Bike Diary

Rain this morning. Dry, excepting a few puddles by the time I downed tools in the afternoon – but much cooler weather than the last few days. Almost cold! And windy, and overcast. Positively autumnal.

I put a pair of cycling tights on, bringing to end what must surely be the longest run of legs-out rides in my cycling career. I put several waist-up layers on as well, including a fleece. I was comfortably warm enough but I didn’t overheat.

Started off a bit indecisively up Ashby Road before turning back after a minute or so to start the eastbound route. I only had a vague idea of what I was going to do. I suppose (in hindsight) maybe Six Hills and back might have been well-suited to the conditions, with the wind coming from the NE. But I got as far as the junction at Hathern and decided to go up the A6, just to do something different. I assumed I’d find a left turn to come back toward Long Whatton or Diseworth but I’d done two miles of the busy A road before I found a suitable turn, to Donington. Shortly after that I found a left turn to Long Whatton. Quite an enjoyable stretch of road that, one I’d not done before. A bit twisty, and patchy in places but quiet.

Came home a time-honoured way from Whatton once I’d got my bearings (I took the wrong turn at the T junction there initially). Tried to extend my ride a bit by taking a detour along Breedon Lane, then detouring into Coalville for a bit. But I was still back on a disappointing 27.97 miles.

Following your nose and faffing about can sometimes cause you to do longer distances than you intended, but sometimes they can bring you home sooner than you wanted. And that was the case today. But I’ll try to do at least 40 on Friday.

Anyway, 302 done this month so the target 400 miles should be eminently doable.

I’ve now done more than 15 hours of DAB time on the same pair of Alkaline AAs. Very happy with that.

https://www.strava.com/activities/7655199470

Much cooler than yesterday, and we had some rain around midday – but still more than warm enough for minimal clothing and the roads were dry by the time I was able to leave work, at 4pm.

The rain was due back over in the form of thundery showers later in the evening (though as I type, they haven’t materialised yet) so I thought I’d keep it down to not much more than 20 miles. I did a shortish Twycrosser, coming up along Gibbet Lane.

By the time I got to Barton I’d decided it wasn’t going to rain anytime soon so I lengthened the ride a bit by detouring through Burgoland and Swepstone.

I brought the wrong pair of glasses with me somehow. Often on a short ride I’ll just grab a pair of old varifocals rather than my cycling glasses, but this time I brought reading glasses. I put them away in my jersey and made do with unassisted eyeballs, but I found I was able to read the bike computer and my watch, albeit with slight difficulty. And I didn’t mind the slightly unfocussed view of my surroundings. I did get a couple of small flies in my eyes though.

Listened to 5 Live, which marked the first anniversary of the Taleban taking over in Afghanistan, an event which to the BBC is only about girls being prevented from going to school. Also featured: Graeme Souness and his crime against humanity.

Back on 25.26, more on Wednesday I hope.

https://www.strava.com/activities/7643475203

I was determined to do a fondo today. Unfortunately it was scorchio again, but I reasoned that if I set off at 3pm then I’d only be uncomfortable for a couple of hours.

I did the standard eastbound fondo, Eastwell and back via Burton on the Wolds. I took a 1L bidon with me but it was already near depleted by the time I got to the petrol station at Burton. I bought a lucozade and a Fanta from the fridge. Drank most of the lucozade on the spot (and what a joy) and decanted the Fanta to the bidon. I bought water and more Lucozade on the way back. In all I consumed about 2 litres of fluids, probably a record for me (and I gulped down a San Miguel as soon as I got back). Don’t feel great about ingesting all that sugary stuff, perhaps I should have bought more water and less Lucozade but hopefully I burned a lot of it off.

Had a headwind to contend with on the outbound stretch. It grew stronger as I made progress eastwards, though I knew it would as, unusually, I bothered to check the forecast over several points on the route rather than just for home. I didn’t mind it so much, though. It was a bit like being fanned.

