The Imperial Century A Month Challenge Chatzone

[Dogtrousers]

Well today's ride was fantastic.

I rode to Brighton, but I took in lots of climbs - Toy's Hill, Kidd's Hill, Steyning Bostal, Devil's Dyke and the Beacon.

Unfortunately I lost a chunk about 5k/3mile long because my GPS got stuck on pause for some reason. But even without that it was just over 100 miles. I'll post it in the main thread when I've worked out the proper distance. About 104 miles.

It took me flipping ages - over 11 hours. Partly because of the hills, partly because I'm slow anyway, and partly because of excessive faffing stops.

I also took in more cycle paths than usual and many of the were really good - in Burgess Hill, Lancing and the bit by the golf course on the way into Brighton.

The great thing was that I wasn't particularly tired at the end, and was ready for more. On many of my long rides this year I've been wasted. This may be because I'm regaining my pre lockdown legs. It may also be because I was taking it really easy because I was concerned about the three big hills at the end.

Anyway, that's enough from me.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

My August qualifier is done. I went out on Tuesday and it was mostly a repeat of last month's route as my number of rides since the last one is still quite low. It was a beautiful day for it but the heat got to me more than expected after I'd done about 65 miles so the last third was a bit of an effort (probably still some post-covid effects).

The write up is over in the "Your Ride Today" thread as usual: https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/your-ride-today.173254/post-6787901

 

[robjh]

Got August's done this morning, or maybe better to say last night as I started at midnight and finished in time for elevensies.

I was volunteering on LEL last week, and partially inspired by thoughts (maybe crazy ones) of riding it in 2025 I decided that I should try solo night riding - I've done many overnight rides in groups but never the whole night alone. So I caught the last train to Birmingham, arr. 2344, had a quick ride round the city centre to see how things have changed since I was last here, then set off on the ride proper at about 10 minutes past midnight.
I enjoyed the first part, to Kenilworth and the Leamington area on roads that I used to know well, but then found the 'Welsh Road' down towards Milton Keynes to be longer than I recalled, and seemed slower than in the daytime, with a succession of small dark and sometimes bumpy lanes. It rained at about 3am and I stopped in a rural bus shelter for a sandwich break. From Stoney Stratford onwards I was in the light, and craving coffee as the first shops began to open, so that was a couple more stops.

It was an overcast and starless sky and I kept wishing that dawn would arrive, but I finished feeling that it had been a very good ride, though generally I think I will choose daylight!
strava here

pictures : bus-stop break, and Milton Keynes cycle paths in the early light

 

[13 rider]

August's ride done and dusted . 102 miles out north of Nottingham to grab a tricky veloviewer square I'd missed the last time I was that way . Quickest ton of the year so far snuck under 7 hours despite not feeling great and feeling like my legs were near cramping after 60 miles but the least climbing I've done may have helped

 

[ianrauk]

Like @13 rider , August's qualifying ride done and dusted today.
A really lovely day's cycling down to Brighton for brunch... and back. Taking in one of my favourite cycling roads, Handcross to Stapleford. I also did the Beacon, it's been a few years since I last did it. It's still a good climb. Not too tough, not easy either.
So, scores on the doors.
124 miles for the day. Bagging a good few future Eddingtons. Just need 1 more 115 for that number.
Imperial century #314. Imperial Century month #141 in a row.

 

[Trickedem]

Left home at 7am to ride down to Gravesend and catch the ferry over to Tilbury. Then did a loop around Essex, taking in the delights of Canvey Island and some other much nicer places. Nice to get this done, as I am busy for the rest of the week. Tilbury is a strange place, I came across this donkey just wandering around on a main road.

