Bike Diary

The weather forecast has improved quite a bit for the end of the month. There was a bit of rain this morning, but the afternoon looked dry. So: I set off at 10:45 to take another bite out of the (roughly) 150km I wanted to do in the remaining (or “last” if you’re a Blue Oyster Cult fan) days of May.

I really wanted to do the Dad’s Army route. But careful scrutiny of the rainfall radar suggested that a band of rain was going to pass close to the south. I’d get rained on if I went that way. So I decided to do go up and west; the Upper Westbound route.

So I did that. I went up through Swannington rather than Coleorton, to avoid the “resurfacing” near Alton Hill. Up through Melbourne and Swarkestone, right along Uttoxeter Road to Scropton, looped back through Hatton.

I came a longer way back, through Weston and Aston, then Shardlow and over Cavendish Bridge. Much warmer by now, and sunny. Took off a couple of layers at a bench at Weston. Or Aston. Can never remember which is which.

As I descended through Donington, it occurred to me that I’d probably be back on about 93km. Rude not to extend the ride to a fondo. So at Belton I performed an anti-clockwise loop – along Ashby Road, up to Long Whatton, west to Diseworth and back down to Belton. Then back the usual way.

Would have been better to have gone exploring a bit further at the remote end, but 106.22km is 106.22km.

Took the Tricross for the first time since February and I must say I really enjoyed it. It rolls nicely despite being heavy and feels reassuringly solid and stable.

Listened to 5 Live and finished the Reacher novel. The conclusion does make sense and actually it’s quite clever. Very different from the film. But a bit anti-climactic.

https://www.strava.com/activities/14622540658

Decent enough weather except for a threat of showers and a strong wind from the west. Hoping to take a decent bite out of the 257km I needed to do in the remainder of the month, I embarked upon an Upper Westbound fondo at about 1110.

I went up through Swannington to avoid the gravel nonsense on Alton Hill, and up to Isley Walton – where I took the sharp left toward Swarkestone Bridge and the Beloved A Road. When I came to the A515 about 45km later I turned downwards, then at the roundabout north of Draycott in the Clay, I turned eastward along a road called Fauld Lane. Hadn’t been along there before, but last night a route planner told me it would be reasonably flat. I quite liked it.

Unfortunately when you get to the A515 and find yourself needing to do another few km to complete the first half of a fondo, there are no good options really. Not much more than the A50 to the north. Too hilly if you go south. Certainly in terms of doing the distance today’s choice, to go along Fauld Lane, was fine. But it seems a bit of a cop out to be cycling eastward toward home, only to turn and go westward, then eastward again a couple of km further to the north. I suppose it doesn’t really matter. Just feels a bit contrived, when the furthest endpoint of a ride isn’t actually the most distant point from home.

Anyway – after Swarkestone, I came down through Ticknall, where I took the pic. Happy to see that The Wheel Inn, one of my favourite pubs, is due to reopen in the summer.

From Ashby I detoured through Heather and Ibstock, again to avoid Alton Hill.

I did get rained on briefly, near Willington. But the headwind going west was far more troublesome. Relief to come back the other way.

Listened to more Reacher, then coverage of the final Premier League games on 5 Live. Back on 108.76. Can I get another 149 in before June? Depends on the weather but at the moment it’s not exactly encouraging:

https://www.strava.com/activities/14593882972

Really wanted to do a fondo at least today, but when I woke up I felt tired and listless. Just didn’t feel like it. But I’d summoned enough motivation to do a short ride by lunchtime.

I was going to do a Twycrosser via Packington, but 2km after I set off I found that the bloody council had been spreading around the gravel again, at Alton Hill. Turned back and diverted via the main road instead.

Down as far as Little Twycross, then took a left there to Bilstone. I like that road, a nice and quiet country lane. Don’t do it much. Then at Bilstone I turned back upwards. Went up to Ashby for a bit. Back down to Packington and from there I avoided Alton Hill by diverting to Heather, via Normanton. Then back home through Ibstock.

Quite a nice run out, I’ll just have to avoid Alton Hill until the vehicular traffic has bedded the gravel in a bit. Warm out there.

