Right, we're finally getting somewhere and despite things still being manic at least I'm back to blogging on the right week and things will hopefully stay that way for a while. If they don't it's going to be new job time, I've got better things to be doing than working my bit's off. Don't they know there's adventures to be had? After last weeks dismal efforts I thought I'd better try and make amends. Having sweltered through another stifling week with not a breath of wind I filled “The Emma” in on my weekend plans on Thursday night, only to be greeted with a quizzical look and some mutterings about the weather forecast. Oh well, prepare to get wet again! If I only went out when it wasn't raining I'd never go out. So, van packed ready for a quick getaway after work and a pootle up to Watlington for the night on Friday night, ready for some hilly bike fun on Saturday. Saturday morning didn't look too bad when I peeked out early door's and if I'm going to stay dry there's no point in laying in bed, so best get up, grab some breakfast and get out early. There's nothing like a bit of forecast rain to make you get a shift on! The Chiltern Hills are a bit like the Surrey Hills where I had some hilly fun the other weekend, in that there hilly with lots of nice quiet county roads that are ideal for cycling and running. That's about where the similarities end though, the climbs are steeper but shorter and the road surfaces worse in the Chiltern's, making then more of a challenge to me. The big positive though, is that the roads are a lot quieter. The problem with the Surrey hills is it seems like a bit of a cycling Mecca for the London crowd and as such seems to get a bit manic at times. The Chiltern's though, despite being the same distance away are totally deserted. Just how I like it. 60 odd hilly miles before lunch was more than enough for my old legs and handily saw me back at the van just as the forecast rain started. Now that's more like it, far better than getting unnecessarily wet and gave me the ideal opportunity to spend the afternoon chilling in the van, watching the rain run down the windows and bounce off the roof. The rain even managed to ease off enough late afternoon for me to venture from my hidey hole down into town to grab a few bits for tea before returning to my lair for the night. After an early night and another great nights sleep I awoke to the sun streaming through the skylight and the sounds of the birds singing in a new day. What's not to like about that? and after spending Saturday afternoon cooped up I couldn't wait to get out amongst it. Running shoes on then and an easy downhill mile (not so easy on the way back) put me onto the Ridgeway Path and my gateway to a brilliant couple of hours plodding slowly along in the early morning peace and quiet.
I've run this stretch a few times now, mainly as it's convenient for parking and seems to be in the vicinity of other things and whilst I can't speak for the rest of the path it seems like quite a varied route, crossing mixed farmland, small villages and taking in the odd high point along the way. Further investigation is defiantly on my to do list. The mornings efforts saw another 16 miles added to the years total, well before the sensible people were even up and about and leaving plenty of time for a bit of gentle pottering and a few hours on the allotment in the afternoon, followed by a couple of beers and a curry with the lovely Emma in celebration of my getting another year older, but certainly not another year wiser!
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Paul PerrattOld enough to know better, young enough to still feel invincible, stupid enough to keep on trying the same thing again and again. Cyclist, Gardener, Runner, Hiker, Cook, Woodworker, Engineer, Jack of all trades and master of none, Anti social old git and all round miserable bugger. Archives
March 2024
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