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Yesterday looked like one of the last perfect cycling days of the summer – warm, very low winds, dry, sunny. But someone arranged for me to attend a meeting with Australian colleagues at 0800, so I took the day off today instead.

Conditions weren’t quite as good with a stiff breeze coming from the east. I thought I’d do the eastbound route, maybe as far as Bourne. I thought I’d probably set off at about 0800 but in the event I woke up early and I was away by 0630.

I was going to wear a long-sleeved top over the first couple of hours and risk bare legs, but I changed my time at the last minute and put tights on. Glad I did because it was pretty cool until about 0845. I stashed the long-sleeved top and the tights near Waltham after 30-odd miles.

Stopped for food at the Deli at Waltham on the way out east.

I got as far as about half a mile from Bourne, then I took a right turn for Stamford to go exploring for a bit. This took me to a place called Essendine, in Rutland. Spent a while eating on a bench there, then turned back and came home exactly the same way. Bourne is where the flat bit of Lincolnshire starts so it would have been better, or at least flatter, just to keep going through Bourne rather than looping south into Rutland. But it made a change.

Stopped for food at the village shop at Buckminster on the way back. Remarkably, I was served by a young man of (at a guess) nine years of age. His mum was on the phone. Very professional though .. the lad scanned all the stuff I bought, presented the card machine, announced the cost, took the payment.

I got the food strategy about right for a change. Often I end up carrying around stuff I don’t actually eat but today I consumed all the items I brought with me and bought.

Listened to R5 mostly – mostly anecdotes and clips from Michael Parkinson’s old shows. Then I started another Reacher novel, Nothing to Lose. Seems a lot like Killing Floor so far, with a local capitalist who owns an entire town and has the local police in his pocket doing something nefarious.

That was a fun day out. I was back not long after 1800 so perhaps I could have stayed out longer, but I need to plan a new route for that really. Happy enough with 121.67 miles for today. The time flew past, felt more like a fondo.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9667888625

Another warm afternoon, another run out after work. I had every intention of doing a Twycrosser, but as soon as I began to absorb the warm sunshine I had an urge to go up Top Brand. So I did. I pretty much made it up as I went along but I went through Castle Donington after that, then west to Shardlow.

I looped back through Aston on Trent then came back the same way. Except that I used the cycle path that bypasses the roundabout over the A50. I saw another cyclist turn off to use it on the outbound trip so I thought I’d give it a go on the way back. It was fine actually. No bits of broken glass or excess of stones, or pedestrians.

Listened to the Rolling Stones’ Tattoo You which is another poor record overall, but mainly put together from patched up outtake tracks. Does have a couple of decent moments, though. Hard not to like Start Me Up.

Back on 32.69 miles which is less than I intended, but I’ve done 184 this month now. Not bad considering I was away from a bike for the first 10 days.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9654049506

I was going to get up early and do at least a Fondo today, but in the event I didn’t get up until 1000. I was annoyed about that until a downpour of rain at 1100, after which I considered that I’d dodged a bullet.

But the weather brightened up nicely in the afternoon and I had mounted a bicycle by 1245.

A fairly strong wind was coming from the west and the plan was to do the westbound route for 20 miles or so, then come back. I took a longer route than usual over the first ten miles, firstly by going up through Packington and secondly by taking, on a whim, a different right turn out of Measham. I guessed that I’d probably be able to navigate back onto the usual route a bit further along and I was right. Made a change I suppose but it was a bit of a rollercoaster ride and not that interesting, so I won’t do that again.

After Kings Bromley I’d done 23 miles and only wanted to do another couple (I’d decided to try for 50 miles by this time). So I went exploring for a bit. I took a left along a road called Shaw Lane, then a right turn off that, also somehow called Shaw Lane. Both the Shaw Lanes had evidently been resurfaced fairly recently with the the sharp gravel which Leicestershire County Council (or was I in South Derbyshire at this point?) is keen to distribute on its public highways. So when I came to a T junction with a main road, I took a right onto that rather than turn back the same way.

Fortunately this led to the traditional route. I came back the usual way. Back on 50.69 miles.

The weather was lovely and the puddles had all dried up within about an hour of setting off. I suppose I should have made better use of it; I was back more than three hours before sunset.

Listened to football mostly; Brentford vs Spurs and the first half of Liverpool vs Chelsea. The latter game was the more interesting.

