A little bit of Irish...

The spring looks like it may have arrived, lots of blue skies and the temperature becoming a bit warmer. Got three rides in this week, total 185 miles, a good weeks effort.
Rode out heading west from Belfast before breakfast on Thursday towards Lough Neagh (and no I can't pronounce it either). Turned out to be a decent climb away from the city and gave me the sight of the sun rising over a misty city, very scenic but really needed a decent photographer to catch the image rather than me with a phone.
Came across some stands at the side of the road and noticed the starting grid markings painted on the road, turned out to be the start/finish line for the Ulster Grand Prix. The claim at the top of the board is that this is the fastest road race in the world, I looked up the lap record which is nearly 132mph. Having ridden part of the circuit, the roads are at best country lanes, poorly surfaced and uneven. It is incredible to think they average 132mph around a circuit of 7 miles of country lanes, a lot quicker than the 16.5mph I managed, and at my speed the 0.5 is important!
Got in a long solo ride on Saturday, 80 miles in what turned out to be the least spring like weather of the week. Within an hour of leaving it was cold, with a strong headwind and it would have been easy to turn for home. Two things kept me out with a target to do 5 hours riding, when I do my LEJOG the weather will be whatever it is and I will have no choice, the other a quick thought about the guys the charity helps. No contest, stay out and slog through it.
Rode on Sunday with the club and put in another 70 miles.
Checked my countdown timer, 66 days to go, the start is starting to seem very close.