On yer bike!............

It's a longish while since I did any serious cycling, and although I used to clock up a few miles in my halcyon days of youth, the intervening years, and mysterious, superfluous poundage have rendered it a much more taxing activity, as I have just been discovering.

One of the first things I did after I moved, was to buy a bike. A hybrid cross between an out-and-out mountain bike, and a commuter street bike. Actually it's quite a good one, and pretty cheap too, due to the time I spent scouring the internet for a bargain.... But it's not any easier to ride up hill for all that.

I have been a bit limited on the mobility front of late, due to some pathetic ankle and hip related hobbling, but medical science seems to have finally decided what's up, and has started to get me going again. I still can't do much walking though, so have been feeling a bit like a caged tiger, and turned to the push bike as an alternative way of getting about, as it's easier on the ankles.

Hence today I was whizzing (on the flat bits at least) round some of the local Northamptonshire country lanes, just generally exploring, admiring the wonderful stone villages, and looking out for good country pubs (Yes...sorry Doc, I know that's NOT part of the the rehab, but sod it.)

The countryside here is glorious, in a sort of big sky, rolling fields, open vistas kind of way. Even on a very dull, blustery day like today it was most uplifting to be out on the back lanes, with very little traffic, and nothing much to rush for.

Sadly the weather was not conducive to photography, so the above pic is all I bothered with. It is of Church Lane at Mears Ashby, which is a beautiful village, but one that alas, barring the lottery (which I don't do anyway) I am unlikely to ever be able to afford to live in. This is of course symptomatic of the problem with rural housing all over this country though. Anything better than a cowshed is out of the financial reach of younger locals. As well as modest-meaned incomers like me.

Anyhap, it's still pretty to look at.......and I am happy to report that it does have a very nice pub.