Bike Diary

Rain was forecast for the afternoon but it was a lovely morning, so – clothed once again in minimal cycling gear – I set off at about 1000, with the intention of doing about 35.

I was going to do about 17 miles of the usual eastbound route then come back the same way, but before I got to the junction at Zouch I took a left through Long Whatton, toward Diseworth. I had the idea of going into Loughborough, which I haven’t done for a long time.

Before long though I realised I was actually going in the opposite direction of Loughborough, but I decided to keep going, just in the spirit of maintaining momentum.

At Diseworth I took a right turn I hadn’t taken before, signposted to the airport. Nice little road, nothing special and less than a mile later I was on the A453, running south of the airport. I’d only done 13 miles by this time so I was struggling to think what to do to make up the miles I wanted. I probably should just have kept on going rather than take the left near Zouch.

I took the road down past Breedon, then went north toward Melbourne, then took the road to Ticknall from there – which I haven’t done for at least a year. I chickened out of Bastard Hill and came home via Hartshorne, Woodville, Ashby.

Really a lovely ride over the first half. I spoiled it over the second half by giving myself too much hill climbing to do.

I listened to The Who’s Who’s Next.

Back on 37.04. I didn’t get rained on and in fact hours after I returned home, still no sign of rain. Just warm sunshine. Annoying, as if I’d know I’d have done a fondo. But at the moment next weekend looks clear.

https://www.strava.com/activities/11393253252

Another warm, sunny day. I left work shamelessly early with the intention of doing about 45 miles. A light wind was blowing from the south again but I’ve done the southbound a few times in the last week or two so I wanted to do something a bit different.

I devised a route that would go south down the “old” southbound route through Desford, but cut across to the “new” southbound route before Enderby. It looked easy enough on the map but (of course) I cocked it up and ended up on Coventry Road, a very busy road that sprouts south-westward out of Leicester. I have been on it before but the Friday afternoon traffic made it a bit hairy. So I took an opportunistic left.

Quite a nice stretch of road after that, nice to do something new. The bit of road I did before arriving on Coventry Road was quite pleasant as well. Always good to do new roads for a change. I stopped for a sandwich and a Bounty bar at a village shop at Huncote. Hadn’t been there before.

Eventually I found myself at a place called Cosby where I took the pic. Saw a sign to Broughton Astley from there. From Broughton I came back pretty much the usual way, except that I attempted to hit the Earl Shilton bypass, took a wrong turn and ended up looping back on myself.

I really must learn to make better use of the eTrex. Too idle to upload the routes, that’s the trouble.

Lovely out there and I dressed appropriately this time, minimal clothing. Listened mostly to 5 Live.

About two years ago I bought a cheap Chinese wireless “bike computer” off Amazon and I got round to fitting it to the Boardman today. The idea, if I remember correctly, was that for short rides I’d be able to use my phone to record the ride directly via the Strava app. I calibrated the computer using notes I’d made last time I fitted a speedo to similar-sized wheels and seem to have got it spot on. 49.32 acording to the Garmin watch, 49.3 according to the speedo (it only does one decimal place).

https://www.strava.com/activities/11379644436

With a beautiful day forecast and plenty of rain on the way later in the month, I decided I’d take the afternoon off work and do a longish ride.

I set off at about 1110. My vague plan was to go down to Welford and possibly a bit further south, but by the time I got to Stoney Stanton I decided I’d go down Fosse Way instead. So I did. I kept on keepin’ on right down to Princethorpe, which is further than I usually go down that way. Then I bought a sandwich and a Magnum ice cream at a petrol station there, and turned back.

I intended to come back the same way but I took a wrong turn at High Cross somehow. But I found my way to Broughton Astley, which is on my usual Welford route, and came back (mostly) the usual way from there.

I trialled a detour that goes round the hill at Earl Shilton while avoiding the little cycle path that goes down from Thurlaston Lane. It involves a couple of miles of fast road, but it was quiet.

Listened to LBC, Talk Radio and 5 Live. Plenty of people talking nonsense from both sides of the political divide, bloody irritating. I also listened to Jerry Paper’s Like a Baby.

I had a shocking case of hot foot on the Earl Shilton bypass, in both feet. A couple of miles from Kirkby Mallory, I stopped to sit in the shade of a tree. I took off my shoes and socks and cooled my feet in the grass. I gave them a bit of a massage before putting the shoes and socks back on and they were fine after that.

