Cycling 2022

[Slim]

Not been on a bike for over a week now and the way I feel now I can't see when I'll next feel up to iy even if the weather is nice.

Is your finger OK? I'm guessing your hip wasn't too badly hurt.

[Nickslikk2112]

Not been on a bike for over a week now and the way I feel now I can't see when I'll next feel up to iy even if the weather is nice.

Is your finger OK? I'm guessing your hip wasn't too badly hurt.

Finger's still stiff and a bit bruised. The swelling's all gone. The finger is what made first contact with the ground and with holding the brake lever it took a real clonk.
My hip was just a bit stiff for about three days, but that's now fine apart from the scabbed over road rash.

[Fishy]

Just back from a 25 miler .  wanted a fairly flat  route so  followed the national route 7 out to prestwick past the airport onto Troon then picked up a local cycle route to Barassie then pretty much  same route back.. now pouring with rain so nicely timed

[Slim]

The roads were wet from overnight precipitation but a rain free, sunny day was promised. Had a date with a cocktail bar later in the afternoon, but I wanted to do about 40. With the wind coming from the south, the plan was to do the southbound route - but detour to Markfield (again) on the way back.

Just for a change I went down through Donington le Heath instead of Ibstock. A shorter route, but involves more climbing. Oddly - just looked at the track on Strava - I seem to have taken a wrong turn, then recovered without realising it.

I got as far as Broughton Astley before deciding to turn back. From Kirkby Mallory I took Peckleton Lane in search of Markfield, but I didn't find it. I did a bizarre, meandering route through Desford that ultimately led me back to the usual route. So I gave up on Markfield. But I do like to do something a bit different over the Christmas hols, so I took a road to Barlestone rather than coming back up through Bagworth or Battram. Just by following my nose I ended up looping back onto the A47, so I gave up being adventurous and just came home the direct way through Ibstock - apart from a little wrinkle where I took a wrong turn at the double roundabout.

I took this pic near the Caterpillar works at Desford. The aircraft display is intended to commemorate a twin-engine trainer that was built there after WW2, when the site was an RAF airfield. I think the red, white & blue decorations were added for the Platinum Jubilee.



Mild out there, pleasant in the sun. I had to roll through a couple of inches of water once or twice - some of the roads round here turn into shallow rivers after a downpour - but that's what winter bikes are for.

Back on 44.76 miles. 340 done this month, 5420 this year. I'm sure I'll get out again a couple more times before the end of the year, but I'm quite happy with that.

https://www.strava.com/activities/8286515341

[David L]

On a post Xmas break in Sparkford, Somerset. Weather has been iffy since we arrived on Tuesday but a better day gave us an opportunity to get out on the bikes today.
Headed south on the A359 to Yeovil (wouldn't recommend it) and then east towards Sherborne. Had a nice tomato soup in The Half Moon (very small portion!) Visited the Digby Tap (good pub, bad beer!) before making our way back to the Mildmay Arms at Queen Camel (good pub, bad beer - forced onto rum and cokes).
I'm guessing just over 20 miles. Stayed dry, some blue sky and sunshine at times.
Never had as much trouble finding a decent beer. Nice to get out on the bikes though....and stay dry.

[Slim]

Another break in the miserable weather and probably the last cycling opportunity of the year. I wanted to do about 45 miles, to preserve my 2022 average distance. The wind was blowing from the SE, but I thought I'd go up through Coleorton over Swarkestone Bridge and west along the Beloved A Road as usual.

However - I'd hatched a different plan within about half a mile of setting off. Instead I decided to go up Top Brand. At some point along Top Brand, I had the idea of going up through Castle Donington then through Shardlow towards Derby. So I did that. Must say it was delightfully sentimental to be rolling along the road between Shardlow and Derby. I used to go to work that way (in a car of course) back in 1989. Happy memories, can't believe it's 33 years ago now.

