Out after lunch and the plan was to head towards John O'Groats on the top road and then east and a circular route to groats, meet Heather for a coffee and cake, then head back on a direct route and hopefully get in before dark. It was cold up here, maybe 2 or 3 degree and just a slight breeze, but it was cloudy and the breeze was cold. We set off and within about 1 kilometre we were stopped as there was a whistle type sound, only faint coming from either the front or rear tyre. Soon worked out it was only when we were moving but we could both hear it. Eventually traced it to a zip tie on the top rail touching the tyre
Back on the road and we slowly meandered along stopping now and again to look at anything that took the little mans interest. We stopped near Canisbay to let a car past as it's all single track road and as we stopped in the layby there was a metallic sound at the back and we both looked down to see the jockey wheel and cage from the Surly tensioner drop onto the road and fall apart
Thankfully the bolt that holds it on was still on there so it was a case of taking my gloves off and putting it back on and then nipping it up with the allen key. It was something that missed my strip down and put back together, I am sure the guy who put it together never really rode it with the fat wheels and alfine as nothing was done up, setup or sorted, hence the strip down of most things. Anyway, once back on the road and running smoothly, the weather had clouded over a bit more and the wind had picked up a bit, it had certainly cooled down a bit but I was sweating away so didn't notice too much and then Caleb said just as we got to Groats that his feet were frozen. He got of the bike and was really cold so we went into the café and he sat in front of the fire and he instantly looked frozen, his eyes went puffy and he was shivering. He said he was OK just cold but he looked very cold.
After a hot chocolate and a brownie he made the wise decision to go home with mum. I told him not too worry as dad could struggle home lonely and cold with no one to watch his back now that it was nearly dark, but not to worry, you just head inside with the sheilas. Only kidding, it was a relief really as he looked so frozen, he's only six so two hours out in the cold is long enough as don't want him to end up ill. This meant it was lights on for me and I could head down to the harbour and the shore before heading back home. A slight headwind for a part of the ride but this was compensated for with a beautiful sunset that I just couldn't get a picture of.
Anyway it was a good few hours out and while not too exciting riding it is always good to ride with the little man and the BD is a solid workout. Definitely building my new wheels by the end of February as running Fat on tarmac is extremely hard work, so it's back to 40mm rims and 2.5 tyres. No way we are heading back to Orkney in April on the fat wheels.
Hope everyone is having a good weekend whatever they are doing and hopefully get another ride tomorrow.
Jamie
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