When life gives you lemons

 “When life gives you lemons”... What do I mean by that? Well this whole amputation business not only really sucks due to having lost a leg, but also in the fact that now none of my sockets fit, and I feel even more disabled, in fact I would say I am pretty much a professional cripple. That said, I have refused to just sit around and become a couch tatty. I thank the Universes that I am still able to ride my bikes, in a fashion. Yes my cycling socket is huge, and I have to stop every now and again and adjust it, to try to create some sort of a seal, but hey I am still managing to enjoy my riding. I constantly try to remind myself of all the things I have to be grateful for, yeah things come along in life, and we all get those “WTF” moments, however I guess it is how we then move on and deal with stuff.


My trip to the Disability Service Centre was a disappointing one on Friday. I knew before I even attended my appointment that the newly made check socket wouldn't go anywhere near my stump. I decided to take proactive action and so took my old socket, and just asked my prosthetist to pop my knee back under that one. I figured better to have a socket that is a wee bit too big, rather than something that feels like a boa constrictor attached to my stump, and prevents me from walking half a block.


Following the disappointment of Friday, I awoke about 7:00am on Saturday, it was probably the quickest I have ever made a decision to just get ready and head out. I even amazed myself as I found everything to hand, no searching for a missing sock, or a favourite pair of shorts or jersey. No fannying about with tech. I was just ready and out the door, heading out on my new Favourite bike, my Orbea Gain Gravel bike.

Passing through Watergate  Park

At Dunston Staithes

I won't bore you too much with my route, other than to say I ended up at Newcastle, crossed the Millennium bridge and so went from the Gateshead side over to the Newcastle side. I then rode up the Quayside and basically followed the C2C route 72 heading up and crossing Scotswood bridge. From there, straight up the Derwent Walk and a loop back home, covering 35.21 miles (ca. 57 km) according to my cycling computer.


It was interesting to see the stats created on the Orbea page whilst using the bikes App. I used a mixture of levels of assist, going from 0 all the way to level 3. I think what has made my riding more enjoyable is the fact I am using my bike to actually enjoy each ride, rather than trying to grind out a ride as if I have something to prove. This way of thinking and the use of the eBike has also allowed me to get out more as other than my ass being sore, I don't feel lacking of energy, whereas in the past a physically demanding long ride would have meant I was pretty fatigued a good bit of the week.


Upon arriving home after my ride out I made a couple of Turkey and jam sandwiches, petted wor Baxter, as he had been in by himself and of course shared a bit of my sandwich with him. I then went and had a shower and got changed. It was still reasonably early in the day, and I was thinking, “Mmmmm” what to do?

I decided to go for a walk and try out my old socket. I mentioned just the other day that with the new socket it was absolutely crushing me and I managed about half a block, having to walk on my tip toe on my good leg, in order to get my prosthetic one through. Well my old socket in order to get it to fit I had to wear two seals to try to keep it on. Nowt worse than your leg dropping off mid-stride and people looking, pointing and commenting... “Ohh look that blokes leg has just dropped off”.


The bank I live on is a pretty steep one, so by the time I was only a quarter of the way up I was thinking “Dear me, this is hard work”. It's bizarre, there I was thinking I was quite fit, yet I am struggling to walk a few meters. I simply turned my mp3 player up and continued on with the bright idea that I would walk from our house over to my mate Corkers house at Tantobie. To cut a long story short, some hour and a half later I arrived at Corkers. Man I was knackered and my hip and back were killing me, but hey I had achieved my goal, plus it was a nice day.


Moving on to today, I was again a bit bored so got me biking gear oot, got ready and decided to go for another tootle on the Orbea. This time I popped my GoPro chesty mount on and attached my GoPro, thinking I would have a bash at filming a Time Warp video. It hasn't come out too bad, though I think I need to adjust the camera up slightly if I do another one. It's hard to judge the position of the camera when I am leant over on the cabs on the bars.

 
 

Well that's about it, what to do now? Probably more food and then go practice some guitar and ukulele. I am chuffed to bits just learnt to play “Drunken Sailor”, it sounds so happy on my little ukulele...

Not much to report

 Not much to report really, so this is just a short entry.


After speaking to Occupational Health yesterday, and discussing a plan of action,  I agreed it would be a good idea to try and return to work in another 2 weeks.     I explained that I still did not have a good fitting socket, as a matter of fact the new socket I received which I have being trying to persevere with, is feeling way too tight. This was really evident following my chat with the OH nurse, as I decided "Oh if I am going back to work I had better start being more active wearing my leg, and so attempted to go for a walk". Needless to say, I managed 0.26 miles, which is roughly halfway around the block, before having to return home as my stump was being crushed.

