I bailed at Boston on the return leg. Everything was fine on the way north, apart from a nagging feeling that something - unspecified - wasn't. I left the McDs at Goole and immediately felt as though someone had stabbed me in the back of my left knee. I took it easy through Kirton but even the slightest incline was painful and somewhere along the road to Lincoln I did something I have never done before and checked into a Audax Hotel. It was a good one, fully enclosed, so I took a couple of ibruprofen and rested for about 90 minutes.
it didn't work. If anything, the knee was worse when I tried to get going again, to the extent that even clipping in was painful. The climb out of Lincoln was not appreciated. And so I crawled on to Boston. By this time (seven-ish) riders who had enjoyed a longer sleep were sailing past me while I ground along in low gear, trying to put as little pressure on the knee as possible. And the wind was definitely strengthening.
Reasoning that, although I had enough time in hand to complete the ride, even with the wind, it would not be an enjoyable experience, I went straight to the station in the hope that, post-strike, there might a train out at some point during the day, Fortunately, there was one to Grantham leaving 45 minutes later. I was able to get a connection to London and was home by 1pm. An ice pack reduced the swelling and today all I'm feeling is a dull ache, so I think I've avoided doing any damage.
Before that, though, it was good to see so many familiar faces, some of whom I've not seen since pre-lockdown, and congratulations to Felsted Rider, who cruised past me on Holland Fen, offering ibuprofen as he went
Also a treat, of sorts, to see Gainsborough in daylight. Nice to meet Rob from Cardiff, who I believe does a bit of lurking here, and also the stalwarts from Sleaford who made it to the Green Welly southbound as we arrived northbound.
