I’d hoped to do an Imperial Fondo today, 161 km or if you prefer, 100 of His Majesty’s miles. I envisaged going east of Waltham, perhaps beyond the A1. I actually woke up at about 0500. I was quite tempted to get up early and have a really early start. I could probably have made it to the Fens and back. However, I went back to sleep.
Which was just as well, because I was slightly uncomfortably cold for the first couple of hours, even after setting off at 1020. Cloudy, with a rather cool headwind. It didn’t seem to be a long ride day. So I’d go as far as Eastwell and come back.
But once I got to Eastwell, I thought I’d come back a different way, via the roughly parallel route to the north. So I plunged down the steep hill from Eastwell, north through Stathem. And once I got there, I had another idea – to go north-east along Long Lane, something I’d been meaning to do again for years. It’s delightful along there: a quiet, scenic, mostly flat road with a view of Belvoir Castle on a hill in the distance. Trouble is, it’s a pain to get there, either involving a buttock-clenching descent from the usual eastbound route, or the crappy road surfaces east of Wymeswold.
But I’d already done the buttock-clenching descent, so I thought I might as well have a pedal along there. After a while I came to a crossroads, and turned left in the spirit of exploration. A brand new stretch of road! Or so I thought. I’d gone about 4km through there, through a village called Redmile, then parked up near a stream when I realised that I’d been there before. Sometimes I get a flashback to an obscure place in a bike ride and think to myself – where was that? I’m glad I never got a flashback to this place, because it would have driven me mad trying to remember it.
But I checked my Strava history and I was there three years ago. Anyway I turned back after that but came back the different way I’d intended, through Long Clawson, Upper Broughton, Wymeswold.
A small flying creature with yellow legs – possibly a fuzzy fly of some sort, or a small bee species, alighted on my arm at Long Clawson. I carried it for about 2km. Did wonder if I’d done it a permanent disservice by carrying it away from its little bee society or territory, but apparently they have fantastic navigation skills and 2km wouldn’t faze them. Most bee species are solitary anyway.
Stopped at a shop at Whitwick on the way out, which was a first. I’d realised that I’d forgotten to get the food I’d packed out of the fridge. It’s only about 6km from home, so not particularly useful usually.
Back at about 1735 and by that time conditions were beautifully sunny and warm, so I regretted not staying out longer. But once I’d descended northwards off the usual eastbound route, options for extending rides by a significant amount are sub-optimal. But I think I will go exploring over that way soon.
Back on 121.89km.