Not good at all, especially as I am due back at the Disability Service Centre this Friday to re-try another check socket, which I now know is going to be no good as it will be way too small.

I have therefore retrieved my old socket from the loft and will ask my prosthetist to set up my Rheo XC micro-processed knee back on that, and I guess I will just have to grin and bare it..."Ahh! The life of an amputee".

My weight and I guess my fitness level has changed quite considerably ever since this whole Covid thing, what with shielding, then having nowt to do so starting to ride and exercise every day. Add to the fact because I have been off work and my appetite has increased, well it's pretty inevitable I was going to change shape. Obviously, I didn't expect all these problems with limb fit and then the psychological knock on effects, as man it is so frustrating and stressful, when all you want to do is crack on and be "normal".

At least I can still ride my bike. I am losing the seal in my cycling socket, however because I am pretty much in contact with the bike, via the saddle and through the pedals I can more or less keep my leg in situ. Of course, it sucks that I cannot ride using my Bartlett Tendon, along with the tendons and ride out of the saddle, but at the moment I am content just doing a few miles and being out in the fresh air on my Orbea Gravel bike. Guess it goes back to that old saying "It's not what you can't do, but what you can do".

  

 

Anyhoo this morning I completed a just under 12 mile loop. Very pleased the Mahle Smartbike App appears to be behaving itself. I had the Orbea Gain set in sports mode, this gives the bike it's full power when needed. I kind of cheated today as I used level 3 on some of the steeper banks. I was out mainly just to clear my head and not beast myself. That is the beauty of an electric bike, you can set it up and use it to make a ride that bit more enjoyable. Don't get me wrong, even today there were certain sections where I turned off all assist, and no it wasn't just cruising down banks Lol.

 

Lets see if it works this time?

 Yet another lie in, following a late night. My body clock is totally out of sync, due to being off work. Normally I have my alarm set for 6:30 am, Sunday through to Wednesday, which gives me enough time to get up, have some breakfast and then head through to Newcastle for work.

Hopefully the Disability Service Centre will sort me out with a new prosthetic socket soon, and I can get back to work. It has been so frustrating and stressful being off, it's not like I am actually sick, I just don't have a limb I can wear for a prolonged period without it causing me a lot of pain and discomfort. It kind of comes with being an amputee I guess.

I have noticed my weight fluctuate quite a bit over the last few months, going from my old socket being way too big and requiring a smaller socket to be made to, jumping on the scales the other day and weighing in at just over 14 stone, with my prosthetic leg on. That is the heaviest I have been for quite some time. It is probably as a result of my changed diet, having decided to go from a vegetarian, to more of a flexitarian. Plus my ongoing exercise routine, which I do every day and has been going on for well over 2 years now.

Anyhoo just a bit of background there... It's relevant, in that the exercise, which includes my cycling, has really kept me sane. There is nothing worse than feeling just when things are getting back to normal, something else comes along to take the wind from your sails.

Orbea Gain M20 1x sporting new bottle cage

 

So upon waking up this morning I didn't give my little internal voice the chance to say "ahh just stop in, you can always go out another day". Instead, I quickly got my bikey gear from my wardrobe, got ready, popped my Bartlett Tendon on, using it without tendons as I was intending on using my new Orbea Gain gravel bike.

Orbea at the bottom of the Black Path

Yesterday I had fitted a new VEL RL Carbon bottle cage to my Orbea, got it as it matched the colour of my bike. I also bought a Camelbak Podium bottle and filled this up with water straight from the fridge.

Made sure I had the required gear in my Camelbak, how do they say in the US? "Fanny pack", and I was just about ready for the off. I asked Ern to watch me set up the Mahle Smartbike app and connect it to my bike. If you read my other blog post about the first ride on my Orbea, you will know I was most disappointed with the app. I just wanted to make sure I had actually connected the bike to the app.

Ern and I watched as the display said connecting, then a count-down and Go. I decided I would just go out for a ride and not keep stopping, fannying on with the app if it wasn't working. I had figured out the Orbea computer, which sits out in front of the bike's stem. If I hold down the left lower button it resets the distance and the right button when held turns off the bike's lights. Pleased I discovered the button for the lights as I think it's a right faff on trying to switch them off by the frame mounted button, I end up just switching the bike off.

Orbea computer

Oh! And I forgot to mention I adjusted the motor map from custom which is one of the settings to urban. Urban if I remember correctly gives 40% power assist on level 1, 70% on level 2 and 90% on level 3. Now I know that sounds like a lot, however the bike only has a 250w battery, so the power, and its delivery feels a lot less than say on my Specialized Turbo Levo, I will explain as I get further along.

