Someone painted the sky grey. Must have, the barometer was on the F in Fair, just as it was last evening. OK fairly grey then. Going for a ride anyway, who cares about the barometer alphabet? Best discussed over a pint or many.
So, wheel out the fixed and hide in Holbeck while I persuade the legs to keep pedalling, escape along a newly reopened Water Lane, cross the river and aim for Oakwood. Followed almost vertically ( well, steep anyway ) up Boot Hill to the Ring Road and cross that, on to the left turn for Shadwell. Reach Main Street, turn left and along the road to Slaid Hill and turn right. This bit of road is quite a job without a freewheel, a couple of brisk descents do spin the legs quickly and of course, where there be downs, there be ups nearby. Loads of fun. East Keswick should be renamed Hill Village. ‘Cos it is. After that there is a drop to the A 659, and a right turn goes into Collingham, then left, through what is left of the village and turn right on Wattle Syke and further on to the roundabouts. Almost have to ride a knitting pattern to find the road for Boston Spa, and soon after, clairvoyance is useful to see the sign hidden in the tree. It points to Clifford. A tiny village, still has a pub or two and the convent is now luxury apartments or something. Flats, in my young days. Bramham is next along the road, up the hill and cross the A 1M by the flyover and carry on towards Thorner, not forgetting to video this innocent looking piece of road. It is a lot steeper than it looks.
No distance at all to travel now. The deceptive, looks like its flat, road to Thorner which does keep the legs pushing hard, an easy ride through the village and then Sandhills. Wonder where the name originated? Anyway, they are still a bit of a climb but having done that it is all easy from before Skeltons Lane, along Red Hall Lane and a whizz down that hill that was a sweat to ascend earlier in the ride. Past the redundant gates to Roundhay Park, down the road to what used to be the Fforde Green and through a bit of Leeds centre, over the river and a bit of a hill to home. 32.2 miles, the odd spot of rain, few other cyclists around, they missed a good ride.
Map making done the easy way