Broadening My Horizons

Since Christmas i have been using my little folding bicycle as much as possible for shopping and errands around Tewantin.  Last Thursday I was just completing my 25km shopping run - Aldi, Noosa Junction, Noosa Civic and home when I realised that I was enjoying myself.  Initially I found cycling to be hard work but on Thursday it was obvious that my general and aerobic fitness had improved tremendously.

Over the years I had several periods when I was heavily involved in cycling and in particular Bicycle Touring.  This all came to halt in Feb 2000 when while walking back to my camp site about 70km from home I was run over by the only car in sight.  To cut things short after seven operations on my left leg in Jan 2004  I was told that I was a good as  I would get.  My left tibia had been badly fractured and has never healed properly.  I have titanium tibia nail inserted from my knee to my ankle literally holding the leg together.  I cant run but can walk large distances at a leisurely pace.  Any sudden twists or jarring causes pain.  As well as this, a cracked hip socket has resulted in restricted side ways movement of the left hip.

My Left Leg


All this means that riding a full size bike is not feasible as I can get my leg over the top bar.  My left foot points out at about 15 degrees and I cant use cleats or toe clips and straps.  My little folder overcomes these problems by having a low step over height and big flat pedals.  It is however a low end cheaply built bicycle with restricted gearing.  I needed a better bike if I was to re-commence cycle touring.  I had looked at Bike Fridays back in 2004 but Margaret's failing health meant that touring was put on the back burner as I took over Margaret's care. Now there was no reason for me not to look into them again.

I researched their website. Normally they build bicycles to specific order which, as they are based in Oregon, USA and I would have to go through a local agent, could take many months.  However they now produce a series of production bikes in small, medium and large size based on their popular models the New World Tourist and Pocket Llama.  The former is a specialised touring bike and the later a more rugged cross country bike similar to a mountain bike.  The ready built NWT is called the Pocket Companion and the Llama ia called the Pocket Expedition.  Like most bike Fridays they have 20 inch wheels and have a simple fold mechanism which enables them to be popped into a car boot or carried in a carry bag.  With a bit more disassembly they will fit in a normal airline size case which also converts into a trailer.

There is a local agent in Brisbane, Epic Cycles.  Unfortunately they made the news last month by being flooded out to a depth of 4 metres.  I gave them a phone call and to my amazement they were back in business.  Volunteers had helped them move their stock to safety and then afterwards clean up the mess left behind.  They were back in business in 8 days after the flood receded.

They didn't have a Pocket Companion, my first choice in stock,  but did have a medium size Pocket Expedition.  I arranged to drive down and have a look at the Expedition but expected it would be a bit too large as like my brother and sister I have inherited Duck's Disease from our mother.  I measured up my old road bike and my little folder and on Saturday drove 150km to Epic Cycles.

They are set up in a converted petrol station in the inner Brisbane suburb of Paddington.  The shop is packed with bikes of all types and a heap of accessories.  Normally the space is divided by chip rock clad walls but these were destroyed in the flood.  The salesman, Mark,  took me to the back of the store where they had several folding bikes.  There were some Dahons which my little folder is based on and several Bike Fridays.  There was the Expedition all black and shiny. It looked great.  We measured it up and we found that I could set it up exactly as my old road bike which I have covered tens of thousand of kilometres on.  Mark set it up and loaned me a crash helmet ant I took it for a spin.  It was great.

I couldn't wait to get back to the store.  I bought it on the spot together with a rear rack for my panniers.  It cost just under $AUS 2000 and is the most i have ever spent on a bike.  Actually in 1956 my racing bike cost about 100 pounds which is much more in real terms.  I put the new bike in the back of the car and drove home.

I put the rack on and  went for a short ride.  At 74 years of age I experienced real excitement in anticipation of many kilometres on this lovely bike,

I also introduced it to the Bendr which is the little folder's real name.