Listened to more Reacher, nearing the conclusion now. Back on 56.49km.

I’m still hoping to break my monthly distance record. Two fondos and a Twycrosser would do it. There’s a week left, but the weather looks iffy.

https://www.strava.com/activities/14571015934

Looked at the weather forecast for today and thought – Wales and Back! Then I remembered that I had to be home by 1830. So – I thought I’d do the same route, but only as far as the Cheshire border. The one modification I made was to avoid the turn off to Audlem over the last km – because you get to the border a bit quicker if you keep going.

Intended to start at 0700 but I got up earlier than I expected and set off at about 0620. A bit too cool for comfort for the first couple of hours but I didn’t want to take too much clothing with me. Was going to be warm later on.

The outbound leg was a bit stressful, with rush hour traffic around Rugeley. For some reason I found myself on a temporary one way system on the Rugeley bypass. Busy traffic as well. But further on, the nearside lane of the A51 was coned off for about 5km. They hadn’t started the road works so I used it as a sort of private cycle lane. Handy.

Got to the Cheshire border, only a few km after hitting Shropshire. Went over it for a bit, turned round, came back. Conditions were much warmer by this time and I’d backpacked my fleece and tights.

Came through the centre of Stone rather than using the bypass, as I had going westward. Stopped at a bench and ate while listening to Starmer and Badenoch going at it in the Commons. Fight! For the record, she had him on toast.

I wanted to avoid the Rugeley bypass on the way back as I had no idea what sort of diversion might be in place to circumvent the temporary one way system. So I confected a detour along much quieter (if rougher) roads to the north. Stopped at the petrol station at Colwich and bought a black pudding roll, to honour my northern roots. The guy behind the counter used to work for Specialized (he’d noticed the Roubaix parked outside) and we had a chat about bikes for a bit. He was banging about Mark Cavendish and competitive cycling so I nodded amiably and pretended to know what he was on about.

The wind was very light. If the forecast had been right I’d have had a tailwind on the way out, and a tailwind for the second half of the return trip as well, but that didn’t happen. I enjoyed the second half a lot more than the first though. Quieter, and (much) warmer.

Apart from 5 Live I listened to a few hours of the Reacher novel. Back on 182.40km. That was a breeze really, even the brutal hill after Stone wasn’t too much of an ordeal. I think I’m at a relatively high level of fitness at the moment, presumably because I’ve cycled more than usual this last few weeks. 988km done this month now – wonder if I could get that up to 1302, to beat my monthly record? The weather’s not that promising nearer the end of the month.

https://www.strava.com/activities/14541165071

Didn’t want to go far today. Partly because I wanted to test the new saddle I fitted to the X yesterday, partly because I want to preserve my energy for a potential long ride on Tuesday. The weather’s still coming from the east, and I thought about 50k along the eastbound route and back would do. I thought I’d loop round through Sutton Bonington before turning for home.

Still very nice weather, a bit cooler and cloudier than Friday so I applied a bit more clothing.

So I set off at about 1210, and after I got to Trowell Lane, I took the left toward Sutty. But I reached the crossroads north of the village and thought I’d pedal a few km toward Gotham. Very nice along there in the warm sunshine. I turned back after about 3km when I came to a public footpath sign. Always like to make a u-turn near a recognisable landmark, in case I have to synthesise the track due to an equipment failure.

Unfortunately I took a wrong turn on my way back down and ended up in Kegworth, so I had to come down the A6. But it wasn’t too busy on a Sunday afternoon. Back on 54.28 which takes me to 806 done this month.

After the right turn onto Ashby Road I had the good fortune to find myself following a young woman cyclist in DHB shorts that hugged her curves perfectly. Hypnotic. I kept up with her for about 4km, discreetly enjoying the view until she turned off for Shepshed.

The new saddle is spot on – incredibly comfortable, and it looks like I got the adjustment right first time as well. Tempted to buy one for the Roubaix if I can get another one, or maybe I’ll just swap them round.

