4.05.2024 In the absense of progress.

 ~o~

  Saturday 4th 53F/12C. Heavy overcast and much darker than of late. It was raining hard at bedtime last night. [23.00] It is supposed to be cloudy but dry with a little sun later. The wind has gone around to the west.

 Up at 5.30 after a quiet night. My left chest still hurts as badly as ever. Fortunately I haven't coughed yet this morning. Though I can still sense some slight wheezing. I am breathing naturally through my nose. For the first time in ages. Checking back through my posts. First cold symptoms on the 18th of April. Well over two weeks ago.

 I came across YT videos about "farm jacks" yesterday. One of these could be used to lift the 14 concrete, foundation blocks. Once I have dismantled the larger observatory walls. The online dealer was lying when they said they would deliver in 3-5 days. The real delivery delay was 11 days. 

 Of course they only tell you this, via an update email, long after you have paid. To ensure the customer doesn't cancel and go elsewhere. They make this as difficult as possible too. By bombarding the disappointed customer with emails. All the details are in appended files with reams of small text. Lies, damned lies and ComputerSalg.dk!

 Their sales website is still showing 3-5 days for delivery this morning. Delivery from "remote stock." Which could mean that ComputerSalg.dk is a spotty teenager. Running a supposed business on his laptop from his bedroom in his parent's house. Then his computer sends the customer's order straight on to another company. So, ComputerSalg.dk are not even box shifters and hold no stock themselves. Their fancy website is all vapourware. Except that it's not. They have a large warehouse.

 There is no consumer protection in Denmark. So they can legally get away with this patently false advertising. They falsely promise reasonable delivery dates at slightly lower prices to capture the order. 

 Thereby depriving honest companies, with expensive stock, staff costs and storage. From gaining a valuable order.  It would be fascinating to know what proportion of actual delivery dates match their sales website. Of course, nobody will ever know. That might dent their reputation and sales.

  Dinner was chicken and mushroom curry. Somehow I managed to make it tasty and appetizing.

 ~o~

3.05.2024 Walking wounded.

 ~o~

 Friday 3rd  Bright sunshine and breezy again.  Still coughing. My chest still hurts from the fall. No sign of bruising. So it is muscle strain from trying to save myself.

8.45. 60F/15.6C. Up at 5am. Back to bed for an hour at 7.30. Just looked around the garden. A mass of brambles where the old Horse chestnut used to be. Very few flowers on Shirley's bee and butterfly bed yet. Lots of tufts of leaves promising colour. Different types and colours of tulips at the east end of the house. 

 My neighbour is gardening with his shirt off. I needed a jumper. As I hobbled around like an old man.
Feeling sorry for myself. That I can't just jump on my bike and go for a long ride. A pleasant 67F/20C indoors. Expected to reach that later outside. 

 The greenhouse has been remaining under 85F/30C with the end doors open during the day plus two layers of shade nets. No need to borrow heat to warm the house. Though daytime temperatures are expected to fall a little over the next few days with some rain.

 12.00 68F/20C. Wasted the entire morning on the computer watching YT videos. And the entire afternoon.

 Dinner was beans on toast. The beans are still awful. Under-cooked and tasteless.

 

  ~o~

2nd May 2024 It only hurts when I cough!

 ~o~

  Thursday 2nd 54F/12C. Another warm, sunny day is promised. With a 20C/68F maximum.

 Up at 5am. It only hurts when I cough! In fact my chest hurts all the time after yesterday's tumble. The very high bottom bracket on the Moustache FS27 is a constant danger! Whenever I dismount! The top tube is far too high to lift my foot over that. The panniers represent a serious hurdle for my foot as I swing my [aging] leg over the saddle. 

 As the Irish are [allegedly] fond of saying: I wouldn't start from here! The high bottom bracket forces a high saddle position for efficient pedaling. A normal seat post was fitted at the factory. So I fitted a saddle dropper post myself. After dropping the bike very publicly several times on dismounting. Once astride the top tube I still couldn't lift my leg high enough over the normal saddle at its normal riding height.

 I had to buy an externally operated dropper post. There being no easy way to thread a concealed dropper post cable through the Moustache's frame.

 After operating the dropper post handlebar lever. The saddle sinks [under my own weight] to its set, minimum height. The ground is still much too far away for me to safely reach with my foot. So I have to quickly slide forward onto the very high, frame top tube. Then hope I can put a toe down to avoid toppling helplessly sideways. As I did so dramatically and painfully yesterday!

 When I am on a ride and need to stop I usually look for a high pavement. Not always possible away from towns. It really is that bad! Lady motorcyclists often run into the problem of high saddle height. As do, no doubt, many men of below average stature.

 I have the Medium sized frame to [supposedly] match my height. Which designation is only an average and completely ignores inside leg measurement. No doubt Moustache would claim their bikes are aimed at young and fit, sporty riders. Particularly their "45" Speed models. I want to "45" for its ability to travel at speed nearer that of an averagely fit cyclist. Not amble along like a geriatric!  

 Bending my knees more while pedaling [lowered saddle] would be foolish. If the dropper post had more vertical movement then the saddle could be lower when in the down position. But spring up to the same height as it is now for pedaling. Perhaps 5mm higher. This can be reduced with a touch of the lever but is fiddly to get right.

 The dropper post is presently 45mm out of the bike frame, saddle clamp. So could, theoretically, have a longer travel post, but be set 45mm lower in the bike frame. There are dropper posts with 150mm of movement.

 So I inserted the dropper post to its lowest point and tightened the clamping screw. That actually works! I can reach the ground on both sides while seated on the saddle at its lowest position. So stack [collar] height becomes vitally important.

 The online illustrations suggest an almost identical stack height on the Kind Shock KS E20 150mm travel. External cable control. Duly ordered online. Interesting that KS dropper post Amazon reviews were scathing. While a US bike shop's customer reviews were remarkably positive. In equal number!  

 The reason I didn't go for another XLC dropper post. Was the serious rotation [slack] of the saddle around the saddle pin in use. The guides in their grooves must be very slack from new. So the saddle rocks noisily from side to side when pedaling hard.

 I'll rewrite all this nonsense once I have had a walk.

 10.15 Returning from a walk down the road. Warm sunshine and rather windy. My chest hurt when I swung my arms normally while walking. I still cough on occasions but I am finally free of the repeated bouts. 

 10.45 I have now reduced the length of the post by half.

 A lazy day resting at home. Dinner was a fry up of sliced chicken breast, mushrooms and two fried eggs. I was dipping the meat in the runny yolks as a sauce. Baked beans would have been too much and spoilt it. So it was all perfect. No beer. I enjoyed a milky coffee and chocolate biscuits.

  ~o~