3rd November 2014

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Monday 3rd 52F, 11C, windy, brightening rapidly to bright sunshine. The forecast is for a wet start, clearing later. Still bunged up. Coughing much less. I'd better get walking for a bit of fresh air to try and clear the plumbing. The sky was in a hurry to be somewhere else but it stayed dry. Constantly changing cloud cover. Saw two woodpeckers, a Jay and a Buzzard. Not feeling very energetic today but still managed 3 miles. I was being buffeted by the crosswind on the way back.

A quick ride pm for only 13 miles.

Tuesday 4th 51F, 11C, breezy, light rain. It is supposed to clear up later. I wish my nose and chest would! The rain paused briefly so I was shoved out the door for a walk. I heard gunfire and spotted a smart 4WD parked at the entrance to the woods. The tame pheasants were obviously taking a pasting only a week after they were literally wandering around at my feet. From across the prairie I could see a chap in olive drab holding a shotgun. So quickly decided it would probably be a poor day for bird watching. I turned back just in time for it to start raining.

A quiz: Can you spot who isn't standing on the spray tracks, children? 

The gunfire was very short lived so the pheasants must have been fast learners. The survival rules for pheasants are quite simple. Rule I. Do not be intimidated into breaking cover. Rule 2. If you must fly then aim straight for the nearest chap in a green jacket. Rule 3. Remember to carry your ear defenders at all times. That's about it really. Apart from remembering that foxes are not exclusively worm eaters. So don't let yourself be talked into invitations to dinner no matter how tempting.

A ride to the shops. Now there's a surprise! Going well in a head crosswind. Cruising comfortably at 18-20mph. Should have been quicker coming back but now it felt more like a headwind.

A psychopath in an unusually coloured,  light bronze painted van blasted his horn at me after speeding through a narrowed, village shopping street. It overtook me close enough to catch my arm on its mirror. Then promptly turned sharp right. It had disappeared by the time I reached the junction. So must have turned off again. I couldn't read the full business name due to the small text but it sounded like a builder.

Believe it, or not, it is extremely rare for a Danish driver to use his horn. I think he was angry because somebody pulled out right across his bows just as he hoped to overtake right at the village crossroads. What the drooling moron didn't understand is that I normally use the bus pull-in to allow traffic to pass me effortlessly. I was just yards short of the pull-in when he overtook me. The van should be extremely easy to spot again thanks to its weird colour. 15 miles.

Wednesday 5th 46F, 8C, perfectly still, heavy overcast. A cool period promised with 24 hours of rain forecast. The weather has been so mild that we still haven't needed to light the wood stove yet. Indoor temperatures haven't fallen below 65F even overnight. Walked for 3 miles up through the woods and back another way. Remarkably little wildlife about this morning. It has just started spitting at 10.30am. Still bunged up and coughing. My wife is no better. A miserable day, not feeling very well and no pressure to go out meant another rest day.

Thursday 6th 44F, 7C, almost still, heavy grey overcast. Rain possible but just damp so far. No so bunged up today. Going for a walk. Only 3/4 hour in misty drizzle. Ir rained on my morning ride too. But held off for my afternoon ride. Which was delayed while I removed several tiny flints. One which had caused a puncture. I was chasing a chap on a bike on the way home but it became too dark to continue without lights. It was easy to see him until car headlights completely obscured his presence. So I stopped to switch on my lights and then chased him down again. 20 miles today.

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