Yet another warm, sunny day. We’ve already had a fantastic summer, and we’re only halfway through May. My ambition for today was to do a bit more than a fondo. Didn’t want to get up early or endure early morning cold conditions. And I set off at about 1040.
The idea was to do the eastbound route, maybe as far as Waltham or a bit further. In the event though – I pressed on past Eastwell without taking the Waltham turn. Then I came to a left turn to a place called Barkestone. I took that. I knew it would involve a brutal descent – any left turn from the main drag between Six Hills is like a ski slope. And so it proved. Bit hairy.
From Barkestone, which was a nice little village, I oriented myself toward Long Lane via Plungar. I love Long Lane. Nice and flat, quiet, nicely surfaced and a nice view. One of my cycling happy places.
I took a detour to Stathern to visit the village shop. Hadn’t been in there before. Very friendly place with a nice seating area outside like a little pub beer garden. Alas – they’d run out of sausage rolls, sandwiches and similar. So I had to improvise. A packet of crisps, a pain-au-chocolat and a tub of ice-cream with a flake.
So from there the plan was to come back what I could tentatively call the “usual way” from Long Lane since I’ve done it quite a few times, though only twice in the last few years. But I took a wrong turn after Long Clawson and found myself climbing the hill back up to the regular eastbound route. And I came back by what I could definitely call the usual way from there.
Did a a bit of exploring on the way out by taking a left along Paddy’s Lane. Didn’t really seem very interesting. But I think I will explore around there (south of Nottingham) a bit some time. Probably nice and flat.
Also on the way out, near Six Hills – noticed a troubled-looking cyclist attending to his bike by the side of the road. Stopped to ask if he was OK, his pump wasn’t working so I lent him mine. Told him to take his time and had an impromptu picnic while he inflated his spare inner tube. But it looked like the valve core wasn’t seated properly. He managed to tighten it, then get enough pressure into the tyre to get himself home, 15 miles away. Or so he hoped. But I insisted he took my spare spare inner tube with him.
Since I had two punctures (or inner tube failures) on a ride in the winter I usually take two inner tubes with me. But I felt sure one spare would do for the rest of the ride. Besides, how could I get a puncture with that sort of karma?
The headwind was annoying going east, but it was just glorious out there and I especially loved gliding along Long Lane in the warm sunshine. Must figure out the best way to get over there that doesn’t involve rattling down a steep hill over a dodgy road surface.
Listened to a bit of 5 Live, but mostly the Reacher novel. Much better than the last one unless the plot unravels spectacularly.
Back on 120.65 km. And that’s 20 fondos done this year now.