I said I wouldn't do any more and you were so clearly greatly relieved about it that I thought I would chuck another one at you just when you were least expecting it. Sort of hitting you when you're down really.

So! Take this!!

Do you remember when you were young? I was going to ask "Do you remember when I was young?" but no-one can remember that far back - except David of course.

Well do you remember when you were young and weather forecasters used a piece of seaweed hanging up outside the Met Office window. When it was wet it was raining and when it was not it was dry. Seagulls flew high when there was a storm on the way and cows lay down when rain was imminent. There were all sorts of ways of forecasting the weather and the passage of time helps us to believe that they all worked.

Now we have a Met Office that is armed to the earlobes with sophisticated computers that predict the weather and displays it graphically on our television screens. When we hit a settled patch the forecasts tend to reflect a touch more accuracy and that reminds me of a story that Garry Brannigan, my photography guru, told me. He was running a course in the Yorkshire Dales and the subject of conversation turned to the weather, there was a retired farmer on the course and when all the others had had their say he quietly and sagely said -

"Weeell, more often than not, tomorrow's weather is likely to be very much like today's"

How very true.

We have an obsession with the weather don't we? It is the great fall-back of the inhabitants of England and most of the inhabitants of Wales. I say most of the inhabitants of Wales because among the Welsh community the obsession is more -

"Who are you? Who is your father? Where does your family come from?" And then its

"So, do you know Gladys Jones?" To which the reply would invariably be on the lines of

"I do actually, she happens to be my father's second cousin twice removed."

I digress. As I was saying we have an obsession with the weather. Conversations are opened with "Lovely day isn't it?" or "When is this rain going to stop?"

Seaside gift shops used to be full of all sorts of ornaments which predicted the weather ranging from the scientifically based ones with a barometer and thermometer bearing the legend 'Gift from Barry'. That was really brilliant if your name was actually Barry but sadly mine wasn't. Further down the line you had the more gimmicky house with two doors - when the man came out it was going to rain and when the woman came out it was going to be fine - well it would be for the man because he would finally have the house to himself.

Then there was the Welsh Lady with the white apron, more of a pinky-blue really and according to the predicted weather it became really blue or really pink.

I was reminded of this today and I can now tell you something you just never knew before, in fact not even she knows it, but we have in our midst our own weather girl.

If its cold she wears red and if its warm she wears blue.

So if you are ever on one of our rides and you are not certain just take a look at Jan Garvey and note which coat she is wearing. Furthermore you will notice that the weather can change during the course of the day.

Who needs computers?

So next time she is leading a ride and you are not certain where she is going to be taking us you can ask -

"Whither, weather girl?"

Next week we have the Away Day to Carew and I have just remembered that Jan is giving me a lift there - should I make contingency plans!!?

Today's ride, by the way was the Airport Run which Colin was going to lead but couldn't due to his accident. He did, however, meet us at the lunch stop and it was good to see him. He had an appointment with the doctor this afternoon and the good news is that he will be fit enough to ride with us next week.

Well done Colin! And well done John White for agreeing to lead the ride at the last minute.

A great ride - I arrived home after having covered 55 miles, decided on a shower rather than a bath for two reasons really:-

a) Its not easy to indulge in a glass of whisky in the shower and

b) If I manage to then I tend to have a lot of water with it!

Happy pedalling

Lew Spokes

For the complete Wednesday and Sunday rides programme click on the link at the top of this page, or if that is too much trouble then click here.

On the Airport Run		Kites at Gigrin Farm (photo - Lenny Griffiths)