Cycling 2025

[Fishy]

I don't usually know exactly where I'm going but today I did.. decided  on a trip to Turnberry via Culzean castle.. to get a photo of me giving the finger to Trump Turnberry hotel.. 31 miles a good day out

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[Slim]

Warmish but cloudy, with a stiff breeze coming from the west and a threat of showers. Today's idea was to do a fondo down the rural channel between the urban sprawl of Birmingham and Coventry, to a place called Meriden - more or less an extension of the Dad's Army route.

The first 35km of the route is familiar enough to me by now but the remainder isn't. I took a wrong turn after Piccadilly Way and later missed the turn for Shustoke. The first error was no biggie, I found my way back to the intended route easily enough. But the second took me right through Coleshill and cost me a few km which was unfortunate as I was very tight on time - had to be back by 1755 and I'd got up later than I intended.

So I didn't get to Meriden. I turned back at a place called Forest of Arden Country Club. Then I took another wrong turn, after Maxstoke and had to re-orient myself back onto the correct route with the assistance of the RideWithGPS app. I'd stored the route to my account from the browser app on my desktop PC.

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Nonetheless, I did get back on time, on 103.41 km. Will definitely do that one again, but I'll put the route on the eTrex. Should have done that this time, but I thought I'd get by on pulling out the phone app every now and then.

One good thing about that route is the variety. Lots of quiet villages, lots of scenery. Plenty of shops. I stopped at a Co-op at Wood End for an onion bhaji sandwich and a Bounty.

On the downside it's quite climby, and of course it means tangling with the A5.

Listened to more of Luke James' captivating memoir of the early days of Fashi0n, Stairway to Nowhere.

I've just read that the ribbon of countryside between Birmingham and Coventry has a name: the "Meriden Gap".

https://www.strava.com/activities/14666020573

[Nickslikk2112]

Even though yesterday was a decent enough day, I didn't venture out. All because I have been trying to set up the Bianchi's Summer wheels to run tubeless. The rear wheel had been run with a tube, but the tyre was worn out and I thought I'd try going back to tubeless (Why?) This meant sticking a tubeless valve stem back in, but I was struggling to get it sealed, air kept pissing out.

But, I stuck with it, putting in more sealant and gradually it seems to have been holding air for longer. On Monday I put in more sealant and was spinning the wheel to slosh the sealant round. Like a bad lad I'd turned the bike over to do this and as I span the pedals, the bike started to wobble, I put out my hand to stabilise it. Stupid move as I got my fingers hit by the spokes. OUCH!!!!! I wasn't up to braking and changing gear yesterday.

Today, things felt better, even the rear tyre seemed to be holding air. I stuck the Winter wheels back on though as I wanted to put one more lot of sealant in.

I was going to head out round Longshaw Estate again to see if I could spot Springwatch, but it felt a bit too windy to go up to the tops, plus too many sets of roadworks - what are they doing?

So, I went out to Tibshelf again, but out via Hardwick Hall today. The trouble with Hardwick is that by the Hall the roadway fills up with gawping pedestrians. There was a huge gaggle of them today, so I announced "Cyclist Coming" no response, tried again and one of them noticed. By now I could hear them speaking and they were talking German. They parted and I could see from their little knapsacks that they were from the Arlberg region of Austria. I gave them a very sarcastic "Danke Schoen" as I passed them.

Still, I got 40 more miles in.

https://www.strava.com/activities/14693386656

[Slim]

Pushed for time again, but determined to do at least 65km. The idea was to go down the Twycrosser route, but extend it to the south it at the end to try out a different method to cross the A5. So: I did that. Started off going up to Ashby then south through Packington, Snarestone Twycross, Sheepy Magna as usual. Then down past Atherstone.

The new approach I'd devised down into Warwickshire is not really viable. Involves a steep hill and although it was quiet, is not a paricularly scenic stretch of road either. I continued past the A5 for about 2km, then turned back. Back the same way except for diversions to Sibson, where I rid myself of a few more old books and CDs in the phonebox there, then Swepstone. Just to make the best use of the available time and weather.

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Saw a buzzard eating a rabbit. Grim. Wondered if the buzzard had killed it, or if it was roadkill.

A few spots of rain, but nothing I could call a shower.

