the dead deer ride

into the darkness, a photo by rOcKeTdOgUk on Flickr.

Ben and i had planned this ride all week and boy did the weather play ball! 27 degrees and a cloudless sky. i'd parked my car in Warwick the day before and got a lift home, today's plan was to ride back to the car using the B'ham-Worcs, North Stratford and Grand union canals hoping that the recent good weather had dried out the towpath. we needn't have worried apart from a few puddles it was the dust we had to worry about and the insects, there were clouds of them and Ben swallowed a few. pedalling along the towpath we started to smell a very bad aroma and eventually passed a full grown deer floating in the canal. it was bloated and covered in flies, nature taking it's course. i warned the guy piloting a cruiser towards it to "watch out for the deer" and he just looked at me like i was mad.
after 21 miles and 2hrs 18mins we arrived at Hatton lock cafe for a lunchtime sandwich. after refuelling we headed over via "the hill of death" to campion hills 4X track where Ben was intimidated by the skill of the 10 year olds riding the course :-) coming back through the parks of Leamington and Warwick it was great to see everyone enjoying the sunshine and we had to stop for an icream before following a cheeky trail alongside the river back to the car
ride 76
37 miles
total 1354
commute 397.5