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

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steverob

Guru
Location
Buckinghamshire
January: 2 rides, 2 points
February: 5 rides, 7 points
March: 2 rides, 3 points
April: 2 rides, 2 points
May: 4 rides, 5 points
June: 2 rides, 4 points
July: 4 rides, 4 points
August: 2 rides, 3 points
September: 1 ride, 2 points

10th October: 31.52 miles - Seeing how unfit I am by trying my standard flat 50km loop; barely made it to quarter distance before I was exhausted! Carried on round to completion though - https://www.strava.com/activities/10012457776 - 1 point

Total so far: 33 points
 

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
I normally only update at the end of the month but I have been forgetting to do it so I'll post today's ride now while I think of it!

[As many rides as possible to be completed on my '6-er' OR my mountain bike. The 6-er is a development of my original singlespeed bike. I do as much as I can in a 42/15 gear (almost the same ratio as my previous 52/19). Tough climbs are done in 42/29. I don't count rides over 100 km here - they will be counted in the Lunacy challenge instead.]

Jan 30th - 50km, 660 m of ascent, singlespeed (52/19 gear). Start/finish Todmorden. A646 to Burnley and back. A6033 towards Littleborough, then took the scenic route to Littleborough via Calderbrook and Caldermoor. Back to Walsden then climbed to Lumbutts. Dropped back down to A646 and home on that.

Feb 18th - 70 km, LOTS OF GEARS!! My forum ride from Crediton (Devon).

Mar 2nd - 50 km. A 'dinglespeed' ride - 50 km. Tod, Littleborough, Blackstone Edge, Hubberton Green, Craggies cafe, Littleborough, Tod plus an extra hill at the end to make the distance up.

Mar 25th - 64 km. A MTB ride. From Tod to Hebden Bridge on the Rochdale canal (and back at the end of the day) for my offroad forum ride.

Apr 2nd - 50 km. Singlespeed (52/19 gear). Tod, HB, Mytholmroyd, Cragg Vale climb, Blackstone Edge, Blue Ball Rd, Cotton Stones, Hubberton Green, Mytholmroyd, Hebden Bridge, Tod.

May 16th - 52 km. A 1x11 ride in Devon: Crediton, Shobrooke, Thorverton, Stoke Canon, Nether Exe, Thorverton plus various lanes back to start.

May 27th - 73 km. I needed all the gears I could get (3 x 10) for this hilly forum ride, which had 1,400+ m of ascent in the main 58 km loop! Todmorden, Hebden Bridge, Widdop, Trawden, Stanbury, Oxenhope, Oxenhope Moor, Jerusalem Lane cafe, Midgley, Height Rd, Hebden Bridge, Tod.

June 29th - 51 km in the 42/15 gear on the 6-er. Todmorden, Hebden Bridge, Mytholmroyd, Cragg Vale climb, Blackstone Edge, Hollingworth Lake RSPCA cafe, Walsden, Lumbutts, Mankinholes, Hebden Bridge, (said goodbye to friend and u-turned) Tod.

July 24th - 66 km on CAAD5 (triple chainset needed for 1,300+ m of ascent, including STEEP stuff!). Todmorden, Hebden Bridge, Mytholmroyd, Sowerby, Sowerby Bridge, Barkisland, Stainland, Scammonden, Booth Wood reservoir, Baitings reservoir, Hubberton Green, Mytholmroyd, Hebden Bridge, Tod.

August 3rd - 50 km on 6-er mainly (or was it entirely?) in 42/15 gear. Todmorden, Mytholmroyd, Cragg Vale climb, Blackstone Edge, Littleborough, Todmorden and then to Holme Chapel and back on A646 to make up the distance.

August 22nd - 51 lumpy Devon km on 1x11-speed bike. Crediton, Black Dog, (the Devon!) Littleborough, Cadbury, Thorverton, Upton Pyne, Crediton.

September 29th - 50 km on 6-er in 42/15 gear, except for 42/29 for steeper top half of Lumbutts climb, and 42/12 on rapid final ride back down to Tod. Tod to Hebden Bridge and back; Lumbutts climb, Walsden, then Calderbrook climb over to Littleborough, and back to Tod; up the A646 Burnley Rd as far as the Ram Inn at Holme Chapel, turned, and back to Tod.

October 10th - 50 km on 11-speed Devon bike. Very lumpy lane loops between Crediton, Thorverton, and Upton Pyne. It was looking to get way more lumpy than I wanted, given that I have been ill most of the time since my previous visit - a projected 1,200+ m in 50 km!! I therefore started avoiding climbs and sticking to flatter lanes, but it still came in at 900+ m (3,000 ft)...
 

steverob

Guru
Location
Buckinghamshire
January: 2 rides, 2 points
February: 5 rides, 7 points
March: 2 rides, 3 points
April: 2 rides, 2 points
May: 4 rides, 5 points
June: 2 rides, 4 points
July: 4 rides, 4 points
August: 2 rides, 3 points
September: 1 ride, 2 points

