saxonaxe
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After a period of seemingly non stop attempted problem solving ( other people's problems !!) I decided to escape on a bike camping trip. Nothing too ambitious but I've always wanted to have a good wander around the City of Chester. Interesting buildings, Roman ruins and I'm told a Military Museum well worth a visit.
I found a small farm campsite close to the City, loaded up the bike and set off, about 200 miles via the scenic route from home.
A brew stop on route and a rare occasion when I was almost defeated by a "Bacon " sandwich...But look at it..
It's more like Gammon Steak..
Anyway...I waddled back to the bike and set off again. Harvest time, slow Tractors and Lorries groaning under straw bale loads the size of small Bungalows made the journey a non rush affair, there are few dual carriageways in West and Central wales, so I enjoyed the scenery instead.
Nice small campsite on a working farm, on arrival a couple of caravans in one field but the small tent field was empty..pick your own spot..
And this is where my plan started to unravel. The ride had been a hot one, only the forward motion of the bike provided any cooling breeze and on arrival it was peel off the armoured jeans and jacket quick or melt while putting the tent up.
4pm and it is blistering hot, and I'm down to skin and shorts. The plan to ride the bike into Chester and then wander around the City wearing full kit and carrying a helmet is losing it's appeal unless tomorrow (Tuesday) is cooler.
So I sit and watch the aircraft making their landing approach to a nearby Airport. This one, an Air Bus was painted white with a smiley mouth and looked like a flying Beluga Whale..
And as my Daughter when 3 years old would say..Hellimacoppers too.
Tuesday was blistering! The occupant of the sole caravan told me that he was seeing 29 C on his Thermometer. I chickened out of the City trip. I'm too old and crafty to ride anywhere in Helmet, shorts and T shirt, even just 6 miles of busy main roads, so I went for a walk instead.
The River Dee flows close to the campsite and there are some really good cycle ways along the banks, a plan for a future Car camping trip plus Mountain bike.
Looking West towards Connahs Quay.
And East, inland.
Even the brown waters of the River Dee looked inviting as it slid by in the heat.
Plenty of wildlife about the campsite. Jays, Bunnies young and daring and enough Wood Pigeons to give Joe nightmares.. but this will cheer you up mate.
Evening, and I was flopping about outside the tent when a dark brown long haired Farm cat stalked by. I watched it as it stalked into cover close to a nearby water trough. The Moggie hid beneath the Field Maple to the right of the water trough.
I watched it for a few minutes but was distracted by Ladies wearing impossibly tight trousers riding horses around the nearby Paddock.
Suddenly there was a flurry of movement by the water trough, a wood pigeon had landed on the edge of the trough and was about to dip it's head to drink when the Cat burst from cover. What an amazing sight! The Cat cleared the water trough, it's front paws outstretched, claws bared just like a charging Lion. It knocked the wood pigeon off the trough and seized it by the neck.
At that moment I made a dive for my camera but in my haste the camera slid out of it's case and I had just enough time to recover it and take a quick snap of the Cat complete with Pigeon meal trot off past a nearby Trailer Tent which had arrived earlier.
Death at the Water Hole, not the Serengeti but Cheshire.... If you are a Wood Pigeon never land with your back to nearby cover, even if you are thirsty...
So my City exploration trip turned out to be a lazy time walking by the river and enjoying the last of the summer sun. Rode through thunder storms on the way home on Thursday, but at least the rain was warm!
I found a small farm campsite close to the City, loaded up the bike and set off, about 200 miles via the scenic route from home.
A brew stop on route and a rare occasion when I was almost defeated by a "Bacon " sandwich...But look at it..
It's more like Gammon Steak..Anyway...I waddled back to the bike and set off again. Harvest time, slow Tractors and Lorries groaning under straw bale loads the size of small Bungalows made the journey a non rush affair, there are few dual carriageways in West and Central wales, so I enjoyed the scenery instead.
Nice small campsite on a working farm, on arrival a couple of caravans in one field but the small tent field was empty..pick your own spot..
And this is where my plan started to unravel. The ride had been a hot one, only the forward motion of the bike provided any cooling breeze and on arrival it was peel off the armoured jeans and jacket quick or melt while putting the tent up.
4pm and it is blistering hot, and I'm down to skin and shorts. The plan to ride the bike into Chester and then wander around the City wearing full kit and carrying a helmet is losing it's appeal unless tomorrow (Tuesday) is cooler.
So I sit and watch the aircraft making their landing approach to a nearby Airport. This one, an Air Bus was painted white with a smiley mouth and looked like a flying Beluga Whale..
And as my Daughter when 3 years old would say..Hellimacoppers too.
Tuesday was blistering! The occupant of the sole caravan told me that he was seeing 29 C on his Thermometer. I chickened out of the City trip. I'm too old and crafty to ride anywhere in Helmet, shorts and T shirt, even just 6 miles of busy main roads, so I went for a walk instead.
The River Dee flows close to the campsite and there are some really good cycle ways along the banks, a plan for a future Car camping trip plus Mountain bike.
Looking West towards Connahs Quay.
And East, inland.
Even the brown waters of the River Dee looked inviting as it slid by in the heat.
Plenty of wildlife about the campsite. Jays, Bunnies young and daring and enough Wood Pigeons to give Joe nightmares.. but this will cheer you up mate.
Evening, and I was flopping about outside the tent when a dark brown long haired Farm cat stalked by. I watched it as it stalked into cover close to a nearby water trough. The Moggie hid beneath the Field Maple to the right of the water trough.
I watched it for a few minutes but was distracted by Ladies wearing impossibly tight trousers riding horses around the nearby Paddock.
Suddenly there was a flurry of movement by the water trough, a wood pigeon had landed on the edge of the trough and was about to dip it's head to drink when the Cat burst from cover. What an amazing sight! The Cat cleared the water trough, it's front paws outstretched, claws bared just like a charging Lion. It knocked the wood pigeon off the trough and seized it by the neck.
At that moment I made a dive for my camera but in my haste the camera slid out of it's case and I had just enough time to recover it and take a quick snap of the Cat complete with Pigeon meal trot off past a nearby Trailer Tent which had arrived earlier.
Death at the Water Hole, not the Serengeti but Cheshire....
If you are a Wood Pigeon never land with your back to nearby cover, even if you are thirsty... So my City exploration trip turned out to be a lazy time walking by the river and enjoying the last of the summer sun. Rode through thunder storms on the way home on Thursday, but at least the rain was warm!
