Three 30-minute rides each week of the year Challenge 2024

[FrothNinja]

Was hoping to add a more interesting ride over the weekend but not to be - unless I go out later today.
W3R1 - Centurion 30mins - local miles.
W3R2 - Centurion 32 mins - local miles.
W3R3 - Centurion 35 mins - local miles.
W3R4 - Centurion 51mins - local miles.
Pic is one of the cars windows

 

[Tail End Charlie]

Phew managed it! Went out before the storms came and did a couple of hours, probably 25 miles or so. Sitting here now listening to the wind howling outside.
Week 3 done for me.
And so it starts tomorrow.......

 

[annedonnelly]

Two rides again this week.

I knew I should go out on Wednesday when it was a beautiful frosty day. Although everything was frozen solid there was no dangerous ice on the roads or paths and there was no wind. But I need to get out walking more to and I decided a couple of hours walk would be better than 30 minutes or so on the bike. Then the snow arrived overnight so I was left with trying to get a couple of rides in at the weekend.

I had a text from the doctor telling me I could have a flu jab so I rode to the surgery yesterday morning. The text turned out to be wrong,- I don't qualify - but once out I made an effort to come home the long way round. It was hard work riding the Elephant into a head wind but I managed about 30 minutes and almost 5 miles.

I thought the wind would put paid to any rides today but it turned out a decent morning. Slightly delayed by a short shower I took the Brompton out for a longer ride. About 7 miles and 50 minutes. The most enjoyable ride I've had for a while.

Fingers crossed the storm won't last too long so I can keep up the momentum.

 

[ColinJ]

I got a damp ride in this afternoon. It looks like conditions tomorrow for ride #3 will be a lot worse unless I get up much earlier than usual and do it before the heavy rain sets in.

In the end I didn't get to sleep until gone 4 a.m. so I definitely did not fancy the early option!

The forecast turned out to be accurate. It was miserable at noon. And an hour later. And an hour after that. It was pretty clear that the wind and rain was here for the day so I finally gave up waiting for a break and went out before it got dark. My neighbour saw me leaving and gave me a wry smile which clearly suggested that he thought I was/am mad. He's probably right!

I wasn't looking forward to going out into heavy rain, driven by strong blustery winds, and I definitely didn't like being out in heavy rain, driven by strong blustery winds... Funnily enough though, after getting back, having a shower, and relaxing in the warm with a snack and a pot of coffee, I started to feel really good. The power of healthy exercise, eh?

So that's another week done. I am slipping way behind on my weekly target of 100 km but I expected that in Jan/Feb. I will ramp up the distance as soon as the weather improves. [Checks next week's forecast...] Maybe I will do more next week, though probably not 100+ km?

*********

Week 3: 3 qualifying rides, 38 km, 2¼ hrs.

• Ride 1 (Mon): 15 km. Extended lumpy local loop. ¾ hr.
• Ride 2 (Sat): 12 km. Extended lumpy local loop. ¾ hr.
• Ride 3 (Sun): 11 km. Extended lumpy local loop. ¾ hr.

All in 42/15 gear on 6-er.

Success rate: 3 weeks out of 3.

9 qualifying rides so far this year. Total 109 km, of target 300 km (weekly target 100 km). Total ride time approximately 6½ hrs.

PS Special characters to copy and paste for ride durations - ¼ ½ ¾ !

 

[FrothNinja]

In the end I didn't get to sleep until gone 4 a.m. so I definitely did not fancy the early option!

The forecast turned out to be accurate. It was miserable at noon. And an hour later. And an hour after that. It was pretty clear that the wind and rain was here for the day so I finally gave up waiting for a break and went out before it got dark. My neighbour saw me leaving and gave me a wry smile which clearly suggested that he thought I was/am mad. He's probably right!

I wasn't looking forward to going out into heavy rain, driven by strong blustery winds, and I definitely didn't like being out in heavy rain, driven by strong blustery winds... Funnily enough though, after getting back, having a shower, and relaxing in the warm with a snack and a pot of coffee, I started to feel really good. The power of healthy exercise, eh?

