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

[CitroJim]

Thanks Zel, I think that's a spot-on assessment of what's going on

I'm back to Stoke today for a dressings change and hopefully I'll be able to wear jeans again It might improve my mobility a bit too... Walking with a leg so heavily bandaged and looking like it belongs to an Egyptian mummy is no joke

Before that I'll be seeing the family. That'll give me a bit of a boost

[myglaren]

Is that Stoke On Trent Jim? Quite a hike for you if it is.

[mickthemaverick]

No Steve, it's the haunt of a now deceased and better forgotten different Jim!!

[Huskyxantia]

Hi, Jim, some little updates for you, I'm on a medication to stop the running gallops , yesterday I had both hips steriod injected , today feels even worse then I was, im still awaiting my results on my gut scans , im clear of the nuclear medication now, but still get hit by dizzyness, last Friday was a shocker im now waiting a psa blood test, also something crops up looks like I'm high risk of losing the use of the lower part of my body, when this came out all I saw in my mind was my fave cars all driving away from me and me sitting in a chair watching them all drive off. I was in shock hearing this . It was for an inlarged prostate isue , ive been given meds which I was taken off a few months back as they were cramping my legs at night to the point I thought they were going to break , so this has got to be sorted out feels like I'm going round in circles, on a plus side having to be in certain positions for these injections in each hip side, both nurses commented how cute my bum was as my wife was sitting holding my hand in fits of laughter! My sockets are wearing and it's damaging the muscles , on the scan picture the consultant showed me the damage he said they look like a knitted jumper being unable picked .. so coupled up with almost all my spine having atheritis something wrong in the cocsick area a disc or something is so close to the main nerve , ive been told not to twist (sorry chubby checker no dancing with you any more) bending , lifting, stretching avoid , and the mention of a brace ? I can't get my head around it all , my family saying wheelchair blah blah ... I cant see me in one , my head thinks I'm still 20.. maybe it needs a consultation with the body then they can both come to agreement about things .. sorry for long post , and I sincerely hope your getting back to where you feel your best .

[CitroJim]

Oh Husky That's absolutely rotten and I do really feel for you. I know exactly what you mean about seeing all your cars disappearing and being unable to do all the things you love. Take it from me - having been in a similar place twice now - it's not going to happen and you will battle to keep all those dreams and loves alive; it's your motivation to do so. You'll get there. It might take a while but you will I did and if I can you will too

Yesterday I was put in the hands of a lovely nurse who had the unenviable task of dealing with the Armageddon that lay under the copious mummy-like bandages adorning my leg... Turns out she had a serious knee condition a few years back that threatened her ability to even walk. Like me, she's an ultra runner and through sheer will and determination she got back to running. I will do so too even though right now walking is still quite a challenge... I have a very good friend who almost lost his life in a car accident a few years ago, suffered serious spinal injury and was not expected to walk again. Eight years on he's once again a competitive triathlete. You, as can I, can do it

I'm healing well but still not very mobile, even with new, smaller dressings, still banned from driving and ordered to keep working hard at resting. That last bit is hard work

I now anxiously await the biopsy results...

Huge thanks to Mick yesterday for transporting me to Stoke (That's Stoke Mandeville, not Stoke on Trent Steve!) and back. I can thoroughly recommend a Subaru as a most excellent patient transport vehicle

[CitroJim]

Recovery continues well, albeit a bit slowly and with ongoing discomfort and limited mobility - by my standards... Lack of mobility is mainly due to the constrictions imposed by the dressings although I'm under strict instructions not to push it.

Yesterday, as I'm still unable to drive, I had my first longish ride in a fully electric car. No idea what it was. It was just a massive square grey box with wheels in each corner. It had a good trun of speed and accelerated like a rocket. Brakes seemed to be well up to its performance.

I was surprised at how noisy inside it was. Road noise. About on a par with my AX. Shocking for such a modern supposedly posh car. Comfort-wise, it was OK and way better than a current-model Golf I rode in the other day. It felt like they forgot to fit the springs when it was being built. Worst car I've ever ridden in and just slightly worse than an iron-sprung Audi poobox I had the misfortune and displeasure to ride in a few years ago. Seats felt like they belonged in Fred Flintstone's car. Terrible, horrid thing

Best non-Citroen cars I've ridden in recently is a big Kia estate, A big, newish Jag (surprisingly) and Mick's Scoobie. That list is in no particular order - all are very similar.

