Cycling 2025

[Nickslikk2112]

Starting to warm up again. I actually got an early start for me today - half ten - but by the time I got home I was absolutely lathered.

Was trying to get home for 12:51 too today as that was the start of a 2 hour delivery slot on a package I was waiting for, so I decided to stay away from the hills, still managed a climb of 560ft though. I did get a Bee stuck behind my glasses at one point, luckily it did escape without stinging me - as is normally my luck.

Thanks to there being too much traffic on the road I didn't get back until 12:53 but parcel didn't arrive until 14:05. Could have got more miles in, but 40 for the third day in a row is enough.

https://www.strava.com/activities/15067563110

[Fishy]

44 miles today.. before the heatwave kicks in.. idiot car driver over taking the car behind me then me on a downhill just before a bend.. tosser...

[Nickslikk2112]

Fully warmed up again today. Decided against riding up to the tops, it might be cooler - and windier - up there, but the effort of getting there doesn't half make you sweat. Missed out on a tailwind though.

Tried to keep things as flat as possible by doing a few laps of the lower loop of the Staveley bypass, should probably have done more than four, but my boredom threshold is low, as is my tolerance of boy racers. Got a couple of hours and 32 miles in.

https://www.strava.com/activities/15092264659

[Slim]

Another warm, sunny day but one that carried a risk of rain at about 1500. The original plan was to wait until the rain had passed, but the forecast improved a bit during the day so I set off at about 1415.

The weather was coming from the south-west so I thought I'd do the southbound route. However, after Kirkby Mallory I decided to head west and down Fenn Lanes. I'd decided at this point that conditions were too windy for a fondo. But I still wanted to do 65km or so so I did a bit of exploring - I took a left turn for Dadlington. Not sure I'd ever been that way before. But anyway a couple of km later I found that I'd looped back to Fenn Lanes.

So: further on, I took another left turn, signposted to Higham. I'd definitely never been that way. Really quite a nice bit of cycling territory, well-surfaced and very quiet. Felt a bit surreal to think it was so close to home, so close to an established route yet in all these years I'd never checked it out.

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Ultimately though I found myself at a t-junction with the A5. I supposed I must be east of Fenny Drayton. So, not wanting to turn back, I sucked it up. Came off at Fenny Drayton about 2km later. At least it's nicely surfaced. From there, I did the first half of a typical Twycross route in reverse.

Back on 68.58km. I must try to incorporate Higham into my rides occasionally, in a way that doesn't involve going on the A5.

Listened to more of the second Dredd novelette which is pretty good and nearing its conclusion now. And Matt Chorley's programme on 5 Live.

I did have to put up with rain on and off for about an hour in the afternoon. But I dried off nicely.

https://www.strava.com/activities/15112954289

[Slim]

Another nice day but a bit too windy for comfort. I did a route that started as a Twycross Bypasser, dipped down Spon Lane, went onto the A5 for a bit (just messing about really) then came back up via Ratcliffe, Sibson, Sheepy. Then up through Twycross and a sharp turn near Measham to come back via Swepstone and Ibstock.

Quite a tortuous route really, but I was making it up as I went along.

Finished the second Dredd novella and listened to 5 Live.

Back on 74.88km.

https://www.strava.com/activities/15134464516

[Nickslikk2112]

Yesterday, I was beginning to thing I'd done the wrong thing by staying in as rain was forecast. It was a bit late appearing, but then it did rain. Good.

Wasn't too sure what to do today, thought about going out up Froggatt, but too many roads appear to have been surface dressed out that way a lately, so took the long way up to Owler Bar and then Longshaw. Then, instead of coming back through Cutthorpe which has been surface dressed I came back through Old Brampton.

Managed to overtake seven cyclists on the way back to Owler Bar, they could have put a bit more effort in though, they did have a tailwind. Coming back into Chesterfield I got delayed behind a learner driver which cost me a 17mph average speed ride. Bugger. Got annoyed by a Mini which wanted to occupy the same bit of road as me. Look mate, I'm doing 20mph, the traffic in front is doing 20mph  I am not holding you up. When he did come by as I slowed up a hill he nearly slammed into the back of the learner because I hadn't lost that much speed. Pillock.

https://www.strava.com/activities/15132765670

[Nickslikk2112]

Another one of those set out to do one thing do another days. Only slightly different, but still not quite what I intended.

