Author: RogerMerriman

 

It’s been 10 years! Which I think is Tin? Anyway we decided that we’d go on holiday, to Tenerife to one of the quieter spots, which has worked out well, as Sa gets a sun holiday and I get opportunity to get out on the bike, I find the landscape amazing somewhere between Tatooine and Mad Max! See below photo of the dish from the Millennium Falcon?

Just over a year ago where I work changed (same company) from being 3 ish miles away to being over 10 miles away.

With the public transport being hilarious slow and convoluted, and no desire to drive in stop start traffic, I’ve remained commuting by bike though I have made changes both to the bike and clothing due to the distance, differences in type of area.

Which are for the bike I’ve fitted nearly puncture proof tyres since the good folks do like to liberally coat the parks/paths/roads with broken glass! I’ve also bought a better for the road bike light, which though not as powerful has a kinder beam shape and a remote so I can flick between high/dip without taking my hands of the bars.

For myself I did get a better coat and have started changing since though I wasn’t sweaty, it wasn’t hygiene to remain in the clothes, plus bike clothes are warmer/cooler etc.

Luckily from Heathrow up there is a long shared path that is traffic if not glass free that goes to and past work, it’s remarkably empty of others be that 6am or 10pm I rarely see anyone!

I started off and I have stuck to going via Bushy Park which is a park I love as it’s fairly gently managed. Linking up to Crane Park that follows the River Crane up to Hounslow Heath which is rather lovely it’s self.

Originally I did use some back roads to connect to the A30 and the shared path running north but was far too much rat running, so I use the main road which oddly is fine.

I have worked out a alternative from the A30 home via the amusingly named Donkey woods

The decking is quite fun, in places it’s tilted which adds to the entertainment!

The route links follows the river crane until Feltham where I pick up some parks, and what not all the way home, it can be a rather wet muddy route but Has no busy roads and very few quiet roads under 2 miles out of 11 miles, my normal route is 5/12 split so close to half and half, that does have some busy roads but still low amounts.

The direct route which is same as the car is a mile shorter but fairly unpleasant roads though less glass strewn and though Heathrow!

All in all I like my new commute, it is longer takes at least a hr and I do need to change etc which adds faff, etc.

Been a busy while, I did go on the above charity ride with some of the folks I know though Headway South West London was much wetter than expected so rather cold and soggy!

The main thing has been Dad has been in hospital so they could stabilise him, which has been a worrying time. He is out now and if not cured is much better and happier!

We also had some vandalism to our car luckily Sara’s “work Dad” fitted the replacement wing mirror so it’s as good as before!

With all of this plus having shifts so that one of my days off was after a sleepover, I’ve been exhausted hence not managed to make it to Dittons Velo hopefully after the holiday!

I’m pinning a number on my bike again! Not a race I have almost no competitive instinct!

But a Charity bike ride soon for StGeorges Hospital where I was taken to, having been found in Bushy Park having being attacked by aliens or whatever! And have had various assessments and treatments, quite a number where fairly odd though method in the madness in that I’ve improved quite dramatically in some cases.

Tracey and Adrian had a “Party for no reason” yesterday which also was my 43rd time around the sun! So there was cake!

Which was rather lovely! Though apparently very heavy to carry, Sophia who carried it home!

It was a lovely “party for no reason” in spite of photographic evidence there was a lot of people there, and a band! Had a lovely time.

Though we where a little tired when home!

Had my Physio today at St George’s ie having improbable things done to me by young women, and I’ve improved so much, ie was able to walk across a dark park last week, which I’d not have been able to before it’s a real recovery of ability, and she ran a few tests (hence the improbable) such as making me do a reading test, while shaking my head, which I did much better in that I could still read where as before i couldn’t keep focused.

Really happy that I’ve got back so much, and thus I’m discharged which will be great as the whole experience of hospitals knackers me out, plus the bus/train I managed to mildly fall on the bus, no harm done!

I clearly will have to keep practicing or I guess the brain will get lazy? I also found out what it’s called which is Unilateral Vestibular Hypofunction, essentially my left ear, the vestibular system there is damaged, hence the other systems having to take up the slack.

Not sure if that’s the end of Roger going to hospital, I was supposed to see the God of Neuropsychologist I think? Or I may be free but either way today is a good day!

This weekend was a busy one, on Saturday went with Headway South West London to London Zoo was fabulous day out, really enjoyed myself, totally exhausted by end though, not unsurprisingly crowds and dark exhibits made my brain flip, but it was a lovely day, lots of folks I knew, some I probably did but didn’t recognise but such is life!

And Sunday was the ride london, that a friend of mine rode in, so I went for a spin around to gawp at the streets full of bikes etc, was a fairly wet day! So bar one wasn’t many at the Club by time I’d stopped making a balls up of punctures on my ride! Still paying for it some two days later to be honest, but it was a good weekend!

Coming back from Headway meeting, the train went no further than Teddington so thought since it was getting dark at this point and no easy bus route home, I’d walk though Bushy Park, only 2 miles, but certainly by end fully dark. Be a good test of how my dark balance/vestibular system was doing, from having the Physio ie improbable things by young women at StGeorges.

Lots of floaty/world is spinning and a bit of wandering off line. But no Zombie walk nor falling, few minor missteps, really chuffed! Don’t get me wrong I’m exhausted I had to focus on my walking the full hr or so it took me, but I couldn’t even do this a few months back so I’m very pleased!

Last night when to Hampton Pool with Lee and Dave, to watch T-Rex and David Bowie or rather cover bands of them! Sara had a great time, as it was the music of her youth! For myself the can’t balance in the dark or even gloom, and certainly not with the stimulation/confusion of folks dancing in the dark/music/light show etc. So we’d tried taking a chair so I could sit, which worked, but was frankly a bit pointless! I had tried shortly after my Bump, don’t get me wrong I’m so much better than before but it’s just too much!

No matter today I went to do something I can do and fairly well ie ride a bike, went on my 2nd Club Run with Dittons Velo again went places I hadn’t been for years. Really enjoyed it, was fair bit slower which is fine by me! And more hills which equally is fine by me!

Went for a bike ride with Mum today, from Llanfoist home, mostly via the old railway line, Mum seemed to enjoy it, didn’t much like the one steep point, just after Govilon though her E-bike was far easier than my gravel bike! Was a lovely ride up the valley!Was only a few miles but quite a lot of feet climbing, not to be sniffed at!As ever been to two hospitals few days ago, West Mid Hospital for a MRI which wasn’t very pleasant it has to be said, staff where lovely but it’s still not terribly nice, and it triggered a Vertigo attack which wasn’t unexpected.And then in the afternoon went to see the Wobbly head woman, ie the Vestibular Physio, I also heard that the Physio that had seen me in the Wolfson had been knocked off her bike out side StGeorges hospital. And has lost some teeth and broken nose? Wobbly Head wants to look at idea may have fairly permanent Migraine re my sound sensitivity.Today also is the NHS 70th birthday inspired by Tredegar, which is local to where I grew up, and also realised my parents span it, in that my father is just before and my mother just after!