My rear tyre the day after Halfords fixed a puncture?

Has anyone had a tyre deform this way? What causes it?

Winter is just round the corner, we’ve had a rather cold snap this past week, which has brought frost and icy conditions to the roads. Naturally, I’ve wimped out of cycling, scared of a fall. The bad news is, except for a few trips to and from the village shops, I haven’t done any cycling for over a week.

Rain came in last night, so it was milder and I was all set to go out for a ride this morning, even though it was raining, but then life got in the way, my son needed a lift to work, early. After dropping him off and getting back home, it was 06.10, I just went back to bed. Felt guilty about wasting the opportunity all day.

Been doing DIY in the house for most of the day, posted a couple of letters, after pumping up the tyres on the Pioneer, to make a roundtrip of a mile and a half this afternoon, I’m missing my daily commutes, because I’m currently using up my annual leave, nine days of it, I lose it if I don’t take it, and they definitely won’t pay me for not taking it, which would be my most preferred option at the moment. Still it means I’m only going to be in work for one Sunday, one night, and a couple of dayshifts, between now and Christmas.

It’s hard work though being under her indoors’ feet everyday, she’s constantly on the go, while I’m more of a manana kind of a guy, i.e., a lazy so and so.

So now I’m feeling guilty about not doing enough around the house, and not cycling, the pressure is really building.

My last real ride was my commute to and from work a week last Sunday, for the dayshift. There was a light drizzle, and I really enjoyed the ride in, setting off at 04.00 meant it was pitch black riding down the old road toward Neath, but my lighting system is first rate, so seeing the road is no problem.

I’ve heard and seen owls fly silently across the road many times in the past, but something strange happened this morning. I had just passed the old Washery at Cwmgwrach, which is now a re-opened mine, about to close again, because of the glut of coal on the world market, but I digress,that’s another story.

Yes, I was past the old Washery cycling along an avenue of trees, when I perceived a light shadow to my left, I thought to myself it was the beam of my lights, but then it became obvious that it was too high to have anything to do with that source of light. I looked left to see the pale beating wings of a barn owl, silently gliding above and to my left. I think he or she must have been checking me out, because when he caught my eye, he flew up into the trees, settled and watched me pass on by.

It was a thrilling experience, something that probably could only happen to or be seen by a cyclist, silently pedalling along.

Can’t wait to be out there cycling again……….Doah!