20th July 2015 Scum scrum "fans" rise to the top.

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Monday 20th 60F, 16C, breezy with bright sunshine.

I have deleted my original post on Tour de France scum scrum "fans" rising to the top. Once I have unloaded my frustration at the infantile and lunatic behaviour of many tour "fans" there was no need to leave the rant online.

Then I read that the Sky team now needs police protection from the scum scrum, "fans" after threats were made. What's next? Bomb threats from the religion of peace? If it clears the mountain tops of the scum scrum  "fans" that would be a huge bonus. With slightly more luck the scum scrum "fans" will begin to stay at home [in their mental hospitals] and watch their football idols instead. I blame the hospital staff for giving out free bus passes for the tour route to their patients. Who but a mental patient would throw a cup of urine at Froome, the "star" and Yellow Jersey wearer, of the Tour de France? Who but an escaped mental patient would physically attack one of his team? [Porte] That's right, children, only a raving bløødy lunatic!

That said, watching the Sky commuter train monopolising the race is about as exciting as waiting for paint to dry. Neither  Froome [nor Wiggins before him] are remotely interesting to watch despite their speed and climbing ability. They have no elegance or charisma on the bike. One can well imagine the continental scum scrum "fans" getting quite cross because their doped stars are no longer fighting it out with each other amongst the mountain scum scrum "fans". Watching the scum scrum "fans" behaving like escaped mental patients is more than I can stand. There are far more interesting things to do , even for a cycling enthusiast, than watch the tour scum scrum "fans" on TV. I could sit and watch rain drops drying out on my saddle. Or even go cycling.... ? Now, there's a thought!

I wonder what the smart money is thinking about doing next with their massive subsidies of this very strange "sport?" Will they continue to tolerate Sky's dead boring, big money dominance? They tolerated the doping era because it was exciting to watch riders risk their lives and their health to win at any cost. Perhaps Sky should make their strangely uniform uniforms more sexy? That might work. It might also discourage their fans from wearing dark colours on their bikes when the roads aren't actually closed for them.


I saw a family of Marsh tits preening their feathers in some willows. They were so unusual [to me] that I had to look them up to confirm they weren't dark capped warblers. After a loop through the woods it started spitting on the last leg of the way home under a black sky. It didn't amount to much as the dark clouds mostly passed to the south of us.

I was busy all day at home so took a rest day. The evening sky was strangely marked by persistent vapour trails from the air traffic.

Tuesday 21st 65-71F, 18-22C, very windy, diminishing overcast with light showers. Expected to brighten up to sunshine but gusting to 15m/s, 30+mph. With the trees roaring and the sky scudding over this morning I should have gone for a ride yesterday! The overnight rain had brought thousands of slugs onto the roads and brought down twigs and seeds from the trees. The sun came out as I walked the roads with dozens of swallows swooping around me. I stopped to photograph a small brown butterfly with cream, filigree wing markings. Only for it to vanish from the scene into the maw of a passing swallow. Gulp! Burp!

Warm and sunny but blowing  a gale. Another rest day.

Wednesday 22nd 66-72F, 19-22C, rather cloudy and breezy at times. Forecast to remain dry with lighter winds and some sunshine. The wind and sunshine were highly variable on my walk. Several immature Wagtails were playing tag. The trees in our rural garden are a magnet for all kinds of birds.

An odd sort of a day. Feeling warm and humid with the wind coming and going. I was soon blackened on my chest and arms with thousands of tiny storm flies. They kept tickling my face too, so who knows where they went when I had my mouth open! Went out again after lunch but still only totalled 15 miles today. Denmark is on holiday so many of the shops and normal services are closed. The roads are relatively quiet too.

Click on any image for an enlargement.

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