Some crackers as usual - by contrast yet again I went to the shops..
I awoke knackered and aching as has become the norm, so even after a week of barely any time in the saddle really didn't feel like going out.
However, after four days of solitude and yet another life-administered knee to the knackers I couldn't face any more time in my own head so got out on the Fuji.
The weather was dry and noticably cooler if probably not as cold as it should be this time of year. Managed outbound in just the synthetic base layer; taking some masochistic satisfaction from the moderate discomfort.
Buoyed by a tailwind it felt good to get out as I rolled along the familiar route; the landscape now a mixture of glorious, dwindling autumn colours and bare monochrome desolation; the latter proving quite relatable.
I'd left earlier to make the most of the light so missed bargain hour before closing; still scored a few reductions but came away £40 lighter for a little over one pannier's worth of shopping.
Dragging my rapidly cooling bulk around the shop had left me quite chilly by the time I'd finished, so I donned my
CRC-scored "old man's given up on life" fleece and pressed on towards home; with neither the desire to stop at the cemetary nor any cut-price munchies to consume if I had.
The fleece proved problematically too efficient on the way home; becoming increasingly uncomfortably warm. I felt fairly detached throughout; not helped by watching my head unit like a hawk and mentally logging the battery depletion since it's evidently on its way out; a pain but at least replacements are available, the process looks straightforward and I can't complain after 6yrs / around 1000hrs / hundreds of charge cycles.
I did enjoy a few nice interactions with people; especially a woman in a car who stopped at the opposite end of a fairly long, narrow, uphill section of road to let me past. I appreciated her being both on the ball and considerate, so I got out of the saddle in an effort to lessen her wait and made my thanks obvious when passing.
Objectively I'm glad I got out for the usual 23ish miles, although feel pretty indifferent about the ride itself. At least it upped the week's mileage from what would otherwise barely have reached double digits.
I hardly stopped on this ride as the conditions were perfect and I just wanted to keep going and got back averaging just about 12mph. I did take this one photo of the tithe barn down the bottom end of the green in Frampton.
