Not working and couldn't sleep past about 4:30am today - had planned to get out on the Himalayan and head to Calshot Castle as I had never been there before and being by the sea is one of my favourite things.
(Scroll down for short video including bird of prey).
Didn't film the first hour of the ride as it was familiar territory for me, but it was sunny and no traffic, and one of those hours where riding just flows - the Himalayan was enjoying some cooler air to gulp, and I was enjoying feeling a little chilly to counteract my 5 hours sleep! I find the battery life on my GoPro 8 pretty limited.
I killed a bit of time waiting for The Lookout to open (mildly ironic given that a buzzard had scared the crap out of me shortly before arrival), only to discover that they didn't take cash and I had left my cards at home. More ironic because I almost never have any cash, but did today. I have also forgotten to put Google Pay on my new phone since I killed the last one on a bike trip to Wales. So I didn't get my brekko with a view.
Waiting for the brekko that I couldn't purchase...
Plan B - Steff's kitchen in Beaulieu - never been here before either. Friendly service and very quick. Ideal given that I had felt the first spots of rain and knew that it was forecast for later in the day.
In my efforts to wing it avoiding riding through Salisbury I went much further than intended - clearly unwilling to stop and ask myself for directions! So Wiltshire, Hampshire and unexpectedly Dorset today - I knew I was in trouble when I started to recognize the village names. Ended up in Shaftesbury, from which I can find my way home easily in a sleep-deprived state (handy). So, 175 miles today and the Himalayan is knocking on the door of 5,000 with a few weeks until Birthday number 1. Not too shabby.
Dorset - not far from Sixpenny Handley