With Saturday morning gone spent looking for ski clothes in Southampton (I found a jacket – at least I’ll be a little easier to spot now on the slopes), I was keen to get out for a little ride before it got dark. As the new Bond car exhibition has opened properly just down the road at Beaulieu, I struggled against a huge headwind through the forest to get there for a free look. It’s quite the impressive collection of about fifty various Bond vehicles (cars, motorbikes, boats) from most of the series (not much from Dr No) – with the more recent movies being better represented obviously. The best of the lot were the two from Goldfinger – Goldfinger’s Rolls Royce & the quintessential Bond car, a DB5. The Aston Martin from Living Daylights was a particular favourite of mine – the cello case would be one of the stranger ones.

Sunday’s MTB club ride was miles better than the previous one I went on. I joined a group just because I heard the word “hills” mentioned. As it was in the New Forest, it was all bridleways & byways – but some of them quite old & also muddy to slow quite a few of our group down. I think Dean, our leader, was used to a faster group – but I was pleased to have a crazy singlespeeder to keep up with. The hills weren’t much to speak of, but at least they were there & I could stretch my legs out a bit on them. We were slowed by a couple of punctures, but still managed to find time for a pub stop after the ride.