The Imperial Century A Month Challenge Chatzone

[cosmicbike]

Hang in there @cosmicbike . I sorry for inspiring you to do this challenge but your going great

Poor planning on my part. I used what was going to be my metric century for the month and figured I'd just extend it to the imperial. Slow, stop start stuff around housing estates is not a good way to start a long ride. Lesson learnt. And yes, it's all your fault I'd probably never have gotten round to doing the 100 milers otherwise

 

[Supersuperleeds]

You loved it really. Admit it. The fact that you weren't enjoying it made it all the more enjoyable

There is something very satisfying about completing a horrid ride

 

[cosmicbike]

You loved it really. Admit it. The fact that you weren't enjoying it made it all the more enjoyable

There is something very satisfying about completing a horrid ride

Perhaps having a horrid ride will make me enjoy the December one more. Might even make me think about doing it again next year...

 

[ianrauk]

Perhaps having a horrid ride will make me enjoy the December one more. Might even make me think about doing it again next year...

You know you will. You're a long way down a slippery slope

 

[Aravis]

Look like about 105 miles - thought it would have been further.

Very up and down over the Dales. fairly flat once you get east of the A1(M).

Hartlepool is rather low rent which could make for an underwhelming finish to your adventure, although there are a handful of food and drink outlets at the marina, which also has parking.

This ride is planned for tomorrow. It might be a little rough over the high ground, but the wind should be more in my favour than not.

The plan is to finish at the Heugh Battery Museum on the Headland just north of the town.

We're having a good week, based in Morecambe and touring around. By far the best cycling day would've been Monday, but that was my wife's birthday, so there were other priorities. Here is the lady herself beside Coniston Water:

She looks happy, and that's very nearly as important as a bike ride.

 

[Pale Rider]

This ride is planned for tomorrow. It might be a little rough over the high ground, but the wind should be more in my favour than not.

The plan is to finish at the Heugh Battery Museum on the Headland just north of the town.

We're having a good week, based in Morecambe and touring around. By far the best cycling day would've been Monday, but that was my wife's birthday, so there were other priorities. