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This weekend we at last made our pilgrimage across to the Isle of White. The weather has been putting us off for the last couple of weekends, but with the prospect of winter approaching (at least as far as the weather is concerned), we were getting desperate. So Sunday morning we dismantled Nicky's bike and packed it and all the other paraphernalia (the trouble with using long words is that I don’t know how to spell them, still I can always blame the internet transmission for spelling mistakes) into the boot, and then stacked the other three bikes onto the bike rack. We decided to take our mountain bikes, because venturing into the wild unknown would require a rugged vehicle able to take on any terrain. We caught the ferry from Lymington across to Yarmouth with our bikes and arrived there shortly after 12:00.

The weather was overcast and threatening rain, but undeterred we headed off to Freshwater bay. Turned around again after 10 minutes cycle as I reoriented the map to have the sea on the right side and we headed off back to Yarmouth and then on to Freshwater bay. The route to FWB was along a gravel cycle track (lucky we brought the mountain bikes). At the end of the track, Maggie Nicky and Tarryn derobed and put all their jerseys, raincoats and jackets into the backpack on the back of pack-horse "dad". Off we set again, to be met by some very steep undulations and muck complaining.

From freshwater bay, we headed to Newport after going through some very scenic forest and unfortunately some more ups and downs. At Newport we bought some picnic food and stuffed it all in "dads backpack" and then headed off along another cycle track to Cowes. At Cowes we collapsed and I took off the 20kg pack and we had a late (16:00) lunch of cheese and tomato roles, icecreams and various other snack foods. The left overs, jerseys, raincoats and jackets were loaded back into "dads pack" and then we headed off again at about 17:00.

The road back to Yarmouth took us up a steep hill and then back down again after I reoriented the map to put the sea on the right side again. Damn map kept on being a pain all the way really. After that it was actually quite a gentle and mostly flat route back to Yarmouth where the ferry was waiting for us at 20:00. By the time we had got home (about 21:00) the kids were asleep and flopped into bed - out for the count.

All in all we did 57km's and had a great time. It didn't rain and apart from some complaining up some hills, especially those which we went up unnecessarily, everyone enjoyed themselves.

Tarryn has her ballet exam today, so hopefully all the extra classes are now over, although they start music lessons next Saturday, so our exploring is being limited to Sundays.

That’s about the news for now. The rugby is turning out to be great, and is the subject of numerous bets which could mean that I can retire shortly.

Well, wasn't last night fun.

Alison (for those who don't know Alison Brooks, she is working at IBM with me at the moment and used to work at Southern Life - we cycle to and from work together) and I decided to do our once a week 50km cycle route home last night via Stockbridge.

It all started off nicely enough apart from the great big non-ending hill that you start off the ride having to negotiate. Then I made a silly mistake by turning in front of a car who I thought had seen me and my signal that I wanted to turn right. The car braked then got all pissed off (actually the driver not the Volvo - which is always the sign of an inconsiderate driver anyway) and screeched off into the distance.

Alison had finished admonishing me and we settled into a nice fast cycle down some twisty turny country roads (the sort without any cars).

Well with Alison in front we came around a "S" bend, going a little too fast and met an oncoming car (these roads are only one car width). With a bit of screeching of brakes, Alison avoided the car and I

did the same. I had the benefit of a little extra distance anyway as I had seen her avoiding the car.

Next was her turn to make a silly mistake, by looking back to see if I had avoided the car, forgetting that the other bend of the "S" was approaching fast.

Next she looked back to the road, slammed on brakes, left the road and did an aerobatic head over heals straight into a large tree which made absolutely no attempt to get out of her way.

There was a loud crack as poor Alison hit the tree full on with her head. Very luckily she was wearing her helmet, which is now cracked and no longer usable. She was conscious but very pale and complaining of a sore neck and back. We kept her lying still, apart from me trying to clear some of the stinging nettles and brambles away.

I flagged down the next car, who turned out to be a doctor and after checking that everything was basically ok, went off and called the police and ambulance. They arrived within about 5 minutes and put the obligatory neck brace and whatnot on her.

Maggie was called by the police and came and fetched the bikes and then later joined us at Southampton General where there was essentially a long and frustrating wait before X-rays were taken and the doctor

could confirm what we already suspected anyway, that everything was fine, she just had bad whip-lash and various other bruises including a bad one on her back where she landed on her asthma inhaler.

Well the drama ended at about 10:00pm and we were able to drive her home, shaken and sore, but relieved that she was OK.

The news from her flat mates (Sandy and Mike - who both work in the team as I do, is that she is better this morning, but staying at home, stiff, sore but basically OK.

It was scary stuff, but the helmet saved the day, and apart from learning some valuable lessons, the experience will leave her (and me) with no permanent damage.

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