I spent most of last week with an eye on the weather forecast, wondering if the weekend was going to be another wash out, holding off on making any firm plans until the last minute in the hope the forecast would get better. By Friday the early week predictions of doom and gloom had changed to "it might not be too bad" so I thought I'd better make up for last weekends lack of cycling and get out on my bike. To make the most of the weekend I came up with a plan to get out straight from work on Friday night with the Bivvy kit, get a few miles in with an overnight stop, then head for home Saturday morning, all I needed was the weather to play ball. Friday morning dawned bright and still and I spent the day at work enjoying the sun thinking myself lucky that I don't have to spend my days sat in a windowless office. Obviously that was too good to be true and by the time I got home it was back to raining with a rapidly strengthening wind! Not to be disheartened though it looked like there might be a gap in the rain early evening, it looked dry further North and the wind was going to be behind me on the way out, so that was it, decision made, bike packed and as soon as the rain eased go for it! Unusually that worked a treat and I managed to get away dry and stay dry. A couple of hours of enjoyable cycling later and I was sat in the square in Watlington enjoying a portion of chips for my tea and watching the world go by, there's defiantly worse ways than this to spend a Friday evening. Fed, watered and dressed for the rapidly decreasing temperatures I knocked off another couple of hours along dark country lanes, before finding a nice quiet spot to get my head down. The sky was totally clear and as always it was an amazing feeling laying in my Bivvy, looking out at the stars, listening to the odd rustle as the little creatures went about their business, probably wondering what this impostor was doing in the middle of their patch, seeing the long grass silhouetted by the moon and feeling the chill air on my face whilst snug and warm in my sleeping bag. Saturday dawned cold and clear and once packed up, with a hot cup of tea inside me, I was on the road by 07:00. A stop for breakfast sitting in the sun and an extra stop for a brew and biscuit on the way home still saw me back home for lunch time, leaving the afternoon clear for chores and other domestic bliss (A.K.A the hell of Tesco). And whats not to like about that, an ideal way to get a few bike miles in when most people are sat watching TV or laying in bed thinking about getting up. A beautiful night sky, great sunrise and an extra few hours on quiet roads before everyone gets up to go shopping, chips for tea, porridge in the sun for breakfast and a great Friday night mini adventure. Not a bad use of my time! Sunday morning was all about running, with a cheeky 20 mile off road loop from Kingsclere planned (part of the route I'd been to have a look at last weekend). In order to get an early start and make the most of the day I'd taken the van up to my planned start point Saturday night after tea and was up and raring to go well before 08:00. Despite clear skys at bedtime it had clouded over in the night and whilst still dry, it was a cold and grey typical Autumn morning by the time I got going. It's surprising how far 20 miles actually is once you get going and whilst nearly all off road the route regularly crossed bits of road I often travel on my bike, giving brief moments of "I know where I am" before dropping back onto footpaths, rough tracks and byways before popping out at a high spot and another go of "I know where I am", all pleasant stuff and helps to make the time go by. It's a nice little run this one, dropping slowly downhill for the first 10 miles from the high point at White hill down to a low at Ashe before a final 10 miles back up and an evil leg killer of a climb at 19.5 miles, just what you need to finish off tired legs. 20 easy miles then, in a smidgen over 3 hours, not a bad mornings work, with plenty of muddy bits, some lovely views and Autumn colours on display and a few cheeky hills to make it fun. And the best bit, getting up and out early not only gives you the best bit of the day but I was back home in time for a very pleasant lunch with the lovely Emma. Everyone's a winner! A couple of easy hours on the allotment Sunday afternoon saw the last of the tomatoes picked and the plants composted, Squashes picked and moved into the cold frame to hopefully harden off and broad beans planted to over winter. I've planted 2 rows of dwarf broad beans this year, one under a cloche and one not as a bit of an experiment, so watch this space in 7 or 8 months for the results. I seem to think that there's an old wives tale about lots of berries = a hard winter. If the ones below are anything to go by then we had better watch out, I can't recall seeing sloes loaded on a bush like these very often!
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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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