A decent day yesterday, with no rain expected until after sunset and the roads mostly dried out from the previous day’s precipitation. I was on call, but wanted to do 40 or 50. I set off with the general plan of going north of base for a bit, then to the south, then home. The usual strategy for doing a reasonable distance while minimising the risk of being too far from home if I got a call. But I didn’t have a specific route in mind.
Went up to Belton to start, then since I was feeling fairly relaxed about the prospect of getting a call, continued on east along Ashby Road. Turned left toward Diseworth with the thought of maybe going across to Melbourne from there, but decided to press further north to Castle Donington. I decided to go right through Donington to the A50 roundabout, where I’d take a left through Shardlow, Aston and Weston, to Swarkestone Bridge then back down through Melbourne.
So anyway I pedalled through Donington and Shardlow – nice to be cycling through Shardlow again, I used to drive that way to work 30 years ago. I took the left to Aston but missed the turn to Swarkestone Bridge, because I ended up back on Shardlow Road again. At this point, sentimentality and nostalgia overcame my fear of being called, and I decided to continue on up to Derby, take the ring road to Allenton then turn left at the “Spider” roundabout as it’s known to Derby folk, and come south to Swarkestone Bridge that way. This was especially nostalgic because one day in 1990, I cycled home to Markfield from my place of work in Derby, and I took the same route to Swarkestone Bridge. That’s about the only aspect of that route I remember, unfortunately. I’d dearly love to know how I got to Markfield from there, but apart from tiny snippets of fading memories, there’s no way for me to know.
Must admit I did feel slightly disconcerted cycling around Derby while on call. It’s not even the nearest city. But I got away with it.
Anyway. I came the usual way down from Melbourne until I got to Rempstone Road, then I cut across Farmtown with the intention of joining the Twycross route, or one version of it, at Packington. From there I’d do the southern leg of the route. I was slightly wary of coming through Farmtown as there’s a stretch through the woods there that I expected to be a bit muddy. It was a bit. But I have a theory, untested and not carefully considered, that a bit of mud on your tyres protects them from the road and stops them wearing out.
I got as far as Snarestone though, and decided I’d turn left for the caff at the Alpaca farm. I was served with a coffee and a scone with jam by a delectably plump young wench. I’d actually ordered clotted cream as well, but they didn’t have any. She didn’t offer a refund for the cream. I’m sure she would have if I’d pressed the matter. But I just let it slide.
I just headed home from there, through Swepstone and Heather. It was an enjoyable run out, nice to visit Derby again. But these contrived “orbital” routes don’t feel like a proper long ride, and I decided I’d do something else with my Saturday afternoon rather than chasing miles for its own sake. I’m fairly confident of hitting my target for the year now.
Home on 48.07 miles. 205 done this month.