Cycling 2023

[Fishy]

Realised when I swapped out the new inner that I'd knocked off a brake pad as was getting some nasty metal on metal noises from back wheel.. into the shop today and all sorted.. never realised I may have managed it myself after watching some how to vids..

[Nickslikk2112]

After watching the men's race in Glasgow on Sunday I was well motivated to get out today, cycling is just so cool. Well them professional beggars just make it look too easy, I was floundering like, well, a beached Flounder. I think all you can eat breakfast buffets, Pizza (not deep fried) and red wine had done for me.

As ever the way back felt good, but downhill with a following wind will do that for you. I decided to do our local equivalent of Montrose Street on the way back. It took me 1'30" Alberto Bettiol did Montrose street in 17" on Sunday. My hill is twice as long though, although not quite as steep and I did have a DPD doing a three point turn ahead of me.

I must also stop gesticulating at drivers. I had a close pass from a Wankpanzer today as I was setting off from a hold up, so I gave him a two fingered salute. He slammed his brakes on and asked me what the hell my problem was. I explained quite rationally that my problem was his lack of care in failing to give me 1.5m instead of the 0.5m he gave me. He drove off a bit braked again and then said I was a dickhead for not cycling through a puddle. Well excuse me; one there was no puddle and two I wouldn't cycle through one any way as I neither know how deep it is and what lurks at the bottom of it. I had hoped he would be parked up on a side street up the road as they're the sort of place low-life, knuckle-dragging, fat, tattooed, Wankpanzer driving scum like him live so I could scrape a pedal down his car, but alas no.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9605707352

[Nickslikk2112]

And out again today, flatter ride, taken more steadily. Garmin was advising a rest day, but I thought a Base Level ride would be beneficial and for only the second time ever I managed a base level ride.

After saying yesterday that I'd stop gesticulating at drivers I only lasted to the bottom of our road before giving a two-fingered salute. I was behind a car turning left and there was a constant stream of traffic coming from the right, the car behind me sat there with the driver endlessly revving it up, when a gap appeared I thought the car and front of me and my good self would get out, but he tarried so long I stopped, the car behind me just shot straight out round me. Twunt.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9612706967

[Slim]

Just back from a ten day holiday today and after a 167 mile drive this morning I wasn't planning to go cycling this afternoon. Just wanted to unpack and chill out. But the forecast for this afternoon promised just about the best cycling weather I can remember - warm, sunny, 0% chance of rain and a 3mph wind. So I decided I'd get the August campaign off to a start after all. I set off at about 4pm.

Wanted to do about 35 miles and thought a Twycross Bypasser would do nicely. But the road to Norton was closed, so I continued down through Twycross. I did the detour to Orton on the Hill from there. I came back a longer way in the latter half of the ride, through Shenton and later through Swepstone.

Beautiful out there in the warm sunshine. The wind did seem a bit stronger than 3mph to be fair but it didn't bother me. I was slightly concerned that ten days of restaurant food, usually including an unhealthy dessert and invariably preceded and / or followed by a couple of Scotches, a few beers or a cocktail or two might have taken a toll, but it was a breeze. I mean it was only 37.30 miles but interestingly I did clock up a higher average speed than I normally would, without trying to. Just the joy of being out there in warm sunshine with minimal clothing.

Noticed that the front derailleur (on the Cannondale) is rattling a bit on some gears. It can be rectified easily by using the trim and it's changing gears smoothly and quickly enough. Maybe just needs the cable to be tightened. I'll have a look at the weekend.

Listened to the Stones' Some Girls. Does have a couple of good tunes but it feels a bit half-baked and limp.

Very nice run out, very happy to be back in the saddle.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9615616166

[Nickslikk2112]

I mean it was only 37.30 miles but interestingly I did clock up a higher average speed than I normally would, without trying to.

Fully Carb Loaded

[Nickslikk2112]

Went out for another 40 miler today, being as the weekend sees me off to Glasgae again, so I've got to make hay whilst the sun shines. The sun did shine today. If anything it was a bit too warm and humid, not used to that these last few weeks.

At this time of year three back to back 40 milers should be run of the mill, but this year has been too stop/start. The Garmin recommended a 30 minute recovery ride, but two and a half hours at Tempo will have to do.

I did keep within myself today, couldn't do anything else really, but there was one point where I lit the afterburners, I could see a bloke ahead of me on an uphill segment, he was over half way up it and out of the saddle weaving around, so I just put the hammer down, got up to a 550W average flew by him giving him a cheery "Hiya!" Once round the next corner I slowed and started making noises like a Donkey...

