally got down to tightening the chain - and couldn't! There was too much slack in it! After phoning my cycle shop and being told that now was the time to take out a link, I had no choice but to try it myself, as I needed to have Raven roadworthy for the weekend. After practicing on a small length of chain, I took the bull by the horns, managed to open a link and remove the chain, taking the opportunity to clean it thoroughly, before reconnecting it on the bike. There was a bit of trouble finding the optimum position loose enough to relink it, but, finally, hey, presto, it was done! I ended up covered in oil, but rewarded myself with a self-satisfied smile.
On the day I returned from Bridgwater and, literally as I pulled into my driveway, I clocked up 20,000 miles on my cyclometer!! :-) . Don't you think that was appropriate: that it happened on the return home from having my bike serviced following my trip? I did.
I am currently in London with my elder brother; my children and I having driven up on Sunday for my younger brother's 50th. I brought my bike, in order to cycle back to Almondsbury over 2 days (110 miles). Saw some Polish jazz at the South Bank Centre yesterday.
27 June - Almondsbury
I am giving my first trip talk on Friday 9 July. For those interested in coming along, it will be in St Mary's Church, Almondsbury, 7 for 7.30pm start. Admission is free. Donations will go to The Leprosy Mission.
Someone said to me that it will probably take at least 6 months to readjust to 'normal' life. That might well be so. I am certainly glad I incorporated a 3-month period between returning home and resuming work.
Although I am enjoying putting together a presentation fo my trip, it is very frustrating, as it is taking forever: choosing, sorting, editing photos and inserting into a powerpoint; being beset with computer problems; for instance, having to deal with blue screens after plugging in a portable hard drive, designed to be acting as my back-up! Even having replaced it for another, the same thing happened!?!
Not too much cycling has
been done these last few weeks. I enjoyed the 70-odd miles from London
to Marlborough, meeting a friend, then being driven home in an open-top
car with my bike sticking up on the back seat. My daughter and I
cycled the Bristol-Bath cycle route
the other day, caught a local, trundling train back to Bristol Parkway,
from there cycling home (26 miles total). My son and I yesterday cycled to
Purton, on the Sharpness-Gloucester canal,
along quiet country lanes, stopping on the way back at a local inn to
watch the first half of the doomed England/Germany match, continuing
home during half-time for the second half (40 miles).
