Author: Richard Morris

Multiple Personality Disorder

| Richard Morris

So there have been some changes this week.

When we bought the car in 2024 we put on a personalised number plate: AF17 BOD, to ‘spell out’ A FIT BOD, but we’ve recently had a change of plan and instead decided to register another one with Alison’s initials, AJM. So I got in touch with the DVLA and asked them if they could release a plate for me, which they did: ST24 AJM.  ST because it’s on a Focus ST, 2024 because of its age, and AJM for Alison’s initials.

Because we are planning to sell the existing persona numberplate, we had to first apply online to remove it and put it onto a retention certificate, a process which takes less than 5 minutes.

We were given the car’s allocated registration, RY24 YEK, and given both a certificate number for AF17 BOD so we could assign that one immediately to another vehicle if we wished and a certificate to allow us to get some new numberplate made up, but not the new V% certificate number.

In order to assign our new personal registration to the car, we now needed the V5 number for RY24 YEK, which they post to you and don’t give it to you online or by email. So for the intervening period, to ensure the car was legal and insured, I had to put some new numberplate on and change the insurance, both of which are ‘wasted’ costs.

The V5 then arrived on the Friday, so I was able to immediately go online, assign the ST24 AJM registration number to the ST, slap on some new ‘plates that I’d already had made up, and change the insurance again! Fortunately the DVLA handles the tax/road fund licence so that automatically transferred across.

So in the space of a week, the ST has carried three different registrations!

 

 

 

February 2026 Stats

| Richard Morris

After the hideousness of the 40 days of January 2026 things improved with a much quicker February.

I continued my normal exercise regime with a combination of rides on ROUVY as well as getting some of my usual  John Hallas’ Weekly Challenges on FulGaz done.  I’ve also recently enabled the warm-up and cool-down features on ROUVY to actually record the distance I’m cycling before and after each structured ride.

On FulGaz, I also completed their “Tour d’Australia” challenge with a couple of nasty, longer rides thrown into the mix.

I finished February with another consultation about my knee and a recommendation to go ahead with a partial knee replacement, which we’ll do in the early summer…

So, here are February’s stats which might look slightly different to usual again as I had to significantly increase screen resolution to fit them all in:

February 2026 Statistics

February 2026 Statistics

Activities: 63 Distance: 575.65 km Time: 16:34:43 Calories: 17,096

Turning to my weight, at the end of January I weighed 92.1kg and at the end of February I weighed 91.7kg, which is down by 0.4kg.

Body fat percentage was down from 28.2% to 27.7%, which is nice.

November 2025 Ride Selfies

| Richard Morris

We had another fortnight’s holiday in Corralejo, Fuerteventura, so I again hired a Specialized Allez Elite from Easy Riders Bike Centre and went for a morning ride each day from the villas at Bahiazul along the FV-1 to Tamaragua and/or the FV-104 between the shore and the famous dunes.

In total, I managed 300km whilst we were there (plus some walking/hiking).

I continued doing my little selfie videos to annoy friends on Facebook, so here’s a collection from November 2025, all shot on my Apple iPhone 17 Pro.

Bahiazul Resort Fuerteventura: https://www.bahiazul.com/en/

Easy Riders Bike Center: https://www.easyriders-bikecenter.com/e/index.php

May 2025 Stats

| Richard Morris

May began with me looking forward to a long weekend in Cornwall on the BMW R1250RT and that didn’t disappoint, even if it – meaning Cornish Pasties, cream teas, and pub meals – led to a few days off from the Pain Cave.

Most of my time other than that was spent in the Pain Cave for more FulGaz rides, mainly my usual  John Hallas’ Weekly Challenges, but also the FulGaz Winter Escape Tour 2025, which they put out for the riders in the Southern Hemisphere (remember that FulGaz was started in Australia).

Anyway, here are May’s stats:

May 2025 Statistics

May 2025 Statistics

Activities: 27 Distance: 444.96km Time: 17:47:57 Calories:  18,569

Turning to my weight, at the end of April I weighed 86.8kg and at the end of May I weighed 87.0kg, which is up by 0.2kg. Body fat percentage was down from 25.6% to 24.8% which wasn’t bad considering the pasties.

Eight Months Later…

| Richard Morris

Later

So we’ve had the ST for a little over 8 months now, in which time it’s carried us 5,500 miles.

Part of that has been to travel down to the myriads of kids and grandkids in the South West as originally intended and as the 11 grandkids (so far) are all of that sort of age, it’s meant loading it to the gunwales with presents at Christmas, for instance:

Cram Packed!

