The 2023 Half Century (50km or 50m) Challenge Chatzone

[Noodle Legs]

Having done all my morning errands and walking the dog, the weather was just too bloody good not to get out!

I didn’t actually set off until 1300 and having dusted down the summer steed from its slumber, chain cleaned and prepped, tyre sealant replenished, I figured I’d have enough time to get a GFGF ride in (That’s Good Friday Gran Fondo.) I had a route planned to get some veloviewer tiles around the Tamworth/Kingsbury area and having been thwarted by the weather on Wednesday (when I originally planned to ride it) I figured today was the day even if it was a later one!

The weather was just wall to wall sunshine and the summer kit made its full 2023 debut as I got reacquainted with my lighter, faster bike than I had been used to. A very very light breeze throughout, this was not a problem as I got a wriggle on towards Tamworth and Kingsbury where my tiles were to be got before heading east to get the last one between Atherstone and Nuneaton.

The route itself was nothing remarkable, just involved going down roads I probably wouldn’t go down again anytime soon. There was a long stint along the A5 from Tamworth into Dordon where I eventually peeled off the gritty paths and onto nice (ish) Tarmac again, turning right up the long and occasionally steep Boot Hill towards Baddesley Ensor where the last tile was got. From here back down t’hill, over the A5 and into Leicestershire where the remaining 25 miles were all familiar roads, albeit in different directions which I guess made for a refreshing change!

Back home at around 1645, the ride was not the most remarkable (maybe with exception of the distance) and as such I neither stopped nor took pics. This was purely a “I just need to get out” type of ride.

63.2 in 3:43.

 

[bluenotebob]

It’s been a good week on the bike for me – two longish rides (91km and 104km) on the road bike on Wednesday and Friday respectively, followed by two multi-bike rides this weekend, giving the other bikes a chance to get some fresh air.

378km cycled this week (7 points added to the total) and one of my better efforts. Pleased to have done it as next week looks like wind and rain .. I’ll still be out on my bike – but I'm not planning any heroics.

 

[kapelmuur]

Part of the enjoyment of riding in rural Cheshire for me is is the variety of names of the little lanes in the county, many are strange and further research reveals origins going back over 1,000 years.

However, most are ordinary, School Lane, Chapel Lane etc and one of the most common is Mill Lane. Mill Lanes usually occur in a steep little valley with a stream at the bottom, so I guess water mills used to be built there. But it’s rare to find a mill on a Mill Lane, although t’internet says there were more than 150 water mills in Cheshire most were demolished a long time ago. So I was pleased to see this mill during my ride last Saturday. It’s Bate Mill on Bate Mill Lane, Peover Superior near Jodrell Bank.

The building is an 18th century corn mill in poor condition but it is Grade II listed and houses milling machinery. The little river that powered the mill is the Peover Eye, apparently Eye is derived from the old English Ea meaning river.

It’s strange to ride around the corner from this 18th century technology to be confronted by the space age tech of the Jodrell Bank radio telescope.

 

[13 rider]

Back from a weekend away watching Paris Roubaix which was epic . Back out today to get my riding fix in just doing my standard Wymeswold loop . On this ride I had a sad realisation that approaching my 56th birthday my chance of turning pro may have past me by mainly due to my massive lack of ability compared to the pros

 

[Noodle Legs]

Back from a weekend away watching Paris Roubaix which was epic . Back out today to get my riding fix in just doing my standard Wymeswold loop . On this ride I had a sad realisation that approaching my 56th birthday my chance of turning pro may have past me by mainly due to my massive lack of ability compared to the pros

Tell you what though mate, you weren’t half nippy on that Brompton to and from the Carrefour de L’Arbre and even quicker getting back to the station to fetch your bag….Don’t sell yourself short 😉🤣

 

[Noodle Legs]

Another 3 points today courtesy of the completion of this year’s edition of Etape Loch Ness.

Starting at 6am, the forecast held true and all the sun we enjoyed for most of this week was definitely nowhere to be found today at all!
The plan was simple- ride within myself, do my own thing and let the egos do theirs. The first 34 miles was, dare I say, relatively easy. I made use of the free speed by sitting in groups then kicking on to the next, and so on. It’s predominantly flat/gently rolling with an “iddy biddy lil kick up” in the middle. By that I mean it is over four miles long, and the first mile was an absolute killer! I remember thinking to myself if this continues like this for the next three and a bit miles I might have to get off and walk!

