My sincere apologies to @Saluki who was the first to post an August ride . I am easily confused and what with @Jon George posting in the 2019 Chatzone and @slow scot posting a July ride after @Saluki August ride I completely missed @Saluki ride
The 2020 Half century (50km or 50m) a month Chatzone
- Thread starter 13 rider
- Start date
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Saluki
World class procrastinator
- Location
- ...Norwich over the water.
i am easily missed. No worries. I stayed awake to post and everything
Noodle Legs
Winging it
- Location
- Coalville, Leicestershire
August Done.
A friend had come up from Dorset to stay the weekend with us, she’s just got into a spot of cycling and asked if it was okay to bring her bike and go out and do a bit. Naturally I obliged and to keep things fairly easy for her we did a loop around the lanes of Market Bosworth, stopping off at Sutton Wharf for coffee and cake after a steady 20 miles. She had informed me prior to the start that she had a good 30 miles in her legs and so it was a perfect excuse to get the first point of the month! All familiar (for me anyway) roads and what made it all the more pleasant was the slower pace allowed me to take in much more of the beautiful Leicestershire countryside than I otherwise would have done in a solo effort! The last five miles were wet but as it was still quite warm this was actually quite a welcome thing!
33.4 in 2:44 today.
EDIT: and yes I am a numpty for posting in the 2019 thread!
A friend had come up from Dorset to stay the weekend with us, she’s just got into a spot of cycling and asked if it was okay to bring her bike and go out and do a bit. Naturally I obliged and to keep things fairly easy for her we did a loop around the lanes of Market Bosworth, stopping off at Sutton Wharf for coffee and cake after a steady 20 miles. She had informed me prior to the start that she had a good 30 miles in her legs and so it was a perfect excuse to get the first point of the month! All familiar (for me anyway) roads and what made it all the more pleasant was the slower pace allowed me to take in much more of the beautiful Leicestershire countryside than I otherwise would have done in a solo effort! The last five miles were wet but as it was still quite warm this was actually quite a welcome thing!
33.4 in 2:44 today.
EDIT: and yes I am a numpty for posting in the 2019 thread!
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Vantage
Carbon fibre... LMAO!!!
- Location
- Behind everyone else, Bolton
August done.
Another day of diabetic glucose antics but that was OK.
Got forced off the road by multiple increasingly close passes which eventually had the front wheel in a ditch scraping the side of the tarmac which threw me off the bike and into the road. Narrowly missed by a Chelsea tractor who swerved into the opposite lane.
Minor cuts and bruises and an renewed hatred of certain motorists.
Nice day asides from that.
Another day of diabetic glucose antics but that was OK.
Got forced off the road by multiple increasingly close passes which eventually had the front wheel in a ditch scraping the side of the tarmac which threw me off the bike and into the road. Narrowly missed by a Chelsea tractor who swerved into the opposite lane.
Minor cuts and bruises and an renewed hatred of certain motorists.
Nice day asides from that.
Sbudge
Cyclist
- Location
- NW London & The Chilterns
Sorry I'm late! Been up North and just caught up. Fabulous riding country!
NorthernDave
Never used Über Member
- Location
- The real Northern Powerhouse
Sorry to hear this, GWS
I ventured a bit further out from the local loops I've been doing for the first time on Saturday and I've got to agree the standard of driving really does seem to have dipped since lockdown. Far more close passes than I'd expect on this route usually.
Glad it's only minor injuries being thrown into the road could be very nasty . Take care
Nice progress well done71 miles today, which is the furthest I've ever beenand it was a bit windy. Also now done over 1,000 miles since unearthing my road bike from he shed in April
A great trip yesterday, went a bit further than planned!
Started in Saltcoats, along the coast road to Seamill, then Largs.
Largs was crowded - ridiculous numbers of people trying to get across to Cumbrae - I hear that the previous day, there had been 3 hour queues for the ferry, and they were stopping people travelling.
So didn’t stop in Largs!
On through the town, and up the Brisbane Glen moor road. Haven’t been that way for a while.
