A dry day today, the first for a while, with a light wind coming from the south. I’d hoped to be away by 0900 or so, but slept in until 0945. I set off, eventually, at 1040. Still plenty of time for a fondo.
I did the southbound route, once again taking a detour past the gliding club over the last few miles. Nice out there on the whole. Intermittently sunny. Warmer after the first couple of hours.
There were reports on the news this morning of flooding near Derby and Leicester, but I didn’t see anything worse than deep puddles.
Didn’t see any gliders taking off or landing either, just a few parked on the grass,
Listened to another couple of hours of the Reacher novel, and the Kiss album Music from The Elder. Nice few hours out on a bike.
I woke up early this morning which is not unusual, but instead of dozing and going back to sleep as usual I let my mind wander, and I was wide awake by 0630. So I got up and started work there and then. Very handy having a two minute commute.
That meant I was able to leave work early of course, but instead of having an afternoon nap, I decided I’d do a fondo. A light wind was coming from the east and the conditions were nice and dry, if a bit cold. So I did the usual eastbound route, except that I experimented a bit with a detour near Burton on the Wolds.
I only wanted to do the regulation 62.14 miles and my detour threw my mental arithmetic out a bit, but I made up the distance with a bit of faffing around over the last couple of miles.
Listened to LBC, Dynasty by Kiss and more of the Reacher novel. Nice out there, quite bright. Back about an hour after sunset, but I had lights.
I was going to do a fondo today, so I was a little dismayed to find this morning that the forecast had changed to threaten rain in the afternoon. But I decided I’d just suck it up.
It was cold. I had to put a few layers on.
The wind was coming from the north-west so I decided on the Upper Westbound route – up through Coleorton, over Swarkestone Bridge and west along the A road. I’d done 24 miles when I hit a snag, in the form of a flood along Leathersley Lane. Judging by the road vehicles that were ploughing through it, it was at least seven inches deep and the complete width of the road. So – I turned back.
When I came to the main road again (Uttoxeter Road) I turned left to go west, in the hope that I’d be able to loop round the flood from the north. But I ended up in the same place, right in front of it again. When I got to Uttoxter Road again I turned westward again, but this time went as far as Foston, then turned back. Foston is a bit of a dead end unless you want to go on the A50. So I turned for home.
I only had a few miles to make up by this time. I did a brief excursion to Etwall, and a detour into Coalville on the way back. I stopped for a sausage roll and a Fry’s Chocolate Cream at the petrol station near Hatton.
I listened to a range of opinions on the Israel / Palestine conflict on LBC, some more of the Reacher novel (Gone Tomorrow) and the Kiss album Love Gun.
The threatened rain didn’t materialise until a minute after I’d put the bike back in the garage. Nice timing. Actually it was mostly sunny in the afternoon.
As an experiment I used the phone to track the ride. Even after more than 60 miles of tracking and a couple of hours of audiobook playback, I still had 75% battery power when I got back. I used my old Soleus GPS watch as a sort of simple mileometer. It will track rides of course but you need a Windows PC to get the data off it, which I can’t be bothered with. Its other annoying foible is that it exaggerates distances – it was claiming more than 60 miles done when I’d only just done 59 according to the phone.
A day that I probably would have called “mild” this time last year, but because we’ve been spoiled recently it didn’t really feel like it.
Still – I wrapped up in a few layers and was comfortable enough. A light wind was coming from the south-west so I thought I’d do 20 or so miles of the Lower Westbound route, then come back. In fact I realised – again – that I’d forgotten to bring a front light mount, so I cut it a bit shorter than I wanted again. Turned back after about 18 miles. On a whim though I continued along Acresford Road on the way back instead of turning for Measham, and I came through Appleby Magna and Starestone on the way back.
I listened to Kiss’ Rock and Roll Over and 5 Live.
A temperature of 20C was forecast for the afternoon, so I donned minimal cycling clothing for probably the last time until March or so and left work early to take advantage of the last gasp of summer.
I wanted to do about 40 miles, but realised half way through the ride that I hadn’t brought a mount for the front light, so I decided to keep it fairly short. I did do 38.71 in the end. A Bypasser.
Listened to 5 Live for as much as I could stomach – Labour’s media wing can be intolerable during their party conference. Then the Kiss album Destroyer.
Wore contact lenses again, they’re great for cycling except that for some reason, although my left eye is unaffected, my right eye goes very teary. I must look like I’m in some sort of asymmetric emotional distress.
I took the pic at Newton Burgoland, a few miles from home. For full disclosure, I have digitally removed the Flag of St George and replaced it with the Union Flag.
Warm sunshine was forecast for today with a light wind coming from the south, so I decided a run down to Northampton and back was in order. I’d planned to set off at about 0830 but as usual I woke up early and decided to get up and get on with it. I was away just after sunrise at 0720.
