yes i know its technically still spring but it did reach 20c yesterday!

Not a lot i hear you say but do bear in mind that the UK is further north than all of the US except Alaska and has no 'continental effect' either its a miracle we ever get this warm! (yes i know about the effects of Atlantic Drift but thats not pertinent to the general statement). Now this doesn't mean we've lost the wet, indeed Sunday night we had a prolonged series of quite violent thunder storms pass through, the threat of more damp kept me fairly local on Monday.

Tuesday however, after more overnight damp was slated as dry and bright, as it turned out it was quite warm too, my ride out to Chippenham once more exposed my legs and a long sleeved top was getting uncomfortably warm by the time i finished my 86km. The ride was quite enjoyable but an issue with the wheel retention system, ie it wasn't possible to properly tighten, meant i was perhaps a little less gung ho than usual on the climbs/descents. I ordered replacements over my chips at lunch before vying with all the donkey boxes heading to Badminton horse trials (not sure if they've managed to prosecute any equine yet) as i headed back to Cabotville.

And today - well its been lots of little jobs, laundry, clearing a gutter, fetching grow bags for the tomatoes, fixing Aunty Bev's mudguard, fitting the new wheel retainers on my bike, going for a walk - never a dull moment!

Hopefully the week will continue in a similar weather vein, i may get as far as Cheesetown on tomorrows ride, my trip north isn't that far away and i can do with a few more miles in the legs and fewer kg elsewhere! As for the rest of the week, i might take a bus trip on Friday and Saturday may well find me up in Stroud again.

That's my waffling over, i'll be back Sunday with new Gaby,
Tschussie!
Madeline Anafrid