So that's another week done. I am slipping way behind on my weekly target of 100 km but I expected that in Jan/Feb. I will ramp up the distance as soon as the weather improves. [Checks next week's forecast...] Maybe I will do more next week, though probably not 100+ km?

*********

Week 3: 3 qualifying rides, 38 km, 2¼ hrs.

• Ride 1 (Mon): 15 km. Extended lumpy local loop. ¾ hr.
• Ride 2 (Sat): 12 km. Extended lumpy local loop. ¾ hr.
• Ride 3 (Sun): 11 km. Extended lumpy local loop. ¾ hr.

All in 42/15 gear on 6-er.

Success rate: 3 weeks out of 3.

9 qualifying rides so far this year. Total 109 km, of target 300 km (weekly target 100 km). Total ride time approximately 6½ hrs.

PS Special characters to copy and paste for ride durations - ¼ ½ ¾ !

I'm not far ahead of you on annual distance - also failing to meet targets....

 

[FrothNinja]

W4R1 - Centurion 33mins - local miles.
W4R2 - Centurion 32 mins - local miles (2 miles more the R1).
W4R3 - Hybrid 1 hour 59 mins - Extended (out to Read) Clarion Loop - well over 2000ft of ascent.
Pic is from one of my fave things on my local rides - being demolished, the gits

 

[Tail End Charlie]

Managed another week (only just - see below account). Two short rides on Tuesday and Thursday.

Jodrell Bank in the distance.

Then today a bit of a disaster. Went out on the tandem to visit the in-laws and about half an hour after setting off - BANG, the front rim blew out. Fortunately wasn't going too fast at the time, so managed to stop OK. So I had to do the walk of shame home to collect my van and then the tandem, whilst my wife walked to her parents. The walk home took about an hour and a half. The tandem has a bike computer, which I had reset at the start of the ride and when I checked it it said the ride time had been 28 mins and 54 secs, so when I got home I got another bike out and rode up and down my drive. to get the 30 mins in! - PHEW. Only after that did I go to collect my wife - such dedication to the cause!

I'll own up to poor maintenance on this one. I had noticed that the rim was getting a bit concave and of course had done b****r all about it.

 

[annedonnelly]

Two qualifying rides again this week.

Pottered around up to Cramlington on Thursday afternoon. A nice sunny afternoon and I'm pleased that this thread is encouraging me to get out. Got very close to a heron looking for food just the other side of a fence. Normally they're too nervous to hang about and let you get close. It was still there when I came back but it saw me looking at it and flew over to the other side of the field. The ducks weren't bothered by me or the heron. About 11 miles and about 70 minutes.

Did more than 30 minutes yesterday but not in a single ride so I'll not count that.

Went out this morning intending just to tootle around town on the cycle paths. Unfortunately I hadn't been out long when I came across someone lying in the middle of a mini roundabout with police in attendance. I tried not to look at what was going on and I hope whoever it was is ok.

So I wasn't going to go back that way and changed my route a bit and headed across to the river and the cycle path that runs alongside it. Met another rider who warned me about a tree down up ahead, though he said it was passable. As it was I turned off before I reached it.

Started chatting to a neighbour when I got back but luckily remembered to check the time first - I know from experience he can talk for hours. About an hour's ride - 7 miles.

 

[ColinJ]

Week 4: 3 qualifying rides, 74 km, 4.5 hrs.

• Ride 1 (Fri): 11 km. Extended lumpy local loop. ¾ hr.
• Ride 2 (Sat): 11 km. Extended lumpy local loop. ½ hr.
• Ride 3 (Sun): 52 km. Tod, Shade, Walsden, Calderbrook, Caldermoor, Littleborough, A58 via Blackstone Edge, Blue Ball, Hubberton Green, High Stone Rd, VERY blustery chilly cross/headwind climb back up to Blackstone Edge (could only manage 10 km/hr into that), Littleborough, Walsden, Tod. 3¼ hrs.

Mostly in 42/15 gear on 6-er but I did need lower gears a few times on Sunday's ride.

Success rate: 4 weeks out of 4.

12 qualifying rides so far this year. Total 183 km, of target 400 km (weekly target 100 km). Total ride time approximately 11 hrs.

