Dodging the rain Nov 3

After a couple of weeks of recovering properly from seasonal *lurgy*, I am almost back to everyday outings. I cannot abide being stuck inside for too long and even if the weather is iffy, I would rather risk a drenching than fust away. We are having a week of wind and rain, which is what you want really, in November. Today I was working with one eye on the studio window, watching for a good, clear break after a morning of downpours. When it seemed safe, I scrambled onto Hercules and we headed for the top hill. I soon spotted more wet gloom, rolling in rather beautifully on the back of strong sunshine. Would I escape in time?

No. After a mile of mad pedalling, the first drops began to splatter, hastened in by strong winds.

Nothing for it but to carry on.

Thank goodness for rural bus shelters. We were able to stop and shelter from the worst of it, and dry off.

After ten minutes the skies westward cleared and a clean brightness sharpened the autumn colours.

From the top, I could see the storm cascading eastwards towards Oxford.

Down the big hill, accompanied by gurgling rivulets of rain water streaming to the bottom.

The sun emerged.

By the time I reached the deserted farm, it was a perfect day.

In fact, if it hadn't been for what my West Country mother would have called 'gurt big puddles'...

...you would scarcely have known it had been raining at all.