The Annual Lunacy (aka "I Don't Do Winter") Challenge Chatzone

[Sea of vapours]

You, @Cranky Knee Girl , do take the 'lunatic' aspect of this challenge entirely too literally, methinks

 

[Fiona R]

You, @Cranky Knee Girl , do take the 'lunatic' aspect of this challenge entirely too literally, methinks

I spent 80km diagnosing myself as a bit off the wall 🧐

 

[Fiona R]

Thought some may be interested in the stats of my Randonneur Round the Year or RRtY over 14 official submitted/approved 200km audax last year.

I rode 2982km and 30 661m climbing in those rides. I've decided I'm not unethically flat. Interesting that it's bang on my climbing ratio of 1% actually 1.03% Unless I ask those based in Yorkshire , in which case it was as flat as me 'at. Not at all lunatic.

213 km 2190m avg ride

 

[aferris2]

2nd ride done. In an effort to escape the terrible fires on the mainland, we have moved to Tasmania for a week or 4. Have settled in the lovely town of Strahan for a few days so thought it would be a good opportunity for another ride. The trouble though is this is a hilly part of the island, and being from Essex, I don't do hills.
Instead I ventured south towards Macquarie Heads. Nice tarmac road to start with that soon turned into gravel. Not too bad at first but gradually got rougher and rougher. Then it turned into deep soft sand, and that doesn't really work with 32mm slick tyres. Quick walk and I was back to the gravel again. Wasn't sure which route to take back. I had the option of turning round and doing the same route in reverse, or taking the beach. I walked down to the hard sand by the water and gave it a go. Only had a couple of "loss of balance" moments luckily. I've never ridden on sand before. It's almost the perfect surface when it's really hard. Trouble is it can get very soft very quickly. The best track was as close to the water as possible which isn't that easy when the waves come about 50ft up the beach and take ages to drain back again. More gravel after the beach but this time the surface was much better.
Lots of cleaning needed at the end of the ride. Sand everywhere! It does clean the chain up nicely though. Might need a bit of lube...
Nearly forgot. Only had one close pass today. On the gravel road. Huge black SUV decided we should be share the same bit of road. Maybe that was because he had a nice road bike strapped to the roof. You had 20ft of road to use, why chose my 3ft? Arrgghh!

 

[Dogtrousers]

I'm sort of considering entering with a target of 170km, so it's not too much like the Imperial, and maybe a self-imposed climbing limit of 2,000m to keep me "ethical". I'll enter if/when I get my second ride done.

 

[ColinJ]

I'm sort of considering entering with a target of 170km, so it's not too much like the Imperial, and maybe a self-imposed climbing limit of 2,000m to keep me "ethical". I'll enter if/when I get my second ride done.

Would that be a minimum or a maximum limit...?

 

[steverob]

Well I've decided that I can't see myself doing a 100km ride in January. This weekend was meant to see me do at least 50 miles, in order for me to build up to a metric century next weekend, but I bottled it when looking at the frost that was still on the shady parts of the road even at 10am. Eventually went out at noon and did just over 50km.

So therefore I'm not going to be in the Metric Century challenge this year, meaning I will definitely be throwing my hat into the ring for this again (and hoping it goes better than last time). I'll set a provisional target of 100km for my Lunacy, but will still be trying to aim for as many rides over 65 miles as possible in order to make that my eventual goal. However you probably won't see any rides of this length logged by me until at least March, so don't go holding your breath!

 

[Sea of vapours]

That's a like for being in the Lunacy Challenge, though shame about the Metric Century. That is very much what the Lunacy Challenge is about though, so it's splendid that it's doing its job and filling the hole, so to speak

 

[Aravis]

The first ride's on the board for2020. An "Audaxified" 201 km to Edgehill in Warwickshire. Fog and filthy roads made for not the most inspiring of rides; just one picture from the day at Halford Bridge over the river Stour (the Shipston-on-Stour version) south of Stratford-upon-Avon. The Fosse Way road passes over the new bridge, but the very narrow old one is still usable by light vehicles:

It's almost looking bright and cheerful!

As I mentioned a while back, I'm going to try to maintain at least 13 qualifying rides in the previous rolling 12 months every day throughout this year. The first critical date this year would have been March 19th, so I'm well inside that with the first ride. The next needs to be done by April 8th.

 

[Fiona R]

The first ride's on the board for2020. An "Audaxified" 201 km to Edgehill in Warwickshire. Fog and filthy roads made for not the most inspiring of rides; just one picture from the day at Halford Bridge over the river Stour (the Shipston-on-Stour version) south of Stratford-upon-Avon. The Fosse Way road passes over the new bridge, but the very narrow old one is still usable by light vehicles:

View attachment 501712

It's almost looking bright and cheerful!

