just another six months to go! 🙂

just another six months to go! 🙂

We have that week or two in April/May, that just teases us though. You know when you think she's arrived, but it's just a cruel illusion. But it still gives you hope

We have that week or two in April/May

Almost always around my birthday (last week of May).

Generally get a few days camping in. Can't wait!

Looking back on last April and May's biking photos the weather looks glorious 

You don’t want to here this but … pretty much all year round here 🫢

You don’t want to here this but … pretty much all year round here 🫢

You're correct, now do the right thing and p*** off

😉

Life is too short to look at it like this. Put on some appropriate clothing and get out there.

Life is too short to look at it like this. Put on some appropriate clothing and get out there

I'm out plenty

Everyone says oh Christmas it’s the most wonderful time of the year NO IT ISN’T, there’s no way it beats high summer, coming down off dry dusty trails on the hill tired and dirty with a cold pint waiting and no need to clean your bike. It’s coming, it’ll just be a while, but it’ll be worth the wait.

In the meantime just get on with it, the lights the mucky clothes and bike and the destroyed brake pads. Won’t be long, honest.

Last cabin on the Pleney, descent down through the woods then over the road down the grass hill to the house and the contents of the fridge.

What the hell is that thing covering up your helmet? Doesn't that make it really awkward and hot for riding?

I've just checked the calendar.
It's due a Tuesday in May this year.
Then we are back to Autumn.

What the hell is that thing covering up your helmet? Doesn’t that make it really awkward and hot for riding?

Awkward, not so much, hot - a little. But when it's 2° and pissing it down, it's all about compromises.

Anyway, I thought I'd told you to do one......🤣

It's really not far now. January and February creep by, still cold and grey. In March we might get snow and storms still, but theres, often some nice Bluebird days too. Things that are currently brown, start to turn green. Then BOOM it hits, every year we all say "hasn't it come round quick" but every year it's the same.

Monday 1st April 2024 this year. You'll drive home from work and it'll still be daylight till nearly 8pm...!

I can't wait.

The right clothing is one thing, but you can't make the trails less muddy.

i bet cutgate doesnt look like that tomorrow, anyway end of january dark starts 5pm, instead of 3

Yeah you can already sense dusk coming later each week already. I mean, it still feels like you're getting up in the middle of the night to go to work, but there was bird song in the car park this morning. 

Snow drops are out

signs of territoriality and courtship displays from the birds and in the pub

im wearing my mankini

Everyone says oh Christmas it’s the most wonderful time of the year NO IT ISN’T, there’s no way it beats high summer, coming down off dry dusty trails on the hill tired and dirty with a cold pint waiting and no need to clean your bike. It’s coming, it’ll just be a while, but it’ll be worth the wait.

That's almost like poetry, I love it, do more

You don’t want to here this but … pretty much all year round here 🫢

My brother in Queensland spent the two weeks over Xmas living in someone else's house because a storm had cut off all the power to his own house. I think the road up to his house was washed away last year. He gets up sometime in the middle of the night during summer so that the temp and humidity are bearable, and goes to bed at around the time I'm cracking open a bottle of wine because he was up so early. He needed to make a 20 km diversion riding home from work to avoid being attacked by homicidal magpies. He has a very big python living on his porch.

I'll cope with another few weeks of cold weather. 😀

It seemed pretty far away this morning.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/stu-b/53459529915/in/dateposted/

I get daily trail updates from daughter in NZ. Today's was that it was hot slapping and raking on a new trail

I hate January now. It's cold, generally wet, the nights are still really long and the joy of Christmas is fading fast. But sometimes, hopefully next week, the ground is frozen solid, maybe an inch or two of white dust, just enough to hide all the muck but still be fun. Endless blue skies, Christmas cake in a pocket, hip flask in another and you just keep going and going and going.

We've had daffodils out at work.

My brother in Queensland <br /><br />

Sounds like he hasn’t fully acclimatised yet 🤣

Remember there's heat, sweat, and all sorts of annoying insects too. Makes me appreciate winter 🙂

I always think February sees a turning towards better days, I like it for its generally drier weather, the snowdrops, and a sense of the days getting longer, but mid Jan, nah, yuk

https://twitter.com/reviewwales/status/1746072840137257094?t=7Ee503I3dbz9rV2nvv43yQ&s=19

A lot of the better-drained arable fields are looking green now, it's on the way 🙂

Snowdrops were out on yesterday's ride in the Chilterns. Unless I'm mistaken, I also spotted the tips of some bluebell spikes breaking out of the ground in one spot. It's a way off yet, but it'll get here.