I was pretty glad how well the kit, and my own legs, had performed on this more extensive shakedown. I very much got the stealth-camping end-of-touring-day vibe when setting out on the Saturday, even less than 30 miles away from my house. During the ride itself I felt great, and had even been keen to extend it beyond the 100km I would normally do for a full day. I was carrying less kit than usual - but with tent, sleeping gear, extra clothes and stove only marginally less so.

The kit did very well, though admittedly conditions couldn't have been much better (I will need to pick a rainy evening for a proper wet-weather test - this takes a little more willpower!). The camping spot was utterly idyllic. The reduced weight and size of the camping gear already seems to be paying dividends. I was slightly concerned that I got so cold overnight - maybe my sleeping bag had lost some insulation - but when I saw my breath was steaming in the early morning I realised it really had been rather chilly.

I was slightly amazed by the degree to which it took it out of my the following couple of days - my legs really were jelly-like until at least the middle of the week. The only cure for that is to do more riding!

Navigation-wise, the GPS and the converted OS maps did me very well in finding traffic-free routes, especially over the Lincolnshire fens which has notoriously fast and straight roads onto which most traffic is funneled. But one area it seriously let me down was the complete absence of railway lines. This meant I had no way of working out whether there was a route directly back to Peterborough (and hence home) from Spalding.

In the event, I crossed not one but two lines over level (grade) crossings. I figured that at least one went to Spalding, which I was sure had a station, but decided not to risk it and having to return home via elaborate detours via central Lincolnshire or Nottinghamshire. 

This turned out to be a fortuitous move - it was the first thing I checked when I got back home, and it turns out that:

1. Spalding does have a train station, and
2. There is a direct line and connection back to Peterborough - which normally runs frequently. But...
3. No trains were running to Peterborough on Sunday, because
4. No trains were running at all, even on the mainline into Grantham/Newark

This is pretty incredible - I didn't expect a frequent service, and was certainly ready to wait an hour or more - but nothing at all is pretty unusual. I guess it's a combination of low rural timetable, Sunday service and reductions due to the virus - but it's completely unadvertised (if you search for the next train to anywhere it suggested waiting until Monday!). 

So yeah, dodged a bullet there. I think my enthusiasm may have been muted if I'd had to turn around and put in another 30km to get to Peterborough!