I like that road - single track, a bit of a tough climb, but worth it when you get to the top. Normally, once I get past the first reservoirs, I can see a line of electricity pylons in the distance. That gives me something to aim for - I know that when I get to the pylons, I’m at the top.
But they’re taking the pylons down - they served the old Inverkip power station.
Made it to the top, then a downhill stretch for a couple of miles to Loch Thom.
Turned left there and followed the road round the loch to the Greenock Cut and the Cornalees visitor centre.
Ignored the visitor centre, and went 50 yards further along the road to the trout fishery. There’s a great wee cafe in there - open all hours, or at least for as long as people want to fish! It was quite busy with people fishing, walkers and cyclists.
And they do a good coffee, and a brilliant bacon & egg roll!
Sat on the bench outside for a few minutes while I ate and drank, and tried to decide where to go next.
Plan A was back the way I came - a short climb to the top of the hill, then a great descent back to Largs. But I fancied going further.
Plan B was to keep going on the road past Loch Thom - and another great descent back down to Port Glasgow - but that would be followed by an equally big hill back up, and I didn’t fancy that!
So I decided to take the Garshangan path beside the reservoir. It’s a rough track, and forestry lorries have been using it recently. It’d be no problem on a mountain bike. On my bike, with 28mm tyres, it was just about OK, and ten minutes later I was on a farm road somewhere near Kilmacolm.
Followed that to meet the cycle path near Kilmacolm, which follows the old railway line to Paisley and Glasgow. Took that path as far as Johnstone, then followed another cycle route to Kilbarchan, Lochwinnoch and Glengarnock, then farm roads around Dalry to Kilwinning, finally taking Dubbs Rd back to Saltcoats.
When I reached the end of my street, the meter was saying I had done 99.2 kilometres, so I had to go round the block again to take it over 100.
Started in Saltcoats, along the coast road to Seamill, then Largs.
Largs was crowded - ridiculous numbers of people trying to get across to Cumbrae - I hear that the previous day, there had been 3 hour queues for the ferry, and they were stopping people travelling.
So didn’t stop in Largs!
On through the town, and up the Brisbane Glen moor road. Haven’t been that way for a while.
I like that road - single track, a bit of a tough climb, but worth it when you get to the top. Normally, once I get past the first reservoirs, I can see a line of electricity pylons in the distance. That gives me something to aim for - I know that when I get to the pylons, I’m at the top.
But they’re taking the pylons down - they served the old Inverkip power station.
Made it to the top, then a downhill stretch for a couple of miles to Loch Thom.
Turned left there and followed the road round the loch to the Greenock Cut and the Cornalees visitor centre.
Ignored the visitor centre, and went 50 yards further along the road to the trout fishery. There’s a great wee cafe in there - open all hours, or at least for as long as people want to fish! It was quite busy with people fishing, walkers and cyclists.
And they do a good coffee, and a brilliant bacon & egg roll!
Sat on the bench outside for a few minutes while I ate and drank, and tried to decide where to go next.
Plan A was back the way I came - a short climb to the top of the hill, then a great descent back to Largs. But I fancied going further.
Plan B was to keep going on the road past Loch Thom - and another great descent back down to Port Glasgow - but that would be followed by an equally big hill back up, and I didn’t fancy that!
So I decided to take the Garshangan path beside the reservoir. It’s a rough track, and forestry lorries have been using it recently. It’d be no problem on a mountain bike. On my bike, with 28mm tyres, it was just about OK, and ten minutes later I was on a farm road somewhere near Kilmacolm.
Followed that to meet the cycle path near Kilmacolm, which follows the old railway line to Paisley and Glasgow. Took that path as far as Johnstone, then followed another cycle route to Kilbarchan, Lochwinnoch and Glengarnock, then farm roads around Dalry to Kilwinning, finally taking Dubbs Rd back to Saltcoats.
When I reached the end of my street, the meter was saying I had done 99.2 kilometres, so I had to go round the block again to take it over 100.
