Not able to leave work early yesterday, but I wanted to do 42. Thought of doing the route down through Desford to Stoney Stanton and back, but ultimately decided on another non-circular Twycross, which seemed more in my comfort zone somehow. I decided to do 21.12 miles, then come back the way I came.
Set off at about 17:55 on the Boardman. I might have taken the X but I still haven’t wiped off the excess lube off the chain from its last relube. And I just felt like a run out on the red one.
Conditions were dry and almost warm, but I wore a thick layer on top under my jersey and leggings anyway, assuming it would be colder later. That was a mistake as it turned out; I was too warm for the first half of the ride. But I enjoyed myself nonetheless.
Picked up some rain for a few minutes near Ratcliffe but that had stopped as I pulled into Fenn Lanes, and I wasn’t troubled by it again.
After 20 miles or so, pedalling along Fenn Lanes, I realised I’d be close to my favourite bench at Sutton Cheney at the 21.12 point. When I hit 21.12 miles I could see that it was only about 80 metres further ahead so I pressed on, and stopped at 21.17 (according to the bike computer anyway). Stopped there for a break and did a couple of hamstring exercises and two calf stretching exercises.
I’d thought to stuff my leggings in my back pack there but as I set off again, I was considerably less warm so I kept them on. I realised that I’d been listening to a conversation about cricket for about an hour on 5 Live, so I decided to flip to 6 Music. I love my little lightweight rechargeable DAB but it does have one Achilles heel – it doesn’t do station presets, and selecting a station is bizarrely non-linear. You can’t expect to arrive back at the same setting if you do + then -. Weird. Anyway I settled for Planet Rock, and Alice Cooper’s show.
I glanced at my watch a couple of minutes later and it was about 8pm! I’d assumed I’d be back before 9:30. Sunset was 9:21. But at this rate it looked like I’d be pedalling home in the dark, and I didn’t have lights of any description. I took off the little LED blinkers I leave on there to clean it a couple of weeks ago. And because I’m a twat*, it doesn’t even have a rear reflector.
So, I put my foot down. I pondered taking a shorter route home, but decided I’d rather take my chances. Right knee was getting a bit sore about ten miles from home, but I think that was more the exertion than the distance. Feels a touch hurty now as well. But I probably won’t have the combination of time and weather to do 40+ again for a few days.
Alice kindly played Freewill as I made my way along Atterton Lane. Just lovely to be out at that time of night, near sunset. The roads were delightfully quiet after 9pm.
Still enough light to see in front of me at 9:45pm as I pedalled along the last mile to home, but I certainly should have had lights on. Oh well. Interestingly I would have been fine in Hartlepool, where sunset happens 11 minutes later than NW Leics.
https://www.strava.com/activities/2421225762
42.43 miles and 65 done this month, a decent start to June after 3 days.
*very rare moment of self-deprecation