A rain-free day was promised, not too cold and not overly windy. Clearly I had an opportunity to do the March fondo on my hands.
I’d intended to set off at about 1000 this morning but slept in until 0950. But I was off on the Roubaix by about 1040.
I did the Upper Westbound route, which has now been modified so that it doesn’t take a left turn to Marston Montgomery at the north-western end, because that turned out to be a bit rubbish last time – gravelly and twisty. So I pushed up Ashbourne Road and turned back after about 31.5 miles.
On the way back, after Melbourne, I decided on a whim to take a left turn to Wilson instead of coming back the usual way. Partly because I couldn’t be bothered with Rotter’s Rise, but partly because I thought it would squeeze a bit of adventure out of the ride. I don’t actually know the best way home from Wilson so I thought it would be fun to navigate my own way back. As it happens I took two really stupid turns that elongated my ride significantly, in both cases because I thought it would be the quickest way back.
I did come to regret my impromptu orienteering because I had to negotiate quite a lot of sharp climbs. Still – nice run out overall. Back on 66.06 miles.
Listened to the rest of the Reacher novel, The Hard Way. Very good. The story moves from downtown Manhattan to rural Norfolk, and I must say the voice actor who reads the audiobook doesn’t come anywhere near getting the Norfolk accent right for the locals who speak in the book. They sound something like a cross between a slow-witted Irishman and an Eastern European.
I enjoyed being out on the Roubaix again for the first time since August but I think the saddle is set a bit lower than my other bikes. But I may acquire a carbon seat post for it soon.