Non-stop to Botley Hill and home again...

Near Botley Hill, Sunday May 26th 2013. Note the blue skies

I didn't go cycling on Saturday because I was tired. I awoke in the early hours – something like 0415hrs – and found it difficult to get back to sleep. While I love the summer months, waking early can be cause for concern because the birds wake up early and so does the sun. Put them together and its as if the bedroom is full of wind chimes. I cobbled together an 'abort' text and sent it to Andy. Phil's away for the weekend so there's no need to send another one. Andy texts back saying 'see you on Monday'.

It's a long weekend, which means that not going on Saturday isn't a problem and besides, I was tired after Lille. Not that Lille is anything like 'long haul' travel. In fact, it's only around 90 minutes from St Pancras, which is amazing when you think that, in the other direction, you'd be in Birmingham. And while I admit to liking Birmingham, I prefer Lille.

So I lazed about on Saturday, dealing with a few issues that have arisen over the past few days. But Sunday was another day and while I wasn't up with the lark – I hadn't set my alarm so I awoke at 7am – I took the view that I should go for a ride and eventually got out of the house as the time edged around to 0830hrs. It was getting late and I figured the best place to go was Botley Hill. I packed a flask of tea and headed off, not stopping at the green to meet Andy.

As I headed up the 269 I decided that I'd do a non-stop ride, which was just as well. When I reached home just before 1000hrs, I discovered that I hadn't taken any teabags with me. How disappointing would that have been?

The weather was good. I didn't need my jacket. A tee-shirt alone would have sufficed. Well, not 'alone'. I'd still need trousers and trainers. It was clear blue skies and sunshine and it stayed that way for the whole day. There's nothing better than hot weather, it makes you feel great. In my case so great that I mowed the front and back lawns on my return from the non-stop ride and then, after a cheese salad sandwich and a rest in the garden reading David Byrne's Bicycle Diaries, I went swimming at a brand new swimming pool in Waddon – what a great pool! It's open at 0630hrs, it's brand new and it's empty, ie there were only a few people in there at 4pm when we purchased our tickets.

Andy and I are meeting on the green at 7am tomorrow (Bank Holiday Monday) and that could mean a ride to Westerham or Botley or the Churchyard at Tatsfield, who knows? We'll make up our minds at the Green.