The 2018 Half Century a month Challenge chatzone

[NorthernDave]

Bingo full house everyone over the line 39 of us move on to June . Great effort everyone

Great news, well done everyone!

Today was probably my last chance for another qualifying ride this month - tomorrow is definitely out and Mondays plans are up in the air at the minute -
so it was good to squeeze in a metric half out to the capital of cycling, Otley.
Nice day for it despite a swirling breeze - bit chilly at first but soon warmed up and the forecast showers never materialised.
The only downside was the number of motorised idiots (I've genuinely lost count of the number of close passes today), but I shan't let that take the gloss of another good ride.
Now to rehydrate and carb load....

 

[NorthernDave]

Well, despite saying that Saturday was probably my last chance for a qualifying ride this month, I squeezed another metric half in today.

I set off out into a head wind, but didn't really seem to get any great benefit from a tail wind on the way back - another of the rules of cycling eh?
It was also really grey and murky this morning, but at least it was dry unlike some parts of the country. The sun finally started burning through in the last half hour of the ride and within ten minutes of me getting home it was full on 'Scorchio', but what can you do?

Any way, that's definitely my last qualifying ride this month and it also pushed me up to my highest monthly mileage total in two years, so I'm well pleased with that.

 

[bruce1530]

Two rides this (long) weekend.

Saturday morning looked bright and sunny, but as soon as I got out, I realised it was also pretty windy.

Local roads to Kilwinning - slowly, wind in my face - where I picked up the NCN7 cycle route and followed it north for a bit. I’ve posted elsewhere about the problems on that stretch - there’s a section closed due to the construction of a new bypass, and the diversions were completely unsuitable for bikes. After some grumbling to Sustrans (successful) and the local council (completely unacknowledged) some temporary signage has appeared. I followed that diversion route for a bit. Not an ideal diversion - a bit lumpy, and poor surface in one part, but definitely passable, and much better than the diversion along the A737.

Near the end of the diversion, I headed north, past the Defence Munitions plant and out towards Barrmill, then into the farm roads in the no-mans-land between Beith/Johnstone/Lugton/Uplawmoor/Paisley. The idea here was to collect a few Veloviewer tiles. After zig-zagging about some farm roads, I descended into Howwood, then Johnstone, with the GPS saying 45km. The plan had been to head back up the hill to collect a few more squares, but I was shattered - the wind had been in my face just about all the way. Checked the timetable, there’s a train home in 3 minutes, and the station is 2 mins away... got off the train stop early to give me a 6k trip back home, so about 52k in total.


Sunday was just as windy, but I went out for what turned out to be a longer ride. Kilwinning, Stewarton, crossed the M77, followed the road through Waterside to Moscow, where I stopped for a photo that I already posted in another thread...

Locally it’s pronounced “moss-cow” - like the green plant and the farmyard animal, with the emphasis on the second syllable

From there, continued to Galston, and then along the “Sir Chris Hoy Cycleway” to Hurlford. Strange cycleway - lots of gates and narrow gaps to negotiate!
Then Kilmarnock, Springside and home via country roads. 75k when I got to the end of the street, so kept going for a bit to round it up to a 50 miler.

... and today, it was just too hot!

 

[Domus]

Took the new bike to the caravan in Grange, one windy ride on Saturday was followed by a very hot and sunny ride today (Monday)
Not 100% happy with the new bike a very noisy click has developed this morning sounds awful. Back to Ribble.

 

[Elysian_Roads]

A like for today's ride, @Domus, and hopefully the click will be sorted quickly.

My ride started later than planned at 6:30 pm so wasn't going to be too long. Thought I would try some new roads for a change so ventured a little further out when I left Twyford.

The only moment of note was coming out of Binfield. A hill ahead (not big in the scheme of things but wasn't entirely in the mood), and three lycra clad younger persons pulled out of a side road just in front of me. Thought I would stick behind them and watch as they shot up the hill.

Only that didn't happen. It's quite narrow, and has a couple of bollards in the centre of the road. The third rider grinds to a halt and shouts, "can we stop now?". Nothing wrong with that, apart from the fact I am right behind them, a car is behind me and through my mind is going the thought that I am going to tap the back of their bike while clipped in and end up taking a dive......

Luckily both the car and I manage to get past, and I make it up the hill easier than I thought, where I share with the lead rider that their co-riders are back down the hill. Didn't look too pleased.

A nice evening ride, and nice also to get a second qualifer in for the month.

 

[Domus]

Took the bike back to Ribble, straightaway diagnosed bottom bracket.
New one fitted, will test tomorrow.

 

[Noodle Legs]

Took the bike back to Ribble, straightaway diagnosed bottom bracket.
New one fitted, will test tomorrow.

How annoying, especially on a newbie! Hope it tests out ok.

 

[Noodle Legs]

Last one for May, a reasonably quick one with head and crosswinds galore! Not quite sure how I managed sub 2 hours in that wind!

Ah well, I’ll take it!

31.6 miles/ 50.86km

Full report to follow in Your Ride Today.....

 

[iandg]

Updated record for May

 

[Domus]

Tested the bike this morning with a trip to the dentist.
38 Kms and all was quiet and smooth, which is more than can be said for the root treatment.

 

[Elysian_Roads]

Tested the bike this morning with a trip to the dentist.
38 Kms and all was quiet and smooth, which is more than can be said for the root treatment.

Brings a whole new meaning to going from 32 teeth to 30...... Hopefully it's over now.

 

[Noodle Legs]

June done.

A great start to the month 72.2 miles in 4 and a bit hours taking in bits of Leicestershire/Derbyshire/Staffordshire/Warwickshire and a nice stop at fradley junction canal cafe although I think my companion was secretly trying to kill me!!

Report to follow soon on Your Ride Today...

 

[NorthernDave]

June's ride in the bank.

An early run to Otley on the Giant, both factors in an attempt to avoid the forecast rain.
Read the report in 'Your Ride Today' to find out if I was successful...

 

[13 rider]

Another one with an early June banker in
Did my Standard 50km loop to Start Bernards Abbey to get the challenge done for June just the imperial and metric tons to go

 

[Slick]

Finally, an early ride in The bank and were only 2 days in.

A very flat 50 miles but 2 points is 2 points.