this is what we do to spam in these here parts....

...wordle them!

Ouch!

the route I took on sunday - a 59-miler. I was trying to emulate my disgustingly healthy little sister's ride of a couple of weeks back, and in fact I think I may have outdone her in terms of uphill bits - there's a particularly nasty pointy-uppy bit in Bradfield on the way to Theale. The worst thing about this ride, if you don't count the bunch of smug wealthy people in identikit lycra with identikit expensive road bikes drinking identikit expensive coffees outside a coffee shop in Henley, braying smugly at each other, was the headwind going west, especially from Cookley Green to Wallingford, then down south towards Streatley. The high point (quite literally) was the descent from Cookley Green - a magnificent 35 mph view of the countryside. If you say, 'why only 35 mph?' then you have either a) not seen my bike, b) not seen the lane down which you do the descent or c) have a far too expensive road bike ;)
edit - as you can see from my comment, the above pic is not actually the route - but this one is:

Bits and Pieces

Just a short one today, as a) I'm knackered, b)I'm studying and c)I've got a twelve-hour day tomorrow.
Cycling update: I'm not doing as many miles at present as I'd like, but what I have done has convinced me that I'm pretty close to the fitness levels I'll need for London to Paris. Sunday saw me cycle down to Kingsclere for the family golf trophy day. I didn't actually participate myself - a good decision, in the end, I think, as there was a very cold north-east wind blowing strongly for most of it. The ride was only 26 miles or so, but it was a very good ride - down to Silchester first, then through a forest to Tadley, then down the Wolverton road. I'll be trying for a longer ride this weekend if the weather holds up.
Fundraising update: well, I'm ten per cent of the way, and I've got a few plans up my sleeve. I'll be holding a yard sale sometime in the next couple of weeks to raise funds, and I've got my ESOL students also roped in - we'll be doing a coffee morning and a summer fair-type thing towards the end of term. And to publicise it, I'll be going on the college radio in the next couple of weeks! But, more importantly, is this - the first print edition of A Guide To Reading, available for £8.99. I've finally got round to publishing it! OK, it's lulu.com, a self-publishing website, but the manuscript has been languishing for the past few years and I reckoned it's high time I did something with it. This way, I can contribute more to the fundraising. Feel free to buy a copy....
I could say more, but I'm feeling somewhat knackered at the moment. More soon.