Mr B marked his record of years with another completed by signing up for a Cycle Club bikeride. It was a meeting of the Flat Earth Society but lead by a chap who tends to be a bit relentless, takes no prisoners... lets the devil take the hindmost. It pays not to stop to adjust your clothing or drink water unless you know the route mapped out only in Gilbert's head. We had a lovely rural Hampshire ride from Havant to Bracklesham, a coffee tea cake break at a quaint thatched tea room, and came back via a sort of 'landing craft' ferry that runs between Itchenor and Bosham (and drops passengers and their bikes on an exposed bit of some ancient causeway, necessitating a trudge up a slimy muddy safeway bordered by sucking sticky mud).
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| Bracklesham Tearooms |
Bosham (pronounced Boz'im) is worth an image search in goggle if you've nothing better to do.
We arrived back in time for me to throw in a short loop round my planned tour of the Hayling Island Art trail. I was astounded en route to overhear some artists bemoaning that another group had organized a jumble sale trail to take advantage of visitors. I figured that was a bit of very sensible planning - and both coincided with a weekend meet of 'Victory Wheelers' and as I was coming off the island a steady stream of hot rods was pouring on.
Baking Banana Birthday Cake was the order of the evening and we threw in a midnight tour up onto the South Downs on the offchance the Aurora display of the night before (one we missed) might be repeated - us and half of the rest of East Hampshire it seems. A bit of a glow in the sky to the north but us too tired to sit up for hours more in case of a decent flare up. If you didn't see the lights yourself, get good views on Nobby's blog.
Just to put a tin hat on it Mr B decided on Friday that he'd relieve his sister of the stress of organizing a Sunday barbeque for the family and have it here....hmmmm, no pressure then. Thunderstorms were forecast......
Not a real clubrun in my eyes...when you look after the slowest riders and stay together..even if you split the run into two groups, faster and slower.
ReplyDeleteA good ride despite that..reminding me of roads ridden in the 60s!
There were only 5 of us - we all know Gilbert (and his ways) and sign up for his rides because he has an encyclopedic knowledge of the byways (and good cafes) in a radius of about 50 miles around here.
DeleteA good bike ride is the perfect way to celebrate one's birthday.
ReplyDeleteCheers, Gail ( who enjoyed a family summer holiday, cycling and dinghy sailing in and around Bosham in (?)1970. More than half a century ago. Eek!)
The reason artists object to jumble sales scheduled up against them is that then people expect to buy art at jumble sale prices. It's hard enough without that kind of planning! Btdt.
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed the ride, and if this was a birthday one, happy birthday to himself.
I kind of agree with you - but suspect it is also about the money in people's pockets (if they spend it elsewhere the day's budget is blown), or about the fact that people also budget their time and won't visit as many studios if they are also rummaging about in yard sales. (The yard sales I did see were mostly about clothes so no physical competition in that sense with the art on display that weekend.)
DeleteThat’s a bit mean if you just keep going and the devil to anyone not able to keep up
ReplyDeleteGood thing you can. The tea rooms look quaint. Not in a sarcastic way. I love the thatched roofs
Don’t get too stressed about the bbq. Prepare all you can before hand and let Mr B do most of the work as it was his idea lol
We all know what kind of ride leader Mr Wheelwright is (yes that really is his name). He used to be a competitve cyclist, now well into his 80's. He is a delightful Yorkshireman with a wicked sense of humour and the brightest twinkle in his eye. We rib him mercilessly about being an unforgiving leader so he has a reputation to keep up.
DeleteHari Om
ReplyDeleteAnd belated greetings to Mr B from me! As per previous mysteriousisms, I see two of your posts have appeared at the one time on my reader. Hey ho - given I have been out of it for several days with COVID (yessaaarrrrrggggg), I am simply grateful I am now up to reading blogs and commenting on a few! YAM xx
Oh crikey - sorry to read you got the lurgy again. I hope you make a speedy and full recovery. I made a mistake posting last night and posted twice (one got withdrawn and reposted later but might have appeared in your read list from the first mistaken hit of the button). I have a brain like a rubbish dump at the moment - everything in there, no order at all.
DeleteNo pressure lol Did you a Tually get asked first?
ReplyDeleteA jumble sale trail is the sort of things buyers and sellers are sure to love. Very sensible planning but maybe those artists weren't on the route
Well yes - asked first in the sense that I was given 'fair' warning. I think if there are visitors on the island, make the most of it, but the artists might have a point about people's time budget and how many venues they will visit.
DeleteHappy birthday to Mr B.
ReplyDeleteI would think it best if a bike rider can't keep up, they would not sign up for this ride with him. glad you kept up and enjoyed your birthday all day.. sounds perfect since you both love to do it. even better is the thought of banana cake. yum... happy belated birthday
ReplyDeleteHope the bbq goes well and the rain stays away, happy birthday to MR B
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