Month: January 2024

I hoped to do about 40 miles. No rain and low winds, but it was cold out there and a bit damp. There’s a lot of standing water out there at the moment.

The plan was to do 20 miles or so of the Eastbound Route, then come back the same way. I disregarded a ROAD CLOSED sign at Zouch in the hope that I’d be able to get past on a bike, but the road was properly flooded. At least a foot deep (first pic). I could see water flowing into a drain just a few feet in front of me; you can just about make it out on the photo. But it kept on coming.

My next idea was to go up to Donington, then over Cavendish Bridge and through Shardlow. But the northbound side of the roundabout on the other side of Donington was flooded as well. So I gave up and turned for home from there, albeit I took a slightly longer way past Diseworth.

Nice out there after dark somehow, despite conditions being a bit cold and damp.

I have a surfeit of part-used AA batteries from Christmas decorations at the moment so I used a single-AA mini LED torch as a front light. I’d only intended to use it as a “visibility” light but actually it did illuminate the road a bit. It’s not brilliant (pun intended) but I could just about get away with it on a well-surfaced road without fast downhill bits, with a head torch for backup.

Listened to Craig Charles on 6 Music mostly. Slightly surreal as I’ve been watching the 35-years-younger Craig Charles on the first series of Red Dwarf in recent days.

Back on 32.07 miles.

https://www.strava.com/activities/10493895528

A very late night and a few drinks didn’t seem to have caused me too much debilitation by the time I dragged myself out of bed at about 11:15AM. I had a quick breakfast and set off on a Twycross Bypasser not long after midday.

But clearly my head was a bit foggy because I couldn’t find my DAB personal radio, I took the wrong specs out with me and I forgot to take a phone. I took my old MW/FM personal radio with me, and it was fine. I managed OK without my varifocals. And fortunately I didn’t need a phone.

I only wanted to do about 35 miles because rain was due over some time between 3 and 4pm. Bright when I set off, growing increasingly gloomy as the ride wore on, but it didn’t rain.

Listened to 5 Live, mostly footy chat.

Really nice to get out there in the open. I especially enjoyed the view along Orton Hill. And although this only occurred to me when I got back, I went over the border into Warwickshire at the western end of Orton Road, so that’s one of the neighbouring counties ticked off already.

I tracked the ride with a new watch, a Garmin Vivoactive 3 that I bought second hand (on a whim of course) for £30 in well-used condition. The battery meter read 64% when I set off and I got the low battery warning with about two miles to go, although confusingly since finishing the ride and switching off the GPS, the meter has crept back up to 22%. So – I’d guess it should just about handle a fondo on a full charge.

Although I like the colour screen, it’s not as useful for cycling as an Instinct. But it’s another toy to tinker with.

Back on 36.26 miles.

https://www.strava.com/activities/10474360779