Last days in Erehwon

I think someone is looking out for me and anticipating my problems. When I returned to the only bike shop in town I immediately spotted a brand new rear wheel of exactly the right size and gear-set fitting that I needed. It was the only spare wheel in the shop. And available for less than half the cost it would have cost me in Australia. The only mechanic in the place amidst the crowd of waiting broken down moped riders was very accommodating in removing my stiff gear-set and leaving me to my own devices in the middle of the workshop to do the rest. And the cashier addressed my in ‘Valenciano’ (aka Catalan); a difficult accent to get your ears round.

So I pedalled off into town finally confident to tackle the Pyrenees, knowing the only dubious part of my plans now solved; dubious because the rear which carries most of my 75kg burden and my 15kg odd of luggage. But here was I now with brand new wheel bearing, rim and spokes. I also discovered that the slight wheel imbalance I’d previously put down to a dodgy tyre fit was also gone.

Stranger still the check-out chick in the local supermarket answered my (clearly imperfectly accented Spanish) enquires re the whereabouts of the local Vodafone office (or lack of) in a London accent, she being from those parts, and claiming to be glad of the rare opportunity to speak English for a change.

My trusty iPhone ‘GPS soon got me to the road out of town and on the return journey I harvested a bagful of windfall oranges (being Valencia) lying along the roadside in readiness for a litre of fresh orange for tomorrow’s breakfast.