I’m not really a wine person but I’ve developed a taste for red recently and had, arguably, a glass too many before retiring last night. Despite this I felt OK this morning when I woke up at about 6:30. I pondered getting up and setting off to Lincolnshire and back there and then, but fell asleep again for a couple of hours.
Got up at about 9:30 and set off at about 10:10. The roads were still a bit puddly here and there outside and I wanted to test my new bike computer, so I took the Boardman.
Wrapped up warm, no overshoes but I had tights on and three layers on top. Felt a bit cold for the first hour or two but as anticipated the temperature improved and I was comfortable by midday. I listened to a couple of hours of the Beatles bio audiobook, then switched to 5 Live for football coverage. Surprised to hear Tottenham getting tonked by Brighton.
I was slightly concerned to see a flood warning sign on a road leading off my route near Stanford on Soar but apart from minor puddles I wasn’t troubled by water.
Really nice to reacquaint myself with the last stretch of the road to Belvoir Castle and Woolsthorpe, where I crossed the border into Lincolnshire before turning back. I stopped at the Belvoir Castle caff a few minutes after turning for home. I hadn’t expected it to be open at this time of year so that was a very pleasant surprise. It’s changed quite a bit since I was last there, now CafĂ© Allez! with tables and chairs inside and a closed-off seating area outside. You can no longer get sandwiches or pasties there though, sadly. The best I could do for a lunch main course was a large packet of crisps, possibly the first packet of crisps I’ve had this year. I also had a scone with jam, an excellent Americano and a Fruit Shoot to top up my bidon. I must say that the guy who served me is the single most polite shop or cafe assistant I’ve ever encountered, possibly to the point of being obsequious or irritating. Better than being rude though, I guess.
Noticed that they have a strirrup pump on hand for cyclist patrons as well. Nice touch. I actually put cleat covers on at the caff, first time I’ve used them and they do make walking around a fair bit easier. I’ve had them a couple of years and never bothered to use them (even though I’ve taken them with me in a backpack more than once).
Seemed to be facing a bit of a headwind on the way back as well as there, which I hadn’t expected. The occasional wind turbine I encountered seemed to suggest that it was cutting across at an angle. But it wasn’t too troublesome in either direction.
Very happy to hit the 70 mile mark, as the nearly-70 I’d done four weeks ago had given me a bit of pain to the left knee, and I didn’t experience that today. For sure they both felt a bit tender after 60 or so but nothing debilitating or of concern. Of course, I do miss the days when I didn’t spare my knees the slightest thought while out on a ride, but this time last year I was giving myself a setback if I did more than 25. So I’m encouraged.
It’s been a good day. First ride of more than 70 miles distance since April 2018. October Fondo done. I’ve now done all of Leicestershire’s neighbouring counties in 2019. And very happy to have done Belvoir Castle and back again as it’s one of the classic longer rides in my repertoire, and one I missed.
I tidied up the track in a GPS editor to remove the parts recorded while clogging around the caff, walking to farm gates at wee spots etc. This claimed to knock off half a mile, which can’t be right! But I’ll go with it anyway.
The new bike computer did OK. Needs calibrating, but I’ll do the maths later.
https://www.strava.com/activities/2765407421
76.25 miles, 111 this month – not bad for 5 days in. But the weather for the coming week looks none too promising.