The forecast for today changed to suggest that a rain-free day was on the cards. So, to take advantage of the weather and to soak up another of my annual leave days (I’m not allowed to carry them over), I took an impulsive day off.
The idea was to set off at about 0900 and do 70 or 80 miles down the southbound route. But I woke up early and I was away at about 0715, 48 minutes before sunrise. I wouldn’t have set off so early but I knew conditions were decently mild out there (about 6C) even at that time. And certainly I was comfortable enough without overdoing the clothing. The temperature climbed a few degrees after the first couple of hours, and I stuffed a layer in a backpack.
I encountered a Road Closed sign near Potters Marson but defied it. The roadworks there hadn’t started in earnest. Very easy to ride round them, though I guessed it might be more difficult later on in the day (ie on the way back).
Stopped for a second breakfast at the Co-op at Stoney Stanton – two warm croissants. Lovely.
I went all the way down to Northampton. The usual way down into the town was blocked by roadworks for a new housing development so I followed a detour. Pootled around for a bit and came back. Didn’t visit any of my old haunts, but I did find a nice farm shop with a coffee shop coming back north. Sat outside with a turkey sandwich and a large Americano. Very civilised.
I’d done about 47 miles by the time I turned for home, so I decided to bump the ride distance up to 100 miles. To this end I had an excursion to Naseby on the way back. Nice little village. I visited the monument erected to commemorate the battle that took there on June 14th 1645 during the English Civil War.
To avoid the roadworks near Potters, I came back up the ‘old’ way through Husbands Bosworth, Foston, Blaby. I hadn’t done that for years. Wasn’t completely sure I’d remember the way and for a while I thought I’d neglected a turn, so I was relieved to see a sign for Foston at the left turn I thought I’d missed. I was starting to feel a bit knackered by the time I reached Desford, about 12 miles from home. But I gulped down a bottled milkshake I’d bought at the farm shop and a Cornish pasty and was fine after that. The Tricross is my heaviest bike, that was definitely the longest ride I’ve done on it so far.
Listened mostly to 5 Live which is quite entertaining on a Friday.
Back more than two hours after sunset. Nice to spend a whole solar day outside. 100.64 miles.
That was this year’s 36th fondo, nine of them 100+ milers. Quite pleased with that.