The forecast for today changed to suggest that a rain-free day was on the cards. So, to take advantage of the weather and to soak up another of my annual leave days (I'm not allowed to carry them over), I took an impulsive day off.

The idea was to set off at about 0900 and do 70 or 80 miles down the southbound route. But I woke up early and I was away at about 0715, 48 minutes before sunrise. I wouldn't have set off so early but I knew conditions were decently mild out there (about 6C) even at that time. And certainly I was comfortable enough without overdoing the clothing. The temperature climbed a few degrees after the first couple of hours, and I stuffed a layer in a backpack.

I encountered a Road Closed sign near Potters Marson but defied it. The roadworks there hadn't started in earnest. Very easy to ride round them, though I guessed it might be more difficult later on in the day (ie on the way back).

Stopped for a second breakfast at the Co-op at Stoney Stanton - two warm croissants. Lovely.



I went all the way down to Northampton. The usual way down into the town was blocked by roadworks for a new housing development so I followed a detour. Pootled around for a bit and came back. Didn't visit any of my old haunts, but I did find a nice farm shop with a coffee shop coming back north. Sat outside with a turkey sandwich and a large Americano. Very civilised.

I'd done about 47 miles by the time I turned for home, so I decided to bump the ride distance up to 100 miles. To this end I had an excursion to Naseby on the way back. Nice little village. I visited the monument erected to commemorate the battle that took there on June 14th 1645 during the English Civil War.

To avoid the roadworks near Potters, I came back up the 'old' way through Husbands Bosworth, Foston, Blaby. I hadn't done that for years. Wasn't completely sure I'd remember the way and for a while I thought I'd neglected a turn, so I was relieved to see a sign for Foston at the left turn I thought I'd missed. I was starting to feel a bit knackered by the time I reached Desford, about 12 miles from home. But I gulped down a bottled milkshake I'd bought at the farm shop and a Cornish pasty and was fine after that. The Tricross is my heaviest bike, that was definitely the longest ride I've done on it so far.

Listened mostly to 5 Live which is quite entertaining on a Friday.

Back more than two hours after sunset. Nice to spend a whole solar day outside. 100.64 miles.

That was this year's 36th fondo, nine of them 100+ milers. Quite pleased with that.

https://www.strava.com/activities/10349640889

Another rain-free day in the forecast. I might have taken the whole day off work, but I'd agreed to take part in a meeting at midday and anyway, I only wanted to do a fondo. Plenty of time for that. So I settled for half a day. I escaped from the meeting at 1230 and was away on the Tricross about twenty minutes later.

The plan was to do the Lower Westbound route, with a slightly immoderate breeze coming from the west. I'd done about 26 miles though when the road (Uttoxeter Road, going up to Abbots Bromley) seemed to degenerate into a muddy track. It's fine usually. I suppose a combination of the weather and abnormally high farm vehicle traffic have taken their toll.



So - I turned back.  I took a road signposted to Blithbury, but after a half mile that one presented me with exactly the same problem. I turned for home, but resolved to make up the mileage some other way closer to base. I did that by detouring up through to Ashby then performing a quick excursion into Coalville over the last few miles.

I took the pic near Edingale. The lovely lake you can see in the background is usually a field.

Listened to the PM at the COVID enquiry mostly, then the Can album Ege Bamyasi.

Back on 62.50 miles, which takes me to 6216 this year, or 10004 km. Only the second time I've done 10000 km in a year.

https://www.strava.com/activities/10365172642

My cycling year is fizzling out like a damp squib. Not that it ever really got going. I'll finish up at under 6,000 miles for the year for the first time since 2017, yet I've been fully retired all year. I think it could be retirement that's done for me, in the past cycling was away of escaping the horrors of work. It looks like the horrors of living with Mrs S and the boy aren't as bad...

Yesterday looking at the weather I just set out to do a few local loops and then hopefully go further afield as the weather improved. The weather didn't improve. I got wet and came in. Seven bloody miles.

Today I went out a bit further to do a few loops and get in the way of all the local filthmobiles driving round with their blues and twos on. Today I was trying my best to keep it easy and not go above 250W but it's impossible for me when I get to a 6% gradient, think my lowest uphill max was about 271W. I'm aiming for those slow winter miles to bring summer smiles. And missing. Still it was 20 miles. Better than seven.

https://www.strava.com/activities/10373637258

Another afternoon off work, another fondo. I did the Upper Westbound route but took the long way going upward, through Isley Walton.

