I was all set do do another fondo today but the forecast changed to threaten rain at 1600 and the wind was a bit strong. Conditions were overcast and a bit cool, as well. So I decided an old-fashioned Twycross Bypasser would do.
I did the version that goes through Ratcliffe Culey, Shenton and Bosworth, with a deviation through Nailstone again.
Listened to 5 Live, Pink Floyd’s Atom Heart Mother then the first couple of hours of an Alastair Reynolds novel called Revelation Space. It only just managed to maintain my attention unfortunately. But I’ll persist with it.
Back on 35.07 miles, the shortest distance I’ve done for a couple of months but good enough for an overcast Monday. The Sun did almost come out for a few minutes to be fair.
I intended to take advantage of nice weather to do a fondo, today. But I woke up early. I briefly contemplated getting up at 0730 and doing a 100-miler. Perhaps I should have. Not that much of the summer left. In any case, I went back to sleep and got up at about 0930.
A light wind was coming from the west. I decided to go south, since I hadn’t done that for a week or two. Rather than going down to Welford I took a left to the gliding club near Sibbertoft. Then I turned back.
Annoyingly, Station Road, the last stretch before the gliding club has been resurfaced recently using the loose gravel method so it was a bit rough and dusty. But it’s essentially a short cut so I went the long way back through Husbands Bosworth, adding a bit less than a mile to my ride.
Stopped at the village shop at Gilmorton. Alas, the table outside was already occupied by four elderly cyclists. Two couples (presumably) in their late 60s or possibly early 70s. So I wished them safe travels, and took my newly-acquired cornish pasty and Magnum ice cream to the bench further on in the village. Unfortunately someone had parked their motor next to it and left it idling, so I had to consume my impromptu lunch a few feet away from a noxious and noisy Mercedes engine. I reckoned the next bench was at Stoney Stanton, about seven miles further on. Didn’t want the Magnum to melt in my backpack.
I dressed in minimal clothing. The breeze was a little cool for comfort for the first hour but conditions were perfect after that.
In the end the expected sidewind turned out to be a headwind on the way out and a tailwind on the way back, an assessment I corroborated by reference to the many wind turbines dotted around the route. Handy.
I listened to 5 Live and the Pink Floyd album Ummagumma.
Rain this morning and I had a commitment at lunchtime. But the roads had dried up nicely by 1410, when I set off. I took Boardman II because I decided to decommission the chain just after lubing it yesterday, and I want to get some distance out of the lube first. Hadn’t used it for over two months, surprisingly. Too many bikes!
There was a light wind coming from the west but I decided to go east anyway, since I hadn’t been over that way for a while. I assumed the headwind wouldn’t be too annoying on the way back at less than 5mph (according to the forecast). And it wasn’t.
I did think I might do a fondo – but to give myself a bit more time for other activities this evening, I decided not to. Shouldn’t be hard to find a decent weather day when I can set off in the morning.
So I turned north then west for Wymeswold, then Rempstone from Narrow Lane. After that I thought I’d try a detour through East Leake to Sutton Bonington, but I took the wrong turn and ended up in Costock. From there, Google Maps told me my best bet was to go south to Rempstone so I ended up having done a sort of seven mile loop.
The weather seemed unseasonally cool when I set off so I wore two long-sleeved tops and tights, but (of course) I ended up too warm and removed the tights after 17 miles.
Home on 47.78 miles – 279 this month and 4007 this year. Earliest I’ve ever got to 4000 miles in any year.
I listened to LBC and Pink Floyd’s soundtrack album for the 1969 film More.
Hadn’t been out on a bike for eight days, mostly because I’ve been away for a few days. So, although it was the hottest day of the year so far, I decided to do 40 or so in the afternoon.
The wind was coming from the west so I decided to do a Bypasser. I set off at about 1535. I did a long version, up to Ashby at the top and along Fenn Lanes at the bottom. I also did the detour through Nailstone that I’ve done a few times recently. I don’t think it adds much distance but it’s a nice change if nothing else.
Unavoidably, I was too warm for the first hour or so but later in the day with the air temperature a smidge lower, conditions were just lovely in the late afternoon sun. Bliss.
Listened to a bit of 5 Live, Floyd’s Saucerful of Secrets and Thin Lizzy at the BBC which is a wonderful collection of alternative versions and rarities.
The plan for yesterday was to do Wales and back, if I got up early enough. But I got up at about 0630, a bit later than intended, so I decided to do the same route – but only as far as Cheshire. I set off at about 0720.
