Dragging myself out of bed after another crap night's sleep I headed out from the homestead on the Ragley for a "quick egg run".
Despite my fatigue and lack of breakfast I perked up after a few miles - probably due to caffeine, yesterday's glycogen reserves and an overpowering urge to escape factors both inside and outside of my head - ending up doing a little over 28 miles which is getting on for double the most I've done on the hardtail previously
A couple of boxes of the precious scored I was off across the fields from the farm shop; passing through a squadron of swifts as I followed a familiar loop before deviating at the point I'd usually turn back and heading out north. Skirted around the town that shall not be named on the quietish rural roads and a few hitherto undiscovered bridleways.
I saw quite a lot of people and remarkably I don't think there was one dickhead amongst them (well, those not in cars anyway) - lots of people out riding horses / bikes, walking dogs, jogging... I had a gate held open for me by a sound couple and enjoyed some nice exchanges with some including a car-full just emerging from the driveway of a house from which I was snaffling some free pears for the old dear.
Despite the novel pleasantries by around halfway in I was rapidly running out of both energy and enthusiasm; keeping myself going with blackberries from the occasional offerings in the hedgerows. The most rewarding score was a bonanza of fat, juicy offerings right at the top of a punishing rutted 13% climb up the side of a field.
These were so abundant that I repurposed last night's pork scratchings packet I'd forgotten to remove from my pocket to stash a few for future sustainance; the break, sugar and a nice encounter with some horse riders buoying me to continue.
I stopped for a few minutes at a church en-route; filling my water bottle, taking ten minutes to brush the detritus from my paternal grandparents' gravestone and spend a moment to reflect upon what an awful, neglectful and detached grandchild I'd been to them... with only the gentle breeze in the trees for company.
Back on the bike again and my legs had really had enough by now; the Maxxis Minion tyres acquitting themselves well on the tarmac inspite of their aggressive tread pattern. Despite the rapidly descending ruination in my quads and calves I couldn't resist a detour to skirt round the local airfield; hampered as usual by the delapidated gates en route, my tolerance for entertaining the increasingly ridiculous means of securing them waining with every one negotiated.
finally back into the village for a dead hang to try and appease my upper body then home for a big carb-free fryup and a couple of bowls of yoghurt with berries both bargain-bought and blagged
Hoping that my exuberance won't write off the rest of the day as I have loads to do, although I think that might be wishful thinking...
EDIT: Exuberance wrote off the rest of the day...