On Sunday it was very hot, 34C and humid so I only went for a brief ride and sorted out a few minor fit problems.  I actually needed to raise the saddle slightly.

The Expedition is set up for front and rear racks,  has 24 gears spread over a wide range, wide tyres and a high bottom bracket.  This makes it suitable for cross country riding.

I still have to take it for a long ride.  I was busy on Monday and today we have had heavy rain - maybe this afternoon or tomorrow.

The plan now is to build up my fitness and go away on short trips staying in local pubs.  My older folder will still be used for shopping.  I don't fancy leaving an expensive bike outside the supermarket.

Last week saw me doing two MOWs runs.  I normally do a third Thursday run to the Riverlands Retirement Village but D phoned and asked me if I could also do my normal first Friday run along Gympie Terrace as they were a driver short.

This week , the fourth week of the month, is normally a week off MOW but I am standing in again for a totally different run on Friday.

I also have started assisting at my computer club once again and give informal introductions to Linux.  I am also preparing a formal tutorial on the Sound Recording and Editing Program, Audacity.

I also intend to go out with the Sunshine Coast Bicycle Touring club on Staurday morning.  They have nice short beginners' rides.

Life is getting busy.

More Routine

One of the things which I decided when I was finally alone after Helen went home at the end of November last year is that I would maintain a healthy diet.  I had been cooking for Margaret and myself for the last six years and we also used to go out a couple of times a week for lunch or dinner,

Now I was single I didn't fancy going to restaurants on my own so have been preparing all my meals at home.  Once again I have got into a routine.  For instance, yesterday I cooked a roast.  I cooked a rolled shoulder of lamb in my bench top convection cooker, which is my favourite cooking appliance, together with some potatoes, cooked some frozen beans and peas and served it up with a thick brown sauce.  I also had some mint sauce to flavour the lamb.

Now I  normally buy a full size roast, about 1kg, and cut it in two before freezing one half for another day.  Then I  get one good meal as above and a cold meat meal with chips and baked bean (my favourite) next day i.e today's dinner.  There is also generally enough for a lunchtime sandwich and a full meal for Louis.  So that's two days covered.

I love a nice piece  of steak and normally have a 150 gm Scotch Fillet served with fried onions and a fresh green salad.  I grill the steak on my barbecue.  Three days down and four to go.

One day a week I have fish.  I buy frozen Hoki a New Zealand fish similar to Dory.  I like to deep fry it in beer batter.  This has a side benifit that I only require a small amount of beer for my batter and I get to drink the rest while cooking the fish.  I cook the fish in Canola oil which I save and  use only for cooking fish.  I have a fresh green salad to accompany it.  Note I am a Type Two Diabetic and am able to control my Glucose levels by diet and exercise so I only have chips occasionally and hardly ever have sweet puddings.

One day a week I have either a curry ot spaghetti with meat sauce.  These I cook in my other favourite, my crock pot.  Again I generally cook enough for two or three days and freeze the rest for another week.  This means that I don't have to prepare a meal from scratch every day.

On Saturday I normally buy a half cooked chicken from Woolworths and have it cold with salad in the evening.  There is always some for a sanwich on Sunday and Louis gets a good lunch as well.

Sunday evenings I continue a tradition which Margaret and I had for many years and cook bacon, eggs, fried tomatoes and fried bread.

That's my dinner routine which varies a little especially if I go out to friends for a meal.  The only thing which doesn't vary is the two or three glasses of wine which accompany my dinner.  I don't drive at night very much theses days and never after a couple of glasses of wine so I sometimes have an extra glass in front of TV.

Louis has his food routine as well.  Half a slice of toast and Vegemite  for breakfast, a small tin of dog food or the similar amount of left overs for lunch and a half a cup of hard food for dinner.  After dinner he sits next to me and has a few treats while I have my after dinner glass wine.  Over the last few years, he is five and a half,  he has been overfed especially by Margaret who had a poor appetite and Louis was always pleased to help her out.  At the beginning of 2010 his vet said that he was at least 3kg over weight at 17 kg.  I put him on a diet where I actually measure his food portions and count his treats.  This January he weighed in at 14kg and the vet said that another kg off would be a good thing so the diet continues.