As per usual no real plan of where I was going, I was just out for a ride, it was a canny nice day too. I jumped on the bike, felt weird riding without the resistance of the tendons on my BTK, in a way I didn't feel as confident. What I did notice immediately is without the resistance how much easier it is just to spin. That said, as I didn't have much air in my shock, I couldn't stand out of the saddle if I wanted to do any out of the saddle climbing or if taking in a bumpy trail.

I headed over Durham Road and cut through Holly Hill coming out at St Marys, then headed up towards South Moor passing the "Pinneys", as we used to call them back in the day. Once at South Moor I went up Pine Street and at the top of the street went past the allotments and came to the Black Path. Little photo opportunity.

Dear me, me and technology. I tried to connect my GoPro to my phone, and it just wouldn't connect. This got me thinking, does technology actually help or hinder us? I mean, here I was out for a ride, stopped to take a picture and ended up fucking about with gadgets. In the end, I manually pressed the GoPro button and then spent the next 5 to 10 minutes riding up the Black Path muttering under my breath. I rode up the Black path with my bike set on level 1. I could feel I was still having to put some effort in, but could feel some gentle assistance.

At the top of the Black Path as I passed the houses at Langley View, I used the Orbea computer to turn off all assistance, so selecting "0" on the display. From here to Consett and all the way down the Lanchester Valley, I just rode with no assistance. Have to say the bike rides really well, feels quick and not heavy at all.

Lanchester Valley

Lovely Day

Going down the Lanchester Valley I came to Langley Park and knew which ever way I decided to head there would be a bank. I choose to head towards Jaw Blades, knowing it was a long climb, however thinking this would be a good opportunity to try out the Orbea and see what the assistance was like on all levels. As I started climbing the bank I went from level 1 and 40%, stepping up to level 2 and 70%, then as I reached the toughest bit I had to drop to the smallest cog and climbing at about 4 mph using Level 3 and 90% assist. Again, I know it sound like a lot, however I still found I was working hard. I could hear my rapid heart beat in my ears as I pushed myself up the bank.

Just before coming into Burnhope, I turned right and went down the quiet single track road, where the wind turbines live. Here I was able to turn the bike to level 1 and pretty much coast along the road in a high gear. As I reached the end of the lane, which turns right and heads down a pretty steep bank, I was on the cabs doing about 25mph. My eyes were streaming, and I almost crapped myself when I hit a pothole, and it sent my bike a bit squirrelly. It brought back memories of when I was a teenager and a bus knocked me off my bright red racer, when coming down Crook Gate Bank. Following the squirrelly incident, I then took more care coming down the bank towards the scrapyards at Sacriston. The road here is pretty bumpy, could lose a filling.

From Sacriston I was back on the road and headed towards Daisy Hill and Edmondsley... "Wheeeeeee!" all the way down Edmondsley bank and turned Right at the bottom. Scary being on the road and travelling quite fast, then knowing you have to indicate with your arm out, luckily upon checking over my shoulder no cars behind me.

A climb up another bank, mainly using level 2. This brought me to the road that goes from Craghead down to Chester Le Street, pretty much opposite Fox Parrot Wood. I turned Left and headed up into Craghead using a combination of power especially towards the cross roads at Craghead opposite the Punch Bowl Pub as there were cars about, and I wanted to get away from the junction. It's difficult getting started off as an amputee on an incline, as you sometimes cannot get your good foot up on the pedal quick enough to give you that initial push away.

From Craghead a pretty easy ride back to Durham Road and home. A check on the Mahle App when I arrived at home ad it had tracked me all the way, and then went on to upload the data to my Strava, today being Day74 with a total of 834 consecutive days ridden. Covered 26.77 miles today, my longest ride for a while.

I really like the Orbea Gain, in that it offers just enough assistance, however unlike my Specialized Turbo Levo where if I left it on Turbo all day I just wouldn't get a workout, the Orbea makes you work. By that I mean if you were relatively unfit and had this bike on 100% assist, you would still be knackered after a good ride out. The power delivery also works in a very different way. When I have my Specialized assist on as soon as I push down on a pedal I can feel the motor kick in, whereas on the Orbea it is kind of like a delayed response, then as you pedal it is a weird feeling in that you cannot really feel the assistance, however you know it is there.

Hopefully next time out I will get a lot more pictures, to make up for all this writing, Oh! And get all my tech to work.

Maiden Ride

 Finally, put my ass in gear, and took my Orbea Gain out for her maiden ride.

 

Initial thoughts, I love the feel of the bike, by that I mean it's size and positioning for comfort and use. I obviously had the assisted power set slightly wrong, as man the pull up Durham Road and on to Wear Road was a slog. I had thought it would be a breeze on level 2.

