I know, I know this isn’t something one would normally associate with the long suffering, much blighted and yet stoic head of the hog. But after the longest number of hours spent on a train for the least number of miles covered, my reward this morning was toothache.

A bit of a recurring pain this one, which seems to have suspiciously escalated since I last visited the dentist. I can only assume they planted some kind of nano-molar-drilling bot in there, so they can fleece me for even more cash. Hah, little do they know we don’t have any left.

And while my teeth were sore, the rest of me had that sort of shivery ache humans – well blokes – assume is the trigger for a one man flu pandemic. But still I struggled to work – stoic remember – haltingly through a set of roadworks that promised completion as an early Christmas present for us toiling travellers.

Well even that small bauble has been snatched away with the only obvious sign of progress being the “Work Ends December 2009” sign secreted away under the cover of darkness, and a brand new one declaring “Work Ends January 2010” installed in it’s place.

By not complaining, I seemed to have snook in the odd gripe but that’s not really the point* of this post. No after beseeching Halfords to discard their comics for ten minutes and have a mooch around the stock room, my “sorry sir not in yet” new road bike has magically appeared from behind the hidden stash of porn mags.

They explained that their extensive pre-delivery inspection and build would mean no carbon strokery for me until Friday. Or I could pick it up this evening and insert the forks the right way round myself. I don’t believe you would need more than one guess on the choice I’ve made.

Tomorrow calls for snow. Perfect way to test out my first ever slick-shod, race bred, silly light road bike. I know I’ve said it before, but what could go wrong?

* “There’s a point” I hear someone ask. Long term hedgies would probably shake their heads sadly and recommend the BBC website or something if you want to learn something.