It is good to get the New Year off to a positive start. It is always a dilemma - a late night and quite likely an indulgent night leading into the New Year - and the likely outcome - jaded for the first page of 2017!
This year the balance was struck about right. Some exuberant and stylish show dancing to the Rolling Stones - was followed (and now in the cold light of day - ha!) by some slightly cringeworthy moves to Diana Ross's fantastic motown tracks! This inevitably led to a rather careful start to 2017 proper. It was a slowish rise (although I did go for a short walk in the garden around 8am - but then thought maybe bed again for a while would be a good idea) followed by a wonderful cooked breakfast around mid morning.
The weather on the morning of January 1st 2017 was lovely. Clear and crisp. Alas when we eventually were ready to set off on a planned bike ride the skies had begun to darken and the weather had deteriorated to cold drizzle. It would have been easy not to go - but we had the right gear - we had planned to go - and as I said it is good for the soul to launch the New Year with a positive start. So we went. We went on our cycle ride - when most people appeared to stay indoors - as we hardly saw anyone in the 3 hours we were riding.
Alderbury is a real village - a leafy village 3 miles south east of Salisbury. The village is surrounded by woodland, bridleways and lanes that lead down to the New Forest. This was our route. We made our way up onto The Ridge - slippery - and at times hard going but it was just what we needed. I remember we cycled through the picturesque villages of Lover, Redlynch, Woodfalls and North Chafford into the north of the New Forest. It was quiet and lovely and atmospheric. It was also raining and cold and therefore a disincentive to take any photos but once or twice I prised off my gloves and there are one or two mob photos below as a happy memory.
Eventually in the gloaming we get to Telegraph Hill - one of the highest points in the New Forest at 419 feet. It was then a vigorous ride back to Alderbury for well earned warmth and sustenance.
It was really great to be out there. To return damp and cold but knowing it was a good thing to have done - especially on the first day of the New Year. It is a great feeling when your cold cheeks start to tingle as they gradually warm up from the heat of the fire. A wonderful hot shower - appetite mega back and feeling full of beans - even a real ale would not go amiss - a major turnaround from earlier in the morning - ha!.
We reflected on our ride over dinner. One of our plans is to cycle from John-o-Groats to Lands End later in the year. The enormity of the task we are proposing to undertake certainly hits home - but we are not daunted - the opposite - we are mega motivated - it will happen (touchwood!).
This year the balance was struck about right. Some exuberant and stylish show dancing to the Rolling Stones - was followed (and now in the cold light of day - ha!) by some slightly cringeworthy moves to Diana Ross's fantastic motown tracks! This inevitably led to a rather careful start to 2017 proper. It was a slowish rise (although I did go for a short walk in the garden around 8am - but then thought maybe bed again for a while would be a good idea) followed by a wonderful cooked breakfast around mid morning.
The weather on the morning of January 1st 2017 was lovely. Clear and crisp. Alas when we eventually were ready to set off on a planned bike ride the skies had begun to darken and the weather had deteriorated to cold drizzle. It would have been easy not to go - but we had the right gear - we had planned to go - and as I said it is good for the soul to launch the New Year with a positive start. So we went. We went on our cycle ride - when most people appeared to stay indoors - as we hardly saw anyone in the 3 hours we were riding.
Alderbury is a real village - a leafy village 3 miles south east of Salisbury. The village is surrounded by woodland, bridleways and lanes that lead down to the New Forest. This was our route. We made our way up onto The Ridge - slippery - and at times hard going but it was just what we needed. I remember we cycled through the picturesque villages of Lover, Redlynch, Woodfalls and North Chafford into the north of the New Forest. It was quiet and lovely and atmospheric. It was also raining and cold and therefore a disincentive to take any photos but once or twice I prised off my gloves and there are one or two mob photos below as a happy memory.
Eventually in the gloaming we get to Telegraph Hill - one of the highest points in the New Forest at 419 feet. It was then a vigorous ride back to Alderbury for well earned warmth and sustenance.
It was really great to be out there. To return damp and cold but knowing it was a good thing to have done - especially on the first day of the New Year. It is a great feeling when your cold cheeks start to tingle as they gradually warm up from the heat of the fire. A wonderful hot shower - appetite mega back and feeling full of beans - even a real ale would not go amiss - a major turnaround from earlier in the morning - ha!.
We reflected on our ride over dinner. One of our plans is to cycle from John-o-Groats to Lands End later in the year. The enormity of the task we are proposing to undertake certainly hits home - but we are not daunted - the opposite - we are mega motivated - it will happen (touchwood!).
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