I'll leave it to the others to post photos, but I thought I'd do a quick report just to show we all survived the ordeal.

Friday 24th: we all met up at the Trumpet Major Inn in Dorchester reacquainted ourselves with each other and had a nice meal before setting the agenda for the following day.

Saturday 25th: Meeting at my house, three of us set off on bikes, with John on his recumbent trike, to Weymouth where after rendezvousing with the two in the car, we proceeded to the Nothe fort (pronounced noath). This was a fort designed to protect Portland Harbour from attack from the sea and the most recent major reconstruction was in the Victorian era, though it was adapted as an AA battery in the Second World War and even had a nuclear shelter during the Cold War. Despite living here over 30 years I'd never been there before and was pleased to discover we had enough to look at to keep us entertained for several hours, including an exhibition of model warships all made by one man out of matchboxes and matchsticks. He was there to speak to as well.

The next target was an ancient site of a Romano-British temple but on the way to it the heavens opened and we all got a bit damp, so went back to my house for a cuppa instead after cycling back up over the ridgeway taking in a Neolithic bank barrow en route. Showered and changed into something tidier than cycling togs we went to The Black Dog at Broadmayne for our dinner and the traditional readings. Mads produced a most enjoyable prequel to the usual Gaby storyline, thereby demonstrating that anything George Lucas can do Mads can do better. I also read a short story and part of a chapter from Gaby heads South.

Sunday 26th: The weather was a bit dubious as we set off to look at Jordan Hill temple in Weymouth, before heading up to Portland and a quick look at the defences built at the Verne Citadel, which is only accessible from the outside as it's still in the control of the Home Office as a past prison and now a detention centre for illegal immigrants. From there we tootled to a disused quarry, now a nature reserve looking for a reported stone circle. We didn't find the stone circle but we did find loads of wild flowers which were possibly even more enjoyable. I have never seen so much viper's bugloss in one place. A quick trip to Portland Bill followed.

After this we dashed back to Dorchester to a café I use regularly for a roast lamb dinner (with 7 vegetables) and a wander along the River Frome to walk off a few calories. Sadly the wet stuff returned at this point and we adjourned to my house again to try and identify the flowers we seen but had forgotten their names (I'm getting much better at this - forgetting them, I mean).

A cuppa and a cheese sarnie later, the Gabycon came to an official end with everyone wanting to sign up for next year's already, which could mean they enjoyed it.

If I can stay awake, I hope to post an episode of Bike tonight.