Saturday was our annual Village Bike Ride. Anja, not one to be deterred by a bike that is desperately small (soon to be replaced I promise!) was bursting and ready to get out and ride. And I, not one to be deterred (or use my brain) by having been sick with a fever all week agreed. I don't have a bike as of Wednesday when Stephen took it to Italy along with our favorite chair and a few paintings. ( so what if they were his...I loved them!) So it was walking for me for the first part of the day. I had thought I could get away with just walking to the farm but Anja was having no part of my plan. No surprise there! Luckily my friend Anna was in London for the day so I was able to borrow hers for the afternoon ride.
We wasted no time after I acquired my wheels - first delivering pizza (firmly affixed to the bike rack with my cardigan tied around it) to Axel and Kiah back at the farm. To the school, the village center, up up up the hill to the Cricket Club pavilion, back into the old roads to the Brambletye Ruin nearly to the new orchard, up to the top of the village and the new crossing at the main road (hooray for the new crossing!) and back down to wind up at the Village Green. The local MP was there to here our concerns regarding bike safety improvements needed in the village. A village councilor also talked about plans and status of efforts to make available and encourage more goods and services locally so we can minimize use of cars as much as possible. The village does pretty well overall, and we could absolutely survive with minimal need to ever drive for most things. Our family drives less than many, but still too much. But we are making improvements every day.
Take some time to click on the picture and see the other pictures from our day. It was one of those days that reminds me what a wonderful magical place we live in.