The last week has been pretty good.  I went to the computer club and talked Linux to some other members.  I also did my big MOW round on Friday.  This time I was determined to finish early not last as I did previously.  I was first away from the kitchen and had no problems with the deliveries although there did seem to be more than normal even for a Friday.  One was even an extra 2km in a totally different direction to last time and there were road works which also held me up.  I completed my final delivery after 1.00pm which is late and got back to the kitchen at 1.25pm even later than last time.  I was dead last!  I apologised to D who laughed and told me that it was already the longest run and this week I had had three new clients.  I had 24 clients including two couples so I had 22 houses to visit over a 25km route.  Being Friday I delivered about 150 items.  I took from 11.15am to 1.15pm that is 120 minutes or about 5 minutes a client.  As I normally go into the house to deliver their food most clients want to chat so I think that I will always be last on this run!

This week I deliver on Thursday to the Riverlands Retirement Village plus a couple on the way.  As I now know the village layout it should be pretty straight forward.  I have also established a routine for checking my deliveries as I go soI shouldn't get the mix up I had previously on this round.  I didn't have any problems last week.

Getting into a Routine

I have always been a person who likes to follow a fairly set routine.  You know - first Monday of the month is bath night etc.   Well that may not be practicable in Queensland's hot and humid summer where one would be given a very wide berth in the shopping centre if you didn't shower regularly.   I have however developed a routine which suits my present position quite nicely.

I get up early and after a light breakfast walk Louis between 6.00 and 7.00am except for Sunday when we have a lie in and walk abot 9.00am.  Between 7.00am and 9.00am I usually tidy up the house and garden before the day heats up.  I shop using my car on Mondays to get the frozen and perishable things.  Other shopping and errands are done using my bicycle.  Tuesdays are gardening days and I have been trimming trees in the back garden.  Wednesdays are Computer Club days and I have started going to a weekly group in Buderim about 40 km away.  Thursday are when I do another shop on my bike.  It is also Aldi's specials day in Australia and i enjoy watching the other shoppers scramble for the deals.

Actually last week there was a good special on for Set Top Boxes and as Australia shuts down its analogue TV networks these have become very popular.  A young man behind me had queued patiently for 20 minutes when, as the store opened, a middle aged lady and bloke just jumped the queue.  The young man pointed out that they were pushing in in front of about 50 other people,  They replied that there were no rules so hard luck.  He responded." There is the unwritten rule of common courtesy !" Other people in the queue applauded and two very red faced people stood back.

Back to Friday which is generally MOW day.

Saturday - always wash day since I used to watch my Mum do her washing back in the 1940s.

Sunday a rest day when I go to the library on my bike and later walk Louis by the river.

Most afternoons I sit and read or watch sport on TV before I take Louis for another walk.

In the evenings I normally cook a good dinner which is accompanied by cheap but palatable wine and afterwards  snooze in front of the TY until bed time.

Like all routines mine is quite often varied.

The big thing since I last blogged has been Tropical Cyclone Yasi.  The damage has been enormous but located a 1000km north of Tewantin where we barely noticed it.  Queensland was fortunate that it struck midway between Cairns and Townsville thus minimising injury and damage to properties.  Unfortunately the small town of Tully and villages of Cardwell and Mission Beach have all but been destroyed and the resort islands of Dunk and Bedarra devastated.

As Yasi went inland it has produced heavy rain and this has now caused wide spread flooding in Victoria over this weekend.

My MOW run last Friday was a solo success.  I didn't get lost,  I didn't mix up the meals and I arrived back before 1.00pm.  I really enjoy saying hello to the clients.  I may offer to do another run each week as vacancies occur.