For the epithet of best ride ever as a passenger, a fully-loaded hydractive C5 X7 still takes some beating. That said, I've ridden in some super-comfy Xantias, XMs and CXs too

[myglaren]

Pleased you continue to improve Jim, keep it up!

Perhaps you will catch up with this bloke soon

"Jakob will run 16 mil* a day for 10 days"
*That is 16 Swedish miles and a Swedish mile = 10 kilometres, 96 English miles a day.

My youngest is planning on running 76 miles for the Sophie Lancaster Foundation. Still has some work to do on that.

[Zelandeth]

It's just so frustrating that the best ride quality you can hope for in anything modern in terms of ride quality is "acceptable."

There is absolutely no reason that my Volvo couldn't waft along in total comfort without any idea of how good or otherwise the road surface outside is aside from a change in the amount of road noise here and there. The Renault 25 manages it, my Saab 900s managed it...and there's no fancy Citroen magic there. Heck, the ADO16 I borrowed a couple of months ago floated along more smoothly than anything I've driven in the last ten years, and that's got really tired displacers. Which is definitely one reason one of those is definitely now on my potential list for the future...was such a comfortable and easy way to get around.

There's absolutely no reason modern cars can't do that, but no...we must clad everything in 45 profile tyres (if we're lucky) and fit race spec dampers. The Volvo hacks me off the most because it's so far from a "dynamically focused" design as you can get. It's as much fun to chuck into a corner or around a corner as a coach tour of Swindon. There's absolutely nothing to be lost by making it softer. Aside from the apparently essential comparison to the German carmakers anyway.

My Volvo with the ride quality of a Renault 25, now that would be something...

[mickthemaverick]

That also sums up the reason I am always on the lookout for a 40+ year old automatic Renault 16,18 or 25!!

[Zelandeth]

The R11 I had back around 2005 was a cracking runaround. I still remember being gobsmacked when I got the V5 and found it was only a 1.2 - I was sure it was a 1.5 based on the performance.

It was so comfy, handled well and was really roomy for the size of car.

Unfortunately it was an utter swine to find parts for even 20 years ago, which is why I sold it!

That was in TC spec as well, which is basically one level up from the base model I believe. So even basic cars can be comfortable.

I'd love to see what a car design team from the 80s to mid 90s could do with the technology we have available to us today without the obsession with lap times around a certain road in Germany in mind.

The only modern I can think of I've been in which really rode *well* was an Audi RS7 we had as a demonstrator. Though that did have magneto adaptive suspension - which was an option that cost more than my whole Peugeot 107 - on a car that's ALREADY nearly £100K! Still had less leg room in the back than the Xantia and a smaller boot! Apparently that system is also horrifically unreliable and the shock absorbers are something like five grand each to replace.

[mickthemaverick]

I actually think that since replacing all the springs, shocks, bushes and drop links my Legacy is very smooth and comfy. I'm only looking for the others to save the tax I spend on the MX3.

[CitroJim]

Recovery continues... Back to Stoke tomorrow for another look-see at how the healing is coming along.

I'm cautiously optimistic there'll be no follow-up needed as I've had no advice of any biopsy findings. The longer that goes on the more the likelihood I'm in the clear. Usually, if a problem is found they tend to be pretty keen to let you know.

I'm now in that stage of healing where pain and discomfort is significant. I still can't do much and there's been zero progress on any projects or to be able to read anything lengthy due to to ongoing low mental function and an inability to sit comfortably at my workbench or desk for any length of time.

Hence a once a day visit here early in the day when my brain works at its poor best

[Huskyxantia]

Thinking of you Jim

[CitroJim]

Thinking of you Jim

Thanks Husky I'm hoping I'll be good to drive again after today And walk - although I don't think very far...

I'm keen, although there's no rush, to get Bluebell MoT'd. Currently can't get her out of the garage

In other news, I've completed negotiations on having a new conservatory built to replace my current very life-expired one.

And I've got a new 'phone. Finally on 5G My old 'phone was starting to get a flaky and I was due a nice shiny new one on my contract anyway so why not...

Amazed at how much faster the new one is

[Huskyxantia]

Thinking of you Jim

And I've got a new 'phone. Finally on 5G My old 'phone was starting to get a flaky and I was due a nice shiny new one on my contract anyway so why not...

Excellent Jim . Nice to know you finally upgraded from the Nokia 3310