Category: Uncategorised

I woke at about 0500 this morning. Certainly, I wasn’t intending to get up that early. I asked Alexa the outside temperate. 11 degrees. Doable, however on reflection I thought it was probably better to go back to sleep for a few hours. So I did. I ended getting up at about 0930, later than I intended, but I was pedalling away from the garage by about 1020.

I took the Tricross. Wanted to check that my tactic of spraying GT85, then dribbling chain lube down the steerer tube had freed up the steering, and happily, it has. Nice and slippery smooth now.

Decently mild and dry day. The wind was coming from the south. The intention was to do a southbound fondo.

After about 2km, I realised that I hadn’t brought my phone – which meant that I wouldn’t be able to refuel at a village shop or petrol station. But I took stock – I had a Peperami “pizza bun” (awful but convenient), a cheese & onion pasty and two flapjacks with me. Probably enough. So I pressed on.

I decided after Stoney Stanton to go down the Fosse Way route instead of down toward Northamptonshire. Got to Brinklow after about 47km. Then, because I only wanted to do another three klicks or so, I took a right toward Coventry rather than continuing down Fosse Way. Turned after 50.3km and came back much the same way (I took the detour along Wood Road on the way back to bypass Bagworth).

Listened to 5 Live, and the first 90 minutes or so of Boris Johnson’s superb Unleashed. Really a wonderful and engaging book, and he reads it beautifully.

Back on 102.28km, that’s 852 this month.

The only annoying thing really about switching to km rather than miles has been that I have some landmarks with distances to home recorded in my head. They can be handy, but I’ll just have to figure out and memorise some new ones.

https://www.strava.com/activities/12709866188

Older British readers might, like myself, remember the days when it was usual to receive pocket money in shillings. A shilling was a unit of currency equal to 12 pence, and there were 20 of them to the pound. Aren’t you glad we got rid of that nonsense?

And yet, more than half a century later, we persist with a system of measuring distances that’s similarly cumbersome. One of His Majesty’s miles is equal to 1760 yards, or 5280 feet. Where’s the sense in that? It is starkly obvious that the metric system, in which units are represented in multiples of ten, conforming to simple decimal arithmetic, is more intuitive and sensible. It’s very easy to work out at a glance for example that 0.77km is equal to 770 metres. It’s much easier to do distance arithmetic in your head.

But perhaps equally significantly – at the moment, here in the UK, we’re using two systems simultaneously; sometimes in the same breath. You could talk about driving ten miles to take part in a 5000 metre race for example. One building materials site sells 2″ x 2″ timber in metre lengths. The UK military already uses the metric system in some circumstances, I believe. Science and engineering certainly does, as an established international standard. So does athletics.

So where’s the sense in maintaining both; in teaching our children two separate systems when one would do nicely? And wouldn’t it be nice to drive through France or Holland or Spain and not to have to get used to a different set of measurements on the road signs?

I understand the counter-arguments. The cost of replacing or amending the road signs and speed limits. The difficulty of getting used to it.

Perhaps some might consider the old measurements to be part of our national identity. Well, so’s the blitz spirit. Doesn’t mean we have to sleep in bomb shelters in the present day.

In any case: the advantages considerably outweigh the disadvantages, in my view. Clearly, proper metrication in the UK is long overdue.

But governments of all complexions have just ignored the situation for decades.

So it’s time for ordinary people to take matters into their own hands. From this day forth, I will no longer use the old imperial measurements. I have already converted my GPS watches, bike computers and Strava account to measure distances in km. I’ll do the same for Google Maps. I may even convert the mile counter on my Volkswagen. I will refer only to metric distances. I implore my fellow Brits to do the same.

Fun facts
The metre isn’t as old as you might think; it was defined by the French Academy of Sciences in the 1790s, so that the distance from the North Pole to the equator would be equal to 10,000,000m. The actual distance represented by a metre has changed very slightly since then, but only by 0.1 nanometres since 1960.

The modern definition of a metre (since 1983) is the distance light travels in a vacuum in 1/299,792,458 of a second. A mile on the other hand is defined as 1760 yards, the yard being defined as exactly 0.9144 metres. So the old imperial distance units are defined in terms of metric distances.

