Decent weather forecast today, although a bit blowy. I wanted to do at least 40. I really wanted to try out the new tyres on the Cannondale, but as I left the house at about 1pm a few spots of rain turned up. I went back in the house and emerged again 30 minutes later, having decided to take the Boardman.
Because I’m on call I didn’t want to stray too far from base so I decided on the usual strategy of going north to Melbourne, then back down via Ticknall within a few miles of home, then across to Packington to stitch on a Twycrosser to the south.
Quite pleasant weather to
start, although I hit a couple of very light, brief showers on the way
up. But on the way down to Ticknall, a massive dark cloud started to
appear from the west. A few minutes later I was being lashed with rain. I
was soaked through. The rain continued, with a few brief respites, for
the next hour or so. Misery. I decided to come home a quicker way than
intended along Gibbet Lane – although happily the rain stopped not long
after that and the warm sunshine came back, so I extended the ride a bit
by coming back through Ibstock.
I’ve noticed a few furry black
caterpillars crossing the road – odd that they always seem to be taking
the most direct route straight across, almost as though they’re
intelligent.
When I stopped briefly near Twycross I took the trouble to examine the rear tyre for correct rotational orientation, and yep – it’s on the wrong way round. I think I fitted that one not long after a puncture on the Wales trip of May 2017. I pondered whether it was throwing more rain water up my bum than was strictly necessary, as I navigated the wet roads north of Bosworth.
Annoyingly
I did get a call from work 30 minutes before I made it home but I
didn’t hear the phone go off, and only noticed when I fired up the Casio
app to sync the track.
https://www.strava.com/activities/3650644236
40.63, 413 this month. Hope to squeeze in another 185 or so before July.