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@6pt
The weather and my legs were against me on Sunday so I hid away at home instead of logging some honest miles. I stared at the turbo, I heard it whisper, but I turned away and pottered about the house. The contrast of this morning was pronounced; awoken by sunshine and suitably rested the question was not 'will I go for a ride?' but 'where will I be riding?'.
I don my jersey (short sleeve - sunshine instills optimism) and go for the bibshorts instead of the three quarters (golden rays! it's practically summer!), grab some freshly made banana bread and stare at google maps for a bit, pondering which part of 'not London' looks most tempting. For convenience I stick with a loop I've done before (I call it the long loop, because it's about 20 miles longer than my short loop. but it's not as mercenary as the name suggests). Sunday's rain provides a pause for hesitation - the last time I did this route a day after rainfall there were flooded backroads and slippery climbs, but the sunshine left me undeterred. Mudguards stay in the hallway, hope on the bike, and I'm out.
Once I'm on the bike it's all a bit of a blur, brain shuts down and I just let the green move around me. The sun disappeared around mile 25. At Four Elms I had a dangerous thought, and set the Garmin to instead point me round the HotA course. At the next junction I had a change of heart and stuck with the original plan, a total of 90 miles is a bit heavy for a Monday when I've got more riding planned throughout the week. Cotman's Ash, as always, reminds you how much fitter you should be, just like those 75% of your way through a route climbs always do. Maybe it's a matter of pacing. Knatts Valley, with it's ever so gradual downhill, kids you that you're fitter than you think (when the wind isn't spoiling your fun).
At St Mary Cray I deviated to get some more pacey bits in, so it's the Orpington bypass through to Sidcup, up to New Eltham then back to New Cross along the A20. Quick, slightly downhill, fun. A final blitz up Pepys Road for some gratuitous suffering and then I'm home. Approx 75 miles, ~1500m of climb at gentle cruising pace, 16.7mph. No wee stops.