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

[Chap sur le velo]

I've said it before but THANK YOU 13 Rider for this terrific idea.

I've never met anyone else rom this Forum so it really shouldn't make any difference to me what I publicly pledge on here but .....it really has.

This is my first year as a 'serious' or regular cyclist. This time last year 50km was a huge deal.
This has prompted me on more than one occasion to get out and just do it. As a result my Cycling legs are still there. It would have been a lot easier to let it pass but I wonder with everything else I do, I would ever have got back to where I was in the summer?
I go forward with confidence. Bring on The Hell of Ashdown Forrest in Feb and at some point next year a 100miler and hopefully a 200km ride.

Yes indeed: Thank you.

Merry Christmas everyone. (especially those who who read and like the replies - you too are motivational.)

 

[13 rider]

5 riders yet to declare ,plenty of days left and hopefully some extra holidays for everyone to get a ride in .

 

[dickyknees]

I've said it before but THANK YOU 13 Rider for this terrific idea.

Ditto.

Merry Christmas all.

 

[13 rider]

Finisher no 22 ,Well done @Spinney

 

[13 rider]

The last nudge list of 2021
Just 4 riders yet to declare so come on @steverob ,@bruce1530 ,@tallliman and @fatjel were routing for you
Hopefully I will be towing @tallliman round on Tuesday if things go to plan

 

[steverob]

Think this might be the first time I’ve been on the nudge list all year and it’s the very last one!

Have lost the last two weeks to a bad back so have barely cycled outside this month and the weather for the next few days looks terrible, so this might end up coming down to the very last day...

 

[13 rider]

Think this might be the first time I’ve been on the nudge list all year and it’s the very last one!

Have lost the last two weeks to a bad back so have barely cycled outside this month and the weather for the next few days looks terrible, so this might end up coming down to the very last day...

I quite like at bit of last day jepody. Good luck ,My local forecast has been wrong for the last 2 days and was better than expected .

 

[Spinney]

Finisher no 22 ,Well done @Spinney

Ta!
It's been a struggle at times this year. Coming down with a cold now, so just as well I got it done today!
Thanks for keeping tabs on this 13 rider...

 

[13 rider]

Finisher no23 ,Well done @bruce1530

 

[bruce1530]

Am I last in?

It's been a funny sort of year. In terms of distance, 2020 was my best ever, and 2021 started the same way. But I sort of lost my mojo in the summer, and my mileage for 2021 is likely to end up half of what it was last year. I've really only had one ride in oct/nov/dec, and 2 the month before.

In fact, last night I was sort of thinking about giving up the challenge. But last night, my daughter, who's moved back home for a few days at Christmas, got ready to go for a walk in the pouring rain. When I asked her why, she said "I'm on a 'streak' of 10,000 steps a day, and I've done 49 days. Don't want to lose it just because of rain". So that gave me incentive to do a 50 - that'll be a 5 year streak!

The weather forecast last night was favourable. When I work up this morning it was still dark, and raining heavily. I went back to bed.

I woke up just before dawn. That sounds impressive, but today sunrise was 08.48! Rain had stopped, and the weather from the back window looked OK.
But dark heavy clouds outside the front window.

Got ready to leave, took the bike out if the garage, "what's that rattle?"
One of my mudguard stays had come away from the guard. However, it's amazing just how many things you can fix with a cable tie. Sorted, and on the road.

At the top of the road, turned into the wind - should make the trip home easier - and the dark clouds were downwind!

Slow progress - combination of wind and lack of fitness. After a couple of miles I joined the cycle route, so no traffic to worry about. But lots of leaves, water and mud on path.

Reached Kilwinning, decided to follow NCN7 north. The next 10k or so is over farm roads, which also form a."rat run" between some of the local towns. And it's a hilly stretch. Slow progress. There's a local campaign to get it re-routed over an old railway route, which is both flat and car-free - can't come soon enough.

Glengarnock, and I'm onto an old railway route, so flat. Making reasonable progress now, despite the leaves on the path. Most of this section is in a railway cutting, so no good views and pretty damp.

So far the paths have been deserted. Only seen one other bike, and a few walkers.

Arrived at Lochwinnoch, 27k, which was going to be my "turning point". I guessed my usual "comfort stop" at the country park visitor centre would be closed, so went through the town looking for a coffee shop. Everywhere closed, so no caffeine. Dropped by the visitor centre - it was indeed closed, but the toilets were open

Decided I couldn't be bothered with the hilly bit again, so headed onwards. Aiming roughly for Glasgow, will get train back.

Paths much busier now - bikes and walkers.

Reached Paisley, 46k on the clock. Heavy rain started, so got a train homewards. Got off at the station before my usual one, so another 5k or so took me home.

 

[bluenotebob]

Another December ride done today. Unintended – but the best ones often are – I just kept going (and going). The light was fading when I got home .. I still haven’t got a front light on my road bike and the roads around here are quite narrow .. I decided that I’d pull off the road if anything was headed towards me. But it was all OK.

That’s me up to 70 points for the year (my best total) and over 10350km cycled in 2021 (also my best annual distance) – and still 3 days to go.. it’s been a good year on the bike.

 

[Jenkins]

That's it for this year as it's back to work tomorrow. A botlebank and shopping ride followed by a trip to Ipswich battling against a 20mph headwind, although it meant I did the return leg at a decent speed without expending too much effort. In total I managed 68 rides that qualify for the challenge this year which I'm happy with as it's over 1 per week.

Roll on 2022, thanks to @13 rider for running this and let's see if anyone can get out of the house and upload their ride before @Jon George on Saturday (it certainly won't be me )

 

[tallliman]

After a month without riding outside, I managed 50k today!

 

[steverob]

Well I suppose it depends on who completed their ride sooner as to whether myself or @tallliman are finishers #24 or #25, as I also finally did my qualifying distance today. But as I was the final finisher last year as well (on Boxing Day, so I've left it even later this year), it's a title I'm quite happy to cede to someone else!

Will be posting my ride details in the main thread in a few moments...

 

[tallliman]

Let's share it @steverob!