Cycling 2025

[Nickslikk2112]

After sitting out yesterday because, well because the Fleche Wallone was on, I forced myself out today. Much as my Garmin is endlessly telling me to take a rest day I find that I have to keep on cycling as much as I can because I seem to myself to lose fitness so quickly.

Or maybe I don't, but perhaps do. I did a very similar ride to last Wednesday and found that my average Heart rate was higher and I spent a third of the ride in the max Heart Rate zone, three times more than when I went out on Monday and slightly up on last Wednesday. Then again I did manage a higher average speed than last Wednesday, had I put in a bit more effort? Was the change in wind direction a factor? Who can say. Sometimes I think too much. Just get out there and ride Sims.

https://www.strava.com/activities/14271755491

[Slim]

I'd hoped to do an Imperial Fondo today, 161 km or if you prefer, 100 of His Majesty's miles. I envisaged going east of Waltham, perhaps beyond the A1. I actually woke up at about 0500. I was quite tempted to get up early and have a really early start. I could probably have made it to the Fens and back. However, I went back to sleep.

Which was just as well, because I was slightly uncomfortably cold for the first couple of hours, even after setting off at 1020. Cloudy, with a rather cool headwind. It didn't seem to be a long ride day. So I'd go as far as Eastwell and come back.

But once I got to Eastwell, I thought I'd come back a different way, via the roughly parallel route to the north. So I plunged down the steep hill from Eastwell, north through Stathem. And once I got there, I had another idea - to go north-east along Long Lane, something I'd been meaning to do again for years. It's delightful along there: a quiet, scenic, mostly flat road with a view of Belvoir Castle on a hill in the distance. Trouble is, it's a pain to get there, either involving a buttock-clenching descent from the usual eastbound route, or the crappy road surfaces east of Wymeswold.

But I'd already done the buttock-clenching descent, so I thought I might as well have a pedal along there. After a while I came to a crossroads, and turned left in the spirit of exploration. A brand new stretch of road! Or so I thought. I'd gone about 4km through there, through a village called Redmile, then parked up near a stream when I realised that I'd been there before. Sometimes I get a flashback to an obscure place in a bike ride and think to myself - where was that? I'm glad I never got a flashback to this place, because it would have driven me mad trying to remember it.

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But I checked my Strava history and I was there three years ago. Anyway I turned back after that but came back the different way I'd intended, through Long Clawson, Upper Broughton, Wymeswold.

A small flying creature with yellow legs - possibly a fuzzy fly of some sort, or a small bee species, alighted on my arm at Long Clawson. I carried it for about 2km. Did wonder if I'd done it a permanent disservice by carrying it away from its little bee society or territory, but apparently they have fantastic navigation skills and 2km wouldn't faze them. Most bee species are solitary anyway.

Stopped at a shop at Whitwick on the way out, which was a first. I'd realised that I'd forgotten to get the food I'd packed out of the fridge. It's only about 6km from home, so not particularly useful usually.

Back at about 1735 and by that time conditions were beautifully sunny and warm, so I regretted not staying out longer. But once I'd descended northwards off the usual eastbound route, options for extending rides by a significant amount are sub-optimal. But I think I will go exploring over that way soon.

Back on 121.89km.

https://www.strava.com/activities/14274109404

[Fishy]

Cyclists who kill could face life sentence  https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn0w8g18x9no

[Nickslikk2112]

Cyclists who kill could face life sentence  https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn0w8g18x9no

And the motornormativity of Juries and Judges will probably mean they'll get life. It was only in 2022 that Death by Dangerous driving could result in a life sentence. The reality is that you get an awful lot less.

27 months here https://www.expressandstar.com/news/2025/04/23/woman-jailed-for-causing-death-of-girl-14-by-dangerous-driving/

30 months here https://www.expressandstar.com/uk-news/2025/04/25/lorry-driver-who-killed-pregnant-nurse-in-m8-crash-jailed/

Charlie Alliston got 18 months for killing Kim Briggs by "wanton and furious driving", not far off the above examples and that was for an offence with a maximum prison term of two years. Meanwhile of the 1,600 road deaths last year 1,596 were caused by motorists. Probably.

[Nickslikk2112]

I managed not to kill anyone today. I did suffer numerous close passes from people driving vehicles, I gave a Nazi salute to the Tesla driver who reversed out into the road in front of me and I left my jaw on the mini roundabout that a driver took on the wrong side whilst I was already on it. Apart from that it was a nice ride out under cloudy skies.

https://www.strava.com/activities/14281244690

[Nickslikk2112]

And today I got out to get over 500 miles in for April. Feel knackered now. Mrs S and the boy have got colds and I think I may be a bit affected, but my superior fitness is suppressing it a bit.

