Clarity

..... whilst the sun shines! Seeing as it was shaping up to be a very nice day indeed on Bank Holiday Monday (makes a change) I thought I'd get in a nice long ride in the sun. Turns out it was beautifully warm in the sun, but a brisk breeze made sure I kept going at quite a lick when I was in the shade! The wind and recent rain had scrubbed the air clean and there was a fantastic clarity and brightness in the hills.



Doesn't that look inviting?? It was twice as lovely as it looks, believe me! There were hardly any cars around, and I bowled along sometimes listening to The Mediaeval Baebes and sometimes just enjoying the sound of the wind whistling past my ears and the birdsong. Magical.

I started to get shaky and tired after a while, so before the boink took hold I turned my wheels in the direction of The Scarlett Arms (OS Map Landranger 187 · Map reference TQ 119 381) which is a very friendly (and cyclist-friendly) pub in Walliswood.



A sausage roll, J2O and a Fudge cake bar later and I was ready to wend my way home again. I took it nice and easy as the weather stayed lovely for me. I was extremely gratified to find that it seems my hill-climbing technique has improved. I managed to make the hills between Ewhurst and Cranleigh seem easy compared to a couple of be-lycra'd and expensively kitted-out young things who had to stop after each uphill looking like they were about to chuck their guts on the verge.

Maybe this old bird has some life in her yet, eh?