2015 Week 11

Week 11 (w/e 15 March 2015)
Miles: 112.4

It was a wet start to the week. The afternoon was affected by showers so I waited until the evening to get my week underway, clocking up 8.5 miles from the ride. The weather on Tuesday was marvellous: Had Spring arrived? As it turned out, no! But I went out for the best part of an hour in the afternoon, then did the usual evening ride. 29 miles was the resulting total. Wednesday was wet until about 4 pm. I managed 35 minutes around 6 pm and topped up the mileage in the evening to end the day on 46 miles.

Thursday. It was grey and dank. Looking at the rain radar I could see a large block of rain moving eastward with glacial pace. By 3:30 it was drizzling. Before too long it was coming down firmly and persistently and carried on doing until midnight at least. So no cycling was done. Drizzle on Friday soon cleared and the afternoon stayed grey but fine. Out I went, rolling home with 63 miles. This became 71.5 miles in the evening.

And so into the weekend. Saturday afternoon was grey but fine with a cold wind blowing in from the east. I cycled into town as usual, then nipped out for a quick supplementary once I'd got home. 87 miles done. The pub beckoned that evening, so that was it until the next day. The weather was similar on Sunday, but I went out in the late afternoon and came home with 102 miles. Having checked my figures before my final ride on Sunday night, I realised that a score of 112 would take my weekly average for 2015 to a Nelson (111). So that's what I did.

The stats
Time taken to get 100: 6 hrs 55 mins
Average speed for 100: 14.42 mph
Total for 2015: 1221.3
2015 average weekly mileage: 111.02
Consecutive 100s: 10
Miles needed for 6000: 4778.7
Percentage of target reached: 20.35%
Required average weekly mileage: 116.55

Another milestone posted this week: 20% of my 6k target reached.

So what's the comparison with 2012?
Last week 2012 passed me by 4.1 miles. This week the gap widened to 28.9 miles, as in week 11 of '12 I clocked up 137.2 miles. It was a monster 167.3 the following week, so I can't see myself catching up anytime soon!

2015 Week 10

Week 10 (w/e 8 March 2015)
Miles: 125.4

Spring is coming.

Monday afternoon saw clear blue skies, but with a vicious westerly blowing in. I needed 17 miles to be assured of clocking up 1000 for the year. I got back to my village with about one mile to go, but the skies to the west were growing ever darker. Rain was quickly heading my way. Glurk! I did a tour of the village as quickly as possible to reach the 17 mile mark, then bolted for home. I just made it: five minutes later it was belting down with hail. Although it was clear later in the evening, it was cold and dank and I didn't feel like going back out. Tsk, lazy. Unfortuately, Tuesday was a no-cycle day due to domestic commitments. Happily, Wednesday was clear and sunny, so I did a good hour's worth in the afternoon (to 32 miles) and added another ten in the evening.

Thursday. A grey and blustery day. A ride in the afternoon took me to 52 miles, which became 60 in the evening. Decent weather on Friday saw me to 70 miles in the afternoon. An evening ride took me to 78 miles, but the wind had seriously whipped up since teatime. It was still blowing a gale on Saturday. Boy, was that westerly headwind vicious! I cycled into town, as usual, then nipped out again briefly once I'd returned home, pushing on to 91 miles in the process. With no distractions in the evening, I took myself back out and rolled home with another 100 in the bag. Job done.

Sunday afternoon was sunny and pleasantly warm, since that bitter wind had disappeared. I went out for an hour or so, coming back with 116 miles. There was time for another spin later in the evening. It was a bit flippin' chilly out due to the clear skies though. I finished off the week with a reasonable 125 miles.

The stats
Time taken to get 100: 7 hrs 1 mins
Average speed for 100: 14.23 mph
Total for 2015: 1108.9
2015 average weekly mileage: 110.89
Consecutive 100s: 9
Miles needed for 6000: 4891.1
Percentage of target reached: 18.48%
Required average weekly mileage: 116.45

Like last week, a very slow time to reach 100 miles due to the vicious wind.

Alas! I've had to relinquish the yellow jersey. 2012  has overtaken me... by just 4.1 miles. Now, you're probably thinking, "why didn't he just carry on riding on Sunday evening for another 20 minutes or so to make sure he kept in front?". Ah, good question. To be brutally honest, I'd had enough! Besides, in week 11 of 2012 I posted 137.2 and then a 167 the following week. So I'd only be delaying the inevitable by another seven days. Ho hum

2015 Week 9

Week 9 (w/e 1 March 2015)
Miles: 117.4

Wise advice.

Monday. It was clear and cold, but with an absolute howling gale blowing in from the SE. Cycling into that headwind wasn't fun. 15 miles was done in the afternoon. I went out again in the evening, but wintry showers were lurking. I managed to do another 8, although I got caught by sleet on the way back. Brr. It remained clear and cold on Tuesday, although the gale hadn't abated. I pushed on to 38 miles in the afternoon, which became 46 in the evening. Wednesday was grey and dank, but at least the wind had died down. Sadly, the drizzle became light rain which fell all afternoon and kept me indoors. The evening was mostly fine, but I didn't fancy dragging myself out. So I didn't.

Thursday. Following heavy rain in the morning, the afternoon was clear and sunny. A 40 minute trundle took me to 57 miles, which became 65 when I'd been back out in the evening. Friday was mostly overcast but fine. An hour or so in the afternoon took me to 82 miles and I ended the day on 90 in the evening.