I had thought about getting a first 50 miler of the year in but glad I didn't as my legs were dropping off after 30 miles. I thought I'd gone out on the flatter side of town, but I did some roads I've never ridden before. One was gently undulating, but another had a 12% kicker on it, didn't see that one coming, I thought that once I'd gone up the scarp slope of the Magnesian Limestone escarpment I'd be coming back up the less steep dip slope. Looks like at some point a watercourse has scooped out a valley. I'll be wiser next time.

Out and back for a palindromic 36.63 miles.

https://www.strava.com/activities/14293668604/

[Slim]

Beautiful weather again and today's plan was to ride out to Stafford Bingley Hall and back. It's a sort of occasional pilgrimage I do, to honour memories of gigs I attended there as a teenager in the previous century.

I'd plotted a slightly different route this time, though. I was going to do my usual Lower Westbound route to Abbots Bromley, and find my way to Bingley Hall, on the outskirts of Stafford, from there. Usually I'd go through Rugeley, which bypasses Abbots Bromley by a long way to the south.

So: I did that. I set off pretty early, at 0815. Really enjoyed the outward leg, taking it easy in the sunshine, until I got to the new stretch of roads west of Abbo. Unfortunately they were mostly lumpy, crappy country lanes liberally furnished with potholes. Got to Bingley Hall nonetheless. Didn't hang around long. Usually I gaze sentimentally through the gates for a minute, but today my view was blocked by marquees and stalls. Some sort of event going on.

I decided to come back the usual way through Rugeley, so I came down the A51. It was fairly quiet thankfully. But before I got to Rugeley, I saw a sign to Abbots Bromley, and had that "why not" thought. So I took that. Thankfully that turned out to be a really nice stretch of quiet, well-surfaced road that took me over a reservoir a few km further on. Lovely, but looking at the track on Strava now I see that it was a massive detour. So not really likely to be useful in future, although I quite enjoyed it today.

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Conditions were cool-ish in the morning so I wore tights for the first 50km or so. Took them off when I stopped for an impromptu picnic somewhere west of Abbo to consume some food I'd bought at a shop there. Nice and warm in the afternoon.

I listened to footy chat on 5 Live. Quite annoyed by the coverage around the Liverpool / Spurs game as every pundit and presenter was treating the proposition that Liverpool would take the league title today as a done deal. But they weren't wrong.

I did enjoy the United / Bournemouth game, with an equaliser in the sixth minute of added time. Took the pic at Lullington, about 14 klicks from home. That church will be a Tesco Metro one day.

Back on 133.80km.

https://www.strava.com/activities/14304671870

[Nickslikk2112]

Worked out why my legs didn't work too well on Saturday, set off today it felt funny again and I realised it was because the seatpost had dropped down a good inch. Quick call in at home raised it back up and all is fine again - apart from riding with it dropped had left some muscles a bit achy.

Anyway another nice day for it, definite warmest rising day of the year, I think, maybe I should check, but yes, nice warm and sunny. Just the regular ride out through Tibshelf and back so another 31 miles and starting to get a bit quicker.

https://www.strava.com/activities/14310977398

[Slim]

Stunning weather again, but I didn't have a lot of time and besides, I want to save my energy for a possible long ride on Friday. I wasn't going to go out at all today actually but I couldn't resist the first minimal clothing ride of the year.

I did about 15km of the Twycross route, then came back the same way. I did a little bit of pootling around Ashby at the top, and a detour round the village over the last km or so.

Beautiful out there. Properly warm. Back on 32.98km. The shortest ride of the year so far, but that's OK.

https://www.strava.com/activities/14322849125

[Nickslikk2112]

Out again today as we're off for a weekend break on Friday, so I want to be out whilst the sun is still shining.

Did a similar ride to last Wedneday, but after noticing an extra set of traffic lights for roadworks has appeared on my route out I went out to Dronfield via Coal Aston rather than Whittington. At least that way I did enter South Yorkshire - briefly - rather than just ride along a bit of the border as on other rides this year.

What I hadn't noticed was that a couple of sets of roadworks has appeared on my inward run. These very nearly cost me my 16mph average speed as one set meant that it really slowed up traffic. Warmer again today and got my first salted up helmet strap of the year

https://www.strava.com/activities/14321412686

[Nickslikk2112]

Good job I do have a weekend break as I had another coming off the bike. Nothing too serious, more embarrassing than anything. I was behind a van at a junction and he started to pull off, I clipped in and started off only for him to then brake to let a car by and I didn't manage to brake and unclip at the same time. Back end of the bike went up and I just tumbled over, it was then a struggle to unclip my right foot and get up again.

