My right knee is sore again. It’s not really my knee, rather than tendon thing on the outside at the back, near the top of my calf. It’s given me grief a few times now. I think I’ve got a cleat placement issue.
Wasting time on the internet before the Tour starts (5euro/5hr). Kicked at 2pm so I went exploring. Bought Bill Bryson’s “A Short History of Nearly Everything” (16 euro, new) which should give me plenty to read when I need to kill some time computer-free :). Tried to sell “Hard Questions” but De Slegte (pronounced “De Shlecker” as far as I could tell) don’t take single books. Have to carry it until I find someone who wants an english-language sci-fi. Doh!
Riding around I take an oppurtunity to draft a bus, as you do. Well, over here, don’t! Dutch wisdom seems to be “If it ain’t broke, break it and building something else” or “if there’s nothing there, build something there”. They apply this to the middle of roads and curbing. Riding down the road, you don’t expect to have to deal with a curb in the middle of the road! Anyway, I’m sitting on the arse of this bus and BANG! “What the f.. shit!” as I try and minimise the impact of the next “middle of the road curb”. I guess it’s a good way to discourage smart arses from drafting their buses, but geez, think of the bikes! 😛
This incident inspired me to air up the tyres when I spotted a service station with a proper compressor, i.e. not one of those stupid dumb-ass-car-driver-friendly-please-don’t-over-inflate-my-tyres compressors. I was a bit shocked to find both tyres below 30psi!! No frickin’ wonder my knees are about to explode! It’s like I’ve been pushing two gears higher for the same speed! Those automatic compressors lie. I was maxing them out (59psi I think?) and it was only recently they were filled so WTF is with <30psi?! I gave 'em a real 50psi. Woooah.. so much better!
Did 23k today at a Der Jan killing pace of 4.9kph 😉
Take a photo of the kerb in the middle of the road because I just don’t get it, dude.
I’m not in Zwolle any more..
Well explain it then. WTF is a kerb doing in the middle of a road? Is it like a traffic island or what?
No. A traffic island directs lanes around the "island". Imagine drafting a bus on a single-lane road. Then imagine, from between the bus’s rear wheels, a raised section appearing. This raised section was the same height as the road-side curbing but it was designed to sit IN BETWEEN CAR/BUS WHEELS! i.e. in the middle of the "lane", not just the road like a traffic island. I _guess_ it was maybe a ped crossing or something, raised up so they don’t have to step down so far onto the road? I can’t remember exactly – I didn’t go back and check. It was silly whatever it was. Just like me.