According to the BBC site it was going to be 1C all day, and overcast. I thought I might tolerate about 40 km or so. Set off to do a bit of the eastbound route at about 1130.
Definitely was cold out there but not quite as bad as I expected. The wind was light and that makes a positive difference.
At Rempstone, after 25km I took a left for Costock. Just thought I’d improvise a different route home. Turned left again for East Leake, then dipped down to Stanford, which is on a familiar version of the eastbound route. Came back the longer way after Zouch, through Long Whatton and Diseworth – partly to extend my distance a bit, partly because I’ve done the route back through Belton so many times that it feels a bit of a slog.
Back on 59.43 km and I’m quite satisfied with that. Given the conditions – my fingers and toes were icy over the last 15 km – I think I’ve gone above and beyond there.
The temperature stood at a rather unaccommodating 1C when I set off, and I thought I’d probably tolerate about 35 – 40 km at most. But it was a sunny day and actually pretty comfortable out there.
I did a fairly standard Twycrosser, with the slight variation that I detoured through Nailstone on the way back up.
Really lovely out there. I could have set off earlier and done a fondo. Ah well! It’s a half-decent start to the 2025 campaign.
I listened to Suella Braverman, sitting in for James O’Brexit on LBC.
Saw a helicopter on the de-facto helipad near Measham so I stopped and took a pic. I looked up the registration number; according to FlightRadar24 it visited Brize Norton a couple of hours later.
Back on 45.81 km, I want to do at least 550 this month.
2024 is over as you’re no doubt already aware. I’d have to say it was a pretty good cycling year, for me. The highlight was definitely breaking my distance record in June (323.88 km, to Sutton Bridge and back). Lovely long day out on a bike. I retired (or at least stopped working indefinitely) at the end of that month, which obviously gave me more time for cycling in the second half of the month.
I broke my yearly distance record (it now stands at 10621 km). I did 46 fondos in 2024 including 9 in October.
My ride frequency seems to be pretty consistent over the last few years. It mainly depends on weather conditions and holidays. I rode a bike 124 times in 2024 compared to 127 the year before, and 120 the year before that.
As the following graph shows, cycling took a bit of a hit in September. Mainly because I was abroad for a couple of weeks but I think the weather was a bit rubbish as well.
I pie-charted my bike distances, as follows:
The Cannondale didn’t get much of a look in because it needed setting up, but I did sort it out just before the end of the summer so it should get used a lot more in 2025. Once again the first Boardman was used more than any other bike, very nearly a quarter of all rides. But I lean on the Planet X in the non-summer months more than I used to.
So, for 2025 – once again my targets are pretty modest. At least one fondo every month, to a minimum of 30. Definitely want to do Wales and back again, and East Lincs and back one long day in the summer. But not necessarily by a 324 km route. I said I’d do Newark and back in 2024, and I didn’t. Must do that this year, the last time was in 2021.
I’ll do at least 7500 km.
I shall visit all of Leicestershire’s neighbouring counties in 2025 (although I’d probably do that anyway without thinking about it).
And I must find some new territory to explore. Perhaps a new county, one I haven’t done before. Essex, maybe? The very north-western corner might be doable.
I’ve now completed ten years of regular cycling – and I’ve been looking over my statistics. Every ride I’ve done since January 2015 has been documented in a spreadsheet – date, distance, which bike.
I’ve done 80,082 km in that time (49,761 miles), over 1530 rides. Very roughly, 7% of the time I’ve been awake in the last ten years has been spent propelling a bicycle.
Greatest distance cycled in a month: 1302km, August 2016. Shortest monthly distance: 29km, December 2018. I’d injured my knees.
Longest ride: 324 km, June 20th this year. Shortest: 8.24 km, July 15th, 2018.
The following graph shows number of rides per year – I had a bit of a manic cycling habit by 2016. I was going cycling most lunchtimes weather permitting and most of those 303 rides are less than 30km.
Since my knee injury in 2018, my average ride distance has increased steadily (next graph). For sure, early retirement at the end of June this year has helped to improve the 2024 statistic (85.65 km).
The last graph shows the total distance in km for each of the last ten years. 2024 was a personal record year (10,621 km or 6600 miles).
A simple plan today: for what was probably going to be my final ride of 2024, I thought I’d repeat my first ride of the year, a fairly common variant of the Twycross Bypasser. But within a couple of minutes of setting off, I’d hatched an alternative plan. I thought I’d go up to Derby.
So I went up Top Brand, through Isley Walton and west to Melbourne. Up over Swarkestone Bridge, then up onto the scary roundabout over the A50. From the roundabout I exited onto Infinity Park Way, and pedalled up to the southern extremity of Derby.
Infinity Park Way is a newish road, only completed in the last few years. It’s big, wide and well-surfaced – but pretty quiet, I assume because Infinity Park, which is a new commercial / industrial development, is still being developed. It also leads to the Rolls-Royce Aerospace campus and test sites, which have been there for many years, and eventually into Derby proper.
