Cycling 2024

[Nickslikk2112]

I got out eventually, yet again watching too much cycling, it's a bit bad when it's the French women's National Cyclocross though (Helene Clauzel won, Amandine Fouquenet second - on a Bianchi)

Still the Garmin was recommending a rest day, so I thought I'd just ride out for 10 miles turn round and come back, which I did, but turning back a bit over 10 miles as it was more convenient. Puts me even further ahead of last January and that's all that matters

https://www.strava.com/activities/10558425902

[David L]

We got in around 20 or so on the mtbs today. Waited for it to warm up a little (not much!) leaving around 11:15am. Lovely ride with quite a bit of blue sky around.
Hailey, Ramsden, Finstock, Leafield, Swinbrook, Brize Norton and back to Witney via Minster Lovell. By and large the car drivers were well-behaved with just a couple of exceptions passing far too close.
Cold toes and cold fingers - as per..

[Nickslikk2112]

Got out today on the Bianchi Been dry for a few days now and I thought there wouldn't be much ice risk left, at least not on the main roads. Mrs S then woke me up to tell me it was snowing. Great. Got out of bed and what snow? Just a few sparkly crystals and that was it.

Waited until nearly eleven for it to warm up and headed out, avoiding the usual lanes as they could well have been icy and even if not are in such a bad state of repair that they're only suitable for the gravel bike. Also choosing the way with the least bad set of roadworks at which I was able to sail straight through on green.

Didn't think it was too cold either, still a bit of ice in the road by Holmewood ponds, but not on my side of the road. Managed to get out to Tibshelf for the first time in ages, not an especially pleasant destination, but further afield than I have been doing.

Decided to come back through the other set of roadworks at the bottom of our road. Big mistake. Average speed for the ride dropped from 16.5mph to 16.2mph and that was going downhill! I'll keep avoiding that way. 32.86 miles gets me over 300 for the year.

https://www.strava.com/activities/10569164831

[Slim]

A bright sunny day, but a bit windy and very cold. I devised a route that would see me cycling in four counties after work. Not as ambitious as it might sound - the border between Leicestershire and Staffordshire is only about 2km long, with Warwickshire at one end and Derbyshire at the other. None of them are very far from Chez Slim.

So I headed down that way, through Heather, Swepstone and Snarestone, then west to Appleby Magna.

I hadn't been through Appleby for years - it used to be on my Wales route, though I wouldn't go that way now. I got slightly lost and ended up taking a different route through and out of the village than I intended, but I was happy I did - it was really beautiful along there in the cold sunshine. Reminded me of going on winter walks with my grandmother when I was (at a guess) six or seven years old.

I exited Leicestershire to enter Warwickshire at No Man's Heath, at 1607. Six minutes later at 1613, I entered Staffordshire along Main Street. Another nine minutes later I penetrated Derbyshire along Netherseal Road, following a right turn from Clifton Campville at 1622. I connected with my usual Lower Westbound Route thirteen minutes later, and at 1551 I successfully performed re-entry to Leicestershire again, at Acresford.

So: over the 15 minutes between 1607 and 1622, I had cycled in four counties.

I should say that for the purposes of this exercise I was using the modern "ceremonial" county boundaries, not the historic ones. I didn't actually visit historic Derbyshire at all. All of the Derbyshire territory along this ride is actually in historic Leicestershire. Derbyshire annexed a chunk of Leicestershire a century or two ago, in return for land elsewhere. But I definitely visited both versions of Staffordshire, so that's another neighbouring country ticked off.

I'd never done the road between Clifton Campville and Netherseal before - it was lovely just before dusk. Very quiet, almost like a secret place. I'll try to remember to do it again.

I hadn't been through No Man's Heath for a few years and I was pleased to see that the road surface was better than I remembered.

I went up through Ashby on the way back to add a couple of miles. Back on 27.61, not as many as I wanted really but it was seriously cold after sunset so I don't feel too bad. My average distance figure is a bit rubbish so far this year, but on the other hand I've done 264 miles which is more than acceptable 16 days in.

https://www.strava.com/activities/10571186309

[Nickslikk2112]

I should say that for the purposes of this exercise I was using the modern "ceremonial" county boundaries, not the historic ones. I didn't actually visit historic Derbyshire at all. All of the Derbyshire territory along this ride is actually in historic Leicestershire. Derbyshire annexed a chunk of Leicestershire a century or two ago, in return for land elsewhere.

Got to be Historic counties to count. Old Counties Good, New Counties Bad Derbyshire used to have several exclaves in Leicestershire and probably vice versa, they were all "tidied up" years ago. To me most of southern Sheffield is still Derbyshire, the rapacious denizens of Deedahland appropriated vast swathes of Derbyshire. Mrs S thinks her ancestors came from Yorkshire, but back in the 1800s they were all Peakites.

I don't think I've left Derbyshire this year and to be frank there's no great need to, unless I want to find somewhere flat. Certainly stayed 100% in Derbyshire for 30 miles today - first back to back 30 milers of the year - rode out, went up a hill, did a loop a couple of times and came back the same way. Bit colder than yesterday, but didn't feel too bad.

https://www.strava.com/activities/10575711399

[Slim]

Got to be Historic counties to count. Old Counties Good, New Counties Bad Derbyshire used to have several exclaves in Leicestershire and probably vice versa, they were all "tidied up" years ago.

Funnily enough I wrote about that earlier, here.

It turns out that my house is situated on a tiny exclave of historic Derbyshire that's only about 700m wide.

