Category: Uncategorised

I needed to do about 33.5 miles today, to reach the 10,000km (6214 miles) finish line that is my most recent, and final yearly goal for 2020. I’ve moved the goalposts a few times having originally just wanted to match my 2019 total (4305 miles).

Earlier in the week the weather forecast predicted light showers for early this morning, then no rain for the rest of the day. By this morning though, the light showers were expected around midday instead. But I exercised unusual diligence and checked the weather to the north, and to the south – and it turned out that to the south, no rain was expected Furthermore a moderate wind was coming from the south – so I thought I’d head in that direction to avoid the rain, then come back up once it had passed over.

I didn’t have a clear route in mind. I mostly made it up as I went along, but I came up with a pretty coherent sort of highly extended reverse Twycrosser. Not too enjoyable heading south for the first part of the ride but very enjoyable in the sunshine with a tailwind, coming back up.

I stopped to take this pic shortly after hitting my 10,000km target, not far from Snarestone:

I didn’t get rained on.

Back on 43.59 miles. 338 this month, 6224 this year.

https://www.strava.com/activities/4491758702

I wanted to do at least 40 after work, really – to get the remaining distance to target down under 30 miles, because opportunities for cycling at the weekend are likely to be time-limited by scheduled work and the weather.

On call again so I couldn’t stray too far from base, yet again. It was a little bit dank out there, and annoyingly windy. The roads were wet. Consequently my heart wasn’t really in it, but I set off at about 15:40 regardless, on the Tricross.

I went up along Top Brand to Isley Walton, skirting the airport at the southern end then east through Diseworth and Long Whatton, coming back down through Thringstone and Belton. The original plan had been to go right down to Kirkby Mallory and maybe west along Fenn Lanes then back up through Twycross and Snarestone, but I didn’t. I decided to come back up home after Bagworth, via Wood Rd, Battram and Ibstock.

I did start enjoying myself a bit over the last five miles or so but by that time I was already determined to come home.

I wore my Tesco joggers with the cycling pants over them, as a sort of cosmetic exterior cladding. Seemed very effective.

Noticed powerful searchlight beams tracing the night sky, as if searching for Heinkel bombers, a few miles to my east as I came up from Ibstock. No idea what that’s about.

Back on 35.60 miles. 6180 done this year, 295 this month. 34 to go, though I expect I’ll do another 100 or so before 2021.

https://www.strava.com/activities/4484569273

A rain-free day, not too cold. I took the afternoon off to do the December Fondo. A moderate wind was blowing from the south, which made the choice of route difficult – the usual eastbound and westbound routes both involve coming south-ish over the last few miles, and I didn’t fancy a headwind after 50-odd.

So I did the usual southbound route, all the way down to Welford. The wind wasn’t too annoying on the way down although that route actually goes more south-east than directly south, so it wasn’t a full-on headwind.

Took this pic at Welford:

then I pedalled a few hundred metres into the village and turned back for home.

As I left the village I noticed that the Wharf Inn pub had a sign outside saying “CLOSED – see border sign across the road”. Apart from Welford Marina, it is the only part of the village currently in Tier 3, and literally opposite a “Welcome to Leicestershire” sign. Very unfortunate for the proprietors of that place, because I would guess that the majority of their clientele are from Welford on the other side of the border in Tier 2, presently able to eat Scotch Eggs and drink to their heart’s content in Welford’s other pub.

But you’ve got to draw the line somewhere.

I fuelled up at Gilmorton Village Store on the way back. A couple of sandwiches, a chocolate orange bar, a bag of crisps and insipid coffee, all consumed on the bench on the other side of the road. By the time I’d finished, it was dark and a bit colder. But I wasn’t uncomfortable.

Encouraged by the success of my Tesco joggers, I bought some proper cycling pants and wore them over my tights. Much lighter material, and more water-resistant I’m sure. But not actually quite as warm. Also, they have zip side pockets that aren’t much more than the zips – I couldn’t even fit a debit card in there. Just for show I assume. Weird.

I made the mistake of coming back through Donington le Heath a few miles from home. I always forget how wet the roads can be along there. Having done my best to avoid puddles the whole ride, I managed to fling up obscene quantities of muddy water on the downhill part, and ended up having to wipe and GT85 the bike back at the garage.

Very nice run out though. Nice to go down that way again, hadn’t done it since October.

I listened to Talk Sport and 5 Live. Saddened to hear of the death of Gerard Houllier, and disconcerted to hear Matt Hancock refer to a new variant of the virus at the press briefing. Quite nice that we won’t see Beth Rigby at one of those again, though.

Back on 65.52 miles, and that’s 259 done this month – not bad for half a December – and 69 to do.

https://www.strava.com/activities/4472516483

Horrible dank, damp morning and I didn’t think I’d get a run out today, but conditions improved in the afternoon. I set off on the Tricross at about 2pm.

