Wednesday opened to a thick mist shrouding the views and leaving the world cold and grim so I postponed my ride and took the dog for a long walk instead while I waited for the grey to lift and restore the colours of spring.
It took a while, and I set off long before it happened but I eventually got to enjoy scenes such as this:
I needed to clear my head so hadn't put a lot of thought into where I was going (which is what happens when the planning/plotting takes place before the head clearing) and there was something soothing about following the route on the Garmin, especially when I moved from my familiar stomping grounds around North Curry, Fivehead and Barrington to the unknown territory of south Somerset.
I hadn't paid any attention to the contour lines so cycling up to Ham Hill country park was a bit of a shock, though I enjoyed the look on a biker's face when I got to the top. He'd overtaken me several miles earlier, cruising past on his petrol-powered armchair. We had a good chat (once I got my breath back) and we enjoyed a mutual moaning session about potholes.
The view was incredible - breath-taking in its own right - but faced the sun, which limited my photography somewhat. I'll have to go back in the morning or (much better) early evening to capture it properly.
That was the halfway point in the ride - I'd stopped for some food in North Curry (a coffee and a delicious jacket potato with cheese, beans and a huge salad for under a fiver!) and planned to stop again in Langport but got the timing wrong, which meant that both cafes in the town were closed by the time I got there. I got a can of coke and a flapjack from a newsagents and then rode out to Burrowbridge. All of this was under water in the winter - and you can tell that from the damage to the houses and buildings. All looks at peace now though.
I had to make an emergency stop at the Willow and Wetlands Centre in Stoke St Gregory to use the loo - they're lovely there, they really are, and weren't at all bothered about a random cyclist asking a rather cheeky favour. Must go back there for coffee and cake at some point.
And so to home with another 68 miles under the belt. Head wasn't that much clearer but it was good to get out in the fresh air and sunshine.
