Sea of vapours
Guru
- Location
- Clapham, Yorkshire Dales
Good luck with that !
The Annual Lunacy (aka "I Don't Do Winter") Challenge Chatzone
- Thread starter ColinJ
- Start date
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
Good luck with that !
Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
I closed my account for this challenge at the weekend. I rode a route that I have long planned where I rode along the top of the Kent Downs to Dover. December with the days at their shortest wasn't the greatest idea. To start with I found that the cycle path over the Medway bridge was closed so I had a hilly and stressful detour though Rochester centre hard riding in the traffic which I paid for later. After that the roads were mainly narrow potholed lanes with a line of mud and leaves down the middle and covered with silty mud calling for frequent mudguard clearing stops to remove the extra brake that would develop on my front wheel. The hills were short, steep and relentless. Slow uphill, slow downhill in the fading light. Then my bottom gear started making horrible noises. I completely ran out of steam with about 30 of 120km to go as darkness fell and finished utterly knackered in the pitch dark. At least it wasn't cold.
Roll on 2024. I'm not sure if I dare to increase my target.
Roll on 2024. I'm not sure if I dare to increase my target.
OP
OP
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
FAIL!! I will have to think about how to restore my cycling mojo to the days pre-Covid.
Congratulations to those of you who completed the challenge this year. Maybe one of you should post next year's thread?
bluenotebob
Veteran
- Location
- France
Already agreed with you that I'd do it
OP
OP
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
Aaargh - there's my awful memory in action again!
It isn't a major issue at the moment, but I do worry about it becoming one...
bluenotebob
Veteran
- Location
- France
@ColinJ .. new thread created this evening - I've renamed it slightly - it's now the '2024 Annual Lunacy Distance Challenge' - to differentiate it from the Lunacy Climbing Challenge.
I won't ask the mods to pin this just yet - I'll wait until there a few 2024 Challenge threads created - then they can do a bundle of them.
I won't ask the mods to pin this just yet - I'll wait until there a few 2024 Challenge threads created - then they can do a bundle of them.
lazybloke
Priest of the cult of Chris Rea
- Location
- Leafy Surrey
Very little time to finish the lunacy challenge this year; woke up this morning with two rides to go.
But it was dry and sunny, so I was out before 9am, despite having a late night (3am!).
Hadn't planned a route, I just headed out taking turns on a whim until I found myself heading for central London. Thought I might do a circuit of PArliament Square and then back home again, but only got as far as Clapham.
Ont he way into London I'd tried the Garmin routing options and it had taken me a stupid circuitous route on roads, cycle paths, bridleways, through housing estates and parks; very slow and not at all direct; it also managed to find a completely unnecessary hill. In the end I ignored it and just took the A24 directly into London.
On the way back, it was the A24 all the way, until near Cheam I was feeling very slow up the hills, and the traffic was getting heavier, so again I let the GArmin Navigate and did a lovely circuit through Nonsuch Park. Lovely, but again very slow.
Finally reached home with 42 miles on the clock. Am still not very fit, but considering the slow routing, I'm happy with the avg speed of over 13mph.
Then did an afternoon stroll in the Surrey Hills with my family, 4 miles or so. OMG my legs are ******!
So that's 12 of my lunacy rides done, and with 5 days left of 2023 I just have time to fijish the challenge, but the forecast says it'll be a wet ride. I don't mind getting wet in warm weather; not so sure about late December!
But it was dry and sunny, so I was out before 9am, despite having a late night (3am!).
Hadn't planned a route, I just headed out taking turns on a whim until I found myself heading for central London. Thought I might do a circuit of PArliament Square and then back home again, but only got as far as Clapham.
Ont he way into London I'd tried the Garmin routing options and it had taken me a stupid circuitous route on roads, cycle paths, bridleways, through housing estates and parks; very slow and not at all direct; it also managed to find a completely unnecessary hill. In the end I ignored it and just took the A24 directly into London.
On the way back, it was the A24 all the way, until near Cheam I was feeling very slow up the hills, and the traffic was getting heavier, so again I let the GArmin Navigate and did a lovely circuit through Nonsuch Park. Lovely, but again very slow.
Finally reached home with 42 miles on the clock. Am still not very fit, but considering the slow routing, I'm happy with the avg speed of over 13mph.
Then did an afternoon stroll in the Surrey Hills with my family, 4 miles or so. OMG my legs are ******!
So that's 12 of my lunacy rides done, and with 5 days left of 2023 I just have time to fijish the challenge, but the forecast says it'll be a wet ride. I don't mind getting wet in warm weather; not so sure about late December!
lazybloke
Priest of the cult of Chris Rea
- Location
- Leafy Surrey
WIth one ride left to complete the 2023 challenge, I was kicking myself at missing the one dry day (Thurs? Fri?), but it's been a busy week of Christmas shizzle.
Nearly did my final ride as a night excursion last night. THank God I didn't, as the weather was apocalyptic.
