Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Cycling holiday -- day 2

As the only guest staying that night, I got fussed over this morning at breakfast.

Hitting the road soon after 9, I got as far as Mickfield, and thought "I did this route last September", so rather than heading through Debenham to take the long route via Horham and Stradbroke, I turned left and headed even further from the direct route.

In Blacksmith's Green, I suddenly saw a couple of small animals -- young stoats or weasels, perhaps -- the size and shape of sausages, milk chocolate in colour, scrapping. One body-charged the other out from the verge into the road, then withdrew, leaving the other standing blinking a bare body-length from my front tyre.

Poppies

Poppies

There have been a lot of rabbits active on the verges (and quite a few road-kill, along with what may have been a slow worm); and in the fields, poppies in amongst the cereals.


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The long loop took me past may pubs, not yet open, but at 12:30, coming through Fressingfield, I spotted that the Swan was open and doing food. So I had a steak tomato and mayo sandwich, with a pint of draught Theakston's Mild, before ambling on. The Crown at Crown Corner was closed in a "not open at lunchtime" sort of way, so no more beer, as the other pubs were closed by the time I passed them.

Getting to the Crown about quarter to three, I had a good soak, and then found some refreshments for afternoon tea. Had a bit of a walk, rested a bit, then out to Off the Square again, which was already quite busy at soon after 7pm.

Starter was toast with tapenade, bruschetta, and feta with shredded cucumber; then for main hazelnut and pistachio terrine with mushroom and spinach, with a glass of rosé, then brownie with peanut butter icecream, and coffee.

Another stroll, and so to bed.

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