The Metric Century (100KM) A Month Challenge ChatZone

[ColinJ]

You lot are making me look lazy... I'll either have to pull my cycling finger out or start spending a lot more time with couch potatoes to look good in comparison!

 

[PeteXXX]

Congratulations to all who've completed the Metric Ton challenge!

Sadly, I had to pack it in after 10 qualifying rides. (Although I've done about 19 100k + rides this year)
A knackered knee in October and a car accident in December didn't help the cause

 

[StuartG]

A confession - this year I may be cheating - or think I may be.

I completed the challenge on December 14th and proudly went to enter my final ride. I couldn't find the rides to date at first - because the last recorded ride was in October. But I was sure I had done a November ride - but could I find a record of one? Nope. it looks like old age has completely muddled my mind.

I couldn't face the disappointment and the next day I was off on holiday so I let it be. But it has been niggling me. However, I did do a 100km plus in November. It was the 100 miles Veteran Car Chase to Brighton'n'back as part of my first Lunacy challenge. Last year I had included my 100 milers in my 100km challenge but this year I had not. So I'm asking for your indulgence in sharing this one.

The challenges have pushed my cycling over the four years to new highs and perhaps the concentration of doing a record 13 imperial centuries was excuse for the lapse. Will you be forgiving and allowing me a slightly tarnished silver star for 2019?

 

[13 rider]

I can't see any problem @StuartG you rode a distance over the 100km every month for the year . No tarnish on the star for me

 

[StuartG]

I can't see any problem @StuartG you rode a distance over the 100km every month for the year . No tarnish on the star for me

Very kind of you. I've done the sig. Happy New Riding Year to everyone!

 

[Sbudge]

Final 100km of the year done on 27th and it was a goody. Mt. Teide via the northern route. The first 15km or so (through Santa Cruz and Laguna) was a bit of a grind but after that the ride all the way up to the observatory was just fabulous (albeit rather tiring) ... and of course then there's the solid hour of descending afterwards!

 

[ColinJ]

I have got my 2020 campaign off to a relatively simple start, 50% of it being up and down the A646, the other half being more interesting out into the Ribble Valley and back. I got caught in evening traffic coming back up the A646 which made it even less pleasant. I think it will be 'Plan B' next time - skip the A646 by catching a train to Rose Grove (and back), and use the extra 30 km on more pleasant roads!

I have done very little on the bike since the end of October. Even though the route was undemanding by local standards (~ 1,400 m of ascent in 101 kms), I could really feel the missing fitness.

The thing that really hurt though was that I have had backache for 3 days. (I fell asleep in an awkward position and somehow put my back/neck out.) I was in discomfort as soon as I got out of bed this morning, and spending over 7 hours on the bike made it feel MUCH worse... I had to wait nearly 6 hours to have a shower after getting home because I wasn't able to stand up straight. In fact I struggled to even get off my bike and get my front door open!

I feel a lot better now after the delayed shower, food, and a few hours rest.

 

[gbs]

This morning I glimpsed a post that offered a summary of the year's endeavours by CCFers but it disappeared before I could open the attachment. Where is it? Or, did I dream?

 

[Sea of vapours]

@ColinJ
Looking at your route from the 8th, we must have been in danger of passing each other somewhere to the north of Longridge Fell. Just out of interest, what time were you in the Chipping area? As you can see from my Strava link on the ride thread, I was there in the early afternoon, passing south of Chipping c.1300.

 

[ColinJ]

@ColinJ
Looking at your route from the 8th, we must have been in danger of passing each other somewhere to the north of Longridge Fell. Just out of interest, what time were you in the Chipping area? As you can see from my Strava link on the ride thread, I was there in the early afternoon, passing south of Chipping c.1300.

I thought that myself when I read details of your ride! That was about the time that Littgull and I stopped in Chipping. We sat on the benches in front of the church for snacks and a chat, before setting off round to Waddington.

 

[Sea of vapours]

A near miss then. Shame to have missed you. I trundled through Waddington at 1336.

 

[ColinJ]

A near miss then. Shame to have missed you. I trundled through Waddington at 1336.

I didn't keep the tracklog for the ride but we must have been there within about 30 minutes of you!

'Cobbled Corner' cafe in Chipping was closed for the day (there was an apologetic notice in the window) and when we got to Waddington we found that new owners of the 'Country Kitchen' cafe have closed it for refurbishment. We thought about calling at a cafe in Whalley but decided not to bother.

We stopped for 15 minutes in the car park at Spring Wood, above Whalley to finish off the snacks we were carrying, then we headed off up to Old Roman Rd for the scenic route to Padiham which avoids the busy A671. We did a short section of the A646 in Padiham but then use the excellent Padiham Greenway to get to Rose Grove. Unfortunately the A646 back to Tod is not very nice in traffic. The road itself between Walk Mill and Todmorden is fine if you use it at a quiet time, it's just that quiet times are getting harder to find these days!

 

[Brandane]

I'm out of the starting blocks - and it was harder than I remember! Didn't help that I chose to use my MTB as I knew part of the route was off road. The wind was a pain at times too, and of course assisted for small sections too. Nice to get it out of the way though as the weather forecast is very grim for as far as they forecast - wind and rain plus more of the same. Now I can concentrate on the next task, a tax return .

 

[Sea of vapours]

'Cobbled Corner' cafe in Chipping was closed for the day (there was an apologetic notice in the window) and when we got to Waddington we found that new owners of the 'Country Kitchen' cafe have closed it for refurbishment. We thought about calling at a cafe in Whalley but decided not to bother.

All these places must be operating on the basis that the beginning of January is not peak season. They may have a point of course. I'd not have been able to stop for long anyway, even had we crossed paths - I only had two thinnish layers on and was cooling down rather rapidly so my stops were limited to about 2-3 minutes. Even colder today but some beautiful light, much enhanced by snow on the tops above about 500m :-) Weather's certainly looking a bit grim for the next week or more though :-(

 

[ColinJ]

Yes, it was rather chilly in the wind, and especially when not generating warmth through exertion.

I don't think I have seen any snow so far this winter. TBH, I would rather have crisp, cold sunny days than the milder, dreary overcast damp ones, as long as there were ice on the roads.

I had only taken a superficial look at next week's forecast (rain/cloud/sun symbols and temperatures) but on closer inspection the wind forecast doesn't look brilliant for cycling!