90 hours, wow. Even if it's half that, pretty phenomenal.

Massive, historic increase in military spending in Germany.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-60549916

Let's hope they're not marching along the Champs-Élysées in ten years' time!

First car tax for my diminutive Volkswagen Up. Only £20!

It's been a great little car so far, more than up to the job of doing long motorway distances and ideal for Tesco and back.

I have some USB ones as well, these ones are really good -

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Defurhome-Rechargeable-Battery-Bicycle-Waterproof/dp/B07Y36TGRS/

I mostly use rechargeable ones as spares though - they're much more likely to run out of juice on a ride. I nearly always use an LED torch as a front light - they tend to be brighter. But actually the front light from the Amazon set above is just about bright enough to light up the road ahead.

I use a small front light in flashing mode for dusk, when it's still light enough to see the road, or when going through decently lit areas. The little silicon strappy ones that take a coin cell are ideal for that.

This rather cheap-looking thing is a new bike light I've just received from Amazon. I have a lot of bike lights I must admit. They're one of my go-to options for retail therapy.

So why did I buy this one? Well - my mum has gone into a nursing home now and for some reason, she had a very large number of AA batteries in her house, most which I've now inherited. This rear light is unusual in taking AAs rather than AAAs. Just a way of using them up.

The light with batteries is substantially heavier than a AAA-equipped light would be, but - I did have an idea that on a very long ride, I could leave it empty all day then swap the AAs from my DAB personal into it. Then I could use my phone to listen to the radio for the last 30 or 40 miles.

So in that circumstance, it would actually save a bit of weight.

It seems to work well. My only question mark would be the water resistance.

FIFA have now suspended all Russian clubs and national teams from all competitions. Pleased to see this because their earlier pronouncement that the Russians would be able to compete without their flag and as the "Football Union of Russia" was IMO a ridiculous half-baked measure.

But it was never going to fly when some of the national sides said they wouldn't play against them in any circumstances.

Yes I agree that's the worry - and the irony is that the harder it becomes for him to subjugate Ukraine, the more dangerous he potentially becomes. Ukraine seems to be an emotive subject for him.

There must be some acceptable way that he can be claim to have profited for his audience at home.

Wordle 254 4/6

⬛⬛⬛🟨⬛
🟩⬛🟨⬛⬛
⬛⬛🟩⬛🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Just had a random follow request on Strava. Accepted it, and:



SPAM on Strava, that's a first. I did the "report fake profile" thing.

Ah yes just watched the third one, it is the same scene - although in the book it takes place in daylight and the details are a bit different. He tricks them by parking next to a small copse but hiding in the field on the other side. And he doesn't bother coming out of cover.

Definitely an improvement on the first two, would probably be enjoying it more if I hadn't read the book.

Today's mission was simple, to do 40 miles and get the February distance total over 300. The wind was blowing from the south-east, so even though I did the eastbound route on Friday I thought I'd do the first 20 miles or so again. It's not as if I do it that often.

However I thought I'd go up through Coleorton and Peggs Green rather than Coalville and Thringstone. The latter route is more efficient in terms of distance and elevation but it's nice to change things up a bit.

I was annoyed that I couldn't use my usual wee stop, a few metres off the road at the edge of Prestwold Park. Some sort of event was taking place there and people were walking to and fro near my cosy little secluded spot.

I'd done just less than 19 miles when I decided to turn back. I thought I'd make up the distance by detouring through Long Whatton and Diseworth on the way back. This was a bit unfortunate in one respect because it meant that I had a very unwelcome headwind coming down Top Brand. Wasn't sure I'd quite be back on 40 miles (I think I would have been, looking at the map) so I added a bit of distance by detouring along Breedon Lane.

Beautiful day today. I took my phone out to take a pic of Boardman II, resplendent in the afternoon sunshine near when I stopped near Cotes. Alas, I was distracted by a WhatsApp message and it looks like I didn't. Or at least I can't find a pic from today on my phone.

Back on 40.94 miles, that's 302 this month.

https://www.strava.com/activities/6747060657

Very handy to have a few days of good weather at the end of the month. It's been a pretty successful cycling weekend; I got the Feb Fondo in, got the distance tally over 300 miles and ticked off the last two neighbouring counties.

Penelope Isles - Which Way To Happy

Well - as you'll have heard, Bielsa's gone now. Will be interesting to see if a New Manager Bounce can propel them up the table a couple of places. Looks like that will be Jesse Marsch's job.

Wordle 253 4/6

🟨⬛⬛⬛⬛
⬛⬛🟩🟩⬛
⬛⬛🟩🟩🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Quite quick this morning. Still took four goes, though. Nice to get two letters in place on the second go.

Still watching M*A*S*H every day, 66 episodes in now. 290 to go! Nearing the end of the third series.