Cool in the morning, but I was comfortable enough in a long-sleeved top and tights.
I took a wrong turn after 47 miles. I’d uploaded the route to my eTrex but hadn’t bothered to switch it on at that point; I was pretty confident I was on the right track. Until I wasn’t. Rather than backtracking, I decided to keep going and join the usual route a few miles further along via a detour. This took me along some quiet little lanes through pretty, secluded villages called St James Green, Standon and Maer. Nice little diversion.
I entered Shropshire at about 1215 and arrived at the Cheshire border about 15 minutes later. I decided to keep going for a bit. Then 20 minutes later I decided I’d keep going right to the Welsh border. So I did. I arrived there at about 1350.
I went into Wales along Wrexham Road for a minute, then I turned for home. On the way back I decided to go through Whitchurch rather than using the bypass, and this was a much better solution. The bypass is a pretty horrible stretch of busy A road, although it was reasonably quiet yesterday (this being a Sunday). But the route through the town was quiet and quick enough.
Had a bit of a headwind on the way back and made good time. Called in at a petrol station on the outskirts of Stone to get supplies. Despite this, a few minutes later I went into Stone town centre for a coffee and a bakewell tart at Costa Coffee. Good times.
I noticed that my left cleat was loose, somewhere near Alrewas. For some reason my Shimano shoes have started to lose the ability to hold onto their cleats, or perhaps I’ve overgreased the bolts. Or something. But I had the requisite Allen key with me, so the cleat’s feeble attempt at rebellion was swiftly quashed. All good.
Made it back just before 2030, about 25 minutes before sunset. 142.65 miles. Interestingly, I registered the same moving time, to within a couple of minutes, that I did when I did (mostly) the same route in 2017.
That really was a breeze. I checked my watch at 1525 and couldn’t understand where all the time had gone. The quieter Sunday traffic and cooler, cloudy weather made all the difference. To be fair I was a little too warm in the afternoon even after I’d removed the tights, but I didn’t want to have to stuff too many extra layers into a backpack or faff around with hiding clothing in a hedge. The sun did come out after 1800 but by that time it was weak enough not to bother me.
I reverted to my original Wales route from 2017 for this ride (apart from minor modifications in Leicestershire). Last time I did Wales and back, I went westward through Eccleshall and Market Drayton after Stone. The route further to the north that I did yesterday (and originally) is much nicer.
Listened mostly to Olympics coverage. A bit of an Alan Partridge audiobook. And the Joe Henderson album Inner Urge.
Another very warm day and I didn’t fancy doing more than 40 or so. I thought I’d have a go at doing a bit of my “Dad’s Army” route again. I’ve devised a variation of it that leaves the A5 at an earlier roundabout, avoiding the monster roundabout that connects to the M42.
So I did that. Much better. Not sure why I never tried this particular route in the first place. Perhaps because it looked bit climby on a route planner? And it is, but at least it’s quiet, with nice smooth tarmac along the whole alternative stretch.
Anyway I went down past the oil terminal then turned back after about 24 miles. Came back up through Ratcliffe, Shenton, Bosworth, Odstone etc, making the whole ride a sort of Twycross Bypasser with an excursion at the south-west end.
Noticed that the pub at Ratcliffe (The Gate) has four Union flags flying.
Once again I picked up a few spots of improbable rain, despite the heat and bright sunshine, on the way back up.
I toyed with the idea of doing a fondo this afternoon and when I set off at 1410 I did think I just might do that – but after about an hour I’d decided not to. Still feeling a bit fatigued from a day out in London yesterday followed by an extended period in a hot car. And it was a hot day today, as well.
The wind was blowing from the east so I’d started the Eastbound Route, but I decided to cut north and west to Wymeswold along Narrow Lane, and to come back home along the Old Eastbound Route.
I felt a splash of water on my left hand along Melton Road. Very odd.. thought a bird must have weed on me or something (do they even do that?). Then another one on my right arm! It didn’t occur to me for a moment that it might be rain, in the baking heat and bright sunshine. But it was! Occasional spots of rain for a few minutes. Then it stopped.
I stopped to have a look at the stream that runs beside the road in Wymeswold (actually the “River Mantle”). Thought I might see some minnows. But actually the stream looks like a sort of murky green noodle stew at the moment.
