Bit of an unexpected outdoors ride today.
I was planning on getting on MyWhoosh with their newest v3.6.0 release going live today. However, no sooner had I got set up, the electrician arrived and wanted to knock off the power for an hour.
As such, my options were either skip it, go for a walk, or go for a ride outdoors. I figured why not go out for the first time in, what, 6 months? And see how the Shimano 105 behaves outdoors.
I will say I was a bit concerned about going out for a couple of reasons.
The first was simply that the last few times I’ve been out, I’ve come up against some issues with other road users. Today was sadly no different. I got 3km out before a little white Audi took offence with me shaking my head at him having to slam on at a roundabout – which I was already in, and he was approaching at, what I am taking an educated guess, was far faster than the 40 mph speed limit.
But beyond that, I had no further issues.
Well, aside from the roads being utter garbage quality.
The second was a bit more serious. Last week I took a whacking knock on the head, and I’m still not right from this. Staying indoors and doing a controlled endurance session was almost certainly the right, and smart move.
Instead I went out and slogged it.
Still, had I died at least it would have been doing what I love.
For this one I went out towards Beacon Fell. I think the view of Beacon Fell, along with Parlick and Fairsnape is the nicest view in all of Lancashire. There’s something so stunning about those fells, I can’t really put it in to words. Needless to say, I love cycling round there, and if I could afford it, I would love to live round there, too.
It was super quiet round there today. I think I saw two cyclists in total on this ride. One on my way out, and one as I was coming back. Give it another month and it will be busy round there.
What I can say is there have been no road improvements since the last time I went out. As such the roads are even worse than they were, and I have already got the nagging shoulder I used to get when outdoor riding for my troubles. That must be down to bike fit.
I did see a funny quote today about the state of the UK roads:
In the UK we used to drive on the left of the road, now we drive on what’s left of the road.
Some reddit user
I think that just about sums it up. A country in decline in so many ways. Perhaps it’s just the the roads are one of the most visible signs.
Anyway, tomorrow will be a turbo session. Almost certainly a ‘recovery’ / endurance ride.
