Review of the Year - 2020

Before I review the year, a quick update; Zedster won't start at the moment. After my last update, I jump started and went for a short spin, all fine. A couple of weeks later, I tried to start him again and the starter motor was very lethargic.

I took the battery to Halfords, they tested it and confirmed it was dead, so I bought a new one. Took that home, connected up and still no starting. The starter motor was still a bit slow but not that bad. After much checking of HT leads, coil pack etc, I finally discovered that, after disconnecting the battery, the Emerald ECU had lost my map and resorted to a default map which did not have the cold start adjustments Emerald sent me a year or so ago.

So I re-loaded the map but now, the starter motor is back to hardly turning. I'm worried I may have killed my new battery (I did do a lot of cranking after I first got it, before I found the map problem). First off, though, I'm going to check the connections to the starter motor - maybe they're loose/dirty/corroded and that is why it's not running well? Being lazy, I may not get to that before the New Year...

So to the review of the year...

For most, 2020 has been one to forget; pandemic, lockdowns, furlough, widespread redundancies - it's been horrible.

But, ironically, not for me...in fact, I have arguably had one of my best years, from a purely selfish point-of-view. I went on my dream holiday, a tour of the Alps in July which was AWESOME!! I then went on a superb family holiday in August to... the French Alps! Very different to my trip in Zedster but still amazing.

Work-wise, I've had 2 promotions this year, with associated pay rises and now find myself in a management role that I've wanted for years. I honestly feel a bit guilty that it has worked out so well when there seems to be so much hardship elsewhere. If I believed in Karma, I would be really worried... 

I've done my rant on the whole Covid situation; suffice to say, I do not know anyone in my circle of friends/family/colleagues who have even been hospitalised, let alone lost their lives, but I know of several made redundant or had their contracts reduced drastically - for them, a life-changing disaster which could have been avoided.

Hopefully, normality will return over the next few months and I really hope some analysis will be done for the next time this happens (it will - we're all damn paranoid now). Perhaps some more common sense will be applied?

In theory, I am booked to go on a trip to the Alps again next year; I paid a £300 deposit for the postponed June trip with the SKCC. Worryingly, the main organiser has been trying to sell his kit, so not sure how keen he will be to continue the organisation - hopefully, it will go ahead as I'd be happy to go again. There is another SKCC trip to Scotland scheduled for around the same time but I cannot commit to that and I have the feeling al the hotels are full for that one even if I wanted to go.

So, it's been hard at times and hopefully, the dark clouds are just a smudge in Zedster's tiny rear-view mirror, with sunlight glistening on the road ahead, the perfume of blooming flowers teasing our nostrils and the burble of exploded hydrocarbons leading us forward (Shakespeare, eat your heart out).

A great holiday and New Year to you all ...