97km
I wanted to go to Burghley House, which is just north of Peterborough, this week-end being the last occasion before spring (they close in winter). So, fueled by excellent bengali chicken and kheer from the previous night (thanks Eshan and Parth), I got up early and was ready at 8.30.
My bike wasn't, though. Its rear wheel was punctured...
 |
| Reparing in Blue Boar Basement... Well, still better than on the road. |
Half an hour to repair, late start. Then I began cycling, following Regional Route 24. I saw beautiful and unknown berries.
Much thatch.
It's very sunny after all those misty days. It is also very cold and my hands are numb and my feet ache. I had some tea to keep warm. (I have to find better gloves).
An then I had before me the autumnal splendor of Cambridgeshire. This tree was so beautiful that I wanted to congratulate its owner, but I found no one.
Colours
And in Godmanchester, an old bridge jouxting a smaller one for bikes
The Great Ouse! One day I will follow her to the sea.
 |
| The Great Ouse |
The wind has been blowing against me since the beginning, but it's getting stronger. My pace is not very fast, about 18km/h, and there are gusts of wind. In Huntingdon, before taking National Route 12, I eat a sandwich which makes me more hungry and another sandwich which makes things better. There's a nice church there. It's also the birthplace of Oliver Cromwell...
 |
| All Saints Church |
Wind blowing stronger and stronger. A nice ford:
 |
| Notice the bike on the right |
It's ok when I'm more or less in town, where the wind is somehow checked, but soon I'm riding in the open, and I realize it will be very difficult to get to Burghley House before the end of the afternoon, because with that wind I ride at 10km/h pushing quite hard. After ten minutes of hard work, I stop and ask, why all this toil and trouble? I did 50km with the wind in my face, why not do 50km more with Aeolus' benediction?
So, on this road, I did a U-turn and it felt so good to reach suddenly 40km/h on flat land...
 |
| Here I decided to keep Burghley House for next spring. You can't really see the wind on the picture, but it's there. |
And then it was paradise for some time, wind in my back and sun on my head. That was before the rain... I guess my new raincoat needed to be baptized.
 |
| Cows sharing my sorry plight |
Rain/sun/rain/sun, "British weather,", says another cyclist. "It's ok I'm used to it".
 |
| I'm very wet but such sights comfort me. |
Dazzling things
Back to Green Street's cobbles. My bike and I are very muddy. It's back in te basement, and I should wash it now... Muddy crusts... Hum I will wait for some sunshine.
