Unexpected sighting

Amazing the things you see when you're out on your bike... on my morning ride over the Gwent Levels today I spotted some large birds in a field. I didn't believe my eyes, so I stopped to get a better look and low and behold my initial impression appears to have been right... I'm pretty sure I was looking at some visiting Sandhill Cranes.

Sandhill Cranes

Sandhill Cranes are usually resident in North America and while they have been known to visit the UK occasionally they are very rare here. There were three in the group I saw this morning (the image above is not mine, but for illustration only) and I have just spent the last hour trying to confirm my identification. I'll take my camera and return to the location shorty to see if the birds are still there. Crossing my fingers they will be.

Usky rides to Usk

I was awake early again this morning (as usual) and since the day was overcast, but warm I decided I'd go for a nice countryside ride so I got myself together and set off just before 5:30am.


I headed out of the village toward Chepstow with the intention of riding through the country lanes around Shirenewton, but in fact the views across the Severn Estuary from the Earlswood Road were so stunning today I decided to just continue on over the ridge and drop down into Usk.

So the upshot of  this morning's activity was a 33 mile ride, the second 30 mile plus ride this week, that burned over 2,000 calories, which is obviously good for my weight loss.

Wo! I feel good

I knew that I would, now
I feel good!

Well okay James Brown I ain't, but I really do feel good today and it's all down to exercise...

• 32.5 miles on the bike this morning before breakfast
• 2.5 mile walk/trot through the woods with Tilly after breakfast

And all before 11:00am... Not too bad for an Old Fart!

Of course the downside of all this activity is a very rumbly tummy. Wonder what I can find to snack on in the kitchen...


Wo! I feel good, I knew that I would, now
I feel good, I knew that I would, now
So good, so good
So Good!

Beautiful morning ride

Got going for my early morning ride just as the sun was coming up today and what a spectacular sunrise it was too... wish I'd had a video camera with me to record the gradual colour change in the morning sky. I do have a still though:

Good Morning, Sunshine

My first eight miles consisted of three quite long hill climbs to get the blood pumping and the knees aching, which took me from Undy to Park Wall (the 8 mile mark on the my map). From there I dropped down to Black Rock (the 10 mile mark) where I took a drink and a short breather overlooking the Severn Estuary and the Second Severn Crossing.

I left Black Rock on the Wales Coastal Path and followed this off and on through Sudbrook, Portskewett and Caldicot on my return to Undy.

Here's a map of my route:

Early morning exercise

I found sleep hard to come by on Saturday night so I finally gave up and got out of bed at 5:00 a.m. on Sunday morning and went for a walk.

The dark doesn't trouble me, but I wouldn't recommend everyone to get up and go out while it is still dark, which it very much is at that time of day here. Still the world is a quiet place in this neck of the woods and once outside the bounds of the village I enjoyed the solitude and night noises of the small animals going about their daily lives.

Night Sky

The moon peeking through the broken cloud gave a hint of the promise of the day to come. I found it surprisingly warm as I walked and about an hour into my route I began to wish I hadn't work two layers under my jacket.

One or two lights shone from farm house windows as I strode on and by 6:30 a.m. the odd motorist had appeared on the road meaning I'd have to take a little more care in the half-light since the country lane I was walking on is barely wide enough for two cars to pass each other and motorists tend to drive on the crown of the road. The early morning travellers do provide some interesting visuals though.

Streamed Head & Tail lights

All in all I enjoyed my early morning exercise and with almost nine miles under my belt by the time I arrived home I was certainly ready for a hearty breakfast!