Back on 76.52 miles and I should have done more really. But I’d cooked myself slightly by overdressing (I’m always too cautious at this time of year). Also, I’m on call for the penultimate time. Furthermore, Fosse Way is a bit hilly and I couldn’t think of anywhere particularly interesting to go after Princethorpe. But at least I’ve topped up my tanlines.

https://www.strava.com/activities/11362889865

That’s 2039 done this year now. 190 done this month, and hopefully I can get another 250 or so in before July.

I hadn’t planned to go cycling today because the forecast for the afternoon was for rain. But when I checked again at lunchtime, the threat of precipitation had been withdrawn.

Ironically, my first thought was disappointment. Because despite all my complaining about rainy weather this last few months, I’d planned to spend an idle bank holiday indoors. But clearly, having bemoaned the absence of suitable cycling conditions so many times, the only decent thing to do was to go out and ride a bike.

I thought I’d do at least 40 miles. A light wind was coming from the east. I did the eastbound route as far as Narrow Lane, then I came back a different way through Wymeswold and Rempstone, then Diseworth. I took a bit of a detour into East Leake as well, hoping to navigate from there to Sutton Bonington, but I missed a turn and was back on the usual road back from Rempstone within a couple of miles.

I listened to LBC. Then a Donny Hathaway compilation. Then The Who’s Tommy.

It was actually warm and sunny out there. I forgot to bring a bidon out of the house with me, but I bought a bottle of Lucozade at the petrol station at Burton on the Wolds.

Back on 44.10, glad to have got the May tally up to 113 already.

https://www.strava.com/activities/11346594858

In 2020 I rode to historic Worcestershire and back, via a route which I’ve come to know as the “Dad’s Army route” – simply because during the ride, I kept myself entertained by listening to radio adaptations of the BBC TV sitcom of the same name.

I’ve been meaning to do it again for a long time. I’ve been part-way down there quite a few times; the deterrent to doing the whole thing really is having to do a couple of miles of the A5.

So I thought I’d do it again today. The basic idea was to do a Twycross Bypasser, with the Dad’s Army route as a there-and-back extension to the south-east.

After the first 15 miles or so I began to notice that my left cleat wasn’t engaging properly with the pedal. It felt sloppy. So just before the A5, I stopped to check it. One bolt was missing and the other two were loose. Exactly the same thing that had happened to the right cleat a few weeks ago. I guess I didn’t tighten the bolts down hard enough, or perhaps I over-greased them. Fortunately this time I had an Allen key on me and was able to secure the cleat adequately by tightening the two remaining bolts.

Well – the A5 episode wasn’t too bad. Not too busy. I was pedalling through Kingsbury another three miles later. The route looks pretty direct easy on a map so I tried to memorise it rather than uploading it to a phone or an eTrex. So I just kept going. I passed a garage called Kingsbury Service Station. Weirdly, about twelve minutes later I passed another place called Kingsbury Service Station. It looked identical to the first one. Because it was. I’d somehow managed to loop round on myself.

So I took a different turn at the next roundabout this time. By now I was pretty sure I wasn’t on the route I intended, so I gave up on that and decided just to follow my nose and explore. I took a road called Coventry Road and kept going for another ten miles or so. This was quite a nice stretch of B road apart from being a bit hilly, and not having any petrol stations or shops. I’d only brought two sausage rolls with me and I’d already eaten both of them.

I stopped when I hit the outskirts of Coventry, and turned back. Two miles later I decided to take a right turn signposted to Nuneaton, rather than go back the same way. Just to do another stretch of hitherto-undiscovered road. Again this was really nice, until I hit Nuneaton. I hoped I wouldn’t have to go right into the centre and I didn’t, but the bit I did go through was pretty urban and partly a bit grim. I passed a few convenience shops but didn’t particularly feel like leaving the bike outside any of them. I did stop and buy some food at a petrol station a bit further out. Then I followed a sign to Fenny Drayton which is at the south-west extremity of Fenn Lanes, part of my regular cycling territory. I took a left along Atterton Lane and up to Sheepy, then came back from there as if doing the second half of a Bypasser, up through Bilstone, Newton Burgoland and Swepstone.

