16 - 22 July

Sat - Up at 5:45 to take Lulu & Amy and bikes to Histon (Cambridge) so they could cycle to a house party near Downham Market for training for their London to Paris ride.  Weather forecast very wet, but that didn't deter them.  Left them at 8:30 for their 40miles ride.  We popped into Cambridge for breakfast and some shop browsing, heavens opened for rest of day!!  Home at 1pm, Lulu phoned, it had taken them 3:30 hrs, very good with the rain.  Dossed rest of day, Mrs M went out for a hospital dinner.

I had been thinking of the Dunwich Dynamo this evening, and had the route etc all prepared, but with the rain forecast and my lack of energy I decided against it.  A good idea I think, so now it will have to be next year (yet again - last year was disrupted by us moving house the same w/e).

Sun - Lunch with G&N, then went to garden day at Chenies Manor, very pretty gardens.  Rain showers all day, some very heavy, dark threatening clouds.

This is supposed to be summer isn't it?  Seems like February.

Mon - Started to replace the tandem gear cables, only to find they were 1.8m not 2.5 as labelled. Called up SJSCycles who couriered out a new set, no questions asked or returns required, good service but shame about the initial misfilling/stock control.  Cycled to Amersham to deliver Loire mug to G&P.  Hot tub.   Rex in evening to The Great White Silence (film trailer click here) - over 100 years old and restored by BFI, the script shows the culture and jingo-ism of its age, but a very interesting, then moving, film of Scott's fated polar expedition.

Tue - Cables arrived, so fitted them with help from the Rohloff manual (downloaded onto iPad for display in garage) followed to the letter.  Fiddly to get lengths right and adjusted, wouldn't want to do this on the road!  

Still a mystery as to why they rusted as they are in a complete teflon inner lining inside the cable wire and plastic outer, so water must have got in at the grip twister end, I suspect from the LE2JOG ride which was VERY wet.  Can't see how one can seal them anymore than they are - they say not to grease/oil them as they stick more with the teflon liner.  Quickly cleaned tandem of the fly debris from the journey, and put back its various bits and pieces that had been removed for safe keeping.

Cycled to Apsley to drop off jewellery for repair with Harrisons, using Garmin routing which plotted the route I would have taken.  Only one short rain shower.  On way back picked up a small sharp flint at gravelly bottom of road from Flaunden to Chenies, it made a clicking sound so I stopped and picked it out, to find it was hissing as well.  Replaced tube in a few minutes, then cycled to CW to buy tuna for dinner.  Felt good and faster than yesterday, even with the hills involved.  19 Miles.  Repaired tube, then hot tub.  Lovely tuna, cooked in 1 min a side.  Watched the phone hacking commons select committee, exciting!!!!

Wed - Usual lovely English summer's day i.e. overcast and cold.  Cycled to Ricky PO to pick up parcel and then to buy some seafood in M&S - visiting M&S Food Hall is deadly since you start to salivate as soon as you enter, and want to buy it all.  Having only a backpack is a good limiter.  Only 6 miles, but a fast ride on the main road, which would be nice except for the traffic, lorries, drain covers, potholes, crumbly road surface, traffic lights, stupid barriers across the cycle path underpass at the roundabout which make you stop for no reason when noone else is around.  Give me a French D road through sunflower fields anyday.

At Rex to see Potiche in evening:

Tres amusant in a pastiche sort of way, looking at attitudes of the 70's from a 2010 cultural perspective.  Gerard D is rather 'portly' these days, and shuffles around.  Now I am to be called a 'trophy husband'.

Thu - Up to London to fit mirror in Jon's flat, then watched TdeF in the afternoon.  Cold and grey outside.

Fri - Exciting day - fitted bike carriers on roof, thanks to Patrick's generosity.  TdeF in afternoon