Cycling 2025

[Nickslikk2112]

Thank goodness it rained. I normally wait until my cycle watching is over before heading out, but today I decided that the forecast meant a ride before the settee slump

Bit later getting out than planned due to Saturday morning inertia, but found time for an hour and a half. It was a bit blowy at times, had to take care passing gates in field walls, always seems to get funnelled through them.

The wind on the way out led me to think I wouldn't average much over 16mph, but it became a helping hand at times and I ended up at 17.5mph Think today might be the Giant's last ride out this year, but who knows, it could do with a service, it's done 21,500 miles now and is still on the original Bottom bracket bearings.

[Nickslikk2112]

And popped out for an hour and a half today to do the 27 miles I needed to get to 180 for the week. I told Mrs S I'd be back at 18:30 and I was bang on. Had to put a bit of effort in at times though as there was a fair headwind at times - which gave a good push at others.

Had to avoid a couple of Magpies fighting in the road today, got within a few feet of them before they flew off. Wouldn't have fancied tangling with them really.

Managed to finish August with 661 miles and 42,000 feet of elevation gain. Could have done with 10,000 more feet of climbing.

https://www.strava.com/activities/15651821209

[Slim]

Rain was due over at 1300 or so but I thought I'd get 50km in. Didn't set off until 1023, later than I wanted. I did a Twycrosser, with the detour to Orton.

Put up with a couple of light rain showers. Then a heavy one at about 1315, about 3km from home. Can't say I hadn't been warned! I could have got home quicker but it didn't look like rain.

Listened to 5 Live and Jeremy Vine on R2.

Passed a large bucket full (mainly) of apples on the road up from Bosworth - the idea being, I assumed, to help myself. I took a pear. The first bite was lovely, but the second revealed a sort of blackened cavity. So I chucked it.

Gave the bike a good wipe down and a seeing to with GT85 when I got back, will relube it tomorrow.

Back on 53.85km.

https://www.strava.com/activities/15658484336

[Slim]

Had to avoid a couple of Magpies fighting in the road today, got within a few feet of them before they flew off. Wouldn't have fancied tangling with them really.

That reminds me I passed what I think was a buzzard - a bloody big bird of prey anyway - right next to the road near Odstone. Didn't notice it until it spread its wings, and I was only a few feet away at that point. Gave me a bit of a shock.

[Nickslikk2112]

That reminds me I passed what I think was a buzzard - a bloody big bird of prey anyway

They're a reasonable size are Buzzards, Mrs S once encountered one in our garden with a Rabbit it had caught. She described it as being a "Mini-Eagle"

Thought I saw a Buzzard in a field today, but I think it was more likely to have been a Marsh Harrier - a much rarer bird - it looked a bit longer legged and was standing more upright. We see plenty of Buzzards in the field behind out house, so I'm used to seeing them and this was more of a browny brown.

Only bit of interesting wildlife I saw today. Thankfully I didn't see Mrs S as she was going to Hardwick Hall with the Ladies who Lunch just on the day that I was cycling up by it. It would have been nice if I could have held her up, but she'd probably drive up more slowly than I was riding anyway.

That's September underway with a 41 miler. Not so sure my Power Meters were calibrated properly today as Strava said my weighted average power was 88% today as against 95% on a very similar ride at the same speed a month ago.

https://www.strava.com/activities/15670097739/

[Slim]

I intend to do at least a fondo tomorrow so only wanted to do about 55km today. A Bypasser then. I did pretty much the same route as I did on Saturday, except that I took a detour through Newton Burgoland and Swepstone on the way up.

Nice out there, not too windy, decently warm, mostly sunny. I listened to 5 Live, on a big politcal news day.

A seaplane passed overhead near Orton. Just a small one, a Cessna I think. I think that's a first.

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Lots of stinky dead badgers around at the moment, there must be too many of the buggers.

Back on 57.42.

https://www.strava.com/activities/15705732738

[Nickslikk2112]

Managed a brief ride between heavy showers yesterday morning. Not the hour I'd hoped for, but it was something.

Today I had a two and a half hours to get out and do something before settling in to watch the Vuelta. Was hoping to do 40 miles and get up to the tops and hit both targets.

Nearly got taken out by a Manx cat at one point. I presume it was Manx cat, maybe a car had run over it's tail necessitating an amputation at some point.

Otherwise just a standard sort of ride out to Owler Bar and back. Away for the weekend now and next week has rain in the forecast.

https://www.strava.com/activities/15705159120

[Slim]

I'd hoped to be away before 1000 this morning, because the intention was to do a southbound - and the headwind I'd face on the way down was going to stiffen substantially later in the morning. Alas, I stayed in bed longer than I'd intended and I didn't set off until 1110. So I had to face a pretty strong headwind all the way down, but on the plus side it was a bit warmer by then so I didn't have to take a fleece or tights.

Went down the usual route, along Sibbertoft Road and ultimately past the gliding club into Northamptonshire. Watched a couple of gliders being towed. Turned back. Relieved to have the wind behind me instead of in my teeth. Bought some food at the petrol station near Gilmorton on the way back. Shortcut throught Donington Le Heath over the last few km.

Nice out there, a bit busy with traffic near Broughton.