10th October: 31.52 miles - Seeing how unfit I am by trying my standard flat 50km loop; barely made it to quarter distance before I was exhausted! Carried on round to completion though - https://www.strava.com/activities/10012457776 - 1 point
15th October: 31.18 miles - Back in bib tights for the first time in a while. Did an alternative flat 50km loop with one small hill - well it was more like 49.7km, but I did a loop round the block to make sure - https://www.strava.com/activities/10043519335 - 1 point

Total so far: 34 points
 

Donger

Convoi Exceptionnel
Location
Quedgeley, Glos.
Jan to July ..... 15 pts
7 August:
Quedgeley-Elmore-Saul-Arlingham-Frampton winding my way back to Quedgeley via various loops. 50.0km (31.1 miles). 1 pt.
3 September:
Quedgeley-Hartpury-Lower Lode-Chaceley Stock-Hartpury-Gloucester docks-Quedgeley. 53.6km (33.3 miles). 1 pt.
10 September:
Camber Sands-Rye-Winchelsea Beach-Pett Level-Hastings Country Park-edge of Hastings & Retrace.50.8km (31.6 miles).1pt.
11 September:
Camber Sands-Lydd-Dengemarsh Rd-Lydd-Dungeness-Littlestone-New Romney-Lydd-Camber Sands. 51.5km (32.0 miles). 1pt.
13 September:
Camber Sands-Rye-Appledore-Ivychurch-Old Romney-Lydd-Lydd on Sea-Lydd-Camber Sands.61.9km (38.5 miles). 1pt.
15 October:
Quedgeley-Elmore-Arlingham-Saul Junction-Frampton-Fretherne-Saul-Elmore-Quedgeley. 51.2km (31.8 miles). 1pt.
Total 21 points.
 

Willd

Veteran
Location
Rugby
Jan - Jun 28 points
Jul - 7 points
Aug - 3 points
Sep - 4 points

Oct 1- 31.22 miles, 921ft -1 point
Bilton, Cawston, Lawford Heath, Bretford, Cathiron, Harborough Magna, Easenhall, Brinklow, Stretton under Fosse, Street Ashton, Monks Kirby, Cross in Hand, Harborough Magna / Parva, Newbold on Avon, Cawston home.

Oct 15 - 31.55 miles, 1,095ft -1 point Bilton, Rugby, Hillmorton, Barby, Welton, Braunston, Willoughby, Grandborough, Grandborough Fields, Hill, Leamington Hastings, Birdingbury, Bourton on Dunsmore, Cawston home.

Points in this challenge 44
Points in all challenges 74
 
26th January, 53.1km (https://www.strava.com/activities/8455355950) Enfield - Hampstead loop
2nd February, 51.9km (https://www.strava.com/activities/8493344300) West Thameside and Union Canal loop
19th February, 51.2lm (https://www.strava.com/activities/8587404470) Wendover - Chesham loop
11th March, 53.3km (https://www.strava.com/activities/8696463297) Wendover gravel
19th March, 50.9km (https://www.strava.com/activities/8742319365) NW6 - Lewisham loop
25th March, 63.6km (https://www.strava.com/activities/8775569107) Callander gravel ride
1st April, 55.7km (https://www.strava.com/activities/8813474498) Chilterns muddy roads
16th April, 64.0km (https://www.strava.com/activities/8901737351) Wendover muddy loop
29th April, 64.3km (https://www.strava.com/activities/8977644643) Wendover local loop
7th May, 52.1km (https://www.strava.com/activities/9027041463) Wendover-Thame mud
24th May, 50.1km (https://www.strava.com/activities/9132062402) North London loop
28th May, 50.3km (https://www.strava.com/activities/9156538341) Local Wendover Loop + Smalldean
6th June, 70.74 km (https://www.strava.com/activities/9214673156) Comrie gravel loop
17th June, 67.72 km (https://www.strava.com/activities/9282992948) Gravel loop along Icknield Way
25th June, 64.74 km (https://www.strava.com/activities/9333059134) Nickey Line gravel loop
5th July, 50.11 km (https://www.strava.com/activities/9393383918) Tresco looping
11th July, 50.23 km (https://www.strava.com/activities/9430729770) Moray beaches and forest
14th July, 50.15 km (https://www.strava.com/activities/9450825672) Culbin Gravel loop
29th July, 50.61 km (https://www.strava.com/activities/9542837385) Wendover and Chesham loop
12th August, 50.28 km (https://www.strava.com/activities/9632613739) Canals and country lanes in Forth
1st September, 57.36 km (https://www.strava.com/activities/9762263987)Wye valley gravel
2nd September, 62.19 km (https://www.strava.com/activities/9769033888) Wye valley into Wales
8th October, 50.23 km (https://www.strava.com/activities/10001647641) NW London Loop
 