Upon a quick check of my power settings, which you can customise using the Mahle Smartbike App, I saw that I only had 15% on level 1 and around 20 or was it 30% on level 2.

While I am on about the Mahle Smartbike App I have to say I absolutely detest it. I was running the App through my old Samsung Galaxy S9. It took an absolute age to connect, and then counted me down, saying I was connected.

My first ride out on the Orbea Gain was totally ruined by the Smart bike App, due to it constantly loosing connection, requiring me to turn it off and reset it, then also resetting my bike and in the end fannying on trying to reset the GPS on my mobile phone.

All I really wanted to do was go for a cruise and get to grips with the bike and see what the different settings did and how the motor preformed.

Things I do like are being able to adjust the power of the motor, there is a customisable setting, called "motor maps" so you can set power for levels 1, 2 and 3, or you can use the defaults of Eco, Urban and another couple which escape my memory.

The bike it's self just feels right, it is comfortable, when the motor is engaged and working it is quiet and when you get over the 15.5 mph cut off with pedal assist the motor disengages and doesn't hold you back with any resistance. Obviously the bike is heavier than a standard road/gravel bike due to it being an electric bike, however you don't actually feel it once aboard. The Orbea Gain also looks aesthetically pleasing, love this Ice green colour, which looks like a blue at times. Also like the internal cables and the dropper seat post I asked to have installed works super smooth from the Left Shimano R810 lever. I like the fact you can adjust the seat post gradually and smoothly, with a gentle flick of the lever.

In ending, if I can get the Mahle Smartbike App to work correctly and not keep disconnecting then having to reconnect upon each ride which is very frustrating, 

I would be so happy with this new ride. Apparently Mahle decided to change from the previous App to this new version and a lot of people have been complaining about the same issues I have experienced. The old App looked far superior, even allowing for mapping in conjunction with a mobile phone.

Next time out, I will try and set up the app again and also look at the various power levels, experimenting to see how much peak power the motor can provide, not that I ride using full assist. Just enough to give me my leg back is enough for me.

Loving this small Uke

Following on from firstly thinking about getting a guitar, to actually getting not one but two, and then starting to take guitar lessons, I have somewhat got the bug.

Yes I obviously want to learn to play, however it is also the aesthetics of all these wonderful instruments that can, maybe not in my hands, make a wonderful sound.

I mentioned just a little while ago that I had been researching Ukuleles and after some time spent reading reviews and watching online videos I plumed for a ukulele from a company called Flight.

I had seen a Flight, I think it was a Sofia, when I visited J G Windows the other week. It was a tenor, however, not the soundwave model. It was nice to see it in the flesh and checkout it's form factor and see how well it was constructed.

Well after not much consideration I did a quick online search for the cheapest place and DV247 had a Flight Diana Tenor Soundwave advertised, so I ordered one. I opted for the Diana as I preferred the colour of the cedar top and I wanted  the soundwave model, as well it has more bells and whistles and sounded great in all the reviews I viewed.

When the Ukulele arrived it was contained within in a huge box, with a smaller Flight box inside that, all very well packaged.

The Ukulele comes in a pretty sturdy padded bag which is a nice shade of red and has a neat Velcro pocket on the front and backpack design carrying straps.

 

Other than being able to tell you that upon arrival, I absolutely love the look of my new small Flight Diana Tenor Soundwave. Once tuned it sounds lovely, well  to me, I mean I can't really play a proper tune. I have discovered by watching a few YouTube tutorials and downloading an app on my mobile device to first tune the Uke and then follow a few songs that it appears a lot easier than playing my guitars. The app I downloaded being "Guitartuna". It provides a lot of songs you can play along to and shows you notes/chord progression.

I was soon strumming away with some semblance of a tune, well at least in my mind, and using the various knobs on the soundwave board is such fun. The Uke has an on and off button in the middle, with a volume,  Reverb, Chorus and a Delay.
 

 

   Love the neck of this Ukulele and it's cutouts, alongside the gold tuners.

 

All in all a very pretty looking  instrument, and it sounds the business

 

 

I have been practising a down, down, up, up, down   down, down, up strumming pattern and trying to play Radiohead's Creep which uses 4 chords G, B, C & Cm, these notes are played throughout the song.

I will keep persevering and see how I go LoL

 Very happy with my purchase, it's easy to pick up and just play around with.

First outdoor ride of the New Year 2022

 Normally I would be keen to get out and about on my various bikes, regardless of the weather, however in reality over the past couple of years, yes as long as that, I just haven't been going out quite as much. I mean, the whole covid situation had a lot to do with it when I found myself having to shield for around 9 months, and by then I had become quite used or should I say addicted to just jumping on my road bike, which is set up indoors on my cheap Tacx turbo trainer. It's warm, I can watch TV or listen to music and when I am finished no requirements to wash a dirty mud strewn bike.

