Enjoying the Summer Flowers.

I was disappointed when I came back from France to find the hedgerows somewhat dull. However in the last three weeks there has been a marked change with many flowers blooming. Here is a link to my pictures of some. 

https://goo.gl/photos/saHxzUs97HbQRFX3A

How many of the flowers shown can you name? My own effort is shown below.]

Tuesday 26th July 2016.

Names of flowers (in no particular order),:

1. Daisy (A garden variety dumped by someone?)
2. St John's Wort. ( I am not sure which one as there are many)
3. Field Scabious
4. Great Knapweed.
5. Old Mans Beard (Wild clematis)
6. Corn Mint
7. Great Willow Herb (Not rose bay which was also very common)
8. Meadow Sweet.
9. Ragwort
10. Wild Marjorum
11. Wild Carrot?

Saturday 30th July 2016.

A good day out with the Winchester CTC. I had cat minding duties to attend to in Kingsworthy, so I left home early so I could do that en route. 

At the usual RV I joined 9 others. We were ably organized by the duo of Paul and Julie. On our way we were joined by Ian who accompanied us as far as Wherwell.

Our first significant port of call was the Yurt at Bransbury near Barton Stacey. Here we enjoyed good coffee and tasty cakes.

We were so comfortable in the yurt while a little drizzle passed by that we had difficulty in getting under way again. Back to reality, as the first mile included that testing little hill towards Newton Stacey.

I found myself a couple of times on roads I was not familiar with. Well done the duo and Shelagh in finding nice variations.

In Abbots Ann we sheltered briefly while a shower passed by.

We had a very nice lunch at The White Hart in Over Wallop, sitting in the sunshine in the garden. Here we joined Shelagh who had planned to lead the ride originally but had been unable to do so because of a fractured leg. (Not a cycling injury). Shelagh's husband Mike had driven her there to meet us. 

Proper hill climbing.

On our way home Simon and I left the others just after King's Somborne to go via Crawley and Three Maids Hill to miss the climb to Farley Mount. This did not mean we had no hills to climb. Here is Simon honking his way up that steep pitch from Crawley Pond on his superb 1953 Claud Butler.

I continued to chat to (bore?) my cycling pals about my recent M2M adventure, but they did complain that I had not worn my trade mark polka dot jersey and socks and that I had not yet got the matching bike as suggested by Nic. 

It was a most enjoyable day out. Thanks to Shelagh, Paul and Julie for organizing it and to the others who took part making it such a good one.

Gridironman