A Coastal Bike Ride

Well, the Bike Shed has been packed and is ready for pick up next week. I'm promised a refund as soon as it is accepted back to the suppliers, and I look forward to reading the most beautiful sentence in the English language..." .....Our cheque is enclosed!....."

The bike is still being used in a daily attempt to reduce my girth, and today's fine, bright, but chilly weather, tempted me to extend my ride from just a quick, token whiz round the houses, to far off places with strange sounding names, like "Seaton Sluice" and "New Delaval" .

En route I paused to watch members of a model aeroplane club flying their radio controlled models into the light airs above the dunes. The cycle track opens onto the club's designated area and I was intrigued to see a row of metal benches, lining the "Apron". On closer inspection, I discovered that each of the half dozen or so benches had a small plaque which dedicated the seat to the memory of a late and presumably much lamented member of the Flying club. How nice, I thought, for your fellow club members to mark your memory in this way . I've seen this kind of memorial bench, of course, placed by a tee box or a particularly fine view, in golf clubs around the world. But this was completely unexpected, and left me in a rather peaceful mood as I continued with my ride.

Helping to ease the stresses of the cycle ride, I carried the latest technological gizmo that has taken my fancy. My mobile phone has an MP3 feature and keeping up with the youth of today I have a selection of "tunes" which were successfully downloaded ( Oh! I know all these modern "buzz words" !). The headset used to listen to the music is a very neat piece of design. Twin earpieces are connected by an elegantly curved "Alice Band" like apparatus which neatly houses a re-chargeable battery, a discrete "tell tale" light which changes colour according to the status or function of the headset and a simple Off/ On switch. Cleverest of all though is the method of connection ,which is "Bluetooth", so that I can enjoy my music piped in stereo to my ears without any wires, or cables to get in the way. If the outside world wants to contact me, I'm able to take or summarily dimiss the call with a press of a button! So with my mobile stored safely in the cycle's secure frame bag, Bizet's "Carmen Suite No.1" ( Aragonaise) playing in both ears and the gentle breeze behind me, I reach my first port of call...... The Waterford Arms, Seaton Sluice, in very good order. A swift half pint later and I was on my way home!