Missing out on yesterday’s ride due to unexpected meetings, I was determined to make up for it today. And it was probably no bad thing really. My left thigh was feeling a bit ‘worked’ after Tuesday and Wednesday, so a day’s rest probably was the best thing.
Also, I seemed to have massively lucked out on the weather. Thursday wasn’t bad – a bit of rain every now and again – enough to make me reconsider several times. But today has been glorious. Not too hot. Not too cold. Just right.
Full of flies, of course. I forget about them. Fortunately today was just greenfly. The last time I went out I was constantly being fed on by big black monstrosities that leave me with red bumps where they’ve feasted. Horrible little things.
Anyway, off out I went for an hour’s ride at lunch. No major plans. And ideally nothing too strenuous. But that kind of went out of the window along the way.
My usual dinner time route is to head down past Broughton High School, out into the country side (not quite sure of the name), and then to turn back just before Catforth. But when I do that little loop around, the road around there is truly awful, so I just did a 180 today and came back the way I went. The smoother bit.
Down hill out, up hill back. Nothing major, just gradual.
I got into a bit of an effort on the way back. I figured why not push from the ‘bottom’ back up the rise to Broughton and then ease off. And I was doing alright with this for about a third of the way, before a traffic jam over a narrow bridge put paid to the effort. Maybe it was a sign?
From there I took a more leisurely pace along the Guild Wheel. Running out of time, I figured I’d head up to the 31A motorway junction then turn back. Another 180.
However, a felled tree blocked the path – another sign – and so back home I went.
Not bad though. 27km in my lunch break, and not at a crazy pace. Happy enough with that.
Apparently tomorrow is going to be even hotter, too. Maybe a trip up the Jeffrey Hill is in order? Not sure yet. Probably something outdoors though. The alternative is another stab at Crit Race #2, but if it’s as hot as it has been today, I can’t see myself staying in.
