Cycling 2024

[Nickslikk2112]

Definitely not a Goldilocks day today. The sun didn't show itself until after I got home. It wasn't that cold, still fine to wear summer gear, but not a "This is why I ride" sort of day.

Got a slightly longer - 43 miles - ride in today because I stuck to more rolling terrain and could maintain a better average speed. The first 20 miles were as quick as I can do them, the second wasn't. Thank you North East wind.

https://www.strava.com/activities/12449871815

[Nickslikk2112]

Not been out today, but replaced the rear brake cable on the Giant. It needed it, where the cable left the front of the top tube it had frayed down to one strand. So the cable had to come out in two bits.

Tied a bit of cotton to the caliper end of the cable so that once pulled out I could then tie it to the rnd of the new cable and pull it back through again. Didn't get to use my magenetic system as I couldn't get the cover off the top tube at the handlebar end, so the metal bits wouldn't pull through. Same with the thin plastic tubing which you can push over the inner cable to use for routing.

Took a bit of fiddling to get it out at the seat tube end, but the magnet from the magnetic kit pulled the cable round to the exit port where I could pull it out. Dare I use it tomorrow?

[Slim]

After ten days away from my garage and its accumulation of bicycles, I was very keen to get back in the saddle again. Rain at lunchtime but the afternoon was dry enough. The wind was coming from the north-east. I hoped to do at least 40 miles. I really want to get the September distance up to 400 miles, and the weather for the rest of the month looks rubbish.

So I set off on the eastbound route. Quite cool and cloudy out there and after ten days in (mostly) sunny and warm Montenegro, I was frightened of the temperature. So I overdressed.

I took the Boardman. I'm experimenting with using 3-In-One on it after reading somewhere that it works nicely as a chain lube. Seems fine! I can't imagine the difference between the various lube products are more than marginal. Then again even the pricy ones aren't really expensive. Just playing really.

I got as far as a couple of miles past Six Hills, then, having done 23 miles, I took a left along Old Dalby Lane. I've done this a couple of times but I couldn't remember where it goes, or how far I'd gone along there. Well - I went right along it then when I got to the end, I did the obvious thing and turned left again. This took me pretty quickly to Wymeswold, and the "Old Eastbound Route". From there I came back the usual way except that I did the Long Whatton / Diseworth detour back in Leics to bump up the distance a bit.



Had a beautiful view of the sun about to set near Long Whatton. One of those rare times when it's visible as a perfect, sharp orange circle.

Back some time after sunset .. had to put lights on .. it's that time of the year again. I didn't bother with a proper front light, although I did have one with me. Regretted that over the last mile, on the unlit descent into the village. I was glad when a car with lights on came up behind me.

Anyway .. 49.32 miles. 233 this month. A 100 miler and two Bypassers would take me to 400. We'll see.

https://www.strava.com/activities/12461330383

[Nickslikk2112]

Thought I'd better test out my cabling skills so took the Giant out today. Thought I might have to leave it though as the front tyre had gone flat and a bit of sealant was leaking out from the rim. Funny as when I pumped it up this morning it hadn't lost much pressure from a couple of weeks ago. I think I hadn't tightened the Presta valve enough as I gave it another pump up and it lasted the ride just fine.

Wish I felt fine, thought I was getting back into the swing of things but it felt like hard work today, the old ticker went up over 160bpm, it normally does that when I've barely been riding. Maybe because I was back on the Giant I was pushing a bigger gear.

I did manage my fastest time of the year up the Col du Wigley, but still a minute back on my best time from 2019, must be old age. Took less power than last week though - lighter bike and tail wind.

Was hoping for 40+miles but the weather looked a bit iffy so I got back at just under 37 miles, takes me to 455 for September and over 5,000 for the year.

https://www.strava.com/activities/12469203946

[Slim]

With a break in the rotten weather we've had over the last few days, today's plan was to get up reasonably early and do 80 or 90 miles. I'm very keen to get the September distance tally up to 400 miles, and as of this morning it stood at a meagre 233.

I got up earlier than I expected and was pedalling away from the garage by 0730, on the Boardman. The roads were a bit wet from overnight rain. It was pretty cool as well, so I wrapped up warm with a wooly hat.

I decided to go down the Fosse Road route. The wind was coming from the west, but the weather promised to be better (ie less likely to rain on me) to the south. I also wanted to try a new road after Princethorpe (toward Leamington Spa).

So: I did that. Unfortunately, after about four miles of the new road, I was confronted by road works taking up the whole road. Work going on for HS2.

So I turned back to Princethorpe. From there I took a road signposted Banbury. I wasn't going all the way down to Oxfordshire, but I got as far as Southam. Then I turned back again. I took a wrong turn n the way back up, but connected with Fosse Way again anyway, just a bit further to the south. Then I encountered more HS2 roadworks, but this time there was a dead end sign with the qualification "except cyclists". Nice! I manouevred the bike very carefully past a large digger, attempting to catch the operator's attention so he wouldn't swing the business end round and smack me in the head with it. He very thoughtfully jumped down from the cab and moved the barrier for me. The only bummer was that there was mud all over the road and the tyres got filthy.



