Monday 21 June 2010

Celebrating Dad

On Father's Day I went to Somerton, in Somerset, to watch the second day of racing in the Kalos two day race. The first day had been on Merryfield aerodrome, and included racing for all ages. The second day was seven and a half laps of an undulating (!) ten mile circuit on the open road near Somerton, for riders aged 16+.
My father, Walter Rixon, worked with younger riders as organizer, teacher, coach, team manager...... from the early 1960s to his death in 2005
The organizers awarded the prize for the highest placed under 23 year old rider in his memory.

I was glad when it was won, by only three seconds over the two days, by a rider from Somerton, and the organizing club, Team Tor 2000. On top of that, Dougie was one of the riders coached by my father. This was no mean feat, against a top class field of riders including some from the Olympic Development Plan.
The break
and the main bunch of riders.
I rode round the course in the reverse direction-and found that it was hilly in both directions!!
A cottage in Compton Dundon. This one needs the attention of the local thatcher, whose signature can be seen on the next one...
The bird on top!!
This column is just outside Street at the northernmost end of the course
I just managed to catch the sky at sunset.
A fitting end to Father's Day, started one hundred years ago today, in America. A woman thought of her late father on Mothering Sunday and thought he deserved honouring too.

Then the shortest night of the Summer Solstice, followed by "Hirdydd Haf", the longest day

2 comments:

Gary's third pottery blog said...

Oh good Lord, do you live in a beautiful place or what? :)

gz said...

So do you- I do like your colourful house!