sevenfourate
Devotee of OCD
- Location
- Lowestoft, Suffolk
Really appreciated. I try !
The 2025 Half Century (50km or 50 mile) Challenge Chatzone.
- Thread starter 13 rider
- Start date
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
Really appreciated. I try !
bluenotebob
Veteran
- Location
- central Brittany, France
A question for @Donger , if I may ...
You mentioned sometime last year that you’d just completed your second lap of the world. How many miles is a lap of the world?
I’ve just passed 48,200 miles (since the start of 2017) and am curious as to where I am in terms of global circumnavigation.
A couple of years back, my neighbour overheard this conversation between her then 7-year old (W) and his friend of the same age (M):
W: “Bob’s cycled all over the world!”
M: “Noooo – he can’t have done – the world’s too big!”
As though I’d decided to leave on a Monday morning, cycle to Australia and get back home a bit tired on Saturday evening ...
You mentioned sometime last year that you’d just completed your second lap of the world. How many miles is a lap of the world?
I’ve just passed 48,200 miles (since the start of 2017) and am curious as to where I am in terms of global circumnavigation.
A couple of years back, my neighbour overheard this conversation between her then 7-year old (W) and his friend of the same age (M):
W: “Bob’s cycled all over the world!”
M: “Noooo – he can’t have done – the world’s too big!”
As though I’d decided to leave on a Monday morning, cycle to Australia and get back home a bit tired on Saturday evening ...
Donger
Convoi Exceptionnel
- Location
- Quedgeley, Glos.
I based that on Mark Beaumont's Artemis World Bike Ride, when he set a "round the world" record. That distance was 18,032 miles. How they fixed on that distance for the official record I'm not entirely sure. The circumference of the earth is 24,901miles, but you would need a big machete and a pedalo to complete that journey. The 18,032 mile figure works out at about 72% of the circumference, which seems fair enough given the oceans that you can't be expected to cycle in!
The good news is that you have already gone around twice and are two thirds of your way into your third lap! You only need another 1,602 miles to complete a second full planet that nobody can argue against.
bluenotebob
Veteran
- Location
- central Brittany, France
Thanks very much !
I think I'll have a very large chocolate cake lined up for the completion of the second full planet (jungles and oceans notwithstanding).
Sometime in June or July, I reckon ... if I remember, I'll post a photo of the cake ...
"Gravel" you say
I'm going to try to do one 50km ride a month off-road (ish). Not sure if I'll be so keen in November...
I'm trying to justify a gravel bike - which would be a lot better on-road than my heavy old hybrid, although I'm not sure it'd be much quicker on sections like the one below, other than being easier to push or carry
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
Well, I got a "50+ km" today: 50 + 1!
I did a little tour around the Crediton/Exeter area. Quite lumpy - 865 m of ascent in 51 km (2,800+ ft in 31.7 miles).
Really nice cycling conditions - sunny, dry, mild, not too windy. No puddles or wet mud since it has been very dry for a month, except for a few downpours here and there. There was some mud left over from the winter but it was all dry and turning to dust.
I appear to be getting fitter... A couple of times I was lost in thought as I was riding and suddenly realised that I hadn't noticed the effort of a toughish climb and was already at the top - that doesn't happen often!
FrothNinja
Veteran
"Gravel" you say
I'm going to try to do one 50km ride a month off-road (ish). Not sure if I'll be so keen in November...
I'm trying to justify a gravel bike - which would be a lot better on-road than my heavy old hybrid, although I'm not sure it'd be much quicker on sections like the one below, other than being easier to push or carry
View attachment 768191
I do quite a bit of gravel (loosely) riding. Don't have a gravel bike per se, do most of my gravel on a CX, but also do quite a bit on a hybrid and and a Philips Folda (if it's flat and icy)
sevenfourate
Devotee of OCD
- Location
- Lowestoft, Suffolk
Gravel.
Is that an all-encompassing term for something other than Tarmacadam. A broad and perhaps fashionable description of an off-road “path” ? Or do I have to be using my ‘Gravel bike’ for it to count as a Gravel Ride ? 🙄😉🤣
Either way - more than one of my rides in this CC Challenge has been on ‘Gravel’. Infact I think my last ride for very early April: is the only one solely on actual roads and not including some type of ‘other’ terrain……..
Is that an all-encompassing term for something other than Tarmacadam. A broad and perhaps fashionable description of an off-road “path” ? Or do I have to be using my ‘Gravel bike’ for it to count as a Gravel Ride ? 🙄😉🤣
Either way - more than one of my rides in this CC Challenge has been on ‘Gravel’. Infact I think my last ride for very early April: is the only one solely on actual roads and not including some type of ‘other’ terrain……..
iandg
Legendary Member
- Location
- Dumfries and Galloway
Hopefully in the right thread this time . Thanks @13 rider 
A combined train/cycle trip over to Brampton to visit my mum.
Cycled the 12km out to Annan Railway Station for a train to Carlisle and connection to Brampton. All went smoothly but I did get a "ticking off" at Carlisle from a station employee for leaving my bike in a non-designated cycle parking area (on the platform my train was leaving from), while I went to the loo and picked up a coffee.
Short ride from Brampton Station into town and to mum's place and said hello to the new dog (and her of course). Walked into Brampton with her and was treated for lunch at Mr Brown's.
