The basic idea for today was to to do at least 80 miles, but I woke up at about 0430 and decided to get up there and then and do a longer ride. I knew that the temperature overnight wasn’t going to dip under 16C, which of course would make an early start a lot easier.
I set off at 0536. Very dark at that time, but by the time I’d passed through the street-lighting-illuminated roads of the village then Coalville, it was light enough that I didn’t need to use my head torch. A little strappy LED blinker sufficed on the front. Very cloudy early on, gloomy almost. But very mild, and dry. I was very comfortable with leggings and two layers on top. I didn’t feel a need to strip down to minimal clothing until about 50 miles in, when the sun had started to burn away the gloom. I stashed my cycling jacket and tights in a hedge near Little Bytham.
I stopped for Breakfast II at the village shop at Buckminster at around 0920. Spent about ten minutes at the bench outside, then set off east again. I did the same route I intended last Friday, except that I took a wrong turn after Little Bytham (I backtracked after half a mile), but this time I made it onto The Fens. Didn’t spend long there – I just pedalled along Baston Outgang Road for a bit – but I didn’t think I’d get another chance this year, so I was happy to spend a few minutes there.
I’d done more than 60 miles at this point, and I decided to head back. I did have time to go further – it was only about 1130 – but I have a lot of travelling to do at the weekend, including a very early start. So I didn’t want to give myself too much to recover from. And I wouldn’t say the conditions were ideal. The headwind was stronger than I’d normally entertain on a 100+ miler.
Stopped at Buckminster again for more fuel and hydration. Back home by 1740, on 120.92 miles.
In hindsight it might seem like an odd choice to have set off at 0536 when I was back two hours before sunset. But the sun was uncomfortably hot in the afternoon, and conditions were very accommodating early on. I suppose I’d have had the same peak sun period either way. Anyway I’ve definitely topped up the tan on my arms and legs, but I don’t seem to have burned.
Something quite odd occurred in the morning. I was happily gliding along a flat stretch of road east of Six Hills, when a large dead rat, a really big bugger, descended from above and slapped onto the road about 12 feet in front of me. It bounced about half an inch. Its neck was bloody and ragged. I assume a bird of prey dropped it. If I’d set off half a second earlier, it might have hit me on the head.
I listened to a Sinatra album (Sinatra and Company – lovely), a couple more hours of Chickenhawk, 5 Live and LBC.