Did I cycle down to Dorset for a cycle trade show as anticipated? Hell, no; when I woke at 05:30hrs a light rain was falling and had been doing so for some time. More to the point, it looked like it would carry on doing so for hours to come and, five hours later, is doing exactly that.

I wagered DA a fiver that I would cycle down. That was last week in the middle of an extended dry spell that looked likely to last a while longer.

Six hours of riding in steady rain just isn’t much fun. I, like most keen cyclists, have done it on many occasions, more usually in an event ending at a warm venue where one can get dry and pull on clean, dry clothing.

No doubt I could have done so on arrival at the show; in addition to “civvies” I packed a small towel in case of showers. But after the show I will be continuing to Dorchester, which would have meant pulling on still-wet clothing from the day’s ride . Somehow, on balance, paying DA that fiver seems more acceptable.