Hide and seek - cycling revisited

 Gosh! It was 11 years ago that I wrote about how evolution had provided certain species with protective colouration, either to protect themselves (usually from being eaten), or to warn others that they are a danger. (See: Black and Yellow means Danger)

The post was about wasps and cyclists both wearing black and yellow so that they could be easily seen and avoided.

What has happened since is proof that evolution is a continuing process - nothing to do with wasps, which continue to dress in their bright, fear inducing, warning colours - but cyclists. When I wrote the earlier post I lived in urbania, streetlights, wide footpaths, and traffic at 30mph or less. I now live in deepest, darkest Devon.

The cycling clones who either live in, or visit the countryside for their holidays, have, by and large, evolved from the conspicuous, brightly coloured pestilence that you could see from afar, your heart sinking with dismay at joining a queue of slow moving traffic unable to pass with the compulsory 1.5 metre gap, to a covert, secretive, and almost invisible camouflaged shape lurking in the shadows and hedgerows.

What has happened to the gaudy, hi-viz, eye-screechingly yellow tops? They have been replaced with, grey, green, brown, and black - and not on their own, sometimes in combination. 

Now, the lanes of north Devon are lined with banks, bushes, walls, and trees. These, in turn, cast shadows so the standard colour-scheme is ... grey, green, brown, and black, usually in combination.

I've tried to understand this change. Has being visible caused them to become targets? Is there some fashion where yellow is no longer de rigueur and wearing it is an embarrassment? Have cyclists, like lemmings, some kind of death-wish? As a keen motorcyclist I was more than happy to wear bright reflective gear to avoid the SMIDSY effect (Sorry Mate I Didn't See You|). 

I shall continue to give them a wide berth - assuming I see them, of course - because; I have no desire to hear their inane drivel if they think I'm too close, pathetic whinging should I bounce them into the bushes, or have to polish off the nasty marks they leave on the paintwork. 

I can't envisage that being camouflaged will do their cause any good, and will be interested to see if any court cases are decided  against them on the grounds of failing to ensure their own safety.

I'll revisit the matter in another 11 years.

Who needs electric!

 Continuing the theme of economy, the Dacia has been serviced recently, including a new timing belt. So she is running rather well at the moment. Add, that the pumps are now serving 'summer grade' diesel, driving like an old duffer and a new record, for me, mpg figure ... 71 mpg.

This was achieved in dry, favourable weather conditions on a run between Netley Marsh, Hampshire and Gosport, Hampshire. Most of the distance was on the M27 with a speed restriction of 60mph, with light, free flowing traffic. A 30 mile trip.

By the time I had got back home to Devon it was down to 61mpg.

No bad, eh!

Electrifying!

 I haven't mentioned electric vehicles for a while, but I will admit that they do appear to be an attractive option.

But for me the downside (other than the cost of buying or leasing) is still range - how far can you go on a full charge.

When I fill the Dacia with B7 Diesel I know that I can do 600+ miles without having to look for a service station. I can leave home, visit by son (160 miles), both daughters (+50 miles), mother-in-law (+60 miles) and get back home (+140 miles) without worrying about where I can get fuel. On summer grade diesel I am getting 60+ mpg. Winter grade fuel makes 56+ mpg.

The best e-range seems to be with Tesla at some 350 miles - but at ridiculous expense. The cheap end of the market looks like 150 miles is what you can hope for in good conditions.

So, although even cars like the Nissan Leaf are cheaper, they are beyond my price range, if I used one for the above journey I would be looking to refuel (recharge) about 2/3 of the way to my son's house. He has no parking, so on-street parking has no charging points. I might get to mother-in-law's place without another charge, but things would be getting stressful. A full charge - with an extension lead and 8-10 hours in her company - might just get us home again.

Motoring will cease being a pleasure and will be reduced to searching out the next charging point - are we there yet - waiting while you get a 'top up' (because a full charge takes over night) so that you can do may be another 80 miles.

Our ordinary day-to-day motoring may be less frenetic as 150 miles could get us around one of my wife's mooching photographic trips around the countryside. Of course, here in Devon, the lack of public charging points becomes patently obvious when you start trying to find one. 

May be the introduction of E10 petrol (up from E5) with 10% ethanol to reduce pollutants may convince petrol users to switch - as their performance and fuel consumption will be worse.

So I think there is still a long way to go before a 'milk float' is viable for me. What is currently a four hour journey to my son, will become six with the delays for charging added. Definitely a different approach to motoring will be required. Oh, and as the cost per mile is about the same as conventional fuels, there is little incentive there. 

Extreme!

 Update on the economy run. Best so far is now 68.3 mpg. 

