The 2021 Half Century (50km or 50m) a month challenge Chatzone

[bluenotebob]

Did my February qualifying ride today – hopefully it’ll be the first of several.

It’s been quite a nice week here – mid-afternoon temperatures around 12/15 degrees, quite windy and only occasionally showery. I’ve already cycled 165km this week – so in the first 5 days of February, I’ve already exceeded my meagre January total of 136km.

Today’s ride was a repeat of one I did last January. NE to Quihiac, then S into Mauron and on the V3 Voie Verte to the outskirts of Ploërmel. Back N again to Loyat, then a loop out NW to Kerbois. Dropped into Kersamson, then N through Guilliers and Evriguet. Off E through Kerminy and back home via St Brieuc-de-Mauron. 62km in just over 3.5 hours cycling time .. slow, but I took my time and enjoyed it.

I still haven’t ridden my road bike yet this year – I’ve been on one of my two hybrids, or my MTB. I reckon I’ll get the road bike out after next week’s cold spell and try and do more longer rides.

Here’s the Shaper 200 that I rode today ..

… and here’s a completely deserted Voie Verte (very nice to cycle on when it’s as quiet as it was this afternoon).

 

[bruce1530]

Bitterly cold morning. Looked out the window - Arran looked incredible, with snow on the top. So the visibility was good at least!

Quite a stiff breeze. Got to the top of the road, turned into the wind (to make the trip home easier!) and headed inland.
Familiar roads to Kilwinning and then on to Stewarton. A few bikes and walkers out, but very quiet. Not really surprising, bearing in mind the cold wind.

20k later I’m in Stewarton. The trip took 10 mins longer than usual, cos of the headwind. Should make the trip home easier (ha!)

Followed the main road to Kilmaurs, then farm road back to Cunninghamhead. Making a great pace with the wind behind me.

I had passed 2 of my usual cafe stops - both closed of course, so no coffee :-(


By this time it had started snowing.

Snow. Freezing cold. Numb fingers. Middle of nowhere. The perfect place for a visit from the p****ure fairy!

There’s a caravan park up ahead. Usually give the security guy at the gatehouse a wave when I pass. Of course, it’s deserted today - but able to get a bit of shelter to get the tube changed.

Nearly home, fingers numb. Garmin says 47k, so a loop round the seafront to make it up to a round number.

 

[Noodle Legs]

February Done.

Much like others my winter cycling has largely been indoors, however having a free weekend it being largely dry I thought I’d dust off the winter bike and head out to get some veloviewer tiles along the corridor of the Trent between Nottingham and Derby.
Set out at 9am with a biting, strong NE wind I headed (yep, North East!) through Castle Donington and Long Eaton towards the first of my tiles at Trent Lock, a big canal junction where the three counties of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire meet. An interesting little ride along a towpath observing a boat partially sunk in the canal!
A few more tiles along this corridor at Attenborough and Beeston then it was back west and out of the wind towards Derby, picking up more tiles at Sandiacre and also along the lumpy lanes of Stanton by Dale and Ockbrook before dropping into Borrowash then onto Spondon and Chaddesden in Derby. Had to make my way through a maze of footbridges and paths as I descended upon Pride Park. 46 miles in at this point and spotting a Greggs at the stadium, I stopped off to rest the legs and devour a hot steak bake and coffee, before following more cycle paths out of the city. The last path took me down the A6 bypass which is very exposed, and it was at this stage when I got subjected to hailstones. Although I was heading in a SE direction and the wind side ways on, it could have been much worse if I’d headed the other way! My digits were literally numb at this point and I was struggling to change gears!
All tiles got, it was a case of heading back home via the cloud trail- an old railway converted to a cycle path- sheltered from the freezing wind but quite wet in places! Before long I was back into Leicestershire and off the cloud trail at Worthington, about 5 miles from home. Wind behind me, I finished off the ride along all familiar roads and getting home with 66.7 miles on the clock. A ride in tough conditions for sure, but worth it!
https://www.relive.cc/view/vXvLdpyBe1v

 

[C R]

I didn't manage a ride for January this year, so I am out of the challenge. Kudos to all of you that recorded January rides.

I will continue posting rides if that's ok. Today I decided I would go out whatever the weather. At the end it wasn't too bad, no ice on the roads and dry, but a bit windy, and coolish. Managed 59 lovely Kms staying close to home, but having spent all of January of the bike meant I am quite unfit, and it was hard work.

 

[13 rider]

I didn't manage a ride for January this year, so I am out of the challenge. Kudos to all of you that recorded January rides.

I will continue posting rides if that's ok. Today I decided I would go out whatever the weather. At the end it wasn't too bad, no ice on the roads and dry, but a bit windy, and coolish. Managed 59 lovely Kms staying close to home, but having spent all of January of the bike meant I am quite unfit, and it was hard work.

Post away . I did wonder about your Jan's ride as I sure I read you were going to have a go . Weather been terrible this year

 

[C R]

Post away . I did wonder about your Jan's ride as I sure I read you were going to have a go . Weather been terrible this year

I had hoped to get a ride in on the 31st, but at the end I didn't manage. The weather didn't help at all, 😢.

 

[Noodle Legs]

I didn't manage a ride for January this year, so I am out of the challenge. Kudos to all of you that recorded January rides.

I will continue posting rides if that's ok. Today I decided I would go out whatever the weather. At the end it wasn't too bad, no ice on the roads and dry, but a bit windy, and coolish. Managed 59 lovely Kms staying close to home, but having spent all of January of the bike meant I am quite unfit, and it was hard work.

That’s a real shame @C R, are you doing the lunacy now?

 

[C R]

That’s a real shame @C R, are you doing the lunacy now?

I think so, I was just checking how it works.

 

[Noodle Legs]

I think so, I was just checking how it works.

When you suss it can you let me know? Very nearly dropped out of this challenge myself!

 

[13 rider]

When you suss it can you let me know? Very nearly dropped out of this challenge myself!

The basic idea is pick a distance ,ie 50km and complete 13 rides of that distance anytime during the year taking out the monthly element of the other challenges

 

[Noodle Legs]

The basic idea is pick a distance ,ie 50km and complete 13 rides of that distance anytime during the year taking out the monthly element of the other challenges

Yeah I got that bit, but then if you do more than 13 is it just a case of logging your best ones?

 

[C R]

Yeah I got that bit, but then if you do more than 13 is it just a case of logging your best ones?

That's how I understood it.

 

[13 rider]

Yeah I got that bit, but then if you do more than 13 is it just a case of logging your best ones?

That's how I understood it.

That's the way I read the rules . Post your first 13 rides then each ride above your target your drop your shortest distance ride

 

[Noodle Legs]

Worth knowing. Cheers

 

[AndreaJ]

Another ride done and a photo just to show we can get sunshine too, ok it is only 1degree, windy and keeps snowing but it’s still sunshine 😊, Shropshire tarmac isn’t as good as Taiwan either.