Wednesday 13th May 2020

Solo Ride report by David – (David is doing his Wednesday rides on Tuesday). On a bright morning with possible rain later, I set off at 7:50 to do a route I have previously led for the short ride. There was a light wind from the North, and the weather stayed bright throughout. As on previous weeks, there was nowhere that was without traffic; although the traffic was light and there were not many cyclists about. I set off across town via William Street, Broad Street and Bridge Street to Meadow Lane, assisted by green traffic lights. I entered Stanford-on-Soar and gathered speed for Fox Hill in an angled route over 2 railway bridges, and stopped for a drink at the bottom of Butt Lane, Normanton. Climbing Butt Lane, I had to make way for a refuse truck coming down the hill. I have found that the Garmin device exaggerates the hills. After crossing the A6006, I sped down Travell’s Hill, then immediately right along Brickyard Lane. I negotiated Pithouse Lane, then went past West Leake up Dark Lane, and turned left along Gotham Road to Kingston-on-Soar. I stopped opposite the imposing gates of Kingston Hall (pictured). I carried on into Kegworth, under the railway bridge to Station Road, over the bridge on the bend, then taking Long Lane to the junction with the old A6. On the homeward strait, I carried along the A6, which is quite a fast route with many good cycle tracks. As I passed under the A6 near the roundabout with Warwick Way, it looked as though I would not make 20 miles. So, I detoured along Barsby Drive and Braddon Road, before heading home by the Epinal Way.

The ride was a fairly uneventful 20 miles with an elevation gain of 902 feet, and took 1 hour 31 minutes of cycling time.

Solo Ride report by Phil Hamson.

Defying the existential zeitgeist that even affected his own ennui angst, your intrepid correspondent set out once again on his reportable bike ride. Along Epinal way, increased traffic was even more in evidence than it has been. At one ash,I decided to chance one more ride along the dual carriageway down to the Barrow on Soar turn. In Barrow it was right at the dinosaur roundabout and past the industrial estate where pleasingly, the smell of baking was very much in evidence. Slash lane was closed off but not for flooding. Great to see the Bapmaster sandwich board telling us he is back in business. Into a headwind, no records would be set today but steady progress continued to be made. At Cossington it was right to pass the rugby club and outside the reservoir, a mobile food van was also operational. In Rothley I turned right to travel north along the A6 but mysteriously, the garden centre in the dip was shut despite a notice clearly indicating that it was open! This confused the car that had passed me moments before. In 'sorrel, the cafe by the butter cross was also open but the customers outside appeared to follow the distancing law more in the breach than the observance. Continuing along the A6, it was back home via the A6004. Perhaps next week, it will be further afield. Pretentious, moi?

Solo Ride report by Rosalind Hamson.

The mountains called! - A slightly longer short solo ride by Rosalind. As tea and cake with our cycling friends are still far off, this morning the mountains called. I know we have no mountains in England but those 4 cheeky little climbs up to Beacon Hill car park might as well be mountains as far as I am concerned!

Off I went on my own, very early, down Epinal Way to the MacDonalds roundabout, where I turned right up Park Road. Following it round to Nanpantan Road I then went left to the Priory and left again passing the fishing pond, Jubilee Woods, Charnwood Lodge and the Beacon Hill Cafe. Opposite there I spotted mowers cutting the grass on the golf course. Much to my surprise I discovered later that I had knocked 30 seconds off my previous personal best along that road!

At its end I turned left, dropping down past the Bulls Head into Woodhouse. There I randomly took a sharp right by the church and followed a circular route through to the edge of Rothley then past the Mountsorrel Quarry entrance dropping down into Quorn and from there home before 8am for breakfast! Today the animal highlights were a rabbit on the bend by Pestilence Cottage, and numerous small and tuneful birds.

John's Short Ride