Fashion update - today was the first time this year that I've put the sunglasses lenses in my cycling specs.
Out just after 8, with a pass to cycle all day if I wanted to. I'd already decided today would be an ideal chance to get 50 miles in for the Half Century a Month Challenge, but what about adding an extra 12 miles on for a metric century...would I have the legs for it?
Local roads and out to Scholes, then on to Barwick, where I turned right down Long Lane to loop round the long way via Garforth, signaling my intent to get the miles in. Left in Garforth and out on the A642 over the M1 and up to Aberford, through the village and then under the A1(M) and the climb to Lotherton Hall, out towards Sherburn (road still in an appalling condition, although a couple of the worst holes have had a shovel of tarmac thrown in them) before taking the left to Saxton.
Left in the village and out to Barkston Ash, then Church Fenton. Round the airfield to Ryther, then down to Cawood, across the swing bridge and up the flood mile, before taking a new road (to me) down to Riccall. Picked up NCN R65 (the Solar Cycle) for a straight run to York. Very busy in places today, which was nice to see.
Just before York, I encountered a pedestrian numpty - he was wandering aimlessly towards me in the middle of the path, so I slowed right down but despite their being ample room for us both with me being right over to the side of the cycleway, he swerved towards me at the last minute, meaning I had to take to the grass nearly having an off.
Maybe I should have just bounced off him...
Anyhow, onwards and up to the Askham Bar P&R, which was an ideal place for a stop and a photo:
Back on the bike and on to the A64 cycle path for a quick run down to the A1237, then across the roundabout (no falling off today) and on to Askham Richard then through the various villages, passing loads of cyclists heading the other way - it's amazing the effect a bit of sunshine can have isn't it?
Eventually took the right towards Thorp Arch Trading Estate and intended to stay on this road right through to Wetherby, but after 3 too close passes between the Trading Estate and the road down to Thorp Arch village (a mile?), I did something I swore I'd never do again on the road bike and turned onto NCN R655.
Regular readers wil remember That I slated the narrow path, lumpy surface and amount of debris on here when I rode it last year and nothing has changed, although at least I was away from the numpties in their 4x4's.
Although this is a cycle path I only saw a couple of other cyclists, in amongst loads of dog walkers. Most were OK, I slowed down and we got along fine, but there were a couple of members of the "I'm not moving" brigade about to carefully get around.
Through Dog Poo Tunnel (which now apparently has CCTV installed, and co-incidentally, considerably less dog poo...)under the A1(M) and into Wetherby. Past the Church on the Corner, then the fire station with a quick scoot down the Main Street and down to the Wilderness Car Park in the hope of finding an ice cream van. Sadly there was no ice cream van, so I had an energy bar and took a layer off due to the climbing temperatures, then had 5 minutes while I took a couple of pics:
Back on the bike, up the incline and looped back round and over the bridge, past the police station and then took the NCN R66 cycle path up the hill to Wattlesyke roundabout, before taking the road down to Boston Spa.
Through the village and out the other side before taking Bar Lane to loop back to Clifford, then the fast downhill to Bramham where I took on Town Hill, for no better reason than it's there
before heading back to R66 and Paradise Way for the run down to Bramham Crossroads.
Across there and despite starting to feel it in my legs I was determined to get the metric century in now, so pushed on to Aberford where the speed check signs were still out, so I was careful not to exceed 30 mph down the hill
Right towards Barwick after the bridge and after the quick downhill, the uphill slog that is Cattle Lane. a bit of relief with the downhill to the bridge over Cock Beck, then the seemingly never ending climb up to and through Barwick and I was starting to flag a lot by this point.
Finally reached the peak of the climb and enjoyed the all too brief downhill to Scholes, where I stopped just after the Coronation Tree - it was no good, for the first time ever I had to break into my emergency supply of Haribo Tangfastic. A quick drink to wash them down and I was ready to go - think Popeye with a tin of spinach.
I barely noticed the slight uphill from there, then the descent down Leeds Road whizzed by. Needing a couple of miles, I added a loop round the Manstons, before heading up towards home, with a final couple of loops to push the mileage up.
Home and had I done it - phone out and Google on screen for a quick miles to km conversion in case another loop around the block was needed - imagine if I was just short after all that effort!!!
62.25 miles (that's
100.1 km) in
4 hrs 29 m at an average of
13.9 mph, with 2172ft climbed.
My first metric century in the bag!
It was blooming hard work over the last 10 miles or so, but I'm so pleased that i stuck with it and thank goodness I had the Haribo with me
. The thighs started to stiffen up a bit for the last 20 km`s, but I was surprised how easy I found it all in all 
,although the Strava info was better than I thought I had done but it did tail off at the end.
here today so I decided to do the long version of my commute this morning. This involves heading south through Condover, Pitchford and Acton Burnell then across to Cressage and north to Wroxeter then onwards to work. As well as being decent weather, all the drivers behaved nicely making for a very pleasant trip overall. My timing was a bit tight so unfortunately I didn't have the luxury of being able to stop for photos.
It feels like spring.
