Camchain and tensioner seen up close in a cutaway bike engine

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Bad Weather, Hail, Rain and Winter

Blog Date - 06 December 2011

It's taken a while this year.  November's been mild on the bike with the odd chilly morning and the usual occasional downpours to make life that bit more...interesting.  We're well into December and the run into Chrismas and it's been cold and damp, but not quite scary yet, not till this morning.

I awoke at 0545 to leave for a business meeting.  As usual I poked my nose out through the curtains to see what delights the great British weather was throwing at me today.  Wet, slightly windy and a bit cool.  Nothing I can't handle on a 125.  Sure enough the 13 mile ride went as you'd expect and being well wrapped up I was....I was going to say warm, that would be wrong, I was far from freezing.

The last mile of my trip was down a country road.  As I approched this road to my horror I realised there must recently have been a hail shower as even the main road had a coverving of the small white marbles.  Yikes!  At least the main road was being pounded by the occasional car at this time but the country lane was sure to be treacherous.  Onwards...at least I figure it it's really bad I can walk the last mile, but I sure did not want to.

The lane was treacherous.  Luckily the hail shower must have passed over some time ago and the temperature must be up a little, as the hail was slushy rather than icy or crispy.  Non-the-less I still proceed with extreme caution.  On the little 125 first gear at low revs is incedibly slow, slower than walking.  I was hooking into second for the straights, taking me up to a staggering 10mph, then down into first for the corners at walking pace, feet out, more tense than waiting for a jury's verdict.

I negotiated the majority of the road but I knew the worst was to come.  A short 50 metre stretch that runs sharply uphill with a tight bend on it just to add that extra bit of spice.  With great fear I approached in first, low revs, feet out and preying that I did not loose traction.  If I did loose grip I'd be knackered.  I'd roll back and fall into a heap.  Or sit there spinning the rear.  Ir slide sideways and fall in a heap.  At least I was on a lightweight 125 and not a big daft 600.

I climbed and climbed, tense.  OK, ok, ok...whoop...ok, ok, ok...whoop...ok, ok...OK!  Just the minor twitch but the little beastie got me up.  It felt so good to relax as I headed onto the car park.

Now all I had to worry about is the return trip.  That would be in a couple of hours and hopefully other cars would have melted the hail.  They did and I got down OK too.

Here's WINTER!

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