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

[ColinJ]

I have brought my MTB out of retirement and will count 50+ km rides on that for my 50-a-month qualifiers as well as those on my single-/'dingle'-speed bike. A 50 km offroad ride is harder than a 50 km onroad singlespeed ride, so it doesn't feel like 'cheating'!

The reason I mention it is that I will doing way more than 50 km on my MTB on my forum ride on Saturday, if all goes according to plan.

 

[13 rider]

Feb 12th.
Norwich to Sheringham, the pretty route and through villages that I had never heard of, got lost and it came to 29.5 miles. Got home and borrowed a Beryl bike and rode another 2 miles. 31.5 miles or just over 50km so technically a point.
Does this still count?
@Saluki you posted this in the chatzone thread for Febs ride

 

[Saluki]

Feb 12th.
Norwich to Sheringham, the pretty route and through villages that I had never heard of, got lost and it came to 29.5 miles. Got home and borrowed a Beryl bike and rode another 2 miles. 31.5 miles or just over 50km so technically a point.
Does this still count?
@Saluki you posted this in the chatzone thread for Feds ride

I shall add it to the other post

 

[13 rider]

Early monthly round up as the last weekend approaches ,what a rubbish month for weather 🌧️
We have 22 riders fully posted up for March leaving 8 riders yet to post so nudge time for @Sbudge ,@bruce1530 ,@ColinJ ( who's promised to do it Sat ) ,@Osprey ,@slow scot ,@tallliman ,@Gibbo9 and @Donger
The sharp ones amongst you might notice we still have 30 riders in the challenge despite 1 rider dropping out but we've had a late entry in the form of @Milkfloat who finally got his admin in order
Well done everyone here's wishing for some nice sunny ☀️ weather

 

[Donger]

I might be fashionably late this month.

 

[ColinJ]

@ColinJ ( who's promised to do it Sat )

*Cough*

Done, but in the opposite direction so I did it 'dinglespeed' so I could get up the A58 to Blackstone Edge from Littleborough, and some other steep ramps on the way to the cafe. The start and finish were in 52/19, the mid-ride section in 42/29. I did a couple of steepish climbs back in Tod in 52/19 just so I didn't feel like I was skiving!

Admittedly, I haven't officially logged it yet!

 

[Domus]

Blooming windy this morning. Rode out to Leigh into a headwind hoping for a tailwind home. I do think the tailwind thing is another myth like the Yeti, Unicorns and honest politicians. The road past Hindley station is closed to traffic for bridge replacement got off and walked through the pedestrian walkway and enjoyed a very quiet ride up to Aspull with fabulous views over the West Pennine Moors.
Finished with 53.5 Kms and another point.

 

[Gibbo9]

Will update next week. Hoping to get some riding done over this weekend.

 

[tallliman]

Early monthly round up as the last weekend approaches ,what a rubbish month for weather 🌧️
We have 22 riders fully posted up for March leaving 8 riders yet to post so nudge time for @Sbudge ,@bruce1530 ,@ColinJ ( who's promised to do it Sat ) ,@Osprey ,@slow scot ,@tallliman ,@Gibbo9 and @Donger
The sharp ones amongst you might notice we still have 30 riders in the challenge despite 1 rider dropping out but we've had a late entry in the form of @Milkfloat who finally got his admin in order
Well done everyone here's wishing for some nice sunny ☀️ weather

I think I'm out to be honest. I've had nearly 3 weeks of being ill and now my back is playing up. Can barely walk too far, will try and get on the bike tomorrow but travelling with work next week so I doubt it'll happen.

 

[13 rider]

I think I'm out to be honest. I've had nearly 3 weeks of being ill and now my back is playing up. Can barely walk too far, will try and get on the bike tomorrow but travelling with work next week so I doubt it'll happen.

I had noticed you hadn't posted on Strava recently and was being to worry . Don't make it worse my attempted a silly ride just for the challenge . Take care

 

[bruce1530]

Early monthly round up as the last weekend approaches ,what a rubbish month for weather 🌧️
We have 22 riders fully posted up for March leaving 8 riders yet to post so nudge time for .... ,@bruce1530 ...

Nudge accepted

 

[bruce1530]

It's been a difficult month - a dose of the lurgy, busy at work, lots of family stuff, a funeral, and awful weather. Until today, had just managed one ride - a short 6k after-work ride through the town and up a hill to a farm. Snow flurry on the way back, hit a pothole, puncture, changing wheel in snow and dark. Sigh. Enthusiasm gone.

Had a half-day off today. Needed to go to Toolstation in the next town (about 14k away), so planned a 50k loop which passed by.

Some roads that I'd not been on for years - there was one section which for the last 2 years had had a "road temporarily closed; unsafe bridge" sign - I've always gone the other way, but today decided to investigate. Bridge was closed to cars with a fairly permanent-looking bollard, but can pass on foot/bike. Unfortunately, I'd forgotten just how steep the hill is to get down/up to that bridge :-)

Kept going along familiar roads and then a bit of NCN 73, pleasant cycling - dry, not too breezy. Stopped at Toolstation (30km) to pick up a few things - the nearby cafe was closed - headed onwards towards home. 47k on the clock when I reached the end of my street, so a loop around the town to finish.

Slow - but very enjoyable. A far better way to spend an afternoon than work...

 

[tallliman]

I had noticed you hadn't posted on Strava recently and was being to worry . Don't make it worse my attempted a silly ride just for the challenge . Take care

Cheers dude!

 

[Donger]

Not sure quite when it happened, but it seems that at some time in the recent past I have become a fair weather cyclist. Most of this month, the weather has been rubbish and I've had no get up and go. Then Mrs D and I met up with our nephew on his son's first birthday, when he wasn't very well .... and within days both of us came down with infections. I missed some great weather and a couple of four star Severn Bores due to illness and was quite down. Then this morning I could tell everything had cleared up and I got out there to watch a three star bore .... and it turned out to be one of the best I've seen for years. Full surf right across the river and a real tidal surge flooding the fields afterwards. I was feeling surprisingly good, so I killed two birds with one stone and got a 50k ride in too. All kinds of weather in one ride, but loved it. I'm still in.

 

[13 rider]

Not sure quite when it happened, but it seems that at some time in the recent past I have become a fair weather cyclist. Most of this month, the weather has been rubbish and I've had no get up and go. Then Mrs D and I met up with our nephew on his son's first birthday, when he wasn't very well .... and within days both of us came down with infections. I missed some great weather and a couple of four star Severn Bores due to illness and was quite down. Then this morning I could tell everything had cleared up and I got out there to watch a three star bore .... and it turned out to be one of the best I've seen for years. Full surf right across the river and a real tidal surge flooding the fields afterwards. I was feeling surprisingly good, so I killed two birds with one stone and got a 50k ride in too. All kinds of weather in one ride, but loved it. I'm still in.

That's what I love about this challenge it's just that little push to get you out a ride a reasonable distance when other wise you probably wouldn't bother .
Just checked my rides I've done less 50km rides in March than Jan and Feb which says something about the weather . Last year I bought a smart trainer and subscribe to zwift so it's easy to just look at the weather and go I'll ride indoor . Much as I enjoy zwift it will never replace outdoor riding