A moderate wind was blowing from the west, so I thought another run up to Melbourne then out west was in order. Pretty much the same as last time, except that I came back through Coleorton (I was pretty sure I’d be back before the roadworks closed off the junction at the bottom of Coleorton; I think that starts at 8pm). I took a left along Station Road through Hatton toward Tutbury and turned back at the roundabout there, something else I didn’t do last time.

I’d checked the weather forecast for Derby as well as for home for a change, and noticed that no rain was predicted there. I hoped therefore that the roads might be less wet as I headed north, and sure enough they did dry up nicely as I approached Melbourne. Dark by the time I was coming back through Willington again, but of course I had good lights.

I listened to 6 Music mostly. Gilles Peterson played some really good stuff today, I must say. I’ve lost interest in the Bond audiobook. I enjoyed the first part in which he gains his 00 status by slaughtering a Norwegian wartime double agent in his bed, then is introduced to his new desk, his secretary and Moneypenny. But I lost interest in his first mission proper.

Quite a pleasant run out overall, though the stretch coming back from Melbourne is becoming a bit of a grind.I suppose I’ve done it a bit too often recently.

Pleased that the front tyre is maintaining its pressure nicely. Reseating the Presta valve with a bit of grease and a pair of pliers did the trick.

45.53 and that leaves me with 135 to do this month.

https://www.strava.com/activities/4463995919

I had a couple of beers and turned in late, last night. I didn’t really fancy propelling myself around on a bike after work but it was a dry afternoon, and there aren’t a lot of those in the forecast at the moment.

I decided that I needed to do 41 miles, because I’d calculated that the remaining distance requirement could be fulfilled by four 41 mile rides and a Fondo. The wind was blowing from the west, though not powerfully. So I headed up to Melbourne through Coleorton, up over Swarkestone and hung a left to take the long, flat A road that runs along the water. I really like cruising along that road for miles without having to push up hills. The only catch is that there’s no sensible way to get there that doesn’t involve a fair bit of climbing, either near Ticknall or Melbourne.

Anyway – I did 21.12 miles and decided to turn back. I wasn’t too cold. I had to wait  at the level crossing near Hilton both ways, but I didn’t mind. I quite like watching the trains go past.

I ate a large bowl of porridge before setting off – it seems to keep me going very nicely, especially in cold weather – and I didn’t bother with the snacks I’d brought with me. Then when I got back to the garage, I noticed that the second bottle cage was empty. I assumed my pod containing a pork pie, a cheese roll and two boiled sweets must have rattled out. Then I noticed it on the bonnet of my car, which I use as a sort of bike stand and equipment table. Apparently I’d left it there when I set off.

Anyway – 42.40 miles which means I’ve done 6034 this year and 148 this month. 180 to go.

The forecast is for rain on Saturday but only in the morning. I might do the December Fondo in the afternoon.

https://www.strava.com/activities/4451952112

It certainly was cold out there when I mounted the Boardman at about 5pm, but to make matters slightly worse, the forecast had added mist and fog to the mix. But I’d wrapped up warm so I thought I’d see how far I’d get.

I set off on a Twycrosser, but detoured Heather Lane by going down to Ibstock. Sharp right from there to Heather and from there, the standard route down to Twycross. I went all the way down to Pinwall and Ratcliffe, which I haven’t done for a while.

I was quite pleased to find that my tactic of wearing humble Tesco joggers over my cycling tights was definitely helping to keep me warm. Also quite pleased that the fog and mist were very light. Enough to catch the beam of the front light, but not enough to hamper visibility or make my clothes damp.

Up the A444 from Sibson as usual and I was thinking of taking in Gibbet Lane but on a whim, I decided to take a left to take me back to Sheepy. From there I did my ride to Sheepy in reverse. Back through Ibstock again, though I took Pisca Lane instead of Mill Lane.

Really enjoyed that one. Feels like a bit of an achievement to do 33.42 miles at 1 degree C in the dark.

Perhaps I’ll do a wholly post-sunset Fondo before long. Lord knows the sun sets early enough at the moment.

I listened to Drive then the Monday Night Club on 5 Live. Always enjoy Chris Sutton’s contributions. And I was decently entertained until the inevitable, inevitably one-sided discussion about BLM, which would have made my blood boil if I hadn’t been so cold.

106 done this month. 5991 this year.

https://www.strava.com/activities/4443219143

Better than expected weather, when I checked the forecast this morning. The threat of rain had been removed. Temperatures were forecast to be no higher than 4C though, so I didn’t expect to be able to do more than 30-odd.

I wrapped up warm, of course. I’ve given up on the nylon overtrousers I bought from Amazon. Instead I’ve bought some common-or-garden jogging pants from Tesco and I put those on over my cycling tights. I secured the ankle ends with elasticated velcro bands (thinking these would be more secure than cycling clips) and put my neoprene overshoes on over them. They were a little bit restricting, but I do think they helped to keep my legs warm. Success.

