The Annual Lunacy (aka "I Don't Do Winter") Challenge Chatzone

[Alex321]

Longest ride of the year so far at 51 miles, though Strava only shows 48 because I accidentally paused my Wahoo and didn't notice I hadn't succeeded in unpausing it for 3 miles I know how long it actually was because I was following a route downloaded from Komoot, and will actually have one a fe hundred yards extra because of two wrong turns noticed after a few seconds and turning back.

Beautiful day for it, with very little wind, and mostly sunny - not particularly warm though, mostly around 15C.

The route took me down into Cardiff, then out through Leckwith and Dinas Powis, going through Porthkerry Park on the outskirts of Barry - several roads I had never ridden before (or only in the other direction in one case)

 

[lazybloke]

Only need 3 more rides to hit my 61km target, but could be tricky with so much going on in life at the mo.

So absolutely zero hope of stretching to 100km, which looked a possibility earlier in the year.

 

[Alex321]

After more than 2 years since the last 50 mile ride, two in 6 days. Followed up Monday's 51 mile with a 57 mile today, up to The Bwlch from the Natymoel side, then down via Port Talbot, with a stop for coffee & cake at the Base café near the entrance t the Afan country park.

Blooming cold at the top, with a strong wind and 12C actual temperature.

Looking down over Treorchy

And down the Afan valley towards Cymmer & Port talbot

Interior of the Café

 

[Alex321]

And my third qualifying ride in 8 days

As near perfect weather as you can get for cycling, very little wind, temperature mostly comfortable. A really enjoyable ride around the coast, with a diversion through West Aberthaw, then past the quarry at East Aberthaw, which pushed the miles up to 40 (just). Stopped for coffee and cake at Café Velo in Llantwit Major. They open until 4pm now (was alwasy 3pm until recently).

My fitness has obviously got back to a decent level, given I did my first 50 miler for 2 years last Monday, then 57 on Saturday and 40 today, and I'm not feeling too knackered at all.

Ogmore castle

East Aberthaw Quarry

 

[lazybloke]

And my third qualifying ride in 8 days

Well done, an excellent commitment to lunacy!

Just don't leave your last rides too late; i was a little busy in my Christmas break back in 2023, doing lunacy rides on 17th, 26th and just scraping in on 31st to hit my target.

 

[bluenotebob]

A rare day in Brittany today – almost no wind at all. I took advantage and got a 110km ride done. Just one more ride over 105+km to do before Year-End to get me to 13 rides this year over 105km.

Took a shade under 7.5 hours (cycling by 11am and back to the van just before 6.30pm). Knackered and hungry this evening – but pleased I got this ride done. My first metric century since 28th July (August and September were horrible months).

The route was: Mauron, Ploërmel, Mi-Voie, Clavelaie, le Pré Robert, Pleucadeuc (gare), D112, Coëtdelo, le Chapeau de Roche, D149, le Chenil/Gournava, Questembert (Bel-Air), le Chenil/Gournava, Pleucadeuc (gare), la Mare, chapelle St-Barthélemy, le Gorais, Chaumusset, Mocpaix, la Landelle, la Tayée, Ploërmel, Mauron

 

[steverob]

One more Lunacy ride today to make it so that my 13th longest ride increases to 64 miles. Likelihood of me pushing that to 65 before the end of the year is pretty slim, as it would need 3 more rides and the clocks are soon to change, which normally marks the end of my long rides season.