The Indians Have Arrived

Autumn has always been my favourite time of the year. I have never liked really hot weather and winter brings challenges of its own, especially for cyclists. So that leaves spring and autumn as the times to be savoured. Autumn usually brings extended periods of fine and cool days, with clear skies and warm sunshine.

Well that is what autumn usually is like. In the "Year of the Pandemic 2020", it has not been quite like that. According to the Weather Bureau, we have been setting a succession of new records for wet weather and high rainfall. Maybe it's just as well we are confined to quarters as the weather has been a bit of a letdown (unless of course if you are a farmer or a duck).

That has finally changed. The past few days have been absolutely perfect. I don't mind a freezing cold start when you can look forward to lovely warm sunshine through the rest of the day. In addition, each day has been completely windless. They are the sort of day when you can read in the sun and feel the warmth slowly filling you to the core. Such periods of fine weather at this time of the year used to be called "Indian Summers". I am not sure if that term is still used, or whether it has somehow become politically incorrect.

Whatever they are called, it has certainly proven to be a wonderful tonic for a population that has been anxious and fearful for the past couple of months. It also happens to coincide with the relaxation of the travel restrictions, so that was a perfect conjunction of events.

Tomorrow we will be riding the Great Southern Rail Trail again. I can hardly wait.Read more