Apologies - work has been getting in the way of important stuff again
so I've got 3 rides to report...
Weds - final ride of September was just a quick spin after work / before tea. Familair route, no record broken but good to blow the stress of the day away on the bike.
8.9 miles in 34m53s at an average of 15.3mph. Put me just over 245 miles for the month, which I'll take given all the upheaval at the start of the month...the dog seems to be making a good recovery which is more important than my miles.
Friday - a long overdue day off work and my first ride of October. Despite being a 'day off', we had stuff to do, so it was a late afternoon ride out through Thorner to Bramham, then back via Aberford on NCN R66. More issues with the sodding mudguards, including having to repeatedly tighten the securing caps and then one of the rear stays detaching itself and wedging between the mudguard and rear tyre when I was descending the hill on Cattle Lane at around 30mph. It had burred off most of the plastic cap by the time I'd stopped and was blooming hot!
Anyhow,
18.85 miles in 1h15m at an average of 15.0mph
No cycling at all yesterday as I had to go to Birmingham (don't ask...), so I was determined to get out today and do a variation on a favourite route, aiming for another metric half century. Given the promise of nice weather I decided to wear bib shorts rather than tights, which at least encouraged me to push on until the sun actually came out...
Out to Thorner, then Milner lane and instead of continuing to Bramham, I took a road I haven't ridden before out to Collingham, which was very pleasant.
Not so pleasant was the scoot along a very busy A58, then up the hill on the A659 to Wattle Syke roundabout - but if you don't try these routes you'll never know will you? Google suggests you can cut through some residential streets just before the A58 but I didn't see a turn so ended up on the main road.
Stopped at Wattle Syke for a drink and photo and to tighten the mudguard stays again
Then on down the cycle way into Wetherby, right over the river and right again for the run out to Walton, before another right down into Thorp Arch and across the river to Boston Spa. Left towards Tadcaster, but then cut back to Clifford via Bar Lane and on to Bramham.
Up the Col de Town Hill, where I met a couple of female cyclists at the top heading down, who congratulated me on my climb
, then out on Toulston Lane.
Stopped for a bite to eat and another photo - and another mudguard fettle.
Whilst paused, I was passed by a peleton from a York club - black kit / pale blue stripe (all very friendly), a solo rider on a Cervelo with TT bars (totally focussed / ignored me) and then a couple more cyclists who said hello.and finally a horse & rider. Like the blooming M1 it was.
Pushing on, down garnet Lane, over the A64 and into Stutton on the now obligatory dash down Fanny Lane, before the single track out to the A162.
Up the hill towards Towton, where a Sainsburys arctic driver got FAR TOO CLOSE, then out past the battlefield site (there is a ploughing contest near there on Sunday 1st November if you're out that way) and down into the always picturesque Saxton and out on Coldhill Lane where I stopped for a drink / breather / faff with mudguards and a photo.
Then out to the main road, up past Lotherton Hall and the descent into Aberford, where I was passed by a stealth rider (all in black on a matt black bike, didn't even hear him 'til he passed...).
Out on Cattle Lane, descending down the hill to Cock Beck and the blooming mudguard stay detached itself again. Fortunately this time it lodged on the outside of the mudguard, but I still had to stop to sort it. It was very close to getting taken off and dumped in the hedge at this point...
Anyhow, fettled again, I cycled up the hill to Barwick, through Scholes and on to home.
34.25 miles in 2hr 17m at an average of 14.9mph (which I'm sure would have been quicker without the repeated repair stops) and 1541ft climbed.
So that's 55.12km, which achieved the metric half century I'd been aiming for - not a bad mornings work.
PS - I've also ordered some replacement mudguards (with good customer reviews) and these cheap (recommended by the shop) ones are going back...or in the bin