By this time it was clear I was going to be home on 90-something miles. Rude not to kick it up to 100 so I took a couple of detours, one near Broughton Astley and one near Ellistown. I took a rather deviant route back into the village as well.

Stopped at the shop at Brinklow on the way back for a bit of a feast at the bench outside, most notably including some sort of gourmet spicy sausage roll with posh pastry. I think they're competing with the Deli along the road.

Much warmer in the afternoon, but I was fine after I backpacked a fleece. Probably could have got away with bare legs as well but I didn't.

Listened mainly to 5 Live and my audiobook, Chickenhawk.

Back on 101.40 miles, very happy with that because it takes my September total to 334. I could get the monthly tally to 400 with a single ride on Saturday if the weather forecast holds true.

Hadn't done a 100-miler on the Boardman for a long time. Interestingly, four of my last five rides have been fondos, and three of them 100 milers.

https://www.strava.com/activities/12493566439

[Nickslikk2112]

Well, I needed to get 45 miles in to reach 500 for September and being as today promised a long enough dry slot I went out and did 45 miles. That was enough.

Last Tuesday on the same ride I saw loads of other cyclists, today I saw three and that was really two because I saw the same bloke twice. I know I'm a fair weather cyclist, but some people seem to really need sunshine and warmth. I just need lack of rain - and ice.

Didn't feel that up to it again today though, I think I've got a low-level cold which is just holding me back a bit, the old heart rate is going up a bit higher than I would like even though I held back a bit today. But then I wasn't too far off my best time on the Walton Back Lane kicker, but it's such a nasty little bit that it knocks me back to crawl mode anyway.

Hopefully I'll get out for a couple of hours tomorrow now as well, as rain is forecast to hold off until one.

https://www.strava.com/activities/12491551080/

[Nickslikk2112]

It's now well past five and it's barely rained. Useless forecasters, but then I have been back over 4 hours so it doesn't matter.

Today got me 42 miles in, I'll accept that, with over 3,000ft of elevation gain again. Met one set of unexpected roadworks and got stuck on a single track road where two van drivers were arguing over who had priority. The buggers hadn't left a big enough gap for me to squeeze through - and they weren't going to give me one.

A few more cyclists out today or so it seemed, but then I did go up to where various roads out from Chesterfield and Sheffield converge on the way to the Peak District.

https://www.strava.com/activities/12500081988

[Slim]

The weather forecast for today improved slightly overnight, with the day forecast to be rain-free from 1000 or so. The wind was coming from the north-west. I wanted to do 66 miles ideally, to get the September distance up to 400. But I knew that if I didn't, I'd have a chance to overcome the deficit over the weekend - the forecast for the last two days of the month also having improved.

I set off at 1100, to do the Upper Westbound route. Up through Coleorton, up through Melbourne, over Swarkestone Bridge, west along the Beloved A Road, through Willington, Hilton, Hatton, Sudbury then north toward Ashbourne. I stopped not long after a village called Little Cubley, because going any further along that route means coming back along a long, steep hill. I'd done nearly 31 miles at that point. I turned back, bought some goodies (including an ice cream Mars Bar - nice) at the petrol station at Hatton, then turned west to Foston to add some distance. Then I came back the usual way (pretty much the same way as the outward leg) from there.

I was going to do something different on the way back to avoid Rotter's Rise south of Melbourne, but I just sucked it up in the end. It wasn't as bad as I expected, I think partly because I'd doped myself with a Cadbury's chocolate milkshake and some chocolate M&Ms.



Thought I might encounter some flooded roads near Sudbury but nope, all good. The roads dried out nicely in the afternoon and the temperature climbed a bit as well. So the return leg was a lot more pleasant than the first half of the ride, especially with a tailwind. The headwind was definitely an irritation on the way up.

Listened to 5 Live, the Pale Fountains album Pacific Street and more of my audiobook.

Back on 66.06, and that's just got me over the 400 mile line for this month. If I can do the same for the remaining three months, this will be the first year I've recorded a minimum of 400 for each month.

https://www.strava.com/activities/12517417185

[Nickslikk2112]

Had enough time after watching the women's World Road Race Championship to get 40 miles in, which was nice. It was basically the same ride as last Saturday, but with an added excursion out round Owler Bar roundabout. Put less effort into it today and felt better for it!

Not many other cyclists about, but then again it was about half four when I set off and starting to cool down, so you wouldn't expect many, not even anybody heading back from Baslow to Sheffield which is normally quite well cycled at any time of day.

