Step out and look.
The sudden growth is a remarkable thing, if you could hear it there would be the deafening hum of a million buds emerging and stems flexing. There is a tide of green, sweeping up over bare earth, cloaking it as fast as the leaves above fill out. The incredible thing is how fast all this happens. Blink and you'll miss the soft marbling of the new leaves, the peonies opening and the primrose cups filled already with bees.
And with all this energy, new life and optimism it is the perfect time to get out on the bike. I think this is the best time for cycling, the freshness and clarity is sublime, and with light evenings and kind weather there isn't a better time for riding.
I've been managing to ride to work a couple of times a week and then slotting in a longish ride on Saturdays. Last weekend I met up with Gary, Paul from over the road and the new kid on the block, David.
David is a Villa supporter so immediately qualifies as a top man. And he's riding a top-spec Specialized machine with upgraded carbon wheels - very nice.
We met up at Snarestone and rode a circular route via quiet lanes, to the Upton Bench, then over to Sibson, Sheepy Parva, Orton on the Hill, Clifton, Lullington, Coton in the Elms, Walton through to Barton under Needwood and then back - for me a ride of 62 miles and the perfect route for a Saturday morning. Gary and Paul from over the road were flying - it was a case of hanging on really.
With May well underway Gary and I are conscious that we have some big rides looming up - we don't take these things lightly, as we demonstrated last Friday with a pre-ride session of 6 pints of beer and a curry. The pro-peloton should give it a try.
Here's few photos from my 'ride to work' route.
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| Thornton Reservoir |
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| Fields around Markfield |
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| Stream through to Glenfield |
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| Bluebells at Ratby |
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| Passing underneath the M1 |
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| Leicester Centre |
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