Cycling Practice

Mel's away for the weekend (thus conveniently avoiding the somewhat outdated and sexist institution of Ladies' Day yesterday: I've lost count of the number of times I have asked her), so after entertaining a mutual friend last night and this morning (male, business traveller, thank you) I set off on the train for Exeter and cycled the length of the ship canal back to Starcross, with a quick pint at the Double Locks and at the Turfs , with 11 caches on the way. Out of the house and back in 4 hours.
For my birthday in 10 days, I was planning to drag Mel along to cycle the Somerset Space Walk, along the canal from Bridgwater to Taunton. That is a scale model of the Solar system, set out along the canal. I have visited Pluto which is in Taunton. It is the size of a pea but 6 miles from the model of the sun at Higher Maunsell Lock. But then I thought, sod going to the allotment tomorrow, and a week's backache. Why not do the Canal tomorrow, while she is away and think of something she would enjoy to do for my birthday eg a night away in Mousehole? So that's what I'll do. Space Walk pictures another time.