7th September 2015 Cambium woes.

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Monday 7th 45-59F, 7-15C, cool, bright and still.  Shame it will be blowing 12 m/s, 25mph later.

I haven't mentioned the C17 Cambium saddle since I put it back on again. My first trial must have found me with saddle sores. I found it distinctly hard, unforgiving and uncomfortable. Which I put down to the ridiculous transverse curve across the back. It still isn't comfortable but is becoming tolerable for under 30 mile rides. The design department obviously came a very poor second to the hype department:

I enjoyed a pleasant walk in bright sunshine as the wind rose steadily to take the warmth off the rising temperatures. A jay complained noisily at my intrusion into his woods. Brambles seem to have taken over the tracks where I often used to walk my loop. I struggled through with the aid of my climbing gaiters against the spiky undergrowth. The secondhand [as new] Ecco boots are still working well. Though they are certainly lighter they are less supportive than the Salomon Quest on rougher ground.

Had an enjoyable and hilly ride out into the wind in bright sunshine. Stopped to film and photograph a harvester which was working right beside the road. A nice tailwind coming home via further shops. I am now eating a dark chocolate muesli bar to fend off tiredness. Cheaper than energy bars, delicious and palatable. No doubt I shall weigh 15 stones by the end of the month but the Cambium will have become an air mattress! I wonder whether Sella-Brooks ever thought of weight grouping their saddles?  What about: Skinny runt, Normal and North American buffalo? Suit yourselves. You will anyway. 21 miles.

Tuesday 8th 46F, 8C, perfectly still and rather misty. Dry, with some sun and wind later. Light winds and sunshine on an early ride.  Roads very quiet. 13 miles.

Wednesday 9th 48-63[?]F, 9-17[?]C, sunny, still and bright. Light winds and sunshine forecast. Off with ye olde Goth bag and Trykit rack and on with the Carradice Junior and pink, HGV sports bag. Off we, jolly well, go!

An almost perfect day for a ride but never really still. I was keeping up the cadence to around 100rpm and climbing well despite the cross headwind. Two peacocks narrowly avoided a collision as they chose my arrival to cross the road. They must not have seen a tricycle before because they were still running when I glanced back.

Sometimes you have to wait 900 years for  the light to be just right.

I supplemented my usual cheese sandwich with several small meuslie bars washed down with apple juice. Again I found the bars made me want to drink more water than usual. I hadn't tried these bars before and, though tasty, would have preferred quite a bit more texture. Muesli was probably an exaggeration despite the wild claims on the box. Nor did I approve of double packaging to hide the truly minute size of the contents!

I risked keeping the Cambium on today but it was a very mixed experience. Despite wearing my best bibs I began to really notice the Cambium after 25 miles. From then on it never really forgave my completely unwarranted optimism. With periods of pain and discomfort not much helped by climbing out of the saddle as often as possible and even getting off far more than I usually do.

I sat beside the sea at Bogense expecting peace and quiet for my packed lunch on a closed road. Only for a tedious bore to arrive in his car, stop right opposite me, throw the door open wide and begin a loud conversation at an IQ level well below 60! Even then I'm being extremely generous. His wife added to the joy by smoking directly upwind of me. It was a huge relief to get going again and head west. I ate my second sandwich standing up in Ore village, church car park where I wasn't troubled by any knuckle draggers. And where I also took the first of only two pictures of the day.

Eventually I reached the main road towards Middelfart. [For which fine name Google spelling checker suggested Delftware!] Fortunately the traffic was quite light and generally well behaved on this pretty, undulating and sometimes, twisty route. The road had just been resurfaced. So I used the traffic lane as much as possible to avoid the usual debris in the cycle lane. No doubt the next ice age will clear these moraines before the council has to.

A spaceman has an intimate moment with bees.

Once I had reached my goal I could start south again with a building, cross to tailwind. Despite the extra nourishment and more frequent rest days I was quite tired towards the end. Perhaps it was all the standing up just to avoid the Cambium?

Reading back through this diatribe it sound as if I didn't enjoy my day out. Far from it. The variety of scenery is always pleasant on the eye and the endless greenery gladdens the heart. If you had to spend five hours on a bike anywhere it would be difficult to beat West Fyn in Denmark for somewhere to do it. I only have to think back to the misery of sharing the roads with the sociopaths in the UK to offer grateful thanks to the God Ra. And boo-sucks to the evil Sella-Brooks for trying [so hard] to spoil it! Only 56, mostly painful, miles.

Thursday 10th 54F, 12C, breezy, bright overcast. Mainly dry but showers possible. Nearly two hour walk through the more distant forest and back along the road. Clomping across stubbly fields saved some time and distance. I saw a dark bird of prey with very long wings and tail soaring over the treetops but it had no obvious markings. Later a white form of buzzard was holding a commanding position on a pile of soil in the middle of a field. It was quite happy to remain there until a crow took off in alarm. Several jays were making a racket in the woods. Finally, a male pheasant was parading his harem of seven females across a large, well trimmed, rural lawn.

Plastered the B17 saddle with Proofide before putting it back on along with the Goth bag and Trykit  rack. Just a short ride today. Easterly headwind going. Tailwind coming back. Only 7 miles.

A single, large animal [?] footprint on a track in in the woods.

The toe of my size 11/46 boot is shown for comparison.
There seemed to be pads like a dog or cat.
Horse riding is banned in the woods.

Friday 11th 53F, 12C, light breeze, bright start but rain and wind promised by lunchtime. Drowned rat alert! The squeamish should probably look away now: 

I had gone 11 miles and was committed to a route which took me directly away from home when it started raining. Before long it was throwing horizontal stair rods as thick as  mist. At times the rain was so heavy and it was blowing so hard that it looked like snow coming off the tops of the hedges. With an inch of standing water in places and just as much flowing downhill there was little or no chance of getting a tan today. I sheltered under assorted trees as it renewed its fury and sogginess at intervals. I was soon wet right through and plodding towards home with a crosswind. It is times the like this when I question the true value of a £15 supermarket cycling jacket. A bin bag with arm and head cutouts would be no worse but for the lack of a zip! 20 miles.

Saturday 12th 55F, 13C, light breeze, heavy overcast, thundery showers possible. Will he or wont he? He did [ride] but it didn't.[rain] Headwind going which made me feel rather tired. Crosswind on my return made me feel like a pro.[cyclist] Lots of SUVs about today including some exclusive examples. One person in his Mercedes minibus thought it would be fun to floor the accelerator in a 30mph zone. It sounded like he managed third before he had to lift off with a noisy crackle. Tuned or badly tuned? Who cares? I expect he/they/it reached 100mph by the end of the straight. I only managed 15 miles and counting.

Sunday 13th 57-61F, 14-16C, windy with heavy overcast. Early rain or showers should clear later. It mostly drizzled until lunchtime. Mid afternoon ride under heavy, grey skies with light winds. Roads and shops very quiet. 22 miles.

Click on any image for an enlargement.

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