May 2016.

May 4th: I managed to get out and do the local 21 after work tonight. It was very sunny and warm enough to ride with my running top sleeves rolled up which was cool. It wasn't perfect though, it was very windy but that's been par for the course this year so far. Anyhow, it was pleasant enough ride and I averaged 16.8 mph which, once again, backs up my theory that sunny weather makes you cycle faster and it's 20.7 miles to kick May off.

May 6th: Yaaaaay!!! It was a hot sunny day today and the official first 'Just a t-shirt' day of the year. I decided to do the local 21 with the farm track tacked on and it was beautiful, the hedgerows were full of goldfinches and sparrows and there was a real feeling that summer's on it's way which was awesome.

There wasn't much wind either, which was a bonus, and I averaged 16.8 mph again which was cool. Anyhow, 27.2 more miles for May. Full credit for the photo above goes to Singing Wings Aviary, it's a pretty awesome pic!

May 7th: I managed to get out again this afternoon and do the same route as yesterday. It was just as hot and sunny but a lot windier which was no surprise but it was still the second t-shirt only ride of the year. The wind dropped my average to just 16.1 mph as well but it was still a very enjoyable ride and 27.2 more miles.

May 14th: I did the same ride again today. It was just as hot and sunny but with a cold northerly wind that really didn't help. There was one puzzling thing about the ride that I must look into. There were bright orange A4 notices stuck on lamp posts and fences all over the place with the Wiggle logo on and something about northern events so I'm guessing there's a mass participation run or bike ride coming up maybe? Anyhow, another 27.2 miles.

May 30th: Lanzarote at last! It was a bit too fierce to cycle in the afternoon so at 6 o'clock I set out to do a local ride I created. It started by heading a few miles up a single carriageway through the Rubicon desert and then did a huge loop around a lava field by the sea and then headed back down the same single carriageway into Playa Blanca.

There was a lot of climbing, especially around the loop section, but I really enjoyed it, the Planet X Pro Carbon climbs like a goat! One mistake I made was adding a loop at the top near El Golfo to try and add a few miles to the route. This proved to be an unpaved track that serviced a few remote properties and nearly shook my teeth out by the time I got back to the road. Anyhow, a good ride and 24.4 more miles.

Not a brilliant month with a total of only 126.7 miles but I've had Lanzarote to prepare for and I've spent a lot of time restoring the Claud Butler. Here's hoping next month's total is a bit higher.