I wasn’t going to go out today because I’m trying to recover from a bad cold or a touch of flu, and I definitely gave myself a setback by doing a ride on Thursday. I felt knackered all day yesterday. But by 1500 today I’d decided that the afternoon sunshine was just too nice not to do 30 or so.

I set off to do a Twycrosser at about 1515. Down to Sheepy, through Ratcliffe Culey and Shenton and into Bosworth. I realised on the way up that I was likely to be home on about 32 miles which was more than I needed or wanted, so I attempted to cut across to the main road (the unlovely A447) as a short cut after Carlton. However, I took a wrong turn at Barton Lane and ended up looping back on the usual road going north through the villages. I’d actually performed a detour and extended my distance a bit. But I tried a similar manoeuvre at Odstone further up, successfully this time.

Back on 31.77 miles, 16 seconds before sunset, which occurred at 1800:47 here in NW Leics. 466 done this month now and if the weather forecast for the rest of the month is roughly correct, I could get that up to 620 without too much effort.

Listened to footy coverage on 5 Live. Nice to hear United coming back from a goal down to beat Brentford. Arsenal going down to 10 men made their game against Bournemouth more interesting as well.

https://www.strava.com/activities/12695153805

With dry, mild – almost warm – weather forecast for today, I really wanted to do another fondo. Unfortunately I’ve contracted a moderate case of man flu, and rather than pedalling away into the yonder on a bicycle this morning, I went back to bed.

But I did get up again at about midday, and following a modest lunch, I was off and away not long after 2pm. I hoped to do 40 miles or so.

For some reason I went right up through Ashby, and looped round there a couple of times. Just amusing myself really. Then I came down through Packington and did a fairly standard Twycrosser from there.

I went into the village shop at Packington – I’ve passed it dozens of times but never bothered to go in, mostly because it’s only a few miles from home. But this time I did, because the fridge was lamentably low on cycling snacks. Quite a useful little shop.

Listened to 5 Live. Back on 35.42 miles, fewer than I intended but oh well. I was back at 1745, only 20 minutes before sunset.

That was my 1500th ride since I started recording and spreadsheeting them in January 2015, 48,374 miles ago.

https://www.strava.com/activities/12679438734

Gloomy and a bit damp this morning and there was still a bit of drizzle in the air when I set off at about 1100. But the BBC promised it would clear up, so I did a fairly standard version of the eastbound fondo over to Eastwell and back. Out through Thringstone, Belton, Stanford and Burton on the Wolds, back through Rempstone, Wymeswold, Long Whatton, Coleorton.

I have a bit of a cold at the moment so I thought I might cut it short, but I was fine. The ride did take longer than I would normally expect, but I think that was mostly due to queuing in traffic at roadworks near Zouch. Nice run out. Nice to get out of the house anyway.

I listened to Bowie’s The Man Who Sold The World album and 5 Live.

Back on 65.76 about 15 minutes before sunset.. it’s that time of year when you start thinking about taking lights even if you set off in the morning.

https://www.strava.com/activities/12663534603

Had a lunch appointment today so unfortunately, not a lot of time. Decent weather – dry, mostly sunny, low winds but cold. About 6C when I set off at 1040.

I took the Tricross since I hadn’t used it since April, and I immediately noticed that the steering was a bit stiff. Clearly the headset isn’t too tight since it was fine last time I used it. Maybe the bearings are wearing out. Anyway I decided it would be usable. And it was just about, except that coming out of a bend needed a bit of extra care – the steering needed gentle pressure to straighten out again onto the straight and level. I hoped that it would loosen up after a few turns, but it didn’t.

I wanted to do 34 miles or so and I did a fairly standard Twycrosser with the Orton detour, except that instead of going through Carlton, I doubled back to Congerstone. Although it’s only a few miles from home I don’t think I’ve ever done that short stretch between the canal and Congerstone. Anyway it’s pleasant, but unexceptional.

Huge amounts of mud on the road near Orton, but at least I was on the optimal bike for that.

