The roads were wet from heavy rain overnight, but a rain-free, mild day was promised. Another day off work today. I set off not long before 1100. The wind was coming from the SW so I thought to do some of the southbound route. I wanted to do 40, to hit the December target of 300 miles.
By the time I’d reached the turn for Kirkby Lane though after ten miles, I’d hatched an alternative plan. I decided I’d head for Markfield. I recalled seeing a road signposted in that direction near Desford on my previous ride. However I lost my way at Desford and ended up looping back onto the same road. So I reverted to Plan A and went down Kirkby Lane.
From Kirkby Mallory though I took a left along Peckleton Road – don’t think I’ve done that before – in the hope of finding a viable route to Markfield. Good cycling territory, must try to incorporate it into a route another time.
Eventually I did find my way to Markfield, via Newtown Unthank and Botcheston. Really nice to be doing different roads than usual. Made a nice change. I visited my old house there, as I usually do this time of year. And then I set off in the rough direction of Swarkestone Bridge.
One day in 1990 when I lived in Markfield, I commuted to my place of work in Derby by bicycle. I only ever did this once. I don’t know the route I took either there or back, except that I used Swarkestone Bridge both ways. I planned the route using an OS map that I took with me. Because I know all the likely routes quite well now, I’d be fascinated to know which roads I took. I have only tiny fragments of memories of the rides there and back, none of them conclusive with respect to a location.
So .. I hoped that maybe doing the same thing again today might tease out an old memory, but nope. I didn’t get any flashbacks to rolling along those roads in a Raleigh Routier in the distant past. My best bet is that I didn’t go the same way as I did today. I remember the ride being a lot more rural and I doubt I went through Whitwick. The most interesting thing actually about the last couple of miles to Whitwick from Markfield is that it’s downhill all the way, and I think I would have remembered that.
Anyway by the time I got to Whitwick I was only about four miles from base, so I rode home the usual way from there.
Back on 35.34 miles. Considering it was unusually nice cycling weather for this time of year and I had the day off, criminal not to do more really. But that’s the way it pans out sometimes. 296 miles done this month which is a few miles short of the December target – but although the weather forecast for the rest of the year looks a bit iffy, I’m sure I’ll get another couple of rides in.