I got up before 0800 today, which is rare for me these days. But conditions looked pretty unaccomodating out there – gloomy and damp – and an hour later, I’d gone back to bed. But I’d got up again, clothed myself and mounted a bicycle by 1055. The sun was due to set six hours later. Plenty of time for a fondo.
I decided to do the southbound route – was going to go down to Sibbertoft gliding club again. But on the very spur of the moment, at Stoney Stanton, I decided to go down Fosse Way instead. I’d already gone a couple of metres down the left turn, so I u-turned back to the roundabout and took the road down through Shamford.
Nice to go down that long, straight bit of Fosse Way south of High Cross. It’s always unaccountably quiet along there, despite being a fairly wide and decently surfaced road. Unfortunately, not long after I passed High Cross, a persistent cold drizzle set in. Particularly annoying since I’d avoided going cycling yesterday on the basis that today’s weather was going to be nicer. It definitely wasn’t. Wouldn’t have minded so much if I’d put contact lenses in, but I could barely see through the moisture pebbling on my specs. Horrible.
I went down as far as Bretford. Did a little bit of exploring along the road to Rugby rather than carrying on down Fosse Way. Then I turned for home. Had a bit of a feast outside the village shop at Brinklow. The weather dried up very nicely after Stoney Stanton. Actually I suspect it hadn’t rained that far north, so maybe the forecast was right after all. The sun came out. Really quite pleasant after that.
I tried a more economical route over the last 25 km through Barlestone. I was going to come straight up the A447 from there but I chickened out when I got there. Wrong time of day. Too busy. So I went straight over at the crossroads and came up through Odstone and Heather.
Listened to LBC and 5 Live.
Back on 101.95 km, a few minutes after sunset. The bike was a bit filthy and I was tempted to hose it, but I settled for a good seeing to with a bathroom wipe.
https://www.strava.com/activities/13529690520