Got up at silly o'clock yesterday to meet eight or nine like-minded suckers outside a pub. Wait, that doesn't sound silly! But the pub was closed – we met at six a.m. to ride the 25km or so to Chepstow for the start of the Border Castles 200km audax. Four of us were optimistic enough to wear shorts despite the temperature at time being 3 degrees in town, slightly less outside. Yes, I was one of the short-wearers. Probably their last outing till the spring. Once the sun rose, it became clear they had been justified. So we rode through the temperature inversions and mist of the Severn Vale, only to ride a further 205km of Monmouthshire and Herefordshire hills in order to see several castles: St Briavel's, Croft, Grosmont, White, Raglan. And then top it off by climbing Star Hill. Lovely day. Today I am eating and sleeping.