Thursday 22 December

I'm thinking about going out for 3 hours on Thursday, easy pace, starting about 1200, Chepstow, St Briavels Road to Hewelsfield, Tintern and back to Bradley Stoke. Stopping for a piece of cake if anywhere en route is open.

If you'd like to come along, let me know.

Are you also coming on Friday to Tintern? (R Taylor will submit a post for it)

Rich, it doesn't look like I'll be able to make Friday's trip to Tintern now, shame

Filling Station in Tintern is now closed until the New Year. I'm nipping up to Red Door deli this morning- maybe our paths will cross on the bridge

Pete, I wondered if we might see you on the return leg today, but we didn't. Had an idea that The Filling Station was shut now, it reopens on 05/01/17. Their loss today was our gain as Steve and I popped in the Abbey Mill and as we were damper than we expected to be, I treated myself to treacle tart and custard and Steve had bakewell tart and custard. Cor, it was gert lush (if you're not from round 'ere and don't know what gert lush means, Google it).

Yeah, kept an eye open for you, but I was maybe a bit late to catch you, going back through Tintern about 2.30, by which time the weather was getting damper. I had a pleasant and sunny ride out to the Red Door where I was the only cyclist, sitting among (other) geriatric cases out for a Xmas treat! By the way, oive bin yer fur morun farty yurrs so I unnerstans Brizzle tork.

Fairy Snuff me Babber

Arr, dough need no dickshun ray - eyes flewunt!

Year you dont live in Stanz do you

Ah, Brizzle speak!

... but this reminds me that a few years ago we pulled onto the M4 at Reading and in front of us was a huge modern horsebox - one that looks like a real posh deluxe jobbie. Emblazoned across the back in huge letters was:

GERT BIG ORSE

Made eye chuckle

Did you say" Cheers drive"?Or"Where's me daps?