The Metric Century (100KM) A Month Challenge ChatZone

[cosmicbike]

Got a 2nd 100km ride in for July today, not really intended but after pedalling to Wembley Stadium this morning it only needed a minor 5 mile diversion on the end to make up the miles.
If this weather continues it will be more 0530 starts to beat the heat..

 

[Sbudge]

Lovely Sunday gravel-bashing. Took the Slate out for some trails, I do like that bike! It's about 5-10% slower than my lighter roadies but more than makes up for it when it means I can tackle rutted, rooted, forest dirt paths. :-) Mind you I do feel it in the legs more this morning.

 

[Sea of vapours]

This weather which allows long, point to point, rides is soooo much better than most 'summers'. Overcast today, crossing the North Pennines and Dales, but almost entirely dry and it always looked safely as if any rain would be minimal.

I enjoyed the sign near the bottom of Chapel Fell, crossing from Weardale into Teesdale: 'Cyclists: this route is liable to poor weather conditions at all times' - that's nice and comprehensive. Given that it tops out at 623m and is supposedly the highest paved pass in England, that has a very strong ring of truth about it. Compared to the relatively manicured and cosy Yorkshire Dales, these North Pennines high passes have a decidedly 'out there' feel to them; nothing much to see but moorland in all directions - dramatic bleakness with just an edge of being daunting, even in relatively fair, stable weather.

 

[ColinJ]

My cousin drove us out to Whitby yesterday to do some sight-seeing. It was the first time that I got a good look at the NY Moors. They definitely look worth exploring by bike, but also VERY tough!

 

[Sea of vapours]

but also VERY tough!

I understand that they are rumoured to have the odd mildly steep bit of road every so often ... ;-)

I've walked across them, and they seem pretty 'flat' (for generously interpreted values of 'flat' at least'), but looking at a few climb profiles, they're definitely rather challenging.

 

[GuyBoden]

Part of my ride today was on the Chester Millennium Greenway, very flat and gets you into the city centre, but there are a lot of pedestrians and other bike users, so it's very slow going, even for me.

Their "Tube" style map was a bit confusing:

 

[13 rider]

July done a 103 mile ride in Cornwall . Battery went on gps after 95 miles
https://www.strava.com/activities/1711141773
I'm posting a Strava link as most of the time I had no idea were I was . Found a route of the coast and clays Sportive and followed that . Some superb scenery from beautiful coast lines to the strange beauty of the industrial are around the clay mines to the edge of Bodmin moor . A tough ride with with 8300 ft of upness which is fairly fast at around 83ft per mile most rides have been over the 100ft

 

[Bazzer]

July done, but I could feel my legs were not sparkling from the outset, so took it steady.
About 30 km of drizzle, which fortunately felt refreshing on my upper body and exposed arms, as I did not have a rain jacket, but my feet were less than enamoured getting damp as I was without overshoes.
As I rode into Knutsford and Tatton Park and back out again, I saw many riders participating in a sportive which appears to have been the Cheshire ride 100 sportive.. Personal opinion of course, but I can't help feeling the organisers might have chosen a another day. There are normally many cyclists on the roads around Knutsford and Tatton Park, but putting dozens more on the roads on the final day of the RHS northern flower show in Tatton Park might have frayed a few tempers on both sides. Particularly as at 9.30 or so, lines of traffic were starting to clog the entrances to the park.

 

[Katherine]

July done, but I could feel my legs were not sparkling from the outset, so took it steady.
About 30 km of drizzle, which fortunately felt refreshing on my upper body and exposed arms, as I did not have a rain jacket, but my feet were less than enamoured getting damp as I was without overshoes.
As I rode into Knutsford and Tatton Park and back out again, I saw many riders participating in a sportive which appears to have been the Cheshire ride 100 sportive.. Personal opinion of course, but I can't help feeling the organisers might have chosen a another day. There are normally many cyclists on the roads around Knutsford and Tatton Park, but putting dozens more on the roads on the final day of the RHS northern flower show in Tatton Park might have frayed a few tempers on both sides. Particularly as at 9.30 or so, lines of traffic were starting to clog the entrances to the park.

Did you see our group ( 6 of us with the red and blue Salford jerseys ) , we went round Knutsford about 11 ish heading for TreeTops Nursery on the (A50 between Lower and Over Peover)?
There were certainly a lot of groups out today. We passed the cyclists on a tri event as well as the ones in the Ride It event on our way home via Mobberly and Ashley.
Like you we rode in the drizzle in our short sleaves beacuase it was too hot to do anything else. I didn't like the soggy feet either, but they were warm soggy feet!

 

[Bazzer]

Did you see our group ( 6 of us with the red and blue Salford jerseys ) , we went round Knutsford about 11 ish heading for TreeTops Nursery on the (A50 between Lower and Over Peover)?
There were certainly a lot of groups out today. We passed the cyclists on a tri event as well as the ones in the Ride It event on our way home via Mobberly and Ashley.
Like you we rode in the drizzle in our short sleaves beacuase it was too hot to do anything else. I didn't like the soggy feet either, but they were warm soggy feet!

No, sorry. I was back home just before 11 for domestic duties. Other than those in the events, the main group I saw was a rather loud, fast chain group. I came across them between Whitley and Arley, when they were stopped for a break. Then heard them again going down Arley Road as I headed towards High Legh. As I stopped for a sandwich on Swineyard Lane, they came past me and that was the last I saw of them.

 

[Sbudge]

Went for a little pootle down into Kent (from NW London) yesterday. Plotted my route, as usual, on RWGPS and didn't think twice that it took me right past Buckingham Palace... on a warm and sunny Sunday morning... on the first weekend of the school holidays... when there was a changing of the guard ceremony!

Ever tried pushing your bike through crowds of gawking tourists? It was not nice. Rest of the ride was lovely though.

 

[cosmicbike]

Went for a little pootle down into Kent (from NW London) yesterday. Plotted my route, as usual, on RWGPS and didn't think twice that it took me right past Buckingham Palace... on a warm and sunny Sunday morning... on the first weekend of the school holidays... when there was a changing of the guard ceremony!

Every tried pushing your bike through crowds of gawking tourists? It was not nice. Rest of the ride was lovely though.

Yep. Did that on the London Sightseer Audax, absolute chaos!

 

[Sbudge]

Yep. Did that on the London Sightseer Audax, absolute chaos!

I'm glad it's not just me that's daft!

 

[tallliman]

Can't remember the last time I saw the changing of the guard! Must've been 20+ years ago!

 

[ColinJ]

After checking weather forecasts, I moved my Arnside ride to yesterday instead of doing it today. Littgull and I enjoyed perfect weather for the ride and today has had some really horrid storms in the area in question so we definitely did the right thing.

172 kms ridden with 2,500 metres of ascent. (If you insist on sticking to illogical and antiquated units, then that is about 107 miles and 8,200 ft of climbing! )

I could have extended my ride to a double metric century in the time that we spent waiting for a train back but (a) I needed lights and hadn't taken any and (b) I'd had enough by then anyway. I just wanted to unwind after a hard but satisfying ride. 28 kms more on A-roads in the dark, including yet another hill wasn't going to fill me with joy!