September 20th

 Thought it was time for an update!

So all my rides out have been on the Raleigh and all on local roads so mileage is less than 30 miles. Mostly early morning at weekends with only a couple of mid-week outings, no hospital appointment so I can`t put blame them on that for not getting out. Though I have been unwell a few times mostly silly colds.

Sunday September 20th I set off at 7am cloudy but warm still and of course on the Raleigh with a destination of Bulphan. As during the week on the 15th the some of Bulphan villagers had a small Memorial Service near the playing fields. This was for Spitfire Pilot Officer Gerry Langley age 24 who was shot down on the 15th September 1940 just outside this village. I couldn`t get to the Memorial Service on the day, so I thought I would take a look at the new Plaque on Sunday.

So I took my normal route out along North Road and those horrible New Chicanes but they are okay on an early Sunday morning I`m glad to say. Fen Lane led me to Bulphan where after I had taken some Photo's I had a chat with another cyclist. 

Retracing my outward route back to the Harrow Bridge to have a look more closely at the New Glass House Retreat building still not sure what its all about? I had another chat with another cyclists and then took Dunnings Lane to St. Marys Lane and Pike Lane to reach home by 9.20 with just 14.30 miles on the clock.

 

Sunday 15th March 2020

Well it`s been a rough start to the year with......
January & February unable to cycle or walk at times! All started in December with a mild lower back pain, then in the early hours of Boxing Day morning I fell over indoors on my way to the bathroom. I just felt dizzy and went down, don`t know how long I was out for but woke up and went back to bed. The lower back pain became more painful so I phoned NHS 111 they called a Doctor out to me who called an Ambulance! Two nights in Basildon Hospital and I was told lower back pain could be due to your cycling accident in 2014, and you need a MRI scan. As for the dizziness nothing could be found for this after a number of tests. So I came out of Hospital with this......

....but refused the home help I was offered! The frame didn`t last long and I was soon out and about on a walking stick and eventually gave that up too. And on Sunday 15th March I finally took the old Raleigh downstairs and had a short but sweet ride around the local roads. Glad it was dry out but it was a bit windy so found it a bit hard in the headwind and carrying the bike back upstairs again was no problem.
Mileage just 8.50 miles, photo taken at St. Nicholas Church, which is one of the 6 Round Tower Churches in Essex.