Having been keeping a close eye on the forecasts for a while I'd settled on which day to do my next challenge ride when Lockdown 2: Electric Boogaloo got announced, starting on the very day I was intending to go out.
Call me selfish if you wish, but at this stage of the year I wasn't willing to concede defeat, nor to wait in hope so a new plan was needed. I came up with a route that stayed in my local area (within a 12 mile radius of home seemed fair) and avoided the larger towns and any border crossings. That sorted I headed out for my usual early start yesterday morning, using the knockabout bike this time.
It was misty and cold at the start with barely a breath of wind and a faint smell of fresh tarmac drifting around from the nearby stone quarry. I set off into the pre-dawn, finding that the A49 was very quiet but not empty. I headed through Condover towards Wheathall and Berriewood before swinging back towards Condover to head around very familiar roads to Kingstreet, Berrington, Cross Houses, Cound, Harnage, Cound Moor and Acton Burnell. There was some traffic about and the odd person walking or running but otherwise pretty quiet. The sun sneaked up without me noticing until it was well above the horizon due to it being obscured by the mist and cloud. Views of the countryside were similarly obscured.
Reaching Acton Burnell I turned south heading for the Folly Bank climb and Cardington. A pause for my second breakfast was taken en route at the Longnor crossroads where I was surprised at how many vehicles passed in the short time I was stopped, including the first cyclists I'd seen this morning. Only the cyclists were headed in my direction at this point though (and they were much faster than me) so I had the lanes mostly to myself into a foggy Cardington. No photo stops here this time but I carried on towards Longville. Rounding a corner by Church Preen School I was confronted by a herd of cattle being driven towards me. Just as well I was turning off for Hughley at this junction anyway.
I started to struggle a bit on the way towards Harley which made me worried about completing the route but found if I went down a gear and took it a bit easier it was managable, then on the next climb out of Cressage towards Eaton Constantine I started off feeling very sluggish but the legs started feeling better as the climb went on. I did even start to catch a couple of riders ahead
.... until they looked back, saw me and put on a fresh spurt. There were lots of cyclists about on this bit of road, most seemingly heading to ride around the Wrekin which I was turning away from now; to Uppington and via Bluebell Lane (not as pretty as it sounds) to Walcot before turning off to Withington. It took a couple of tries here to find a sufficiently isolated gateway to have another snack stop and open the flask of coffee.
Refreshed I pressed on to Rodington Heath and a little detour to see how the repairs at Ercall Mill Bridge were going - they are finished and the bridge is open again which is good to know for next time I head that way. I turned away from the bridge for Roden and apart from a pair of cyclists ahead and a couple of cars heading in the opposite direction, enjoyed an almost empty road until I turned off towards Poynton Green. I followed the marked cycle route for a bit to Bings Heath and Eburywood then turned for Astley, Hadnall, Plex, and Harmer Hill which was all very pleasant uneventful riding. At Harmer Hill I was flagging again a bit so wasn't looking forward to the climb I knew was coming at Myddle. Pulling into a junction with the intention of having a look at the map I was greeted by a couple of farmers (with the broadest Shropshire accents that I've heard in a while) who asked if I knew where I was going. Their advice "You don't want to go that way (to Myddle), we've just cut the hedge, you'll get a puncture" persuaded me to try a lane I haven't ridden before and I tried going left towards Merrington, which turns out to be a nicer way of approacing that village than the way I usually go.
Old Woods, Walford Heath and Yeaton followed and I took a break for lunch in another suitable gateway before carrying on towards Baschurch then onto the road to Great Ness and Pentre. When planning this route I didn't really know if the distance would be sufficient, but around the Pentre area I started to realise that I'd actually underestimated how far it was by quite a way. By the time I'd done the loop around Kinnerley, Argoed, Melverley and the Royal Hill it looked certain that I could afford to head back a much shorter way than I'd originally had in mind, which was very welcome news for my tired legs. I returned to Little Ness and took an alternative way to Grafton and Yeaton. Another snack stop was taken between Old Woods and Merrington then I retraced my steps to Harmer Hill, Plex, Hadnall, and Astley. Finding the A53 nice and quiet I cut the corner to Bings Heath and rejoined the lanes to Roden, then at Rodington Heath I took a right then a left onto Drury Lane, which I've never ridden before, as I cut the corner to Upton Magna.
The sun had set somewhere around Rodington and by the time I got to Atcham it was getting properly dark. On the run through Cross Houses, Berrington and back to Condover it seems not everyone remembers to dip their lights when the oncoming traffic is
only a cyclist.
The legs had felt better than expected on the last few climbs but I couldn't claim to be any kind of speed-demon on the flat by this point.
107.9 miles at the end of the day with a 12.2 mph moving average. 10 hours 35 minutes with all the stops included. Social distancing was easily achieved as so much of it was on quiet lanes and all done within the 12 mile radius I'd set myself.
The sun breaks through the mist and cloud at Berrington.
Ready for Remembrance Sunday at Acton Burnell.
Climbing into the cloud at the top of Folly Bank.
Jumping on, the sun has made an appearance in the middle of the ride. Taken near Plex.
A pause at Yeaton.
On my way round towards Melverley.
Signs of recent flooding near Cae Howell.
Sad to see no customers at The Royal Hill once again.
I didn't see the A5 as quiet as this during the last lockdown.
Passing through Yeaton again on the return leg as the sunshine makes a last bid to break through.
After this I found myself on more urban routes and as the urge to expend a lot of energy ramped up set a few Strava PBs with the wind behind me. As usual I got back feeling a lot more level following an especially visceral, envigorating and highish-output 21 miles with only the high winds for a soundtrack, punctuated by occasional moment of calm.
