P is for the Peasants Revolt#
Sat Feb 15 17:48:40 2025
P is for the Peasants Revolt (which today's historians will tell you is not a
great name, there were more participants than just the peasants) of
1381, in which rural society rose up in protest against excessive
taxation and serfdom. In Fobbing (where this arch is) the villagers
were summoned to Brentwood to pay "shortfalls" in their poll
tax. Thomas Baker, a local landowner, "declared that his village had
already paid their taxes and that no more money would be
forthcoming. This was one of the sparks that ignited the peasant's
revolt. He was the principal leader of the rebels in Fobbing and in
the wider Barstable Hundred. He was executed by hanging and drawing on
4th July 1381 in Chelmsford."
Quote from https://www.thurrock-history.org.uk/fobbing.html
Today's ride followed the usual pattern: twisty NSL country roads there, and dual carriageway back. Kurviger only picked one road (and zero fords) that I would really rather not have used, so there's mud spattered all over the underside again.
The forecast said the weather would be mostly dry, which it wasn't: rain on my visor, rain on my glasses, rain on the windshield, and now rain gently falling on the uncovered motorbike in the back garden which I hope (vainly, probably) will wash some of the dirt off it. When the exhaust has cooled down I can put the cover back on, but I'm not seeing the value in doing that if it's not dry underneath
New USB charging cable works perfectly when the ignition is on: it was nice to get all the way home and still have charge on my phone. It looks however like it also works when the ignition is not on, which is not surprising I suppose but something to be mindful of. Unplugging the phone is another quantum of faff whenever I stop and leave the bike (e.g. to photograph a memorial, or buy petrol): I am contemplating putting an old phone on the bike and leaving it there permanently so I don't have to deal with that. But I'd still have to disconnect it from the battery, until and unless (most likely "until") I get something like the Oxford Junction Box so I can run it from accessory power.
The bike started second attempt, which is not perfect but not as bad as it was before I changed the spark plugs. Am going to book it into the mechanic so they can give it a good look over and tell me what needs attention before the MOT is due.
A couple of "learning experiences", both on the way back, and both
relating to slightly pushy lane merges where the driver in the lane I
wanted to be in was oddly[*] recalcitrant about either speeding up or
slowing down to make a gap . I resolved one situation by accelerating
from 0 to 50 in first gear, which was (pardon the pun) a first.
[*] to be fair, this was in Essex, nothing odd about it at all
Am going to book it into the mechanic so they can give it a good look over and tell me what needs attention before the MOT is due.
Ideally nothing at all needs attention and I can instead spend the money on new headlamp bulbs and a suspension refresh, but we'll see