The 2024 Half Century (50km or 50 mile) Challenge Chatzone

[Willd]

50 consecutive months doing a 50km ride each month

 

[13 rider]

Congratulations @Willd on your half century of half centuries

 

[Willd]

Note to self - If cycling around Warwick next year check first if there's a "fun" run on with 20,000 runners

 

[bluenotebob]

Woke up this morning needing just another 48km to get to 6000km in 2024. Under normal circumstances I’d have just gone out and done a 50km ride but as I’m suffering from neuralgia (hangover from a bout of shingles 15 years ago), pretty tired and full of painkillers, I thought I’d do it the gentle way.

Did a 6km loop near the village – came back expecting a delivery of lait cru (unpasteurised milk) but was advised it’d be another 20 mins so did another 4km. Got the milk, changed bikes and went out for a longer (17km) loop on my new gravel bike. Home again, scoffed a banana and an Eccles cake, loaded the road bike in the van and drove to Mauron. A very gentle 16km down the V3 Voie Verte to the mid-point between Lézonnet and Grancastel then back again even more slowly against the wind. Called into a supermarket for some patissérie with which to celebrate the 6000km and got home just in time for more paracetamol.

Feeling content this evening with 6011km on the clock for 2024 and 50 points gained so far this year.

Serious note: if you haven’t had shingles and you’re eligible for a jab, then get one. You don’t want shingles and you certainly don’t want this damn neuralgia that comes back regularly and, as my doctor cheerfully put it, will keep coming back for the rest of my life.

On the V3 between Lézonnet and Grancastel – I don’t suppose that the cyclist in the photo expected to be on the internet by the evening.

 

[Slick]

Since RideLondon almost two weeks ago, I’ve barely done any cycling - just eight and a half miles and that total is over three separate rides - which means all the fitness gains I made in training are rapidly disappearing. Now I do have some excuses, such as contracting Covid (although symptoms have been mercifully light) and then pulling a muscle in my lower back leaving me barely able to walk for a few days. A bit annoying as I had two weeks off work and had been hoping to get some decent riding done, but today was the first day where I felt as though I was fit enough to attempt something.

As I’m holidaying in Scotland at the moment I found a place in Dundee that rents out e-bikes and decided to take the coastal path (NCN 1) out to Carnoustie and beyond, then returned along the A92 cycle path. And boy was I grateful for the electric assist - didn’t need it on the way out with the wind behind me, but as soon as I made the turn it was right in my face and incredibly strong and gusty! Turned up the dial to the third of four settings and things became a LOT easier - it still took a bit of effort but at least I felt like I was always still moving along at a decent pace, which I certainly wouldn’t have been without the motor.
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The only place it didn’t help quite so much was when I was crossing over the Tay Road Bridge, as that was more of a crosswind. Bizarrely the cycle/pedestrian track there is in the middle of the two carriageways, although at present one is being resurfaced so all vehicular traffic is contraflowed on the other side.
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Ended up doing just over 40 miles and probably chewed through about half the battery. Admittedly had the setting on Eco (and was often riding faster than the assistance cut off anyway) for about half the distance, then was flicking between the second and third settings (Tour and eMTB) for the rest as needed; never used the highest setting (Turbo). Also quite a lot of the route was flat, so that also probably made the battery last longer.
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I did that ride a few years ago, but I think it was in December, but certainly midwinter anyway as it was freezing, but it was a cracking ride. Always meant to go back and do it in the summer, but never got round to it. Now I've seen your pictures, I'm spurned on to get back there myself. Thanks

 

[steverob]

I've done a couple of rides along the coast from Dundee (wife has family living in that area, so we visit every few years), so if you want to look at some other photos to give you extra motivation, I've posted more on my Strava activities: https://www.strava.com/activities/11587601191 (this year's) and https://www.strava.com/activities/2448024426 (from 2019).

It is a very good area to cycle in, plus they have actually made some more improvements to NCN 1 in that area since I was last there - there's quite a few more dedicated cycle lanes, whereas before you did have a couple of sections where you needed to ride on-road, albeit relatively quiet ones.

 

[13 rider]

Ticked off my annual Cornish 50km ride today ,Holywell Bay to Truro and return as all Cornish rides are it was Lumpy over 3000ft of upness . Rode early but the back lanes were busier than normals as the local divert round the closure of the A30 I'm sure someday they will finish the roadworks which seem to have been going on for years

 

[UphillSlowly]

If you want a tough challenge for a September 50k then why not sign up to this? Limited places

View attachment 734466
Having completed inaugural Sheffield event, I've signed up for the next one, organised by Simon Warren of the 100Climbs book series.

Really enjoyed the last event, despite the weather. You plot your own route to bag the minimum number of points to earn your trophy. Great food and atmosphere. Only 100 spaces. You can sign up here:
https://www.100climbs.co.uk/events
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Start at the green dot. Extra prize for the shortest route to get 40 points. (We use an orienteering app to scan barcodes)
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[Slick]

View attachment 734508 If you want a tough challenge for a September 50k then why not sign up to this? Limited places

I'm doing the 100 descent challenge.

 

[ColinJ]

I'm doing the 100 descent challenge.

What goes down must have gone up!

 

[Slick]

What goes down must have gone up!

I'm a bit more competitive going down.

 

[UphillSlowly]

I'm doing the 100 descent challenge.

On the Sheffield Challenge the descents were far scarier and unpleasant. Pea Royd Lane was a disgrace of so-called road surface. And I got drenched descending Burbage Moor into Hathersage...

 

[FrothNinja]

Brutal but sunny ride on an inappropriate bike. Quite a few very steep long hills that I ended up pushing on.
Local bike shop put a new chain and rear cassette/freewheel on the bike I usually only use on my flat local circuit. I had only be using the middle 3 gears coz it wouldn't engage 1st and 5th properly. The front cog is massive so not much use on hills anyhoo, but when I stood on the pedals for the steep stuff today it kept skipping in 1st. Wondering if I need to get a replacement back wheel....
Phone memory card full about halfway round, compensated by great views though, some of which I snapped before the card got bloated!

 

[Spartak]

Nice day today so joined the BTOTC [ Bristol Thursday Old Time Cyclists ] a group of retired and not so retired cyclists.

We left Winterbourne at 10:00 and headed north through Cromhall and then into @Donger country passing through Coaley and Frocester for our lunch venue at The Old Badger in Eastington.

A very nice pub with great ale & cider on offer and good food. We all managed to sit in the garden and enjoy the warm weather.

 

[Jon George]

As I may have mentioned earlier in the year, this summer I'm planning on cycling around the boundaries of what was East Suffolk (on my Brompton) and today I got the first stage in and just about snagged a 50k. Result!

This bucolic scene at Harkstead.