I got up early this morning, yet somehow I didn’t really feel like grinding out a long ride. Shame really because it was a warm, dry day and I wasn’t on call. Just the sort of conditions that can be frustratingly elusive. But the wind was coming from the west and I didn’t really fancy a long run out over that way again so soon.
In the end I left the house at about 10:25, with the thought of doing 45 or so – which would allow me time for other activities in the afternoon, but get the distance total for June up to about 200 miles.
No clear idea of what I wanted to do as I set off, but I settled for a Twycrosser. I decided to have a run along the Dad’s Army extension, into Warwickshire. That led me eventually along a busy stretch of the A5, I tried a couple of left turns off that, but both took me into dead-end industrial estates. After a few miles of that, I turned back.
Back off the A5 and onto Spon Lane. On a whim I decided to take a left off that, to explore for a bit. Found myself on a narrow, gritty and mostly uphill track. At the top of that I followed a sign to Dordon. I had no real idea where I was at this point, but fortunately Dordon was a decent-sized little town so I was hopeful I’d have a better route out of it than the narrow track I’d just taken.
And I did, but this took me back to the A5! I’d looped back onto myself. So I came back down. I stopped at a garage and bought an iced coffee, a bag of crisps and a Flake. Strolled over to a nearby Starbucks and made myself comfortable at a table and chair outside there. Bit cheeky I suppose, since I was consuming food bought elsewhere.
Back onto the Twycross route, along Fenn Lanes, up through Bosworth, Carlton et al as usual. I stopped at the Gate Hangs Well for a G&T in the sunshine six miles from home.
Back on 51.59 miles. 207 this month. In the end I was sorry I hadn’t done a proper Fondo. I could have done another ten miles today of course but I much prefer to go somewhere 20-odd miles away and come back, rather than faffing around.
Still – nice run out on a warm, sunny day. Quick shower when I got back then out again for cocktails by the lake at San Giovanni, so it’s been a good day.