Cycling 2023

[Nickslikk2112]

Managed to get out today. Thankfully. Bloody Heart Rate Monitor wasn't working though That's what gives all the info as to whether I'm getting fitter or not and how long I should ride for. OK I ignore all these things, but ignoring them is all the sweeter when you know you're not doing what you're being told

Didn't venture too far from home today, but still got 40 miles and a couple of decent climbs in. It was a slog though, I think my fitness takes a dive after even three days off a bike. Nice to hear the Skylarks still out and about, but not much other wildlife action out and about.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9349905443

Tried putting a new battery in the HRM when I got back, but still no signs of life. Managed to lose one of the tiny screws from it as well. Luckily I still have the last HRM which failed so purloined a screw from there. On a whim I put the battery from today's failed HRM into it and it paired with the Garmin head unit. Who knows, maybe a couple of years in a box will cure the other one.

I then decided to take the Back Giant TCR out to see if the front tyre would keep the air in. It did, I only did 4 miles, but it still feels well inflated, sealant must be getting to work round the valve.
I must say that the Giant feels very responsive and wants you to push hard on the pedals, it's a thoroughbred. The Bianchi looks nice, but the Giant ride nice. The Gravel Bike plods, but that has it's place.

[Nickslikk2112]

Did the same ride as yesterday. Only this time on a different bicycle. What a difference it made. A bit of one at least. Yesterday I averaged 15.7 mph today 16.6 mph. Similar sort of headwind just a lighter, stiffer bike that wants to be ridden, a weighted average power of 205W today as against 178W yesterday.

I think with it being more highly geared you just push down that bit harder, I ride the same rear sprocket at the same time on both bikes more or less but 52/36 chainrings are substantially larger than 46/30.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9355989985

[Slim]

I wanted to do about 40 after work - to get the monthly total up over 600. With the wind coming from the north-west, a trip up to and along the Beloved A Road seemed a good idea. Perfect conditions apart from the wind, although even that wasn't too bad. Dry and sunny, not too warm.

Normally a ride out on a bike after work helps me to destress and clear my head, but I hadn't been pedalling for more than three minutes before I was irate. The road out of the village has been resurfaced, if I can dignify what they've done with the term, by having a load of sharp, dusty gravel dumped on it. I assume there'll be some sort of second phase at some point where they come and take away the excess after it's bedded in but in the mean time it really bloody annoys me that I'm supposed to ride over a series of gravel dunes just to take that route out of the village.

Anyway. I took the road through Coleorton and up Top Brand, then Isley Walton before turning sharp left in the direction of Swarkestone Bridge. A bit longer that way but I do like Top Brand in the sunshine.

I'd done more than 24 miles before I turned back. Got stuck in a traffic jam near Willington ten minutes later. Long queue of traffic there for some reason. Only held me up for ten minutes, though.



The idea was to come back down through Ticknall, then take a right to Woodville to avoid Bastard Hill. I hadn't actually ascended Bastard Hill for over a year; not since I discovered the detour. But as I approached it, a voice in my head insisted that I give it a go. I felt a bit guilty about chickening out of it for so long. So I decided to man up and take it. And you know what? It really wasn't that bad at all.

Just checked and my previous ascent of that unlovely feature was in May 2021.

Fantastic view from the top of the hill just before Ticknall. You have to stop and turn round to see it, but there's a superb view of Derby and surrounding districts from there.

Sad to see though that the Wheel Inn at Ticknall which was a lovely, smart, modern little pub before the pandemic is still closed and starting to look slightly derelict.



I came back down through Ashby, then detoured through Packington and Heather so I could approach the village from the south, and avoid the El Cheapo road resurfacing project.

Back on 51.19 miles, that's a wrap for June. 610 done this month.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9358989405

[Nickslikk2112]

Being as I didn't get out on Tuesday and being as I'll struggle to get out tomorrow as my brother has invited himself over I went out today. Would have gone out this morning if my rescheduled delivery from yesterday had arrived on time, but it turned up two and a half hours late due to the van breaking down half a mile from my house

This afternoon it was then to work off a few frustrations. Of course cycling brings up its own frustrations, constant drizzle and taxi driving twats and Beemer berks who fully pull into Advanced Stop Lines at traffic lights. I try my hardest to bite my tongue and say nothing, but I did utter a couple of "Funny looking bicycle you've got there cunt". Luckily the drivers concerned just stared straight ahead and didn't get out to twat me. At least the Beemer Berk let me set off before him - thanks a bunch Taxi Twat