I’ve been up that way a few times, but this time I did a bit more exploring than I have in the past. I found myself in Sinfin, which is a not-particularly-nice part of Derby that I don’t think I ever visited when I lived in the city. Turned back and explored a bit along a different route and was surprised to find myself on Moor Lane, which is where the Rolls-Royce recreation centre is located. Many years ago I used to shoot at the rifle range there every Friday night.
I went onto the grounds and had a look round. There are a lot of new buildings but I was pleased to see that the old range is still there, just behind the bowling green.
Turned for home after that, but I took a long route back through Weston, Aston, Shardlow, over Cavendish Bridge and down through Donington and Coleorton.
That was a really nice run out. Cloudy and damp when I set off, but lovely winter sunshine in the afternoon. There’s something particularly wistful, I find, about visiting old haunts just before the turn of another year.
Back on 72.84km which gives me 785 exactly for December and 10621km (6600 miles) for the year. It’s faintly possible I’ll go out again before 2025 kicks in but I doubt it.
I was determined to do a fondo today. The forecast claimed that a morning fog would have burned off by 1030-ish, leaving a dry day in its place.
Well, the fog hadn’t cleared by 1100, and I set off anyway at about 1125. I wanted to pay my old house a visit at Markfield, about 15km away, by the route I chose. I’m drawn to do that this time of year, probably because I moved into it with my partner at the time just before Christmas 1989. So I did that. I went along Ellistown Lane this time, don’t think I’d been along there before.
After that I sort of made it up as I went along, meandering through Thornton, Newtown Unthank and Desford to Kirkby Mallory. From there I had the idea of going over to Sutton Cheney and down Fenn Lanes. I went all the way down to the A5, then followed it all the way to the Atherstone Bypass. Wouldn’t normally do that, but it was quiet today.
Followed a sign to Sheepy from there. That took me along a road called Holly Lane. Not particularly interesting but I hadn’t been along there before either. As far as I can remember.
I’d given up on the fog clearing by this time, and on doing a fondo. It was foggy and wet all day, with a thin film of moisture forming on my clothing and on the bike. The roads were very wet. But I did at least want to do 70km, because that would give me the distinction of having completed 80,000 km since January 2015.
I came back a familiar way from Sheepy, as if doing the latter part of a Twycrosser.
Stopped to put lights on in front of a house at Newton Burgoland, and was startled to notice Nigel Farage pointing at me from their kitchen window. Would have stopped for a chat about the national interest but I wanted to get home for a coffee and some trifle.
The fog started to grow thicker just before sunset. One thing that makes a big difference when cycling in fog or a mist, or indeed drizzle or rain is wearing contact lenses instead of cycling glasses. Glad I did that today.
Listened to LBC, then football coverage on 5 Live. Unaccountably, although it was cold and wet all day I really enjoyed that one.
Back on 79.51km, which takes me to 712 this month, 10548 this year and 80009 since Jan ’15. I think 2024 has one more ride left in it, possibly two.
I really fancied a run over to Markfield today. I like to do that this time of year. But the wind was coming fairly directly from the west, so it wasn’t the best idea. So – I thought I’d do some of the Dad’s Army route. As it happens I watched the Christmas 1974 episode of the BBC’s celebrated sitcom for which the route is named last night.
Ideally I wanted to do about 75 km. I set off early enough, and the BBC forecast assured me there was no risk of rain until about 1600. I went up to Ashby first, down to Twycross, did the detour to Orton, down through Sheepy and west along Grendon Road. However .. I decided on a whim to take a right along Warton Lane and just to busk it for a bit, rather than following the usual route down to the A5. At the junction with Orton Road I kept on, rather than taking a familiar turn left or right. This took me along a road called Linden Lane, which I don’t think I’ve ever been along.
By this time I was putting up with drizzle and light rain, despite the BBC’s promises. I took a right turn along a road called Polesworth Lane, leading eventually to a village called Newton Regis. Definitely hadn’t been along there before. Took the pic there. I consulted Google Maps, plotted a route to No Man’s Heath and came home a familiar way from there.
Listened to LBC mostly; Iain Dale was sitting in for James O’Brien, making the discourse about 800% more sensible than usual.
Back on 59.59km, not quite the distance I wanted but then again I wouldn’t have gone out at all if I’d known the weather was going to be so dismal after the first hour. Nice to do something a bit different just before Christmas.
Three days of rain and drizzle coming up, so although I did 40km yesterday, I wanted to clock up a few more today. The BBC promised 0% risk of rain all day, and yet as soon as I’d put on my cycling clothes, I noticed that it was raining. I waited ten minutes and it passed.
As is so often the case, I set off without a clear idea of where I was going to go, but I intended to start by going up through Coleorton then up Top Brand.
