I have mentioned the problems I had with my bike “Shadowfax” and the back tyre. The good news the new tyre appears to have done the trick. Yesterday riding on my Winter Bike “Gringolet” aiming to a fairly quick 25 miles or so disaster struck! I was going full pelt and I was distracted by a Thrush so didn’t notice a large stone lying in wait for me! Yes another back wheel puncture to deal with! I fumbled by the side of the road as it seemed all the cyclists in Gloucestershire passed by (many offers of help!) I struggled to get the tyre to sit properly in the wheel. I did set off again but found I had a big lump near the valve. So once again I was messing about at the side of the road trying to sort it. Eventually I set off again with oil stained hands, deciding to curtail my ride. Keep your fingers crossed -aiming to do a ride with my pals tomorrow!

I have finished going back over my Pig the Legend story and getting close to sending it off-fingers crossed.

As I have talked about cycling of sorts above. I have added another cycling picture I took below It features Mark Cavendish on the Tour of Britain a few years ago  (2012)when he was at his peak. Sad to see that age looks like it has now caught up on his career. 30 Stage wins at the Tour de France isn’t bad! The great thing about road races is that you get really close to the top athletes -it doesn’t happen in many sports.

An update on my Pig the Legend story. Just had a friend (Terry) read it through and put the illustrations in the text. Looks good! I now have some more work to do-a couple of things need to be adjusted. I did promise I would put one of the pictures in a blog-will do that this week.

I even had a tentative booking for Story Telling next year but things will need to improve significantly for that to happen. I am going to put together some virtual Christmas Story Telling ideas for schools over the next fortnight. Anybody in a school reading this please get in touch-obviously it can be anywhere!

Cleaned and oiled all my bikes yesterday-needed it after riding on wet roads! I am hoping to do a couple of long rides next week.

A walk between the showers this morning I managed to take a walk up to Splatt Bridge that looks over to the River Severn. In the Reed Bed I saw a pair of Stonechats, a Whinchat, Reed Bunting and a brief glimpse of a Water Rail. In the distance was a female Marsh Harrier. So a good half hour for me! Stonechats are charismatic perky birds and a joy to see.

I worked on my bikes this afternoon-a job I’ve been putting off for a while.

Pictures below of a Stonechat (top) and a Whinchat

I had planned to go out tonight to look for the meteorite shower. Sadly as I went out it was pouring with rain-so no chance! Shall have another go tomorrow. We are lucky where we live because just a short walk from the house we can get away from all light pollution. About fifteen years or so ago on a Winter night I managed to see the Northern Lights from that spot!

Clare and I managed to get a lovely ride today going up over Selsey Common for Coffee and Cake in Uley at the Prema Arts Centre. I watch Clare disappear in the distance as we climb on her e-bike!!!!

Slowly getting closer to sending my story Pig the Legend off. The pictures are nearly all in place!

I even played football last night for the first time since lock down-I was the oldest by a long way-one of the players is a former pupil from my first Headship!!!!!!

Following my comments on my bike tyre I have gone with the T. Rex song for today. I did contemplate “The Wheels on the Bus” but that would be unkind on my bike Shadowfax! The good news is my new tyres arrived and I have fitted a new one on the recalcitrant back wheel. Fingers crossed it will now be OK!

Now news hot of the press -I will be on the Luton Town football shirt next season. Well you may need a microscope to spot me! It will actually be my name. I am not alone -I think there may be a thousand or so names on the shirt! It was all of us who forgo a refund on our season tickets after crowds were unable to go to games at the end of last season because of the virus. Just hope I’m not under the arm pit!

Talking of the misplaced priorities in football . I see Arsenal have just made their mascot and 55 other members of staff redundant while possibly about to spend 50 million on a new player!!!!! Sadly while local  teams like Macclesfield and Bury go to the wall the Premier League lives in its fantasy monopoly money world!

Finally had an unexpected visitor in the garden today. A lovely Goldcrest-delightful charismatic little birds. Many of these tiny birds fly across the North Sea to spend their Winters here. Slightly surreal at the moment as Winter Migrants arrive and I am still seeing Summer Migrants like House Martins and Swallows. Picture below Of a Goldcrest.

Had to be another song title with rain featuring! Thanks to Led Zeppelin for today’s offering! It hasn’t let up all day in our part of the world! I even had to have my lights on my bike when I went up for the paper it was so dark!

One bit of news I eventually discovered the puncture problem on my trusty bike “Shadowfax”. The tyre’s sidewall had been damaged-of course I had checked the wheel, the inside of the tyre for thorns etc but only yesterday discovered the damage. So had to order a new tyre! So hopefully will have all my bikes operational in the near future!

Pleased to watch the Super Hatters win this afternoon!   So despite last week’s set back it has been a positive start to the season.

Well it had to be a song with rain in it for today, so have gone for a  Buddy Holly classic for today’s title! I almost feel guilty about mentioning Autumn in recent blogs with today’s rain and wind!

We are glad that we made the best of a decent day’s weather  yesterday by going for a ride. Clare is chuffed that we did 40 miles which is Clare’s second longest ever ride! So I started today by making cheese scones- one of my favourites! So for the rest of the day I am aiming to write. I am still playing with an old story and need to decide where it is going in the final stages. Of course I still have a puncture to sort out that I mentioned in a previous blog. Staying with bikes just found my pictures from when the Tour de France started in Yorkshire in 2014 so a couple from the Peloton in Haworth-when you could be in a crowd!.

Why haven’t I had this title before? Although not a motorbike my bike gives me that freedom. Had a wonderful ride today covering 45 miles through the Cotswolds. I do live in a beautiful county.

Aiming to work on the story I have been dabbling with tomorrow. I am seeing Terry tomorrow who is looking at my Pig the Legend story before I send it off.

Don’t think I have had a Manic’s song for a title before and my two  boys would be surprised! Life certainly has taken an Autumnal turn in the last few days. We did spend time in the garden today and went on a local pedal that incorporated some Blackberrying.  Sadly Shadowfax my trusty workhorse of a bike wasn’t so trusty today as it suffered yet another back tyre puncture. I did check the tyre and wheel last week and it seemed OK so I am somewhat baffled! So back to the drawing board! On the plus side Blackberry and Apple Crumble later this week!

Have you noticed that one moment we are enjoying late summer and without really noticing Autumn has crept up on you. Nights draw in and temperature drops. Last week I was playing cricket in warm sunshine and this weekend it was cycling with a jacket on because of a cold biting North Wind. It even started me wondering when I will swap from bike mitts to gloves on the bike!! Lights will soon need to be fixed to the bike.

I rode with pals on Friday in that wind around the Malvern area. Today Clare and I rode round the lanes to enjoy coffee and cake in Dursley. This has given me an idea for a poem which I made a start on and will try and develop this week!

Disappointed by the lacklustre derby match yesterday, certainly lacked blood and thunder and the Hatters lost so it was painful one to take!