This is a ride I quite often do, but today I took a little camera with me.
1/4 Mile east from home is the local recycling centre, based in a small layby formed when the old road was straightened out. Turning my back on the recycling bins; I have this view. The towers in the distance are RAF Barford St John.
RAF Barford St John is a Cold War communications Squadron of the US Airforce. This one is linked by microwave to the similar station at RAF Croughton. As a Radio Amateur, I've always wondered how good the horizontal polarised, rotating HF Log Periodic antenna would be if I hooked it up to a Ham transceiver!
Going South, this is a typical piece of Oxford lane. I'm on my way to Nether Worton and up Flight Hill.
This is the view back South from the top of the ridge in the previous picture. 2 Fields to the left is Great Tew Estate, where they erected the 'Big Tent' for filming the 'Grand Tour' with Clarkson, Hammond and May.
I've seen quite a lot from Farmers this year about the rain being too much at one time and then giving drought conditions for the crop growth. This field of wheat is very patchy with flood damage at sowing time, but what's left is looking quite strong with good ear development.
Just to left, hidden in a dip, is Soho Farmhouse. A smart Members Only weekend place. One of the membership conditions is that you have to have connections with the Media Business (!)
This is Great Tew Radio Tower, just across the cross roads from the last pic. It's the highest point of my ride today
On the road from Little Tew to Church Enstone, there are three magnificent fields of poppies. This is why I took the camera!
Near Church Enstone, which is the soutwest corner of my route, I came round a corner to find a Red Kite feasting off some fresh road-kill. I frightned him off, but I realised he was just circling to get back to the food. So I jumped off the bike. The dot in the road 50M away is the Kite. Truly magnificent to see close up.
This unprepossessing entrance is for Renault F1 - I wonder who will replace Ricciardo in 2021?
Well on the way back, I came across this Pavement Sculpture in Duns Tew (I'm not making these village names up)
A great effort by Sarah Taylor of Duns Tew
One more climb before home. This is Radwell Hill or Hempton Real Deal on Strava. The bit at the end is 18% and not so long ago, I had to get of and walk that bit.
This is the same view as the first pic, but this time I'm nearly back in Deddington and I am 1/4 mile West of Home.
I am lucky and privileged to live here.
There's always time for one more.