I turned back at the roundabout near Sudbury, thinking that if I took the even-longer way back through Weston, Ashton and Shardlow I'd probably end up on the requisite 100km. And I was right. Back on 64.82 miles.

Encountered a bit of drizzle near Swarkestone Bridge, which wasn't forecast - but it only lasted 20 minutes or so. The roads were pretty wet anyway.



I listened to Adrian Chiles' show on 5 Live as I usually do. Toward the end of his show, Adrian started to introduce a guest that he was clearly very excited to have on his show. Who could this be? I wondered. It was none other than Geddy Lee!

Will post a link in the 'Effin thread.

Back on 64.82, which puts me within a Twycrosser of hitting a new annual distance record. 276 done this month, I'll aim for 400. Nice and easy with more than two weeks left.

https://www.strava.com/activities/10380377714

How do you manage with lights when you're away from conurbations? What sort of lumens do you need to find your way and avoid potholes and the like? Do you have to turn them down when traffic approaches? Sorry for all the questions but I'm genuinely interested. I only cycle in the town when it's dark so it's more about being seen than seeing.

Wish the BBC would go back to the Met Office for their forecasts, BBC website today had 0% chance of rain in Chesterfield with sunny spells. Whoever supplies Samsung with their weather is better as my phone said 60% chance of rain.

Just about to set off looked out of the window and it was sunny, but the drizzle had started. Set off towards a double rainbow, didn't last long as I turned away from it and the clouds then covered the whole sky and the drizzle set in. Drizzle's OK, but going up through Cutthorpe towards the moors it started with full on rain. I turned back, Mrs S had out a load of washing on the line, thought I'd better rescue it as it's the first load she's done since the washer packed in last week and she got a new one yesterday. Ho-hum. Good job she's got a new washing machine as my kit is filthy...

Tried riding more at my normal pace today, need to get back to doing it more slowly again, not being getting the miles in. Went along a closed road too, closed roads don't apply to bicycles. This one barely applied to motorised vehicles with whatever work was being done only taking up half the carriageway. Another nearly half fondo done though.

https://www.strava.com/activities/10378880470

 

Quote from: dom on December 14, 2023, 08:44:10 PMHow do you manage with lights when you're away from conurbations? What sort of lumens do you need to find your way and avoid potholes and the like? Do you have to turn them down when traffic approaches? Sorry for all the questions but I'm genuinely interested. I only cycle in the town when it's dark so it's more about being seen than seeing.

You definitely need something that will light up the road ahead of you and at the moment I'm using one of these, in conjunction with a handlebar mount intended for torches.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Energizer-Rechargeable-Resistant-Aluminium-E303253300/

It's claimed to be 500 lumens.

I also use a head torch sometimes. I have loads of them to be honest, due to my fondness for retail therapy and trying new things. These ones are very good:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/SuperFire-Bright-Lumens-Rechargeable-Ultralight/dp/B08D6HK675/

You can turn them on and off with a wave in front of a built-in motion detector which is handy.

I like the idea of AAA battery head torches in principle because I assume they will run for longer and you can take spare batteries. But in practice they aren't as bright.

But you can get head torches powered by the big lithium removable / rechargeable batteries (18650s) that are very bright, like this one.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lepro-PR320018-Head-Torch/dp/B0BGRD2B3J/

Some of them even use two 18650s for even better longevity / brightness.

For dusk, and for going through well-lit areas for more than a few minutes I use what I call a "flashy blinker" - these have a little white LED built into a silicone strap that wraps round your handlebar. They run for ages on a CR2032. But they won't light up the road.

These are good as well:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rechargeable-Bicycle-Waterproof-Mountain-Cycling

The front light is rechargeable and as well as flashing away on your handlebar will give a little bit of illumination to the road too.

There's no need to adjust lights for approaching traffic, you just need to make sure they're pointed at the road (like dipped headlights).

Thanks for the reply. A couple of those links weren't working but no matter, I'm not planning on heading out to the far unlit unknown any time soon.  And of course it makes sense to have the lights pointed toward the ground

Sorry about that, I'll fix the links anyway in case someone comes across the post at some point in the future.

