Ick! Ugh! And similar disgusted noises. What utterly poo weather!
Rain's not too bad (not that I *like* it, but unless you're the Wicked Witch of the West, it doesn't
hurt) but the *wind*.
The temptation to say "Sod it!" and go shopping in the van was quite strong, but I need the
exercise, so pausing only to drain off enough hydraulic fluid from my brake to allow the lefthand
front wheel to turn
[1] off I went into the cold and the 'orrible...
It was a real fight getting into Brough, and the wind wasn't even in my face most of the way, just a
really strong sidewind [2]. Average speed
2.2mph. Argh.
I had prudently borrowed Rob's spare Buff (an excellent garment) which kept the worst of the rain
off my face. The cagers were pretty well behaved on the whole, but I was surprised on such a dull,
dark day to see so many of them without even sidelights on.
I've said it before, but I'll say it again - my fleece trousers are really the bee's elbows. They're
not waterproof, but every time I've ridden with them in the rain they've kept my legs warm and dry
and they're more comfy than any pair of waterproof trousers I've ever tried. They'll probably stop
making them before I can acquire another pair now...
The moorhens were still pootling about.[3] Not quite so many of them today, but if they're hiding
from the weather, I for one don't blame them.
On the way back, I was rewarded for my perseverance by the first sighting this year of "my" steasel
(or is it a woat?), which cheered me up immensely. And it even stopped raining for a while :-)
[3] I've been having trouble with my Hope hydraulic disc brakes seizing up. It's the only thing
about my trike that's a PITA...
[4] the most annoying bit being that I could have gone yesterday, when the weather was halfway
decent for January, but I had to wait in for some workmen to come and finish something they
omitted to do on Tuesday. Feh!
[5] Shame they're not coots really. Pootling coots sounds so much more euphonious....
--
Carol Hague "I've never seen the point of wind."
- Chas Griffin _Scenes From A Smallholding_