Didn’t want to waste a day with no rain. And with the thought expressed in the last paragraph of my previous post foremost in my mind, I decided I’d take the Planet X out today, and stop babying it so much. However as I approached the garage it became evident that the roads were actually pretty wet. So I took the hybrid instead.
Wasn’t sure how many I wanted to do – 30 or 40. The wind was coming from the south rather than the west today, so I headed out east. The usual route out through Six Hills and toward Belvoir Castle and Lincs, but I didn’t intend to go nearly that far.
I stopped for a wee along Stanford Lane, after about 14.5 miles – then decided I’d turn for home. I reckoned that if I took the longer route home through Long Whatton and Diseworth, I’d end up on a bit more than 30 miles. I did that. It was 31.41, as it turned out.
The hybrid was fine; I still haven’t fixed the gears nearly two years after I changed out the cable but it’s very usable. I did run out of steam on the way back and had to stop for a rest and a half oat bar. I’m sure the bike’s weight contributed to that.
Sunny on the way out, went a bit gloomy later and started to rain a bit. Back well before dark this time.
191 this month, 4092 this year which is only a few miles off my most recently defined target, 4100 miles. But I hope to do at least another 110 or so before 2020 kicks in.
Saw a couple of young deer crossing the road ahead of me near Zouch. I thought they were dogs at first but I had a clear view of them in the woods to my right as I passed; definitely deer. Quite small, one with stubby antlers, the other without. Also not far from Zouch I noticed a bit of a flood due to a blocked drain. I stopped and prodded down the grate with a stick I found lying nearby, but it didn’t help the situation much. I pushed the stick in quite deep but it was just pushing into mud.
Over a year ago I asked my physio what she thought my chances were of doing 100+ mile rides again. She said that if I could do 40+ miles on consecutive days without hurting myself, that would be a positive sign. I haven’t actually done that but I have no doubt that I could have done another 10. So I’m encouraged.