1st October 2016 Warmest September.

0/00

Saturday 1st 51-?F, 12-?C, Heavy cloud, light breeze. Showers and sunny periods forecast. September 2016 was equal warmest ever with two others in 1999 and 2006. Daytime warmest temperatures ever September since records began. Rainfall was half the average for September.

The larger pair of mother and young deer. 

Walked my usual morning loop up to the woods and back along the road. Except that I took a shortcut across a couple of stubble fields to see what the large excavator had been doing before it disappeared. Saw several deer. Including a large and a small pair of mother and young. Several birds of prey flew across or sat quite still pretending not to be there. A couple of thousand gulls went over in fits and starts all aiming for the same destination somewhere to the north. A cacophony of guns went off at 9.20. I believe it is the start of the hunting season today. It started raining just as I reached the gate but soon went off again.

Took a risk with the showers and rode a loop. Independent timber and builder's merchants which turned into DIY superstores have all gone downhill since they were all taken over by two chains. It's all exactly the same stuff in all the stores and massively profitable bubble packs with no variation. Hilly start and then a headwind for the second leg.  It rained hard at midway and then  it was back on wet roads when it stopped. I wore the cheap, X-rage, rain jacket and stayed dry on top. Though it was very damp inside when I took it off again. Several pelotons of riders and individuals out training. 27 miles.

Sunday 2nd 52F, 11C, heavy cloud, light breeze, rain or showers forecast for the next two days.  Don't hold your breath! It actually brightened up after lunch but I wasn't taking the risk for a ride with sudden torrential showers and thunder around.

Click on any image for an enlargement.

00\0