Domus

Guru
Location
Sunny Radcliffe
Jan - Aug inc. 72 points

September 2 Home - Blackpool - Home. Friday's ride 166.5 Kms 4 points
September 6 Airport to Northwich 67.1 Kms 1 point
September 7 Northwich to Shrewsbury 64.2 Kms 1 point
September 8 Shrewsbury to Oswestry 51.0 Kms 1 point
September 9 Oswestry to Chester 71.4 Kms 1 point
September 10 Chester to home via train from airport 81.06 Kms 2 points
September 25 Farnworth, Atherton, Leigh, Hindley, Westhoughton, Bolton and home 54.5 Kms 1 point
September 29 Barrow to Grange via Bay Cycle Way 59.5 Kms 1 point
October 8 Arnside, Silverdale, Hincaster, Levens, Crosthwaite, and back to Sunny Grange 92.2 Kms 2 points
October 16 Farnworth, Westhoughton, Adlington, Horwich, Bolton and home 50.3 Kms 1 point

Running total 87 points
 

Saluki

World class procrastinator
Jan to end of may 18 points.

17/06/23 - I didn’t Strava this. Sorry. Sheringham through Kelling, and on to Wells-next-the-sea and picked up the cyclepath to Holkham Hall (got battered out of the way by 2 lads on E-fatbikes, then refused to let the other 2 pass as they were just dangerous). Through Holkham grounds and home via Binham, Langham, Cley, Sheringham. 51 miles 2 points

July
10/07 https://www.strava.com/activities/9424874745 Sheringham, Cromer, N. Walsham. Aylsham, Iteringham, Matlaske, Gresham, Home. over 50km 1 pt
13/07 https://www.strava.com/activities/9444278061 76km. Sheringham, Cromer, Aylsham, Bure Valley Railway to Coltishall, Horstead (to a bike shop closed for a holiday) Hainford, Hevingham, Aylsham, Ingworth, Aldborough, Sheringham. 1 point

August.
12/08/23 https://www.strava.com/activities/9634461494 Beeston, up Britons Lane as it’s the least worst option to Aylmerton, Aldborough, Aylsham, Marriotts Way to Reepham, across town to Whitwell (coffee & cake) bit More Marriotts to Attlebridge then road to Horsford and along NDR route to Norwich. The up to Thorpe via Gas Hill (snack at Aldi) Ring road to A140, Hellesdon and Reepham road to Felthorpe, Cawston, Itteringham, Gresham, home. 107km 3 points I believe.
27/08/23 https://www.strava.com/activities/9731764448 Took the train to Norwich and went for a ride through Thorpe, around the NDR cycleway to Rackheath and then up past Salhouse to Woodbastwick Fur & Feathers for coffee and cheesy chips. Back to Rackheath, around the NDR cycleway again, onwards not back the way I came, Horsham, Hellesdon, Norwich, lap of the city, to the Station. 51km 1 point.

September
3/9/23 https://www.strava.com/activities/9777340249 Beeston Regis, Aylmerton, Barningham Winter, Itteringham, Cawston and picked up the Marriotts Way, coffee at Whitwell Station. Marriotts to Attlebridge and then road again, Felthorpe, Drayton Hellesdon, Norwich Station - train had gone so bought ticket - Thorpe Hamlet, Thorpe St Andrew, Heartsease, down through Mousehold back to the Station. Train home. 64km 1 point.

October
15/10/23 https://www.strava.com/activities/10044841260 Beeston Regis (so dull here) East Beckham, Barningham, Itteringham, Cawston then along roads with grass in the middle, to Gt Witchingham (bootiful), Alderford Common, Felthorpe, Horsford and then whizz into Norwich skirting Hellesdon, to the train station. 5 full mins to spare to buy a ticket and sprint down the platform. From Sheringham Station back to Beeston. 55km
 

Donger

Convoi Exceptionnel
Location
Quedgeley, Glos.
Jan to July ..... 15 pts
7 August:
Quedgeley-Elmore-Saul-Arlingham-Frampton winding my way back to Quedgeley via various loops. 50.0km (31.1 miles). 1 pt.
3 September:
Quedgeley-Hartpury-Lower Lode-Chaceley Stock-Hartpury-Gloucester docks-Quedgeley. 53.6km (33.3 miles). 1 pt.
10 September:
Camber Sands-Rye-Winchelsea Beach-Pett Level-Hastings Country Park-edge of Hastings & Retrace.50.8km (31.6 miles).1pt.
11 September:
Camber Sands-Lydd-Dengemarsh Rd-Lydd-Dungeness-Littlestone-New Romney-Lydd-Camber Sands. 51.5km (32.0 miles). 1pt.
13 September:
Camber Sands-Rye-Appledore-Ivychurch-Old Romney-Lydd-Lydd on Sea-Lydd-Camber Sands.61.9km (38.5 miles). 1pt.
15 October:
Quedgeley-Elmore-Arlingham-Saul Junction-Frampton-Fretherne-Saul-Elmore-Quedgeley. 51.2km (31.8 miles). 1pt.
22 October:
Quedgeley-Kingsway-Frampton-Cam-Halmore-Slimbridge-Frampton-Elmore-Quedgeley. 67.6km (42 miles). 1pt.
Total 22 points.
 
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