Of course, this has not been the only factor in my lack of enthusiasm. I am really struggling with socket fit, so each ride is a fairly uncomfortable one, and for some reason I had been snapping a lot of tendons on my knee and also encountered another issue with my knee that I have never had before. This is that the bolts that fit through the BTK Cams shear off every now and again. I can only put this down to me having a G2 BTK frame and using G3 tendons and cams. With the G3 tendons being slightly longer, I am wondering whether my riding style is not maybe as fluid and causing a "snap" at the top end of my movement. That said, I wouldn't trade my BTK knee, after using various incarnations of the design since 2009, it is this piece of equipment that has kept me going.
    

Jimmy & John in South Moor Park

Anyhoo this blog is actually about going out into the real world for a ride, something I have really missed. My friend John, who I don't get to see all that much because of other commitments, messaged me asking me if I fancied a ride out with him and a friend of his, called Jimmy. I am still currently off work, due to socket issues, and so I was in two minds. You see, I have been brought up from a little wee lad to believe if you were sick, you had to stay at home and couldn't play out. I have my mam to thank for that. If ever I was off school, no way was I allowed out, it's kind of stuck.

The previous week I had had a chat with my boss from work, and she advised me to do what I could when I could, as well it's good for your mental health, so I agreed I would head out with John and his mate Jimmy. I prepared all my gear the night before, this meant reattaching my cams and tendons on my BTK knee. Being wary of the 4 bolts, I made sure I used my small torque wrench. It's a most excellent piece of kit, I love it's small form factor. It is made by "fwe" sure I got it at Evans Cycles some years ago. It uses small torque sockets which go from 4,5 to 6 nm.

fwe mini torque  wrench

Great bit of kit

The following morning I had a ride up our bank towards Stanley and met up with John, Jimmy soon coming along and John introducing us. A quick discussion on where to go, and we were all off, deciding to head over towards Chapman's Wells, with the possibility of doing the Lanchester Valley to Consett loop and then back home. I informed the boys I wasn't sure if we would have time, just I had to get back as I had been invited out to lunch by one of my old work friends and another work friend, somewhere over near Cramlington, a place called the Snowy Owl.

 

Doesn't matter where you go always got to get off and lift bikes over a style or gate

Splashing through the icy puddles

Jimmy enjoying himself

More puddles to play in

Weather wise, it was pretty chilly, with frost in the air and the various puddles we encountered covered in ice. I have mentioned this before I am sure I love either the sound of the braking ice as you ride over it, or in the autumn and the sound of dry leaves as you ride through them. It's the little things when you are out and about that can bring you joy. Sights, sounds and smells of the great outdoors.

Nice being out in the fresh air

 

We encountered quite a few frosty and icy puddles on our little, what turned out to a be a 20-mile ride. We also discovered lots of damaged and up rooted trees, from the storms we had not so long ago. There was a huge tree that had fallen in South Moor Park. It must have fallen across the path and the council had been down and chainsawed it into large sections to make the path accessible.

It's funny even as we get older get a few lads together, and you can see the child in them, as we each took turns to ride through the iced up puddles, crunching through the ice and splashing up the cold water beneath.

It can get really windy blowing down the valley

As the morning went on, the weather became a lot milder, the frost disappearing and the ice melting to make the Lanchester and Chapman's Wells trails that bit muddier. We turned off at Hurbuck Cottages, instead of going all the way up to Consett and I took John and Jimmy up the long up hill winding back road, I think it's called Gorecock lane towards Greencroft.

 

Riding along from Maiden Law

From there back along to the Morrison Road ends and back to Chapman's Wells. A nice climb up the farmer's Trail, and we were at the top of Wilka's Bank and followed Wagtail Lane to the Bridleway that leads down to South Moor Gold Club and from there a ride through the Font and John and Jimmy said their goodbyes when we arrived at my house.

My pops was coming out of our house and very kindly helped me with my bike putting it on charge for me. Not enough time to clean her. As I got indoors and removed my sweaty gear and put various bits and pieces away, I noticed a big box at the bottom of our stairs...Yay my Ukulele had arrived.


Proper enjoyed this morning's ride out and pleased to say apart from my Fitbit cocking up, and my mobile phone dying, it's old, nothing else went a miss. My Specilazied Turbo Levo appears to be working fine now that the TCU has been replaced. I am now going to try and make more effort to get out riding outdoors, prosthetic limb dependant, as upon getting back I had a few new very sore areas.

A Mixed bag this month

 As the title to this particular blog states, it's been a bit of a mixed bag this month. 

I will get the shitty bit of the month out of the way first so that I can leave you on a more positive ending.

