I haven't managed to get out on the bike since the ride with
@gavgav and my brother last Wednesday (20.4 miles and 10.8 average for that one by the time I got back - very enjoyable but a little on the cool side).
The forecast looked pretty good for a challenge ride yesterday so I headed out to get in the last qualifier for my Lunacy Challenge. The roads have been gritted as we had the first proper frost of the season on Monday but I was pleased to see that there didn't seem to be any ice about when I got up. Even so it was blooming chilly and I layered up well.
I was out on the road at about ten to eight and headed over Lyth Hill. I've mentioned before about being overtaken on this road when I'm already trying to pass parked cars and this time had three drivers do it in succession. I couldn't help but notice that those cars all stopped at the nursery a little further up the road.
At the top of the climb I'd warmed up a bit and considered taking off one of my layers, however on dropping into Condover I was very glad that I hadn't as it was cooler down there. I had a good run to Ryton where I joined the lane through Gonsal and found it unusually busy. A set of temporary lights on the A49 at Stapleton seemed to be the cause of this but since the lights are so close to where the lane comes out it would surely take quite a bit longer to go around than to wait for them to go green.
There was a bit of traffic about on the way through Exford's Green and Plealey but nothing too bad, then it was quieter than usual on the main road through Pontesbury and Minsterley. There are still two sets of temporary lights in Minsterley and I had to stop for both again.
At Horsebridge there was a another blockage. A fuel tanker was delivering heating oil to one of the houses and a milk tanker and a van were stuck behind it - plenty of room for a bicycle though. I carried on along this road, took the main road into Westbury then to Halfway House and the usual way to Coedwy, Crew Green and Melverley, where I paused for a snack. The air was colder again here which prompted a change to some warmer gloves.
Moving along the flat lanes to Maesbrook I thought I'd go round a different way to get to The Wood, taking a left then a right onto a nice quiet lane. Nothing special but it made a change. Carrying on towards Woolston Bank I noticed that there seemed to be a veil of fog or possibly drizzle in the direction of Oswestry which made me glad I had changed my mind about going that way when plotting the route last night. I turned instead towards West Felton, Rednal and Hordley. It was around the Hordley area that the roads started to appear damp, then were wet enough to swish under my tyres. This was topped up by the odd shower of light drizzle - a little annoying but thankfully never heavy enough that I wanted waterproofs.
At Tetchill I took the lane to Lee, just as I did last time I was here, then past Whitemere and on towards Colemere where I had another snack stop by the church before pressing on to Lyneal. The closure of the B5063 was unexpected but fortunately I joined it on the right side of the closed section so had next to no traffic to share the road with on my way to Northwood. I suppose with it being that quiet I could have stuck with the B road but I decided to take my preferred quiet route to reach Wem via Lowe.
Tired legs made the climb up Palms Hill a bit of a plod but I had gained a tailwind so the speed down the other side was quite good and I cruised along nicely to Moreton Corbet and Shawbury. A kind driver let me turn across the traffic in Shawbury and an inattentive one nearly got me almost immediately afterwards as they pulled away from the kerb without checking.
I had a good run to Poynton Green and Roden then came up to more temporary lights which stubbornly stayed on red even though I was the only vehicle on the road. I took my usual way through Rodington Heath. The metric century was passed somewhere between here and Withington. The hills were a little bit of a plod to Upton Magna, Atcham, Cross Houses and Kingstreet but I seemed to find a second wind on the way back to Condover so that even though I wasn't very quick it felt like I could have carried on further. I decided to avoid the traffic a bit
and extend the ride by finishing off wth another crossing of Lyth Hill.
Enjoyed that despite the dampness that wasn't mentioned in the forecasts I'd seen. Not many other cyclists out braving the cold - I wasn't keeping count but think there were only five or six that I encountered.
75.2 miles at 12.5 mph average. My longest ride of the year thus far.
Crossing Lyth Hill at the start. Cold and grey out but there was barely a breath of wind for roughly the first half of the ride.
Dropping down to Coedwy with patchy mist in the Severn valley. It isn't clear in the photo but the Welsh mountains were nicely lit up in the distance.
View to the Breidden from my first snack stop.
Ellesmere College as seen from the lane to Lee.
Whitemere.
Colemere.
The church at Colemere.
Moreton Corbet Castle.
The Mytton and Mermaid at Atcham.