Saturday was grey and drizzly, with the rain become firmer by teatime. A gap in the drizzle opened up about the time that I usually cycle into town, so I seized my chance. It was starting to rain lightly again when I was setting off to come home, but I didn't get particularly wet on the 3 - 4 mile ride back. I came home with 98 miles. So close to that obligatory ton! Sadly, the weather turned wetter and blowy in the evening, so that was that. The prospects for Sunday didn't look promising. It was again dank and drizzly. A clear spell opened up after 3:30, so I got out there and came home with 109 miles in the bag. A heavy shower passed over at 7, but after that it was fine. So off I went again that evening for one final trip for the week, returning with 117.

Just 16.5 miles away from clocking up 1000 miles for the year.

The stats
Time taken to get 100: 7 hrs 5 mins
Average speed for 100: 14.11 mph
Total for 2015: 983.5
2015 average weekly mileage: 109.27
Consecutive 100s: 8
Miles needed for 6000: 5016.5
Percentage of target reached: 16.39%
Required average weekly mileage: 116.66

A slow time to get the 100 this week due to the vicious gales.

Still wearing the yellow jersey... but only just! 2012 is breathing down my neck. In week 9 of that year, I posted an impressive 152.5 miles. So that's chopped my lead considerably. It's only 7.6 miles now. Crikey. The following week in 2012 (week 10), I managed 137.1 miles. So I'm up against it this coming week.

2015 - Week 8 Graph

2015 - Week 8 Graph

Graph for the four weeks 5 - 8:

So 2015 is still at the front. The gap between this year and the next best (2012) is 42.7 miles.

Total figures after eight weeks:

2015 - 866.1
2012 - 823.4
2014 - 817.9
2013 - 785.4

It's still a good feeling to be unexpectedly leading the pack!

2015 Week 8

Week 8 (w/e 22 February 2015)
Miles: 103

Nice to see lots of these about.

The start of the week was bitterly cold and very windy. To add to the grimness, as the week progressed it became clear that I had a cold developing. Urgh. A good start was called for, and I delivered with 26 miles on Monday and 20 on Tuesday. By Wednesday I was feeling grotty and sneezy: the weather was grey and drizzly to match my mood, so I stayed in during the afternoon and rationed myself to a short ride in the evening to push on to 55 miles.

Thursday was dank and drizzly. I progressed to 64 miles in the afternoon and added 8 more in the evening. After a sunny start to Friday, the afternoon grew progressively murkier and dank, with drizzle. I should have got out earlier, of course. The weather meant that I only managed a 7 mile spin at 6 pm. The total became 87 in the evening. Saturday afternoon was sunny and cold for the most part. Once a brisk shower had passed over at 2:45, I cycled into town as is the custom. At 6 pm I seized the opportunity to get out there and clinch the 100 for the week. I was out on the beer on Saturday evening, so no more miles were added that day. The forecast for Sunday was a washout and so it turned out to be, so it was a good job that I achieved my target on Saturday.

The stats
Time taken to get 100: 6 hrs 57 mins
Average speed for 100: 14.37 mph
Total for 2015: 866.1
2015 average weekly mileage: 108.26
Consecutive 100s: 7
Miles needed for 6000: 5133.9
Percentage of target reached: 14.43%
Required average weekly mileage: 116.68

Still wearing the yellow jersey! My lead over 2012 currently stands at 42.7 miles. Last week it was 43.2.

Week 8 totals
2015 - 866.1
2012 - 823.4
2014 - 817.9
2013 - 785.4
1998 - 781.7

2015 Week 7

Week 7 (w/e 15 February 2015)
Miles: 130.3

Shame about the spelling.

The weather for the most part this week was overcast but fine and still. By Wednesday evening I'd reached 59 miles and then moved on to 76 by the close of Thursday. Sadly, my dreams of posting a "5 day 100" this week were dashed by the weather, as Friday afternoon was dank and drizzly throughout. The drizzle had passed over later in the evening, but I didn't bother going out. The start of the cricket world cup proved to be a welcome distraction.

The weekend weather was very good, so I'd chalked up another 100 on Saturday evening. I did a 17 miler on Sunday afternoon, stopping to pick up cans on the way back. Heading back out on Sunday night to finish off my week, my original intention was just to cycle the 8 or so miles I needed to edge past last week's total of 127.1 in order to set a new best for the year. However, the riding felt good and I was on a bit of a roll, so I ended up carrying on for a further couple of miles so that I reached 130. A new best, obviously.

The stats
Time taken to get 100: 6 hrs 53 mins
Average speed for 100: 14.50 mph
Total for 2015: 763.1
2015 average weekly mileage: 109.01
Consecutive 100s: 6
Miles needed for 6000: 5236.9
Percentage of target reached: 12.71%
Required average weekly mileage: 116.38

Still leading the pack! In fact, my lead over 2012 grows from 29 miles last week to 43.2.

Week 7 totals
2015 - 763.1
2012 - 719.9
2014 - 702.7
2013 - 665
1998 - 649.1

More Rubbish

More Rubbish 

Over the winter months I've noticed a steady accumulation of discarded cans and bottles along one of my regular routes, the stretch of Lancaster Road that arrows through Out Rawcliffe to Pilling. As this is my local portion of NCN 90, it doesn't give a good impression to those cyclists who might be passing through the countryside on a ride along the Lancashire Cycleway. So on Sunday afternoon I went out on my bike armed with a plastic bag and stopped along a stretch of the road to pick up some of the offending items. It's something I do now and again. Here's the result of my endeavour - there's 26 cans in the photo.

Bear in mind that this is the only the result of me stopping along a two mile stretch of the road, and that there were seveal others cans (and plastic bottles) that I didn't stop to pick up.

The dispiriting aspect of all this is the knowledge that even if the verges and hedgerows were blitzed of litter, within a week there'd be plenty more items there.