Well, first of all, my new bike arrived. Other than it could do with a slightly smaller rear cog and\/or a slightly bigger front cog and a design flaw on the rear light which means that it turns off every time I go over a bump (the batteries bounce, break contact and the light resets to the off condition) it’s hunky dory. The roller brakes are REALLY efficient and only need the lightest pressure to brake heavily. I did manage to break the chain a week ago, however, a week after I got the bike. As compensation for the mix-up over the frame type and the broken chain Trek UK sent me a new hi-tech helmet.<\/p>\n
The weekend before last Jerry and Em came down to visit<\/a>. Em was going to a “Creative Memories” annual get-together event which was held down the road at The Kazaam Stadium. It was really nice seeing them and their two daughters, Laura and Amy. My goodness, they’re growing up! Most of the weekend involved trips to the park, plus a rather nice visit from Howard and Alec on the Saturday evening. Jerry helped me set up the bike’s suspension on the Sunday as well. What a nice fella he is.<\/p>\n A week ago was the Oxford Polar Society<\/a> annual dinner. It took place at Pierre Victoire in Little Clarendon Street and a good time was had by all.<\/p>\n On Saturday it was the Polar Society’s trip<\/a> to the Scott Polar Research Institute in Cambridge<\/a>. Because of the relatively small numbers going (8) it was decided that instead of renting a minibus that two of us could drive the rest there and back. I was one of the volunteer drivers. I plotted the route which is the fastest and least congested I know, which involves going up to Northampton and then across on the A45 and the old A45, now the B645, which goes right past my old school, Kimbolton School<\/a>. It’s a rather impressive place as its main building is Kimbolton Castle<\/a>, where Catherine of Aragon died. One fly in the ointment of the journey was that while going passed the Wellingborough junction on the A45 I was concentrating on drivers doing silly things and missed the start of a 40mph limit due to roadworks. I only noticed the limit as I was exitting. I’m just hoping that there were no cameras.<\/p>\n The trip was fun with us drivers getting all the other expenses such as a greek meal, as payment for the petrol. After dropping off the people I’d taken (including a rather nice tasmanian zoologist called Jess) I finally got home at about midnight. Though I understand the other party who decided to go back via the M11\/M25\/M40 arrived back rather later.<\/p>\n Sunday was uneventful other than having time to rest. And so to this week. So far nothing, but there is a possibility of a night out at the cinema on Thursday (with Jess) and Lindsey’s asked if I can visit her in Liverpool this weekend (with the ulteria motive of getting me to fix their ADSL connection properly).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Well, first of all, my new bike arrived. Other than it could do with a slightly smaller rear cog and\/or a slightly bigger front cog and a design flaw on the rear light which means that it turns off every … Continue reading