Thought it was supposed to be dry, but when I set off there was a bit of mizzle in the air and it just got drizzlier and drizzlier, so instead of pressing on through Morton and doing a loop round Shirland I just came straight back through Pilsley.

A few judicious loops then got my mileage up to 36 when I was aiming for 41 so not too far short and it did get drier as I headed back home, until the last half mile when we got some genuine rain. At least it meant I got to see an extra 20 minutes of the Tour de France.

https://www.strava.com/activities/15143575597

[The Picnic Wasp]

Another one of those set out to do one thing do another days. Only slightly different, but still not quite what I intended.

Thought it was supposed to be dry, but when I set off there was a bit of mizzle in the air and it just got drizzlier and drizzlier, so instead of pressing on through Morton and doing a loop round Shirland I just came straight back through Pilsley.

A few judicious loops then got my mileage up to 36 when I was aiming for 41 so not too far short and it did get drier as I headed back home, until the last half mile when we got some genuine rain. At least it meant I got to see an extra 20 minutes of the Tour de France.

https://www.strava.com/activities/15143575597

Never heard of mizzle. Is it like smir?

I used to always start a fake argument at work when someone said it was smirring outside. They would always qualify it by adding "you know, that light rain that gets you really wet". I would pretend I found the statement ridiculous insisting that heavy pouring rain gets you much wetter, much faster, but I knew what they meant. Smir is an all pervasive type of rain which I quite like. Just slightly different enough from west of Scotland typical to be considered attractive.

[Nickslikk2112]

Never heard of mizzle. Is it like smir?

A bit like.

In Derbyshire it's a light drizzle. In Devon and Cornwall a Misty drizzle.

When it gets really wet here then it's siling down. From the old Norse Sila, meaning a sieve or filter.

[David L]

Never heard of mizzle. Is it like smir?

A bit like.

In Derbyshire it's a light drizzle. In Devon and Cornwall a Misty drizzle.

Used frequently in these parts. Cross between mist and drizzle.

[The Picnic Wasp]

Never heard of mizzle. Is it like smir?

A bit like.

In Derbyshire it's a light drizzle. In Devon and Cornwall a Misty drizzle.

When it gets really wet here then it's siling down. From the old Norse Sila, meaning a sieve or filter.

I love local variations of our language. I hope they can hold on.

Some words are even very localised to certain parts of a city. Where my family come from they would say, "sine out that cup, please". Folk I know whose family aren't from the west end of Glasgow have never heard this. They would just say rinse like those from south of Hadrian's wall.

I live a few hundred yards from the Antonine wall. Twenty minutes walk away is a Roman bath house. Its ruins are remarkable. So complex and so well engineered, but they weren't bold enough to make into my village a couple of thousand years ago. I reckon a couple of the dodgy families who live here now had ancestors around here back then. I think they'd put Putin off.

[Nickslikk2112]

Never heard of mizzle. Is it like smir?

A bit like.

In Derbyshire it's a light drizzle. In Devon and Cornwall a Misty drizzle.

When it gets really wet here then it's siling down. From the old Norse Sila, meaning a sieve or filter.

I love local variations of our language. I hope they can hold on.

Some words are even very localised to certain parts of a city. Where my family come from they would say, "sine out that cup, please". Folk I know whose family aren't from the west end of Glasgow have never heard this. They would just say rinse like those from south of Hadrian's wall.

I live a few hundred yards from the Antonine wall. Twenty minutes walk away is a Roman bath house. Its ruins are remarkable. So complex and so well engineered, but they weren't bold enough to make into my village a couple of thousand years ago. I reckon a couple of the dodgy families who live here now had ancestors around here back then. I think they'd put Putin off.

Like you I hope regional dialect can hold on, but alas it's a tall order these days. Kids these days are too influenced by TV. One of my nephews speaks with an American twang and most of the rest of today's yoof wants to speak Mockney or Jafaican, innit Bredrin.

