As everyone will know on 1st August is the Tom Pidcock Gran Fondo (from Ilkley - natch) of up to 180km of the finest climbs in t' Yorkshire Dales (Halton Gill, Kidstones Pass, you know them) so today I initially thought I would revisit past joys - but with a forecast of rain I then pondered if I really wanted to be chugging up a stream of gravel in the middle of nowhere on a cold, wet, miserable Sunday in May.
So instead I pootled round the reservoirs of the Washburn Valley willing it to rain so I could feel justifed with my aforementioned decisiveness.
Naturally the sun then came out and the weather was fine for an hour or so but just before I became really grumpy it finally poured down, thus allowing me to feel exonerated and, of course, turn for home - after all riding in the rain isn't that much fun even when you have a smug feeling inside.
So 23 miles + 2000 feet and a warm self-satisfied feeling.