As I mentioned a while back, I'm going to try to maintain at least 13 qualifying rides in the previous rolling 12 months every day throughout this year. The first critical date this year would have been March 19th, so I'm well inside that with the first ride. The next needs to be done by April 8th.

Impressive ride given the conditions. I was so cheesed off wiping my specs in the 5 miles each way to visit a friend on Tuesday. Doing that for 200km in foggy drizzle takes a bit of dedication!

 

[Aravis]

I was able to be pretty philosophical. I went somewhere new to me where I know there are some great views (it's featured on the Tour of Britain more than once) but I couldn't see a great deal. But it's January, another notch on the cleats without any alarms. And as always, quickly back to plotting future rides with great enthusiasm, where conditions will be perfect...

 

[lane]

OK I'm in for 100km this year which is only slightly longer than I managed last year. I was thinking about the 100km a month, but that hasn't happened, and I think i will enjoy this challenge a lot more in any case.

When I look back on my year of cycling it is very rarely (probably never) the winter rides I remember with pleasure!

 

[Fiona R]

OK I'm in for 100km this year which is only slightly longer than I managed last year. I was thinking about the 100km a month, but that hasn't happened, and I think i will enjoy this challenge a lot more in any case.

When I look back on my year of cycling it is very rarely (probably never) the winter rides I remember with pleasure!

That sums up this challenge, it gives you a challenge without having to endure cycling you do not want to do. welcome back

 

[Fiona R]

I was so sensible this weekend. I was entered for the very foodie Flapjack 100km Audax from Chippenham today, with it being 46km each way it's easy to round up to 200.

By Wednesday I was thinking even I was not lunatic enough for forecast 50mph winds and seriously wet, given I'd be riding home at least 2 hours in the dark into rain and storm headwind. So I developed a Plan B as Saturday weather was looking lovely, well lovely for February. No ice, sunny spells, no rain and a stiff south westerly. I submitted the same DIY route I did this time last year to make sure February was in the bank, and again persuaded the husband to accompany me with a promise of breakfast at McDs in Bath at 30km after the Railway Path. Through the Two Tunnels and turned west at Norton St Phillip and the climbing started. Once up onto the Mendips, with the vast majority of the climbing done by 70km mark, I let him whizz off down to Chew Valley and home in time for rugby and I whizzed down Cheddar Gorge (no hail this year) and battles into the wind round to Glastonbury. a fairly quick cafe stop for very lovely and effective GF almond protein brownie and a pint of tea at Heaphys.

Then the chase was on to try and get my speed up and minimise dark riding. A crosswind to Burnham on Sea, I made sure I ate something every hour now so a quick stop in Highbridge on the bike path to admire the boats. Through Burnham, up to Brean and the loop round to Weston. Suddenly it got very snarled up at the end of the prom towards the pier. There was a very effective Climate Emergency demo on opposing the proposed expansion at Bristol Airport, the whole parade was crossing the road with security holding traffic at the pier, so I passed all the traffic and waited patiently at the crossroads, I had a lot of time for this hold up. The attendants kept apologising and I said no need.

I stopped and took some pics of the choreographed "flight marshalls" and banners over the wall and waved encouragement and went on my way. Past the ruined pier and I was thinking what it would be like to be here tomorrow (ie today) when Storm Ciara arrives.

I'm hammering as fast as my solid body allows, last year the main road to Congresbury was horrific in the dark and rain, it's still light and exactly the same weekend. It didn't get dark until after Clevedon and I'd had the benefit of tailwind, whoosh. A quick photo of the pier at dusk and half a roll to get me home, and the last hill out of Clevedon and the very familiar roads back to Nailsea finishing with my commute. The kilometrage was only 0.9km over 200, but enough that I don't have to do any circuits and bumps round the houses.

I really made the most of a great day, given 8 people out of 150 did turn up to start Flapjack today but the forecast weather had well and truly arrived and was forecast to get even worse than previous forecast, so was cancelled.

I do find riding long distance on the levels hard though, my quads are aching today, but I was chuffed to get in under 11 hours elapsed time and 9 hours riding time, 22.2kmh. I'm loving my Aftershokz headphones for such riding, I can still hear cars as they are bone conducting, I rode like the wind to the border of Mexico Music got me home from Glastonbury.

Unethically flat 1200m and minimal distance 200.9km 2/13

 

[ColinJ]

Good thinking!

I just spotted your entry in the Challenge thread and thought that you really must be a proper lunatic, but I hadn't noticed that you did the ride the day before instead.