Bypasser

Didn’t think the weather would be suitable for a run out today but the rain had dried up by midday, and by the time I got home from a restaurant at about 4:45pm, conditions were set to be warm and dry for the rest of the day. Not a hint of a puddle when I set off at about 5:10pm.

I wanted to do 36 miles, to bring my yearly tally to 3300 – because that would mean that I only have to fulfil the remaining monthly targets to end up on 5,000 miles in 2022.

The wind was coming from the west, and a bit stronger (I thought) than advertised on the forecast. I did a Twycross Bypasser, going through Upton and Shenton to Bosworth.

Really nice out there and visibility across into Warwickshire from Orton Lane was superb – I had a really clear view of the tops of the tall buildings in Birmingham 19 miles away and wished I’d brought binoculars.

Saw a hare running towards me on the road between Shenton and Bosworth. It stopped when it saw me, then when I got within 40 metres or so it turned and ran the other way before darting into the hedge.

A few powered hang gliders were pootling around in the skies near Norton – one of them appeared to be coming in to land in the field on my right but it swooped up and took to the air again. Looks like a lot of fun.

It’s Scarecrow Festival weekend in Heather. I was pleased to see a lot of people out and about and enjoying the various creations people had put out in their front gardens when I passed through in the car earlier – nice that these quaint rural traditions are still popular – and I stopped to have a closer look at one of them when I came back through later on the bike. It featured the Queen on a makeshift balcony, the Red Arrows represented by inflatable toy red aircraft strung up above and Prince Louis with his hands over his ears. I did take a pic but sadly the phone didn’t focus it properly.

Was pleased to see when I got to Bosworth that I was going to end up on 36 miles pretty much exactly if I came the quickest way home from there, so I did.

36.02 miles, 574 for July.

https://www.strava.com/activities/7561507879