Another trip out today. Having been watching the forecast it looked good to try something a bit longer today as it was expected to be dry with light winds. I missed out on a ride to Ellesmere earlier in the month when other things got in the way, so headed out to make up for that.
I thought I'd try and make it a metric century so extended it a bit by heading to Condover, Acton Burnell and Cressage first then heading north through Wroxeter, Upton Magna, Roden, Shawbury and Wem then a new route along the lanes to Ellesmere and back the most direct way through Lower Hordley, Baschurch, Montford Bridge and round the Edge of Shrewsbury.
I woke up to a frost on the ground so put on plenty of layers in anticipation of a cold ride. I was on gritted roads mostly to start with and hoped it would warm up enough for there not to be any ice by the time I got to the quieter lanes.
Having got on reasonably well I had a break between Roden and Shawbury for a bite to eat and was surprised at how quickly I started to feel chilled. It took a good mile after that to start to warm up again but the muscles felt tired and it was a struggle to keep up the pace from that point onwards.
From Wem I followed my usual back road route to Northwood then tried a change which I hoped would avoid an extremely muddy section near Welshampton. This took me along some lanes that I think would look quite pretty in the spring and summer, and it did turn out to be fairly mud-free. There was a bit more climbing involved, particularly at one point where the road put me in mind of a rollercoaster as it dropped suddenly into a steep valley and I had to push hard to get up the other side.
Having passed through Ellesmere I took another food break near Lower Hordley and again was surprised at how quickly I got cold despite having three fleeces on. The wind didn't seem to be light any more and I was finding it an effort just to keep moving. I thought it might just be that I was unusually fatigued until I was passing a farmhouse and noticed that the washing they had out on the line was blowing horizontally.... So much for the forecast of light winds.
Things didn't improve so progress seemed quite pedestrian back through Baschurch to Montford Bridge where I was fortunate that the climb over the hill to Bicton seemed to be sheltered.
Seeing another cyclist ahead spurred me on a bit and I managed to slowly reel him in, until he turned off just before I caught up in Shrewsbury. Typical.
68.1 miles for the day at 13.1 mph average which surprises me given how slow I was towards the end.
I wasn't really in the mood for photography today so just grabbed a few snaps to prove I've been out:
At Viroconium (Wroxeter). About 17 miles into the ride.
Elevenses stop en route to Shawbury.
Dry and clean roads between Wem and Northwood.
I'd almost forgotten what these look like.
View from my lunch stop. It was blooming cold in the wind by now. Looking it up, the Met Office says the wind was 2 to 6 mph while it was a tailwind but 14 to 16 mph later on when I was riding directly into it.
I think the weather doesn't like me.
Somehow the bike manages to look quite clean in most of my recent photos. This is the shocking truth though.
) before taking to The Quarry which was fairly busy with people out walking.
. Dropped missus @ work, Brompton home, a bit of decorating, then a 6 mile amble around Egham & Staines on the Brommie again as I couldn't be bothered to 'proper' cycling clothes on. 
Glad I bought a hat.