Jon George
Mamil and couldn't care less
- Location
- Suffolk an' Good
I don't know, you don't get a post form @Jon George for a while, then two turn up at about the same time ... but not necessarily the same year.
I got August done with an unexpected PB. (In least, the best I've done that course in recent times. Just over two hours.)
There are still lots of family groups out on bikes, which is great to see, but I think it'll be some time before the en masses excursions of Lockdown Sunday reappear.
This looking towards Bawdsey Manor - the home of radar.
I got August done with an unexpected PB. (In least, the best I've done that course in recent times. Just over two hours.)
There are still lots of family groups out on bikes, which is great to see, but I think it'll be some time before the en masses excursions of Lockdown Sunday reappear.
This looking towards Bawdsey Manor - the home of radar.
Noodle Legs
Winging it
- Location
- Coalville, Leicestershire
Another three points in the bag today with a jolly out to Uttoxeter. There’s not much too jolly about Uttoxeter, but it does make a nice ride out!
Rode the Cloud Trail from Tonge to Swarkestone as I didn’t fancy crossing Swarkestone bridge and it made for a very pleasant experience!
From here it was pan flat all the way into uttoxeter, paralleling the nearby A50. Westbound and thus into the wind all the way! But I eventually landed at the Starbucks there, respited from the wind, and had a coffee, cake and packet of crisps all for the hefty sum of £3.45! 50% knocked off thanks to the “eat out” scheme so thanks Boris for that!
After a little stop there it was back eastbound, so a nice tailwind but the trade off being it not being so pan flat.....
My reasoning for this particular route was to chalk off a couple of climbs- Marchington Cliff and Hanbury Hill. These villages are situated around the same ridge so it was up, down and up again to get the job done. Not a particularly quick ascent up either climb but both were defeated and so I was able to crack on, pleased with my successes.
All rolling roads followed for the rest of the ride, taking me around the northern edge of Burton on Trent and partially up the side of the busy A38 for half a mile or so before peeling off back into south Derbyshire and eventually Leicestershire!
73.1 in 4:25.
Rode the Cloud Trail from Tonge to Swarkestone as I didn’t fancy crossing Swarkestone bridge and it made for a very pleasant experience!
From here it was pan flat all the way into uttoxeter, paralleling the nearby A50. Westbound and thus into the wind all the way! But I eventually landed at the Starbucks there, respited from the wind, and had a coffee, cake and packet of crisps all for the hefty sum of £3.45! 50% knocked off thanks to the “eat out” scheme so thanks Boris for that!
After a little stop there it was back eastbound, so a nice tailwind but the trade off being it not being so pan flat.....
My reasoning for this particular route was to chalk off a couple of climbs- Marchington Cliff and Hanbury Hill. These villages are situated around the same ridge so it was up, down and up again to get the job done. Not a particularly quick ascent up either climb but both were defeated and so I was able to crack on, pleased with my successes.
All rolling roads followed for the rest of the ride, taking me around the northern edge of Burton on Trent and partially up the side of the busy A38 for half a mile or so before peeling off back into south Derbyshire and eventually Leicestershire!
73.1 in 4:25.
Marchington cliff is quite fun!
Did 50 miles on Saturday but forgot to mention until now. Some after-effects of the extreme heat of Friday but ticked off some squares on the way to London from Bedford! Popped into a lovely cafe where I noticed my rear mudguard stay had snapped and I'd torn my bag.....not great but the brownie made up for it. Found a game of cricket then a lovely little road that went up and down a lot! Lovely ride!
Did 50 miles on Saturday but forgot to mention until now. Some after-effects of the extreme heat of Friday but ticked off some squares on the way to London from Bedford! Popped into a lovely cafe where I noticed my rear mudguard stay had snapped and I'd torn my bag.....not great but the brownie made up for it. Found a game of cricket then a lovely little road that went up and down a lot! Lovely ride!
Noodle Legs
Winging it
- Location
- Coalville, Leicestershire
yeah I quite enjoyed it but I was taking photos along the way and took my time for a first run. I thought Hanbury was tougher even though it was less steep- or at least it seemed!