Well, that's June done with 731 miles, 180 less than last June and I wish I'd gone round the block again as my June climbing total was 52,725', 75' shy of 10 miles.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9363098042/

[Slim]

I was going to do at least 40 today, but there was always a chance I'd stretch it to a fondo if I felt like it. With a strong and annoying wind coming from the west I decided to go up and west along the Beloved A Road again. This time though the plan was to go up via Heather, Ashby and Ticknall - the same way I came back on Thursday - to avoid the dusty gravel on the road on the northern route out of the village.

Unfortunately I missed a turn at Ashby. A couple of miles later though. I followed a sign for Blackfordby; I was pretty sure I could find my way to Ticknall from there. And I did, through Woodville and Hartshorne. The only downside was a brutal climb going through Blackfordby.

The headwind was very annoying going west along the A road. I tolerated it as far as the roundabout after Sudbury. I'd done 35 miles at this point and I calculated that I'd done enough for a fondo if I came back the more conventional (quicker) way. Which I did, except that to avoid the gravel I detoured along Wash Lane.

Actually part of the road down from Melbourne has also had the gravel treatment so there was no escaping it. A bit aggravating as that stretch was only resurfaced in luxuriant smooth tarmac about a year ago.

Pretty cool weather when I set off, but I was comfortable enough with three layers on top and a pair of tights. The sun came out later on after which I was too warm, even after I'd partially disrobed and stowed excess clothing in the backpack.

Treated myself to an almond-flavoured Magnum at the petrol station near Hatton.

I gor through a couple of hours of a new audiobook, Mick Herron's Slow Horses. About an unglamorous department of the Secret Service where intelligence operatives who have failed to make the grade or disgraced themselves are relegated to serve out their careers doing menial or clerical work.

Enjoyable ride on the whole, much more so with a tailwind in the sunshine on the way back. Back on 62.92 miles.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9369201221

[dom]

Finished June off with a 50k late Friday afternoon spin. A breezy day saw me exceed 500kms in a month for the first time since the Summer of 21.

A similar breezy spin yesterday got July off the mark with 65k.  The same sort of windy day in November, say, would have been very unpleasant but the ambient temperature made it bearable.

Tried something completely different today with a 16k hike from Navan to Slane. The first half was very comfortable with a gravel path between the canal and the river.  After reaching The Broadboyne bridge the path turned into a trail with more climbing, uneven ground etc.  Great day though finished nicely with a pint of Guinness in The Village Inn in Slane before getting the bus back to Navan.

Yesterday's cycle meant I reached 187kms for the week. I'll have to look back to see the last time I reached a similar amount.

[Nickslikk2112]

Didn't get out for as much as I wanted today, due to being glued to the TdF. Sad, but true. Thankfully I managed to get over 150 miles for the week, but should be doing 200+ at this time of the year. I would have got there if little brother hadn't come over yesterday. I'll have to knuckle down in Augist as I've got a couple of weekends away.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9376389895/

[Nickslikk2112]

Did my semi-regular Tuesday ride today. Didn't feel on it today. Headwind didn't help. Dropping the chain going uphill didn't help. Roadworks didn't help. Just feeling a bit under par generally didn't help.

Being held up by a Police motorcycle between Baslow and Calver didn't help. Wondered if there had been a crash, didn't think there could be a bike race, but it was for a couple of massive Tipper Trucks from a quarry being transported through. At least I got to see a Red Kite whilst I was waiting, which was nice.

Quite nice to do my best time of the year up the Padley climb, but so I should with a tail wind. After watching today's Tour stage think I'll write to the Bishop of Hallam to see if he'll approve the change of the Padley martyr's chapel to that of Notre Dame des Cyclistes.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9386114137/

[Nickslikk2112]

And another 37 today. Low-level miles which were supposed to be low intensity, but which ended up medium intensity, hey, I'd got a bike race to get back and watch.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9392498276

[Slim]

I wanted to do about 35 after work. Not too many, because I might do a long one on Friday and wanted to conserve my energy. A breezy day with the wind coming from the west. Relatively cool. I clothed myself with three layers on top and a pair of tights and set off to do the Lower Westbound Route for a bit. Usually I'd probably opt for the Upper Westbound, but I've done that a couple of times in recent days.