I’ve bought a new DAB personal (the controls are a bit more intuitive and easy than the ones I already have) and so far I’ve got nearly ten hours out of a bog-standard pair of Alkaline AAs. Impressive. I listened mostly to Premier League footy – of special interest was Brentford vs Man United, and I couldn’t help thinking the London side had made a schoolboy error by scoring their four goals so early in the game – yet United failed to capitalise on their mistake.

Conditions grew more tolerable as the shadows lengthened and the day wore on of course, but I was still a bit uncomfortably warm at 7:30pm. I was also a little disconcerted to see the sun go down at about 8:30pm, but I hadn’t checked the sunset time. I did have lights with me, but I only used the rear. I was home by 8:55pm.

I heard a pronounced CLUNK coming from the transmission a few times when freewheeling. Happened to be looking down at the chainring when it happened the third or fourth time and what was happening was the chain was going slack, then twanging taut again – which can only mean, I think, that the rear Disraeli is sticking. Perhaps I didn’t lubricate it properly following cleaning, or perhaps something’s caught in it – I’ll have a look tomorrow.

https://www.strava.com/activities/7633197434

62.81 miles; that’s the third fondo this month. Don’t know what my record is, perhaps I’ll check. Glad to have got 151 miles done in August already as I’m on call for most of the rest of the month.

Quite surprised to see four Strava PRs on a route I’ve done very many times. Must have been on the way back, with the tailwind. Or perhaps it’s Lucozade power.

Another stinking hot day. I took advantage of the hot weather to wash the X. I gave it a very thorough clean and after I’d hosed out the last of the car shampoo lather, it took about four minutes to dry in the baking sun.

I then gave it a bit of a seeing to with GT85 and some lube in the garage. But I chose the Cannondale for a ride out this afternoon. I wanted to make sure all’s well with its latest inner tube, and the rear tyre only got about 9 miles on the last run out (not counting being wheeled along at walking pace).

I hoped that the sun had lost some of its ferocity by 3pm, when I set off.

I basically did a long version of the time-honoured Twycross Bypasser, except that I cut left to Sheepy after Sibson, so that I could visit San Giovanni for a pit stop involving a beer or two. I also asked for some tap water to refill the bidon. I’d brought my Magnum 1L one, not often that gets used. But I was going through water at an alarming rate.

By the time I left, the shadows were longer and the sun a little less hostile. I came back up through Twycross and Swepstone. Sort of a part-Twycrosser in reverse.

Happily, rear tyre and inner tube behaved themselves this time.

I was overtaken by a beautiful metallic silver E-Type Jag near Packington. And I saw a steam tractor pulling a trailer half a mile from home. Maybe coal power is a bit more economical now that diesel is so expensive.

Back on 40.48 miles, a bit debilitated from the heat and the beer (although I had another one as soon as I got back), but content. That’s 186 this month, the target is 400 but there’s a fair bit of rain in the forecast next week.

https://www.strava.com/activities/7622640241

Yet another beautifully warm, sunny day. I left work early and set off to do a Bypasser. I chose the Cannondale, because I wanted to give the new rear tyre a spin. I fitted it a few days ago and it was still encouragingly firm when I checked it in the garage.

I got as far as the uphill approach to Snarestone, having done about 8.5 miles, when I noticed that my bottom was experiencing the road surface a bit more intimately than it should have been. I stopped; sure enough the rear tyre was a bit soft.

I continued on for a little while then stopped just after the turn off for Snarestone. I’d managed to bring a pump, but not a spare inner tube. I hadn’t remembered to put the saddle bag back on after cleaning the bike. I stopped at a convenient spot and tried the pump. It didn’t seem to be inflating the tube. I set off walking again, then tried the pump again in the shade of a tree at the bench in the church yard at Swepstone. No go. I think the valve is broken; the new tyre doesn’t seem to have picked up any trauma.

I called ‘er indoors and she agreed to come and get me after she finished work, at 5pm. By the time she did kindly pick me up near Heather I’d probably walked about three miles in my cleats.

