Lejog Day 8: Transplant Part Needed....
Updated: Jan 6, 2020
Yes, one of the worst things that could happen, happened! Bobs bike became seriously ill and needed a transplant part. I am convinced that he has been eating so much in order to stoke up on calories that he gave the bike the equivalent of Byke 2 diabetes.
The bike started to show symptoms of a serious illness yesterday, (Zumba ladies...recall the 13th September warning !!!!) but whilst we were with the ex owners of the bike company it performed OK.
You know the feeling... you have a consistent pain, but as soon as you are in the consulting room with the GP the pain miraculously disappears!
This morning we recognised that it needed more help than our first-aid knowledge and skill could provide and so we phoned Dr Dale at Oxygen Bicycles. He was terrific. He tried all his long range diagnostic skills to no avail and concluded that it did indeed need transplant surgery.
He organised the donor part to be sent by express courier to a bike shop in Bristol.
The only problem was that we had to get the bike to the shop.
Again, we were met with extreme kindness from Roger, an employee here at the Premier Inn offered to transport Bob and the bIke into the centre of Bristol. He would not take a penny for doing this, saying that he has been helped out many times and this was his way of giving something back. He was terrific.
We are covered on our insurance for bike breakdown and pick up so I contacted the insurance company (Thistle Insurance) asking if they could pick up Bob and the bike from the bike shop tomorrow when it will be fixed, to bring them both back here. They refused! Guess who we will not be insuring with them again?
So getting Bob and bike back here will be tomorrows problem.
I cannot imagine what would have happened if we had bought the bikes from a big chain store. Dale could not have been more concerned and helpful. He did, and has done everything in his power to get us going again. We have the utmost respect for him and for Oxygen. A big 'thank you' to Dale and to the company.
It does mean that we are holed up here in Thornbury for two more nights. It could have been much worse. We could have been 10 miles along a cycle path with no town or village nearby. So we count ourselves very lucky.
We have used the time this afternoon to catch up with the laundry and to reconsider everything we have brought with us. We have boxed up every single thing possible to save weight in the panniers. We will need to get the box to a Post Office to send on to Matthew, but again, that is tomorrows problem.
We now have no day clothes at all..just two of each piece of cycling gear, no make up or toiletries, and as few tools as we can get away with. It really will be the simple life when we get going again. Bob is going to have to go on a diet too!
Two and a half days behind schedule now!
Annette & Bob
xx