The 2025 Half Century (50km or 50 mile) Challenge Chatzone.

[Domus]

My first three pointer of the year, first ride of the year in shorts. Chorlton Wanderers ride to Little Bollington, nice pub lunch, did a short loop around Bury to get the magic 100. Cracking day out, nice to see so many bikes out in the wilds of Cheshire.

 

[Jon George]

to a spot we’ve not been to before - Covehithe: to see the severe Coastal erosion going on there.

Last summer I did a tour of Suffolk's borders on my Brompton and stopped at Covehithe. I went to the end of the road ...

 

[sevenfourate]

Last summer I did a tour of Suffolk's borders on my Brompton and stopped at Covehithe. I went to the end of the road ...

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I've been there many times as a kid / walking dogs with my parents. But possibly not for 20 years or more ?

I was shocked at how quickly the sea is gaining ground. The road past the Church used to be quite long - until you reach the point you pictured ! Upon taking pics at the Church this weekend; and rounding the corner - a walker greeted me with "Don't pedal off the edge'- and he was right.....literally 50 yards up the single track and i came across 'Your picture'. Where we turned left and vacated the Turnip field

I swear as a kid that road from the Church was "hundreds" of yards long to get to the sea. And used to be lined with cars on the verges on both sides. To be fair there was also a couple of Bungalows, an old Army Pill Box, a huge row of tree to the left crossing the field. None of those exist now either ! Joys of living on an Island i guess.......

 

[bruce1530]

A very pleasant ride yesterday.

Had taken a day of work - some medical stuff to deal with in the morning. By lunchtime, the weather had warmed up enough to risk wearing something a bit lighter than the winter jacket and the big gloves. Still kept the winter boots on though, and shorts can stay in the cupboard until well after Easter!

From home, followed a recently-tarred path through Stevenston (it used to be a muddy path, passable on a road bike only on a dry day!) to join the NCN73 route to kilwinning. Turned south there and generally followed NCN7 for a bit.

Through Irvine, Troon and into Ayr. Around the town, then train homewards, with a 10k last leg to get me home.

Good ride - lovely weather, light breeze, roads mostly traffic-free, other than the few bits where I came off the cycle route to take a shorter path.

 

[bluenotebob]

Another two-part ride from Cadoret – an 18km loop east, back to the van then a 37km loop west before returning to the van again.

Re-visited a couple of places I haven’t been to since 2017 and also explored a few more quiet roads in the Oust valley. A lovely afternoon out on the bike before the weather turns nasty.

Today’s ride was on my gravel bike – that’s the fourth bike that I’ve used in this year’s challenge. I will try very hard to get the other two to do qualifying rides soon (I’m sure I’ve said this before and failed .. but I’ve still got nine months in which to do it).

I also took loads of photos today – they’re still in my camera. I need to eat some dinner and I definitely need a sleep by the fire afterwards. I’ll sort the photos out later and if there are any good ones, I’ll sprinkle them around the forum (but perhaps not before tomorrow).

 

[ColinJ]

It was as lovely here today as forecast and I had pencilled in a nice 50 km ride. Unfortunately, the delivery of my new turbo trainer was put back from yesterday to this afternoon so my ride also got put back. I only had time to risk a 1 hour ride instead. My caution was justified - the turbo was delivered half an hour before the earliest stated time!

I may be busy tomorrow. If not, tomorrow's the day, otherwise maybe Sunday?

 

[iandg]

March ride completed. A ride out over the Devils Beeftub for a sleep over at the Lothians CTC hut near Tweedsmuir. Coffee stop at Cafe Ariete in Moffat. Sunshine and a tailwind. First time in shorts and riding the Trucker this year. Got a lift back to Lockerbie next morning so only had a 10 mile cycle into the headwind home.

 

[teeonethousand]

Had a very nice ride today as part of my build up to the Silloth - South Shields run in a couple of weeks. A bit of Ying and Yang also....one guy passed by me and hailed 'enjoy your ride today Sir' which I thought was brilliant. On the other hand I was stopped verge side in middle on nowhere with bike laid down, toolbox out and multi tool splayed ready to fix my loose water bottle holder (my fault for not checking I know) when a fellow cyclist passed by and said not a damn thing.

 

[ColinJ]

On the other hand I was stopped verge side in middle on nowhere with bike laid down, toolbox out and multi tool splayed ready to fix my loose water bottle holder (my fault for not checking I know) when a fellow cyclist passed by and said not a damn thing.

Sorry - you looked like you knew what you were doing!

I have had both extremes... Struggling, and not getting any help; doing just fine and somebody stopping and distracting me!

