I woke early this morning – at about 0500 – and my thoughts turned to the possibility of getting up early to take the bike to the flatlands east of Bourne. I decided eventually that I wouldn’t do that. Seemed a shame to spend all that time on a bank holiday driving to Lincolnshire and back. And I didn’t do that. But I’d spent so much time mulling over the idea that by 0600, I was wide awake. So I got up anyway.
Spent a while on my computer looking for flattish routes, and Google turned up something interesting: a flat route from Worthington, just a few miles from here that goes right into Derby, using a dismantled railway path. Called the “Cloud Trail”.
https://www.sustrans.org.uk/ncn/map/route/derby-canal-path-and-the-cloud-trail
Did a bit of research and it doesn’t quite look suitable for a road bike. A YouTube contributor has helpfully filmed the whole thing, and uploaded a helmet camera record of the whole thing, sped up a few times of course, and that’s what put me off. But it might be fun to dig the hybrid out and give it its first run out for about 16 months. I was going to get rid of it but maybe I’ll get some use out of it after all.
Anyway in the end I decided on a route that I’d devised a few days ago; a sort of variation on a long-ish Twycross that’s extended at the bottom by going down along a flat stretch near a village called Witherley, then onto the A5, cutting out some of the usual elevation of that route.
I set off at 1000 on the Spesh. I might have taken the Cannondale but I flipped the Spesh stem yesterday and wanted to try it (it was fine). I would normally do a quick test ride after flipping or changing a stem, but I’m happy to report that it didn’t snap off leaving me impaled by the throat on the steering tube.
I dressed very light in my flimsiest jersey (the camo one), but was actually a bit too cold for the first half hour. Just lovely out there, all the same. Sunny and warm, and no wind to speak of. I took it very easy and I’m pleased to say that my knees didn’t suffer any trauma at all. The right one feels a little sore now, but nothing unusual. Encouraging.
Wanted to wear my new retro yellow cycling cap, but Mrs Slim got wind of this and insisted that I should wear a cycling helmet. I resisted of course but she resorted to emotional blackmail and I ended up wearing her own cycling helmet, as it has a bit of a peak. Unsurprisingly my head didn’t collide with anything during my ride save the odd flying insect but oh well, anything for an easy life.
Lots of other cyclists on the road today, and everyone wanted to wave. Don’t know if the sunshine has brought out the fair weather cyclists who want to feel validated and special, but I humoured them all anyway.
Reached down for my Lucozade Sport just before Witherley, and it wasn’t there. Must have bounced out of the bottle cage. Shame, because I do find Luco bottles quite ergonomic and of course they’re eminently light and disposable. But they just aren’t meant for bike bottle cages. I still had about 19 miles to go at this point, and I could have stopped for a diet coke at Sutton or bought a bottle of something at Market Bosworth, but I didn’t seem to need to. I’ve always thought of myself as a low hydration person actually. I do usually drink fluids properly on a ride, but I’ve never been one to drink water at work, or around the house. Just coffee mostly and the odd alcoholic drink. Fortunately it wasn’t too warm and I didn’t feel thirsty even at the end of the ride.
Saw a peacock sitting beside a gate at Cadeby.
The unfamiliar parts of the ride were really pleasant, apart from the brutal half mile stretch of A5. I’d like to do this route again or one a lot like it, but I’ll rethink that part.
I think that was the most enjoyable run out I’ve had since I buggered my knees. Speaking of which – I read an article online this morning by a guy with knee pain who had them scanned and was told that he’d already ruined his knees, and nothing he could do to them on a bike could possibly make them worse so he might as well keep going. But even though his knees were in a worse state than mine (hopefully!) – he actually had bone grinding against bone – he was able to continue cycling (racing, even) by doing regular exercises. So I’m quite optimistic.
The exercises I’m doing are definitely helping so I’ll keep at it.
31.84 miles, which takes me to 900.01 done this year, and 238.11 this month. I was also delighted to find that I’ve now done the 24 hours required for the Gore Wear “24 in 24” badge – in fact I’ve done 24 hrs, 1 minute so I’ve just sneaked it. Lucky. If I’d gone a bit quicker I would have have missed out on it, which makes it an unusual Strava challenge in that it punishes faster riding.
https://www.strava.com/activities/2307239185
More on Tuesday evening I hope, although I’ll be on call. The weather looks a bit rubbish for about a week after that, unfortunately.