Woke up this morning to damp roads, but dry conditions. The recent storms have blown away all the pollution, and the air is clear as anything right now; giving an unusual light to clouds scurrying across the clean blue sky. Oh yes, a perfect start for my ride, even if the forecast predicted rain during the morning.
I was halfway through my toast when the heavens opened. BLimey, I didn't think rain was due until late morning! Oh, supposed I was a bit late up.
Anyway, ventured out after my late breakfast for 62.6 km. Weather was post-apocalyptic; trees down, an electricity pole down - wires sagging dangerously; rivers swollen; detritus everywhere. And there was more heavy ride whilst I cycled- eyes stinging with rain water that had got behind my glasses.
By the time I got home, the rain had soaked past my shoe covers and my feet were soaked. I'd worn summer mitts so I had no chance at all of dry/warm hands; by the time I got home my fingers were too numb to adjust the hose to wash my bike.
Pleased to have completed the challenge; and I always quite enjoy riding in rain; so it wasn't too hideous.
Probably time for an afternoon snooze now, as we'll be out to friends later. I'm driving, and it's an hour each way, so I'll need to stay sober and alert for the journey...
Nearly did my final ride as a night excursion last night. THank God I didn't, as the weather was apocalyptic.
Woke up this morning to damp roads, but dry conditions. The recent storms have blown away all the pollution, and the air is clear as anything right now; giving an unusual light to clouds scurrying across the clean blue sky. Oh yes, a perfect start for my ride, even if the forecast predicted rain during the morning.
I was halfway through my toast when the heavens opened. BLimey, I didn't think rain was due until late morning! Oh, supposed I was a bit late up.
Anyway, ventured out after my late breakfast for 62.6 km. Weather was post-apocalyptic; trees down, an electricity pole down - wires sagging dangerously; rivers swollen; detritus everywhere. And there was more heavy ride whilst I cycled- eyes stinging with rain water that had got behind my glasses.
By the time I got home, the rain had soaked past my shoe covers and my feet were soaked. I'd worn summer mitts so I had no chance at all of dry/warm hands; by the time I got home my fingers were too numb to adjust the hose to wash my bike.
Pleased to have completed the challenge; and I always quite enjoy riding in rain; so it wasn't too hideous.
Probably time for an afternoon snooze now, as we'll be out to friends later. I'm driving, and it's an hour each way, so I'll need to stay sober and alert for the journey...
OP
OP
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
Well done everyone, but for a "Don't do winter" challenge, some of you have been doing an awful lot of winter!
Around mid-November I was toying with the idea of doing my remaining 6 metric centuries before the bad weather arrived, but then I looked out of the window and realised that it already had...
Around mid-November I was toying with the idea of doing my remaining 6 metric centuries before the bad weather arrived, but then I looked out of the window and realised that it already had...
lazybloke
Priest of the cult of Chris Rea
- Location
- Leafy Surrey
Definitely a bit wet out there today, Colin. Lots of mud & floods.
Sea of vapours
Guru
- Location
- Clapham, Yorkshire Dales
Alex321
Guru
- Location
- South Wales
Well done everyone, but for a "Don't do winter" challenge, some of you have been doing an awful lot of winter!
Around mid-November I was toying with the idea of doing my remaining 6 metric centuries before the bad weather arrived, but then I looked out of the window and realised that it already had...
February and November were the only two months I didn't get a qualifying ride in this year.
bluenotebob
Veteran
- Location
- France
@Moderators ... when one of you has a quiet moment, could you please pin the following new 2024 Challenge threads:
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/the-2024-monthly-metric-century-100km-ride-challenge.295641/
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/2024-annual-lunacy-distance-challenge.295541/
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/three-30-minute-rides-each-week-of-the-year-challenge-2024.295638/
Thanks !
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/the-2024-monthly-metric-century-100km-ride-challenge.295641/
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/2024-annual-lunacy-distance-challenge.295541/
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/three-30-minute-rides-each-week-of-the-year-challenge-2024.295638/
Thanks !
Last edited:
Alex321
Guru
- Location
- South Wales
I'm not going to increase my target much this year, because most of my qualifying rides last year were only just over it.
I'll go for 60Km (37.28 miles), as opposed to the 35 miles from last year. Although it is only 2.28 miles further, there were only 3 of my 13 rides last year which exceeded that. I'll still give myself stretch target of 40 miles.
I'll go for 60Km (37.28 miles), as opposed to the 35 miles from last year. Although it is only 2.28 miles further, there were only 3 of my 13 rides last year which exceeded that. I'll still give myself stretch target of 40 miles.
Sea of vapours
Guru
- Location
- Clapham, Yorkshire Dales
I'm going to stick with my 150km target, both because it means a stretch target of 161km / 100 miles is nicely within reach on most rides and because it'll keep the signature tidy ! Not that I'm remotely likely to do anything at that distance until the clocks change, and possibly not even immediately once they have.
Similar threads
