There's a lot to be said for cardboard tyres

The tractor driver trimming the hedge stopped his machine when an elderly lady was coming the opposite way in her car. He didn’t seem to spot me coming from behind him and turned his trimmer back on as I went by.  I didn’t actually consider what he was chopping and was thinking more about flying bits in my face than gathering goodies in my wheels.  

The repetitive rattling noise stopped me in my tracks.  

Nothing in the front wheel.  Nothing in my pedals. Nor my chain.  

Great hulking twig on the back tyre, held in place by a super-sized thorn.  I stared at it knowingly for a while.  Gingerly removing it, I heard a quite quiet but most certainly apparent fsssssssssst.

I confess to a selection of choice words but they did help, I'm sure, provide clarity on the upsides:

►  It was sunny.  It wasn’t raining.
►  I had a puncture repair kit.  I had a pump.
►  The thorn made a big hole.  I knew where it was.
►  There was a driveway, grass and a wall.  I used it to lean my bike against.
►  I’d changed my tyres at the weekend.  It had gone well.

Still on the positives, my route took only three minutes longer than yesterday even with a puncture. Photos definitely take up time (I'm not cycling any faster yet!).  

And more than that... the sofa worked a treat!  

I’d also already had my camera out with little dog in the field.  We were stalking birds and I had been watching blipped kestrel for quite a while.  At one point, it was hovering no more than a foot off the ground – rather impressive and wonderful to watch.

To my positivity:

Thorn in my tyre.
You know that's all you ever were.

To my tyres:

...I should have known better
But I trusted you at first.

I have said a fond farewell to my magic tyre protection bubble.  It remains to be seen whether I am so positive next time.