ABC of the Saints

[BoldonLad]

Over the Clifton Suspension Bridge then a long downhill glide through Ashton Court, through the city to the former St Vincent's engineering works but no signs still showing the name.

So, after 2 1/2 years I am looking for a V, having missed I and O on the way.

Well done!

You have edged ahead of me, I shall have to get peddling. Not that it is a race or anything, you understand, just a bit of fun

 

[All uphill]

Well done!

You have edged ahead of me, I shall have to get peddling. Not that it is a race or anything, you understand, just a bit of fun

I have an O lined up on my next visit to Norfolk. St Olaves.

V, W, eX and Z are all proving tricky unless I'm prepared to do ridiculous train or bike journeys.

St Vigor in Stratton on the Fosse is just barely possible as a 40 mile loop and 3 hours on the train!

Time for some research and creative thinking.

 

[All uphill]

Goodness! It's more than three years since I started this challenge. (Note to self: next challenge needs to be completed within 1one year).

After a period of poor health followed by a surprising period of low confidence I got myself out with the bike to Bristol today.

As with all these challenges I ended up going places I've never been before; I loved St Werburgh's in Bristol - very alternative in a way that didn't feel false. That gave me the W in the alphabet just a couple of miles after the church of St Vincent de Paul. I love these 1950s churches - you can almost feel the architects trying to build a better world after the War.

To round the ride off I cycled over the Clifton Suspension Bridge and through the glorious Ashton Court. A fab 15 miles.

 

[bluenotebob]

Goodness! It's more than three years since I started this challenge. (Note to self: next challenge needs to be completed within 1one year).

After a period of poor health followed by a surprising period of low confidence I got myself out with the bike to Bristol today.

Glad you've recovered both your health and self-confidence and that you had a good ride today.

If you're thinking of a 2024 specific challenge, then I'm definitely interested. I'm in three annual challenges this year but I intend to cut that back to one for next year. I seem to go over the same ground month after month, year after year, in pursuit of distance targets and I hardly ever go somewhere new .. only two new places in the whole of 2023 .. and I'm keen to explore new areas/places next year (even if it means that I have to drive somewhere first before starting a ride).

Apropos of the "Saints" - but not necessarily a 2024 challenge - I wondered if there was any appetite for Crosses, Mills and Rivers...? I've noticed that an ABC of any of these three could be achievable here (in Brittany) .. but I'm not sure about in the UK. Any thoughts anyone?

 

[All uphill]

Glad you've recovered both your health and self-confidence and that you had a good ride today.

If you're thinking of a 2024 specific challenge, then I'm definitely interested. I'm in three annual challenges this year but I intend to cut that back to one for next year. I seem to go over the same ground month after month, year after year, in pursuit of distance targets and I hardly ever go somewhere new .. only two new places in the whole of 2023 .. and I'm keen to explore new areas/places next year (even if it means that I have to drive somewhere first before starting a ride).

Apropos of the "Saints" - but not necessarily a 2024 challenge - I wondered if there was any appetite for Crosses, Mills and Rivers...? I've noticed that an ABC of any of these three could be achievable here (in Brittany) .. but I'm not sure about in the UK. Any thoughts anyone?

That's a really good idea, Bob.

I quite fancy a combo ABC, where its the usual cycle through the alphabet, but with a choice of targets. Cafes and pubs? Parks and piers?

 

[bluenotebob]

I quite fancy a combo ABC, where its the usual cycle through the alphabet, but with a choice of targets. Cafes and pubs? Parks and piers?

Why not? ... it could be fun.

Do you think it should be time limited? eg from 1st Jan to 31st Dec 2024?

A primary target to be defined eg pub names with a named secondary target eg parks?

 

[All uphill]

Do you think it should be time limited? eg from 1st Jan to 31st Dec 2024?

That would work well for me.

I'd suggest a few other guidelines/rules:

Participants work in alphabetical order. 3 byes allowed.
Only one word can be used from each name - The Admiral Blake is an A or a B, but not both.
There needs to be a photo of each venue including your bike.
Ex is accepted for 'X'.

Does that make sense? Anything else?

 

[bluenotebob]

Does that make sense? Anything else?

Yes, it sounds fine. I can't think of anything else - other than what to call the challenge...

The '2024 ABC of Two Things' doesn't sound terribly attractive or inviting.. I'm sure there's a better one out there somewhere.

