The forecast for today was for dry weather, but as I opened the door to the Tesco lady I couldn’t help noticing, as she unloaded the Foie gras and Bollinger from the side of the van, that it was raining very heavily. Proper biblical.
But a forensic examination of the rainfall radar data later revealed that a single blob of intense rain had passed over, no more than a few miles wide. The roads were reasonably dry by the time I set off at about 16:40, and a couple of miles out of the village, there had clearly been no rain at all. Rather nice weather for a ride in fact, not blowy, mostly sunny and decently warm. I sort of wish I’d taken the Tarmac instead of the Boardman as I’ve been itching for another run out on it for a while, but I played it safe.
Wanted to do at least 40 but I also didn’t want to stray too far from home, as I was on call after 6pm. So I adopted the time-honoured strategy of going north first, then south. This time I went up to Melbourne then down through Ashby through Ticknall – a route I used to do often a year or two ago, but have been avoiding since injuring my knees due to Bastard Hill, north of Ashby. It was a strain today admittedly, but it didn’t hurt my knees.
From then I came down through Ashby and did a fairly typical Twycross.
Took a couple of pics at the bridge over the old railway line, a few miles from home.
As you can see, the tracks are long gone but their imprint on the landscape remains. The line was closed to passenger services in 1931, and to freight traffic 40 years later. Three miles along the track there was a little railway station that now simply does not exist; demolished completely for a housing estate.
Back home on 38.97 miles. 267 this month. Would love to do 48 or so on Saturday but I’ll still be on call so I’ll have to think about that.
https://www.strava.com/activities/2466666966
Oh yes, and how could I forget? Discarded female underwear sighted in the grass verge between Swepstone and Heather. White with black lace trim and polka dots.