If the men's race finishes on time tomorrow and the weather stays dry, I have a chance of hitting 600 miles for September, which will be good seeing as the forecast for the week ahead last weekend made me think I might not hit 500!

https://www.strava.com/activities/12526016281

[Nickslikk2112]

And I did indeed get to 600 miles in September, ending up with 608 and 44,500ft of elevation gain. I was hoping for 600 miles a month, but only managed it 4 times so far. Been too much rain I think - and too much going away. Today's 25 miles finished just as the rain started again.

https://www.strava.com/activities/12534803343

[Nickslikk2112]

It finally stopped raining about half ten this morning  That was a good 60 hours of rain, a good job it wasn't at last year's Storm Babet rates as all my escape routes would have been impassable.

As it was I was able to get out for a 23 mile ride, nowhere near as far as I would have liked, but it was a venture outdoors. Covered up fully today in a long sleeved jersey and bib tights, could probably have gotten away in summer kit as my head was drenched in sweat when I got back, but probably best to keep skin covered with a keen North Easterly.

https://www.strava.com/activities/12555998354

[Slim]

A dry day with light winds from the east was promised, so I planned to do the eastbound route. At least 80 miles. I woke up at about 0630 and asked my bedside Dot what the temperature was outside. Four degrees C. So I went back to sleep. I woke up again later than I hoped and didn't set off until 1015.

I'd expected to be a bit cold even at that time, but as it turned out I overdressed. Ended up taking a couple of layers off only about an hour into the ride, and carrying them round all day in my backpack. I really must try to be more scientific in my choice of cycling apparel.

Because I assumed that the roads near Stanford might be flooded, I took the "old" route through Rempstone and Wymeswold. Picked up some spotty rain approaching Waltham - annoying, because the forecast had estimated the chance of rain at 0% all day. But I must admit I hadn't checked the forecast for 30 miles to the east. In any case the large, dark cloud squatting over East Leicestershire like an irregular-shaped mothership was surrounded by much brighter skies all the way to the horizon in every direction, and it floated off to annoy someone else after twenty minutes.

I went as far as Colsterworth, just short of the A1. I came back the same way, except that I took Narrow Lane to Wymeswold (I nearly always do that on the way back now) and I came down through Griffydam and Coleorton rather than Thringstone and Coalville.



Saw 'er indoors coming the other way in her white Polo near Belton! On the way to her dance class. So I gave her a friendly wave.

I listened mainly to my audiobook, which sounds much better now that I've AI-speech-enhanced it (it was originally a cassette recording that someone had noise-reduced a bit aggressively). Also 5 Live, and the Level 42 album Guaranteed which is poor overall it must be said, though it does have some lovely moments. And Allan Holdsworth plays on it.

Back about ten minutes before sunset. Nice day out on a bike, glad to have opened the October account with 86.11 miles. More on Saturday I hope.

As of this morning I was slightly less than 2 miles ahead of my October 3rd distance total for 2023. Pretty consistent. Anyway, 88 miles in front now (though I have no particular wish to outdo 2023).

https://www.strava.com/activities/12566449736

[The Picnic Wasp]

Colsterworth, that takes me back to a day quite a few years ago. My boss and I flew down to East Midlands Airport I think. We were to meet up with two colleagues from our Oxford headquarters and visit a company in Colsterworth with a view to buying specialist materials from them. It must have been prior to Satnav days as we managed to get lost in our hire car somewhere around Grantham. It was a good day, meeting really knowledgeable, nice folk and a decent amount of business was done over the years following. I was sorry to learn that they went out of business a few years back. One thing that always stuck with me after that day was the most terrifying right turn across extremely fast oncoming traffic that I have ever experienced. I don't know which main route it was on but it wasn't a manoeuvre I would ever like to repeat.

[Nickslikk2112]

Made as much as I wanted of another dry day. Wasn't too sure what to wear, so went with bib tights and a short sleeved jersey. It worked for me. Everybody else I saw cycling about today looked a bit overdressed. I thought we were supposed to be Northerners up here?

Anyway, I got 45 miles in and was back in time to see plenty of the Sparkassen Münsterland Giro. I really must stop watching so much of other people cycling, but the road season stops soon and it's back to weekends of Cyclocross - WooHoo!

I wish I didn't have to do so much planning to avoid roadworks, but I managed to avoid them all today. Hopefully get out again tomorrow and probably Saturday for a quick spin, but after that looks a bit dodgy.

https://www.strava.com/activities/12564156507

[Nickslikk2112]

And another dry and sunny day. Even warm enough to dress as though it were summer, in fact it was just right today, I never felt cold and I never felt hot. It seems that 13-14C is the ideal temperature for me.

There are still too many roadworks out and about for me, but luckily the road which was supposed to be closed from 4th October was open. Which was good for me as it's my way out to the flatter lands. Although I did encounter an unexpected set of roadworks on the way back.

The Southerly breeze today was a bit stronger than forecast, it meant that I did the ideal thing of riding out into it and coming back with it, but apart from one short stretch it never seemed to get behind me. Must be the lie of the land funnelling it round. It did however bring the smell of Goats across the road in Pilsley. Whether there are Goats in Pilsley I don't know, maybe someone had unwrapped a big Goat's cheese. It all got me another 45 miles in the bag.

https://www.strava.com/activities/12572062509