Lakes in my boots

Despite the greyness to the day the opportunity to ride beckoned and I took a gamble with the weather. Dampness hung in the air as I left but the roads were dry and only the volume of traffic hindered my progress. On the way a teenage lad decided that it would be fun to run out into the open road in front of me. Fuck knows why. I swerved and braked and he ran back, laughing. My heart went pitter-patter muy rapido and I shouted at him. What a prat to play with traffic like that.

It was a grey day in Chislehurst too, and the track to the rally site was peppered with muddy pot holes. The site was slippery too, evidenced by the number of bikes parked in the car park.

The Gadgets were here to help run the rally, well Gadgetman was anyway. Gadgetgirlie appeared out of the woods with her new gang of friends, mucky from top to toe and enjoying the freedom of the site to roam and play at will. Gadgeteen was reunited with his friend from last year. She is 2 yrs older than him, has piercings in her lip, tongue, eyebrow and belly button, not to mention the ears, red streaks in her hair and 2 huge personalities. He didn't leave her side during the several hours that I was there. He was not in the least bit interested to see me. Too distracted. He mumbled a 'hello mum' and later a 'bye mum' and I watched them cross the field in the drizzle, nattering away and oblivious to the weather and anyone around them. Hmmmm. Wonder what he'll remember from this weekend? Gadgetman was the only one of the three pleased to see me. Chuffed that I'd made the effort to come over despite preferring to stay at home and do my own thing for the weekend. (I did also have some work stuff that needed doing in peace and quiet).

I wandered round the campsite to check out the bikes and found this.

The sign reads: 'I wish I could fly, up to the sky, but I can't'.

on this eccentric looking trike.

and lots of tents and some of these playing on rope swings near the evenings camp fire
material.

I got well and truly soaked before I even got to the M25 for the 50 mile return journey. I had lakes in my boots by the time I got home, (and before you ask, no I didn't have my waterproofs. They don't fit over the bike jacket and it's on my 'to do' list to sort out). I stuffed them with newspaper last night and have refilled them with dry paper twice since then, and put all the wet stuff in the airing cupboard, and it's all still damp now.

Won't stop me going out though.