Listened mostly to the Reacher novel. There’s a scene in the film set on a plane that’s a bit implausible, but in the book it’s a lot more implausible. Fascinating to see how much of the plot and detail in the book was just discarded for the film, but I suppose it would have lasted about 10 hours otherwise.

https://www.strava.com/activities/14520222784

Yet another warm, sunny day. We’ve already had a fantastic summer, and we’re only halfway through May. My ambition for today was to do a bit more than a fondo. Didn’t want to get up early or endure early morning cold conditions. And I set off at about 1040.

The idea was to do the eastbound route, maybe as far as Waltham or a bit further. In the event though – I pressed on past Eastwell without taking the Waltham turn. Then I came to a left turn to a place called Barkestone. I took that. I knew it would involve a brutal descent – any left turn from the main drag between Six Hills is like a ski slope. And so it proved. Bit hairy.

From Barkestone, which was a nice little village, I oriented myself toward Long Lane via Plungar. I love Long Lane. Nice and flat, quiet, nicely surfaced and a nice view. One of my cycling happy places.

I took a detour to Stathern to visit the village shop. Hadn’t been in there before. Very friendly place with a nice seating area outside like a little pub beer garden. Alas – they’d run out of sausage rolls, sandwiches and similar. So I had to improvise. A packet of crisps, a pain-au-chocolat and a tub of ice-cream with a flake.

So from there the plan was to come back what I could tentatively call the “usual way” from Long Lane since I’ve done it quite a few times, though only twice in the last few years. But I took a wrong turn after Long Clawson and found myself climbing the hill back up to the regular eastbound route. And I came back by what I could definitely call the usual way from there.

Did a a bit of exploring on the way out by taking a left along Paddy’s Lane. Didn’t really seem very interesting. But I think I will explore around there (south of Nottingham) a bit some time. Probably nice and flat.

Also on the way out, near Six Hills – noticed a troubled-looking cyclist attending to his bike by the side of the road. Stopped to ask if he was OK, his pump wasn’t working so I lent him mine. Told him to take his time and had an impromptu picnic while he inflated his spare inner tube. But it looked like the valve core wasn’t seated properly. He managed to tighten it, then get enough pressure into the tyre to get himself home, 15 miles away. Or so he hoped. But I insisted he took my spare spare inner tube with him.

Since I had two punctures (or inner tube failures) on a ride in the winter I usually take two inner tubes with me. But I felt sure one spare would do for the rest of the ride. Besides, how could I get a puncture with that sort of karma?

The headwind was annoying going east, but it was just glorious out there and I especially loved gliding along Long Lane in the warm sunshine. Must figure out the best way to get over there that doesn’t involve rattling down a steep hill over a dodgy road surface.

Listened to a bit of 5 Live, but mostly the Reacher novel. Much better than the last one unless the plot unravels spectacularly.

Back on 120.65 km. And that’s 20 fondos done this year now.

https://www.strava.com/activities/14501666528

I bought a new saddle for the X (again). The last one is just too well-padded and uncomfortable over anything more than 40km or so.

This one is a Fizik Aliante. As you can see it’s a test saddle – Saddle manufacturers send these out to equipment retailers so that serious riders can try them out before they buy one. They aren’t supposed to be sold. And yet they do end up on eBay, which is where I got this one.

It’s very lightweight, made of carbon fibre. Only lightly padded. Looks like it’s been fitted to a bike (there are very faint marks on the rails) but never ridden. Can’t see so much as a speck of dust on the underside and there’s no wear to the surface.

The cheapest Fizik saddle I can see online is more than £85, but I got this one for £19 + P&P.

Not tried it yet but so far the only thing I don’t like is that it’s not vented – which would have made it a lot easier to fit. Much easier access to the forward seat clamp bolt.

Another warm, sunny day? Really? I had plenty of time in the afternoon but I didn’t really feel like doing a fondo. I thought maybe 65km would do. Ideally I’d have done a Twycross Bypasser but the weather’s been coming at us from the east persistently of late, and today was no exception.

I had the idea to go up through Donington, west over Cavendish Bridge, through Shardlow then maybe up to Elvaston. So I did that until I got to Isley Walton, where – alas – Leicestershire County Council have been up to their loose gravel resurfacing tricks again.