PS Special characters to copy and paste for ride durations - ¼ ½ ¾ !

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Managed another week (only just - see below account). Two short rides on Tuesday and Thursday.
View attachment 720097

Jodrell Bank in the distance.

Then today a bit of a disaster. Went out on the tandem to visit the in-laws and about half an hour after setting off - BANG, the front rim blew out. Fortunately wasn't going too fast at the time, so managed to stop OK. So I had to do the walk of shame home to collect my van and then the tandem, whilst my wife walked to her parents. The walk home took about an hour and a half. The tandem has a bike computer, which I had reset at the start of the ride and when I checked it it said the ride time had been 28 mins and 54 secs, so when I got home I got another bike out and rode up and down my drive. to get the 30 mins in! - PHEW. Only after that did I go to collect my wife - such dedication to the cause!
View attachment 720098
I'll own up to poor maintenance on this one. I had noticed that the rim was getting a bit concave and of course had done b****r all about it.

I cycled past you - twice - and couldn't think of a way to help.

About 10 minutes after the first encounter I realised I could have cycled home (about 30 minutes) and come back with my car which has a tandem carrier on the roof (whose doesn't?).

Very lucky that didn't happen on a descent, you must have done a few miles on it.

 

[Tail End Charlie]

I cycled past you - twice - and couldn't think of a way to help.

About 10 minutes after the first encounter I realised I could have cycled home (about 30 minutes) and come back with my car which has a tandem carrier on the roof (whose doesn't?).

Very lucky that didn't happen on a descent, you must have done a few miles on it.

That's a kind thought. In the event it wasn't a big issue and I quite enjoyed walking through Tatton Park chatting with various other walkers - even the young lad who nutmegged me with his football!

 

[Tail End Charlie]

.

Did more than 30 minutes yesterday but not in a single ride so I'll not count that.

To my mind you should count that ride, I would.

 

[FrothNinja]

Did more than 30 minutes yesterday but not in a single ride so I'll not count that.

I would, no different to stopping at a cafe half way on a ride - I did today and I'm definitely counting that as one ride (same bike, same kit, same intent)

 

[annedonnelly]

To my mind you should count that ride, I would.

I would, no different to stopping at a cafe half way on a ride - I did today and I'm definitely counting that as one ride (same bike, same kit, same intent)

That's very kind of you both. Actually one of those short rides was rather amusing.

I was taking my bottles & jars to the bottle bank which is in the car park of a local football field. The road access to the field is currently controlled by three-way traffic lights for the railway station work around the corner. So I had to filter past a queue of traffic at the lights and there was a car waiting to turn right out of the car park to join the queuing traffic. While I deposited my glass - I do enjoy the sound of it smashing in the skip! - lots of families were coming out of the field and heading to their cars. Some sort of game or training session must have just finished. So I came to leave to find that the queue of vehicles out of the car park was so long that they were blocking the ones that wanted to come in and the same one was at the front of the queue.

Obviously I could just filter past them all and head home, but I did wonder just how many of them lived within walking distance and how long it was going to take to get out of the car park and then onto the main road.

 

[ColinJ]

I was thinking that if I got a puncture on my local loop in this bitterly cold weather I would probably walk the bike home if less than about a 20 minute stroll away, which most of the loop is, and fix the puncture back here in the warm and dry. If I did that and the total ride plus walk time was 30+ minutes I would definitely count it!

Ha ha - I jinxed myself with that post...

I went out at sunset today. It had been raining more than forecast earlier and I was waiting for it to stop. I didn't bother taking spares/tools because I had intended to stick within about a 15 minute walk of home, and I certainly did not intend to fix a flat at the side of a damp road in the dark. I changed my mind about the route when I was out though and headed out of town on my extended lumpy loop. I have had very few punctures on these local loops so what was the chance that I would get one today at the most distant point?

Naturally, exactly at that far turn in Walsden was where I DID get a puncture!!! I haven't looked to see what the cause was but it was probably something like a sliver of broken glass. I couldn't really see well enough in the dark to spot small debris in the road.

That meant a 4 km walk back with the bike. I'm going to count it as an 11 km ride in 45 minutes even though it was really a 7 km ride and a 4 km walk!