The 2021 Half Century (50km or 50m) a month challenge Chatzone

[Gibbo9]

Have been away for a long weekend with the girlfriend at Sun Moon Lake, no bike unfortunately, she forbid it :-(

Got back at around 1400 on Sunday and was out on the bike within 15 minutes of getting in the door. Pretty standard 50km along the riverside as usual and planning on getting out today for the same. I now have a full week off work due to Chinese New Year (this place shuts down for it) so I am planning on getting 2-3 100km rides in if I can.

Whilst not actually part of my 50km route, this picture was taken from the cable car that travels from Sun Moon Lake to the Aboriginal Village. I am arranging another visit very soon and will be taking my bike to enjoy the scenery more whilst there.

 

[13 rider]

Late to update January (hope that’s OK)

Pre amble:
I noticed this thread as soon as I joined up (here last autumn) and immediately wanted to have a go at 50km rides and as a Lockdown cyclist I gradually built to 60kms, 22 12 2020.

Started coughing on 23rd, tested next day and my present on 25th was a text saying Covid positive! Family all caught it and we were very lucky and suffered only a few nights bad sleep and a lingering cough to slow me down. Also lost 5lbs and as I’ve built up strength 4 have stayed off – result!

So wanting getting on this thread had a new intensity and it was a real motivation just to get back to where I was before. First weeks a little difficult but on 17th of January headed due to north through Epping Forest towards Harlow and 62 km

https://www.strava.com/activities/4635871172

No stopping me now. Headed across London to circle Richmond Park 3x – my first ever 50 mile ride. 82kms 27 01 21

https://www.strava.com/activities/4689567485

Just time 31 01 21, for a more interesting trip North, towards Epping then Stableford Abbotts, Abridge, Chigwell and home. 57km https://www.strava.com/activities/4711534391

Have now set my cap at on the 50mile a month challenge (will be more difficult once Golf, Swimming and Travel return).

4 points I believe – aiming for 50 this year. Loving the challenge...tbc

PS feels odd to be thanking someone I've never met and I'm never likely too, but a huge Shout Out (as the kids say) to the organiser of this thread for giving me extra mojo!

Welcome to the challenge ,Don't worry about the late posting but try not to make a habit of it like some do . It's nice to see the challenge doing what is designed to do getting people out riding

 

[13 rider]

Have been away for a long weekend with the girlfriend at Sun Moon Lake, no bike unfortunately, she forbid it :-(

Got back at around 1400 on Sunday and was out on the bike within 15 minutes of getting in the door. Pretty standard 50km along the riverside as usual and planning on getting out today for the same. I now have a full week off work due to Chinese New Year (this place shuts down for it) so I am planning on getting 2-3 100km rides in if I can.

Whilst not actually part of my 50km route, this picture was taken from the cable car that travels from Sun Moon Lake to the Aboriginal Village. I am arranging another visit very soon and will be taking my bike to enjoy the scenery more whilst there.

View attachment 572971

Somehow your sunshine looks at lot warmer than @AndreaJ

 

[13 rider]

With a late entry were up to 33 riders in the challenge

 

[steverob]

That's the way I read the rules . Post your first 13 rides then each ride above your target your drop your shortest distance ride

Yeah, it's why you've got some people with Lunacy Challenge completions in their signatures that have non-rounded numbers, e.g. 52 km or 71 miles, etc. because they originally set out to do a certain distance, but ended up with more than the required 13 rides over that limit, so their final total ends up being whatever distance their 13th longest ride actually was.

This link points to my final post from last year's challenge showing I'd done 14 rides. If I had managed a 15th (which I had intended to over the Christmas period, but the weather didn't co-operate) then I might have been able to claim 51 miles as my total instead of 50.

 

[Jenkins]

I've finally got the February ride done, despite the continuing effects of Storm Darcy. At least the main roads are now clear of snow and ice (later in the day when I go out), but this is still the sort of problem surface on the back roads in the countryside - clear ruts, soft snow/slush on top of ruts, hard packed snow under a soft top and in some cases straight forward hard packed, polished snow & ice.

It's the sort of thing that made this one of the slowest 50km rides I've done averaging only 11mph on the 29er, but hopefully conditions can only improve from now on.

 

[Domus]

With below zero temperatures but worse to come I braved the chilly winds this morning with a circuit of Bolton. I kept to the main roads hoping for ice free roads. As I got near home I realised I had 43 Kms in the bag so had a short adventure through Unsworth and Pilsworth to check out a cycle path found on the map for future reference. Finished with 51 Kms done and cold fingers.

 

[cosmicbike]

Slow, cold, icy but done for February. No danger of getting 4 rides in like last month, I'm having to work!

 

[Houthakker]

Last weekend was a write off with snow/ice and who knows what next weekend will bring so even though it was very cold and very windy, got out for 32 miles yesterday. Was a very slow struggle but consoled myself with thoughts of flying (?) along in a short sleeved jersey when the summer arrives. Getting bored with staying local though, looking forward to going a bit further afield. Have a 5 day trip planned for June so building up the milage for the next few months and keeping my fingers crossed that it can go ahead.

 

[Gibbo9]

Managed to get out on Sunday for a spin down by the river. It's a public holiday here for Chinese New Year so the riverside was absolutely mobbed, 10s of thousands of people out walking and Youbiking, this made for a very slow ride and another cyclist caused me to have a clipped in misadventure (again). Still, it was an exceedingly enjoyable ride out.

 

[Willd]

Lovely day today, must have nearly been in double figures Now done over 2,000 miles on my road bike since starting again last April My Covid related loss of smell seems to be waning, as I discovered passing the local pig farm earlier

 

[Domus]

Lovely day in Sunny Radcliffe. Not done the Bacup, Rochdale ride for a while, big mistake, headwind all the way home.
I'm sure it's doing me good. Saw 8º C on the Wahoo at one point which is 11º warmer than last Friday.
Lots of bikes out today, nice to see little ones out as well

 

[Gibbo9]

Woke up to a glorious day here in Taiwan, sun shining although a little warm at around 20 degrees (sorry). I had planned to go out and just enjoy the riversides until I completed 100k, something fairly easy to do here as I live close to where 5 rivers intersect. I set off very slowly as my legs were very sore from running on Saturday (stupid idea) and it was clear that my legs just didn't want to play, I couldn't get into a rhythm at all. At the 20k point I was ready for turning for home as I was not enjoying myself like I usually do. Anyway I decided to take 5 mins off the bike to stretch and take some photos and then proceed another 10k along the river to a natural turn off that would have led me home.

Fortunately though, from then on, things got much easier. My legs loosened off and I got into a lovely rhythm so I just carried on with plan A and completed the 100.

View from the top of ducks head where I stopped after 20k. Really was a beautiful morning down by the river.

All of the riverside paths are equipped with vending machines and toilets every few k or so. There are also many small bins which contain puncture repair kits and pumps for cyclists in a bit of bother. Many of the riverside cafes will also have someone working there that is knowledgeable in bike maintenance and can conduct minor repairs to get people home. Makes me wonder what these machines would look like if they were on the riversides in UK.

Loo stop

The stunning temple hotel. I pass this a lot and am told it is a very nice place to stay. Never tried it yet as it's not far from home but maybe one day.

 

[Willd]

Actually found a few hills today and used my 34 chain-ring for the first time in ages. Not exactly Devon, but 42 feet gained per mile counts as hilly round here For comparison Monday's ride was only 29.

 

[cosmicbike]

Had to pop in to work today, so extended the usual 18 mile round trip to another metric half. Windy all the way home, no fun.