2.03.2025 A bit of a ride: 65km.

 ~o~

  Sunday 2nd 39F/4C. Bright overcast. A dry day with some sunshine around lunch time is promised. Reaching almost 8C/46F at 2pm. 

 Up at 7.10 after a more disturbed night. Dreams and waking at intervals. 

 8.15 The sun has just broken through. I'll give the observatory demolition a rest today. The sound of a battery screwdriver clutch and electric saws can be irritating if repeated too often. Then there is the racket of falling materials. 

 It is the weekend and supposedly the quiet countryside after all. While ignoring the occasional roaring lorries on the road. Which means I must entertain myself with a ride or a drive.  Or doing something quieter at home. Getting away is probably safer. If I stay at home I will only waste the day away watching YT videos. I'll start with a brisk walk.

 The briskness didn't last long. I had barely covered 100 meters along the road before a bird of pry landed in the hedge. About harrier sized and seemingly undisturbed. By my standing there looking through my binoculars from 20 meters. It only flew away when a great tit flew very close to it. The same hedge contained blue tits, great tits, greenfinches, yellow hammers, sparrows, blackbirds and chaffinches. 

 After that I took to the spray tracks and circumnavigated a field. Where skylarks sang overhead. I wanted to get away from the increasing traffic noise.  The view from the rear of the demolished dome was almost obscured by the garden trees. It was too cold for bare hands in the niggling westerly breeze.

 I shall have a ride. Destination as yet unknown. I'll have a look at the map. I usually like a goal. If only to ensure I get somewhere at a reasonable distance. Inevitably that ride length has to be doubled to return home afterwards. 

 13.30 47F/8.3C. Returned from a 65km ride down to the coast and back by another way. I even went off-road and explored some long public tracks on mixed gravel and rough stone. There were several pairs of cyclists out training. Lots of birds. I became saddle sore at about 40km. So got off and walked through the grounds of a stately home. The break seemed to do the trick. 

 After that I was into range anxiety. The battery was well down on charge while still a long way from home. I had left home with the battery at 100%. So I dropped into Tour mode and used the gears to keep going. 

 The landscape was corrugated with lots of small but quite steep hills. Normally I stay in Sport mode and higher gears almost continuously. With only rare use of Turbo mode to overcome the steepest hills without loss of speed.

 The crosswind went from cold to icy on the way back. Though my hands were never uncomfortable in today's raised temperatures. My face was pink from windburn. I have to go out again to do some shopping.

 14.30 Back from the shops with two heavy bags of groceries. I saw a smart green Morris Minor in a car park across the road. We passed each other on the connecting road and waved to each other. Despite their popularity it is very unusual to see another. Except when the MM club is having a run.

 On the way home I saw some kids in a Golf in my rear view mirror. They were speeding on the long straight out of the village to catch me up. They even overtook several vehicles adhering to the speed limit. As soon as I passed the speed restriction sign I drove at a steady 80kph [about 50mph] speed limit. Only I didn't slow down for every corner as they did. As they fell steadily further and further behind. They only caught me, with a scream of their engine, as I slowed to enter the drive. 

 ~o~