2007 -- The start of a new year and perhaps my last big European Tour

[Pinky]

I shall be 70 next June. That isn't important but my diagnosed aortic valve
defect is!

My planned cycle camping tour for this year is planned to be from Orange on
the Rhone, up the Massif Central and then down the infant Loire --
eventually to the Atlantic at St Nazaire (or thereabouts). Across Bretagne
to St Malo (calling in for a well needed bath at a friends home) and then
back home to Yorkshire from Pompey! About 2000 kms in all -- which is my
normal sort of planning distance for my tours -- it is usually a bit more
than that.

I see the Cardiac Consultant next Tuesday ( 9 Jan) and that will probably
set my medical and cycling course for this year at least. Goodness know what
will happen after that!

I must say that I have immense enjoyment on my daily ( well very nearly
daily -- I don't mind wet or cold but don't like high & gusting winds when
I am on road) cycling pootles and my serious training for my next departure
in late May has now started. From now on I shall be towing my trailer most
days with increasing loads until by April I should be travelling on very
nearly full camping load. Got 50 miles on the clock so far in January 2007
( but just one trip under full "shopping" load)

I am certainly not as well as I was in 2005 but despite a discovery of my
condition last January I had no problems at all on my 2006 Rhein / Mosel
tour -- easy peasy. But my first 1/2 mile every morning ( up hill -- all
roads from my house go up hill!) causes me a bit of discomfort ( a minor
chest ****le) but then nothing else for the rest of the day. The only real
problem so far is that my Travel Insurance costs in 2006 over tripled! I
must say I would rather drop dead whilst pedalling my velo (velocepanther3)
than sit at home making scratch marks on the wall!

This is all part of being a type 2 diabetic -- which is a progressive
degenerative disease -- although none of the medication I take is
specifically for diabetes -- high blood pressure, cholesterol, aspirin to
thin the blood and another pill to ease my prostrate problem! I sometimes
feel that I rattle more than all the pill boxes I have.

So I am at another "crisis" point next Tuesday and I am wondering what
this year will bring.

Well after all that despondency I have to say that every day on the velo is
( more or less -- depending on the mad, blind, deaf motorists) a pleasure to
be out and enjoying the local world around me.

Happy new year everyone!

By the way in winter 1959/60 I remember skiing back from the Tan Hill pub to
Royal Signals HQ mess, under a full moon, after midnight and after an awful
lot of beer! ( this in response to Vernon's "First ride of the year" post).

Trevor A Panther
In South Yorkshire,
England, United Kingdom.
www.tapan.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk

 

[Sandy Morton]

In article <[email protected]>, Pinky
<[email protected]> wrote:

> So I am at another "crisis" point next Tuesday and I am wondering
> what this year will bring.

Good luck and better health I hope.

--
T h e - e x t e n d e r ! ! ! !

 

[vernon]

"Pinky" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> Happy new year everyone!
>
> By the way in winter 1959/60 I remember skiing back from the Tan Hill pub
> to Royal Signals HQ mess, under a full moon, after midnight and after an
> awful lot of beer! ( this in response to Vernon's "First ride of the year"
> post).
>
The Tan Hill must have generated more reminiscences than any other pub in
the country. I've been drinking there on and off for the past 30 years and
apart from one duff landlord it has been a top notch watering hole with an
unorthodox approach to licensing hours. Current opening hours are 08:00 to
03:00.

Don't let your condition get you down. Things might not be as bad as they
appear. I was tentatively diagnosed as having heart failure four years ago
<gulp> thankfully but frustratingly, it took a drawn out series of tests and
consultations to reach a diagnosis that I had the symptoms of some form of
heart defect without any defects being present and that I was dismissed as a
medical curiosity. While this was going on I purchased a bike and: 3 x
C2Cs, 1 x W2W, 1 x Hadrians' Cycle route, 1.5 x LEJOGs, 1 x JOGLE, 2,500 km
of Audax rides and countless km of utility riding later, I'm in rude but
porky health

Keep on pedalling Trevor and here's to 2007!

-=V=-