I also woke up to the sound of rain and I also ignored it and went back to sleep. So I got up later around 7:30am once the rain had stopped, and thought that I could have a lazy breakfast and be out of the house by 9ish... my electricity supply had other ideas and departed around 2 minutes into my nebuliser... I gave it a good half hour, but it failed to return, so I upped and outed to a house that did have electricity...
Not a lot happened on the way out - bright blue skies, surprisingly windy and gusty, cold in the shade, but within 30 mins I was too hot... stripped off my sleeves at a set of traffic lights I know well in Northwich, converting the long sleeved jersey to a short sleeved jersey much to the bemusement of the car drivers around me
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The roadworks that had been happening all of last week had me concerned that they were not finished. No road markings, no cat's eyes returned etc... on the way out I spotted a sign - worst fears confirmed. Whilst they have done a wonderful job and the joins are really good, regretfully they are now threatening to "surface dress" the road at some point in the next 7 days, weather permitting. That means one thing and one thing only, that really nice surface is going to vanish under a layer of grit and gravel and been utterly horrible for the next 6 months
- shame, because I was really enjoying the faster times than normal along that section of road! Even managed to get down onto the drops along that section the road surface has improved so much!
Coming home was 'interesting'. Squalls were the order of the day. Nothing showing whatsoever on raintoday.co.uk, but even as I was looking at it, I was looking at torrential rain which drowned the place for around 3-5 mins and then vanished as fast as it came. I chanced setting off without my waterproof on. I got, well not very far before taking shelter under a very big tree and putting my waterproof on maybe 700metres down the road!
After the 3rd soaking I came across dry roads and oncoming commuters looking at me oddly - I could see what was coming, but it was behind them so would take them by surprise. By the time I got to Northwich, it was time to loose the waterproof and go back to short sleeves... such has been the weather today!
http://www.strava.com/activities/138165725
. Lots of other cyclists and walkers on the trail. Weather was good
and the kids didn't winge at all. They seemed to like it, which makes me happy as they are not comatosed in front of the TV or some tech device. Stopping for an ice cream at Higher Poynton probably helped and gave them a bit of a rest. Daughter was chuffed to see horses and a family of Canadian Geese and seeing her little legs spinning the pedals still brings a smile to my face. We do have some great family cycling opportunities in the area and I need to do more of them with the kids, they both could have gone much further and only having to go to a barbecue this afternoon stopped us making a full day of it.
Meant to say I love that area, great roads and lovely choices. Before long I will have to take the bike up past Spadeadam to Chirnsidelodge but it will probably mean a there and back trip on a road bike
