Worcester wonkyness

When	Mood	Music
2013-05-30 16:05:00	OK	Good grief Charlie Brown – Carter USM

So last week Elly and I made one of our far-too-rare visits to Worcester. I travelled down on Wednesday22nd. As usual, Lev Davidovitch Bikestein and I went by train to Birmingham, then cycled to Worcester. There was strong, gusty wind, so I didn’t break my 27mph record on the Rubery bypass. But, joy of joys, the roundabout at the junction of the A38 and M42 has traffic lights, so there was little to no danger of ending up on the motorway.

On Friday, Lev and I started out towards Birmingham to meet Elly. The weather was still windy, and a thunderstorm appeared to be brewing, so I considered dropping out at Droitwich or Bromsgrove. As Lev and I approached Longbridge, I realised I was behind schedule and that Lev was going much slower than he should have been. It turned out his rear wheel had been badly buckled by a pothole or expansion-joint dip, and the pannier-rack was off-centre, so there was severe friction between tyre and mudguard for 30° each revolution. So we ingloriously finished the journey by slow commuter-train to New Street.

Lev’s rear wheel has now been trued, and I’ve shifted the mudguard/pannier-rack combination back towards where it should be. I think the wheel won’t take many more truings, so I’ve ordered a replacement for as and when, along with replacements for my bike-shoes. June is going to be expensive!

Oh, and this morning’s shopping included aloe vera and coconut oil – recommended prophylactics/cures for cycle-induced arse-chafe!

Here’s some photos:

Funky food