The Imperial Century A Month Challenge Chatzone

[Trickedem]

I've been on tour with @ianrauk and @rb58 in Andalucia travelling from Malaga to Seville over 6 days. We were riding 50-60 miles a day and some of the hills had been brutal. Our longest day from Montejaque near Ronda to Jerez was planned to be a 75 mile trip, so we came up with a plan to stick an extra 25 miles in to give us the century.
However we hadn't really considered how tough some of the rides were going to prove to be and there was definite worry that this could be a difficult ride and we might have to come up with another plan.

Overnight we were staying in the beautiful mountain village of Montejaque and we had another tasty and filling Tapas meal in the restaurant attached to the hotel. Unfortunately the owner and most of the staff were away on holiday, so no breakfast was available. However we took this as an opportunity to get an early start whilst it was still dark.

The mountain to our left was catching the first rays of the sun as we climbed up through rocky gorges and cork woods to the beautiful village of Grazalema at about 16 miles. We had a great cheese and ham bocadillo and Café con leche for breakfast and then continued one of the most beautiful climbs I have ever done. It was very steep in places and was eerily quiet as we rose to an altitude of 3,600 feet at the Puerto del Boyar. The view that greeted us was spectacular as was the thought of a 12 mile descent.

Although we had a few more hills to ascend it was mainly downhill all the way to Jerez and we made really good progress arriving at our hotel in Jerez just after 4pm. In the end @rb58 decided not to join us for the next 25 miles as he had already done his October Century.

Fortunately it was pan flat all the way to Cadiz and we picked up the pace to make sure we could catch the 6:40 train back to Jerez. There is a new bridge over to Cadiz which is higher than the Dartford Crossing Bridge and we crossed using the service road. Although I am not sure if we were allowed to cross, it was a spectacular end to our October Century.

I'm also glad to report that we made it to the train with a minute or so to spare!
https://www.strava.com/activities/2796178780

 

[rb58]

October done 128 miles to Lincoln via New York. Last 23 miles were tough. Nice and flat but a head wind

View attachment 488761

We’ve been through New York a few times on our Doncaster to London jaunt. One year, I remember someone had knicked the sign. LOL

 

[Dogtrousers]

I was just checking out my planned route for this weekend on RideWithGPS and I'm feeling a bit insulted.

I mean, I know I'm slow, but I think even I should be able to get round in less than 292 billion* years. That's an overall speed of 1mm every 1,805 years.

*Using 1 billion = 10^9

 

[Soltydog]

It dawned on me yesterday that we were well into October & I'd not done my century, with 9 days remaining & I'm back at work tomorrow for 7 days, I had 2 options, today or leave it till last day of the month Luckily I was given a day pass (well till 4pm) today so set off at 9:20am, but knew i had to get a shift on. No particular route planned, but grabbed a few VV squares & skirted the edge of the Wolds & headed towards home to clock up the miles on local roads, arrived home early around 3:40pm after covering 101 miles
I'm off work the 1st week of November, so should get next month done earlier

 

[Aravis]

I was just checking out my planned route for this weekend on RideWithGPS and I'm feeling a bit insulted.

View attachment 490190

I mean, I know I'm slow, but I think even I should be able to get round in less than 292 billion* years. That's an overall speed of 1mm every 1,805 years.

*Using 1 billion = 10^9

This sounds like something from Star Trek. Some coffee?

Whatever RwGPS says I'm sure a week will be enough. Good luck!

 

[Dogtrousers]

October done. Some strong headwinds to start off as I headed SW out of SE London towards Gatwick, but when I turned this became a tail/cross that helped me in the direction of Sevenoaks. Then the rain came down when I turned North for the last third of the ride. Took less than 292 billion years.

Had to miss the rugby but with a streak of 46 monthly centuries to defend it had to be done.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

November done in the company of @13 rider

First 40 miles in cracking weather, then 20 miles of wet to the cafe and then another very wet 20 miles before it finally stopped. Roads obviously very very wet and dirty. I got home very wet and dirty, had to wash my hair three times.

Now showered and can relax in front of the telly

 

[13 rider]

As above November's done it was a tad wet . But after leaving it late last month it's nice to have it in the bag . A bare minimum of 100.16 miles that was enough today

 

[Soltydog]

had to wash my hair three times.

The joys of getting older, I'll never have to do that I'm lucky if I wash mine 3 times a week

 

[rb58]

November's in the bag. Half a dozen or so of us mixed it with the veteran cars on the annual London to Brighton run. I've done this a few times now and it never fails to be one of the highlights of the year. All the drivers and their passengers are really friendly, the crowds cheers everyone (including us - although it helps to have someone on a bent riding with you), and there's loads of other interesting machinery on the roads, or parked up alongside the route. We were even served home made scones with all the trimmings by a random lady as we re-grouped by a roundabout.

Here's a picture of @ianrauk on his latest bike - although he never stopped moaning about it having red spokes instead of blue ones.

Seriously, stick it in your diaries for 2020. It's a cracking day.

 

[ianrauk]

As above. November's qualifying ride on the bag with a fantastic vintage vehicle run.

So 1 more month to go for a 9th gold star.

 

[Aravis]

Yesterday was as close as you can get to a perfect early winter's day. The wind was accurately forecast to start in the south west and turn to the north east in the middle of the day. At times it struggled to shift the flags, but it was there!

With that sort of forecast I'd always do something along the Evesham/Stratford-upon-Avon axis. On the way back, instead of approaching Worcester from the north via Holt Fleet as I've often done I rounded it to the south, and found a curvy little road between the villages of Bredicot and Crowle, twisting its way up the hillside as though it were in the mountains.

Also the first fieldfares of the winter, and some unconvincing pictures for this month's photographic competition. And I should now be just one month away from an Audax RRtY - never again.

 

[Soltydog]

Got mine done today. Not a bad day at all, a touch on the cold side, but just a gentle breeze all day. Plotted a route to bag a few VV tiles & get the mileage in & worked out reasonably well, apart from one village 20 miles in, the road was just a sea of mud . In hindsight I may have been better to walk the 1/2 mile on the verge, rather than getting the bike blathered up. The drivetrain didn't sound too good for a while & I did consider sacrificing my buff to clean the chain & cassette up, but it settled down a bit after a few miles. Bike needs a damn good clean now

 

[StuAff]

Also done mine today. I'm on leave this week, and forecast for today looked about the best for a ride. A couple of showers during the day, and more prolonged rain on the last stretch, but otherwise it was as good as it gets for November, really mild. Started off thinking of that old trope, Brighton and back, but decided to do something a bit different. Turned back west from Littlehampton, down to Bognor then back to Chichester, west as far as Emsworth, then north west to Horndean and Hambledon before looping west back to Pompey. Down to Southsea seafront before usual Jackson Pollock GPS doodling to get the mileage into three figures.

 

[Trickedem]

Got the November ride in yesterday.
Almost perfect conditions for a November. Although the temperatures didn't get much above 7 degrees, the sun came out and it was very pleasant.
I did quite a bit of my Medway Marvellous 200km Audax route, stopping in Forest Row for breakfast. I then went to Bedgebury National Pinetum to admire the autumn scenery.
Only downside was going on the A21 which resulting in some beeping and feffing and jeffing from me. Its a very dangerous road, that I will never go on again.