The Imperial Century A Month Challenge Chatzone

[Aravis]

Rode the 'Mad March - one more river' 200 which was snowed off in mid-March. 201km + 2500m of climb.
Included climbs over Exmoor and then the Quantocks. Duller than forecast but benign temperatures, warming up a bit in the mid-afternoon sunshine, and very little wind.
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I see you used the A377 between Exeter and Crediton. What was that like? I've heard evil things about the behaviour of some motorised vehicle users on that stretch. But if an Audax recommended route uses it in preference to fiddling its way through the lanes to the north, that would be good enough for me.

The reason I ask is that I have this ride planned, waiting for a suitable opportunity - 120 miles and both coasts:

 

[Ajax Bay]

I see you used the A377 between Exeter and Crediton. What was that like? I've heard evil things about the behaviour of some motorised vehicle users on that stretch. But if an Audax recommended route uses it in preference to fiddling its way through the lanes to the north, that would be good enough for me.

Last Sunday morning it was fine (which is why the organiser was content to have it on the routesheet and her mentor is a 'main roads are OK' Audax ancien) but ordinarily (ie for a normal (Apr-Sep) ride) (describing it going NW), I would turn off the A377 north after Cowley and go ("fiddle through") by minor roads via Sweetham to NE of Crediton (this is the route I normally take unless it's really wet) and then bypass the town to the north (Stonewall Lane/Higher Road) back to the A377. I've always thought the A377 NW of Crediton a lovely road to ride (and part of it is used as a TT route), but people's main road traffic thresholds differ and are difficult to quantify.
I have a number of other suggestions for your route (for example cycle tracks NNW of Torrington, through Barnstaple, and along the Exe estuary) but if you want those PM me. Here's a possible route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27229226 .

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Doesn't count towards the challenge I know, but I got in a second century for the month yesterday: ride report.

110 miles into Wales to Lake Vyrnwy and back on one of the best days of the year so far.

 

[StuAff]

Done. Went to Salisbury and back (no bunny suit required). Despite strong crosswind all day, flew along quite nicely, and I got the fuelling right as I didn't flag at all. Which was nice. Garmin Connect reckons a moving average of 13.8 mph, I think the Strava figure of 12.3 is more accurate. Considering the number of steep grindy climbs, that's still good going. Hopefully get April #2 done on Friday night/Saturday morning, but better to make sure I had the qualifier done before that.

 

[HLaB]

Its not my fastest ride I'm still suffering from a lack of power but I went for just under another 115 miles (129miles in total) as it was Too Nice Not Too I was planning to do April's ton next week but hey ho

 

[BromyG]

Bit late posting, but April's 100 completed on Saturday, piggy-backing off the Fridays ride to Felpham! Very wet to start, but improved as morning came, though we didn't get to see any sun!

 

[Lilliburlero]

Blessed with 5 Sundays and some decent weather, I managed to bag 6 Imperial Century rides in April and now have a count of 11 for 2018. I`d only done 8 prior to this year (1 in 2016 and 7 in 2017).

I cant help it... its a disease

Its a nice disease to have though

 

[rb58]

Oh yes! The benefits of being retired meant I could take the opportunity of a sunny day and bag the May qualifier. A spin down to Ashford in the company of a friend who is training for a five day LEJOG. That's 5 x 200 miles days.

Lovely weather, although a testy headwind for some of the return leg. And a few diversions due to flooded roads were necessary (the blue in the picture is a field, not a lake). But that didn't spoil a lovely ride.

112 miles all told.

 

[Aravis]

Blessed with 5 Sundays and some decent weather, I managed to bag 6 Imperial Century rides in April and now have a count of 11 for 2018. I`d only done 8 prior to this year (1 in 2016 and 7 in 2017).

I cant help it... its a disease

Its a nice disease to have though

You make me a little misty-eyed; many years ago my progression looked very much like that, five in rapid succession in the spring of 1984 setting me on my way.

I hope this might be of interest. My year on year progression now looks like this (2018 obviously being incomplete). CycleChat clearly refreshed something that nothing else could reach:

The bit of the picture that doesn't tell is that I was doing serious commuting through most of the 1990s and the early 2000s which took a lot of my energy; it was the period 2005-2015 when things really went to the dogs.

One curiosity is that the single ride in 1999 was on January 1st, my best ever start to a year.

As for this month, I had a grand plan which I decided to postpone because yesterday's forecast was so unfavourable. In the end it would've been almost perfect. I should've been in France today so I'm just the tiniest bit gutted.

 

[Ajax Bay]

Dock you 2 marks for no 'y' axis scale; but add two bonus marks for record keeping.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

May done. Split the rim on the rear wheel, noticed it at the cafe stop. No idea how long I rode with it like that, but did another 10 miles or so to the station and need to do another three to get home. Will day a proper write up in the your ride and today thread later.

 

[Racing roadkill]

May done. Split the rim on the rear wheel, noticed it at the cafe stop. No idea how long I rode with it like that, but did another 10 miles or so to the station and need to do another three to get home. Will day a proper write up in the your ride and today thread later.

There must be something in the air today. I’ve completed May’s as well, but I had to cut it short at about 120 miles ( should have been 170) due to a technical. I really hate that.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

There must be something in the air today. I’ve completed May’s as well, but I had to cut it short at about 120 miles ( should have been 170) due to a technical. I really hate that.

I was lucky that I'd done the 100 when I spotted the rim, I'd originally planned 115 miles, ended up doing 122.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Oh just noticed, this ride took me through 10,000 miles done on imperials

 

[Racing roadkill]

I was lucky that I'd done the 100 when I spotted the rim, I'd originally planned 115 miles, ended up doing 122.

That’s spooky, I got 123 miles