Quite an enjoyable run out. Back on 73.62.

https://www.strava.com/activities/14694576890

[Nickslikk2112]

Being as Yesterday was supposed to be a washout I stayed in. Barely a drop of rain in my morning riding hours, then it lashed it down all afternoon when it was supposed to be drier.

Today was supposed to be dry and it was, so I made the most of my morning hours. I had sufficient faith that my tubeless tyres and valves were sealed that I used the Summer carbon fibre wheels.

There was I hoping they'd make me faster, I did a similar ride to last Saturday and ended up being slower. I blame it on it being a Westerly today and not a South Westerly so it was more in my face today. Having said that I was two whole seconds quicker up the Col de Wigley even with a full on headwind, maybe they do make a difference.

The amount of traffic about made a difference too. Where are all these people going? It was worse than last week's half-term. Nearly got taken out on a residential street by an Audi - natch - overtaking someone in a 30 limit and they must have been doing 60, I just managed to swerve down a side road. Didn't get time to make a note of the reg no - not that it would have been a real one.

Another 40 miles at least gets me over 100 miles for June.

https://www.strava.com/activities/14713462887

[Slim]

Didn't feel particularly well this morning. Bit of a headache and a sore throat. But I thought that 50km or so wouldn't hurt. I did a Twycrosser. An unusual one in that I took a diversion along Watery Lane on the way down, and detoured via Swepstone on the way up, which isn't something I do normally if I come back up via Gibbet Lane.

I also took a diversion to Ibstock over the last few km, which is not uncommon. But on this occasion I went there via Mill Lane rather than Pisca Lane. Mill Lane fell out of favour because the road was rather bumpy on the fast downhill part. But they seem to have fixed that now, so I'm glad to have given it a go.

Quite nice out there, though cool-ish early on. A few spots of rain but otherwise bright, occasionally sunny.

Took Boardman II for the first time since March. Listened to more of Luke James' memoir.

Back on 53.81, 231 so far this month.

https://www.strava.com/activities/14715144502

[Slim]

Today's idea was to go up to Kilburn, a few km north of my old place in Derby. Only been there once on a bike before, in July last year. Up through Coleorton, Castle Donington, Shardlow, Elvaston, Borrowash.

After Spondon I took a different route up to Kilburn this time, a more sensible one I think, to match the one I used to take when I went there in a car, in the early '90s. And instead of coming back down the A38, I continued on toward Belper, then came back down to Derby through Makeney and Little Eaton.

To extend the ride to a fondo I took a detour over to Swarkestone, then swung back to Isley Walton, on the way back down.

Interesting run out. Nice to see old haunts from the '90s again. But I was home about an hour later than I'd normally expect from a fondo. A lot of climbing in the Derbyshire part of the ride. Generally quiet and scenic, though.

Mostly cloudy. Decently warm, mostly. Spotty light rain for about an hour later on but nothing troubling.

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Saw a woman wiping her child's publicly exposed nether regions in Spondon. Looked like said child had just had a wee by the side of the road. I've seen that in France a couple of times, but never in dear old Blighty.

Listened to more of the Luke James Fashi0n memoir, Stairway to Nowhere. But I also started Ungovernable: The Political Diaries of a Chief Whip by Simon Hart. Very good. Eye-opening.

Back on 100.31km, and that's 25 fondos done this year now.

https://www.strava.com/activities/14747794658

[Nickslikk2112]

Thought I'd better get back into it after three days off. Should have taken the bike up to Glasgow, then I could have done a few laps of the course that the Women's Tour of Britain did, but I have enough trouble taking a little suitcase on a train, let alone a bike...

Thought I'd ease back into it out Tibshelf way. Wasn't sure whether to do 35 or 40 miles so I split the difference. It was a bit blowy out there again though, certainly windier than the BBC forecast of 12-13 mph, OK so only by a couple of miles an hour, but it makes a difference.

I was pleased to find that my tubeless tyres had barely gone down over the weekend, in fact the winter tubed wheels seem to go down as quickly, so I was pleased with that.

I'm putting my increased average speed over my last compatible ride down to the summer wheels and not any wind benefit. Nice to average over 17 mph for only the second time this year and that was on a flatter ride.

https://www.strava.com/activities/14754105188/

[Nickslikk2112]

Thought I'd have another go at trying to take out Chwis Packham by cycling near the Longshaw Estate again. Been trying to work out where they are by watching Springwatch, but I think I've got it wrong. I went up through Padley to Longshaw, but I would probably been better off going up Froggatt. Well, it all looks the same to me, an uphill ride through the trees to the moorland at the top.