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I listened to LBC until I was completely Raynered out, then I restarted the brilliant Lewisohn Beatles bio. For some reason I tuned out of it a couple of years ago. I hate to think when I started it.

OK I've just checked, I last refer to it in my cycling blog in August 2019. Six years ago. Ouch. I must finish it now, still about 20 hours to go though, and that's just volume one! Hopefully the second and third volumes will be released one day.

Nice to go down that way again, hadn't been that way for a couple of months surprisingly. Back on 104.33.

https://www.strava.com/activities/15720277534

[Slim]

Another decent day, another fondo. Thought I'd do the Fosse Way route this time, since the wind was coming from the south-west. So I did that, except that when I got to the crossroads north of Brinklow, instead of going straight over, I took a left to go exploring. Hadn't been along there before.

I came, after a couple of km, to a pretty village called Pailton, and 2km further on, to a sign pointing the way to "Pailton Radio Station". Naturally I was curious so I took the indicated right turn and had a look. It's a small site with a few transmitter towers guarded by a high wire fence. Apparently it was a reference station to calibrate aircraft instruments, run by National Air Traffic Services. But it's for sale now.

Quite nice round there, quiet. If I remember I'll go along that way again, a bit further next time. I turned back not long after that. Back the way I came except for the same shortcut through Donington Le Heath as last time.

Noticed a blue & white helicopter hovering over a field nearby near Earl Shilton. Checked PlaneFinder, it was a National Grid helicopter (one of eight in the UK, I've just read). Presumably inspecting power lines or pylons.

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It was mostly a nice sunny day, but some ominous clouds rolled over later on, after which conditions became quite gloomy. I didn't get rained on, but I noticed the roads were damp a few km from home. And I noticed splashes of rain on my car as I opened the garage door.

Listened to more of the Lewisohn Beatles bio and 5 Live. Back on 102.57.

https://www.strava.com/activities/15741584669

[The Picnic Wasp]

What's your bike leaning against, James?

[Slim]

What's your bike leaning against, James?

It's the High Cross Monument, erected in 1712 at the crossroads of two Roman roads - Watling Street and Fosse Way. Supposedly the centre of Roman Britain.

https://www.visitblaby.org.uk/heritage/high-cross-monument/

Better pic of it in this post.

[The Picnic Wasp]

What's your bike leaning against, James?

It's the High Cross Monument, erected in 1712 at the crossroads of two Roman roads - Watling Street and Fosse Way. Supposedly the centre of Roman Britain.

https://www.visitblaby.org.uk/heritage/high-cross-monument/

Better pic of it in this post.

Thank you. I'm fascinated by Roman history. The Romans apparently ended their Caledonian journey less than a mile from where I live. A section of the Antonine Wall foundations is exposed in New Kilpatrick cemetery a stone's throw away from my house and there is a well visited bath house ruin off Roman Rd in Bearsden. There must be more as yet undiscovered stuff around here, but it seems not to attract much interest for some reason.

[Nickslikk2112]

I thought three days out of the saddle had finished me off when my Heart Rate shot up to 165 on the first "serious" climb, but it settled down after that and things were fine.

Kept it as flat as possible today, going out through Tibshelf and dropping down the A61 towards Alfreton before retracing my steps (pedals?). Got a bruised ego when I was overtaken by someone going up towards Pilsley today. Looked to be on a steel framed bike and was wearing a cycling jersey with pictures of mushrooms on it. Looking on Strava, there's a chance it could have been Archduke Franz Ferdinand (not the real one obvs.).

I was on a Tempo ride though and he was like Richard Tice on Spice, or so it would seem. Anyhoo, I got 42 miles in which will do.

https://www.strava.com/activities/15751188598/

[Nickslikk2112]

After a rain day yesterday it was all systems go again today. Albeit all systems go slowly. My "fitness" really does drop off rapidly if I miss a few days and today's wind didn't help one bit.

I was trying my best not to put too much effort in, but the wind made it hard at times. The hill up from Eckington through Marsh Lane was a slogathon. Had to put in my best 10 minute power output in the last for weeks, doesn't say too much, but I wasn't intending going that deep. On the plus side it was mainly flat and downhill after that, on the plusser side the rain showers stayed over the hills and to the South.

Another 40 miles gets me nearly back on track for 500 miles in the month.

https://www.strava.com/activities/15774660951

[Slim]

Rain due this afternoon and the wind was coming from the south-west. A Bypasser then. Set off at about 1030. Unaccountably, I felt a bit bonkish after only a few km, so I stopped at the shop at Packington.

Pretty ordinary route, probably one I've done many times. I took the first Boardman. I'd only used it for about 250 km so far this year, because there was a tiny bit of play in the front wheel. But I've adjusted the bearings properly this time. Hopefully.

I did get rained on over the last few km. Gave the bike a good wipe down when I got back, will lube it over the weekend.

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Listened mostly to 5 Live, mostly concerning this week's Labour scandal but also, mainly as an experiment, a Callan short story that I've uploaded to Google Play Books after converting it from Kindle format. Play Books has a "read aloud" function so you can have a sort of DIY audiobook. The voice sounds very natural but the emphasis and timing is mostly rather weird. However - it works.

Back on 57.26.

https://www.strava.com/activities/15786517093