A kind couple in a Range Rover kindly offered me a lift, but shortly thereafter decided that the bike probably wouldn’t fit in the back. I kind of think it would have, but never mind. At least they wanted to make sure I was OK and had plenty of water, which I did.

Ah well! Not something that happens often. 8.89 miles, certainly the shortest ride of the year so far but it was fun while it lasted.

https://www.strava.com/activities/7605188052

I booked this afternoon as annual leave with the idea of doing a ride to Stafford Bingley Hall and back. I have two routes there, one an extension of the Upper Westbound route and the other extended from the Lower Westbound route, itself derived from the ride to Wales a while back.

I entertained the idea of doing one route there and the other one back but in the end I decided to take the Lower Westbound option both ways.

Nice warm weather and mostly sunny, though I did get a couple of spells of light rain (neither lasted more than 5 minutes).

Bingley Hall is now known as Staffordshire County Showground but I know it best as the venue where I saw a number of bands, most notably Rush of course, in my late teens. Back then it was it was a few hours from home on a train but now I live in the East Midlands, it’s a thoroughly serviceable distance for a bicycle pilgrimage.

I hung round the main gate for a minute or two and took a pic, then turned back. I thought of listening to Hemispheres on the way back since that was the current album when I saw Rush there, but remembered that I heard two new tunes from the next, unfinished album Permanent Waves for the first time those two nights. So I listened to those (The Spirit Of Radio and Free Will).

The last couple of miles to Bingley has what must be the worst climb of any bike ride I’ve ever done but the nice thing about it is that you don’t have to use the brakes on the way back down – it tapers off nicely at the bottom and eventually leads to a shallow climb that soaks up the remaining momentum. I hate to waste kinetic energy (and brake pad material).

The new surface on the A51 has bedded in nicely now, since my Wales trip.

The headwind was pretty aggravating on the way out but I think the wind had died down a bit or changed direction after I turned for home. I even had to cope with a headwind again for a time. I felt cheated.

The Scarecrow Festival at Heather is still happening so I took this pic two miles from home:

Nice afternoon out on the bike. 74.06 miles, 136 this month. That was my 18th Fondo this year.

https://www.strava.com/activities/7588047745

Unexpected rain this morning but by the time I was able to leave work – unusually early – conditions were warm, dry and sunny. A pretty stiff wind coming from the west, though. I felt like going up and west along the Beloved A Road. The August Fondo, perhaps.

The trouble with the Upper West route, as I now know it, is that you start to run out of options after 25 miles. On this occasion I took a right after Sudbury, then a left along a minor road – just making it up as I went along, really. The road started to degenerate into one of those single track roads with lots of dips and bumps with a build-up of gravel down the middle, but it wasn’t too bad.

I stopped at a farm after about 28 miles and was about to turn back, but I thought I’d press on over the next little hill to see if the road improved. It did! A bit twisty with some sharp climbs and scary downhill descents, but the surface improved a lot. Really lovely cycling territory with some brilliant views to the west, and very quiet. I will definitely do that stretch again, but probably on the Tricross.

I continued until I’d done half a fondo and was going to turn back but I saw a sign to Sudbury along a right turn, so in a spirit of adventure I took that. I thought it might be a slighter shorter way and rob me of the full fondo mileage, but in fact it turned out to be exactly the same distance. A slightly busier stretch of road but better for a road bike. I think I’ll base a fondo route on the way back, ie the last 31 miles of this ride.

Same way back from Sudbury.

Lots of ladies out in shorts. Not to be sexist or objectifying or anything, but I saw a phenomenal specimen in Melbourne on the way back. Tall, athletically slim and fit but curvy, long brown hair, about 30 and wearing tight black shorts that only covered half her bum. I nearly fell off the bike.

The headwind over the first half was a pain, but of course I enjoyed the tailwind on the way back. Conditions stayed more than warm enough for the whole ride and I was back on the dot of sunset.