Ok so I have now been off work 3 weeks, after talking to Occupational Health and describing how much I have been struggling at work. They agreed working from home until I can get sorted with a comfortable socket is the best course of action for me.

The pain and discomfort has been going on for months now and following the last Bank holiday I worked, wearing my new socket, I knew I just couldn't keep going on the way I was. So now I am in a kind of limbo, where I keep attending short appointments over at the Disability Service Centre and my prosthetist trying various small adjustments to try and get my socket comfy. The new socket I had made for me is not far off, however I am still uncomfortable, and it gets worse the longer I wear my limb and the more I do. I can no longer wear my current limb for more than a couple of hours at a time.

As for cycling, well I am still at it, riding indoors on my road bike set up on my turbo trainer. My cycling socket is absolutely huge, and it requires me to wear two seals around my liner, even then it gradually slips further and further off, so that is part of the reason I have not been heading out on any biking adventures. I cannot imagine being able to stand out of the saddle using my BTK, as the socket now rotates on my wee leg. It is all rather depressing as I have my new Orbea Cyclo cross sitting in doors just waiting for her maiden adventure. "Ahh well never mind we are still in winter and the roads are manky, the bike looks so pretty I don't really want to get her mucky" I keep telling myself

The Gain going nowhere

   

Baxter either wanting a cuddle or trying to tell me to stop playing

Well turned out Baxter had indeed broke a tooth and must have had an infection, poor little lad. The vet prescribed some antibiotics and painkillers, OMG! £90 odd quid then informed us that Baxter would need to come back to have the tooth removed. "Err how much will that be?" I asked too which the vet replied, "between £350 and £450"... Gulp. Apparently the dear part is the anaesthetic and because Baxter is a fat little git it's costing that bit more. So come Monday the 31st January, Baxter is off to get knocked out, just hope he doesn't have to have more teeth out or dentures fitted.

I'm sure the Universe is conspiring against me this month. My mate John messaged me during the week, asking did I fancy a ride out on Thursday. Ooh a chance for a catch-up. Turns out John then had to work a shift, so he couldn't head out, however that is not all. I had gone to get my bike out of the shed, my Specialized Turbo Levo, intending on washing her, thinking we were going to go out for a ride. Anyhoo I went to turn the bike on to see if I needed to charge the battery. WTF! The bike wouldn't turn on from the frame button. Now, this exact thing happened back in March 2021. I then had to take the bike to Infinity Cycles and get a new wiring harness fitted. After some choice words and much fannying on, I rang Infinity and the lad on the phone advised me to bring the bike down so that they could inspect her and try and discover the problem.

A day later Infinity rang saying it was the same problem as last time, the poxy wiring harness bit, and that the bike was now out of warranty... Great, so I was quoted about £56 for the part with £15 labour, telling them just to carry out the work. Another day went by, and the following day Infinity rang saying they had fitted the new harness, however the bike was still acting up. They had discovered that  the TCU was at fault and this was going to cost £105 to replace, the guy on the phone saying Specialized had given me a 35% discount on the part. Obviously I needed the bike sorting, so the final bill was £190. 

Infinity Cycles and the team have always been spot on, when I have had work done there, like getting my bikes wrapped etc, so I am not miffed with them, however I am pissed off with Specialized as upon reading up on various eBike sites, there have been a lot of issues with the motors and electrics. It has definitely put me off buying another Specialized bike in the future,  if I was going to purchase another bike. Even been thinking about selling the Levo, she is 3 years old now and in really good nick, I already know what I would go for if I did sell her, but I will keep that under my hat for now LoL.

Ooh! my Mikro guitar arrived, eventually, on Wednesday. I had ordered it from Anderton's Music way back in December. I eagerly unboxed it, tuned it, trying both my mini tuner and the one incorporated on my Orange Crush 20 RT and I have to say I was proper disappointed with the sound. It just sounded terrible to me when playing a chord, it sounded like the G string was always out of key and wavering and lingering longer than any of the other strings.

ibanez grgm21m-mgn gio mic

Ibanez Wee guitar

 

I have been taking guitar lessons with a gentleman called Tom Welch, just had my 4th lesson Yesterday in fact. So as I am a total noob with anything to do with guitars, I asked Tom to have a bit of a play around and give me his opinion. Of course Tom could play the wee guitar, as he is a pro, however he agreed the guitar did sound out of tune and recommended taking it to a "Luthier", you see I am learning new stuff all the time. A Luthier is someone who makes and repairs guitars and can carry out tuning and required adjustments or replacements of parts. I will come back to the wee Ibanez in a tick.

