It's good to catch up

It has been ages since I saw my mate, John. Now that John is working, it's hard for him to find the time. When he is not at work he is generally looking after his young daughter, whilst his wife Kristina goes out and tries to earn a few bob. It happens to most of us, just life I guess, not having enough time to do the things we would like, as we are caught up in the rat race and trying to keep our heads afloat.

Up to the Farmers Trail

John had let me know a couple of weeks ago he may have a spot of spare time, as he had taken a few days off, and so we planned a ride out together. It's always good to catch up, and we always have a laugh, mind you, more often as not it is at all the things that go wrong when we plan an adventure and begin it. This morning was no different. As usual, John rocked up on time, and as usual, I was not ready. I am more of a spur of the moment type guy, so planning the night before is, well just a chore. I do have to say at least I could find all my gear this morning, all I really needed to do was blow up my tires oh and check my Specialized Turbo Levo was connecting to my bike. Speaking of which...


After the last time I decided to venture to the coast I think it was Christmas Day when I first got my new eBike and discovering, about 5 miles from home that my battery had run out, then having the ride from hell the remainder of the way back home I had done some research. I have had a fiddle with the mobile app that works alongside my bike and goes into the "tune" section. You will see from my picture the settings I have chosen. These actually worked quite well today. I did not run out of battery I actually had 25% remaining. I used mainly Eco mode and at some points even turned off the battery all together on the way to the coast. On the way back I used a combo of Trail and on some steep sections right at the end Turbo.

New settings

  At some points on our ride out, on the way home I even gave John a helping hand, quite literally as I rode and pushed him up some of the inclines.


Getting back to this morning, as I went to pop my helmet on, getting ready for the off, something fell off the side. It was the threaded visor adjuster on my Bell helmet. "Good job it came off in the house," I thought, it would have been a nightmare to find out on the trail. As John and I left my back yard we were just about to set off and as John went to put his helmet on, something came off his lid. We picked up the small threaded like knob and looked everywhere on his helmet, but couldn't see a spot for the piece that had come off. "Just pop it in your pocket," I said, so John did just that. We then rode over to the Farmers Trail and as John got off his bike to step over the trail gate, he knocked the visor on his helmet. "Oh," he said, "It's never done that before" as he demonstrated his visor waggling up and down. I had a look at his helmet and "Ahhh that is where that threaded bit goes". I had a bit of a nightmare trying to tuck the threaded visor retainer in place. No screwdriver so I couldn't just remove the visor. What a fiddly job, but I managed to get it sorted and screwed uptight.

Little threaded retainer

A nightmare to get in under the visor without taking it off

Yay up the Farmers Trail, as we approached the top I was a little ahead, all I heard was John shout "Awwww I don't fucking believe it". Here's me thinking "Omg, what's up". John then pointed to his water bottle on his bike frame. "Oh Dear" I definitely don't think that is chocolate John". John is a proper shit magnet, every ride we go on and I mean every ride he gets covered in the stuff.
"How am I going to drink out of that" John says, followed by "Oh man it stinks". John then does his usual trick, of trying to clean his bike with any nearby twigs or in this case leaves, muttering to himself "it's every time and always me".

Errr definitely Not Chocolate

Why Me? "It's supposed to be lucky John"

That's it just wipe it on the grass

All Clean, just don't put your mouth on end :/

Further POO investigation

  Anyhoo a very enjoyable morning out covering 45.17 miles. Heading from home down to Roker, and doing a loop via South Shields. Coming out of Shields and heading up towards WhitemarePool roundabout, then heading up through Springwell and Wreckington, to take a route into Birtley, then all the way up the C2C and back home.

The new Bridge at Sunderland

John still sniffing his fingers

The eBike is the way to go as although I have used the motor I can still feel like I have exerted myself. Plus with this bike, I can pretty much take a few weeks off riding and then just hop on it and not feel like I am going to cough up a lung, or beast myself, hence getting totally fed up with riding.

Weird sort of day, over cast at times, then warm, then raining

Riding along the Cliff Trail at Seaburn

On the way home