Cycled home from Brampton in the sun. Took in some new lanes that I hadn't ridden before south of the A6071. The NCN7 route that runs along the side of the M6 was busy and (as usual) not pleasant to ride. Stopped in Gretna for a Bru and crisps, and added a small diversion past the de-commissioned Chapelcross Power Station to get in a few more km of "new" roads.
Collected an order from Screwfix and called in for some groceries at Aldi in Annan (annoyed a car driver for being on the road and in front of him as I cycled through Annan back streets). Followed the B road from Annan back to home.
A 59km cycle with 19km of new road added to my personal heat map.
My mum gave me a part consumed bottle of Laphroaig, she's gone of the peaty, smokey flavours due to new meds. It arrived at home safely, protected by spare clothing in my saddle bag - with no leakage from the cork or past my lips
A combined train/cycle trip over to Brampton to visit my mum.
Cycled the 12km out to Annan Railway Station for a train to Carlisle and connection to Brampton. All went smoothly but I did get a "ticking off" at Carlisle from a station employee for leaving my bike in a non-designated cycle parking area (on the platform my train was leaving from), while I went to the loo and picked up a coffee.
Short ride from Brampton Station into town and to mum's place and said hello to the new dog (and her of course). Walked into Brampton with her and was treated for lunch at Mr Brown's.
Cycled home from Brampton in the sun. Took in some new lanes that I hadn't ridden before south of the A6071. The NCN7 route that runs along the side of the M6 was busy and (as usual) not pleasant to ride. Stopped in Gretna for a Bru and crisps, and added a small diversion past the de-commissioned Chapelcross Power Station to get in a few more km of "new" roads.
Collected an order from Screwfix and called in for some groceries at Aldi in Annan (annoyed a car driver for being on the road and in front of him as I cycled through Annan back streets). Followed the B road from Annan back to home.
A 59km cycle with 19km of new road added to my personal heat map.
My mum gave me a part consumed bottle of Laphroaig, she's gone of the peaty, smokey flavours due to new meds. It arrived at home safely, protected by spare clothing in my saddle bag - with no leakage from the cork or past my lips
March round up all 23 riders with Jan and Feb rides also completed March so a full house @ColinJ made it with a full day to spare . Great start to April ,today's the 9th and we have 18 riders posted up for April ,leaving 5 riders to get a ride in ,could this be the first month I can remember where there's no nudge list !! With a combination of nice weather ,bank holidays and plenty of days here's hoping
sevenfourate
Devotee of OCD
- Location
- Lowestoft, Suffolk
FrothNinja
Veteran
Hopefully in the right thread this time . Thanks @13 rider
A combined train/cycle trip over to Brampton to visit my mum.
Cycled the 12km out to Annan Railway Station for a train to Carlisle and connection to Brampton. All went smoothly but I did get a "ticking off" at Carlisle from a station employee for leaving my bike in a non-designated cycle parking area (on the platform my train was leaving from), while I went to the loo and picked up a coffee.
View attachment 768444
View attachment 768445
View attachment 768446
View attachment 768447
Short ride from Brampton Station into town and to mum's place and said hello to the new dog (and her of course). Walked into Brampton with her and was treated for lunch at Mr Brown's.
View attachment 768448
Cycled home from Brampton in the sun. Took in some new lanes that I hadn't ridden before south of the A6071. The NCN7 route that runs along the side of the M6 was busy and (as usual) not pleasant to ride. Stopped in Gretna for a Bru and crisps, and added a small diversion past the de-commissioned Chapelcross Power Station to get in a few more km of "new" roads.
Collected an order from Screwfix and called in for some groceries at Aldi in Annan (annoyed a car driver for being on the road and in front of him as I cycled through Annan back streets). Followed the B road from Annan back to home.
A 59km cycle with 19km of new road added to my personal heat map.
View attachment 768449
View attachment 768450
View attachment 768451
My mum gave me a part consumed bottle of Laphroaig, she's gone of the peaty, smokey flavours due to new meds. It arrived at home safely, protected by spare clothing in my saddle bag - with no leakage from the cork or past my lips
View attachment 768453
I have to confess that I don't like the malts that taste like sucking a band aid. Iodine belongs on cuts and abrasions, I'll take a Speyside 0r summat like a Highland Park as my medicine. An old Glengoyne was the latest casualty.
Domus
Guru
- Location
- Sunny Radcliffe
3 day Cheshire tour in bright sunshine. Chilly winds, five old men, one cancelled train, two tumbles, one stuck free hub (twice), two Premier Inns, a couple of coffee stops, two ice cream stops, 235 Kms, hundreds of pot holes, and five points. 
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
I had been thinking of adding 11 km to my metric century ride tomorrow but that wouldn't really fit in nicely with the route or how I know that I will feel after the 100...
I thought instead to add it to the 39 km planned for today, so I did! More lumpy lanes near Crediton with a few extra hills chucked in - 50.3 km/832 m of ascent.
Tomorrow's ride will be much less lumpy overall since well over half the route is almost flat (from Exeter to Exmouth to Otterton and back).
I thought instead to add it to the 39 km planned for today, so I did! More lumpy lanes near Crediton with a few extra hills chucked in - 50.3 km/832 m of ascent.
Tomorrow's ride will be much less lumpy overall since well over half the route is almost flat (from Exeter to Exmouth to Otterton and back).
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
Less lumpy per km - yes, but more lumpy in total! 1,100 metres of ascent in 101.4 km. I was surprised that it was that much - I was expecting more like 800-900 metres.
It was lovely riding in the sunshine but the wind certainly had a chill to it.