I found Tom by doing a quick Google and searching for guitar tutors in County Durham. He has his own website which provides details of his years of experience and what he can offer in the way of tuition. I got Tom's phone number and gave him a call, like I say, a month a go now. 

When Tom arrived for my first lesson with him, he simply asked where I was starting from, and I told him "absolute beginner". It has only been a month like I say, No I can't play any tunes very well, however I have learnt so much and Tom sets me homework to work on each week to help improve not only my use of playing the guitar, but in the understanding of music. By that I mean working on Chords, scales, timing and  how to read tableture, of course there is much more. 

At times, it can feel a bit overwhelming and as I am sure those people who can recall just starting out learning the guitar, you feel you are never going to get it. I think one of the main things is that I am not being too hard on myself, practising each day, and enjoying the challenge, mostly just making a noise Lol. Tom is a great Teacher, who is very patient, and I now look forward to seeing him each week, as he is a genuinely nice fella.

Sore Fingers

Right back to this Wee guitar. After Tom had had a go, and recommended taking the guitar to what we now know as a guitar maker, repair person, I tied to think of somewhere pretty local and thought of J G Windows at the Metro centre. I could see they were open late, as it was 6pm by now. When I rang Windows I got to speak to a very friendly lad called Lewis who said "Just bring it in, and I will have a look at it", "Ok when" I replied, and he said "can you get in tonight?" So Ern and I boxed up the guitar and headed to the Metro and Windows.

Long'ish story short, Lewis had a look at the guitar and said he couldn't find anything wrong with it, saying for a small guitar it was one of the best he had heard. You see the guitar is classed as a 3/4 or travel guitar, the fretboard is only 22.2inches. The guitar actually fits on the parcel shelf of Tango, my Smart car, 

I asked Lewis how much I owed him for his time and he replied "Aww nowt it's ok". I handed him a tenner anyway, as I think it's polite when someone does you a good turn.

Back home I gave the guitar another go and to me, it still sounded dreadful, like an out of tune bagpipe. The following day I rang Steel Town Music and spoke to Matt and asked would he have a look at the guitar. Matt asked me to pop it in, and he would take a quick look at the guitar and amp setup, as by now I was thinking could it be the amp.

As soon as Matt looked at the guitar and had a little play, he commented on the very thin strings and demonstrated how easy it was for the guitar to go out of tune by pressing down too hard on the strings. Well with me being a beginner I am finding I am probably giving the neck of the guitar a death grip as I am trying not to get any buzz or dead sounding strings.

Matt suggested fitting lager diameter strings, I think it had 9's on, and he suggested 11's. "Great" I replied when should I drop it back in, as I knew Saturday was a busy day for the guys at Steel Town Music. Matt was spot on and said "Oh I will do it now it won't take long". Within about 10 to 15 minutes Matt had the strings replaced and tuned up my guitar, he had also adjusted the Truss rod slightly and also the action. Before leaving, Matt plugged my guitar into his amp and allowed me to have a little strum to see if I thought the guitar sounded better, which I am very happy to say it did. So that is another shop I would highly recommend for friendliness and first class service, plus it's local and has a great choice of guitars and other music paraphilia. Cheers Matt for sorting me out.

Oh Ern bought a couple of guitar hangers, after we read some reviews on Amazon. They look canny and when the guitar is place on the hnager it automatically closes to prevent the guitar from falling off/out of the hanger. When reading the reviews the amount of pretty stupid people who were blaming the hnagers for falling off their walls. I mean come on it only common sense to make sure the hnagers are affixed securely. My dad used a hammer drill and some wall plugs pluss longer screws. He has put one hanger in his den for his guitar and another in my bedroom. Thanks Dad.

Hanger keeps guitar out the way and looks neat

Looks neat on the wall

Gives me a bit more space I can pop my wee guitar on the stand on the floor.

 

Obviously, I now have a bit of a music addiction going on, it's not just playing the instruments I have found I take pleasure in how beautiful they look, Errr no not in a weird way. Some of the workmanship and material used are fantastic. The price of some of these guitars and ukuleles is bonkers.

Speaking of Ukuleles I have been doing a sopot of research and fancy investing in one. I have narrowed it down to one of two that are within my budget. They both come from the maker Flight. They are part of Flight's princess series, the Diana and the Sophia. The concerts look way too small for me so I would opt for a tenor.

  

Flight Diana Soundwave Tenor

I will maybe invest when I get a bit better with my playing and of course when the Universe decides to give me a break with sudden financial bills and I can put a few quid away.

 

Flight Sophia Soundwave Tenor

Both Ukes look amazing, love the design of the necks and the soundwave system gives the Ukuleles even more appeal. Slightly drawen to the darker wood of the Diana and the red accents.