Got a bit of a muscle strain now down my left hand side and a small graze to my left knee. I was watching the Tour de Romandie this afternoon and Callum Scotson came down, he was on his back and struggling to unclip his right foot, but managed somehow to move round and push himself up. Even the commentator was impressed.

Another 32 miles got me to 622 for April, I'll settle for that, need to get more climbing done though.

https://www.strava.com/activities/14332176391

[Nickslikk2112]

I'd stiffened up - ooohh, Matron - overnight, but thought I'd better get out today to prove I can still get round without falling off. Luckily I managed it. Just had a steady 25 miler out through Hasland for the first time in ages.

Certainly warm again, warm enough to consume a full bidon in 25 miles. I've done Summer Fondos on a single Bidon before now!

https://www.strava.com/activities/14343132684

[Slim]

I was determined to do at least 161km today, or what might be termed a "100 miler". I knew the route I was going to take, out toward Norfolk. But I didn't know how far I was going to go, or what time I was going to get up.

I went to bed early, at about 2330. I dozed happily for a couple of hours then got up at 0300. Took my time having breakfast. Didn't want to leave too early. Would mean spending more time in the cooler conditions. I set off just after 0410.

In one respect I'd picked the perfect day for a long ride. Although I sometimes listen to music or an audiobook, most of all I like to listen to the radio on a bike ride, on my DAB personal. I'm a politics junkie, and the local election results were starting to come in. As I set off, the count for the Runcorn by-election was taking place. Drama! I followed it on LBC. The whole eastbound leg of the ride was a breeze, I think partly because for long periods I was too engrossed in the election results coverage to notice that I was riding a bicycle. Beautifully quiet first thing in the morning.

I did miss a turn after Castle Bytham, the third time I've made the same mistake now. I must rehearse it on Street View. I recovered fairly quickly, anyway.

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I'd chosen a route that's a good compromise between nicely surfaced A or B roads and the very distinctive straight roads that run alongside the drainage channels, and give the Fens its character. I stopped at an airfield about a km short of Holbeach, then decided to turn back. I'd been toying with the idea to go all the way to Foul Anchor, but it wasn't the best day for it. I'd have to do a couple of hours in the dark over the last 35 km or so. Perhaps in a few weeks' time I'll set off at 0300 and do that, when the daylight hours are longer.

Had a very enjoyable rest stop at the village shop / caff at Castle Bytham on the way back. Friendly place. Not long after that though, somewhere near South Witham, I noticed a subtle, rhythmic bump coming from the back wheel. Checked it of course - the tyre had slightly deformed; the same thing that happened to the Tricross a few months ago, though not quite so obvious. I had about 70km to go so I was a bit anxious. It did actually get a bit worse. But it didn't look like the tyre was going to selectively burst out of the rim so I kept my fingers crossed, mentally anyway.

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Once back in familiar territory, I failed to take the turn to Wymeswold as I'd intended. Just running on autopilot, or too absorbed by the election results coverage. Unfortunate because a stretch of the road between Cotes and Stanford has been "resurfaced" by having dusty gravel chucked on it. Perhaps Leicestershire's new Reform-dominated council can improve matters.

Lovely warm day, periods of bright sunshine interspersed with light cloud, and I've caught the sun a bit. Sharpened my tanlines nicely, even though I didn't take the tights off until I'd got onto the Fens.

Back on 253.04km.

https://www.strava.com/activities/14357594363

[Fishy]

Managed 3 x 30 milers in the past week.. needed a new tyre on the back wheel and felt a bit of a wobble as I was riding after changing.. returned home for a pit stop.. took wheel off back on still the same then noticed that the tyre wasnt correctly in at the rim on a small part of the wheel.. deflated.. took it out then started again and now all good.. I'm sure I checked all that after fitting it tho.. mmm

[Slim]

Another quick one today. Actually I didn't really want to go out at all. Feels a bit cold out there all of a sudden. But I reminded myself that I'd have pounced on a dry, 12C day in January so I dutifully operated a bicycle. Not that much time today, and on top of that I left my water bottle at the garage. The wind was coming from the north-east, so I went up through Coleorton, up Top Brand, through Diseworth, skirted the airport then west through Isley Walton to Melbourne.

And back the usual way from there. 36.95km.

https://www.strava.com/activities/14385845934