FLYING........

AT LAST......SOME RAIN

 After a few weeks of weather that was more like the middle of June, Easter week has finally given us some rain. 
The above picture is the view I had from the east wing of Purple Towers looking across to the Isle of Wight on a number of days this week. 
As well as the rain the temperature has dropped by quite a lot as well. 


We really needed the rain as a number of water companies have introduced a hosepipe ban stating that we face drought conditions and I must admit that a number of the streams in the locality have dried up completely. 
Reservoirs are well below their normal level for this time of year and we are told that we would need a good few weeks of solid rain in order to bring them back up to normal levels. 
As far as cycling goes I prefer riding when its dry, so this past week has involved a fair bit of rain dodging.

PETER TAKING A BREAK

On Saturday evening Peter Calcutt phoned me and suggested  a Sunday ride as the weather forecast was for some dry and sunny weather. 
This morning I set off for Peter's house with the sun shining and a nice blue sky. 
By the time I got to Peter's, the cloud was starting to build up and it felt quite chilly. 


Peter had planned a circular route out from his house at Blandford Forum with a proposed coffee stop at Compton Abbas airfield.  
With the strong winds we experienced the airfield proved to be the closest we came on the ride to 'flying along'. 
At one point zooming down a very exposed 20% hill, the strong gusty cross winds proved to much causing us to both brake sharply in order to scrub off the speed and remain upright.

COFFEE AT THE AIRFIELD

 Compton Abbas airfield is situated on an airy ridge a few miles south of Shaftesbury. 
The wind up there was bitterly cold and the temperature wasn't helped by the fact that the sun had all but disappeared behind a sky full of cloud. 


Following a quick cup of coffee and a brief look as some of the aircraft we were back on the bikes and following a popular route through the pretty Tarrant villages.
We have cycled that route quite a few times and it never becomes boring.

THE CLOSEST WE GOT TO 'FLYING ALONG' ON THIS RIDE.

Once we reached the 'True Lover's Knot' public house most of our ride was completed. 
Within a few more miles we were back at Peter's where we managed to warm up  with another steaming hot mug of coffee.
Apart from the very cold weather, it was a very enjoyable ride with a couple of nice steep ascents that did help to warm us up a little.

SO COLD EVEN THE PLANES HAVE LITTLE BLUE COATS ON THEIR NOSES

Further to my last posting regarding the medical tests that I had.....


Well I should have contacted the Doctor during the week for the results, but I kept putting it off. By the time Friday had come around I figured that if the tests had unearthed something nasty the Doctor would have been on the phone to me pretty quickly.....as he didn't phone me I felt that all was probably OK. 


Having said that I will be phoning the Doctor tomorrow just to confirm my assumption......as long as I don't put it off again.