I got as far as the left turn along Grangewood Road after 9 miles. Grangewood Road, or as much as it as I could see from there, had been liberally garnished with dusty grey gravel. Clearly, Leicestershire County Council has bought a very large quantity of the stuff. I avoided it by declining to turn left.

I thought this would take me to Coton in the Elms, along one of the other variations of that route but nope, it didn't. I just kept going regardless, through Overseal and eventually into the outskirts of Swadlincote. Unfamiliar territory and a bit urban, but it made a change. I saw a sign to Woodville, and made my way there. From there I went up through Ticknall to Swarkestone Bridge. Then onto the Beloved A Road. So in fact I did end up doing the Upper Westbound Route after all, or a bit of it, via a highly circuitous route.

I'd decided by this time that I was going to come back down via Weston, Aston, Shardlow, Donington et al. And I particularly wanted to stop to take a pic after 26 miles, because that would be the point at which I'd have clocked up 40,000 road miles since January 2015. I thought somewhere along Swarkestone Road near Weston might be a suitable spot for that.

That meant I needed to turn around fairly sharpish, but I didn't. The lure of the nicely surfaced, flat A road was just too much. Seemed a waste not to do another of mile or so. So I did, and I actually passed the 26 mile mark in busy traffic before the turn off to Weston.

I ended up taking this rather indifferent pic after 40,002 road miles. Close enough.



When I got to Castle Donington I was disgusted to find that it had had the same fucking awful grey gravel resurfacing treatment. I had to propel the bike through heaps of the stuff, with cars around me throwing up clouds of dust behind them, despite obeying the 10mph signs that had been left out every few hundred metres. Clearly, there's no escaping it at the moment. God knows how much additional wear it puts into a pair of bike tyres.

I decided to tolerate the long grisly climb through Swannington rather than face the gravel on the northern approach to the village. Swannington too had had a visit from the Gravel Fairy. But fortunately it seemed to be less recent and had bedded in a bit. I think they must come and take away the excess after a few days. Or do they just sweep it into the drains? Either way it seems a pathetic way to resurface a road.

Listened to LBC, then the tennis on 5 Live - a really superb first round match between Stefanos Tsitsipas and Dominic Thiem that went to a tiebreaker in the fifth set.

A fox cub ran across the road in front of me near Ticknall.

I stayed at home yesterday because rain was forecast. Today it wasn't, but I did have to put up with a heavy shower. Good run out anyway.

Back on 45.17 miles.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9395090111

[Nickslikk2112]

Out again for 38 miles. Was a give it some occasional welly easy paced ride, so I went up less steep hills to the tops and did further on the tops. Actually felt like not going out, but I'm glad I did. Lots of young lady cyclists out today, wonder if they're inspired by the Giro Donne - or the prospect of seeing me...

https://www.strava.com/activities/9398825411

[Nickslikk2112]

Out again today, even though it's a Friday as tomorrow's forecast is none too good. Probably be fine all day now.

Wanted an easy day today, so just up the one categorised climb and then riding round and round in triangles and various polygons on flatter ground. Nearly got taken out by a motorcyclist on the way there though, he came onto a roundabout from the wrong lane. I noticed from his numberplates that he was from the Netherlands, so kind soul that I am I let him off without a two-fingered salute.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9405025937

[Slim]

Inclement weather was forecast for the weekend but with high temperatures and bright sunshine promised for today, I took the day off work to do a longish bike ride. The wind was coming pretty much exactly from the south, so I thought I'd have a go at Northampton and back. I haven't done that one for a few years now (2020 was the last time, I think).

I intended to set off at about 0800. But I woke at 0330 and didn't really get back to sleep. I lay in bed until 0445, then I got up. I set off at about 0630. It was cool out, but I was wearing three layers on top and leg warmers.

I was annoyed to find that the ubiquitous gravel resurfacing method had been employed between Ibstock and Ellistown, but fortunately I only had to put up with it for about 1.5 miles, and it wasn't that recent - The excess had been swept up and it had bedded in a bit.