I also listened to the Rolling Stones’ Emotional Rescue. Like its predecessor Some Girls, a bit flaccid. But it does have some interesting quirks.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9640867450

It was a delightfully quiet work day – I sometimes suspect that most of our customers start their weekends on a Thursday night – so with another warm, dry afternoon forecast, I thought I’d risk an early exit and a post-work Fondo.

The wind was coming from the south-west and I decided on the southbound route. I didn’t quite go all the way to Welford and the Northants border like I usually would; I just turned round after the requisite half fondo distance.

Stopped for a nice snack and a bottle of Lucozade at the village shop at Gilmorton on the way down. It’s a very cyclist-friendly place with seats and tables outside and they always offer to fill your water bottle. It was open until 7pm so tactically, a stop on the way back would probably have been better.

Very nice out there. Very warm. The wind was quite strong but it was mostly a slightly hostile sidewind on the way down, and a more sympathetic sidewind on the way back.

Once again I clocked up a faster average speed than I usually would. I think my dodgy knees are the limiting factor and a break from cycling enforced by a holiday in Scotland has given them a welcome long recovery period. But – regular cycling definitely helps as well. A bit of a delicate balance.

Three dogs attempted to intercept me on the outskirts of Stoney Stanton. They just bolted out of a house on the right and came for me like I was a fox being pursued by hounds, yapping vigorously. I shouted NO! at them and pedalled hard to outrun them but for the first couple of seconds the yapping of the dog in front – obviously the ringleader – didn’t seem to be receding into the distance behind me.

I don’t think they were much older than puppies to be fair but on my very first spreadsheet-recorded ride in January 2015 I was bitten by a dog – so for it to happen again would have been an ominous portent.

Back on 63.35. Happy to have done a bit more than 100 miles since I came back from my hols.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9628443980

Just back from a ten day holiday today and after a 167 mile drive this morning I wasn’t planning to go cycling this afternoon. Just wanted to unpack and chill out. But the forecast for this afternoon promised just about the best cycling weather I can remember – warm, sunny, 0% chance of rain and a 3mph wind. So I decided I’d get the August campaign off to a start after all. I set off at about 4pm.

Wanted to do about 35 miles and thought a Twycross Bypasser would do nicely. But the road to Norton was closed, so I continued down through Twycross. I did the detour to Orton on the Hill from there. I came back a longer way in the latter half of the ride, through Shenton and later through Swepstone.

Beautiful out there in the warm sunshine. The wind did seem a bit stronger than 3mph to be fair but it didn’t bother me. I was slightly concerned that ten days of restaurant food, usually including an unhealthy dessert and invariably preceded and / or followed by a couple of Scotches, a few beers or a cocktail or two might have taken a toll, but it was a breeze. I mean it was only 37.30 miles but interestingly I did clock up a higher average speed than I normally would, without trying to. Just the joy of being out there in warm sunshine with minimal clothing.

Noticed that the front derailleur (on the Cannondale) is rattling a bit on some gears. It can be rectified easily by using the trim and it’s changing gears smoothly and quickly enough. Maybe just needs the cable to be tightened. I’ll have a look at the weekend.

Listened to the Stones’ Some Girls. Does have a couple of good tunes but it feels a bit half-baked and limp.

Very nice run out, very happy to be back in the saddle.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9615616166

A sunny and beautifully warm afternoon and unfortunately I made the mistake of putting two long sleeve tops on. Too hot. But at least I had my old legs out.

You know some years I get to cycle with bare legs about three or four times but this year it’s been the norm for the last couple of months. Global warming, don’t tell me it’s all bad.

The wind was coming from the west as usual so I did the Lower Westbound for about 21 miles then came back. Went out a slightly longer way over the first few miles, through Packington.

I listened to the Rolling Stones’ Black and Blue. Some good stuff on there but not much. Feels a bit languid and sloppy in the main.

Back on 42.45 miles. Very enjoyable. 481 this month which considering the weather, I’m fairly pleased with.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9533288650

Another mostly dry afternoon, cooler than of late but eminently mild, carrying once again a risk of showers.  I was away on the Planet X by about 1545. The wind was coming from the west and I thought I’d do something a bit different. I went up Top Brand and hung a left at Isley Walton for Swarkestone Bridge, but rather than doing the A road I went eastward through Weston and Aston to Shardlow, then looped back down via Cavendish Bridge and Donington.

I also took a bit of an excursion along toward Derby from Shardlow. It’s nice and flat along there and there’s a certain nostalgic factor involved.

