Nature Taking Over.

In three weeks’ time, on the final  week-end of “La Grand Boucle,” I pay my annual homage to my cycle racing past by taking part in a twenty-four hour time trial. I won’t finish first, not by a long chalk, but then I’m not likely to finish last either; that is an honour that will probably not be mine for another five or ten years – if I’m spared. I’m not as fit as I should be, but then every athlete says the same thing; the year started badly with me staggering about on a Zimmer frame and I was unable to exercise for about three months, and then it took a while to get started again. Today, in a desperate attempt to put things right, I went off on an eighty mile jaunt through the borders while keeping a wary eye open for subjects for the Derelict Sunday challenge.
 
Despite consuming a large breakfast beforehand, a Snicker bar, a significant portion of fish and chips and a large ice-cream en route, my trusty scales advise me that I burnt enough calories to lose a pound in weight during the course of the day. I’m now below ten stone with the target of weighing nine and a half when I eventually arrive at the start line. Mrs TD doesn’t like me being that slim but then, as I tell her, it’s cheaper to lose weight that way than to buy a titanium trike.
 
The Blip did cause me a little embarrassment as I was accosted by a man half my age who demanded, rather aggressively I thought, if I needed any help. With fifty hilly miles in my legs and a large portion of lunch in my belly, I didn’t wish to make an issue of anything, so I politely said, “No thank-you” and left as quickly as was seemly. But by then my objective had already been achieved.
 
The challenge is hosted by JanetHH and has the theme of “Nature”.