Avoiding the Mole Hills

Early on in the week Sunday to be exact, as Sunday is kind of my Monday due to my work pattern. I decided I fancied using up a day of my annual leave, so took today, Wednesday off. I had been thinking as my new tendons had arrived for my BTK Crossover I may as well get out and go for a blast.

 


Anyhoo when I awoke this morning my little internal voice was saying "baa just have a nice relaxing day in, go on pop the telly on and watch a bit of Netflix" and this is exactly what I did. Firstly watching a canny movie called Polar starring Mads Mikkelsen and that hot lass from Vikings, Katheryn Winnick. I then went on to watch the last episode of season 2 of The Punisher. "Mmmm what to do now". I hopped up stairs on my sticks (no leg on at this point) and sat on the edge of my bed staring at myself in my wardrobe mirror, sort of gathering my thoughts and having a bit of a debate with my internal self as to whether I should head out and brave the cold.

In the end I won, convincing myself it would be a jolly good idea to not waste my day off and go out and do something less boring instead. On with my bike gear and a hop back down stairs to retrieve and set up my BTK Crossover. I still had to attach the cams and new tendons, so whipped out my socket set and sorted that. I then remembered I had 100 psi in the shock from my last ride out, so dropped this to around 50 psi. I am still experimenting with the knee set-up alongside the new cams.

Walking Mode

Cams in place

New Tendons

I popped my Shimano Boot on my good foot and then applied the alchol spray to my liner and socket and popped my BTK on. As I went to tie my other boot lace the bloody thing snapped. On closer inspection, it became clear wor Baxter had been at it again and chewed my laces, little git. I couldn't find any replacement laces so ended up popping my 5:10 (Five/Ten) mountain bike shoes on.

No more hold ups I was out the door and away, again deciding to take my Specialized Turbo Levo, as well it is just so fun to ride and as I wasn't exactly in the mood in the first place, meant I didn't have to beast myself up any hills LoL.

The farmers trail beckoned, "yep I'm on my way". There wasn't as much frost on the ground as on my last adventure, in fact the farmers trail was canny muddy. The large puddles were still frozen over like and I took great pleasure in riding through them and breaking the ice. I love the sound my tyres make when they crunch through the ice.

Kerrrrrrunch!

Love the sound of breaking ice

Off towards Tanfield Railway, along the back trail, saying "hello" to a few walkers on the way and pointing a couple of them in the right direction to get across the stream and come along the other side of the railway lines.

Tanfield Railway

Soon I was over the Causey Arch bridge, no cocks today saying "Do you know you are not supposed to ride bikes here" then onto the Causey Road. I again headed for Hedley Hall Woods, as I fancied exploring the other side of the woods. I have been on this side before but it was ages ago.

Once in Hedley Hall Woods I noticed there were loads of mole hills, they were dotted all over, as I explored and just played around I was weaving in and out of them. It was a cold day, however there was some glorious sunshine breaking through the trees from time to time. I guess if I had looped around the wood in the opposite direction I may have got some better video footage, as there may have been more flares in my shots. It's amazing how much footage I think I take and then when I get home and edit it all I am lucky if I have 2 minutes or so LoL.

I'm not going to bore you with the ride home I just came through Beamish, past Coppy Lodge. Stopped in the farmers field as there was an interesting plough, with a nice back drop of some hay bails.

Specialized Turbo Levo Carbon Comp 2019

Cracking bike to ride

Very dissapointed when I got home as the Specialized Mission Control App, which is siupposed to log my rides using Strava says I did less than a mile. Technology is great when it works, but a pain in the ass when it doesn't. Have to say though I am really enjoying riding this new eBike. It just makes riding so much more pleasurable for me and afterwards I am not half as sore or worn out. At times if I have been out on one of my regular bikes and done a good few miles taking in some hills, it always seems to take me a few days to recover. Hey may be it is also old age.

Off to Pace Rehabiltaion tomorrow. The check socket Paul my prosthetist has sorted out for me appears spot on. I don't think it will need much of anything done and then it will be on to the final socket and lots more adventures.