We’ve also bought a Ford load space carpet mat to protect the OEM carpeting in the estate area as I do shove the Brompton into back when I pick up the youngest stepper from work sometimes, and we also want something for when we start putting full-sized MTBs or similar in/on it.

That will be the next move: fitting some roof rails and bike brackets to the roof.

So what have we learned to date?

Well it’s fairly economical but that’s only to be expected when it demands to be driven quickly, and it is fast and it is quick as well.

It’s spacious.

There are some nice design touches, like a separate loadspace below the main flat boot area with its own waterproof tray to stow wet shoes and boots away from coats and clothes; and like the retractable carrier bag holders and bungee bag areas behind the wheels. And of course the remote handles to fold down the 60/40 split  rear seats.

Other features we love? Well there’s the dual zone heating/cooling, the heated seats and best of all the heated steering wheel. The displays are very clear and quick to react, and I can just put my iPhone in the bay and it charges and connects wirelessly, although as it’s pretty much black I forget it’s in there when I get out…

Features we loathe? Obviously as the car is later than July 2024, it comes with the nagging, but fortunately we can turn that off with one long press of the limiter button on the steering wheel. So our normal routine is get in, throw iPhone into storage area, press the ST button, and press and hold the limiter button.

One problem we’ve had so far is that when the temperature drops below zero, the hand sensors in the door handles to lock and unlock the doors don’t work.  And another is that the iPhone can overheat when it’s providing navigation and it’s on the wireless charger, so it turns itself off to prevent overheating.  Not good if you’re relying on it for navigation. Fortunately the built-in navigation seems to work OK.

 

2024 Statistics

| Richard Morris

2024 continued my fitness consolidation with a combination of real-world activities when we were in the UK and in many parts of Europe (but not the Middle East where I didn’t venture outside the hotel to exercise), using the gym equipment for use in Alison’s personal training venture.

Since early November 2023, we’ve been back full time in the UK – other than holidays, of course – so the Pain Cave is visited pretty much every day first thing before work.

This definitely helps with the pain by building support for the affected areas including my knackered (necrosis-riddled) knee and the pelvis and spine from the motorcycle crash. ‘Helps’ but doesn’t get rid of the constant pain that I have had to come to terms with.

Anyway, moan over, here are the stats:

2024 Statistics

2024 Statistics

That one instance of using the gym? Yes just after Christmas when I decided to get some coaching from Alison as a PT to try and do some upper body work for a change, Must. Try. Harder.

Still, I’m impressed with the stats: 4,218.76km on bikes (real and virtual) with that epic 162.89km “Death Ride” back in February; and another 700km on two legs.

Not bad for a 62 year old?

Weight-wise? On the 1st of January 2024 I weighed 86.2kg with a body fat percentage of 24.5% and on 1st January 2025, I weighed 88.0kg with a body fat percentage of 24.6%.  I can live with that, but there’s still room for improvement.

December 2024 Stats

| Richard Morris

December 2024 and my usual spike in weight whilst trying to cope with shorter, darker, drearier days and more work, work, work with deadlines to hit.

And did I mention three Christmas Dinners and a Christmas party?

Over on FulGaz, I completed their Around the World in 80 Days challenge and their Ironman Sprint Series as well as doing some more of John Hallas’ Weekly Challenges as usual.

Plus I continued with yet more (painful) treadmill runs with JRNY as well.

Here are Decmber’s stats:

December 2024 Statistics

December 2024 Statistics

Activities: 32 Distance: 384.40 km Time: 20:06:28 Calories:  18,978

Turning to my weight, at the end of November I weighed 85.9kg and at the end of December I weighed 88.1kg, which is up by 2.2kg!  Way too many Christmas Dinners and Mince Pies!

November 2024 Stats

| Richard Morris

November 2024 was more work, work, work keeping me busy, plus a number of trips into London for work and pleasure (The Script and London Grammar) and Motorcycle Live at the NEC Birmingham, all of which somewhat disrupted my training schedule.

Over on FulGaz, I continued their Around the World in 80 Days challenge as well as doing some more of John Hallas’ Weekly Challenges and another Ironman Sprint Series ride. Plus I continued with yet more (painful) treadmill runs with JRNY as well.

Anyway, here are November’s stats:

November 2024 Statistics

November 2024 Statistics

Activities: 29 Distance: 406.37 km Time: 17:52:00 Calories:  17,145

Turning to my weight, at the end of October I weighed 86.7kg and at the end of November I weighed 85.9kg, which is down by -0.8kg.  Still eating too many sweets and dried pineapple of an evening with the cats!