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The Spirit Of Adventure
Hope you had a wonderful Christmas, and I wish you and yours only the very best for 2023!
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And speaking of Christmas, were you a good girl or boy, and did Santa deliver that new bike? Or did you get something different for cycling and/or camping? Evidently, in a previous life I was Genghis Khan himself, judging from the complete absence of any new bikes under my Christmas tree!
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As I mentioned my bike (which I love and remain very happy with!) I somehow managed to snap the chain while out on a ride. It then wrapped itself around the derailleur, cause that to be caught in the spokes. That's a new derailleur and chain needed in one go!
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When it arrived, just before the end of the year, I was quite impatient to get it fitted. That's when I discovered that the mech hanger was also bent! Mech hangers are a bloomin' pain in the rear end! They should be standard, but there are many hundreds of different types. And of course I struggled to find the specific one my bike needed!
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That's when I picked up my convincing tool (aka hammer) and gently coaxed the mech hanger back into shape. It's back on the bike, and I dare say that turned out far better than I expected. For good measure, I also ordered a replacement (which arrived surprisingly quickly!) so I'll have a spare to carry on the bike.
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I was going to change the crankset on my bike for a triple, but I'll need a new and different bottom bracket fitted, so that can wait for another time.
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Enough about me, let's hear from you instead:
Andy planned on continuing to ride over Christmas, but wasn't participating in the Rapha Festive 500. Stuart was working between Christmas and New Year, and continued cycle commuting. He's based in Norway, so it's a tad colder up there! Eoin was going to try and cajole his kids into a bike ride, while also cycle commuting in Ireland. He has a Swytch kit on his bike and loves it.
Phil's been off the bike for a while, and is hoping to slowly get back to more cycling. Nic was doing the Festive 500, and started with a bang, by doing an Audax ride.
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Thanks to each and every one of you. Several of you said you didn't want to be in the draw for the cap, but I still entered you. As per usual, I fed the names to the online random picker, and the winner is... Phil! Congratulations, mate - your cap will be in the post just as soon as I have your address.
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May your cycling goggles never steam up in the rain (of which we've had quite enough of now, here in the UK!)
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The Blast From The Past button is quite straightforward: with every edition, I link a random old WillCycle post to it. If you click it, you will see what old WillCycle post it takes you to.
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The button will only ever point at WillCycle.
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The Good News
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Under Bolsenaro's presidency in Brazil, deforestation of the Amazon was steeply ramped up. Now, with a new president, things are changing for the better! So much so that Brazil's new Environment Minister is an eco-activist, and she's promising to clamp down hard on deforestation!
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Did You Know...?
For a very long time scientists have theorised about nuclear fusion, with many scientists saying it's impossible. Fusion is different to fission, what happens in normal nuclear reactors, and which generates radioactive waste.
Last month, scientists in the USA achieved nuclear fusion, and for the first time ever, more energy was released than what was needed for the process.
It's not ready for a mass energy solution, but it's looking extremely hopeful!
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What Did You Miss On WillCycle?
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Chester Millennium Greenway
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Chester Millenium Greenway cycle route overall rating: ⭐⭐⭐ The Chester Millennium Greenway is a 10.7 mile almost completely traffic-free cycle route, built mainly on a disused railway line. As the name suggests, it runs right through the heart of Chester.Because it's built on a disused railway, the route can feel very disconnected from its surroundings, and even in Chester can …
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We don't want no cycle paths here
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Say hello to Cycling Judy Judy is a cyclist and a song-writer, and I suspect you will enjoy her work. She has an entire YouTube channel, but I thought I'd introduce her work with this son, We don't want no cycle paths here.Judy's on Twitter, and on Mastodon, so give her a follow!Enjoy!
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Simplicity - women's cut T-shirt
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Random Internet Link
Ever wanted to sound like a Dalek? Or an alien? Or one of quite a number of other things? Here's your chance - simply use the Voice Changer site: https://voicechanger.io/
Maybe create a new and custom ringtone for yourself?
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Will's Unexpected Bike Hack
This editions' Bike Hack sort of forced itself onto me: Go to your bike(s) and identify which mech hangers it needs, then go order at least one spare. Do so for each of your bikes.
When the hanger arrives, put it with your multitool, so you have it with you on a ride.
You may have to wait weeks for the hanger to arrive, so having a spare ready to go when you need it means not having your bike out of action for weeks.
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Do you have any hacks to share? Well then, don't be shy! Simply reply to this email. I'm fast running out of useful hacks to share so I can really do with suggestions.
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And Finally...
I spend considerable amounts of time producing The Spirit Of Adventure, and you receive it for free. Please do me a favour and forward it to someone else who you think will appreciate it?
And if you received this newsletter because someone forwarded it, you can subscribe quickly and easily at www.willcycle.com
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