March was truly Marvellous and now we are in Amazing April and its sunny, the leaves are all a-bursting from the buds and the Yellow Brimstones are a-flitting about. Love it. Apologies if you have been telephoning or emailing and haven’t had a response last week only we were walking, like you do. Yes we are all back safe and sound from our epic (for me!) walk to Avebury. It nearly didn’t happen for Polly as she managed to lose a back claw on the Friday which we didn’t discover until Saturday! Come Monday she clearly wasn’t up to it but did come and see us off. She did join us on Tuesday and went from Cadsden to Avebury and was truly fantastic. We reckon we did 90 miles and she probably did 150! I have to say it was truly emotional, brilliant and the weather just about perfect, apart from the start at Ivinghoe Beacon when it was so foggy that we had a job finding the summit! Big thanks to Jane, Paul the Pub and the Double-Barrels for ferrying kit about and a nice surprise to meet up with the Bishys who joined us for tea at The Inn with Well on our last night, not forgetting Harry the Cab who brought us all back from Avebury. Lest I forget, a very warm welcome to you and yes, this is the ballooning website for continuing airworthiness and general mending of hot air balloons. We are naturally not only interested in ballooning but have a varied lot of lovely patrons whose interests and hobbies are extremely varied so that is what you will find here, a wide range of stuff on most things! John had a week off to celebrate his birthday (no not that one yet!) and when he got back we cluttered off on our adventure. We will of course be writing it up sooner or later. Just a heads up that John is off again on 23rd May until 15th June, however it will be business as sort of normal but the sewing department will be closed.
Nearly had a bit of upset with the Chiltern Railway outing. My fault for thinking that the ticket was valid until the end of the month. Never mind, we did actually get away for a day in the end and had a fine old time but unfortunately without Barry as he had already made alternative arrangements for the day. That being the case I went with Tony the Tunnel Rat. Hopefully our expedition ‘The Chiltern Flyer’ is about somewhere or will be up presently. As for our Ridgeway trek that will take a bit of thought but you can be sure it too will be up during the next week. Steve Roake has put a bit together on the potential classic Japanese bikes. Worth a thought. Then there is a rather overdue account of the BBM&L’s Inflation Day which was superb and a bit about rather different seaside flying. 
The News heralds the arrival of two more home-builds, a rake of airspace stuff and a follow-up to the article last month on Thermals which tickled our fancy. Latest new balloon through the paper trail has been John Viner’s frog which is now on a boat to somewhere so the reggie boys will have to wait for that. Built by Kubicek it is registered G-HYLA and designated as a BB26E. Simple but very effective design we reckon. The events page has ahd another bit of an update with a couple of events now being confirmed.
On the Western Front, over the way like, the ‘Other Interests’ department is still a bit on the quiet side but in the next week or so the Bonnie will be back on the road and the long awaited rebuild, mainly by Dick the Bike, of the Velocette will be finished. About the only thing of note that has happened is a huge pile of old timber off-cuts has been turned into kindling but with the winter being so mild it hasn’t been used. I don’t get it, I tidy up and now can’t find anything, like the Acrows. Its not like they could be in a drawer. Maybe I’ve lent them to somebody. 
Nearly sold the blue Corsa that I reversed the Unimog into but the buyer found one somewhere else while I was trotting the Ridgeway so it’ll have to go to the scrappie. The multi-coloured white one is due to go as soon as we’ve taken bits off of it for the ‘new’ one, like seats that are comfy! Having been walking a good few miles a day time has come to get out again so boots on and a fine farewell to you and thanks for dropping in. John, Jane, Polly and chris. Main picture is Mr Seager and his adopted dog at Wayland Smithy! And finally here is grand daughter Holly aboard Treasure at the Halton Ride. No fear that child!