The Open Road

Something odd happened today. Saturday dawned warm and still and clear with the forecast set fair for the whole day. I've been waiting for this all summer. I have so much correspondence and writing to catch up with, including a lot with blip friends, but all I could think about was escaping into my bubble on the bike and hitting the open road. But then another odd thing happened. I can only describe it as a lack of momentum. I kept finding myself wanting to stop, not so much to take photographs (although that was the excuse) but to talk - to local day trippers, to vacationers, to farmers. The open road has become less about discovering the landscape and more about discovering new people. Over the last few years it has become something of a joke that my cycling mates are more likely to spot me in a field communing with a tree than actually riding my bike. Now they are more likely to spot me at the roadside chatting to someone! My bubble is becoming more permeable.

In the evening I went into Leeds with some friends to see Alex Cornish play a solo acoustic gig at the Packhorse. It was a very intimate affair with great music interspersed with some very funny stories. The banter with the small audience was wonderful. It was a really engaging night out. Alex has a very loyal following, and for good reason, because his songs are beautifully crafted and he's a great performer. Do try to catch him on tour if you can, in London tonight (Monday), as I write this, and Brighton on Tuesday. You won't be disappointed.