So I turned left toward Melbourne and made it up from there. Up over Swarkestone Bridge, up over the A50 and up into the nether regions of Derby along Infinity Park Way. I randomed around up there for a bit, then came back down. Extended the ride a bit by going over to Ticknall which meant facing Bastard Hill on the way to Ashby, but it wasn’t horrific.

There’s something a bit poignant about passing a Rolls-Royce site, and seeing people coming and going. I wonder how my career would have gone if I’d stayed there. Certainly, I do miss some aspects of that job.

Back on 58.83, less than I wanted. But hopefully there’s a long cycling day coming up soon before the warm weather fades away. Listened to 5 Live and more Reacher.

https://www.strava.com/activities/14480068250

Another warm, sunny day. 25C, no less. But rain was forecast for about 3pm, and since I’m going to a gig tomorrow, I didn’t want to work my knees too hard. Also, I’ve just fitted a new tyre to the rear wheel of the Roubaix and wanted to test it.

So I planned a modest 48km route that would take the eastbound route as far as Long Whatton, then hook left through Diseworth to Kings Newton, down through Ticknall, then loop back via Ashby.

Well I did that as far as Long Whatton, where – to my disgust – the main road west to Diseworth has very recently been “resurfaced” by the loose, dusty sharp gravel method of which Leicestershire County Council is so fond. I took a pic.

I turned back and more or less made it up after that. Back to Belton then acoss to Breedon, down to Lount, then home via Coleorton and Top Brand. Ended up on 39.28km and looking at the map, I could have done better. I haven’t actually seen any rain yet, either.

Still – 572 km done this month, 4043 this year now and that’s a record for a 12th May.

Listened to more of the Reacher novel. So far, so good.

As you can see the Roubaix now has aesthetically mismatched tyres.

https://www.strava.com/activities/14456271075

Another lovely day was forecast, with the wind coming from the east again. But I didn’t really want to do the eastbound route again so soon. I thought I’d do the southbound, but a bit further than usual – maybe not all the way down to Northampton, but at least 10km south of Welford.

While poring over a route planner last night I had the idea of going down to Sibbertoft as usual, but from there to keep going east until I came to the A508 – then to take the A508 down toward Northampton. Usually I go down Welford Road.

So I did that. I wasn’t really impressed with the stretch between Sibbertoft and the A508 – a bit bumpy and ill-surfaced. But the A road was fine, quieter than I expected. The thing that worried me most was that I seemed to be descending perpetually, and I really didn’t fancy coming back the same way.

I came to a roundabout after 71km, with a right turn to Spratton – which I knew to be on the Welford Road route. I kept on, though. But the road was faster and busier after the roundabout so after maybe 200m I performed a reverse ferret and took the Spratton turn. I’d decided to return homeward the usual way, up Welford Road.

Initially this took me through a village called Brixworth where I bought some food at a Co-op and had an impromptu lunch at a bench.

At Spratton, as I swapped between my DAB and my phone by the roadside, a young woman came up to me slightly nervously. She was of South Asian descent, off-the-scale pretty, with shoulder-length hair, hypnotic eyes, very well-spoken. She was wearing a leather tunic over a long, flowing, colourful ankle-length dress and Doc Marten style boots. She wanted to know if I knew how to get to Guilsborough. I’d never heard of it but I invoked Google Maps and planned the route for her. It was 5.8km away, or, as I told her, about three and a half miles.

Must admit I felt a bit of disquiet afterwards .. she wasn’t exactly dressed in walking clothes. Should I have asked if everything was OK? Did she have a bottle of water on her? It was a warm day.

So anyway I came up the usual way after Spratton. Stopped for an ice cream at the petrol station at Welford. Back on 141.61km.

That was a very satisfying run out. Mostly warm and sunny and I’ve caught the sun a bit. Did feel slightly uncomfortably cool when the sun disappeared behind clouds, but that wasn’t often or for long.

Mostly listened to LBC and footy on 5 Live. But I also started the next Reacher novel, Never Go Back. The one the second Tom Cruise film was based on, but although I don’t remember the plot of that one very well the book doesn’t appear to bear a lot of similarity to it. Decent so far, though.

https://www.strava.com/activities/14439238950