about 8 miles?<\/em>) was okay. \u00a0None of it gets steep and it’s just a case of keeping the legs turning and not getting too bored. \u00a0The scenery isn’t nice until you get to Facit where you discover that there is, in fact, a Fudge Village there. \u00a0A whole Village, of Fudge? I kid you not. \u00a0Sorry I didn’t get a picture but I’m diabetic so I didn’t stop. Sod you lot who can eat what you like \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\nThere’s a nice quick drop into Bacup centre then before turning right into a helluva hill. \u00a0I admit, I got off twice on the way up and walked a bit. \u00a0As I was getting back in the saddle after my second breather, a girl on a yellow bike wearing cutoff jeans, with her mp3 player wired into her ears, pedalled past me slowly but purposefully and in a much higher gear than I was spinning. \u00a0If that was you, good on yer! \u00a0It’s a good job I don’t have any illusions of masculine superiority, that’s all I can say. \u00a0I’d have sulked right then!<\/p>\n
Then…. Wheeeeeeeeeeee!!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\nThe drop down into Todmorden is brilliant! \u00a0A nice wide, fairly gravel-free, very steep tarmac road all the way down the hill. \u00a0Without a turn of the pedals I hurtled towards Tod, collecting flies on my grinning teeth and with tears being blown from my eyes into my ears. \u00a0What fun! \u00a0Oh, and I passed the girl who’d pedalled past me earlier. \u00a0Did I mention how fearless boys are on bikes, compared to girls? \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n
From Tod, the ride home was a leisurely affair, with the grin plastered firmly on face until my gadj let me down.<\/p>\n
Technology Fail<\/h2>\n
Fail 1: \u00a0Solar Battery.<\/span> A few weeks ago I bought a solar battery from dealextreme. \u00a0Now, I know that their stuff is a bit shonky, but I’d tested this thing once by putting it on the windowsill for a bit, then attaching it to my phone and I definitely witnessed it giving life to my phone’s battery. \u00a0Definitely.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\nAbout 2 miles back towards Rochdale, I noticed my phone was running low. \u00a0At 20% battery my GPS automatically switches off, so I pulled the solar backup from my pocket, connected the usb cable and plugged it in. \u00a0Nothing. Wiggled the connections. \u00a0Nothing. Swore. Still nothing. \u00a0Shonky far eastern piece of poo.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\nFail 2: \u00a0Phone Handlebar Mount.<\/span> <\/strong>This is the 2nd time my HTC HD2 phone mount from Mobile Fun has broken. \u00a0Last time it was the bit that cradles the actual phone that gave in, and full credit to Mobile Fun for replacing it despite not being able to find a paper-trail for my purchase.<\/p>\nThis time, I was bobbling along a short stretch of cobbles on the towpath when the main mount fell apart. \u00a0It turns out that a bolt is moulded into the mount and not enough plastic covers it, so the bolt wobbled its way out of the assembly under repeated … erm .. use. \u00a0Yes, use: just normal riding a bike. \u00a0So I’m not happy and I’m not sure how I’m going to attach my phone from now on. \u00a0I can’t replace the\u00a0unit\u00a0now that I know the design is flawed, because the next time my phone parts company with my bike it might not land on a friendly surface. \u00a0Shonky far eastern piece of poo (2<\/em>). \u00a0Until I’ve devised and engineered a marvellous new mount contraption, it’s going to have to stay in my pocket and I won’t be able to see how I’m doing on the fly.<\/p>\nNot ideal.<\/p>\n
All I can say is: thank goodness it didn’t fail at 38mph on the descent into Todmorden. \u00a0Yep, 38mph, my all-time fastest record so far, woop woop! \u00a0I am chuffed about that despite the gadget failures.<\/p>\n\n\t\t