Unbelievable! It's been a completely dry day today, so far, but I've got a ride in so I'm OK.

I did get rides in on Monday and Tuesday, on Tuesday getting home just as the rain started, on Monday not getting much rain, but getting soaked from wet roads following rain.

Thought I'd have a couple of hours of steady riding and I suppose I did. My average speed was maybe a bit down on what I'd expect, but it felt bloody hard work today. I was set on my HR not going over 140 but it soon went over 150 whenever I went uphill. Maybe I was putting in more effort than I realised as I set a PB on one climb today but the tailwind probably helped.

Nearly 37 miles which was enough for me. Looking at the forecast I'll have to get in a ride tomorrow as certainly Saturday's forecast is not good, still, it's the last good stage in the Tour de France through the Vosges.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9487087631

And I did indeed get a ride in today. Unlike yesterday I felt laboured where I should have felt laboured - up the 12% bits - and not so laboured where I should have been less laboured. I even kept the old Heart Rate at Tempo for most of the ride.

I didn't stay dry though. It looked like I would, then from out of nowhere down came the rain. Luckily it just clipped me so I just got uncomfortably wet instead of soaked. When I retraced my "steps" I saw that I had just missed getting soaked. Took the descent to Cutthorpe steadily with the wet roads and they dried instantly half way down. Luckily back home had stayed dry so the washing on the line hadn't got wet.

34.6 miles gets me to 120 for the week, pretty poor for July, but better than last week.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9493305240/

18 miles yesterday .. too soon after covid I think.. was knackered..

Quote from: Fishy on July 22, 2023, 07:46:22 PM18 miles yesterday .. too soon after covid I think.. was knackered..

Take it easy - might be long covid

Today's forecast was fairly dire with thunder showers forecast intermittently over the afternoon. But the weather has put a stop to a lot of cycling already this month, so I decided to man up, put a rainproof top on and take the consequences.

The wind was coming from the west, as it has done consistently for the last couple of weeks. I decided I'd do 15 miles or so of the Lower Westbound route and come back.

Within 100 metres of setting off I noticed a persistent, regular, bump.. bump.. bump from the rear tyre. Uh oh .. but on closer inspection it was just a small stone that had stuck to it. I removed it. End of problem.

The weather was kinder than I expected - just a couple of short, very light showers. It was surprisingly warm. So I kept going until I'd done 20 miles, then instead of turning back I took a left turn to go exploring for a bit. This took me to a place called Fradley Junction, a picturesque spot on the Trent and Mersey canal. A couple were operating a lock there to let their boat through as I arrived.



I turned back from this point. Came back home through Heather and Ibstock (I'd come out through Alton Hill and Packington on the way out).

Listened to the rest of Laurence Krauss' excellent book, The Physics of Climate Change. A very lucid and objective view of the climate crisis and a real eye-opener. Then I listened to The Yes Album. For some reason Bill Bruford's drumming stood out for me in a way it never has before, particularly. Brilliant.

Back on 43.51 miles. Very satisfying run out. And that takes me to 402 this month.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9508311399

First time out since last Friday and I can't believe how quickly I lose condition. Last Friday I was firm of thigh and steely of bun, but today they were soft and squishy. Perhaps I should try and ride every day no matter what the conditions, I'm sure I see the same old bloke - and he looks in his 80s - up on the tops no matter what day I go out, either he's out every day, or he's fair weather like me. Who can say.

For the first half of the ride it was a slog, did not feel good at all. Then the second half I was on it, vying with Vingegaard, processing with Pogacar. Funny what a difference a tailwind and mainly downhill ride can do 

Good to get 40 miles in anyway. Hopefully do another 40 tomorrow.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9517908072/

Another mostly dry afternoon, cooler than of late but eminently mild, carrying once again a risk of showers.  I was away on the Planet X by about 1545. The wind was coming from the west and I thought I'd do something a bit different. I went up Top Brand and hung a left at Isley Walton for Swarkestone Bridge, but rather than doing the A road I went eastward through Weston and Aston to Shardlow, then looped back down via Cavendish Bridge and Donington.

I also took a bit of an excursion along toward Derby from Shardlow. It's nice and flat along there and there's a certain nostalgic factor involved.



I must remember that one - without the little trip along London Road toward Derby it would be about 33 miles, similar to a typical Twycrosser or Bypasser but a nice change.

Back on 36.87 miles. I listened to the Rolling Stones' It's Only Rock'n'Roll - good record especially the last tune Fingerprint File which really surprised me - almost like jazz funk and very nice.

