or not as the case may be!

I think i need to get some, i've had a bit of a 'mare week on some fronts. But its not all bad.

So firstly, a huge thank you to everyone who has purchased a copy of Balancing Trick this week, i hope that it meets expectations and that you enjoy reading it.

Back to the more mundane. After the deflation drama of Tuesday's ride, i ventured out very cautiously on Thursday, the forecast suggested a high of 0c and the chance of icy surfaces kept me on the roads more travelled. It was never gonna be a long ride, too cold for that, so i did a shorter, 60km loop up to Oldbury on Severn for tea and cake. The sun was out but did little to help the temperature.

Friday was much the same for temperature but with less sunshine, i got as far as the PO - i needed to send a house warming card to my daughter who has moved to her new flat this weekend.

The forecast for Saturday was milder, maybe 4c after lunch so i planned to do a solid 100km effort into the hills east of The Mendip. The first leg down to Bath went well, the route ahead dancing around the grey matter and then things changed. The bike track south from the city goes through a couple of tunnels and the first one was closed for maintenance - bum, what now? Well it meant a big climb over the hill but i could pick up the trail after the tunnels.

Which is what i did. I managed about 200m when i rejoined the trail before the way was closed again. I was glad to have the E power, the road diversion is quite testing and my potential tea stop was behind me by the time i returned to the route at Wellow, oh well, there are other options further on.

They say luck comes in threes and today mine had been the wrong sort compounded further just along the road. On a steep ramp, maybe 20%, i flicked the lever to change down and nothing, frantically i tried again but there was no movement. Instead the chain went to the highest gear, It was only by sheer bloody mindedness that i overcame the ensuing stall and heaved myself over the top. The news wasn't good, the down shifter was just waggling and doing nothing, the bike was stuck in top gear, the ride back to Brizz was gonna be 'interesting to say the least, even with battery assist.

Clearly my original plan needed to be curtailed but the shorter return options all had steep inclines that with the gearing even on full boost i didn't reckon i'd avoid lengthy walks. I played through the options, the flattest route still had several nasty ups, even just retracing, given the tunnel closure, would be difficult which left me with a longer route where i thought all the ups doable even if not entirely neccesary. I did end up walking a short way, no momentum and a grade that was just too steep for the motor essentially on its own, but once past that i managed to keep things rolling all the way back. Of the 80km distance, 50km was after the mechanical along with @ 500m of climbing - not something i want to repeat.

The lever is kapput, it was clearly on its way before i took custody of the bike, replacements are available which is good, the job is straightforward, finding the £50 to buy the part is the only hangup! I have all sorts of spares - tyres, tubes, cables, brake pads/blocks and other bits that could get my road bikes back on the road, what i don't have is stuff for flat bar bikes. Oh well, looks like Foxy will be out on the road again sooner than i planned, its not like i need the assist is it?

And so to today. I've uploaded the next Gaby chapter, Get on your bike and ride!, more shennanigans on Tenerife! The laundry is done, next up is starting dinner, roast leg of lamb today - both Aunty Bev and myself do like a bit of lamb, so that'll keep me occupied for a while.

Hopefully the coming week will have less drama and i can get on with some writing.

wiedersehn,
Maddy Anafrid