I took a right to Borrowash. I'd decided to take my old route into Derby from Nottingham, from the time I worked at Nottingham University. I only ever did that on a bike three or four times but I called in at Spondon Railway station, from where I used to take my bike to Nottingham and back on a train every day in the late noughties. I hadn't been there for about 14 years; quite a strange thought given how familiar it seemed. Next, I went up Acorn Way to Oakwood, where I bought a house in 1991. Again - just indulging my sentimental side, but I find that as I grow older, the past seems to become ever more important.

After rolling through Oakwood for a bit I took an opportunistic turn up Morley Road. I doubt I've been along there since the early '90s. Nice to see pubs I'd forgotten about are still there.

I came back much the same way, except that I went through Chaddesden in Derby, just to look around. And I detoured through Diseworth after Donington.

Back on 56.45 miles, which takes me to 397 this month and 5477 for the year.



I listened to Talk Radio for a change. I quite enjoyed Mike Graham but Cristo Foufas, who followed him, wanted to talk about COVID and has more than a whiff of tin foil about him, sadly. Very irritating to hear someone who knows next to nothing about public health matters assume he knows more than Chris Whitty, although some of his callers were worse. Pretty annoying to listen to a retired school janitor pontificating about genome sequencing.

Anyway. That was one of my favourite rides of the year probably. Much more fun than if I'd just done one of my usual routes.

https://www.strava.com/activities/8307902343

[Nickslikk2112]

First ride for a fortnight today. Knew I'd have a few days off the bike after coming off it as my damaged ring finger would have prevented rear braking and front chainring changing, but I never thought I'd come down with some sort of virus like I have done. Last Thursday I thought I'd be off it for the rest of the year.

I'm not 100% now, but the sun was shining, it was dry and I didn't want to lose any more conditioning in my legs. I don't know what it was I had but it's buggered me up more than COVID did. I was hoping to get the 26 miles in to get me over last year's total road mileage, but had to settle for 20 and that was probably 5 too much.

Hopefully there will be a dry enough slot to fit six miles in before the end of Saturday, but it was still good to get out. Shame that after hitting the Strava climbing challenge for November for the first time, I'll now miss out on December's - unless I get in two more rides like today. Don't think that will be likely.

https://www.strava.com/activities/8306672679

[Slim]

Tomorrow's weather forecast tells me no more cycling in 2022 so that's a wrap for this year.

It was a pretty good cycling year, I think. I did Norfolk and back again which was very enjoyable. I did Wales and back as well, which I'd only done once, a few years ago. But no new long routes. I definitely need to plan something different for 2023. York and back, maybe. But I do want to do Norfolk and back again.

I fell short of my monthly target for September, which is a first. But I exceeded it every other month, quite substantially in some cases.

A comparison of this year's stats with last year's: I did one more ride in 2021 apparently. Surprisingly consistent. But my average distance was higher in 2022 and I did three more fondos. But one fewer 100 milers.



I only did 180 miles on my S Works this year, which seems a shame. And only 538 on the Roubaix, although I really only use it for unusually long rides. I'm surprised to note that Boardman I has been overtaken by Boardman II as the most used bike. Boardman I has better wheels in theory, although Boardman II has carbon forks. I got more use out of the Cannondale in 2022 than in 2021 which is nice, as it's still my favourite bike. It's had brand new wheels this year.



Every year I set myself the target of visiting all of the neighbouring counties of Leicestershire, and I'd done that by 25th February this year (30th March last year). That just depends on the weather, really.

I didn't do any new counties this year. The last time I did that was August 2020, when I penetrated Gloucestershire. Perhaps I'll aim for a new one in 2023.

[Nickslikk2112]

Well, I went out in the rain to get 6 miles in which got me past last year's 7,150 miles. Finished up on 7,150.9 miles and I'm now completely buggered. This virus is taking some shaking off.

Got my 100 miles of elevation gain in for the year, but failed to hit the Strava climbing challenge every month, finishing 1,800ft shy of it for December.

Only managed 3 Gran Fondos all year with a longest ride of 65 miles. I'd say the Bianchi did the Lion's share this year. Hopefully 2023 will see a new addition to the fleet - if I can sneak it by Mrs S...

https://www.strava.com/activities/8317009505