CitroJim's AX, C3 Picasso, Cycling and Running Tales

[CitroJim]

I'm extremely busy in all sorts of ways currently and that's left little time for this forum or my cars...

With the Stokes Golden Classics show happening on Sunday I gave Bluebell a good mechanical check over today and she's fine. I'll wash her tomorrow and shine her up - today hasn't been the day for it as it's been cold, windy, wet and generally horrible. Thankfully, the weekend looks better...

I also checked Pix and Sally as it's been a while. I've just been driving them and by my standards, quite a lot recently.

Pix is fine but Sally is demanding a little TLC...

One of her CV boot clips has disappeared and the magic grease has escaped all over everywhere

The boot itself is fine. I have some new clips on order and they should be here tomorrow... Apart from that, she's in fine fettle...

A job for Monday...

Speaking of fine fettle... I spent some quality time with Autumn today Not quite eight months and her appetite and love of food is epic...

Here she is, devouring a baby rice cake whist her mum and I enjoyed some rather more adult cakes She got through several!

No teeth yet but as I found when she tried to eat my finger, she has some very hard and effective gums

[CitroJim]

I attacked Sally's CV boot today...

Worst job was cleaning up the mass of grease that had flung all over the place and inside the wheel CV grease is the most horrid thing on this planet

Happily, not contamination of the brake pads or disc

The cause was a broken clip... I was surprised to see it was a one-piece aluminium ring... How the got it on in the factory must have been via a bit of special French magic...

All cleaned up and a new clip fitted

The cleanup took around 98% of the time it took to do the job...

I could find no wear in the joint and it looked OK inside.. I repacked it with new CV grease...

Pleased it's done...

[MattBLancs]

Agree it's grim stuff, CV grease. I can't help wonder, has it changed formulation recently? - I recall it's being a slightly green black stuff, the stuff I interacted with most recently was more of a dark grey black stuff, and somehow less unpleasant than I remembered??

[CitroJim]

Agree it's grim stuff, CV grease. I can't help wonder, has it changed formulation recently? - I recall it's being a slightly green black stuff, the stuff I interacted with most recently was more of a dark grey black stuff, and somehow less unpleasant than I remembered??

You're right Matt. I remember it like that and how it now seems slightly less offensive... I wonder if it has less sulphur in it these days - the stuff that makes gearbox oil so revolting and sick-inducing

[MattBLancs]

Think you could be onto something there Jim, think sulphur is in gearbox oil for the shearing action (one gear's tooth sliding contact with the opposing gear's tooth)

Wondering now how much good gear oil running up my arm from drain plug to my elbow has done for me!

[CitroJim]

Wondering now how much good gear oil running up my arm from drain plug to my elbow has done for me!

I'm sure sulphur will have some medicinal properties Matt so likely beneficial to you

I'd be surprised if not. After all, things like lithium has so on that basis, grease must be good for you

I've been out for a most magical bike ride with a good friend today...

Weather was most agreeable and so was the mid-ride pit-stop at a country park for refuelling purposes

[NewcastleFalcon]

I've been out for a most magical bike ride with a good friend today...

Riding slap bang through Marston Moreteyne, a name-noticers feast, even without it being M-Day

Where's the ceremonial M-Day photographs next to the Village nameplate!

Neil

[mickthemaverick]

We have another FCF spooky on our hands with you picking up on that Neil, this is a screenshot of a message concerning one of my charity jobs a few weeks ago. I had to deliver a beautiful cat for fostering, if you check out the postcode you will find that Manor Road is in Marston Moretaine!!

Screenshot

and here is the subject complete with Miaow!!

Own work

[CitroJim]

Where's the ceremonial M-Day photographs next to the Village nameplate!

Riding with friends Neil so no stopping for taking photos - sorry!

[CitroJim]

We have another FCF spooky on our hands with you picking up on that Neil, this is a screenshot of a message concerning one of my charity jobs a few weeks ago. I had to deliver a beautiful cat for fostering, if you check out the postcode you will find that Manor Road is in Marston Moretaine!!

Had that been yesterday Mick, we'd have been there at the same time, more or less! Did you visit the Forest Centre for a coffee?

[mickthemaverick]

No Jim, on that day I went on to meet a couple of jolly chaps at The George in Little Brickhill!!

[CitroJim]

No Jim, on that day I went on to meet a couple of jolly chaps at The George in Little Brickhill!!

Wonder who that was!

[myglaren]

[CitroJim]

That's a good 'un Steve

Been a busy day today... Bluebell and I have been out marshalling at the Box End Triathlon, on the bike course at a very busy roundabout on the A428 near Bedford...

Whilst I stood on one of the roundabout traffic islands to do my job, poor Bluebell had to hide in the bushes at the side of the carriageway... Nowhere else to park...

I was expecting her to be swooped upon by the law and covered in 'Police Aware' stickers... Happily, she escaped such an indignity

After the race was complete, I took my life in my hands scrambling over the middle of several roundabouts and their approach roads to retrieve the signage...

This is just a few of the signs collected and by the time Bluebell and I got back to the race HQ she was full to the gunwales...

Here she is, back at HQ. You might say she's outstanding in her field

It was a good day, I was exhausted at the end of my stint so once I got home I went out on an 18 mile bike ride and 3.5 mile run to rejuvenate

[CitroJim]

Gosh, it's been a while sionce I've updated this blog...

Maybe because I've been doing nothing automotive, except writing the July edition of my A to Z column. All has been running and cycling...

On Sunday I marshalled at a big triathlon event at Mallory Park... Huge fun and a very long day...

I love Mallory and will be back there to race in a duathon in October...

I have a nice new skinsuit to wear for such events

In the post recently I received a very special finisher tee...

The best finisher tee ever and one to treasure as it was one of my most favourite runs ever

I wore it at our social run yesterday...

This Sunday I'm running the Two Tunnels Half Marathon which sets off from Bath and runs through two of the old Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway tunnels and then over one of the big viaducts on the line before turning around and heading back to Bath. I'm massively looking forward to it

My training for it is going well and I'm working up a good head of steam...