Interesting times

with regard to the weather and events in general.

Thursday's ride ended up at a mere 50km, mostly on urban streets to the east of Brizzle. I just wasn't feeling like going far.

Friday we had a visitor coming for a short stay so my exercise was restricted to a couple of short walks and we spent the afternoon pulling apart, or rather trying to pull apart my E-bike to find the source of its drive issues. We failed so after stripping most of the bits from it, i prepared it for a trip to GOC for further attention. We finished the day with an Indian meal and a bottle of plonk!

Saturday was to be a bit more exciting. We started with a brief stop at Tintern Abbey for tea and buns before using the lanes to reach Devauden, the top of the second King of the Mountain climb of the day's Tour of Britain stage. We were ahead of the race by about an hour but soon enough they came through, a blur of colour as they flashed past at 20kph!.

But we weren't done yet, next stop was Caerleon where we visited the Roman museum, baths, amphitheatre and barracks. Its always nice to visit somewhere new even if its not your favourite archaeological period! It was still only three pm so instead of getting onto the M4 back to Brizz we took the A48 so we could make another Roman stop at Caerwent Roman town. We walked part of the 1800 year old town walls, took in the forum and civitas and only then headed back across the Severn finishing the day with a fish & chip supper.

And so to today. We awoke to persistent rain but we were determined to take in the monthly bunfest out at Hill so rather than riding the 20 miles out in torrential rain we loaded the bikes into the bus and drove out. Clearly the combination of the weather and the nearby finale of the Tour of Britain seriously reduced attendees but that did nothing to spoil our enjoyment of the buns on offer. When we came back out @ 12.30, it was drying up so whilst Aunty Bev drove the bus back, the rest of us had a leisurely ride back across South Gloucestershire's lanes at all of 10mph!

The day has been rounded out by me cooking a roast chicken dinner - yum!

I have of course posted a new Gaby episode, Fourteen, which, as i mentioned before will be the last for a couple of weeks as i'm heading to GOC for a short break to see friends & family.

I'll try to make some sort of post whilst i'm away, but for now,
Wiedersehn,
Madeline Anafrid