High Spring or perhaps even the earliest whispers of Summer are certainly in the air. Riding past the Ruffwell Arms and the cottage just beyond I am met with the pungent sweetness of recently mowed grass. It is so all-enveloping and so filled with nostalgic pull that it is all I can do to stop myself from dismounting and curling up in the early morning warming sunshine. Hay fever and work be damned.
The delight however is slightly tempered by my current reading of John Lewis-Stempel’s excellent ‘Meadowland’
, in which he despairs at those who seem determined to bring the bland neatness of suburbia into the country with just these kinds of neatly mown grassy strips edging the roadsides. The more so as he suggests these strips are increasingly all that remains of the ancient English meadows. Perhaps this is true, but ah, the scent of the mown grass… the scent of the mown grass...
, in which he despairs at those who seem determined to bring the bland neatness of suburbia into the country with just these kinds of neatly mown grassy strips edging the roadsides. The more so as he suggests these strips are increasingly all that remains of the ancient English meadows. Perhaps this is true, but ah, the scent of the mown grass… the scent of the mown grass...
Hmmm...just what is happening in Devon? Is the land gently buckling as Spring warms up? Alistair appears to be cycling the same route but the data seems strange? The altitude varies from 124m to 77m - maybe the same route in difeerent directions- ahh- that must be it.
But hang on a mo'- the distances vary as well (on what seems to be the same route - to work and back I guess)- perhaps a swerve to avoid 2 buses?
Or is this just a technical blip? Has anyone else noticed or is it just me?
Posted by: rob | April 22, 2015 at 19:33
I don't think anyone else looks at the data Rob. See, that's what years of being in education does for you ;) The distance variation is caused more by when I actually press the start and stop buttons on the Garmin. I'm not so much on the spectrum that I need to hit it at exactly the same point every day. Plus swerving to avoid the buses, as you say...
Posted by: Alistair | April 22, 2015 at 21:31
...meanwhile, on the spectrum...(reluctantly peels off anorak)...and on a more serious note, I love the daily ride ( you don't say how competetive you are - I'd drive myself frantic re PBs ( though, with age comes less/acceptance/ injuries!)
Hope you enjoyed my little foray in to dataswamp- perhaps I'm hard wired in? Sad or what?
But delighted to note (see above) how 'technology tells lies'.
And enjoying the latest mix - and, recently, Benjamin Clementine ( an intereting one-off if ever there was one)
Posted by: rob | April 23, 2015 at 09:41