Luckily it wasn’t- it did even out to a steady drag albeit with some little kickers inbetween. Eventually some half hour-40 minutes later and pouring buckets of sweat I was greeted with the bagpiper at the summit- which was a nice touch. After here there was a superb descent and then back to rolling terrain pretty much all the way back into Inverness.

All was going great guns as I reverted to drafting/ pushing to the next group until, with 5 miles to go, SNAP! The chain broke! 🤦‍♂️

“Not a problem,” I thought. I had the quick links in my saddle bag- five minutes and I’d be on my way.

Yeah….not quite.

You see, out of the two quick links I bought, only one of them was the right one and the other didn’t really fit at all. But by some miracle it held together and after a few turns of the crank by hand I gambled and cracked on for the last 5 miles. I didn’t drive 450 miles to be swept up by a broom wagon!

It paid off as I was able to nurse the trusty steed back to the finish line, being careful not to put any power through the pedals and rolling where I possibly could, finishing in a riding time of 3:45:08 but an official time of 4:13:49. I would be curious to see what I’d have got had I not had my mechanical but given the conditions, I’m glad I was able to finish at all!

Superb ride. I’m not big into sportives so it has to be a pretty epic one for me to consider it. This definitely met the criteria!

 

[13 rider]

Early monthly round up ,We have 22 riders fully posted up and @ColinJ who just posted in the chatzone I've seen it so call it 23, leaving 6 riders yet to post so a gentle nudge for @Jon George ,@slow scot ,@Chap sur le velo ,@Gibbo9 ,@Spartak and @Milkfloat
Well done everyone 1/3 of the way there

 

[Chap sur le velo]

Early monthly round up ,We have 22 riders fully posted up and @ColinJ who just posted in the chatzone I've seen it so call it 23, leaving 6 riders yet to post so a gentle nudge for @Jon George ,@slow scot ,@Chap sur le velo ,@Gibbo9 ,@Spartak and @Milkfloat
Well done everyone 1/3 of the way there

Hint taken on other thread. Chapeau to everyone who kept going in this endless winter. Finally got the shorts out yesterday and it rained throughout!!

 

[Noodle Legs]

Chapeau to everyone who kept going in this endless winter.

I prefer to call it “extended autumn” as, let’s face it, it’s mainly been six months of rain and wind and maybe a cake dusting of “snow”……

 

[Milkfloat]

Early monthly round up ,We have 22 riders fully posted up and @ColinJ who just posted in the chatzone I've seen it so call it 23, leaving 6 riders yet to post so a gentle nudge for @Jon George ,@slow scot ,@Chap sur le velo ,@Gibbo9 ,@Spartak and @Milkfloat
Well done everyone 1/3 of the way there

Whoops, again. Will get right on it.

 

[Jon George]

What a day! So, I broke up my total by coming home for lunch, but for the first time I have completed 50k in24hrs on my Fixed Gear.
Here's a couple of pics.

 

[FrothNinja]

Thought I was nipping out for 15 km or so lunch time ride. The weather lead me astray to the tune of an additional 40+ km.

 

[Jenkins]

What a day! So, I broke up my total by coming home for lunch, but for the first time I have completed 50k in24hrs on my Fixed Gear.
Here's a couple of pics.
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Random piece of useless information - The sailing ship in the first picture is the Morgenster and there's a Dutch film crew on board making a documentary about sustainable travel. We had an email at work from them last week regarding the paperwork for the camera equipment and I did half consider offering to go up and deal with it on board.

 

[kapelmuur]

A new experience for me on a recent ride, a broken back wheel spoke. I’ve been riding regularly for about 12 years, covered 50k miles and never had any wheel problems.

I attached the broken spoke to its neighbour with duct tape and rode the 10 miles home in trepidation expecting the wheel to collapse at anytime. It didn’t.

Next day I took the wheel to my LBS but they said it was non standard and couldn’t repair it. (It’s a Newmen wheel on my Cube bike). As I needed the bike I bought a new set of wheels, so an expensive experience!

 

[Spartak]

Early monthly round up ,We have 22 riders fully posted up and @ColinJ who just posted in the chatzone I've seen it so call it 23, leaving 6 riders yet to post so a gentle nudge for @Jon George ,@slow scot ,@Chap sur le velo ,@Gibbo9 ,@Spartak and @Milkfloat
Well done everyone 1/3 of the way there

Thanks for the reminder @13 rider ...

Did my 50K yesterday, Bristol circular ride to Portbury via Aztec West (inc a couple of laps of the industrial estate ), Blaise Castle, along the Avon Gorge then back up the Bristol to Bath cycle path.