Summer 2022

I hope summer 2022 is not over yet. It always reappears in September with a late come-back. However, it's got stormy and less hot hot and I've just had a long week of efforts and time away from the office so I feel the need to wrap up a post.

Thanks to my enthusiasm to open a laptop, these images are posted in mixed order and are just a handful from two busy weeks. The rest may appear on Insta at some point... or already have.

Some people attach their inspiration for completing LEL to their top tube. His kids had also doodled pictures on his frame bag 

The velomobile (at least, the only one I saw) outside Eskdalemuir. Note the extension lead hanging out the window charging his light batteries. 

Other inspirations

We were 'put up' in a little cottage down the road. Last time we volunteered here we slept in the old schoolhouse with rain hammering on the tin roof. That schoolhouse is now the cafe and the room where we previously housed riders is now an art gallery and function room. Depending on how you look at it, lucky (or unlucky) riders had a sleep there but only if they were truly exhausted. A few were. I was glad it was not my call whether to let them stop or not.

After the party had been cleared and we moved location, we went for a walk. 24km. The longest walk I've done in ages (possibly since I was ironman training).

We swam in the river Tweed to cool down and got dressed again in front of golfers on the other shore. Thankfully they found it in them to ignore my middle aged bod.

A sunset cloud above Eskdalemuir. Every night the hills would sweat their moisture into the sky leaving incoming riders damp and chilly. The mornings dawned to the chilliest little temperature inversions. It was pretty though.

The old village "clock" in St Boswells set into the wall of the house across the road from the shops.

Hillocks of the road, Borders country. Click for a castle lurking on the left. I was really pleased with my new commuter/audax bike bag which allows me to take photos without stopping. That's handy when TSK is timetrialling into a hairdryer headwind. We'd been debating stopping early for dinner which involved a diversion then retracing our route. In the end we got brave and were happy because we got to see Hume Castle, which we'd noticed on the way out. A gorgeous climb took us right past it then round the corner, a barbecue-ing family kindly replenished out water bottles for us.

Long straight b-roads in the sun with the sea fog of Berwick on Tweed in the distance. 

A kayaker on the Tweed.

When we arrived at Berwick we were in thick, chilly fog. I took this through my glasses to remove some of the solar glare off the cloud.

We dropped into England for a bit. I'd travelled no more than 300m before getting passed by a bloke in a transit van. Still, he gave me space. There were so many union Jacks and one 'the South will rise' flag which I thought a little inflammatory. TSK went for a wee and whilst I was taking this photo, heard a buzzy beastie in my teeshirt. After I apologised for stripping in public (again), two passing scots women checked my back for bees and fastened my bra up properly for me. What are strangers for?

Reg, I take your wells and I raise you. There's a themed ride here somewhere!

Back to Eskdalemuir and the amazing team lined up at the racking before things got exciting. 

Before we went to Scotland I left work on Friday night with a loaded bike and went out with Landslide for our August bivi. This is the ride home the morning after. A nearly-empty Burbage...ar least, it was still too early for the climbing groups.

No better view in the morning, even if I was a bit chilly overnight. 

Breakfast club. I am less worried than I look, although there was a cow behind me looking at my porridge.

Leaving the City

We returned to Stavanger for another day of Gormley hunting and with every intention of going to see the painting in the art gallery described in the guide book as, "One of Edvard Munch's happier works".  Sadly, the museum was completely closed for the new installation and we left rather disappointed that we had neither Munched nor Gormed.

We spent the rest of the day looking for maps for the coming days and thinking about exchanging some money - only to return to the camper van and find out we were richer than we thought!

We felt fully rested with a complete plan of what to do the next day.  Dinner from the fish shop was delightful again & we got some laundry done.  No more hauling sweaty super-brevet clothing around with us.

Final day of the super brevet scandanavia

Headed down to Arendal on my bike in time for the earliest meeting time that TSK had given me.  Hung around and did some personal shopping in town until Andrew arrived.  The Norwegians *can* make fleeces!  

Spent most of the afternoon directing riders down the easy path around the harbour instead of letting them ride over the big hill on the main road then escorted TSK in and had lunch with the super brevet riders.  Once back at my vanu, I packed up then set off back to Kristiansands for the big finish.

Ate my dinner at the campsite at Kristiansands then spent the evening worrying at the finish before heading out towards the edge of town to escort Andrew and his companions in.  Slept at the Budget Hotel with them before getting up at 3am to stand in the car park talking to John, unable to sleep in the full moon and right next to the ocean.

Goddamn it... still exhausted.