Just A Ride In The Country.

Another fine day yesterday, and with mind and body (mostly) behaving themselves, another ride was in the offing. Just a poke of my nose around one of my regular loops, but it still turned out to be a very enjoyable ride.

Tregassow Lane is still flooded, despite a recent improvement in the weather. Not much chance of things improving just yet either, as it is once again belting down outside and has been most of the day.

The countryside felt particularly welcoming as I pottered about – the sun was warm, there was little to no wind, and the bird life was making its presence felt with lots of chirping, singing and chatting. It was all very pleasant indeed and one of those times when I kept stopping just to look around, listen and drink in the peace and rural calm.

This is what it's all about - sunshine, quiet lanes and rural views.

Hmmmm... Bike's a bit mucky...

I did stray off  my well beaten loop briefly for a quick mooch up Bodrean Lane. This is mostly lightly wooded up one side, and open fields on the other, and being flat, always makes for a pleasant ride. The trouble is it ends on the busy and narrow A39, so I go up, just to turn around and come back, but still. Everything seemed to flow nicely on the bike as well, with the aching legs of the last few rides apparently gone making for some easy cruising as Fatso and I bopped along having settled into a nice easy going rhythm, and just enjoying being out in the fresh air.

Just riding along...

It wasn't all joy though, as I caught sight of a furry lump lying on top of a hedge which turned out to be a freshly dead Badger. This didn't look the result of a hit from a vehicle, and people do kill Badgers and dump them to look like road kills, so I don't know what happened, but it was a sad sight.

I was particularly glad though to see not just the early Daffs flowering on the verges, but also Primroses starting to appear as well, adding colour to the drab green of the winter roadside. Not long now, thankfully, before the verges are a riot of colour and the jacket can be left at home as the days warm up – I can hardly wait!

When you see a tractor armed with a bale spike approaching, you make sure you get well out of its way...

The skies looked grumpy and threatening, but failed to drop any rain, for a change.

Once home again, it was time to give Fatso a good wash. I've always liked to keep whatever vehicles I've owned clean and tidy, but at this time of year it can be frustrating cleaning a bike properly, only to go out next ride and blather it in muck again. But also I was fed up of the grubby Fatso sullying my living room, so it had to be done, and after a goodly bit of scrub a dub dub, I once again have a clean and shiny bike to admire, and I may even give it a coat of wax too, just by way of a treat!

As can be seen, this was just a smallish ride, clocking just a whisker over 8 miles, but very beneficial all the same.

Bigger mappery can be found HERE