I didn't get out in the wet and the wind over the weekend so got out this morning to try and make up for the missed miles.
The route this time was over Lyth Hill, Condover, Cross Houses, Atcham, Upton Magna, Astley, Hadnall, Merrington, Yeaton, Great Ness, Pentre, Melverley, Prince's Oak, Halfway House, Westbury, Nox, Lea Cross, Exfords Green, Condover again and home.
It was quite chilly at the start and I set out with a couple of fleeces on for the first time this season and got about 15 miles into the ride before it warmed up enough to dispense with one of them. On the plus side there was lots of blue sky and sunshine.
There didn't seem to be much traffic on the roads today which was nice. You always get the odd driver who is a bit daft but none of them were that bad today. One that made me chuckle was going through Attingham Park where I was doing near enough the 20mph speed limit up the drive, but a chap still felt the need to go bouncing across the grass to get in front of me. He must need his fix of Georgian architecture badly.
I was surprised at the number of cyclists I saw. There was one that I caught up with at Plex and we chatted a bit - he was heading back to Wem after shopping in Shrewsbury.
I followed a lane I've never been down before at Pentre which made a change and did my best to dodge all the hedge cuttings and the wasps, both of which seem to be everywhere at the moment. Other than that a mostly uneventful ride.
52.7 miles at 14.3 mph average.
Going through Attingham Park.
Looking to the Wrekin from Haughmond Hill.
Gateway with a view en route to Merrington. The backdrop is Pim Hill.
The church at Melverley.
Skirting round the foot of Lyth Hill. Not far to go now.