Woke to the sound of dogs barking at 5am ....
Today's plan was really to do nothing but walk around the old City and relax.... but no sooner had I finished breakfast, I went to check the bike over. Well firstly it was filthy dirty, so I thought I would at least try and locate a car wash.
And then I kept looking at that chain ... it really was making some funny noises, and was needing adjusting on a daily basis.
So after a few more hours in the hotel air conditioning, mid-afternoon, I braved the heat and rode around the city, to find a tyre depot and car wash side by side. Jeremy had his front tyre changed and I got the bike cleaned. But it was no point in putting that chain off any more. On the way down, I had clocked this small metal fabrication shop, I knew they would have an angle grinder to cut the old chain off, so paid him a visit on the way back.
I picked up his grinder, showed him what I wanted to do, and he let me get on with it .... but with every passing minute, more and more people gathered.
Soon I was surrounded, and before long, people wanted to help. My tools we being moved, parts were being inspected, GPS being prodded, and helmets tried on. I was again, getting angry at their good intentions but clear lack of understanding how important it was not to mess with my stuff.
Eventually I had the new chain on, but two bolts carefully placed in a cover, were missing because some irk had picked it up to look at, not realising the bolts were there, and now were buried in the sand somewhere.
My helmet, had now also been moved from its place of relative safety, to the direct line of fire of a shower of grinding sparks.
So jumped up to rescue that first, then combed the sand to find the missing bolts. I think the expression on my face, conveyed my feelings, and one by one, they retreated to a safe distance.
With the sprocket cover back on, and all my tools counted back in, I tried to offer some money, but they wouldn't take it.
Parted with a lot of smiles and handshakes .... and a quiet chain.
The evening was a carbon copy of the day before, with bed at a reasonable hour, as we had a lot of ground to cover the next day.
 |
| Quite a selection. |
And then I kept looking at that chain ... it really was making some funny noises, and was needing adjusting on a daily basis.
So after a few more hours in the hotel air conditioning, mid-afternoon, I braved the heat and rode around the city, to find a tyre depot and car wash side by side. Jeremy had his front tyre changed and I got the bike cleaned. But it was no point in putting that chain off any more. On the way down, I had clocked this small metal fabrication shop, I knew they would have an angle grinder to cut the old chain off, so paid him a visit on the way back.
Soon I was surrounded, and before long, people wanted to help. My tools we being moved, parts were being inspected, GPS being prodded, and helmets tried on. I was again, getting angry at their good intentions but clear lack of understanding how important it was not to mess with my stuff.
Eventually I had the new chain on, but two bolts carefully placed in a cover, were missing because some irk had picked it up to look at, not realising the bolts were there, and now were buried in the sand somewhere. My helmet, had now also been moved from its place of relative safety, to the direct line of fire of a shower of grinding sparks.
So jumped up to rescue that first, then combed the sand to find the missing bolts. I think the expression on my face, conveyed my feelings, and one by one, they retreated to a safe distance.
With the sprocket cover back on, and all my tools counted back in, I tried to offer some money, but they wouldn't take it.
Parted with a lot of smiles and handshakes .... and a quiet chain.
The evening was a carbon copy of the day before, with bed at a reasonable hour, as we had a lot of ground to cover the next day.