The Spalding flower festival has been running for as long as I have - since 1959. When I say 'running', don't think I ran until I was about one and a half, and the Flower Show doesn't actually run, it's mainly floats towed by tractors/trucks and the like. Anyway, it's interesting that it started in 1959 which is quite some time ago (it was my birthday last week so it has had some focus with me recently)...but why did it start, and why is it stopping? The stopping it is easy - money. The 2 councils involved are not prepared to fund it any more in the financial climate of penny pinching austerity. Mind you, I was a little surprised that they had to find so much to fund it in the first place - surely they could have found some corporate sponsor? Like Flowers R Us or similar. So what can we guess was the initial start up reason? I suppose it was meant to showcase the region's blossoming (ha ha!) flower industry, and I wonder if the council promoted it back then? These council funded 'events' are gradually disappearing, which to my mind is a double edged sword. The loss of tradition and community related projects is a loss, but do some of these exist just before it was done last year (or the last 54 years in Spalding's case).
I'll stop now because I'm struffling to find any humour in ths story and has turned into a local politics whinge.
As for training, I went to watch Lincoln Triathloners struggle up Burton Hill. This is a really steep but thankfully short stretch of hill a few miles after they set off on the 15 mile bike part. It was quite funny watching some try and unclip quickly when they realised they were coming to a stop and falling off. We've all dont it, well, I have anyway, but it was difficult stifling a laugh.
I manged to come home via Gainsborough and Keadby Bridge which got me a nice 83 miles in but I was pleased to pop into Claytons for a coffee and cake near home.
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