The 2025 Half Century (50km or 50 mile) Challenge Chatzone.

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OP
OP
13 rider

13 rider

Guru
Location
leicester
Got a lift out to Beattock Primary School from Dumfries, assisted local Sustrans I-bike co-ordinator with a led ride for P7 pupils. After a cofee I cycled back to Dumfries via Romans and Reivers route across Ae forest, 24 km on forest tracks. Made my usual mistake and turned too early before Holehouse Hill and needed a big loop to get back on course. Was aware of blocked trail (wind damage) near Brownmoor Hill so looped around Knockspeen. Cake (Rhubarb and Custard slice) and an Irn Bru at Ae Forest Cafe then road and cycle path back into Dumfries. 55km total.


View: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/294907043


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Surely it should have been a Tunnocks tea cake to be a proper Scottish refuel 😁
 

iandg

Legendary Member
Another 1 point ride today. Did the "Big Onion Gravel" medium route. Total of 73km

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/51245084

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Jenkins

Legendary Member
Location
Felixstowe
Not only is factor 50 a great sun-block, it also has superb fly-paper qualities when I'm out cycling. That's not poor shaving by me on my neck, nor some horrendous flash-back to those teenage skin conditions: those are black-fly.

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To that lot at the moment you could also add greenfly and thunder flies - especially the thunder flies that seem to get on the inside of my glasses.
 
I mentioned upthread a couple of months back that I was close to completing my second lap of the world (80,149km cycled since January 2017).

I’ve now passed that milestone and it was duly celebrated yesterday with a large chocolate cake, shared with friends and neighbours.

It’s worth noting that my second lap (40,074km) took just over 3 years to do and was cycled between the ages of 69 and 72. So there’s a marker that us septuagenarians can continue to achieve significant things on the bike, even though we’re slow and creaky.

Next target is 100,000km – hopefully by early 2027 – and perhaps a third lap of the world by 2029 (if the summer heat or the roll-ups haven’t finished me off by then).

Cake photos here … RTW x2 (‘Round The World’ twice) ..

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steverob

Guru
Location
Buckinghamshire
Wow, that's an incredible distance - I've just checked my stats and it took me 11 years to reach once round the world (measured from 2013, when I re-started cycling and began to kept accurate figures), so to do it twice in 8 years is amazing.

Also, that chocolate cake looks fantastic!
 
OP
OP
13 rider

13 rider

Guru
Location
leicester
Currently on holiday in Cornwall decided to do a longer ride this morning as the heat wave has broken .Set out into a misty morning requiring the rear light to be on . Staying by the coast means that every ride starts with a massive hill as that's the only way out . Heading in land over the constant ups and downs of the Cornish terrain .Went through Probus home of @footloose crow but no other cyclists were spotted as I turned for home I felt a few spots of rain which was quite refreshing as it was almost warm . Just as I started to climb another big hill I could hear the rain in the trees initially but I was sheltered as I came into the open it was properly raining ,didn't want to stop on the hill so ground to the top before stopping and donning my rain jacket which thankfully I'd packed . Over the last few rides I have been suffering from sore eyes pollen related I think . On the following descent I had the rain in my eyes causing my eyes to sting so much I had to pull over as I being to struggle to see . After a few minutes sheltering under the A30 at Mitchell the rain blew over and I grovelled up the last big climb and back to base , 41.8 miles with 3320ft of upness and only ever got 450ft above sea level
 

footloose crow

Veteran
Location
Cornwall. UK
Currently on holiday in Cornwall decided to do a longer ride this morning as the heat wave has broken .Set out into a misty morning requiring the rear light to be on . Staying by the coast means that every ride starts with a massive hill as that's the only way out . Heading in land over the constant ups and downs of the Cornish terrain .Went through Probus home of @footloose crow but no other cyclists were spotted as I turned for home I felt a few spots of rain which was quite refreshing as it was almost warm . Just as I started to climb another big hill I could hear the rain in the trees initially but I was sheltered as I came into the open it was properly raining ,didn't want to stop on the hill so ground to the top before stopping and donning my rain jacket which thankfully I'd packed . Over the last few rides I have been suffering from sore eyes pollen related I think . On the following descent I had the rain in my eyes causing my eyes to sting so much I had to pull over as I being to struggle to see . After a few minutes sheltering under the A30 at Mitchell the rain blew over and I grovelled up the last big climb and back to base , 41.8 miles with 3320ft of upness and only ever got 450ft above sea level

Welcome once again to Cornwall! Yes we had some sharp downpours this morning - you were unlucky to get caught as they were very localised. Not riding today as just come back from a three day bike packing trip with my wife - Devon and Somerset. Beautifully rolling but never steep.

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OP
OP
13 rider

13 rider

Guru
Location
leicester
Welcome once again to Cornwall! Yes we had some sharp downpours this morning - you were unlucky to get caught as they were very localised. Not riding today as just come back from a three day bike packing trip with my wife - Devon and Somerset. Beautifully rolling but never steep.

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Within 90 mins of getting back I was on the beach in lovely sunshine , Glastonbury tor I take it the background I was on top of that about a month ago on another holiday 🤣. Did you get onto the levels now that is flat
 
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OP
OP
13 rider

13 rider

Guru
Location
leicester
Another 38 Cornish miles in the bag from Holywell inland almost to St Austell up over the lumps in China clay country . I got wet again in exactly the same spot as yesterday 🤔 wasn't that bad didn't even put my rain jacket on as I hadn't picked it up 🤣 I sure some local has put a rain curse on me to keep their Strava Koms safe .
 
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PaulSB

Squire
I've been a bit slack on reporting the last 4-5 weeks. Life has been busy of late. I seem to have been improving as I've found myself top of my age group (70-74) on a number of Strava segments. I only ever compete against myself but there is satisfaction in seeing this.

Yesterday's ride was an important one; a hilly club ride which gave me 44.35 miles and 4068 feet of climbing, not quite the Golden Ratio but close enough. This was my biggest post RTC climbing ride and I felt hints that if I can shift 5kg and put in some training I might regain some of the ability I once had.

It was pleasing in a number of ways; I wasn't last up all the climbs, picked up a couple of PBs but only short sprints which don't really count, and took on one of our notable Lancashire climbs. Those who know the Ribble Valley will know the mighty Birdy Brow is a Cat 3, 1.2 mile climb averaging 9.5% with a 600 yard stretch at 14%. At 15:44 I was five minutes below my PB of 10:29 in May 2020 when I was probably at my peak. I am very pleased as I controlled my pace and breathing, reached the top breathing easily and it was nowhere near as tough as I recalled. All round a good ride.

To my surprise on hilly rides I have naturally settled in to selecting a gear, setting my pace and riding up. This is in stark contrast to a few years back when I saw climbs as something to be attacked. I guess it's an unexpected age thing.
 
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