The 2017 Half Century (50 KM or 50 Mile) A Month Challenge - Chatzone

[13 rider]

I didn't mean to do a 50km ride today. I actually meant to do a new 20 mile loop, which involves some climbing (which I am totally rubbish at), but you know how it is The road riding, after 11 miles on the trail was rather fun. The first bit of hill is a bit sharpish and then it becomes a lower gradient. I had to stop half way up as my knee suddenly started nagging at me so I gave it a couple of mins while I looked at the view. When I then carried on, it was much better and didn't nag again until a long old draggy hill before the glorious downhill all the way back to Egloshayle.
I thought that I'd do a couple more and spin my legs a bit in a warm down but I got chatting with someone and, before I knew it, I was half way to Padstow so I rode the rest of the way there. Had a natter with another cyclist at Padstow, while I was munching the half a granola bar I had left after eating the first half 15 miles or so earlier, he was very chatty until he asked what my bike was and was it a Spesh? When I said my lovely Eric is a Planet X CX bike (and not even a roadie let alone a Spesh) he was a bit huffy and muttered something about him having standards. He might have standards but he doesn't have manners. Rude Then another chap came along, with his Chihuahua and was telling me about his ride on Sunday, in the storm and torrential rain. I was out in that as well so know how awful it was out. He too asked if my bike was a Spesh, a Tricross this time. What is it about Speshes? People are obsessed!
The last 5 miles into that stiff headwind, wasn't my idea of fun. I got home eventually though, the last mile was just awful as the wind was definitely getting blowier.

It wasn't until I put my ride on the other thread that I realised that it's exactly a month since I last did one. The weather has been awful so I wasn't able to do another last month but I am hopeful for this month.

Will you miss the camel trail if and when you move ? . By the way is your a bike spesh ?

 

[Saluki]

Will you miss the camel trail if and when you move ? . By the way is your a bike spesh ?

I will not miss the trail, I'm pretty bored with it now as Hubster likes to ride up and down to the exclusion of everywhere else. We've been here a year so I've had the best part of 2000 miles up and down the thing.

I'll just ignore the other question

 

[Spinney]

I love it... Your 'I didn't meant to do a 50 km ride...' sounds just like 'It came off in my hand, miss, honest' or 'it fell of the back of a lorry, honest, constable!'

(my bike's not a spesh...)

 

[NorthernDave]

My bikes are not 'Speshs' either.

For largely the same reasons my car isn't a BMW....

 

[Saluki]

I love it... Your 'I didn't meant to do a 50 km ride...' sounds just like 'It came off in my hand, miss, honest' or 'it fell of the back of a lorry, honest, constable!'

(my bike's not a spesh...)

I had a nice 21-er planned and that is what I meant to do. Being a rubbish climber I thought that my legs might be really tired and that 20 miles would do. It wasn't until I got back to our wee town and decided to do the warm down, that I realised that I had a lot more in my legs than I thought. I've been riding shorter rides, with hills, of late, to really make an effort to find some hill legs. A couple of times I have actually thought 'I fancy riding up that hill' so I have then gone and done it. It's happened twice in a week now . I've changed the cassette on my CX for something more sensible for the terrain. Changed my cassette and derailleur on the roadie to help as well.

I have had a Spesh, in the past. My Hardrock was a useful bit of kit and I had a lot of fun on him but sold him to fund the lure of a CX bike

 

[NorthernDave]

Finally got my half in for March - sadly just a metric one though. I had set out hoping to get an imperial half in, but a combination of a stiff (and unforecast) headwind for far too much of the ride and lack of time on the bike combined to see me max out at 42.24 miles (67.97km).

Still, they all count. Only 3 weeks until I'm riding that 100 mile sportive...

 

[13 rider]

Running total - 4 points - this isn't looking great so far this year...

But your still in .The weather getting better

Finally got my half in for March - sadly just a metric one though. I had set out hoping to get an imperial half in, but a combination of a stiff (and unforecast) headwind for far too much of the ride and lack of time on the bike combined to see me max out at 42.24 miles (67.97km).

Still, they all count. Only 3 weeks until I'm riding that 100 mile sportive...

You'll be fine take it steady at the start

 

[aferris2]

March ride is done - just about managed an imperial half today. A visit from the fairy at 30 miles made me wonder if I would get to 50, but after changing the inner tube I felt happier. The only problem was that with 7 miles still to go it was flat again. Pumped it up again and it held until I got home. It's a very well used tube so it could be a previous repair failing. I'm going to fit a new chain and casette tomorrow so will have a good look then.
The standard of driving reached a new low today. I counted 4 close passes on straight wide roads with no on-coming traffic. Surely it's not too much effort to get a wheel the other side of the white lines (is it?).

 

[ColinJ]

My bikes are not 'Speshs' either.

For largely the same reasons my car isn't a BMW....

My car isn't a car, it's a bike, and it IS a 'Spesh'!

 

[NorthernDave]

Well, a good day today - the first time this year that I've got back to back halves in on consecutive days.

Hard work at times and not helped by a higher than average numpty driver count. But I'm getting there and that's the main thing.

And on a happier note, easily the best weather of the year and once the sun got out it was so warm I had to stop and take my jacket off I could get used to this.

 

[Lilliburlero]

Got my March 50 km in today on the back of two 100 km rides for the 100 km challenge on Friday & Saturday. The legs were feeling the last two days of cycling, but I just had to make the most of the weather

255 km bagged in three days and 1085 km in thirteen rides for 2017, averaging 83.5 km per ride

Never in my wildest dreams....

 

[Bazzer]

Hospital (again!) for me on Wednesday and am not sure when the surgeon will say I can ride again, so the auditor, aka @13 rider can look along the shelves of ride hour glass timers and turn mine over for next month.
I have included a commute, but am slightly uncomfortable with it because of the time between the outward and return journeys. There is no chance of me getting the max points, so I look at it as upping my points to beat next year.

Had to do a factory reset on my Garmin after my commute as on the journey home I noticed the declared travelling speed was all over the place; anywhere between 4 and 19mph . What was more annoying was I know my commute is between 34.4 and 35 miles depending upon my route. Close to home the mileage was still less than 30 and a loop I know is several miles barely scraped me a couple of miles. I suppose on the positive side, it made my legs do more miles than might otherwise have been the case.

 

[13 rider]

All the best @Bazzer hope everything goes ok . You got Marches done so 6 weeks before an April ride is due . Get healed first don't rush your recovery

 

[Domus]

Out again, this time in sunshine. Went to visit mum in Chorley, challenged myself by going over the moors through Belmont and Abbey Village.
Light lunch at Rivington Barn before yet another climb in the sun over Chorley Old Road.
Really enjoyed it, the sun makes such a difference. Might just be getting a bit fitter, hope so, off to Tuscany in April.

Forgot to say 41 miles.

 

[GuyBoden]

Beautiful day, so I rode out to the Wizard at Nether Alderley, using the popular Artists Lane route.
Nice to see plenty of bike riders out enjoying the weather...... 40miles there and back.