I was shifted to work nights so eventually got home at 07.00 , had a couple of ciders and went to bed. I didn't have the kids this weekend as they were at a party.
I thought about leaving earlier in the afternoon but it would have meant getting up there at some daft time in the morning. So after faffing about all day fettling the bike, eating and watching the weather I finally got off my backside and left at 19.00 and headed northwards.
My planned route was to take me through Wellingborough - Spalding - Lincoln - Thorne and onto Wetherby.
I had a tailwind all the way to Spalding and as it was flat my speed was up which meant I got there in about 5hrs. I just missed the doors shutting at the 24hr McD's but as I was on my bike they wouldn't serve me through the window.
Insurance reasons apparently!!
I was prepared and had food in my bag just in case I couldn't find anywhere to eat, so there wasn't a problem, apart from I'll not be using them again.
The wind had dropped now so it was a calm ride over the flat lands of the Lincolnshire fens, this wasn't to last long though as it turned and started to blow towards me instead.
By the time I was at Sleaford it was full in my face and the rain had started, it only lasted a couple of hrs but was hard enough to soak me through. The wind was to stay with me for the last 90 miles though.
I was starting to get a bit drowsy as I was going through Lincoln so stopped for drink and some more food, this kept me going for a while but by the time I got to Thorne I was starting to feel very tired and was looking for bus shelters and benches to have a break on.
I found one just before the M18 the other side of Thorne and had about 20mins rest there.
This seemed to help a bit and I was away again heading for Selby and Tadcaster. I still had the headwind and it did slow me down (even on the recumbent). It was noticeable though how mountain bikes were going even slower than me as I managed to pass them along the way.
It had been flat all the way from Lincoln to Ulleskelf but then it started to get a bit undulating, not much in terms of Derbyshire or Wales but noticeable after 100km of flat.
The last bit through Tadcaster towards Wetherby was hard work but I got there at 11.00 for a total of 15.40hrs with 3.5hrs off the bike.
25.3kph avg is not bad for a 300km ride but it did seem slow at the time.
This next weekend I haven't got any audax rides planned as it's the 1st sunday of the month and I'm out on my local ride. It's also my birthday so I plan to have a couple of ciders instead. I'll see some of you on Sunday for a beer :-D
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