Back on 32.93 miles. Listened to 5 Live and David Bowie’s second album from 1969, usually known as Space Oddity but in fact titled David Bowie. I thought I was going to be cold so I had two fleeces on underneath my winter cycling top, but I had to take one off for the last ten miles. Very nice run out anyway.

When I got back I hung the bike from the garage ceiling and squirted some GT85 down the join between the forks and the steerer tube, then worked the steering for a few seconds. That’s already taken out most of the stiffness, although it was slightly gritty. I’ll do it again, then dribble some chain oil down there. It probably ought to be greased.

Anyway that’s 333 miles in the bag for October, more on Tuesday I hope. I’m 72 miles ahead of last year at the moment. Looks like this might well be another 10,000km year.

https://www.strava.com/activities/12647356981

Not a bad day today. Dry, mostly sunny, but cold. The BBC forecast hurricane winds in excess of 5,000mph, but since this was due to a glitch in their data, I set off to do a fondo on my Upper Westbound route. I wrapped up warm; three layers on top and two below the waist. Didn’t feel a need to unclothe during the ride.

I set off at 1049. Up through Coleorton and Melbourne, over Swarkestone Bridge, west along my favourite flat A road south of Derby. Usually on this route, after Scropton I would turn north through Sudbury and up toward Ashbourne, but today I thought I’d try something different. I only needed another 6 miles to get to half-fondo distance, and I turned south instead to go exploring. I knew I didn’t want to go too far south along Sudbury Road as it’s a bit of a rollercoaster ride of steep hills down there so I looked for a right turn that might take me west for a few miles.

So after going south for a couple of miles I took a right a long a road called Stubby Lane. Pretty sure I hadn’t been along that way before. Quite pleasant. Quiet. Kept going for about five miles, then turned back. I intended to come back the same way, but I didn’t quite. I took a wrong turn which took me a different way between Draycott and Hatton, through Tutbury. Hadn’t been there for a while.

One annoying thing about this route is that it involves using the A511 for a few hundred metres, and it can take a long time for a suitable break in the traffic to appear so you can take the right turn onto it, if you happen to arrive at a bad time during the rush hour. I became self conscious about holding up the driver behind me after about seven minutes, so much so that I withdrew to let him have a go first. I reckoned a car would have a better chance at taking advantage of a medium-sized gap in the unending stream of motor vehicles.

About fifteen minutes after I set off, I noticed a group of people huddled around something on the pavement in Coleorteon. As I drew closer I saw that it was a young man, sitting on the ground, wrapped in a blanket with his face covered in blood. Hope it wasn’t too serious. Saw a dead deer next to the road a few miles further on.Listened to the last chapter of my audiobook Chickenhawk and 5 Live.

Back on 66.04 miles, and that takes me to 300 this month! Or almost; 299.73 to be pedantic. That was my fourth fondo this month and my thirty-fifth this year. 2024 might well be my first forty-fondo year. Actually nine of my last ten rides have been fondos.

https://www.strava.com/activities/12622847703

Today’s forecast improved over the weekend, to the point where it was unlikely to rain. Nonetheless I only intended to do 40 or so, perhaps a Twycross Bypasser. However when I examined my spreadsheet this morning I noticed that a bit more than 50 miles would take me over 5000 miles for 2024, so I decided I might as well do another fondo.

The wind was coming from the south-west. I came up with the idea of doing a Bypasser, with the Dad’s Army route tacked on at the bottom. I’ve developed a modification that leaves the (rather busy) A5 earlier, and (more importantly) avoids the roundabout that joins it to the M42.

So I did that. I didn’t use the eTrex or a GPX app. I just had a careful look on the map beforehand and reminded myself of the turns, and I managed OK. I went down as far as Coleshill, then turned back. To bump up the distance I took a right turn to go exploring through a village called Nether Whitacre on the way back.

I also missed a turn, but this was fortuitous, because it meant that I went past a garden centre with a little butcher’s stall outside, based in a sort of open-sided hut. It’s not the best cyclist’s pit stop really because they don’t sell drinks, or chocolate, or flapjacks. Just raw meat, uncooked sausages, pork pies and (occasionally) samosas. The only immediately-edible food on offer today were pork pies. so I bought two, a stilton one (lovely) and a red onion one. Very handy, I definitely needed to refuel.

