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

[ColinJ]

I am an idiot. Okay, most of you already know that, but sometimes I need to remind myself!

I thought that I would do something different on yesterday's Devon metric century. Instead of riding both ways on the eastern side of the Exe via Topsham, I would ride out that way, but catch the ferry to Starcross from Exmouth and ride back on the western side of the river.

I got to the ferry jetty 20 minutes before the last crossing. I waited. Took some photos...

What a lovely sunny day!

I waited, and waited, and waited... Hmm, the ferry was late. I decided to amuse myself by making up a joke...

Q: When is a Tuesday NOT a Tuesday?
A: When it is a MONDAY!!!

Ho ho, it's the way I tell 'em.

Did you spot it?

I'll zoom in for you...

DAMN!!!

I ended up riding back via Topsham again.

 

[Alex321]

Third qualifying ride of the year today. Not really intending a long ride when I set out, but found myself enjoying it, and just kept taking the turns that would make it longer

Lovely day, mostly sunny and temperature 19-20C for the entire ride. Quite hilly, but only one big hill (up to Pentyrch via Star Lane).

 

[FrothNinja]

Not really intending a long ride when I set out, but found myself enjoying it, and just kept taking the turns that would make it longer

Snap - my last qualifier started as a 40km ride but the threatening rain kept holding off so I took all the long cuts and put up with the occasional light showers. Luck ran out 5kms from home and it stair-rodded, wet through in a second, then the sun came out 3km from home. Semi dry by the time I finished.

 

[lazybloke]

Opted to join a group to ride the Downslink this morning; NCN 223(?) from Guildford to the South Coast.
Was planning to train home from the coast, but progress was slow so I left the other 5 to continue, whilst I turned round and rode home.
Slightly sad that I missed ice creams on the beach.

Anyway - total distance was circa 57-58 miles, and the Downslink was a lovely ride, what I saw of it.

 

[lazybloke]

Blimey, it's only June and I've finished the Lunacy challenge for 2024 with last night's FNRttC and a long ride home afterwards, totalling nearly 131 miles, 210.5 km; my longest ride of all time.
There were about 40 of us that met in London on Friday at 11:40pm. I was cycling from midnight until about 4pm on Saturday afternoon. Tired!!!

 

[bluenotebob]

Congratulations to @lazybloke on being the first to finish this year's challenge.

I think that's the longest Lunacy Distance ride anyone's posted for a few years .. probably the longest since the days of @cranky_knee girl and @Aravis.

I hope you'll continue to post more rides this year @lazybloke and relegate some of the minor ones.

 

[lazybloke]

Congratulations to @lazybloke on being the first to finish this year's challenge.

Many thanks BNB, it feels a bigger achievement than 2023, which I only completed by doing several 11th hour rides in late December!

I think that's the longest Lunacy Distance ride anyone's posted for a few years .. probably the longest since the days of @cranky_knee girl and @Aravis.

Fiona's "Cranky Knee" username always used to stand out on the forum, and certainly came back to me when I climbed the stairs after this last ride!
I'm in awe of all the long rides I see on forum; they're quite inspirational and I've long harboured a wish to try similar. I remember reading about jefmcg's London-Wales-London audax and wanted to do the same; I missed the application window for this year though. I've also followed LEL blogs, TCR blogs. I did apply to the early-bird LEL2025 ballot but was unsuccessful.
I need to try a 400 and 600 audax before the main ballot in Jan.

I hope you'll continue to post more rides this year @lazybloke and relegate some of the minor ones.

Absolutely - I'm touring in Northern France next week, which will stretch beyond my target distance, as will any audax or Friday Night Ride to the Coast activities.

 

[bluenotebob]

Absolutely - I'm touring in Northern France next week, which will stretch beyond my target distance, as will any audax or Friday Night Ride to the Coast activities.

Have a great time - I look forward to reading about your rides. 29C here in Brittany this afternoon - but it should be a bit cooler next week.

 

[lazybloke]

Heading over to France for a tour, but had a flying visit to the Channel Islands yesterday and cycled round Jersey.

I didn't trust my old Allez on this trip, so am riding the rather heavier Croix de Fer. Add my luggage too, and the weight soon started to challenge me on the hills.

Did an anticlockwise exploration of the island. I had a route but mostly abandoned it and just took lanes from the map as i fancied. A delightful place; reminds me of the Isle of Wight, but with better weather, ambiance, architecture and people.

Distance: 94 km

 

[ColinJ]

I have come down to Devon again for another attempt to use the ferry from Exmouth to Starcross!

I don't know what rides I will be doing when because of constantly changing family plans (... ) but I will try to get at least one metric century in during this visit.

If I get a full free day and a decent weather forecast I may post details of a 100 km ride at short notice to see if anyone fancies joining me.

 

[Alex321]

Fourth qualifier of the year today. I'm well down on the number I might have expected by now.

And three of them have been within 1/10 of a mile of the same distance, even though all different routes???

It was raining when I woke up, but had stopped by about 10Am, so decided to get out before lunch, and very glad I did, as the wind picked up more and more this afternoon. But a really enjoyable ride, dry for the whole 2.75 hours (including coffee stop at Café Velo), and wind not too bad while I was out.

 

[Sea of vapours]

2024 completed, the Lunacy Challenge aspect of it at least.

My last ride may not have had quite the highest elevation gain, and it certainly wasn't the longest, but it was very much the 'Queen's Stage' in terms of being relentlessly up and down high, steep things. A fitting final Lunacy ride this year. That said, it's only early July so I may well do another qualifying ride or two *if* the weather improves. I won't be doing any more in what have been, at best, rather mediocre conditions. Of course, as ever, that sort of comment does nicely illustrate the motivational benefits of this and other challenges :-)

 

[bluenotebob]

2024 completed, the Lunacy Challenge aspect of it at least.

Congratulations @Sea of vapours .. another phenomenal achievement by you this year in, as you say, less than ideal circumstances.

 

[Dogtrousers]

2024 completed, the Lunacy Challenge aspect of it at least.

My last ride may not have had quite the highest elevation gain, and it certainly wasn't the longest, but it was very much the 'Queen's Stage' in terms of being relentlessly up and down high, steep things. A fitting final Lunacy ride this year. That said, it's only early July so I may well do another qualifying ride or two *if* the weather improves. I won't be doing any more in what have been, at best, rather mediocre conditions. Of course, as ever, that sort of comment does nicely illustrate the motivational benefits of this and other challenges :-)

The thing about Lunacy is you can (if you are so minded) raise the bar and eliminate your lowest ride. Or not. If you don't fancy it

 

[Sea of vapours]

The thing about Lunacy is you can (if you are so minded) raise the bar and eliminate your lowest ride. Or not. If you don't fancy it

You certainly can, and I shall if I do any at all, which is likely, but fortunately the shortest trundle already meets my 'stretch target' of a hundred miles and the rest are mainly just a kilometre or two over that, so no chance of any pointless, self-induced pressure there :-) Phew! Every once in a while I toy with making 200km my target, as @Fiona R did at least once, but then I realise that it just wouldn't happen and return to the comfortable 150km. which can be done post-midday :-)