I was a bit late doing my August one. Finished this 2 days ago as part of the tour.
The Imperial Century A Month Challenge Chatzone
- Thread starter Rob S
- Start date
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Supersuperleeds
Legendary Member
- Location
- Leicester
September done. Exactly 128 miles. Route probably not as nice as being in France, but the weather was glorious. 
StuAff
Silencing his legs regularly
- Location
- Portsmouth
Also joined the party. FNRttC to Bognor, and then back home with the necessary extensions because it's only 25 miles going straight along. 100.3 miles.
Aravis
Putrid Donut
- Location
- Gloucester
A glorious day today, in stark contrast to the prediction for tomorrow, so September had to be done. But it didn't help that I'd been at a wedding reception in Oundle until late on Friday and had driven home afterwards.
I did a ride I'd been planning for months, over the Berkshire Downs and through the upper Lambourn Valley. The distance was 123.54 miles - for a somewhat arcane reason the number 123 is extremely significant. Unfortunately my riding form didn't quite match the occasion, but there may be mitigating circumstances. After a couple of glasses of wine (making up for last night) any disappointment is rapidly receding.
A new Eddington number too.
I did a ride I'd been planning for months, over the Berkshire Downs and through the upper Lambourn Valley. The distance was 123.54 miles - for a somewhat arcane reason the number 123 is extremely significant. Unfortunately my riding form didn't quite match the occasion, but there may be mitigating circumstances. After a couple of glasses of wine (making up for last night) any disappointment is rapidly receding.
A new Eddington number too.
- Location
- Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Write up to follow when I've recovered a bit.
Supersuperleeds
Legendary Member
- Location
- Leicester
Riding my commuting route again. Did you avoid the rain? It bucketed it down here mid morning.
Not entirely 1 hail downpour around Croft for 5 mins by it was awful other than that dry . Did the hill into Sibbertoft from Theddingworth
Then the road past the glider club into a headwind but a good day
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Supersuperleeds
Legendary Member
- Location
- Leicester
Not entirely 1 hail downpour around Croft for 5 mins by it was awful other than that dry . Did the hill into Sibbertoft from Theddingworth
I did that hill to get a square, it is a bit of a leg tester. What makes it worse is the fact we missed getting it by half a mile or so of flat roads when we did the Market Harborough forum ride
Ajax Bay
Guru
- Location
- East Devon
September 100 done, but pretty certainly the last - read on.
An excellent ride - first two thirds of Barry's Jaeger Bomb 300 audax - perfect weather. Enjoyed the Fosse Way gravel section, feeling suitably bold as the gravel got deeper at the NE end.
Riding in a group, a swift first 70km; had a quick stop to control at Poulton, coinciding with the 9am assembly of about 50 riders from soi disant Performance Cycles. I enjoyed a quiche and a pint of milk from Lidl Amesbury (second control) before cutting through the Woodfords to the lovely Wylye valley, riding the latter in company with a 'fixed rider'. Stopped off to say hello to a friend who lives in Corton on the road NW of Wylye village. Onwards through Sutton Veny, Longbridge Deverill and Maiden Bradley (back in a small group after the village) through Kilmington to Alfred's Tower, above the Stourhead estate. I was due to stop for tea with a friend who lives just below the tower when, descending the wooded Kingsettle Hill at speed (?40kph) my front tyre blew (new on for LEL so about 2300km on it, the rear had another 1000 on it from Mille Pennines) and braking on a deflated front tyre didn't do it, and I lost it (together with any memory after the action of braking and keeping as straight as possible). Others in a group mostly from Stonehouse were right behind me and all I remember was being asked if I had a preference between Bath and Yeovil hospitals - I chose Yeovil (and went there by road (thanks to the air ambulance for attending too)). CT Scan and X-rays in A&E etc before transfer to ICU. Two days in ICU was enough - the punctured lung was stable and the multiple rib and shoulder blade fractures will apparently heal themselves. Discharged Monday evening and back home generally sore, battered, grazed and weak but will get better. Thanks to my fellow riders for calling the ambulance quickly, for agreeing to let a local take charge of my bike (which is fine apart from a punctured front tyre and a bit of scratching to the Brooks saddle and STIs), and for taking my saddle and top tube bags and GPS off my bike and sending them with me in the ambulance (NB really good practice; they even put one of my glasses' lenses in). I hope the my fellow riders were not too delayed on their ride, that my crash did not "spoil [their] ride" and that they enjoyed another 5 hours of excellent riding (we had taken 8:10 for the 200km so far). Sorry to have missed the ride over the Mendips, which would have been in daylight. Hey ho! When I recover my bike I shall ride the hill and try to see where I came off. When I think of the hills I've been down this year, Alfred's one is pretty innocuous (100m drop in a kilometre). The road west from Alfred's Tower seemed fine to me as I started down it (and I think I've been down there before) and consider I was in complete control, but until I go back I will not be able to make a decent objective assessment. I would like to know what made my tyre go (I was not braking much) and examination of the tube (idc - bike is now with the friend I was going to have tea with) will probably not shed much evidence on that. Hey ho! After 25,000km I guess statistics caught up with me, but I'd much prefer they didn't/hadn't. At least it was early in the month so if I can heal well, who knows if I can't keep the 100s going by a ride in late October
. I am using this ride for both metric and imperial century challenges - force majeure.
An excellent ride - first two thirds of Barry's Jaeger Bomb 300 audax - perfect weather. Enjoyed the Fosse Way gravel section, feeling suitably bold as the gravel got deeper at the NE end.