No chance of rain today but I only wanted to do 40 or so. Enough to see me past my 2020 yearly total (6311 miles). The wind was coming from the south-west, so I thought I'd go down the Southbound route for a bit. I would have done a Twycrosser, but I wanted to stop at a village shop or petrol station and treat myself a bit.

After Bagworth though, I turned left instead of right. I've done this a couple of times in the past. Makes quite a pleasant change, but you do run out of options after a while. However, I was sure I could make up the miles somehow. So I kept on keepin' on through Merry Lees, Botcheston, Newtown Unthank, Ratby and eventually Groby. I don't believe I'd ever gone right into Groby before. The traffic there was a little irritating. But I found a terrific little deli where I had a coffee, a slice of cherry & apple pie and a sausage roll (not in that order). I took the pic there. I was wearing my distance prescription contacts and I didn't notice how shaky it was. I've tried to clean it up a bit with a bit of AI image sharpening, but not particularly successfully.

By the way although it looks like I've unhygienically placed an unprotected slice of cherry & apple pie straight onto the table surface, I can assure you that it was wrapped in clingfilm.



I kept going straight through Groby and came, unfortunately, to an uphill part of the A50. My Talbot Sunbeam used to struggle up there 34 years ago and unsurprisingly, my bike didn't do much better. But I made it to Markfield a couple of miles later, where I turned off.

I often cycle to Markfield at this time of year. I'd had no intention of doing so today but since I did, I pedalled round to my old house for a wistful look.

I came home the usual way from there, through Thornton and Bagworth. Except that once I got to Bagworth, I detoured down the southbound route for a bit to make up the miles.

Listened mostly to 6 Music.

Back on 43.36 miles. 6324 done this year! It's all gravy between now and January.

https://www.strava.com/activities/10389315115

Over the last couple of days managed to get my weekly (weakly?) tally over 100 road miles, 115 to be exact. Nice sunny day today, but the roads are still piss wet and populated with the downright clueless - drivers, walkers and fellow cyclists. Why can't they all be like me and pick a section of the Highway Code to read each night before going to bed?

I was hoping to complete the Strava climbing challenge in December to get a full set for the year, but looking back I failed in January and February so once again I'll fall short for the year. Last year I did it in November for the first time, but injury and illness in December put paid to it. Still, always next year - onwards and upwards!

https://www.strava.com/activities/10389139699

It was a very gloomy, damp morning and I thought I probably wouldn't ride a bike today but conditions brightened nicely in the afternoon, so I did. Bit windy, not too cold. Only felt a need to do 35 or so. Went up over Swarkestone Bridge and left to Willington, taking the longer way via Isley Walton. But I came back the even longer way through Shardlow so I ended up on 40.48.

Quite enjoyable but the roads were a bit wet and I'm tired of having to wipe down the nether regions of a bike on returning to the garage. 360 this month but looking at the weather I think I can squeeze another couple of rides out of December.

https://www.strava.com/activities/10406221825

Looking at the weather I don't think I'll squeeze any more rides in, not with my social life as well...

Haven't ridden a bike in nearly four weeks, and that was indoors  Perhaps get a short ride in this coming weekend. Managed 3km on the treadmill yesterday - feeling about 95% now

First ride out in a week, and not much of one at that. I suppose I could have manned up during the week, but rain and strong winds aren't my idea of fun and I'm nowhere near man enough to keep presenting Mrs S with muddy and wet kit to wash - yet she'll willingly wash my indoor cycling kit, probably because it sits on a radiator next to the PC she uses when she works from home...

Once again the weather wasn't as good as forecast, should have been dry, but there was a relentless drizzle in the air, at least it was quite warm, could have gotten away without a base layer. Only had time for an hour, I'd got the women's CX to watch and an M&S order to pick up, tried to do the sort of ride I'd done on the Turbo yesterday, putting a bit of effort in, with a few short sharp climbs. Managed more power output on the road and it's much better with scenery, but then you have to contend with traffic too. Swings and roundabouts.

Still at 64 miles less than last December and I'd been laid up with injury and illness since 15th December last year, tomorrow looks like being a bit windy again too. Might be next year before I get out again But there's five consecutive days of cyclocross next week!

https://www.strava.com/activities/10424469307