I think I only accepted help once. I didn't have my reading glasses with me so I couldn't see a small piece of glass embedded in my tyre. A helpful rider spotted it straight away and removed it for me. I now carry a pair of fold-up travel specs on rides!

I slow down and offer help. Usually, it isn't needed/wanted but occasionally I have made myself useful...

I have fixed a few broken chains for riders who couldn't.

I saw an elderly cyclist walking with his bike, which had a flat tyre. I offered to help but he said that he would just walk home. I asked where he was walking to and it was about 8 km away so I decided to be a bit more insistent! I told him that it was no bother and he gratefully accepted. I got him going again pretty quickly.

Another time, I saw a younger cyclist in a similar situation. He told me that he had a pump but no spare tube. His mates were ahead of him at a local cafe, which was about a 40 minute walk away. There was no phone signal there. I gave him one of my spare tubes. I had 3 on me that day so it wasn't a big deal.

 

[teeonethousand]

Sorry - you looked like you knew what you were doing!

I have had both extremes... Struggling, and not getting any help; doing just fine and somebody stopping and distracting me!

I think I only accepted help once. I didn't have my reading glasses with me so I couldn't see a small piece of glass embedded in my tyre. A helpful rider spotted it straight away and removed it for me. I now carry a pair of fold-up travel specs on rides!

I slow down and offer help. Usually, it isn't needed/wanted but occasionally I have made myself useful...

I have fixed a few broken chains for riders who couldn't.

I saw an elderly cyclist walking with his bike, which had a flat tyre. I offered to help but he said that he would just walk home. I asked where he was walking to and it was about 8 km away so I decided to be a bit more insistent! I told him that it was no bother and he gratefully accepted. I got him going again pretty quickly.

Another time, I saw a younger cyclist in a similar situation. He told me that he had a pump but no spare tube. His mates were ahead of him at a local cafe, which was about a 40 minute walk away. There was no phone signal there. I gave him one of my spare tubes. I had 3 on me that day so it wasn't a big deal.

Yep..me too..I always ask if they are ok and they have everything they need. I would like to think I would do that even if on motorbike or in car if it was a country lane.

 

[bluenotebob]

Anyone planning an April Fool's Day ride?

It's a Tuesday which is often a difficult day for me .. but I'm usually free after 4pm and, as the hour leaps forward this weekend, it means that it should be light here until 8.30pm ... so I have a chance (it all depends on the weather, as usual).

I'm not worried about cycling in the dark either - although I had the fright of my life last week when I was happily zipping along the local Voie Verte heading back to the van when I nearly ran head first into a jogger - wearing all-black clothing and without a head torch. I was so shocked that I didn't say anything to him (I think it was a bloke) but I wondered afterwards how difficult it would be for a jogger to have a head torch or wear a gilet fluo? So much safer ..

So .. what are your plans? Anyone setting an alarm clock for 3am?

 

[13 rider]

March round up ,We have 22 riders fully posted up leaving just one rider with a Feb ride posted yet to do a qualifying ride this month so the shortest nudge list in challenge history is as follows @ColinJ
Well done everyone that's a quarter of the way there

 

[ColinJ]

just one rider with a Feb ride posted yet to do a qualifying ride this month so the shortest nudge list in challenge history is as follows @ColinJ

Yes, I need to get it done ASAP. I don't want to be doing it in the last couple of days of the month.

I have 2 routes in mind, both around 51-52 km in length and with around 900 m of ascent (some at 15-16%). I have not decided which to do yet. I might even squeeze both in?!

 

[sevenfourate]

Anyone planning an April Fool's Day ride ?

Anyone setting an alarm clock for 3am?

Arghh yes; Thanks for the reminder…..😉

Enjoy your ride bnb ! 😁

 

[sevenfourate]

Wasn't intending to ride this far today after a long week / very active Saturday.
But I guess the essence of the Challenges: encouraging people to ride: worked - as it spurred me on to do an extra 11 miles on my own after our short ‘group’ ride came to an end after 20 miles - and the lads disbanded.

So…….the ever beautiful St Margaret’s Church just after sunrise as I went to meet the lads:

A very small and very cute Thatched Cottage on Peace Park:

Someone on the forum talked about (A lack of) Falklands War memorials recently. Well here’s one !

Think you’re fit as a cyclist ? These paddle-boarders are on another level imo. Here they were enjoying some Sunny Sunday solitude like me - on Lowestoft Sea-front:

After the lads disbanded…..I set off the long way back via Gunton Cliff:

And finally detoured into Corton - as they have THE BEST Post Box Toppers 😍 I wasn’t disappointed with this Easter array…….

50km / 31.24 miles of Sunny Sunday fun with the lads, in nice Weather. And a hearty breakfast earned 👍