Today’s plan was to pedal up through Coleorton, take the Beloved A Road west until I’d done about 20 miles – then come back the same way. A very common choice for a ride after work, when the wind’s blowing from the west.
Warm and sunny out there, very bright. I did worry a little about my slightly-sunburned arms, but I smeared them liberally with an SPF30 product that I bought at Tesco yesterday. I did think of wearing a long-sleeved top, but bare limbs cycling days are so infrequent that I didn’t want to waste one.
It was after 3pm when I left so hopefully the UV levels had dissipated. The arms seem to have done OK. The outer layer of skin has started to flake off this evening, but I think it was due to do that anyway. Unfortunately I’ll be taking an occasional break to vacuum armdruff from my desk over the next couple of days.
This was actually the only time in my adult life I’ve ever used a sunscreen product. I’ve always relied on my natural dark-skinnedness, a product of my Iberian part-ancestry.
A lot of traffic out there, the busiest I’ve ever known it along the A road. A consequence of the rail strike, maybe?
I got to Hilton on 20 miles, then turned back. However when I got to Swarkestone, instead of turning right to come back the same way, I turned left to come back through Weston, Aston, Shardlow and Donington. Exactly the same as Sunday, except the other way round. I probably wouldn’t have done this except I was sick of waiting for a gap in the passing traffic to turn right.
I used my Casio GPS watch to track the ride. Did seem a bit easier to get the track off this time, maybe they’ve improved the app a bit.
It did occur to me in the heat and bright sunshine on the way back that I’d be doing most of that ride in the cold and dark, if I set off at the same time during the winter months.
Very pleasing run out. 48.11 miles. 509 this month.