Very windy out there today, 40+ mph in the early afternoon, but conditions had improved markedly by the time I mounted the X at 1550-ish. Still pretty windy though. But unusually mild, about 12C I think.
I did a Bypasser. I only had half an hour before sunset but it was lovely out there in the dark. Especially in the open between Norton and Orton. Listened to the commentary about David Cameron returning to government and Suella leaving it, on 5 Live.
Unbelievably, yet again this morning the weather forecast had warned of rain later in the afternoon, then later claimed that it wouldn’t rain. And of course the rain did come down, for the last half hour. Still – it was worth it for a very enjoyable run out.
Back on 35.45 miles. 5677 done this year now, so 6,000 miles in 2023 looks nailed down.
In 2020 I set myself a target of doing 6214 miles, or 10,000km. I could well do the same this year without particularly having tried to. Not sure why it’s been such a high-scoring year really.
I hoped to do at least 80 today, originally. Very light winds were forecast. It was going to be sunny. But the forecast changed to threaten mist after sunset, so I decided to keep it down to fondo distance or thereabouts.
The wind was coming from the west, but I decided to go east anyway. It was only supposed to be 4 mph, not enough to worry about. The wind direction was due to do a 180° turn later in the afternoon interestingly, although not until after sunset so I wouldn’t have been able to take advantage of that.
I put too many layers on, unfortunately. I ended up stashing a pair of overtrousers and a winter cycling tunic in my backpack after about 17 miles and I didn’t need them again during the ride. I guess I hadn’t taken the direct sunshine into account, it does make a big difference.
Got to the Eastwell crossroads at about 1150 (I’d set off at 0905) but decided to press on. I went right past the left turn to Belvoir Castle and kept going, something I hadn’t done before. This led to a long, steep descent. My curiosity to visit the village of Knipton overcame my instinct not to go down the hill. Happily it had a (very small) village shop with a table outside, so at least I was able to take a break for lunch before slogging back up and homeward.
Took a different way home after Six Hills, through Wymeswold and Hoton. And after Belton, I came back through Peggs Green and Coleorton.
I took the pic near Cotes. Very impressed with the multi-exposure capture function on my phone; even with the camera facing the Sun directly, the bike was exposed nicely.
Listened to LBC, the British Sea Power album Do You Like Rock Music? and 5 Live, including some of United v Luton.
Back on 74.05, about half an hour before sunset. I could have done a bit more. But the lure of a coffee and a couple of digestive biscuits is strong.
Twice in the last week, the weather forecast has changed from rain to dry in the afternoon, but it rained anyway. And today, once more, by midday the BBC had replaced the rain cloud symbol in the forecast for the afternoon to a harmless-looking white one without the raindrops coming out of it.
It didn’t take the wisdom of Nadine Dorries to work out that it would probably rain regardless. And it did, but it was very light and only lasted half an hour.
I was going to go down to Kisses Barn Lane at the bottom end, but Orton Road was closed off near Warton, so I backtracked and took Sheepy Lane instead.
Mostly listened to liberal conspiracy theories about the Home Secretary on LBC.
I had the bright idea of using the Strava app on my phone to record the ride since I have an old-fashioned magnet-driven bike computer on the Tricross handlebars. Unfortunately the app (or the GPS chip on the phone) seems to have gone into some sort of weird minimalist mode. It only saved a couple of dozen track points then claimed I’d done 32.20 miles. But the bike computer recorded 34.75, and a route planner agrees with that very closely. So: back on 34.75, although I haven’t fixed the track on Strava.
The weather forecast held a threat of showers at around 5pm, although this had been withdrawn by midday. I left work early and set off at 1500 to do a Twycrosser (I thought Orton Lane might be a bt too waterlogged for a Bypasser).
About a quarter hour later, rain. Cold, persistent and somewhat unpleasant. About 45 minutes later though as I approached Twycross, the rain died away to be replaced by blue skies, yellowy fluffy clouds and sunshine, and the roads were dry. Looks like if I’d set off an hour earlier I’d have missed the rain. It was actually really nice out there by this time in the last of the afternoon light. I mostly dried out except for my feet, which were in woolly hiking socks.
Back on to the wet roads as I approached Bosworth coming back up north. Pretty horrible in the dark. I enjoy cycling in the dark mostly but wet roads are annoying even with a bright front light.
Came back up through Newton Burgoland and Ibstock. Quite an enjoyable run out on the whole. Back on 37.35. 159 done this month, I hope to get that up to about 400.
Wanted to do the time-honoured Upper Westbound Fondo today. Sunny, no rain, fairly mild and not too windy – but there’s a lot of standing water around at the moment.
I took this image of Ferry Lane, off the Beloved A Road as I passed it – fortunately I had no intention of going that way, but thought it was worth a pic.
So I wasn’t surprised when, about nine miles later, my path was blocked by a flood near Scropton. A couple out cycling were coming the other way so I let them try it first so I could gauge the depth. At the deepest point their chainrings were part-submerged.
So I gave it a miss and turned back. I headed down through Tutbury instead. I didn’t have that far to go to make up the necessary mileage for a fondo before heading homeward, so I went exploring. I followed a sign out of Tutbury for a place called Rolleston on Dove and that was really a very pleasant stretch of road. But ultimately, a couple of miles after Rolleston, it ended in a T junction with the A50. After turning back I followed a sign for a place called Stretton. That took me to Burton on Trent, ultimately. I turned back at a roundabout near the Burton Albion ground before going too far into the centre.
Back the same way to Tutbury, then the A road, then homeward. I realised at my 20-miles-from-home point that I was going to be short of a fondo. I didn’t fancy the hill south of Melbourne (aka Rotter’s Rise) anyway so I detoured home via Shardlow and Castle Donington.
I also took a detour into Donington via a place called Hemington. I’d noticed this opportunity while perusing maps a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately this involved a brutal climb up a narrow, twisty, but inexplicably beautifully-surfaced road that was far worse than Rotter’s Rise. This led to a sphincter-tightening steep descent to the main road in Donington which had me jamming the brakes on tight, and I hate to waste kinetic energy.
Saw two Airbuses taking off just as I was passing the airport. One going to Antalya, the other going to Lanzarote. I checked when I got home.
Listened to 5 Live and 6 Music. Very entertaining game between Forest and Villa.
Anyway, back the usual way from Donington and home on 69.37, about half an hour after sunset. That’s 122 this month despite the weather, pleased with that. And 5495 this year, which takes me past last year’s total (5477). More on Tuesday hopefully.
I was very happy to see the forecast change to offer a respite from the rain today, although the roads were still wet. I started work early, downed tools early and, with a stiff wind coming from the west, was off on the old Lower Westbound trail by 1330.
I did about 25 miles, then came back. Fairly sunny for the first couple of hours, then dark. As usual when cycling after dark I had to put up with a few oncoming cars with full beam on, but carefully aiming a head torch into the driver’s eyes for a moment seems to do the trick.
Listened to 5 Live. Back on 52.26. I feel I should have done another 10 really to make it a fondo, but I’m glad to have an entry in the spreadsheet for November. More on Sunday I hope unless the forecast changes.