The beach at Canvey is very nice. I wish I'd taken my trunks

 

[robjh]

Left home at 7am to ride down to Gravesend and catch the ferry over to Tilbury. Then did a loop around Essex, taking in the delights of Canvey Island and some other much nicer places. Nice to get this done, as I am busy for the rest of the week. Tilbury is a strange place, I came across this donkey just wandering around on a main road.
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The beach at Canvey is very nice. I wish I'd taken my trunks

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The roadside horses on the approaches to Tilbury always intrigue me too, as do the piles of old fridges and general detritus on corners. These are some photos from earlier this summer

 

[Trickedem]

Definitely, the worst place I have ever come across for fly tipping

 

[Fiona R]

Just added Augusts and realised I'd not linked July's. July was a bit stressful with visitors (only stressful re getting RRtY/Imperial; done., Family from all over visiting, graduation etc). so I planned to ride a nice hilly calendar audax (Canal Boats and Mountain Roads) of 160km and rode to and from the start in Chepstow on the last Saturday. I did the distance but was out of time for audax points. It was a great route but an awful lot of controls and fiddly route confusion. so I had to goo out and do another on the last day of the month just before my daughter and family reappeared from Scotland where they had been in our van (live overseas) Fortunately Canal boats counts for Imperial and I did get my RRtY.

Yesterday another DIY as daughter returned home last week and we were away last weekend having pootly rides in Warwickshire (good enough for 50km challenge). I combined bits of several iconic Bristol audax into a big Somerset/Gloucestershire loop. Bits of Barry's Butt Buster, Avon Cycleway, Tasty Cheddar, Jack and Grace and various others overlapping. One café stop at the bottom of Cheddar Gorge (as per Tasty Cheddar) and a quick stop at the village shop in Hawkesbury Upton. After Berkeley, I routed myself back over the suspension bridge (although I was going other way round to Butt Buster) which meant dropping all the way down from Blaise then slogging all the way up to Clifton Downs through Stoke Bishop, interesting to see it was the first time I'd done that route in homeward direction. Was really cursing myself, normally I just take the easy option along the river! Big whoosh down through Ashton Court to finish.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

I've got my qualifier in early this month. 101.08 miles done yesterday on yet another route around North Shropshire. I really need to get my fitness levels back up so I can manage some of the hillier stuff in the south of the county.

Ride report here for those who like them: https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/your-ride-today.173254/post-6803990

 

[Supersuperleeds]

I've got my qualifier in early this month. 101.08 miles done yesterday on yet another route around North Shropshire. I really need to get my fitness levels back up so I can manage some of the hillier stuff in the south of the county.

Ride report here for those who like them: https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/your-ride-today.173254/post-6803990

Nothing wrong with avoiding hills, though in winter they are a good way to get you a bit warmer.

 

[Dogtrousers]

And September done.

I rode out to the old A3 round the Devil's Punchbowl. Since completion of the Hindhead tunnel it's been transformed into a recreational trail. And it's rather lovely. The old road was just two lanes wide, so it was a terrible bottleneck on the main London-Portsmouth route. So I relived memories of sitting in traffic jams there and worrying that we were going to miss our ferry from Portsmouth.

Then I headed at warp speed to Crawley for a train home.

 

[ianrauk]

Today's cycling shenanigans. A solo ride through some of Kent's best and nicest highways & byeways. Plenty of familiar roads I know well and a good few new ones too. The weather at 7am this morning was surprisingly very mild at 16°. It stayed nice and warm all day without getting too hot, making for a very pleasant days cycling.
So, scores on the doors.
121 of your imperial miles. September's monthly imperial century qualifying ride done and dusted.
Imperial Century month #142 in a row.

Leigh nr Tonbridge

Sissinghurst

One of the nicest roads in Kent, through a village called Chainhurst.

 

[Fiona R]

Today's cycling shenanigans. A solo ride through some of Kent's best and nicest highways & byeways. Plenty of familiar roads I know well and a good few new ones too. The weather at 7am this morning was surprisingly very mild at 16°. It stayed nice and warm all day without getting too hot, making for a very pleasant days cycling.
So, scores on the doors.
121 of your imperial miles. September's monthly imperial century qualifying ride done and dusted.
Imperial Century month #142 in a row.
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Leigh nr Tonbridge
View attachment 659954
Sissinghurst
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View attachment 659956

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One of the nicest roads in Kent, through a village called Chainhurst.
View attachment 659958

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Only 142! Inspiration, as are your lovely photos and love of all things bike.

 

[ianrauk]

Only 142! Inspiration, as are your lovely photos and love of all things bike.

Thanks