The Annual Lunacy Climbing Challenge Chatzone

[Dogtrousers]

Maybe I'm not completely out. I haven't done any long hilly rides for about 2-3 months. Today's was a bit of a shock to the system.

It was one of those rides with endless punchy short steep climbs (My Garmin counted 19 climbs, about half of which were in one 40k section) and tricky twisty descents. I'd planned a very wiggly route that was full of surprises. "Sharp left here, up that very steep tiny lane with terrible surface. Turn now!"

When it came to the final climb - Hubbards Hill - I was done for. Hubbards is a fairly long climb. As you approach it you have a few km of gentle but definite uphill, that gradually grows until you get to the climb proper, by which time I was already tired. The climb then has about 500m at 8-10% ish and 500m at 12-13% ish. I had to stop and sit down and let my heart rate drop before I could deal with the final steep bit.

All in all a great day out on the bike and a reminder of what I've been missing by being lazy/distracted.

4 more by end of year? It's a big ask. Maybe, maybe not.

 

[Willd]

Down to 82ft by the Welland at Stamford up to 701ft at Cold Ashby

Nothing much in the first 40 miles...

 

[Dogtrousers]

Another one done. So three left to do and two months to do them

Lots of very steep back lanes in the rain. Progress - both ascending and descending was painfully slow. 1500m of climb ticked over on my Garmin after roughly 70km. For my neck of the woods that's a lot climbing in a short distance. I did have a bit more planned but when the choice came - turn left uphill and complete the ride as planned or turn right for 5km of freewheeling downhill to a station ... I turned right.

 

[Willd]

A trip to the hillier East

 

[FrothNinja]

Going to be a close run thing this year - another 3 to go. May have to resort to finding a mountain and riding up and down it to get the metres.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Going to be a close run thing this year - another 3 to go. May have to resort to finding a mountain and riding up and down it to get the metres.

I'm in the same position but I'm feeling a bit happier now. That's one per month plus a bonus one.

I've just put the finishing touches to a new version of a route I've done before: "Brighton the Stupid Way" which is my home to Brighton via a stupid climb-bagging route (Toy's Hill, Kidd's Hill and many more). Next weekend, weather permitting.

 

[FrothNinja]

Did a long un today. By the time I finished I came to the firm conclusion I should have worn winter gear, especially winter gloves.
Couple of really nasty close calls, one being passed so close the draft pushed me left - fecker was doing 80 through Cliviger - he passed a 2 up motorbike with millimetres to spare and it looked like the motorbike was standing still.
Shouted out to someone who looked like a Forum rider but they totally blanked me. Suspect it was someone else and the randoms around me must have thought I had some type of syndrome.
Then I trod in cat shoot near home.....
Been back an hour or so & I'm still cold!!!
Having explored a couple of new lanes down @ColinJ 's way, I shall return camered up as there was some great new scenery.📷🚵‍♂️

 

[ColinJ]

I came to the firm conclusion I should have worn winter gear, especially winter gloves.

I suffered the same problem yesterday so I cut my ride short. Slightly chilly again to today but I was only out for 75 minutes so I could put up with it.

Couple of really nasty close calls

I have had a couple recently. It really puts me off riding down in the valley, but at this time of year I feel less inclined to go over big hills except when the sky is blue.

Having explored a couple of new lanes down @ColinJ 's way

Hmm... Which ones?

 

[FrothNinja]

Hmm... Which ones?

Down off Eastwood Rd and below Kebs. Lots of road closed signs at the moment but doable on 2 wheels. Ridden Eastwood & the razor's edge down through Shore plenty of times but never been on the bits in between. Quite slippery though.

 

[Willd]

Quite slippery though.

Hmm tell me about it, slipped off going round a damp corner. Not too much damage apart from a mahoosive lump on my left outer thigh that took the brunt of it - too old to bounce any more Carried on to the nearest bit of the Cotswolds, I've not been to before & the highest point in Warwickshire.

Basically went up anything with a chevron:

Campden / Nebsworth Hill
Lark Stoke Hill
Windmill Hill

 

[Dogtrousers]

Well, it was Great Fire of London day today - 1666 metres climbed.

I also had a slippery moment. There is one hill on my route, Cudham Hill that has about 10m of super-steep. The kind of hill that I can only climb by standing up and pulling up on the bars, moving one pedal stroke at a time. But if you lose traction its game over, there's no way to restart. In the drizzly rain today this happened, back wheel spun and I ground to a halt, so I had a short (but very steep) walk.

Apart from that a good ride. I do seem to be getting slower and slower. Second slowest ascent of the Beacon on record.

 

[ColinJ]

Down off Eastwood Rd and below Kebs. Lots of road closed signs at the moment but doable on 2 wheels. Ridden Eastwood & the razor's edge down through Shore plenty of times but never been on the bits in between. Quite slippery though.

Do you mean Hey Head Lane and/or Crossley New Road, or some of the bridleways down from up there?

I noticed the road closed signs at the bottom of Cross Stone Road this week but haven't been up there for a while.

 

[FrothNinja]

Do you mean Hey Head Lane and/or Crossley New Road, or some of the bridleways down from up there?

I noticed the road closed signs at the bottom of Cross Stone Road this week but haven't been up there for a while.

The road is up for water mains work on Cross Stone Rd west from the bottom of Hey Head. Crossley New Rd is open from Eastwood down to there.

 

[Willd]

Groundhog day today, to get over 800m I had to resort to going up one hill twice and another 3 times, spot where No marked climbs today, a heady 485 ft maximum elevation and had to do over 70 miles

 

[Willd]

Done, with 855 m yesterday Went down one hill 3 times (spot where ). Fortunately only up to 439 ft with no marked climbs. There were a couple of marked chevrons on the OS map which were hard work on the emergency pub bike (17kg with a lowest gear of 1.43 40/28). Need to get the road bike fixed