The Metric Century (100KM) A Month Challenge ChatZone

[StuartG]

I had most unethical run out the the Isle of Grain and back planned for New Years day. Unfortunately I spent new years eve and new years day in bed with gentleman's infulenza. But I'm still planning an unethical start to 2019 when I'm able.

Would that be an IC? Do you want unethical company (ride, not bed)? I'm nearby (Sydenham).

 

[Fiona R]

Bah! Hills are a waste of space. I follow the traditions of our most glorious Victorian railway engineers (well - their lines or river valleys) to actually get somewhere without sounding like an old Pate with a leaking cylinder.

Does that mean I should replace my stars with a tarnished variant?

So our run on Sat was a lot of hills the first half to reach the flat engineered Two Tunnels and Bath to Bristol Railway paths. We hit Welford and OH was already muttering that we should be on the flat half by now, that was when we found the path was closed between Welford and Mitford due to a "shoot" and had to do two more hills. my husband is an engineer.

I think oxidised iron stars could be a thing, a shabby chic 100km a month prize to appreciate the great engineers of efficiency.

 

[Noodle Legs]

I’m new to this challenge having done just the half century for the last two years and off the mark with a cold club ride into the Derbyshire Dales, a beautiful route with some challenging climbs in places.

Had to cut the ride short though due to a family emergency so 16km less than originally planned but still over the line in what was otherwise a great ride with great company with sunny but cold weather to boot!

https://www.strava.com/activities/2059713822/shareable_images/map_based?hl=en-US&v=1546781482

https://www.relive.cc/view/2059713822

 

[Sbudge]

Due to a recurring ankle injury, I won't be able to complete a Dec 100km ride, I've been told not to over strain my ankle, so that is only 57 rides for me in this year's challenge.

Obviously, this means that I won't be competing in the 2019 challenge.

Happy Cycling 2019.

Oh no! That's really rotten. I'm sorry. I can only wish you the speediest of recoveries!

 

[Lilliburlero]

I’m new to this challenge having done just the half century for the last two years and off the mark with a cold club ride into the Derbyshire Dales, a beautiful route with some challenging climbs in places.

Had to cut the ride short though due to a family emergency so 16km less than originally planned but still over the line in what was otherwise a great ride with great company with sunny but cold weather to boot!

https://www.strava.com/activities/2059713822/shareable_images/map_based?hl=en-US&v=1546781482

https://www.relive.cc/view/2059713822

Was hoping you would be having a go at this challenge Chris, you`ll smash it buddy

 

[Noodle Legs]

Was hoping you would be having a go at this challenge Chris, you`ll smash it buddy

Cheers mate! Hopefully we’ll get a few in together eh?

 

[ColinJ]

My January ride has been pencilled in for Friday. The forecast is currently looking okay so @Littgull and I are aiming to do a tour of the local hills without having to risk encountering any icy patches. I just plotted the route and it came in at 102 km. I guessed it would be just shy of 2,000 m of ascent but my software reckons it is nearer 2,300 m. I think the software usually overstates it by 10-15% so I'll see what my GPS makes of it.

 

[Sbudge]

I’m new to this challenge having done just the half century for the last two years and off the mark with a cold club ride into the Derbyshire Dales, a beautiful route with some challenging climbs in places.

Had to cut the ride short though due to a family emergency so 16km less than originally planned but still over the line in what was otherwise a great ride with great company with sunny but cold weather to boot!

https://www.strava.com/activities/2059713822/shareable_images/map_based?hl=en-US&v=1546781482

https://www.relive.cc/view/2059713822

Go for it Chris, it's a fun challenge.

 

[Noodle Legs]

Thanks @Sbudge, looking back at last year only a couple of months let me down otherwise I’d have done it then too!

 

[Fiona R]

Account opened, glorious day if a tad cold. Up onto Mendips via Burrington Coombe, down to Glastonbury (not too many odd smells today!) Managed to miss Sweets Tearooms, but stopped at a lovely deli cafe in Wedmore. 5 of us so sociable.

 

[derrick]

Can i play, First 100 done Yesterday.
https://www.strava.com/activities/2064136969

 

[ColinJ]

My January ride has been pencilled in for Friday. The forecast is currently looking okay so @Littgull and I are aiming to do a tour of the local hills without having to risk encountering any icy patches. I just plotted the route and it came in at 102 km. I guessed it would be just shy of 2,000 m of ascent but my software reckons it is nearer 2,300 m. I think the software usually overstates it by 10-15% so I'll see what my GPS makes of it.

Done!

We made a slight change to the route when we discovered that the cafe in Wilsden that we planned to go to was booked for a private function. We went instead to the cafe at Coldspring Mill in Cullingworth. I would definitely go there again.

The ride still came in at 102 km. My GPS tells me that we did 2,250 m of climbing and that is about what it felt like. Some of the climbs were a bit, er, tough!

I had inadvertently included a really nasty double whammy between Oakworth and Haworth Brow. The road plummets down into a valley from Oakworth and then immediately ramps back up Lord Lane to Haworth. Lord Lane got its name from the phrase uttered by the first cyclist who cycled up it ... "Oh Lord, what have I done to deserve THIS!"

We plunged back down the side of the park in Haworth to the steam railway station and then attacked a 20% ramp back up to Haworth Brow and onwards to Black Moor.

No problem - it is bound to ease off round that bend ...

Oh - it didn't!

My clot-battered body started to complain on this second ramp but I suddenly noticed that there was a fascinating flat parking area just off the road which needed to be examined more closely before I could proceed!

I cycled into Bramble Close and examined some fine Yorkshire wheelie bins and parked vehicles ...

Brian asked what I was doing. "A rest or arrest!", I replied. "A rest or a rest?", he queried. "No - a rest or arrest - a cardiac arrest!", I joked.

I did a couple of loops of the car park and then reemerged onto Brow Rd to complete the ramp.

Ouch!

It wasn't too cold and we only had a few short spells of mist and drizzle to contend with.

We did finish in the rush hour in the dark, which wasn't much fun, but overall another good day out on the bikes.

 

[gbs]

I hesitate to mention my almost flat ride today given the above 2000m+ vertical gain posted by Colin J - it must be those splemdid Campag Neutrons.

For me, 102k with just over 1000m of v gain; second 100k ride this month

 

[ColinJ]

I hesitate to mention my almost flat ride today given the above 2000m+ vertical gain posted by Colin J - it must be those splemdid Campag Neutrons.

For me, 102k with just over 1000m of v gain; second 100k ride this month

I wish - I was on my chunky cyclocross bike and could feel every extra kg!

I made the mistake of using those gbs-supplied Neutrons on my CAAD 5 best bike last winter and wore an alarming amount of the front rim away on salt and grit-covered roads - there is no option but to brake hard on those steep descents. It is strictly a fair-weather bike now. The disk brakes on the CX bike does away with the problem of rim wear and big mudguards keep 99% of the crud off me and the bike.

 

[Fiona R]

So the 100 on Wednesday was a bit of a try out for yesterday. Managed to complete the Chalke and Cheese 200km audax. Just. My first bash at any extensive night riding (except for local riding/commuting) which was inevitable given I only just got round in audax time. Somerset Wiltshire and Dorset finishing with a night ride up Cheddar Gorge, fortunately Wedmore to Cheddar and back to Bristol mostly on known roads. My first winter 200km, although warm for the time of year the very strong westerly was very taxing on the third long section from Broad Chalke to Wedmore. Feeling pretty pleased with myself. Scrape in at the back job, not a PBP contender!