Don't know whether it's a World Championships effect or not, but there seemed to be a lot of cyclists out today. I've got to the point where I recognise lots of people by sight, but today there seemed a lot of "new" faces. The more the merrier.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9619358175/

[Nickslikk2112]

And I got a fourth consecutive 40 miler in today, gets me over 160 miles for the week in, oh, a fortnight, but it should be 200+ miles a week at this time of the year.

I could feel it was the fourth in a row, every ride this week has had a slower average speed as my old legs start wearing out. Got a hill in early, then just rode around at not random, but over three laps then came back home.

Not so many people out and about today, but that's because I picked a less scenic part of Derbyshire to ride around.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9625914141

[The Picnic Wasp]

Went out for another 40 miler today, being as the weekend sees me off to Glasgae again, so I've got to make hay whilst the sun shines. The sun did shine today. If anything it was a bit too warm and humid, not used to that these last few weeks.

At this time of year three back to back 40 milers should be run of the mill, but this year has been too stop/start. The Garmin recommended a 30 minute recovery ride, but two and a half hours at Tempo will have to do.

I did keep within myself today, couldn't do anything else really, but there was one point where I lit the afterburners, I could see a bloke ahead of me on an uphill segment, he was over half way up it and out of the saddle weaving around, so I just put the hammer down, got up to a 550W average flew by him giving him a cheery "Hiya!" Once round the next corner I slowed and started making noises like a Donkey...

Don't know whether it's a World Championships effect or not, but there seemed to be a lot of cyclists out today. I've got to the point where I recognise lots of people by sight, but today there seemed a lot of "new" faces. The more the merrier.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9619358175/

Glaswegians much prefer Glesca rather than Glasgae, but it's mostly English accents up here these days so who cares?

[Slim]

It was a delightfully quiet work day - I sometimes suspect that most of our customers start their weekends on a Thursday night - so with another warm, dry afternoon forecast, I thought I'd risk an early exit and a post-work Fondo.

The wind was coming from the south-west and I decided on the southbound route. I didn't quite go all the way to Welford and the Northants border like I usually would; I just turned round after the requisite half fondo distance.

Stopped for a nice snack and a bottle of Lucozade at the village shop at Gilmorton on the way down. It's a very cyclist-friendly place with seats and tables outside and they always offer to fill your water bottle. It was open until 7pm so tactically, a stop on the way back would probably have been better.

Very nice out there. Very warm. The wind was quite strong but it was mostly a slightly hostile sidewind on the way down, and a more sympathetic sidewind on the way back.

Once again I clocked up a faster average speed than I usually would. I think my dodgy knees are the limiting factor and a break from cycling enforced by a holiday in Scotland has given them a welcome long recovery period. But - regular cycling definitely helps as well. A bit of a delicate balance.

Three dogs attempted to intercept me on the outskirts of Stoney Stanton. They just bolted out of a house on the right and came for me like I was a fox being pursued by hounds, yapping vigorously. I shouted NO! at them and pedalled hard to outrun them but for the first couple of seconds the yapping of the dog in front - obviously the ringleader - didn't seem to be receding into the distance behind me.

I don't think they were much older than puppies to be fair but on my very first spreadsheet-recorded ride in January 2015 I was bitten by a dog - so for it to happen again would have been an ominous portent.

Back on 63.35. Happy to have done a bit more than 100 miles since I came back from my hols.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9628443980

[Slim]

I was going to get up early and do at least a Fondo today, but in the event I didn't get up until 1000. I was annoyed about that until a downpour of rain at 1100, after which I considered that I'd dodged a bullet.

But the weather brightened up nicely in the afternoon and I had mounted a bicycle by 1245.

A fairly strong wind was coming from the west and the plan was to do the westbound route for 20 miles or so, then come back. I took a longer route than usual over the first ten miles, firstly by going up through Packington and secondly by taking, on a whim, a different right turn out of Measham. I guessed that I'd probably be able to navigate back onto the usual route a bit further along and I was right. Made a change I suppose but it was a bit of a rollercoaster ride and not that interesting, so I won't do that again.



After Kings Bromley I'd done 23 miles and only wanted to do another couple (I'd decided to try for 50 miles by this time). So I went exploring for a bit. I took a left along a road called Shaw Lane, then a right turn off that, also somehow called Shaw Lane. Both the Shaw Lanes had evidently been resurfaced fairly recently with the the sharp gravel which Leicestershire County Council (or was I in South Derbyshire at this point?) is keen to distribute on its public highways. So when I came to a T junction with a main road, I took a right onto that rather than turn back the same way.

Fortunately this led to the traditional route. I came back the usual way. Back on 50.69 miles.