I didn’t do that. At the bottom of Top Brand I turned right along Ashby Road instead, along to Belton, then up past Tonge. If I recall correctly I had a vague idea that I might go through Donington and west through Shardlow. However, I didn’t do that either. I took a left down through Breedon and down through Lount. I knew that this road led eventually to a brutal multi-lane roundabout near Ashby which I don’t particularly like negotiating even in a car, but I hoped I’d find a left turn first. I didn’t, so I did have to cope with the roundabout.
After that – down to Packington to join the Twycrosser route. I cut it short by taking the short cut through Little Twycross and Bilstone, but I was surprised to find the road flooded after Shackerstone. Never seen that bit of road flooded before. I saw a couple of cars turn back but as you can see from the pic, a brave bus driver attempted it coming the other way. I wasn’t going to though, so I rerouted via Derby Lane and Swepstone.
I hadn’t been along Derby Lane for at least five years, mainly because it’s a bit lumpy and muddy. It wasn’t too bad. At least I was on the optimal bike for it.
The driver’s door of a parked car opened suddenly as I was passing it along Moor Lane, fortunately I managed to swerve round it. I do know someone on another forum I frequent who suffered a punctured lung after being impaled on the sharp corner of a car door, so it could have been very nasty. I did issue a profanity, but at least the driver was gracious enough to shout a cheery “sorry pal!” as he emerged from the car.
Anyway – back on 57.44km. I did intend to do more than that to be honest, but it’s more than enough really. Actually I felt a bit weary after only 15km or so. Hadn’t fed myself properly, probably. A small pork pie and a flapjack seemed to fix it.
The weather forecast seems very changeable at the moment but right now it looks there are a few decent cycling days left in the year.
Wasn’t going to go cycling today. But I went out to the garage to do a bit of bike maintenance in the early afternoon, and I decided to do an impromptu short ride. Wasn’t wearing cycling clothing. No padding to protect my nether regions from the ravages of a bike saddle. But I was only going to do a short one. Enough to get me over 10321 km for 2024, to set a new personal annual distance record. A mere 10km would do it, but I wanted to do about 40.
I also wanted to test the new rear tyre on the Tricross, a Continental Ride 700×32 acquired from Amazon at a cost of £20.69.
I set off at about 1325. Rain was due over some time after 1500. I decided to do some of a Twycrosser, but to come back the same way, so I could easily do a set distance. Didn’t want to get rained on unnecessarily by overextending it. So I went down to Twycross, had a brief excursion along Burton Road then came back the same way. Back on 40.46km.
I did have to put up with light rain for the last few km, but I couldn’t say I hadn’t been warned! Actually it helps to keep the bike clean. A Dettol bathroom wipe on a pre-dampened bike frame scrubs up a bike very nicely. I finish off with a rag moistened with GT-85.
The new tyre seems to work nicely. I’m a bit disconcerted that it looks a bit narrower than the front tyre despite being ostensibly the same size. But I didn’t notice a difference in the ride.
So that’s 10352 km done this year, a new personal best. Still want to do another 120 or so if I can.
I was determined to get a fondo in today, having been foiled in my effort to do so yesterday by a flat tyre. The wind was coming from the west again (allegedly) and I thought I’d do the Lower Westbound route. I set off at about 1020.
Since both my usual winter bikes have had new tyres, and in one case a new inner tube fitted since last time they were used, I took Boardman II. I don’t test new equipment on a fondo. It hadn’t had a run out since October. I knew it was due a lube though, so to save time I just hosed round the chain with a spray can of 3 in 1 and gave it a good wipe. I’ll lube it properly at the weekend. Probably.
I turned for home after a bit more than 50k, at Bagot Wood. Came back the same way except that at King’s Bromley, instead of taking the right turn toward home, I kept going toward Yoxall. Just in pursuit of a few flat, well-surfaced, low effort additional kilometres. My intention was to turn back to King’s Bromley, but I saw a road signposted to Barton-under-Needwood. From there I could come home via Walton-on-Trent .. might have made a nice change. But I remembered that it involves some steep climbing and I stuck to Plan A, a U turn back to King’s Bromley and back the usual way from there.
Although the wind was supposed to be westerly, I seemed to have more of a headwind on the way back. But it wasn’t bad. I was warm enough in the morning but the temperature seemed to drop sharply after about 1300. But it rose again, or seemed to, an hour later. I had a bit of drizzle to contend with as well early in the afternoon but nothing troubling.
I took plenty of food with me but oddly, although I’d only had toast and a banana for breakfast, I didn’t feel hungry at all on the outward leg and I didn’t stop to eat until I was coming homeward. Testament perhaps to the benefit of a large sunday dinner the previous evening.
Back on 107.52km. Another 10km will take me past the 2023 distance total, which is currently a personal record. Another 167km will mean I’ve fulfilled my aspiration, expressed earlier in the year, before I succumbed to metrication, to have done at least 400 miles in each month of 2024. And another 228km, which I think is doable, will mean I’ve done 80,000km in the last ten years exactly.
I listened to 5 Live and The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars.