I did pick up a couple of very light showers.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9521376372

Got another 40 in A bit stop start with roadworks and people making strange reversing manoeuvres, One set of traffic lights at roadworks had a Range Rover parked bang in front of the "When Red Light Shows STOP HERE" sign. Twat. The car at the front of the queue couldn't see when it turned green. I could, because I could see it reflected in the window of the Audi parked on the footway next to the Range Rover. Twunt.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9524539114

A sunny and beautifully warm afternoon and unfortunately I made the mistake of putting two long sleeve tops on. Too hot. But at least I had my old legs out.

You know some years I get to cycle with bare legs about three or four times but this year it's been the norm for the last couple of months. Global warming, don't tell me it's all bad.



The wind was coming from the west as usual so I did the Lower Westbound for about 21 miles then came back. Went out a slightly longer way over the first few miles, through Packington.

I listened to the Rolling Stones' Black and Blue. Some good stuff on there but not much. Feels a bit languid and sloppy in the main.

Back on 42.45 miles. Very enjoyable. 481 this month which considering the weather, I'm fairly pleased with.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9533288650

Didn't get out yesterday as the morning was quite miserably wet, more than forecast. Afternoon was dry, but there was a Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift to watch.

Today was dry though, so out I went for a two hour base level ride. Of course this really means a two and a half hour tempo ride, it's the bike's fault, the Giant TCR does not like being dawdled. I can't fulfil its wish to be thrashed to its limit, but I try as hard as I can, almost. I did manage to average 600W for all of 20 seconds today, never done that before. Still not managed to hit over 750W, I'll get there.

Plenty of other cyclists out today, passed a few old blokes - in proper cycling club gear mind - and even saw a couple out on a tandem. Bloody Wasps were out and about too, got stung by one on my shin, didn't realise at first as I was concentrating on clearing a junction, but when I looked down the little beggar was there hanging out of my leg. Took a few flicks to dislodge it too. Didn't hurt as much as the bumblebee which stung me last year though, always look on the bright side.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9536789619/

The slow puncture is back.. just fitted a new inner to get me back up n running.. will see if the old inner already patched is worth salvaging

I'm not a true cyclist, you won't find me getting up at the crack of dawn on a Saturday ready for a long day in the saddle, you're lucky if I drag myself from my pit much before midday. Today however I resolved to be out there riding by half eleven, because today was the Queen stage of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. There was also the small matter of trying out new cycling shoes! I'd managed to keep my old pair going after a Boa dial gave up the ghost, but new ones were required and new kit makes you go faster right?

Half eleven I was out there in bright sunshine. Twelve minutes later I was back home. Where the bloody hell had that rain come from? (The sky obvs) Mrs S was on the phone to her cousin, it was pissing down in Matlock too, great, that's still to come our way then

However, by half twelve things were much improved so out I went. Not far, because time wasn't on my side, but enough for 23 miles. I even managed my best ever time up the Barrowhill hill - all 79' of elevation gain - was that new shoes or the tailwind?

Opened up August's account with a 42 miler. Thought the weather was going to be alright as it had become sunny when I went for my pre-ride shit, it was raining when I finished my pre-ride shit. It was only light rain, so I manned up and went out. Thankfully, apart from a brief shower at my furthest point from home it stayed dry.

On the way back along Clodhall Lane, a fellow cyclist came the other way wearing a GBR jersey. Bearded fellow he was. Couldn't think of any bearded British racing cyclists apart from James Shaw and he's not on team GBR and would have been riding in his EF Procyling kit. Looking on Strava at who went the other way to me on Clodhall Lane and top of the list was Russ Downing. That'll be who it was. A selfie attached to his ride proved it. Winner of the Tour of Ireland in 2009 was Russ. He was also riding a Pinarello, which I didn't notice at the time. I can only assume he's on the British Cycling coaching staff.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9561640522

And got in August's second ride today. Somehow it stayed dry all ride, hard to comprehend, even the water run off onto the roads today wasn't as bad as expected. Wish I'd nipped round Sainsbury's roundabout at the end of my ride, I didn't bother as I thought my average speed had hit 17mph, turns out it was 16.96. Arse. That bugs me no end.

Hope I can find a dry hour tomorrow, just need 15 miles for 100 miles for the week. Weekend forecast not good, but I'm away anyway. Can't have an August week with less than 100 miles in.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9574788493

And 15 miles, plus a bit more were done. Mission accomplished. By the time I'm back on a bike again, hopefully next Tuesday, it'll feel like I've not ridden for years.