SUN!

Yes! For the whole day too, I might add. And 10 degrees. Luxury. In my day, we didn't have sun. We had to make do with a 30 watt lightbulb.

I took the fullest advantage of it (after sleeping in, of course) and headed south through the Mendips. Bigger hills out that way, and I think I can now trace a nice route out to Wells and back that doesn't go via the muddiest roads in Christendom. A very nice 110 km, but it took me 20 minutes of scrubbing at a petrol station to uncake the mud.

Re: the Ashes. Are the Aussies headed for a 5-0 whitewash of the gallant English lads? England didn't make a great impact in Melbourne. To add insult to GBH, their bowling plans were leaked to the media during the match. How shocking. Although, 'get the bloke in front of the stumps out' was perhaps not the greatest revelation for the Australian team.

I've realised that I have the necessary time, creative energy, coffee and beer to restart writing my book, which I commenced about three years ago. I aim to make it even funnier than Thomas Hardy's great comic work, Jude the Obscure. So I hope it will be a best seller. Failing that (and more than likely), it will make a handy door wedge. Order your copy now. No offer too big refused.

23500 km for the year. About 4000 fewer km than last year, but that's OK. Mission accomplished and all that.