Good day Sunshine

Friday was a great day for cycling, and I was riding into the sun (and wind...) as I passed through East Leake and into Loughborough. Which I have to say, is a Funny Place. If it's not listed in the book Crap Towns, it really should be.

An industrial area, a university, and the bit in the middle a time warp of 1950s decay. When I say university, don't imagine dreaming spires - it has all the charm of a nuclear reprocessing plant.

Fortunately I was soon out in the countryside again, though the price of getting into the Charnwood Forest was a climb that soon had me pushing rather than pedalling.

But there were moments of pure joy, riding along unclassified roads with no traffic and just the sounds and smells of the countryside for company.

I then tried to follow the line of the Fosse Way back to High Cross. Went along a bridleway, a lane, then into 'Fosse Meadows', which sounded about right...until the road turned into a track and finally a dried-up quagmire. That's the price of following in the footsteps of centurions.

So, what did I learn from these two days?

1. Unclassified roads are great, even if they meander
2. Hills are to be avoided
3. Although you pass some great pubs, you crave a pint of......cold milk
4. Time in the saddle is what matters - there's no point in stopping for longer than necessary
5. Bananas are great! - Tasty, healthy, compostable packaging and, combined with Lycra shorts, the source of endless Carry-On type humour....