Listened to more Chickenhawk (nearly finished now) and 5 Live. I think I listened to music as well, but I’ve already forgotten what it was.

Back on 63.90 miles, which pleasingly takes me to 234 this month, 5013 this year.

It was a mild day, warm enough for bare legs. Very nice to go down that way again, I must look for options to expand that route on the other side of the A5.

https://www.strava.com/activities/12599371161

A dry, very mild day with a moderate wind from the south. I set off on the southbound route shortly after 1000. Once again I intended to do a fondo minimally, but most likely a bit more.

In recent weeks when I’ve gone down that way, I’ve taken a left to the gliding club at Sibbertoft. Today I went down through Welford. I bought some food and a small bottle of orange juice at the petrol station there. Annoyingly I left the orange juice there somehow, after opening it for a quick gulp outside. But a few miles further to the south I took a left to Naseby and bought Lucozade at the village shop there. I’d done about 40 miles at this point, so I turned back.

The plan for the way back was to come back up the “old” way to the east, but to cut across to the “new” way, ie the way I’d come, after Foston, to avoid busy roads through Blaby, Enderby and Desford. This would involve navigating roads I’d never done before.

Unfortunately I took a wrong turn just after Countesthorpe, but I found my way back to the “old” route anyway, on a different set of roads than I’d intended. I suppose I should have rehearsed the turns on Street View, or used a GPX app or the eTrex. To be fair I quite enjoyed the route I did take. Very quiet and scenic. But I probably wouldn’t do it again. Too hilly, and my planned route would have got me across quicker.

Came back up through Barlestone and Nailstone. I reckoned the A447 would be quiet enough on a Saturday, and it was.

Back on 83.68 miles, very happy to have done 170 miles in October already.

I listened to footy coverage on 5 Live, LBC, Be Bop Deluxe’s Live in the Air Age and more of Chickenhawk.

https://www.strava.com/activities/12584176934

A dry day with light winds from the east was promised, so I planned to do the eastbound route. At least 80 miles. I woke up at about 0630 and asked my bedside Dot what the temperature was outside. Four degrees C. So I went back to sleep. I woke up again later than I hoped and didn’t set off until 1015.

I’d expected to be a bit cold even at that time, but as it turned out I overdressed. Ended up taking a couple of layers off only about an hour into the ride, and carrying them round all day in my backpack. I really must try to be more scientific in my choice of cycling apparel.

Because I assumed that the roads near Stanford might be flooded, I took the “old” route through Rempstone and Wymeswold. Picked up some spotty rain approaching Waltham – annoying, because the forecast had estimated the chance of rain at 0% all day. But I must admit I hadn’t checked the forecast for 30 miles to the east. In any case the large, dark cloud squatting over East Leicestershire like an irregular-shaped mothership was surrounded by much brighter skies all the way to the horizon in every direction, and it floated off to annoy someone else after twenty minutes.

I went as far as Colsterworth, just short of the A1. I came back the same way, except that I took Narrow Lane to Wymeswold (I nearly always do that on the way back now) and I came down through Griffydam and Coleorton rather than Thringstone and Coalville.

Saw ‘er indoors coming the other way in her white Polo near Belton! On the way to her dance class. So I gave her a friendly wave.

I listened mainly to my audiobook, which sounds much better now that I’ve AI-speech-enhanced it (it was originally a cassette recording that someone had noise-reduced a bit aggressively). Also 5 Live, and the Level 42 album Guaranteed which is poor overall it must be said, though it does have some lovely moments. And Allan Holdsworth plays on it.

Back about ten minutes before sunset. Nice day out on a bike, glad to have opened the October account with 86.11 miles. More on Saturday I hope.

As of this morning I was slightly less than 2 miles ahead of my October 3rd distance total for 2023. Pretty consistent. Anyway, 88 miles in front now (though I have no particular wish to outdo 2023).

https://www.strava.com/activities/12566449736