Having been up at 4:00am to watch the solstice sunrise, and with temperatures forecast to reach 26°C (79°F), I decided that a long ride probably wasn’t the wisest choice. Instead, I opted for a shorter loop taking in Leigh-on-Sea and Barling.
The Southend Triathlon was also taking place that morning, with the route passing right by my house. Rather than getting caught up in the associated road closures and traffic, I chose to head in the opposite direction and ride out to Leigh first. Normally, I would have started with a Barling loop, but a change of plan seemed sensible.
The weather couldn’t have been much better for cycling. It was perhaps a little warm at times, but the sun was shining and, best of all, there was virtually no headwind.