Bridleway through woodland at Egton.
When it gets around to this time of year it is easy to ask ones self, "where did the summer go?" It only seems like yesterday when we were eagerly awaiting the start of spring and the opportunity to shed our winter woollies once again. The thing I look out for is the first hint of green in the hawthorn hedges and the first primroses shining from the undergrowth, then before I know it, it is warm enough to simply wear shorts & shirt or lay in the sun while eating a packed lunch when on a hike or a bike ride over the hills and far away. When this happens, I know that summer has arrived and will last for ever, but of course it never dos'e' All too soon the vibrant colours of spring begin to fade, nights begin to draw in again, crops are harvested and before you know it, the first cool nip is in the air. Autumn has arrived. This is my favourite time of the year, I love to ramble through woodland and enjoy the reds and yellows of the foliage, smell the scent given off by damp vegetation or wade ankle deep through rustling leaves always on the lookout for mushrooms or juicy brambles. All too soon after that the cold damp dark days of winter set in and the whole cycle starts over again.
This is a time for looking back over the year and for me it has been a good one. I am still enjoying my retirement and my cycling, although I have not been out rambling as often as I would have liked. The highlight of the year for me was cycling the coast to coast and thus fulfilling one of my ambitions. I would have liked to climb a mountain this year but I feel it is not likely now but there is always next year I suppose. At the beginning of the year I set myself a target to cycle 2000 miles before the years end. Well, I am pleased to be able to say that I completed that a few weeks ago so I upgraded the target to 3000. As long as the weather holds I should just about be able to achieve this. Another plus for me is the fact that in the last two or three months I have had the pleasure of riding with other people a bit more and this has added a different dimension to my cycling although I still enjoy riding solo.
There are still two months left of 2012 but already I am looking forward to 2013.
This is a time for looking back over the year and for me it has been a good one. I am still enjoying my retirement and my cycling, although I have not been out rambling as often as I would have liked. The highlight of the year for me was cycling the coast to coast and thus fulfilling one of my ambitions. I would have liked to climb a mountain this year but I feel it is not likely now but there is always next year I suppose. At the beginning of the year I set myself a target to cycle 2000 miles before the years end. Well, I am pleased to be able to say that I completed that a few weeks ago so I upgraded the target to 3000. As long as the weather holds I should just about be able to achieve this. Another plus for me is the fact that in the last two or three months I have had the pleasure of riding with other people a bit more and this has added a different dimension to my cycling although I still enjoy riding solo.
There are still two months left of 2012 but already I am looking forward to 2013.