Month: October 2024

Today’s forecast improved over the weekend, to the point where it was unlikely to rain. Nonetheless I only intended to do 40 or so, perhaps a Twycross Bypasser. However when I examined my spreadsheet this morning I noticed that a bit more than 50 miles would take me over 5000 miles for 2024, so I decided I might as well do another fondo.

The wind was coming from the south-west. I came up with the idea of doing a Bypasser, with the Dad’s Army route tacked on at the bottom. I’ve developed a modification that leaves the (rather busy) A5 earlier, and (more importantly) avoids the roundabout that joins it to the M42.

So I did that. I didn’t use the eTrex or a GPX app. I just had a careful look on the map beforehand and reminded myself of the turns, and I managed OK. I went down as far as Coleshill, then turned back. To bump up the distance I took a right turn to go exploring through a village called Nether Whitacre on the way back.

I also missed a turn, but this was fortuitous, because it meant that I went past a garden centre with a little butcher’s stall outside, based in a sort of open-sided hut. It’s not the best cyclist’s pit stop really because they don’t sell drinks, or chocolate, or flapjacks. Just raw meat, uncooked sausages, pork pies and (occasionally) samosas. The only immediately-edible food on offer today were pork pies. so I bought two, a stilton one (lovely) and a red onion one. Very handy, I definitely needed to refuel.

Listened to more Chickenhawk (nearly finished now) and 5 Live. I think I listened to music as well, but I’ve already forgotten what it was.

Back on 63.90 miles, which pleasingly takes me to 234 this month, 5013 this year.

It was a mild day, warm enough for bare legs. Very nice to go down that way again, I must look for options to expand that route on the other side of the A5.

https://www.strava.com/activities/12599371161

A dry, very mild day with a moderate wind from the south. I set off on the southbound route shortly after 1000. Once again I intended to do a fondo minimally, but most likely a bit more.

In recent weeks when I’ve gone down that way, I’ve taken a left to the gliding club at Sibbertoft. Today I went down through Welford. I bought some food and a small bottle of orange juice at the petrol station there. Annoyingly I left the orange juice there somehow, after opening it for a quick gulp outside. But a few miles further to the south I took a left to Naseby and bought Lucozade at the village shop there. I’d done about 40 miles at this point, so I turned back.

The plan for the way back was to come back up the “old” way to the east, but to cut across to the “new” way, ie the way I’d come, after Foston, to avoid busy roads through Blaby, Enderby and Desford. This would involve navigating roads I’d never done before.

Unfortunately I took a wrong turn just after Countesthorpe, but I found my way back to the “old” route anyway, on a different set of roads than I’d intended. I suppose I should have rehearsed the turns on Street View, or used a GPX app or the eTrex. To be fair I quite enjoyed the route I did take. Very quiet and scenic. But I probably wouldn’t do it again. Too hilly, and my planned route would have got me across quicker.

Came back up through Barlestone and Nailstone. I reckoned the A447 would be quiet enough on a Saturday, and it was.

Back on 83.68 miles, very happy to have done 170 miles in October already.

I listened to footy coverage on 5 Live, LBC, Be Bop Deluxe’s Live in the Air Age and more of Chickenhawk.

https://www.strava.com/activities/12584176934

A dry day with light winds from the east was promised, so I planned to do the eastbound route. At least 80 miles. I woke up at about 0630 and asked my bedside Dot what the temperature was outside. Four degrees C. So I went back to sleep. I woke up again later than I hoped and didn’t set off until 1015.

I’d expected to be a bit cold even at that time, but as it turned out I overdressed. Ended up taking a couple of layers off only about an hour into the ride, and carrying them round all day in my backpack. I really must try to be more scientific in my choice of cycling apparel.

Because I assumed that the roads near Stanford might be flooded, I took the “old” route through Rempstone and Wymeswold. Picked up some spotty rain approaching Waltham – annoying, because the forecast had estimated the chance of rain at 0% all day. But I must admit I hadn’t checked the forecast for 30 miles to the east. In any case the large, dark cloud squatting over East Leicestershire like an irregular-shaped mothership was surrounded by much brighter skies all the way to the horizon in every direction, and it floated off to annoy someone else after twenty minutes.

I went as far as Colsterworth, just short of the A1. I came back the same way, except that I took Narrow Lane to Wymeswold (I nearly always do that on the way back now) and I came down through Griffydam and Coleorton rather than Thringstone and Coalville.

Saw ‘er indoors coming the other way in her white Polo near Belton! On the way to her dance class. So I gave her a friendly wave.

I listened mainly to my audiobook, which sounds much better now that I’ve AI-speech-enhanced it (it was originally a cassette recording that someone had noise-reduced a bit aggressively). Also 5 Live, and the Level 42 album Guaranteed which is poor overall it must be said, though it does have some lovely moments. And Allan Holdsworth plays on it.

Back about ten minutes before sunset. Nice day out on a bike, glad to have opened the October account with 86.11 miles. More on Saturday I hope.

As of this morning I was slightly less than 2 miles ahead of my October 3rd distance total for 2023. Pretty consistent. Anyway, 88 miles in front now (though I have no particular wish to outdo 2023).

https://www.strava.com/activities/12566449736