Riding in a group, a swift first 70km; had a quick stop to control at Poulton, coinciding with the 9am assembly of about 50 riders from soi disant Performance Cycles. I enjoyed a quiche and a pint of milk from Lidl Amesbury (second control) before cutting through the Woodfords to the lovely Wylye valley, riding the latter in company with a 'fixed rider'. Stopped off to say hello to a friend who lives in Corton on the road NW of Wylye village. Onwards through Sutton Veny, Longbridge Deverill and Maiden Bradley (back in a small group after the village) through Kilmington to Alfred's Tower, above the Stourhead estate. I was due to stop for tea with a friend who lives just below the tower when, descending the wooded Kingsettle Hill at speed (?40kph) my front tyre blew (new on for LEL so about 2300km on it, the rear had another 1000 on it from Mille Pennines) and braking on a deflated front tyre didn't do it, and I lost it (together with any memory after the action of braking and keeping as straight as possible). Others in a group mostly from Stonehouse were right behind me and all I remember was being asked if I had a preference between Bath and Yeovil hospitals - I chose Yeovil (and went there by road (thanks to the air ambulance for attending too)). CT Scan and X-rays in A&E etc before transfer to ICU. Two days in ICU was enough - the punctured lung was stable and the multiple rib and shoulder blade fractures will apparently heal themselves. Discharged Monday evening and back home generally sore, battered, grazed and weak but will get better. Thanks to my fellow riders for calling the ambulance quickly, for agreeing to let a local take charge of my bike (which is fine apart from a punctured front tyre and a bit of scratching to the Brooks saddle and STIs), and for taking my saddle and top tube bags and GPS off my bike and sending them with me in the ambulance (NB really good practice; they even put one of my glasses' lenses in). I hope the my fellow riders were not too delayed on their ride, that my crash did not "spoil [their] ride" and that they enjoyed another 5 hours of excellent riding (we had taken 8:10 for the 200km so far). Sorry to have missed the ride over the Mendips, which would have been in daylight. Hey ho! When I recover my bike I shall ride the hill and try to see where I came off. When I think of the hills I've been down this year, Alfred's one is pretty innocuous (100m drop in a kilometre). The road west from Alfred's Tower seemed fine to me as I started down it (and I think I've been down there before) and consider I was in complete control, but until I go back I will not be able to make a decent objective assessment. I would like to know what made my tyre go (I was not braking much) and examination of the tube (idc - bike is now with the friend I was going to have tea with) will probably not shed much evidence on that. Hey ho! After 25,000km I guess statistics caught up with me, but I'd much prefer they didn't/hadn't. At least it was early in the month so if I can heal well, who knows if I can't keep the 100s going by a ride in late October
. I am using this ride for both metric and imperial century challenges - force majeure.
HLaB
Marie Attoinette Fan
I actually done my ton at the start of the month but saved posting until I done Velo Birmingham. A great weekend and good friendly organisation. I'm just reading a friend cracked his frame just before the start and the organisers sorted him out with an alternate bike. The ride was a bit of a mare for me, however, but that was nothing to do with the organisation. After about 15 miles I p'tured. Went to change it fast but spent a few minutes reassuring the mechanic who was instantly on the spot I had the tools and waved him off. Lol, I got two pumps with the year and half old Lezyne pump then nothing, fortunately I had gas. After 30miles it felt a bit bumpy again, booger, I must have missed it and I had no pump and only half a Co2 canister. I has enough air in to get me home but spotted a motorbike support rider, who was really friendly and helpful. I changed it again and this time I was more determined and found the offending object. Got to 90miles only for a numpty to take my front wheel out and take me out. He was very apologetic but didn't hang around with me struggling on the deck. Almost instantly a support motorbike was there, not that he could do much but he instantly said, 'I saw what he done' :-/ Got my self sorted out and thought I'd escaped with a bruise elbow but only to find out after, the fall had twisted my rear brake so as to rub, scraped my new pedal and shoe, put a hole in my jersey and burst up my front brake :-(
Soltydog
Legendary Member
- Location
- near Hornsea
One for the adjudicators today 
Set off for my ton ride, had to be home for 2:30, made the mistake of heading through Hull & traffic was especially bad today which slowed me a little, & I'm at the arse end of a cold which didn't help either. By mid day it became apparent I wouldn't get the 100 in for 2:30. Arrived home at 2:30 having done 91 miles, had a meeting which went on longer than it should & then set off or another 10 miles.
So the question is does 91 miles a 2 hour stop at home & a further 10 miles qualify for this months ride
or 
Set off for my ton ride, had to be home for 2:30, made the mistake of heading through Hull & traffic was especially bad today which slowed me a little, & I'm at the arse end of a cold which didn't help either. By mid day it became apparent I wouldn't get the 100 in for 2:30. Arrived home at 2:30 having done 91 miles, had a meeting which went on longer than it should & then set off or another 10 miles. So the question is does 91 miles a 2 hour stop at home & a further 10 miles qualify for this months ride
or 
One for the adjudicators today
So the question is does 91 miles a 2 hour stop at home & a further 10 miles qualify for this months ride
Well the rules do actually say no stops allowed at home. Then a 2 hour meeting too. It's stretching the rules a lot to be honest. If you feel your ride was within the spirit of the competition then log it.
Soltydog
Legendary Member
- Location
- near Hornsea
I was thinking the same TBH, was hoping the meeting would be an hour at most & maybe acceptable
That's me out then for this year, won't be riding tomorrow & I'm away all day Saturday 