I decided to take the detour through Long Whatton and Diseworth after crossing the border back into Leicestershire, just to avoid the peak hour traffic along Ashby Road. The left turn after Diseworth had a ROAD CLOSED sign and a barrier right across the road, but I ignored it. I hoisted the bike over the barrier then hoisted my leg over. Unfortunately a mile later I came to another barrier, and this time I wasn’t going to ignore it. Substantial works were taking place to the road a little further ahead and the folks in hi-vis vests and safety helmets probably wouldn’t be very accommodating. So, I did a U turn and came back a longer way past the airport, through Isley Walton and down Top Brand.
Stopped for a Magnum ice cream at the village shop at Long Whatton. Washed it down with warm water. Today was a rare opportunity to use my 1 litre bidon, I’d filled it up and I consumed nearly all of its contents.
Listened mostly to Olympics coverage on 5 Live.
Back on 47.65 miles, which gives me a total of 640 this month. Thought that would be the highest-scoring month this year but interestingly, I did more than that in May. 3728 done this year.
Didn’t want to knock myself out today as I may well do a long one on Tuesday, but since ‘er indoors turned down my offer to take her out this afternoon, I decided a Twycrosser was in order. So I did that, except that I took an excursion west to Polesworth at the bottom end.
Didn’t really know what I was doing in Polesworth. Only been through there a couple of times and it’s not very interesting. Not very flat either.
Anyway I had to consult Google Maps to escape, and I ended up coming along the A5 for a bit.
I was overtaken by a sports car along Grendon Rd a bit more closely than I’d have liked. He cut in very sharp to avoid a car coming the other way. I gave a theatrical shake of the head which clearly didn’t go unnoticed, as the driver extended his arm out of the driver’s side window to offer the universal sign language for “wanker”.
I also had an excursion along a right turn off Sibson Road called Ratcliffe House Lane. I’d passed it many times and thought “I wonder where that goes?”.
Nowhere, is the answer. It’s pleasant enough but leads to a cattle grid, then sort of peters out.
I adjusted the saddle height on the Cannondale yesterday and it’s spot on now. Applied some grippy paste to the seat post and have fastened a small plastic tie round it, 5mm above the clamp, to check for slippage. None so far. Very happy to have the Cannondale option again.
Listened to Olympics coverage on 5 Live and Caress of Steel by Rush.
38.38 miles and that’s 592 this month. I think I can get that up to 700.
Another nice day if a little windier than I prefer. Things to do this morning and this evening, but plenty of time for a Bypasser. So, that’s what I did.
Pretty much the same route as last time, except that I had a bit of an excursion toward Dordon at the south-western end. I took a left turn from Grendon Road on a whim. Didn’t think I’d been that way before but I recognised the junction at the end of a road called Dunn’s Lane, so I have. Perhaps I’ll have a look at the segment explorer function on Strava and find out when.
Once again on the way back up I took a detour to Nailstone, but I took a shorter route from there to Ibstock this time. Saw a beautiful shiny blue steam engine parked outside the pub at Carlton. Would have taken a pic, but because I’d left my usual phone on a charger at home I only had my non-smartphone Nokia with me. No camera. However, I did find a pic of it online (I searched on its name, ‘Baltasha’).
Listened to 5 Live, mostly discussion about the almost-upon-us Olympic Games from Paris.
The forecast threatened rain in the late afternoon, but I thought I’d take the Cannonale out for 40 miles or so to check the gears are set up properly after yesterday’s adjustments. I was going to do a Bypasser, but the wind was a bit stiff so I decided to keep it short and do an old-fashioned Twycrosser.
The first hour or so passed pleasantly enough, then the rain came down a few hours earlier than advertised. It mostly rained for the rest of the ride, though the last 25 minutes or so was dry. At least the wind was warm so I dried off quickly.
I didn’t do Mythe Lane / Atterton this time, I went through Ratcliffe Culey and Sibson then down to Fenny Drayton and along Fenn Lanes. Very nice to get the respite from the wind when I turned into Fenn Lanes to come back up.
The gears are set up very nicely now, thankfully. Very happy to have got the Cannondale sorted out at last. The saddle feels a little bit low – unsure whether it’s slipped or I set it up like that when I installed the carbon seat post. But I’ll hoist it up a few mm and apply some of the grippy paste I bought for the Roubaix, which seems to work nicely.
Back on 35.98 miles, 514 this month now.
Surprisingly I’ve done more miles this year now (3601) than I had by this time last year (I’d done 3565). Last year is my record distance year. But I have no particular wish to break the record.
