The Imperial Century A Month Challenge Chatzone

[footloose crow]

September done, three more to go!

Lovely sunny day, the last lingering caress of summer. Blue skies, moderate breezes, quiet lanes. Unfortunately my route encompassed some unquiet lanes and Cornwall is still busy. September is called the month of 'the newly wed and the nearly dead'. and there are plenty of them. Tour buses attempting to navigate the narrow B road that runs along the north coast between Sennen and St Ives demonstrated how poor some people are at reversing but at least I got a rest. At other times the Garmin Varia just kept beeping away every thirty seconds. Next month will be better.

Can't decide whether to do this challenge again next year. Stubborness has kept me going this year but I have only really got two or maybe three routes to choose from for 100+ mile rides. I do find that when I know every hill, every bend, every junction, even every breathtaking view in the next forty kilometres that the sense of 'cycling as exploration' becomes 'cycling as a job'. You just want to get it done and get home.

I could take a train and cycle back but GWR insist on bike bookings and they only have 4 spaces per train. I would need to book a couple of weeks ahead for the early morning train and that conflicts with my usual weather watching for a window of opportunity. Worth considering though. I will also look at some bike packing trips (with hotels!) next year to include century rides. Different scenery will add interest.

The view from Lands End towards the Isles of Scilly. Beautiful scenery in Cornwall but actually quite restricted for long rides due to being long and thin. There were dolphins playing down by the rocks.

 

[robjh]

@footloose crow
Have you checked the GWR rules for bikes recently? I inquired at the ticket office in Penzance this time last year and was told that the reservations policy had been changed to be advisory only. Then this year I took an unbooked bike from Truro to Penzance, and only last month I witnessed two mountain bikers stand with their bikes in the door area on a GWR express train near Taunton - they said they always do this and have no problems.
Of course there is no practical restriction on the branch lines, but they probably don't help you much in planning long rides.

 

[robjh]

October's done, today Thursday 3rd.

I rode from home, near Cambridge, down to Brighton via London, stopping in at my sister's in Reigate for lunch and a natter, and approaching Brighton over the Devil's Dyke, rather than Ditchling Beacon which I have done numerous times. The climb is slightly easier, and you are treated to more impressive views when you're up there - and there are also refreshments of sorts at the summit in the form of a pub, and an ice-cream van that serves coffee and simple snacks.
Much of the day was cooler than I'd expected, but when the sun did come out later in the afternoon it turned quite warm, and the views from the Dyke in the late sunshine were wonderful.
My other take-away from this ride : riding through Greater London is slow. I did nearly 40 miles crossing suburbs+city+suburbs, and although I saw some new and vaguely interesting parts, esp. in N London which I don't know so well, the traffic and constant traffic lights don't help.

121 miles; my 153rd century ever, and 70th consecutive month.


On Devil's Dyke

Hove seafront

 

[Supersuperleeds]

October done, 100.3 miles to Lincoln, my pace has dropped off a cliff, mind you I do know my rear wheel is not true, as I pick up speed I can feel it.

I’ve never got on with these wheels, I’ve already prepped swmbo that I’m getting a new set next spring. After today it might be quicker, though I’ll get the LBS to see if they can do something on the wheel for now.

 

[ianrauk]

Got my October ride done today also. Met up with @rb58 for a ride to Southend for breakfast. Back to Dartford then back into the Kent countryside for lumpy, rolling roads to make up the 100.
Great weather for this time of year, a coldish start but soon warmed up very nicely with some nice, warm sunshine.
Imperial century #345
Century month #167 in a row.

Southend Pier

 

[13 rider]

My October's done , 103 miles to North of Nottingham and return , definitely winter chill this morning , 2 to go ,

 

[Supersuperleeds]

My October's done , 103 miles to North of Nottingham and return , definitely winter chill this morning , 2 to go ,

How was the Newstead Abbey square grab? I'd been looking at actually riding through the Abbey grounds to get it.

 

[13 rider]

How was the Newstead Abbey square grab? I'd been looking at actually riding through the Abbey grounds to get it.

If it's the square I got today , absolutely no issue it's actually part of NC route 6 , it's just off the cycle path we rode on I think going up to Harrogate

 

[footloose crow]

The bike was tired and needed a rest....