[Nickslikk2112]

Managed a third consecutive 30 miler today for the first time since October. Once again fully within Derbyshire.
Took it nice and steadily today, being as the Garmin said it was recommending a rest day for the third day in a row. Rode out and then did four "loops" on the flattest bit of ground I could find, then came home. Another cool day but not too bad. Must tape over the front air vents in my shoes though.

https://www.strava.com/activities/10581993769

[Nickslikk2112]

Fourth day out in a row. Another 30 miles? No, just the 21 which gets me to a higher weekly tally than last week, did it because the weekend is not looking too good. Bit warmer today and the traffic lights at the end of the road have gone meaning I could go out my regular way for the first time this year.
 
Might have had time for 30 but spent too long talking to a delivery man about the Pheasant's in out back garden. He thought they were pets.

https://www.strava.com/activities/10587882009

[Slim]

Very cold. I did a Twycrosser, coming back east through Upton and Shenton which I hadn't done for a while.

The other half has been a bit militant about my preference not to wear a helmet, of late. I much prefer a woolly hat in cold weather. However, although I don't like to appease her usually I did wear a helmet this time, with a cover on and a cycling hijab underneath in the hope that it would keep my head warm. I've bought some head torch helmet clips to keep a head torch band in place. Worked well enough.



I'm not sure if my head was as warm as it would have been in a "dutt", but then again my feet and hands were unusually cold as well. Took the pic a few minutes after sunset, and wished I'd brought my other phone. It would have taken a much better photo.

The road between Sibson and Shenton is lovely cycling territory. Every time I do it I resolve to do it more often in future. Then I don't.

Anyway back on 32.66. 297 done this month.

https://www.strava.com/activities/10589972016

[Slim]

Hadn't been out on a bike for a few days so I was very much looking forward to downing tools early this afternoon and getting 40 miles or so in. Bright, dry, mild (about 8C) but the wind from the west was pretty stiff.

I decided on the Lower Westbound Route and did that, except that I went up to Ashby and through Packington on the way out west. Also, bizarrely, I took the wrong turn from Measham, through Oakthorpe and Dinisthorpe. I've done this once before - deliberately, and decided I wasn't going to do it again. But I have done it again, out of absent-mindedness.

Got as far as King's Bromley, then turned back. The wind was supposed to have dissipated a bit by this time, meaning I'd only have a weak tailwind on the way home. But I don't think it had, or not by much. It definitely gave me a decent push along the flat bit from Bromley to Croxall.

Really nice out there - makes a big difference having dry, mild conditions. A few puddles and wet patches on the road, but not much. Nice to have a bit more daylight in the afternoon as well.

Back on 44.85 miles which takes me over target for the month (the 2024 target is 4550).

https://www.strava.com/activities/10622296894

[Nickslikk2112]

After four days staying in to avoid the weather, I manned up and went out on the roads. Was supposed to be gusting at 50+mph but it didn't seem too bad. Mainly because I set out with the wind behind me and it did drop as the ride went on. Also, as ever, my fitness drops off a cliff after a few days off the bike and it was a struggle no matter what.

Didn't stray too far from home, but you won't do when you only do 20 miles. Felt like 40. There was someone feeling worse than me out there though, I overtook a bloke on Slag Lane who was two thirds of the way up when I started, couldn't believe I'd do it. Wish the council would reinstate the road signs, but as nobody lives on it they don't have to. Used to enjoy seeing if they'd last more than two days.

https://www.strava.com/activities/10619796225

[Nickslikk2112]

Thought I might give it a miss today as the day was a lot more grizzly drizzly than forecast, but it stopped so I started. Didn't do too much, Just 25 miles, but it's good to get out. Can't remember much about it, which I suppose is a good sign, in that there can't have been any totally brain dead drivers out today.

Now at 355 miles for January which is better than any full January apart from 2021, might be a chance of getting in another 100 to top that.

https://www.strava.com/activities/10626417821

[Nickslikk2112]

And out again for another 25 miler. Nice sunny day if a bit windy. Not as windy as Wednesday, but I felt its effects more, bit of being blown around on a few sections today, at least not further out into the road though.

Went up through Dronfield for the first time this year and got over 800 feet up for the first time this year, which meant U completed the Strava climbing challenge. I never join until I've completed it - so I can't fail - but hadn't noticed that the target had dropped from 7,500m to 7,000m, so I'd actually done it yesterday. Could have had a rest.

https://www.strava.com/activities/10632701613

[Slim]

I did a Twycross Bypasser, always a nice option on a Friday after work. Dry and sunny to start off, but uncomfortably cold after sunset. Quite a strong wind from the west.

Lovely along Atterton Lane at dusk. Tranquil.

Only wanted to do 35 miles really, but I ended up with another 40.15 in the bag.



The weather looks thoroughly decent for Sunday, dry and about 10C. Northamptonshire and back, I think.

https://www.strava.com/activities/10634750796

[Nickslikk2112]

And another 27 miles of gentle spinning out today. I was hoping it would be gentle, but the Garmin told me that I'd been riding at Tempo and should therefore rest for 72 hours. I suppose that's better than VO2 max, mist be getting fitter. It also puts me over 400 miles for January, only the second time I've reached that landmark.

After a couple of days of decent drivers on the road, the eejits were out and about again. A set of traffic lights at a single lane bridge under Chesterfield railway station were replaced before Christmas and today I noticed there was a smaller set for cyclists, these go green a few seconds before the main set, but of course as soon as I set off the car divers behind set off  On the way back the driver was trying to get by revving his engine even though he couldn't get by because of the single lane, then traffic on the other carriageway, at the junction at the top he came out right by me. Prick.

Then I signalled right to pull off up our drive, but the bus following me still tried to come by on the inside, but I had to stop because of oncoming traffic. Mrs S - who was out cutting the hedge by the drive - said one of the passengers was mouthing off at me and flicking V signs. So even bloody moronic bus passengers have it in for cyclists.

https://www.strava.com/activities/10639652051