The 2022 Half Century (50km or 50M) a month challenge chatzone

[C R]

Didn't go the Lenches way at the end. I was in autopilot after Pershore and took the turn for Elmley Castle instead of going straight, so went round my clockwise Tewkesbury loop.

Only incident was on the descent from Kersoe towards Ashton under Hill. Coming out of a blind bend there was a photographer who had set his tripod on the road, and I just managed to swerve around it. It would have been been painful for me and expensive for him if I had hit the thing at the speed I was going.

Cold, but beautiful sunrise. Here seen from Kersoe looking to be Vale of Evesham.

 

[Noodle Legs]

April Done.

First ride in two and a half weeks due to a back injury rearing it’s ugly mug but the work-sponsored physio worked his magic and with the combination of soft tissue exercises and rest this aided my recovery quicker than expected. I got the nod to resume riding last week but didn’t actually have time to do anything, so I thought I’d ride down to Loughborough to today’s final appointment and after a few more gentle exercises I was discharged. Having extended the route a little to get to physio, I was 13 miles in on arrival. Feeling good and mindful of the challenge I figured I could take a scenic route home to get the extra 18 miles I needed to get off the mark. So leaving Loughborough I headed directly up the A6 to Kegworth, turning left up the newish Kegworth bypass, uphill and straight into the wind! Luckily, it was only a short stretch and soon enough I picked up the sheltered cycle path to the side of the A453 as I approached East Midlands Airport. From here and 21 miles in it was a case of heading due south straight through Diseworth, Belton and Whitwick back towards home, a route I’ve done countless times and today was no exception- I just wanted to get a point on the board for April!

31.25 miles in 1:55.

 

[Ridgeback Roller]

Tomorrow's forecast of wind and rain didn't look too good so moved my midweek ride forward to today ensuring April's in the bag. Met up with a clubmate for a recce into east Hampshire and some infrequent (for me) lanes around Bishops Waltham, Corhampton and Droxford. Mid ride bacon sandwich and tea at West Meon delicious as usual. At 63.8miles, 3146ft ascent, my longest ride of the year to date.

 

[bruce1530]

False start yesterday - got 2 minutes down the road, realised something not right with brakes, got home, did some fettling for the best part of an hour, and then the rain came on. I don't mind if the rain comes on when I'm on a trip, but don't like setting out when raining.

So try again today. 2 minutes down the road, realised it was colder than I had anticipated - turned home and picked up the big gloves!

Flat run along the coast to Portencross, about 10k. Turned there, back towards the main road, then some farm roads and tracks to the Hunterston power station.
Onwards to Fairlie and then Largs (30k).

My usual cafe in Largs closed a few months ago. My second choice appears to be being refurbished. Went into a shop in a side street which had a sign advertising coffee and snacks. "Do you do proper coffee?" "Yes" "OK, can I have an espresso please". She goes through the back. 2 mins later re-appears. "Sorry, our machine only does cappuccino and latte".

So it was Costa :-(

Coffee wasn't too bad - watch the ferry come and go for a few mins, then back home along the main road.
54k.

 

[AndreaJ]

First 50 mile ride this year done today, finished the Sunday group ride at 39.5 miles which with just over 8 miles to get home would be about 48 miles. As it was a lovely day and @13 rider would notice the distance I decided on the longer way home to finish on 52 miles😊

 

[Domus]

Chilly, windy ride from the caravan on Friday. Very cold wind blowing from the north. One chap came past me in shorts and short sleeve jersey, my Wahoo showed 6ºC with a wind chill of lots, his arms and legs were bright pink. . Another point in the bag, should get a three pointer the weekend, doing the Friday's ride to Whitstable.

 

[Chap sur le velo]

Mmmmm Covid strikes again. Shook the hand of a very minor Royal Personage last week after she'd shaken about 500 others!!! Why do they do still do that?


I've done my 50 Miler so only the 50kms to do. However if I take this week off (suffering symptoms of a bad cold) an impending holiday means I can only ride the 21st or 22nd.. Don't like being penned in like that.

The other worry is doing Ride 100 and will only have done 2 proper rides in April! We'll see....

 

[13 rider]

A belated March recap . Still waiting for 1 rider to declare so a big nudge to @figbat to post your ride if your still in please
We have 38 rides still in . March saw us loose 3 participants combination of injury ,Covid and life getting in the way
Good luck to everyone still in stay safe and healthy . April's seen a good start with 20 riders with rides in the better weather seems to be helping

 

[Jon George]

April done.
I'm rather happy with the basic flat 3xloop route I devised recently, if only because as I'm doing the second loop I'm already thinking that the next time I come that way it will be the last for the ride.

Did stop for a pic to show much I thought I'd regret not bringing my rain jacket. But I got away with it.

 

[13 rider]

13th April
Ipswich – Ipswich/Westerfield (3 x 14.65 loops) – Ipswich
50km + a smidgeon. 1 point

Running Total: 5 Points

Only 45 more to make it too your stated total 😉

 

[Jon George]

Only 45 more to make it too your stated total 😉

It's only April.

 

[Noodle Legs]

Another 3 points in the bag today with what I call a GFGF- Good Friday Gran Fondo- down to Hinckley and some of the villages just further south around the A5 corridor to hunt some veloviewer tiles. Wall to wall sunshine, very little wind, just one of them perfect riding days really.

 

[aferris2]

April ride done and because I started early (for me) it was still a bit chilly. Should have delayed until a bit later and gone for shorts because it was getting a little bit warm by the end of the ride.
Standard loop around Chelmsford and the quickest time so far. Maybe I'm not getting slower after all. Strava very helpfully told my followers that it was my first ride in a while so I guess I should be trying to get out a bit more.

 

[bluenotebob]

I placed an order for a new mountain bike in October 2020 – it arrived on Tuesday (18 months of delay, obfuscation, change of spec, upping of price etc). I’d convinced myself that the God Of New Bikes had decided that I was too old for another new bike …”don’t give it to him – let someone younger have it – someone who’ll have fun with it!”.

Here it is – I’ve already had 150kms of fun with it since Tuesday (including trying to get used to the 1 x 12 gearing).

 

[Noodle Legs]

Another point on the board today with a dash out to a local stop canalside in Sutton Cheney. 34 in 1:55. Full report in Your Ride Today….