Home to Hospital for Hubster meeting again (Even I am bored typing those words). I took a different route as the Bawburgh Road is closed for some reason or another and I couldn't face going up the Dereham Road - cycle path or not - to drop in to Bawburgh the other way.
I went down the hill and didn't get on the Marriotts Way at all, but carried on over the bridge and up through Hellesdon. I went right through the middle of Hellesdon, in fact and did 18mph in the 20mph zone and was obviously going far too slowly as I was close passed, at speed, by several cars who then turned off to the shops. They must have been very desperate for a Premier Stores pasty.
I then headed off past the Airport Industrial Estate, up Fifers Lane past what used to be RAF housing and then down the hill and stopped in front of the bike box as it contained a large white Merc. Another cyclist joined me and the Merc driver thought that he would have 'a word', the other cyclist chap pointed out that his car was in a BIKE box so was currently defined as a pratt-box and told the guy to 'smile for the camera'. Merc driver decided that discretion was the better part of valour and got back in his car. I went off towards the city while other cyclist went up around the ring road.
It seemed to be National Oblivious Pedestrian day today. I swerved around quite a few, including one bloke who shoved his toddler out in front of me. The PX has good brakes in the dry. Maybe bloke didn't like toddler, I don't know.
I picked up the cycle-paths and thought that I would be a good girl and follow them through the city to see if they will take me anywhere near where I need to go. I did quite well until I got to Duke Street where the cycle-path just vanishes after about 20 yards, leaving me walking - with road cleats - up the narrow pavement the wrong way on a 1 way street. As soon as I got to Colgate the cycle-path just reappears only to vanish again half way up St John's Maddermarket and then reappear again at Pottergate. I then turned up Willow and then doglegged past the City Hall and Library to Theatre Street and round the back of the Chapelfield Mall and then on to Chapelfield itself. I then took my life in my hands and belted over St Stephens roundabout and turned right at the supermarket and navigated my way, safely on to the Cycle path again and down to Hall Road industrial estate and on to the A140. To be fair, St Stephens roundabout is not as bad as it was, now they have banned cars from the main street there.
I headed down the cyclepath at the side of the A140 and then realised that I couldn't get across to the right hand turning lane. I managed to filter in to the traffic without too much bother and turn right for Keswick - where it started to pelt down with rain - and then right again to Cringleford, up past the vets, over the A11 crossing and to the hospital. I was a little early so, despite the rain, I added the little Cringleford loop on to make up another couple of miles. That was a bit interesting too. I followed the cyclepath down the one way road - opposite the oncoming traffic, it's all no entry at the top, except for bikes and pedestrians. Out of habit when the pavement cyclepath ran out, I did a shoulder check to the left, only to see some filthy great Merc (another one) bearing down on me at speed. Not sure where he thought that he was going. He had difficulty getting out the other end too, so just drove over the central, kerbed island and then round the roundabout and back out. What a peckerhead. Foreign plates. The oncoming bus driver looked a bit surprised.
An hour and 10 minutes moving time for 15.55 miles so rather pleased with that, especially as I had walking bits. Soaked to the skin but such is life. I knew that I was getting a lift back home and that the power shower works. It did take me a good half an hour to defrost enough to pick up my guitar though.
and the ridiculous strong, gusty swirling wind was blowing yet again and into my face for the majority of the ride, including most of the sections when it should have been behind me 