October completed with one day left!

With a trip to Majorca in the middle of the month and various domestic duties I was getting worried this month's ride wouldn't happen.

But it was clear and still today - if a somewhat moody, ethereal light shining through a thin layer of stratus - and there could be no excuses. I had plotted some new lanes so I would get a change of scenery but as they turned out to be even steeper hills than the hills I knew, I largely gazed at my stem and front wheel. I used the Camel Trail a bit just to reduce height gain and it was half term busy but everyone seemed happy to give way and were cheerful and happy. Only two close passes on the roads - out of county number plates I noticed. Not casting aspersions here, but the Cornish are not noted for doing anything quickly and this includes driving in a very leisurely fashion, so generally cars wait to pass or wave you through at junctions. Generally.....

So a good day, some nice roads, lovely misty low autumn light over the moors and I was back before it got properly dark. Next month I may have to start earlier to avoid a night ride on narrow, dirty lanes!

If this high pressure sticks around I may try to get the November ride in next week and that only leaves December.

And then I have to start all over again.....

Rough Tor on Bodmin Moor

Rough Tor a bit closer. Brown Willy is the highest point in Cornwall and lies hidden behind Rough Tor (pronounced row as in argument)

 

[Supersuperleeds]

November done. Ride out to Lowdham for fry up and back. 100.6 miles, no point doing more than required at this time of year. Saying that, it wasn’t cold, little wind, but the roads were filthy.

 

[13 rider]

Mines done as well 106 miles for me , Leicester out to Grantham and beyond . Lovely cafe stop in Castle Bytham then due to bad route planning a very lumpy 40 miles back home

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Mines done as well 106 miles for me , Leicester out to Grantham and beyond . Lovely cafe stop in Castle Bytham then due to bad route planning a very lumpy 40 miles back home

Rule one of planning a route. Click minimum elevation

 

[footloose crow]

November done - unintentionally

Today I agreed to meet a friend in Penzance who had promised to show me lots of quiet lanes that are unknown to most cyclists on a lovely loop around Penwith. A Cornish pasty part way round was also promised. Then I had to cycle back.

After fighting strong headwinds all the way, I could see as I was coming up to that last kilometre before home that I was on 148km. It was almost dark, but I had lights. Hmmm....so a (not especially flat!) additional 15km gave me the right distance to do my November ride. Just December left now.

This ride felt harder than the 200s I sometimes do, possibly because I have been doing spin and weights classes every day this week and maybe because it was cold and grey all day with strong, blustery winds. Plus thinking I was almost home and then adding another 45minutes didn't help!

This was the final stretch on very quiet lanes down to my house. Owls were hooting, branches thrashing around in the the wind and rabbits watching from the hedgerows. I think those were the eyes I could see anyway....

 

[ianrauk]

Today's cycling shenanigans.
A first Kent loop from our new home in Rochester. An early start in the dark. It was cold too, never reaching above 10° all day. But I wasn't cold. I got the clothing right. It stayed nice and dry with even the tiniest hint of sun, all for about 10 milliseconds. No wind to contend with either. Made for nice cycling pootling along the country lanes, highways and byways of Kent. Very busy out there with other cyclists too. The dry weather does bring them out.
So score on the doors.
122 miles for the day.
Imperial century #346.
Imperial century month 168 in a row. That's 14 years of monthly century rides in old money completed.

Cranbrook Windmill

 

[footloose crow]

Today's cycling shenanigans.
A first Kent loop from our new home in Rochester. An early start in the dark. It was cold too, never reaching above 10° all day. But I wasn't cold. I got the clothing right. It stayed nice and dry with even the tiniest hint of sun, all for about 10 milliseconds. No wind to contend with either. Made for nice cycling pootling along the country lanes, highways and byways of Kent. Very busy out there with other cyclists too. The dry weather does bring them out.
So score on the doors.
122 miles for the day.
Imperial century #346.
Imperial century month 168 in a row. That's 14 years of monthly century rides in old money completed.
View attachment 752259
Cranbrook Windmill
View attachment 752260

That is a very impressive record - usually life events get in the way. Good ride today too. Are you also doing RRTY?