The weather was lovely and the puddles had all dried up within about an hour of setting off. I suppose I should have made better use of it; I was back more than three hours before sunset.

Listened to football mostly; Brentford vs Spurs and the first half of Liverpool vs Chelsea. The latter game was the more interesting.

I also listened to the Rolling Stones' Emotional Rescue. Like its predecessor Some Girls, a bit flaccid. But it does have some interesting quirks.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9640867450

[Nickslikk2112]

A nice sunny day, I think, my memory's fading rapidly. Maybe it was only not too cloudy, anyway it was dry, not too hot, not too cold and not too windy. Sort of a Goldilocks day.

Can't say as a weekend of Pizza and red wine perked me up any, but I "rattled" along at usual pace and didn't feel too off it. Even set a best time for me on an uphill bit. Who could ask for more?

https://www.strava.com/activities/9651952354

[Slim]

Another warm afternoon, another run out after work. I had every intention of doing a Twycrosser, but as soon as I began to absorb the warm sunshine I had an urge to go up Top Brand. So I did. I pretty much made it up as I went along but I went through Castle Donington after that, then west to Shardlow.

I looped back through Aston on Trent then came back the same way. Except that I used the cycle path that bypasses the roundabout over the A50. I saw another cyclist turn off to use it on the outbound trip so I thought I'd give it a go on the way back. It was fine actually. No bits of broken glass or excess of stones, or pedestrians.

Listened to the Rolling Stones' Tattoo You which is another poor record overall, but mainly put together from patched up outtake tracks. Does have a couple of decent moments, though. Hard not to like Start Me Up.

Back on 32.69 miles which is less than I intended, but I've done 184 this month now. Not bad considering I was away from a bike for the first 10 days.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9654049506

[Nickslikk2112]

Another day, another ride, another 40 miles. Still well behind the cumulative distance tally of every year since 2017, but I'll take most any chance to get out.

Did the same ride as one I did four weeks ago and managed to do it more quickly, probably due to the lack of any appreciable headwind. Plenty of others out and about today, including a group of three young ladies who all gave me a nice smile It also appears that there's not just me out there who goes and rides aimless loops as there were a few folk I saw a couple of times the opposite way to what I was doing.

42.7 miles gets me to 356 for August. Not too bad for missing two weekends, but I've put extra week rides in.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9658855416

[Slim]

Yesterday looked like one of the last perfect cycling days of the summer - warm, very low winds, dry, sunny. But someone arranged for me to attend a meeting with Australian colleagues at 0800, so I took the day off today instead.

Conditions weren't quite as good with a stiff breeze coming from the east. I thought I'd do the eastbound route, maybe as far as Bourne. I thought I'd probably set off at about 0800 but in the event I woke up early and I was away by 0630.

I was going to wear a long-sleeved top over the first couple of hours and risk bare legs, but I changed my time at the last minute and put tights on. Glad I did because it was pretty cool until about 0845. I stashed the long-sleeved top and the tights near Waltham after 30-odd miles.

Stopped for food at the Deli at Waltham on the way out east.

I got as far as about half a mile from Bourne, then I took a right turn for Stamford to go exploring for a bit. This took me to a place called Essendine, in Rutland. Spent a while eating on a bench there, then turned back and came home exactly the same way. Bourne is where the flat bit of Lincolnshire starts so it would have been better, or at least flatter, just to keep going through Bourne rather than looping south into Rutland. But it made a change.



Stopped for food at the village shop at Buckminster on the way back. Remarkably, I was served by a young man of (at a guess) nine years of age. His mum was on the phone. Very professional though .. the lad scanned all the stuff I bought, presented the card machine, announced the cost, took the payment.

I got the food strategy about right for a change. Often I end up carrying around stuff I don't actually eat but today I consumed all the items I brought with me and bought.

Listened to R5 mostly - mostly anecdotes and clips from Michael Parkinson's old shows. Then I started another Reacher novel, Nothing to Lose. Seems a lot like Killing Floor so far, with a local capitalist who owns an entire town and has the local police in his pocket doing something nefarious.

That was a fun day out. I was back not long after 1800 so perhaps I could have stayed out longer, but I need to plan a new route for that really. Happy enough with 121.67 miles for today. The time flew past, felt more like a fondo.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9667888625

[Nickslikk2112]

I go to 126 miles for the week over three rides today! Don't think I'll bother going for another 40 miler tomorrow, listening to the legs or the weather forecast?

Actually managed to set a PR on an uphill segment today, ah, the joys of a following wind! My previous best was back in April 2017, think that was a tailwind day too. Didn't think I'd put that much effort into it today as I was only supposed to be doing a 30 minute recovery ride.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9665625378