at least on alternate days!

Yep, we seem to get one day of Spring, low teens c and sunny, the next is grey, single digits and maybe some damp, the thing that ties them together is a stiff, generally westerly wind. The resulting weather has influenced my physical activities but not stopped me getting out and about.

Lets start with Thursday. With a bright day expected but strong winds i decided on a trip out to Trowbridge with a return via Bradford on Avon using the canal as a sheltered thoroughfare for the return. And so it was, a helpful push on the outward leg and a surprisingly fast return, after a sandwich stop at Bradford Tythe Barn, 94km with just 500ish metres of ascent.

I didn't want to do a huge Friday walk this week but i still ended up doing 9km+ for a sausage and egg butty! Back at the house i got back to writing, completing the chapter i started midweek, finishing the day with a pizza.

Saturday's forecast had the wind moving to a more northerly aspect, i changed my lunch destination to make some use of that and set off into a cool, bright morning. I've not headed northwards very much for weeks so whilst i know the roads, it almost felt like i was rediscovering them - well the new potholes at least lol! Up to Dursley then it was the 15% climb up onto the Cotswold plateau before heading through the lanes to Tetbury where i stopped to eat my sandwiches.

It was perishing cold, maybe 6/7c and when the grey clouds came through it wasn't rain they released but hail. Fortunately it soon cleared and i was on my way again. The return was always going to be harder and so it turned out despite a twisty route southwards to Chipping Sodbury, that westerly wind gusting to over 30mph! It was a little better once i reached lower altitudes but it was still tiring, finishing with 115km and over 1000m of up.

And today? Well its perishing and if anything the wind is stronger, that said, on Friday it was snowing up in the Pennines, it may be spring but its not even close to summer! I have been out for a walk, just to fetch some essential grocery supplies and i'll be cooking shredded hog roast later on.

I have posted chapter 40 of Gaby - Balancing Trick today, i lied suggesting it was the final part, there is an epilogue which i'll post next weekend which is of course, Easter.

So what's on the cards this week? well tomorrow i'm taking myself down to Wells on the bus, to do the tourist thing. I've been to and thru a few times on the bike since moving down here but i've never explored the sights so i decided i should. The plan is for a mucky burger ride on Tuesday and i'll be hitting the keyboard hard too. Looking a bit further ahead, i'll be going up to GOC for a few days after Easter, family birthdays to celebrate, it'll be June before i plan on being up that way again.

I guess that's about it for today, i'll be back on Wednesday,
Tschussie!
Madeline Anafrid