By the time I was approaching Stoney Stanton, after only 17 miles or so I was starting to feel a bit drained - lack of sleep, I assumed. I decided I'd probably just go down as far as Welford then come back. However half an hour later I'd started to enjoy myself, and I was fine. I stopped at a farm gate just outside Gilmorton to stash my excess clothing in my camo bag in the nearby hedge. Conditions had warmed up quite a bit by this time. I was in minimal clothing now, short-sleeved jersey and shorts. But another half hour later I was quite warm. The temperature climbed quite quickly in the morning.

I stopped at the petrol station at Welford to buy some more food and a couple of cartons of Ribena. Handy size. Then I made my way down Welford Road, down through the villages north of Northampton. Spratton is the only one of them that offers a bench for the weary traveller, disappointingly. I made use of it to have a rest and refuel with some of the stuff I'd bought at Welford.

I seem to remember that I came through Spratton last year some time, though I definitely didn't go right down to Northampton. Must look that up and see what I was up to.

I arrived in Northampton not long after 1100, and continued in the direction of the guest house (probably not a guest house now) where I spent a six month "lost weekend" in 1984. To my shame I took a wrong turn from Kingsthorpe and ended up in Moulton Park. I had to consult Google Maps to find my way from there. This was annoying because the traffic was pretty heavy over that way and I got held up for ten minutes at a queue for a road junction.

When I got there, I parked my bike up against the old house and took a rather crappy and partly over-exposed pic.



Then I turned for home.

I must write about that odd episode in my life, some time. Perhaps we should have a memoir section on the site.

The first few miles coming up out of Northampton are a bit of an uphill slog, and the sun was fairly punishing by this time. I did bring some sunscreen with me but didn't use it. I reasoned that I'd have my back to the sun coming north when it was at its strongest, so I'd probably be OK. I'm already a bit tanned anyway which ought to give a bit of protection. And I seem to have got away with it. My tanlines have improved nicely, but no sunburn.

Stopped at the village shop at Gilmorton on the way back. I love this place, they always have a good selection of stuff and there are tables and chairs outside. Had a cheese and onion pasty and a Magnum, washed down with a bottle of Dr Pepper. Nice people there. The lady in the shop offered to fill my water bottle.

I nearly always buy too much food on a long ride, and end up carrying around stuff that I don't touch all day. Makes me laugh that I weigh mobile phones and use aluminium cage bolts to keep the weight down, but end up taking half a pound of ballast in the form of unwanted oat bars and pasties or similar.

I came back through Donington le Heath over the last few miles, to avoid the gravel surface near Ellistown. It probably isn't actually a better bet, to be fair. It involves a bumpy road surface and a bit of climbing. Actually the surface coming down Standard Hill is ridiculously uneven and I felt like the bike was going to rattle to bits. I'll just accept the gravel next time.

The homeward leg, after the climb coming out of Northampton, was mostly a breeze. Nice to have a tailwind of course.

Listened to a few more hours of my audiobook, Slow Horses. Unfolding nicely.

The thunderbugs are out in force at the moment - both arms were covered in the little beggars at one point.

Back on 100.10 miles. I wasn't actually intending to do 100 miles. The ride would have taken about 95 if I hadn't got lost in Northampton. But as I approached home I realised I'd end up doing about 99.5, so I did faff around a bit to get it up over 100, I admit.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9406496772

[Thenop]

Out again today, even though it's a Friday as tomorrow's forecast is none too good. Probably be fine all day now.

Wanted an easy day today, so just up the one categorised climb and then riding round and round in triangles and various polygons on flatter ground. Nearly got taken out by a motorcyclist on the way there though, he came onto a roundabout from the wrong lane. I noticed from his numberplates that he was from the Netherlands, so kind soul that I am I let him off without a two-fingered salute.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9405025937

Should've given him a more proper off putting. Dutch always have their mouth full of 'foreigners' but when we leave our own habitat we are useless and clueless.

[Slim]

Out again today, even though it's a Friday as tomorrow's forecast is none too good. Probably be fine all day now.

Wanted an easy day today, so just up the one categorised climb and then riding round and round in triangles and various polygons on flatter ground. Nearly got taken out by a motorcyclist on the way there though, he came onto a roundabout from the wrong lane. I noticed from his numberplates that he was from the Netherlands, so kind soul that I am I let him off without a two-fingered salute.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9405025937

Should've given him a more proper off putting. Dutch always have their mouth full of 'foreigners' but when we leave our own habitat we are useless and clueless.

I find that Dutch people generally speak English better than a very high proportion of British people. Very few British people can communicate in a foreign language.