Quite an enjoyable ride overall. Nice to do quite a bit of new territory. I don’t often venture the other side of the A5. Very nice sunny weather and I had to declothe after the first few miles; more than warm enough for bare legs.

One minor irritation apart from losing a cleat bolt was that my right contact lens was a bit uncomfortable, and I managed to lose it under my eyelid while rubbing my eye, about half-way through the ride. It’s still up there, it’ll work itself out in a couple of days.

Listened to the last couple of hours of the Reacher novel, then footy on 5 Live. Back on 68.77 miles.

https://www.strava.com/activities/11331285002

I booked today off work on Friday, after seeing a favourable weather forecast. In fact the forecast changed over the weekend with a likelihood of showers in the afternoon, but I intended to go south where I’d most likely avoid them.

The idea was to do either a fondo or a 100 miler, depending on the time I got up. And I got up at about 0715, so 100 miles it was! I thought I’d go down to Northampton and back. I set off at about 0805.

I had a change of plan after 36 miles and took a left to Naseby. I’ve been to Northampton a couple of times in recent months so I thought I’d give it a miss and do something different.

I’d been to Naseby before but this time I kept going, through places called Haselbech and Maidwell. About half a mile after Maidwell I found myself at the top of a long steep descent that I didn’t fancy coming back up, so I turned back. I’d only done 43 miles so I’d have to improvise a bit on the way back. I did. I took a turn to a place called Cold Ashby and just followed my nose. Really, really nice cycling territory over the next ten miles or so through places called Stanford on Avon and Swinford. I rejoined the usual route at North Kilworth (after a bit of reassurance from Google Maps), but still needed to make up some distance. I went exploring again, through Ashby Parva and Frolesworth – basically a detour around Broughton Astley.

I was still a couple of miles short though (having distance landmarks memorised is handy for gauging this) so after Kirkby Mallory, I kept on to Cadeby, then Bosworth then back the usual way from there, or one of them. Made up the last bit of distance by coming back a long way through the village.

Terrific day out on the bike. Had two very pleasant stops at the village shop at Gilmorton. Nice weather, no showers. Very mild. And I listened to another few hours of the Reacher novel.

Back on 100.42 miles and that’s a pleasing 479 done this month. Would have got the total over 400 even if I hadn’t taken the day off, which is nice to know.

1850 done this year and 45,011 since January 2015.

https://www.strava.com/activities/11292403905

The forecast was for showers but I really want to get to 400 miles this month if I can, so I decided to put up with it and do 30-odd miles after work. The wind was coming from the east so I headed over that way. Thought I’d probably do Rempstone or Wymeswold and back. After Zouch though I had the idea of taking a left off the main route, to try to loop back round to Sutton Bonington.

I did this a few weeks ago but this time I took the left a bit later (through East Leake rather than West Leake). Followed a sign to Gotham, after a while I didn’t have a good feel for where I was so I cheated and had a look at Google Maps. This suggested a nice easy way to Sutton Bonington through New Kingston and Kingston on Soar. So I did that.

Good to explore new roads. Quite liked the stretch between Gotham and Kingston. I’ll make a note to go that way again.

Came back the longer way through Peggs Green and Coleorton. Listened to another couple of hours of the Reacher novel. Best one for quite a while. Familiar plot ideas, but nicely put together. I didn’t get rained on at all.

Back on 34.85 miles and that’s 379 this month, coincidentally the precise target for April. But I’d still like to end up with more than 400. At the moment Monday looks like a nice day and I’ve booked the day off work.

https://www.strava.com/activities/11269907774

A sunny, dry day but cool, with the wind coming from the north. So as soon as I could get out of work, I decided to go up toward Derby. I went up Top Brand, up through Castle Donington, west across Cavendish Bridge, through Shardlow, up to Borrowash and west again towards Derby. I stopped when I got to Spondon and picked up some food at a petrol station – which was very welcome as I’d brought none with me. I couldn’t find anything suitable in the fridge before I set off, must go to Tesco tomorrow.

I came back the same way until the turn for Aston. I’d intended to come back down via Swarkestone and Melbourne, but ridiculously, and I think I’ve done this before, I missed the turn for Weston and just looped back onto the main road at Shardlow. So I came back pretty much exactly the same way and ended up doing 41.47 miles rather than the 37 or so I was aiming for. But that puts me within two easy rides or a fondo of 400 this month. Unfortunately there’s rain in the forecast every day until May 6th, after tomorrow. I’m starting to take it personally.