Unfortunately winter-grade* diesel is at the pump and I am now struggling to get 55mpg, but hopefully once the ordinary fuel is back decent economy will return.

*One of the winter-grade diesel additives is anti-waxing to stop it 'freezing' at low temperatures.

Economical, or what!

 A couple of posts back I mentioned that I was getting an economical 55mpg out of the Duster, but now we are back on the road and allowed out to play, things are getting interesting.

First we have been running from home to Exeter at regular intervals. Half of the route is along the A30 so cruising around 65-70mph is the norm. On the round trip we have averaged about 58mpg.

On days when my dear wife takes me out for a 'mooch' - touring the lanes, looking for some unsuspecting flowers and vistas to photograph - we rarely get above 50mph, and are usually under 30 (they are that kind of lane!). These times are when things get strange. Today, after filling with diesel in Bideford and resetting all the readings, we got home after some 35+ miles having averaged 67.7 mpg. Now I reckon them hybrid things would be pushed to get that - so I am well chuffed (not good English, but it conveys the appropriate emotion) with that!

Do you remember the antics on the Mobil Economy Runs of the 1960s?

What do you think?

Banged up in Devon

Certainly no chance of a motoring story now. One month in solitary and only allowed to make essential trips to the supermarket - but it does mean that I am so bored I washed the car!

I've never been a fan of the automatic car washes, nor the 'do-it-by-hand' offerings which always seem to have dirty water, and cloths that have washed a hundred vehicles before they get to mine. So I do it my self, which means not very often.

I have a method. Ideally the day is not too sunny and hot, nor windy and cold. Picky eh!
First, with luke warm (tepid) water and a clean sponge, I wash off the heavy accumulations - a mud and cow shit combo mostly. Sometimes I can use three or four buckets full. This reveals the colour of the paintwork below - already she's looking better.

Next, more tepid water with either a specialist car shampoo (if I've had a gift), or domestic washing-up liquid, not too strong. Most enthusiasts would not recommend the Fairy approach, but it does cut through the grime and grease nicely. I start with the roof, then work round the car at window level, bonnet, down to door panels and grill and bumpers. This keeps the dirt moving downwards. I wash the wheels last as they are the dirtiest. A stiff brush is good for getting between the spokes on the alloys.

Finish the washing process with a rinse with clean water and a fresh sponge, drying with a chamois leather as you go. Super job!

I don't usually bother with polish, but this time I did. It said on the bottle it was for motorcycles, but one shiny body panel is the same as any other, so I used it. A real good shake to get the creamy liquid nicely mixed and we were off. I do one panel at a time, spread the cream on with a circular motion - wax on! Once it has gone cloudy, polish it off with a soft microfibre
cloth - wax off!

By doing the job my self I get chance to inspect the condition of the paint close-up. I get to notice small scratches and blemishes that have been caused by normal day-to-day use, and I get to clean the parts others can't (or don't) reach - door shuts, bonnet edges, wheel arch edges, etc.

So that filled about three hours, I still had time to sit in the garden with a cold beer and admire my handiwork.

Stay safe, stay home, wash your hands, and wash your car - Happy Covid-19 lockdown!

Bit of a Duster-ing

The last post was in December 2017 - it is now February 2020! Strewth - time really does fly!

Anyway, 2018 was good. Settled in to retirement, stopped (nearly) pining for my old Honda NC750, and got to grips with life in the slow lane.

2019, and things got a little hectic. Son moved out, we covered ridiculous miles looking for a new home, them we moved out, and ran away to Devon.

So that was the short version. Continuing with a motoring theme, we found that the roads down here are not really suited to an SRi Astra. Wide, and low profile tyres, combined with low and slightly sporty suspension do not work well with potholes, mud, slurry, unidentifiable lumps, sheep, and random spring water.

The above, together with the prospect of new tyres, a service, and a new cam belt, made us look for something more appropriate.

High on my list was a Defender SWB, Range Rover, or Ford F150. Not surprisingly, Julie thought something a little more in the 'value' bracket was in order. We decided on a Dacia Duster.

Don't laugh. We have a '17' Plate, 2x4 version, which is returning 55mpg, and copes with every thing the south west peninsular can throw at it - including stupid old gits who drive in to it in car parks.

Although it lacks off-road ability, being 2x4 and not something I plan on needing, it has 'proper' size tyres, softer suspension with longer travel, better ground clearance, and being a little narrower in the beam, means it is most suited to life in the lanes.

So if you want something practical, comfortable, economical, and priced right, you can't do much better than a Duster - Renault technology, Romanian pricing.

I still miss riding the bike :(