Really a terrific run out, possibly my most enjoyable normal-distance fondo of the year so far. It was a breeze as well, despite the up and down twisty bits. Felt more like 40 miles than 62.29.

https://www.strava.com/activities/7578014995

Didn’t think the weather would be suitable for a run out today but the rain had dried up by midday, and by the time I got home from a restaurant at about 4:45pm, conditions were set to be warm and dry for the rest of the day. Not a hint of a puddle when I set off at about 5:10pm.

I wanted to do 36 miles, to bring my yearly tally to 3300 – because that would mean that I only have to fulfil the remaining monthly targets to end up on 5,000 miles in 2022.

The wind was coming from the west, and a bit stronger (I thought) than advertised on the forecast. I did a Twycross Bypasser, going through Upton and Shenton to Bosworth.

Really nice out there and visibility across into Warwickshire from Orton Lane was superb – I had a really clear view of the tops of the tall buildings in Birmingham 19 miles away and wished I’d brought binoculars.

Saw a hare running towards me on the road between Shenton and Bosworth. It stopped when it saw me, then when I got within 40 metres or so it turned and ran the other way before darting into the hedge.

A few powered hang gliders were pootling around in the skies near Norton – one of them appeared to be coming in to land in the field on my right but it swooped up and took to the air again. Looks like a lot of fun.

It’s Scarecrow Festival weekend in Heather. I was pleased to see a lot of people out and about and enjoying the various creations people had put out in their front gardens when I passed through in the car earlier – nice that these quaint rural traditions are still popular – and I stopped to have a closer look at one of them when I came back through later on the bike. It featured the Queen on a makeshift balcony, the Red Arrows represented by inflatable toy red aircraft strung up above and Prince Louis with his hands over his ears. I did take a pic but sadly the phone didn’t focus it properly.

Was pleased to see when I got to Bosworth that I was going to end up on 36 miles pretty much exactly if I came the quickest way home from there, so I did.

36.02 miles, 574 for July.

https://www.strava.com/activities/7561507879

Quite a nice afternoon – cloudy but quite warm, and only light winds. There was a mild threat of rain in the forecast, though. I thought to do about 40 miles.

Since the wind was coming from the east I decided on the eastbound route. But when I got to Prestwold Park I decided to go left through Hoton, along the “Lost Road” then back home the old way through Wymeswold and Rempstone.

After Zouch though I detoured through Shepshed to avoid the crappy road surface on Ashby Road. I’d forgotten about that for the outbound trip, might take the detour both ways next time. Pleasant change, anyway.

Back on 38.15 miles. The weather looks iffy on Sunday and I have a lunch appointment that day anyway, so that may well be it for July.

https://www.strava.com/activities/7549635968

A year or two ago I had the idea of doing a bike ride that would take in every village in North-West Leicestershire with a name ending in “stone”. I think I did plan a route back then, but I never got round to it.

Last night I planned a new one anyway – it came to about 36 miles, perfect for this evening because I wanted to be back by about 7pm to stand a decent chance of not getting rained on.

So I set off at about 3:30pm and pedalled through Thringstone, Swepstone, Snarestone, Bilstone, Congerstone, Shackerstone, Odstone, Nailstone, Barlestone and finally Ravenstone.

Mostly roads I’ve already done before many times on previous rides but there were a couple of parts I hadn’t done – Church Hill near Thringstone and the road through Barlestone.

I had to keep referring to the GPX app on my phone on the handlebars so it wasn’t the most relaxing ride but anyway, glad to have done it.

I was threatened by some very dark clouds and was convinced I was going to get rained on at some point, but I wasn’t.

Back on 37.35 miles (and actually I could have done it in fewer but I took the long way through Ibstock on the way back). And that’s 500 this month.

I could possibly extend the ride to take in Aylestone and Whetstone one day, but those are a fair way to the east and would add about 25 miles I suspect.

https://www.strava.com/activities/7538851342