Today’s mission was to perform a fondo, by any means possible. Nice day – very sunny, though not very warm. A mild southerly breeze. I did the southbound route again. Given that the clocks went back an hour last night I hoped I’d have set off by 0930 but nope, 1024. That’s 1124, body clock time. Unaccountable really.
Since a defiantly dry day was promised, I took the Cannondale. Only its fourth run out this year. Didn’t get round to changing the chain and giving it the setup it needed until July.
Once again I went down via Odstone, Barton and Bosworth to avoid the roadworks near Bagworth. Went down as far as Station Road then turned back. I was going to come back the same way this time, but I decided to give myself an orienteering test, and I took a left towards Lutterworth rather than the right toward Broughton Astley. Found a sign to Ashby Parva, and from there I found my way back to Broughton via Frolesworth. My impromptu detour looked familiar, actually. I think I must have done that before.
After Kirkby Mallory I came home directly up the A477. Not really that pleasant, but I reasoned that the traffic would be lighter on a Sunday. By this time I was looking forward to a coffee and a warm bath. The temperature had dropped a little. And I’d added a few km on my detour.
Back about a minute after sunset, which today occurred at 1644.
I listened to Johnnie Walker’s last ever radio programme. I well remember listening to his chart show at school on my little blue transistor radio over 50 years ago. The new chart was announced on a Tuesday in those days. And I listened to football coverage on 5 Live, and another hour or two of Boris Johnson’s brilliant memoir, Unleashed.
Back on 105.39 km, and that’s my eighth fondo this month – a new personal record. Octuple Fondo October, if you will. It was also my 39th fondo this year which is also a personal best (I managed 38 last year).