18th June 2018 Brain dead triathlon horse undertakers.

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Monday 18th 62F, 17C, cloudy at times but with sunny periods. Walked to the lanes in light traffic.

The undulating fields are a constant source of  enjoyment. Their uniformity is an illusion as the different crops constantly  change colour as they ripen. The sun and clouds catch the different contours and provide further variation with the wind and ever-changing light.

A Red kite was literally hovering like a Kestrel over a field in the steady breeze. I watched it for a couple of minutes though my binoculars but then lost it in a dive as passing traffic broke my view. A rather grey day with the threat of rain which never arrived. No ride today.

This is an unusual and disappointing story: It seems as if at lest two selfish triathlon riders race past a horse and its rider on the inside at high speed:

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-england-berkshire-44519642/horse-hit-as-windsor-triathlon-cyclists-passes

Don't blame me for the poor English of the BBC link. Nor for the garbled title of this post. I was reading headlines by major newspapers talking about "crowds of protesters carrying children in detention."

If the triathlon culprits can be found I would imagine a year of unpaid stable cleaning would teach them a lesson about road manners, horses and the law. To be carried out when they would otherwise be racing. Nobody wants to see anyone behaving like this on a bike.

I hope these morons face a judge and soon. The rules are that the horse should keep to the left. This horse does seem to be using a lot of road. Though that is still absolutely no excuse for undertaking! [i.e. Overtaking on the inside.]

The usually unseen view behind the roadside hedge. A favourite haunt of pheasants and other field birds.

I always cross to the other verge and ride very slowly past when I see a horse on the road. They really seem not to like tricycles for some reason. Yet will completely ignore "2 wheel" cyclists. I used to pass a field where horses and ponies would briefly bolt when I passed on my trike. But would carry on grazing no matter how many 2 wheel cyclists or noisy motorcycles passed. A local horse riding stables often used to have children on ponies on their country lane. I quickly learnt/learned to be very careful when passing them to avoid sudden panic by the animals. Perhaps they have a race memory of being attacked by chariots?

Tuesday 19th 61F, 16C, dark grey and windy. Promise of showers but clearing to sunshine later. The Head Gardener will have to let me out today or we'll go hungry. A day of numerous birds of prey circling overhead, soaring or hovering. A Red kite, a scruffy brown bird of about the same size and at least one Goshawk flying several times today. It turned warm and sunny later but no ride.

Wednesday 20th 58-72F, 14-22C, dark grey and breezy but expected to be warmer and brighten up later. It has just started raining despite the dry forecast. 40 minute walk. Late morning ride to the shops as it cleared up and the wind increased dramatically. Came back the hilly, "long way" heavily laden into a fierce, gusty wind. Silly old wotsit. The forest road was spectacular in patchy, golden sunlight and dappled shade. Even the formerly rutted cobbles had been relaid. 10 miles.

Thursday 21st 53-56F, 12-13C, cool, dark grey overcast and breezy with showers promised. I walked up to and through the woods. Then decided to return by another route. Not a bright idea because oil seed rape is impossible to push past. Particularly when the hedge is throwing long brambles out into the crop! It took ten minutes to pick barbed seeds out of my socks despite the boots! I disturbed a deer and calf which went bouncing off in different directions. A miserable and breezy 51F after lunch. Then a wobble or two up to 56F with a light shower and overcast at intervals. No ride today.

Friday 22nd 58-64F, 14-18C, bright and breezy. 40 minute brisk walk to the lanes. A buzzard was circling. Busy, so no ride today.

Click on any image for an enlargement.

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