I must remember that one – without the little trip along London Road toward Derby it would be about 33 miles, similar to a typical Twycrosser or Bypasser but a nice change.

Back on 36.87 miles. I listened to the Rolling Stones’ It’s Only Rock’n’Roll – good record especially the last tune Fingerprint File which really surprised me – almost like jazz funk and very nice.

I did pick up a couple of very light showers.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9521376372

Today’s forecast was fairly dire with thunder showers forecast intermittently over the afternoon. But the weather has put a stop to a lot of cycling already this month, so I decided to man up, put a rainproof top on and take the consequences.

The wind was coming from the west, as it has done consistently for the last couple of weeks. I decided I’d do 15 miles or so of the Lower Westbound route and come back.

Within 100 metres of setting off I noticed a persistent, regular, bump.. bump.. bump from the rear tyre. Uh oh .. but on closer inspection it was just a small stone that had stuck to it. I removed it. End of problem.

The weather was kinder than I expected – just a couple of short, very light showers. It was surprisingly warm. So I kept going until I’d done 20 miles, then instead of turning back I took a left turn to go exploring for a bit. This took me to a place called Fradley Junction, a picturesque spot on the Trent and Mersey canal. A couple were operating a lock there to let their boat through as I arrived.

I turned back from this point. Came back home through Heather and Ibstock (I’d come out through Alton Hill and Packington on the way out).

Listened to the rest of Laurence Krauss’ excellent book, The Physics of Climate Change. A very lucid and objective view of the climate crisis and a real eye-opener. Then I listened to The Yes Album. For some reason Bill Bruford’s drumming stood out for me in a way it never has before, particularly. Brilliant.

Back on 43.51 miles. Very satisfying run out. And that takes me to 402 this month.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9508311399

Another day in which rain in the morning was followed by a warm, sunny afternoon – which suited me very nicely. Got out of work as soon as I could and, with a moderate wind coming from the north-west, was on my up through Coleorton and Top Brand to Isley Walton – then Swarkestone Bridge and west along the Beloved A Road.

Got as far as Foston then turned back. Came back the quicker way through Melbourne and up Rotter’s Rise.

This particular ride is usually something of a Game of Two Halves when performed after work, with heavier traffic and a headwind over the first half. But it’s worth it to glide along the A road with a tailwind in lighter traffic on the way back. I stopped for a bottle of lucozade and a sandwich at the petrol station near Hatton.

Listened to the first eight chapters of Laurence Krauss’ The Physics of Climate Change which is a brilliant, dispassionate explanation of the science of global warming and the greenhouse effect – the history of the science related to it, how the effects can be measured and correlated empirically to human activity, exactly how it works, the physics of radiative forcing and all that. Fascinating.

I noticed a ladybird on my sleeve near the railway crossing at Derby Airfield and it clung on for four miles. I did wonder whether I was doing it a disservice by transporting it miles away from its usual territory but apparently they can fly over 70 miles in one go at speeds upward of 30mph.

Back on 47.63, and that’s 359 this month.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9483528528

Rain in the morning but a lovely sunny, dry afternoon with the wind coming from the west. Usually I don’t ride on consecutive days but since I only did 35 yesterday I thought I’d take advantage of the weather to do a similar distance today. 

A simple plan, to do about 17 miles of the Lower Westbound Route then come back the same way.

Somehow, I missed the left turn for Lullington. I only realised I’d done this when the Twelve House failed to materialise after 12 miles. The Twelve House is a name I’ve given to a rather grand, white-painted colonial style house at Lullington that’s exactly 12 miles from home by the usual route.

I wasn’t bothered though. I was still on a familiar route that would take me to Walton on Trent. But I decided not to take the turn for Walton after Rosliston. I thought I’d keep going and go exploring for a bit. After about 16 miles I found myself in the outskirts of Burton upn Trent, so I turned back. Nice to do a new bit of road and it was quite pleasant, but possibly not that useful.

From Coton I followed a sign to Lullington, to reunite myself with the usual route. And after Measham, I decided to come back through Packington instead of Heather.

Listened to the last hour of Slow Horses. All the loose ends are tied up very neatly if a bit implausibly. And there’s a nice cold little twist at the end. Then I continued my odyssey through the Rolling Stones’ studio album catalogue with Goat’s Head Soup – probably their best album.

Back on 35.12, 311 this month. Looking at the forecast, I’ll be lucky to get that much higher than 400.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9470143213