More rain. Last night did the re-cycling, (OLC + trailer) product of SMBO's weekend in Derbyshire - 2 bottles Cava, 3 bottles Sainsbury's Claret (I prefer the Special Reserve) , lots of strawberry boxes. Quite abstemious really. Met Mal on the way back - he was off to Safeway on his utilility tricycle, having just constructed a wooden box for the back of it. We were able to pretend to stop to let each other go past like the cagers do, even though I think we would have been able to squeeze past with a few metres of road space to spare:) Anyone seeing us merrily chatting away in torrential downpour in 'us waterproofs might have thought that the future of sustainable transport had arrived! One thing about using a cycle as primary transport is that you frequerntly meet people you know either cycling or walking - beats trying trying to have conversations on the mobile whilst dangerously careering about on the highway in a high-speed killing machine. Switched to Vernon to take a cheque up to Greenhill - slow work getting up there, pretty quick getting back. Stopped to inspect new cycle-friendly junction on Broadfield Rd.

The part I missed from the birdseed narrative was the ratrunning cager (trans; motorists taking a short cut) who leaned out & said "is that a DVD player in there?" I said "no, it's birdseed". "Too bad", he said.

Took a duff monitor to the computer centre in trailer - impressed the techies by cycling in with it (well, the door was open). Returned with functioning monitor. This was OK for a short trip, but leads one to think about what would be required to shift IT equipment full-time - suspension, and a lockable rainproof padded box capable of containing a 17" monitor or tower case. Anyone know of such a thing, please contact me at s dot geller at blueyonder dot co dot uk.!

"Heavy" Showers (you have to have lived in the North of England to know what that means). SWMBO rings up from her weekend retreat in Derbyshire and says "I forgot the photos of Namibia" (she had spent a month doing Good Works there earlier in the year) "why don't you cycle out and drop them off?" So around 1:30, muggins looks up the trains, there's one at 2 (it's a quarter hour ride to the station) This only entails returning the tandem to the garage, cycling back on the Brompton, putting on waterproof gear and heading off on Vernon . No problem except can't find my keys. Find' 'em with 10 minutes to go, set off, heavy rain, strong headwind, road works. Made it though (helped by train a little late, you can always rely on UK trains) Grindleford, bright sunshine , still a strong headwind. Had already realised not going to make it to Monyash (it's up a big hill on one of the the bleakest and most windswept plains on the planet, honest) so left messages on mobile to say, you want 'em, meet me in Bakewell. Fought my way over to Bakewell - just outside the town, the mobile rings - I could tell this because it interferes with my CD-Walkman just enough so you can hear it ringing, handy that really (listening to Neil Young, Sheffield Arena 9/6/01, you want a copy, get in touch, B&P please, s dot geller at blueyonder dot co dot uk.) Herself to say she, along with any fool, would be in Bakewell in 20 mins. Arrange to meet up in Car Park, slight confusion over which car park, meanwhile buy a medium size bakewell pudding and eat it (normally two bites of a b.p. is enough to make anyone feel ill) V. nice by river in B. watching the birdies. Make the handover OK, Set off back in torrential downpour (soon over) just miss train, so over the hill with that fiendish wind behind me now, quick pint and packet of S&V in the Grouse, fast downhill to Sheffield. Bluebells v.nice in Ecclesall Woods.