More news from Somerset.

Compared to some of the serious flooding in the Midlands, the SW of the country has not had anything like the rainfall of those up't'north.  The main feature of the weather down here has been a cold NE or NW wind, or as the BBC like to say, a 'moderate breeze'. Yeah right, doesn't feel like it heading into it.  A direct result of this , of course, has been a scrabbling about in the chest of drawers getting all the thermal stuff out.  Welcome back Michelin Man.  Below is a picture of the Old Gits at the usual Tuesday tea stop at Caffles Garden Centre.  The wife of one of our late members, Les, paid for our refreshments in honour of his memory (it has been three years now since cancer took him in his mid 60s.) and here we are raising our cups of tea to Les.



This one was taken last Wednesday, the 13th, at the Reeds Hotel in Burnham.  This was the second tea stop on a 42 mile ride, one that the BBC forecast would be dry all day and we ended up getting soaked in quite a violent hail storm.  We sat in wet clothes (not having taken suitable clothing with us) at Sweets Cafe on the Levels, arriving there just before a group of about 10 other riders which meant we had bagging rights on hanging some wet stuff on the radiators.  When this was taken some 15 miles later we had dried out quite a lot.



This last one was on a ride to Clevedon by four of the club's 'Friday Riders'.  Another 40+ ride taking in two stops, cake at each.  This really has to stop.  This was at the little community run cafe at Clevedon Cottage Hospital before we took off with the wind behind us to a bakery we have found at Congresbury.



On a personal note, I have just 2.5 miles to go before I complete 5,000 for the year.  This has been a good week (164) although the knees have taken a bit of a hammering. At least with 6 weeks to go I can ease off a bit now!  Managed to get to see a lung specialist today, yes, on a Sunday morning, who informs me I have bronchiectasis.  Not much they can do for it other than an inhaler to help occasionally and the good news is carry on cycling. Yay.