pumpkinstrokemarrow

Having found that the clip which holds the saddle in place on No. 1 bicycle was knacked - to be more precise the thread on the aluminium bolt which tightened the thing up had got stripped somehow - the first spin was on the No. 2 bicycle. Up the road and back again a couple of times.

On day 2 walked bicycle No. 1 to the Pound Lane shop to find it closed. Carried on to the Upper High Street Shop. Yes he had and fitted a similar clip, this time with a steel bolt, the only catch being that for a very modest bit of metal one was charged £7.99. Cost to manufacture a few pence. Whereas, when I went to our Ford dealer to replace a small bit of plastic trim which had been knocked out of what passes for a front bumper these days, I was pleasantly surprised to be charged a modest £2.21, having thought that any car part starts at around £22.1. Plus the thing slotted into place. The knock hadn't taken out any of the bumper side lugs which might have taken us into the seriously expensive land of new bumper. Despite it also being a lump of plastic. Anyway, bicycle No.1 now up and running again and cycled the thing most of the way home without incident.

And today, day 3 of my renewed relationship with my bicycle, cycle to and from Epsom, although I did elect to take the route which did not involve any slopes. Where I was reduced to buying the cabbage supply from Waitrose, there being no vegetable stall on a Friday. On the other hand I have renewed acquaintance with the butcher in Manor Green Road, so meat supplies at least are assured until I make it back to Cheam. Not such a fancy operation, but at least it is not the supermarket. So today we have roast rolled pork belly with roast parsnips, boiled curly cabbage & etc..

Yesterday was the day of the Battersea beer festival run by CAMRA, in the once grand grand hall at the back of the old Battersea town hall, from the glory days of civic pride. Complete with coffered ceiling and organ. Strange event, with the afternoon crowd being mainly men with a median age of perhaps 50. Lots of wild hair, large beards and modest paunches. Overall impression very shabby, rather like being at the dogs in the bad old days. I felt positively smart in my posh duffel coat. Lots of obscure beer and much beer waffle going on around me. Regular beer tarts. Clearly not the sort of event when the bigger brewers showcase their stuff, the only bigger brewer that I spotted among the barrels being Fullers. I had a pint of 'Shere Drop' from the Surrey Hills brewery, a beer that I had known and liked from the reopened 'The Coopers' in Stamford Green Road. And to be daring, a pint of 'Weymouth Best' from the Dorset brewery, which I do not think I have had before. Quite potable.

For me, a beer drinker rather than a beer tart, not really the right sort of event. I like to stick with the same gear for the session, so having a choice of hundreds does not do much for me. Plus most of the draught beer from the bigger brewers suits me fine. But, to give CAMRA their due, the return of draught beer to pubs in a big way after the drought of the seventies did coincide with their campaigns.