spooky

I went for a night ride along the sixmilewater river last night. Not far, just five miles or so. I was on my hybrid bike, so I didn't venture too far off the path. The only lights were from my bike and the only sounds were the water and the wildlife. I even heard a fish jumping in the mill race. I reckon the best things to do to relax are simple, but require your full attention, like juggling, or flying a kite. Night riding off road definitely fits into the same category. Because it was so dark, I found myself using sounds and smells for navigation almost as much as my sight.
I'll definitely be doing some more of that - next time I'll take the marin.

it's all worked out beautifully

On Friday I'd another appointment to get my splint adjusted, So I took the bike on the train again and rode there. Bit better prepared this time, I had canterburys on and a couple of geobars in my pocket, but I left my bottle of water on my desk in work.
When I was about a quarter of a mile from the OT's I felt the dreaded rumble.
Flat tyre.
No repair kit.
15 miles from home.

Pushing the bike, I was trying to think where the nearest bike shop was, when I almost walked past this:
"Can you fix a puncture?"
silly question to ask in a puncture repair shop.
"you'll have to leave it" they said.
"I'll be back in an hour" I said;
and crossed the road to see Ali for my appointment. After my appointment I picked up the bike, gave them a fiver and rode the rest of the way home. Couldn't have planned it better.

knew I wouldn't keep it up

So it would appear that my regular entries to the old blog are slipping. I'll bring you up to date. Friday two weeks ago I took the bike on the train to work, then cycled home. I wasn't properly prepared - I was wearing jeans and boots, and I didn't have any water or food with me. I know it's only 25 miles, but there's no point making life harder than it has to be.

Coming out of the city it's uphill for the first few miles. I was tootling along, pleased with myself that I wasn't off and pushing (OK so it's not that steep) when a man in his seventies whooshed past me on a racing bike. Boy did I feel inadequate. I caught up with him at the lights and he slowed down so we could chat. He was 'winter training' but on his good bike because apparently there's a race next week. He told me I should do some charity cycle at the end of march, because it's for all abilities. Of course I promptly forgot where it is. Then he recommended a quiet road that'd take me home and hared off into the distance.

Maybe when I'm in my seventies I'll suddenly become that fit.

fits like a glove

Yet another appointment for my wrist, this time with an occupational therapist to make a 'gauntlet'.

Ali Hunter is the OT extraordinaire. She asked all the usual questions, then she actually measured my range of movement and grip strength. She's the first person to have done it properly with all the tools, and even I was surprised at how bad my right wrist is. I was certain, even though it's sore, that my right hand was significantly stronger than my left; turns out it's quite a bit weaker.

The aim of the gauntlet is to take the weight off my ulna (and therefore my TFCC) when I'm riding.

Ali then took a sheet of thermoplastic, cut it to size, melted it (at 65○C apparently) in an electric frying pan like my mum used for cooking in the caravan.
She'd been thinking quite a bit about how best to make a splint specifically to wear while riding the bike, so she cut a tiny hole in one end and draped it all over my arm, with my thumb through the hole. She held it in place, with my wrist at the angle I usually hold it while riding, and the end of the splint along the palm where the handlebar will sit.
The plastic cooled in shape and Ali took it and did some cutting, cleaning up and added some padding in a very fetching pink colour. I just don't understand why medical companies think bright pink makes things invisible. I even looked it up online thinking it was just that Ali only had one colour. Nope, it's called Hapla Fleecy web, and it only comes in 'flesh' colour. Let me tell you, medical experts, if your flesh is that colour you need to go and see a doctor quick smart. It's never going to be invisible, so they could at least make it a less embarrassing colour.
With a couple more minor adjustments, she added Velcro straps and away I went.

It's very comfortable and it does hold my wrist firm while I'm riding. Haven't tried it on singletrack yet, but bunny hopping up and down kerbs last night at 25mph I was able to pretty much forget I was wearing it.

Winter training

Kung fu has been getting easier week by week. Not only have my muscles been getting more used to the upper body exercise, but also the classes have been better balanced. Another couple of weeks of pad work and circuits before ritchie plans to step up to the next level of cardio fitness. Can't wait(!)
On the downside, all the padwork is not good for somebody with perforated wrist ligaments and osteoarthritis (did I mention the MRI shows i've got arthritis?) I strap-em up tight and try to punch fast rather than hard, so I'm still hanging together.

hot stuff.

I got gas and tried out my Coleman Outlander stove this week. I plan to take the kids camping in May or June for a night or two at a time, so it'll get a proper try-out then. It lights easy enough with the firesteel (sparks drop down from a firesteel so it's safer than a lighter and won't blow out like matches) and burns fiercely. The adjuster knob doesn't reduce the flame until the last quarter turn, but with a wee bit of practice I should be able to get anything from roaring furnace to simmering warmth.

I fancy a primus eta power pot, but i'll have to measure the stove's pot supports to make sure it'll fit.

All that gear - will I be fit to use it?

I've been recovering slowly from last week's kung fu; a proper warm up and warm down would have helped. If it wasn't for the long term goal I'm sure I wouldn't go back, but if I don't go back then I've basically lost a week of training because I've been in too much pain to go for a long ride - just the usual short commute. Normally I'd ride to prayer triplet on Mondays, but this week i'd another meeting before it and it was raining and I had to put the wains to bed. (excuses, excuses, excuses, I know)
Hopefully I'll be in better shape after the training tomorrow and can fit in some proper rides next week.

but it was a bargain...!

I bought a silk sleeping bag liner off ebay from the Scottish Silkworm.
It's a pretty basic bag, sort of tapered a bit to help it fit in a mummy bag, double-stitched down the sides with a bit left unstitched at one side to make it easier to get in and out and a flap for a pillow. It looks well enough made. That's a description, not a review. There's no point me reviewing it until I've used it.