Nice to come back that way in bright sunlight, the last time I did that ride or a close variation of it it was properly dark on the way back, at about the same time of day.

Listened to 5 Live and another hour or two of the Reacher novel. Unfolding nicely.

There’s an inviting little coffee shop along Shardlow Road now; unfortunately it’s always closed by the time I pedal past it after work. Makes me think that it would be nice not to have to work every day, so I could set off a bit earlier.

Nice out there, I overclothed and was a bit too warm.

https://www.strava.com/activities/11249488411

A beautiful dry day, and we haven’t had many of those this year. Since I got up earlier than I expected I thought I’d do Buckminster and back, about 80 miles.

I went the “old” way through Rempstone since it’s a bit shorter and I wanted to make sure I arrived at Buckminster’s village shop before it closed at 1300. I got there at 1235, good timing. Had a bit of a feast on the bench outside – a cheese & onion slice, a packet of crisps and a Magnum ice-cream lolly.

On the way back just to make it more interesting I took a right turn at the crossroads at Waltham – to give myself an orienteering task. But I very soon found myself back on the usual path. Basically a three mile detour, partly consisting of a single-track lane.

Came back along Narrow Lane and through Wymeswold (where I took the pic) and Hoton on the way back, for a change. I have quite a few variations of the eastbound route now.  Noticed a number of tiny fish in the stream (the River Mantle apparently) at Wymeswold. Minnows?

Listened to the first couple of hours of the next Reacher novel, Worth Dying For. Very good so far, classic Reacher. Flowing along nicely and so far not tripping over its own plot, as they sometimes tend to do. Reuses plot elements from Killing Floor and Echo Burning. Then I listened to football, including a highly entertaining FA Cup competition between Man United and Coventry at Wembley. As I was putting the bike away in the garage Coventry scored what I thought was a consolation goal to make it 3-1 to United, but later I discovered they’d pulled it back to 3-3!

Conditions seemed warmer than the advertised 11C in the afternoon. Mostly sunny, as well. I took off my overtrousers with about 13 miles to go. I was definitely too hot with about 4 to go but didn’t bother to stop and part-unclothe.

Back on 80.69. Very enjoyable run out.

https://www.strava.com/activities/11233367980

The forecast was for showers in the late afternoon but since it’s been such a thin cycling month due to the weather, I thought I’d just take the Tricross and accept the conditions. Actually the weather was rather nice when I set off, sunny and mild.

A couple of miles after setting off I noticed that I had a lot more lateral movement in my right shoe than I ought to. I tried to remove the shoe from the pedal, but couldn’t! The cleat was securely attached to the pedal, but clearly it wasn’t properly attached to the shoe. It wasn’t actually giving me any trouble though so I pressed on, hoping I wouldn’t need to release my right foot until I had a chance to stop and have a better look, which I did near Twycross.

The front cleat bolt was missing altogether and the two rear bolts were loose. I probably had an Allen key in the saddle bag though. Did I? I still don’t know, the zipper was corroded onto the zip and wouldn’t budge.

So: I decided my best bet was to remove the cleat (it was easy enough to unscrew the bolts with my fingers) so I wouldn’t lose it – and attempt to operate the right pedal like a conventional bike pedal. A mistake, probably. I’d been doing fine with the cleat loosely attached apart from the fear of not being able to unfasten my right foot. But without the cleat, my foot kept slipping off the pedal. It was just about workable though so I kept going but cut across via Little Twycross and Bilstone to keep it short.

Half an hour later, the rain came down. I’d expected showers, but this was 15 minutes of persistent cold rain. Naturally this made the right cycling shoe even more slippery on the pedal.

Only 23.53 miles, but I wouldn’t have gone out at all if I’d know it was going to rain like that. I’ve done 222 this month which I suppose is acceptable. And 1592 this year. This time last year I’d done 1800. Actually I’ve just noticed that I did a 120 mile ride a year ago today. It was the day I got two punctures near Bourne, a lovely warm day. How can that be a year ago already?

https://www.strava.com/activities/11204052764