All schools in the East Midlands should be issued with copies of "Ey Up Mi Duck!" and spend a lesson a week on it.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ey-Up-Mi-Duck-Derbyshire/dp/1853066583

[Nickslikk2112]

I hope tomorrow's weather forecast holds true as with all the rain forecast I thought I had better make use of today's dry weather.

Almost wished I hadn't gone out as it has warmed up again and got humid. Felt like I was riding through treacle. Maybe pushing it a bit too hard as my uphill segment times weren't too bad, much quicker than I thought.

Definitely wished I hadn't gone out when a dog, what looked like a Red Setter appeared from nowhere on the road running alongside me barking, thought it was going to knock me off and I struggled to get any more speed up to escape it, but a shout of "GET LOST" made it stop. I looked behind me and saw a car had stopped to deal with it. Wouldn't surprise me if they'd stopped and let it out for the LULZ, as there are no houses nearby and it didn't look like a farm dog.

Just the 31 miles today - feels like 131 - to get me to 460 for the month. Best part of two weeks to make it over 500 now.

https://www.strava.com/activities/15153985926

[Slim]

Conditions weren't ideal for a long ride out east - too warm in the afternoon and a light wind from the west. But the days are of course getting shorter now, so I thought I'd have a crack at one anyway.

Didn't think I was likely to go all the way to Foul Anchor, a round trip of 283 km. But I woke up at 0315 after sleeping fitfully for three hours. And I was away at 0420.

I was wearing minimal clothing. No fleece or long-sleeved top to stuff into a backpack or stash in a hedge after 50km. Definitely a mistake. I had goosebumps on my arms until about 0900. But I was too hot by 1100, either due to the time of day, or being in a geographically more easterly location, or both.

The outbound part went past very quickly, despite being uncomfortably cold. I got right onto the Fens, all the way to Pode Hole. I'd managed to navigate my way there without turning the eTrex on. I did take a wrong turn after that though. No biggie, I was only a few hundred metres off course. But I stopped and took stock - should I go all the way to Foul Anchor, or not?

I convinced myself not to, on the basis that it would be too hot in Lincolnshire in the afternoon. But to be honest I felt I was copping out a bit. Would have been a nice adventure. But it would have meant getting back a couple of hours later than if I didn't, as well. Actually partly I was worried about getting a puncture or a mechanical a long way from home, maybe I'm losing my nerve for long rides a bit.

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So: I turned back, but I decided to go back via the main road to Bourne rather than along Counter Drain Drove and Baston Outgang Road, which, although they radiate Fenland other-worldly charm, are rougher than a badger's bottom. Missed a turn and ended up going through the centre of Spalding. But that was fine. Quite interesting.

Really hot in the afternoon. Stopped at the caff at Castle Bytham to eat and rehydrate. Went through Burton on the Wolds once back on more familiar territory, so I could get more hydration at the petrol station. More comfortable after 1600 or so when there was a bit of cloud cover.

Near Spalding I noticed that the front tyre is slightly split. Definitely not buying Schwalbe Luganos again.

I started the third Dredd novella. But I also started Absolute Beginner, the memoir of the guitar player Kevin Armstrong which is really a joy - witty, engaging, acerbic and thoughtful.

https://www.strava.com/activities/15158494714

Back on 236.70 km.

[Nickslikk2112]

After a weekend washout, I thought I better make the most of the dry start today, rain was forecast for later, but it looked good for a couple of hours.

Back on the Bianchi today, in case there were still puddles and wet roads about as disc brakes are better in the wet, but fortunately the roads were more or less completely dry. After heavy rains you also get gravel and flints washed out into the road which don't treat the Giant's Schwalbe Pro One tyres very well, but even that was absent.

Didn't bother going far from home, just a few laps round Sutton Scarsdale and Heath. Very busy in Heath, they appear to have a Scarecrow festival on.

Just when I decided to head home a few giant sized raindrops fell from the sky, bit nothing serious. Three miles from home in Calow the roads were wet. A mile further on there was a bit of rain and the roads were VERY wet, in two miles I got saturated from road spray. Thankfully missed what was a torrential shower though.

https://www.strava.com/activities/15185906232