I had a wonderful sleep by the fire after dinner (one of the most appealing aspects of winter here is that it's dark and quiet after 1800 - thus sleep-inducing after a good feed) but before I fell asleep I found some notes that I'd made in the summer - apparently I "found" 19 crosses (ie I'd located named-crosses that appear on local maps) - I'm missing D, E, K, O, W, X and Y. I also found some rough notes about rivers - and I've located D, O and Y in that list - which gives me 22 targets - so only one more to find. And visiting all these places in 2024 is exactly the sort of challenge I was looking for.

So my preferred option for the challenge will be Crosses & Rivers.

 

[Alex321]

Yes, it sounds fine. I can't think of anything else - other than what to call the challenge...

The '2024 ABC of Two Things' doesn't sound terribly attractive or inviting.. I'm sure there's a better one out there somewhere.

I had a wonderful sleep by the fire after dinner (one of the most appealing aspects of winter here is that it's dark and quiet after 1800 - thus sleep-inducing after a good feed) but before I fell asleep I found some notes that I'd made in the summer - apparently I "found" 19 crosses (ie I'd located named-crosses that appear on local maps) - I'm missing D, E, K, O, W, X and Y. I also found some rough notes about rivers - and I've located D, O and Y in that list - which gives me 22 targets - so only one more to find. And visiting all these places in 2024 is exactly the sort of challenge I was looking for.

So my preferred option for the challenge will be Crosses & Rivers.

We don't have all that many named crosses in the UK.

There are some, but, I doubt enough for anybody to find anywhere near 19 on local maps.

Pubs and rivers might work. Or even just pubs - we do have a lot of those (but a surprising number with the same name as each other).

 

[All uphill]

I like crosses and rivers and think it could work in the UK if the definition of "cross" and "river" is broad enough.

For example there's a pub locally called the "Cross Keys" and a village called Sampford Cross. Would they count for K and S respectively? In other words does Cross refer to the object or the word?

Does river include streams?

I agree, Andy, that pubs could be a good challenge, but probably doesn't help Bob in Brittany, which would be a shame.

I wonder if anyone else who does these challenges has thoughts? @Willd @BoldonLad

 

[Alex321]

I like crosses and rivers and think it could work in the UK if the definition of "cross" and "river" is broad enough.

For example there's a pub locally called the "Cross Keys" and a village called Sampford Cross. Would they count for K and S respectively? In other words does Cross refer to the object or the word?

We'd have even less chance in the UK if it only referred to the object

Does river include streams?

I think it would have to, unless we are travelling rather a long way, most of us only have a few rivers within reasonable cycling distance, but usually dozens of named streams.

I agree, Andy, that pubs could be a good challenge, but probably doesn't help Bob in Brittany, which would be a shame.

Andy?

But you are right, there aren't as many pubs in Brittany as here, although what is called a café in France tends to serve the same purpose. I don't know how common or varied names are for them though.

 

[All uphill]

Andy

Sorry.

Hangs head in shame.

 

[All uphill]

We'd have even less chance in the UK if it only referred to the object


I think it would have to, unless we are travelling rather a long way, most of us only have a few rivers within reasonable cycling distance, but usually dozens of named streams.


Andy?

But you are right, there aren't as many pubs in Brittany as here, although what is called a café in France tends to serve the same purpose. I don't know how common or varied names are for them though.

Agreed.

So, for it to work in the UK it would need to be anything that is a cross, or has the word cross.

Rivers would include streams. Canals? Reservoirs?

Pubs and cafes is, I think much simpler to explain and understand, but maybe less interesting.

I'd sign up to Crosses and Rivers.

 

[Willd]

Pubs might be a good one in the UK, however, as there's 2 closing every day it might get more difficult I guess you could include closed ones, as long as the name was still visible. Another slight issue might that be a lot of them are in urban settings, so not much fun to ride to. Q would be easy though

Rivers, brooks etc. not sure that there's that much variety in names. round here at least.
I still need to finish off saints, second word villages and counties when it's a bit warmer and I can manage to go 100 miles in a day

 

[Alex321]

I still need to finish off saints, second word villages and counties when it's a bit warmer and I can manage to go 100 miles in a day

I have tro do a fairly long ride to get the "K" in saints, the nearest I know of is a street in Port Talbot. After that, it is quite easy until I get to "R"