Epic Adventures.

So, it's three days after deciding to cycle to London and i can officially check that one off the list. A part of me still can't believe we did it! We started with a bit of a set-back as my cycling buddy had punctured his bike tire, while still in Cambridge. Might as well get all of the bad luck out of the way, eh? After deciding to use a mountain bike rather than the punctured road bike (we couldn't get the back wheel re-centered) we set off, around 11am. It was a bit cheeky to decide on the mountain bike since the gears didn't shift correctly, and the brakes weren't in top form, but a good cyclist on a bad bike and a bad cyclist on a good bike, and we were almost evenly matched (i ended up walking up some of the steeper hills rather than riding up them, my legs just gave up on me!) We had thought it would take us quite a while to get to London, but even with me continually slowing the pace we made it before nightfall, around 5 or 5:30ish. We're actually not sure where the official "London" area starts, as we didn't make it to the center of the city where all the touristy things are, but the greater London area is quite large. Regardless, we ended at what turned up to be our final destination ) a little over 6 hours after we left Cambridge (a 40 mile ride rather than a 50 mile ride--we just couldn't imagine riding on for another 10 miles!). It was a gorgeous day for the trip, and we saw the most adorable english villages and farmland, which i of course took no pictures of. I even forgot that i had my camera until jeremy asked if we were going to document the trip at all! So, here are some of the very few pictures that i took (i really wish i had taken more!). The adrenaline rush from the ride has gone down, but that feeling of being able to do anything still survives. I can't wait til we decide on the next epic adventure.

This is actually going backwards, I'm not sure what's wrong with this website! it's uploading my pictures all weird. anyway, the end of our journey, tired, sweaty, and absolutely exhilarated. (and yes mom, we wore helmets). About time for a Sunday Roast and a cold pint. what a great way to end the ride..and this is the turn where we got lost. We were supposed to turn left after we passed this farm, but we went about a mile to far past it before we realized that we weren't on the right trail anymore--oops! But, really, it wouldn't have been a decent adventure without getting a bit lost at least once :) this was a little over 1/2 way to london, we think.
This is looking back on a small detour we took into a field for a bit of a rest and stretching our legs, we've gone about 1/3 of the way . . . only about 27 miles left to go!

This is a gorgeous lake that we rode by, it's not quite springtime, but you can tell that once the trees start getting their leaves this place will be beautiful.

Everything is better on holiday . . .

Why yes, it is that time again!  My resolution for next term is to not only take more pictures, but to try and update this silly blog more often--I know i'll appreciate it once i'm far away from this place and back home . . . but this is not the time for sad thoughts!  My holiday plans are quite random, and, at the time they were made--mostly spontaneous.  as of today there are only 4 people left on my hall, 3 of them are the aussie medics who don't actually get much of a break, and the other jya left is just sticking around until his choir jets off to france for the break.  i'm here for 5 more days.  5 days!  i'm not really sure what i'll end up doing.  Yesterday I was cycling to my riding lesson and saw a sign for the motorway (interstate) that basically read, "London, 50mi this way"  One stroke of brilliance later, and I decided i wanted to cycle to london.  and so we're off! bright and early tomorrow morning.  It's quite a ways, but we're planning on taking it easy and just enjoying the ride, and hopefully getting to london in time to take a train back to cambridge.  Then monday i'll probably just be recovering, and Tuesday is St. Patty's Day, which we're actually going down to London for (on a train this time)  and celebrating like i'm sure only the brits know how (i've seen people in pubs drinking beer with their breakfast!--no worries, i won't be partaking in those kinds of shenanigans).  wednesday i actually have another riding lesson planned, and then I guess Thursday is for me to finally pack up!  I suppose the 5 days won't be so horrible after all.  Friday I'm off to Belfast for the weekend i  really hope i make it to Derry!  and then on Sunday I meet up with Amy in London (she's spending this week with her parents) and we're off to Istanbul where we begin our 3 1/2 weeks of traveling through greece and serbia and croatia  and italy eventually ending up in germany!  sometimes, i really can't believe how amazing my life is right now.  but as wonderful and amazing this year has been, i can only hope that it just keeps getting better, as i have many years left, to have many great adventures.

sunny days, cloudless nights.

i love love LOVE days like today.  i woke up to sunshine streaming through my curtains, and until about 20mins ago the sky was completely clear, not a cloud in sight.  spring is on the way my friends.  i visited oxford on Friday night,went to Reagent Hall's formal dinner (Regeant's is the college that the other people from Jewell that are enrolled in Oxford go to) and following bop and then brought back some of the people here to cambridge to watch our friend play in the Varsity women's football (soccer) match of oxford vs. cambridge.  Two top nights, right in a row.  This weekend i'm off to see Franz Ferdinand in concert in Birmingham (i don't really know where that is . . . but i'm going there on sunday!)  with some friends on queen's wing--i'm stoked.  and so, even though i have an essay plan, essay, and experimental design due in 3 hours, i'm completely at ease (almost) because this past weekend was great, and the upcoming one looks like it's going to be as well. i never really thought i'd be one of those people living for the weekends . . . does that mean i'm growing up--oooh, i hope not!  :)