A sunny, dry day but cool, with the wind coming from the north. So as soon as I could get out of work, I decided to go up toward Derby. I went up Top Brand, up through Castle Donington, west across Cavendish Bridge, through Shardlow, up to Borrowash and west again towards Derby. I stopped when I got to Spondon and picked up some food at a petrol station – which was very welcome as I’d brought none with me. I couldn’t find anything suitable in the fridge before I set off, must go to Tesco tomorrow.
I came back the same way until the turn for Aston. I’d intended to come back down via Swarkestone and Melbourne, but ridiculously, and I think I’ve done this before, I missed the turn for Weston and just looped back onto the main road at Shardlow. So I came back pretty much exactly the same way and ended up doing 41.47 miles rather than the 37 or so I was aiming for. But that puts me within two easy rides or a fondo of 400 this month. Unfortunately there’s rain in the forecast every day until May 6th, after tomorrow. I’m starting to take it personally.
Nice to come back that way in bright sunlight, the last time I did that ride or a close variation of it it was properly dark on the way back, at about the same time of day.
Listened to 5 Live and another hour or two of the Reacher novel. Unfolding nicely.
There’s an inviting little coffee shop along Shardlow Road now; unfortunately it’s always closed by the time I pedal past it after work. Makes me think that it would be nice not to have to work every day, so I could set off a bit earlier.
Nice out there, I overclothed and was a bit too warm.