Planning routes is increasingly difficult if I want to avoid being bored. And I’m easily bored. Today’s route was circuitous and wiggly, as I took in some bits I fancied doing and joined them up as best I could.
I headed out up the main road to Sidcot, left into Winscombe and out through Sandford. Over to Puxton, following a tractor towing some sort of rolling device that was exactly as wide as the road. Which is good because you know nothing’s going to come the other way at you, and bad because it was going just slightly slower than I wanted to be and there was no way to pass. Still, once it turned off to do its agricultural thing, I got back up to speed. Rather than head for the seaside I headed back towards Banwell to go up the little steep hill towards the Castle, parallell to the main road, thus crossing off one of my targets. It’s still steep…but at least all the traffic is on the main road.
I went straight over the top, along Wint Hill (check) and along the wiggly road to Loxton which is one of my favourite bits of road. It’s up and downy, fairly sheltered, mostly quiet, with stunning views down the valley past Crook Peak to the coast beyond. From there I went across to East Brent and all the way round, skipping the Knoll this time, to head back into Mark. From there it was along the Causeway, left to Chapel Allerton, and past the Windmill (check). This brought me nicely to GW’s current abode for refreshment and chat. Duly refreshed on both fronts I headed home via the usual Wedmore – Cheddar – Axbridge route, having slightly lost my mojo due to the break.
Cycling time: 2:03:07
Distance: 33.68 miles
Avs: 16.3 mph
ODO: 4976 miles
The weather was really hot, but you don’t really notice until you stop and suddenly sweat pours from every pore. Which it did. Very pleasant. I had to wash my face in cold water at GW’s as the sweated salt and suntan cream combined in a particular sting-y fashion. Still, my tan is coming along nicely 🙂 The wind managed to be mostly useless all day, moving from the South, where it would have blown me home, to the West where it didn’t… Nothing new there then.
There were a lot of buzzards out and about being thermally territorial. When one flies over the road, it feels like the Roc is swooping down to take you away in his claws. Well, at present the nights are warm enough to be Arabian, so I think the reference is appropriate *grin*
It was mostly a smelly ride. Things have been using vehicles to impel them off this mortal coil. I didn’t see them, but I know they were there… And there are a great many agricultural rural smells going on. And the odd bonfire. All definitely smelly as opposed to fragant. As, no doubt, was I by the time I got home.
It appears I may be cycling tomorrow and Sunday. Don’t know about you, but that sounds a bit keen to me…*grin*. I may have to wimp out of something… 😉