Myrtle over the Winter

 So as we are in the colder wintery months, Myrtle has been put away under her car cover. My dad and I don't have any plans to mess with her, as it is just too cold to be tinkering on working outside with no garage for cover.

An old picture of Myrtle, I think I will get her new Smoothies done black again

 

Saying that, next pay day I do intend on removing Myrtle's front 17-inch SMA alloys and getting her new tyres fitted. The 165/35/17 Nankangs which are on at the moment I am replacing for the same tyres, however a 40 profile, the same as the rears. I know it is not much, but those 35's just look way too thin, and I am constantly in fear of buckling a wheel when hitting a bump or a pothole, of which there are loads around here. I am also looking to get Myrtle's Steel Smoothies powder coated.
 

Smoothies to get powder coated gloss black

 

Sometime ago, I bought a pair of 8 x 15 steel smoothies. Pleased I got them when I did, I mean I waited ages for them to come in stock, but I see they have now shot right up in price. I wish I could have bought 7 x 15's as I think they may have fitted better, but hey ho. What my dad and I have done is seen what the fit was like with the 8-inch wide rims alongside the 1-inch rear spacers on Myrtle's narrow axles. We then had the 1-inch spacers machined down, so they allow the wheels to fit a little better with the spacers in place.

Milled down Spacers, I think they are now 19 mm

My only concern now is that I hope the new Kumho tyres I bought look OK on the wider rears. I have opted for 205/60/15 Kumho Ecowings on the back end and 145/65/15's for the front.


Back in October, I had ordered some parts for Myrtle, this way to try and solve the cutting out issues we were having. My dad worked on Myrtle mostly when I was at work, he fitted a completely new steel fuel line from the front to the back of the car, and we decided to fit a new electric Fawcett fuel pump, and filter alongside a regulator. My dad went one step further, fitting a custom-made cut-off valve, which makes it easier for removing the fuel tank. At the moment I haven't got any real sound deadening in Myrtle, and man that little petrol pump is quite noisy. I also have not had the opportunity to drive far in the wee car, so not sure if it has resolved her cutting out problem.

Ern has been hard at work installing the new fuel system under Myrtles tank

I have just got Myrtle back from Bewick Mobility, actually, on Tuesday 4th January. You see, has been away getting her semi-automatic clutch adaption tweaked. What had happened is one day I went to drive her and the semi-auto clutch would not operate correctly? I couldn't get her in gear. Upon inspection, the cable that works through a pulley system driven by a motor under Myrtle's rear seat to the clutch arm appeared frayed and stretched.

I contacted Bewick, and they suggested I pop the car down and then got to work on her, putting a different cable in place that is more durable and also sorting an issue with the magnetic sensor pickup. Long story short, Myrtle now drives a lot better and the semi-auto clutch, although it takes a bit of getting used to, works well.
 

Whilst I am on about picking Myrtle up, it was a bit of a nightmare when we did go to collect her. She had been standing for some time, so her battery was dead, so she needed a jump, then she tried to cough into life and I could hear the electric fuel pump going like the clappers "Tick, Tick, Tick". The fuel gauge isn't the most reliable, so I suggested we dip the tank and low and behold poor Myrtle had no go go juice. Once we put so fuel in she started after a few clicks and I drove her around to the nearby petrol station to pop £20 quid in her.


The drive home from Blaydon was fun, however as Myrtle has no heating it was bloody freezing, another reason Myrtle is a purely nice weather car LoL It is the first time I had driven her since my dad had done all the work on her track rod ends and steering. You see, part of the problem with the 4-inch narrowed beam and the air ride dampers was that Myrtle's steering had to be limited by a stop to prevent her track rod end on the driver's side rubbing against the airbag. After some time experimenting with various track rod ends from Hyundai's and other makes of cars, my dad was able to fashion a shorter track rod end with a curve that cleared the Bag, and I think he said it was from a Peugeot. Anyhoo Myrtle's turning circle now feels a lot better, no longer do I have to think where I am going and panicking in case I cannot get around a corner without having to do a 9 point turn. Really, she was that bad. I think I could just do a full circle on a football pitch.

The Track rod end now misses the Airbag

 

This year I am hoping to enjoy driving my wee car a little, of course she is an ongoing project. Things that are really annoying me are her rear wings. The passenger side appearing narrower than the driver's and the rear light looking wonky. I am hoping I can get either a new passenger wing or tow matching wings to even her up. Then I will need to get her painted. I would also love a bigger engine and free way flyer gearbox, and lastly to get the custom interior I have had in mind done. So as you can read, all these other jobs come at a huge cost, so for the time being I will just enjoy her the way she is. Even had her up to 57 mph the other day. The speedo was reading about 70, but my Dash Cam said 57 mph LoL