One thing's for sure, I won't go out up Froggatt for a final look tomorrow, I'm done in now! First time I've been up the Nether Padley climb in almost two years and I can feel it now. I don't recall it ever having been such a slog before. Still I made it, wonder if the woman I passed near the start of the climb did? She was weaving all over the road there. Good on her if she did. I certainly think my advancing years are starting to show now.

Still, it was nice to get further out into the Peak District, it's nice out there and there are lots more roads just waiting to be rediscovered.

https://www.strava.com/activities/14765441257

[Slim]

It was a perfect day for a long ride out east onto the Fens. Up at 0400, back at 2000. That sort of thing. Alas, because I have to travel tomorrow, it wasn't a good idea. So I thought I'd settle for about 135km of the Eastbound Route.

I set off at about 0915. Coolish at that time of day; very slightly uncomfortable. But I was in legs-out minimal clothing mode, because the temperature was due to climb quite quickly, which it did.

I stopped when I got to the Captain Tom bench at Colsterworth, just short of the A1 crossing. Ate something there and took the pic. Then turned back. Came home the same way except that, as usual, I approached Wymeswold via Narrow Lane coming west.

Finished the Luke James Fashi0n memoir, Stairway to Nowhere, including some audiobook-only "deleted scenes". In one of them, we learn that the band played a fundraiser with The Damned in 1978, ostensibly to help Sid Vicious with his legal fees. Sensible, Vanian, James and Scabies pocketed the cash for themselves and Sid didn't see a penny of it. Not that it would have done him a lot of good, I wouldn't have thought.

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Lovely warm afternoon, about 24C out there later on. Mostly sunny. I took the precaution of applying a bit of sun lotion on my arms and it seems to have worked. But there was a bit of respite when a large dark cloud rolled over for half an hour on the way back.

Just for fun I attempted to beat my Strava PR for a segment over the last few km. Something I would normally not consider. But it looks like I failed anyway.

Very satisfying run out, 137.86km. I've done a pleasing 469km this month so far.

https://www.strava.com/activities/14767879944

[Fishy]

34 miler this morning.. warm muggy bit of wind.  Joined up a few of my minor roads  circuits into a nice big loop around south Ayrshire... saw 2 hares. 2 rabbits.. 3 squirrels ( one dead) and a pheasant . Also came across a bridge over the river Doon as Peartree ( pronounced Peart ree obviously )

[Nickslikk2112]

After feeling a bit jaded after a ride with lots of climbing in hot sunshine I stuck to the flatter roads today. Well, I intended to, but had to take a detour off Spital Lane as it was shut by going up (not flat) Stanley Street. There were are few of the usual kickers but it was mainly flat today.

Got 36.67 miles in, very little wildlife about today, apart from a severely dismembered Wood Pigeon. Too much human vermin about though in cars. I'd noticed that a couple of streets that are normally full of parked cars were empty today, must all have gone out for a synchronised drive.

https://www.strava.com/activities/14776049783

[Fishy]

35 miler today.. got a bit lost which added a bit of distance.. but found a nice single track road  near Stair which was good.. got home just as the rain started.. still a bit gusty out there

[Nickslikk2112]

Thought I'd go out and do a Pogi up some local hills today, LOL. I'd get dropped by the Autobus, but at least I got up and in a quicker time than last week. Probably because the wind wasn't as much in my face as last time. Should have gone out yesterday evening as it was the first time in weeks it was flat calm.

Still, it was in my favour on the way back and helped me get my average speed back up again. Back on 40 miles.

https://www.strava.com/activities/14799322150/

[Nickslikk2112]

Just when I was getting back to having Monday as a rest day I was out today due to upcoming events.

Not quite as windy today, but still a fair old breeze once I'd got up to the tops. Went a different way today to avoid straying too far from home as I'd forgotten my little bike pump. Not that it's that much use, but by not going too far from home, the cavalry - Mrs S - might be able to find me.

Was aiming for 35 miles but got 37 in, didn't manage the 16 mph average I wanted too though as I certainly didn't do a Pogi up the hills.

https://www.strava.com/activities/14816278866