Testway, Danebury and lots of mud

Rain delayed the start by about an hour, but Saturday's ride was great. About 14 miles-ish with Husband, M & A. A did absolutely brilliantly - opting to do a much more challenging ride than I'd expected and completing it without appearing to be too wiped. Husband is complaining about how M is harder to keep up with since he quit smoking - good bit of motivation for Husband to get faster!

Due to the torrential rain, there were big unavoidable puddles that meant we were very wet right from the start - as you can see from the photo of M's legs further down this blog!

Nice, varied route - started on the ultra flat ex railway that is the Test Way. Then we moved onto undulating tracks with better views of the countryside. Brief bit of road & then onto very rucked tracks - I did fall off and bruised my chest with the handle bars - it's a lovely burgundy colour atm!
Final bit was road but going across a very picturesque bit of the Test with thatched fishermens' huts and eel traps - as you can see from the photo.
A reckons my bum has got smaller - she did get a good view as she was just behind me for some of the way...
Lots of nettles & brambles - my legs are covered in little scratches.
Only wildlife stuff I noticed (OK, I was chatting too much to notice much!) was a v.pretty pair of goldfinches. Blue scabious stood out in some of the field edges.

Later, Husband & I walked to & from the pub - another hour of exercise to add. I felt very justified in enjoying 2 pints of summer lightning (an appropriate beer for a day with thunderstorms) in addition to gin & slimlines.

No other active stuff to report. Christening on Sunday and a prolonged search for a car 4 me took up most of the rest of the weekend. A little over on calories for Sunday, but looking good for the week as a whole.