Left the garage on the Tricross at about midday. I couldn’t even remember the wind direction from the forecast, so I just decided to follow my nose. My nose went up through Coleorton, up Top Brand, across to Long Whatton then back down through Belton and Coalville. By this time it was obvious that I wasn’t going to be too cold. I was quite comfortable. So from there I went west and did a Twycrosser. I was on call, so yet again taking care not to stay too far from base. And I did get a call actually, but fortunately I was able to palm it off onto our network team.

My employers have provided me with a new phone, and I used it to take this sunset pic near Barton in the Beans. I’m guessing I need to spend a bit of time with the settings, because the foreground was in focus instead of the line of trees in the distance that I was pointing at. Also it displayed a message saying “stand within 1.5 metres of subject”. I guess it must have been in some sort of portrait mode.

Rain started to come down a few miles from home, as I approached Heather. I came back through Ibstock and was pedalling uphill along a road that had become a shallow stream along Station Road. And yet the roads were dry two miles further north, when I returned home. It hadn’t rained here so I suppose the weather forecast, in that respect, was not wrong.

Saw a few pheasants while I was out, including two being carried by the neck, post-mortem, by a cheery group of people in Barbour jackets and flat caps carrying shotguns at Diseworth. They waved pleasantly as I passed, no doubt in good spirits following a successful shooting trip. I returned the favour. I used to disapprove of people killing things for sport, but in this case – where’s the harm, really? They don’t die for nothing. They leave this world quickly and they get eaten, so their fate is no worse than that of any frozen chicken you’d find at Tesco.

I tried a new LED front blinker, which I bought to save me migrating the one off the Boardman when I use the Tricross. It’s rechargeable. It switched itself off without human intervention near Carlton. I switched it back on and it was fine for the rest of the ride. But it came with a matching rear (red) light, and I’d be concerned about that one switching itself off, because I probably wouldn’t notice.

Back on 45.93 miles, which takes me to a pleasing 72 this month. A decent knock for 5 days in, considering how poor the weather has been this last week. I only need to do another 256, so I’m ahead of the game. I think should be able to do that before Christmas.

Despite the rain, a nice run out and I’m pleased to have taken a decent bite out of the December distance requirement.

https://www.strava.com/activities/4434097259

Wanted to do about 40 after work ideally, to take a decent-sized bite out of the remaining distance to my target of 6214 miles. Cold out there, but dry.

Having been quite pleased with the insulating effect afforded by my hiking trousers when I tried them as cycling overtrousers last week, I bought some nylon overtrousers from Amazon and I trialled them today. I bought them in size L because I have a 34″ inside leg. But they proved far too cumbersome while riding, so I was back at the garage to take them off within a mile.

After that I headed up through Coleorton and Belton with no particular plan except to roam Parts North for a bit, then Parts South, then home. I turned left at Long Whatton to skirt the southern end of East Midlands Airport then headed back homeward. Amazingly – on a route I’ve done dozens of times in a car as well as a bike – I took the wrong turn at the roundabout at the top of Top Brand. I only realised what I’d done 5 minutes later, so I kept on to Belton. I’d pretty much decided to settle for 25 miles or so by this time. Too cold. My fingers and toes were suffering a bit.

So I came back home through Thringstone and Coalville. Ended up with 26.37 miles, a half-decent start to the December campaign.

Had a beautiful view of a huge full moon, low above the horizon directly in front of me going north-east toward Belton.

I listened to 5 Live for coverage of the vote over the COVID restrictions at Westminster, but they’d decided to make race politics the theme of their show again, with boatloads of one-sided opinion from ethnic minority guests about supposed institutional racism in the Police Force. As a white person with no sense of shame or guilt about my skin colour I guess I’ll have to accept that the Black Broadcasting Corporation just isn’t aimed at me.

Anyway. That’s 5912 miles done this year, and I’m within a couple of rides of 6,000 miles. 302 to do, which doesn’t seem like a big ask for the rest of December.

https://www.strava.com/activities/4417420720

I felt miserable today. Not sure why really, just a black mood. I’m a person with quite a lot of interests, but I couldn’t really summon up the necessary motivation for any of them.

So I decided that despite the damp gloom, I should get out of the house for a bit on a bike. I set off on the Twycross at 12:35.

Noticed that the front tyre was slightly soft. Something to do with the valve coming right out when I unscrewed the cap on Tuesday. Perhaps I’ll grease the threads and reseat it, but for today I settled for pumping it up to pressure before I set off.