Cool at that time of day, but I’d applied several layers. I stashed my fleece, long-sleeved tunic and leg warmers into my camo bag and hid it in a hedge after the first 37 miles. The temperature had climbed very quickly over the preceding half hour. I should have stashed it earlier really, it was annoying having a stuffed camo bag in my backpack on the last 37 miles home.
I arrived at Northampton before noon having done 46 miles. I first visited the town 40 years ago this year. My girlfriend at the time was studying for a degree at Nene College, which is the reason I went there in the first place. So I thought I’d see I could find the old campus where she studied, and lived in Halls for her first year. But I couldn’t find it. Maybe it’s been closed down now.
On the way back, wanting to add a few miles I took a left for a place called Ravensthorpe to go exploring but I turned back to the usual route after about a mile when I found myself about to go down a steep-ish hill. Later on I took a right to go past the gliding club near Husbands Bosworth. Didn’t see any gliders taking off this time, but there were three parked on the grass. My excursion added about three miles, enough to see me home on triple figures.
Stopped at the Co-op at Stoney Stanton after 18 miles for two warm croissants, then later at the petrol station at Welford on the way back for a bit of a feast including a Magnum ice cream, which I consumed on the bench opposite.
Just lovely out there, like a warm summer’s day. I don’t think there’ve been many October days when I’ve been out cycling in shorts and a short-sleeved top.
I listened mostly to Talk Radio, a bit of footy on 5 Live and the Kiss album Dressed to Kill. Then I started the next Reacher novel, Gone Tomorrow.
Didn’t leave work particularly early, but I didn’t want to do a particularly long one. Will probably do a 100 miler on Sunday, all being well. A powerful wind was coming from the south-west, so I did a bypasser.
Listened to Kiss’ Hotter Than Hell and Greg Howe’s Wheelhouse. Very nice out there early on, sunny and warm enough to have the old legs out. Cloudy later. Then dark. Back about 50 minutes after sunset.
Normally I like to include the bike in a scenic pic, but there was nothing useful to lean it against for this one. From Orton Lane looking west into Warwickshire.
A decent weather day for a change and certainly mild enough, so I left work early to kick off the October cycling month. I had half a mind to do a fondo and had taken food and lights, but a strong suspicion that I’d end up doing 40 or so instead.
I chose the Lower Westbound route, with a slight modification in that I went via Packington. Unusually, I came back that way as well, normally I avoid it due to the long climb from Measham.
Stiff wind coming from the west, but it wasn’t too bothersome. The BBC promised 0% chance of rain, but I did get a few spots of rain for ten minutes near Lullington.
Got as far as Kings Bromley, by which time I’d decided I wasn’t going to do a fondo. I’d done 21.5 miles. I turned right at the T junction there (always turned left before, toward Abbots Bromley) to go exploring. But there wasn’t much to see. I turned for home half a mile later. Should manage a long one at the weekend, the weather looks good.
Listened to an interview with Adrian Edmonson on 5 Live. Then I listened to the Kiss debut album. Back on 45.5 miles.
Once again I started work at a preposterous hour – working from home allows you to spring out of bed and start at 0530 if you wake up early and feel like it – so I was able to leave early with a view to getting a fondo in. I’m unlikely to be able to do one at the weekend now due to another commitment on Sunday, and dodgy weather on Saturday afternoon.
The wind was coming from the south so I did the regular southbound route. Once I again I didn’t bother going right down to Welford, I just turned back on the half fondo distance.
The headwind was a bit stiff on the way down, but I see I managed a few PRs (as usual, without trying to) on the way back.
The animals in the photo are, I believe, bulls rather than cows. One of them tried to mount one of the other ones while I was taking a wee. They all came right up to the fence. Last time I parked a bike against a fence next to some cows a few years ago one of them started to lick the saddle, so I withdrew the bike to a safe distance this time.
Stopped at the bench at Gilmorton for a quick snack on the way back, but didn’t use the village shop this time.
Listened to Cockney Rebel’s The Best Years Of Our Lives which I hadn’t played since I was 16. It really is a great record, just as I remembered. What a shame it took me the best part of 50 years to revisit it.
Also listened to an interview with Michael Palin on 5 Live. Michael is 80 now.
Back on 62.44. 628 this month and 4777 this year, so 6000 looks doable.
I started work unreasonably early this morning with a view to downing tools at about 2pm to take advantage of more decent weather. Very mild, intermittently sunny with a stiff wind coming from the south.
I set off at 2:10pm with a fragile intention of doing a southbound fondo. I’ll probably get another fondo in at the weekend, so if I’d done one today, I’d end up having done seven fondos in September.
But after 15 miles or so, common sense kicked in. There’s a balance to be struck, isn’t there? I do have other things to do with my life than riding a bike all the time. So I decided to turn back after 22 miles. I came home the slightly longer way through Battram and was back on 44.71.
I listened to the Stones’ album of blues covers from 2016, their most recent to date, Blue and Lonesome. Not bad at all. Not great.
Nice out there, enjoyable run out. 565 done this month and I think I can squeeze another 100 out before October is upon us.