The roads were wet, it was slightly foggy and it was cold. But at least it wasn’t windy, which gave me the luxury of heading off in whatever direction I fancied. I was going to go up to Belton and east from there, but by the time I was in Coalville I’d decided to go down to Kirkby Mallory instead. So I kept on going all the way to Bardon and approached Ellistown from there. Hadn’t done that before.

The usual way down to Kirkby, through Bagworth and Newbold Verdon. From Kirkby I went west to Sutton, and from there I performed a Reverse Twycrosser, along Fenn Lanes.

Listened to Footy on 5 Live. United allowed Southampton to dominate them in the first half and conceded two goals, but as I expected they turned it around in the second half, easily overcoming the South Coast side. More interesting was the news that Celtic were getting beaten by Ross County in a cup competition. I wouldn’t think Neil Lennon will last much longer in that job.

Conditions brightened up a bit along Fenn Lanes, but by sunset the clag had descended again. Despite iffy conditions, quite an enjoyable run out in the end. 39.73 miles, leaving me with 328 to do.

531 this month so far and that’s a personal November record, surpassing November 2017’s tally, 524.

https://www.strava.com/activities/4409228429

A day off work today. Just using up my remaining annual leave entitlement but I did my best to choose a dry day, and the weather forecast was as good as its word.

I woke up early and might will have got up and set off before 07:30, except for the thought that I’d be too cold. I only wanted to do 40 or 50. Better to wait an hour or two for warmer conditions.

So I fell asleep again. I dreamed of a villa in Spain from which I had a spectacular view of the Post Office Tower, only a few hundred metres away. I ended up setting off at about 10:45.

A light wind was blowing from the west so I decided I’d head over to Isley Walton then take the sharp left to Melbs, up over Swosser Bridge and cruise west along the A road. However I was confronted by a ROAD CLOSED sign at the left turn, so I continued on to Castle Donington, took a left at the A50 roundabout and approached Swarkestone via Shardlow, Aston and Weston instead.

I actually took the wrong left turn at the A50 roundabout briefly, and found myself on course for joining the A50. Fortunately I was able to backtrack safely the wrong way up the slip road. I’d only come down it a few metres.

Got as far as a queue of traffic for a level crossing east of Hilton – and decided that I’d come far enough, so I abandoned the queue and turned back.

I wasn’t going to pedal all the way back to Donington, so I came back the quick way from Melbourne, despite having hoped to avoid the grind of a hill coming south out of there. I haven’t yet thought of a derogatory name for it, like Bastard Hill a few miles to the west of there. Maybe Scumbag Slope. Or Rotten Rise.

Back shortly after sunset, which today occurred at 15:58, on 51.63 miles.

I had a cinnamon bun for breakfast and interestingly, I didn’t feel like eating during the whole ride. I had to force myself to eat a cheese and onion pasty after about 35 miles.

I started a new audiobook – Anthony Horowitz’s Forever And A Day, which is a James Bond ‘reboot’ set in 1950. In the first Fleming novel Casino Royale, which I read many years ago, Bond briefly refers to his first two kills, the second being a Nazi double agent whom he killed with a knife, and which earns him his ’00’ status. In the first couple of chapters of this one we accompany James on this mission, and it’s pretty cold-blooded, brutal stuff. Something of a moral question mark as well – as far as I can tell M sends him to do this as an execution for war crimes, rather than for any useful practical purpose in the present day.

In Casino Royale I got the impression that this was supposed to have taken place during the war but here it takes place in 1950, just before James embarks on his first mission as 007. The excuse for this is that the final damning evidence takes a few years to come to light.

It’s really well done, I must say – the detail and the period atmosphere evoke the Fleming novels very nicely.

I listened to the first few chapters of that then decided to put my DAB radio on. Not sure what to listen to at that time of the afternoon, really. 5 Live now has an obsession with race politics and I didn’t feel a need to flagellate myself with white guilt, so I put 6 Music on. Shaun Keaveny. A smug and amateurish broadcaster who imagines himself to be considerably more amusing than he actually is, but I decided to put up with his witless Northern monotone for the sake of the music. The first record I heard him play referred to “male, white corporate oppression” and ten minutes later he was playing a tune called B***K (asterisks not mine, I’m happy to type “black”), all about how we whiteys “fear the power” of black people.

Shaun reinforced this drivel with a brief and no doubt deeply-held personal message himself, once it had mercifully concluded.

I’m so sick of it now. I can only assume there’s a cabal of ethnic minority managers at the BBC with chips on their shoulders, no doubt propelled there by positive discrimination rather than any conspicuous ability or talent, intent on lecturing white people endlessly about their skin colour crime. I ended up listening to Talk Sport.

Oh well! I’m not going to pay another licence fee penny in this lifetime.

Anyway – 491 done this month now. I think I’ll probably do one more ride this month, on Sunday. After that I’ll only have about 330 miles to do in December to hit my target of 10,000km.

https://www.strava.com/activities/4393735188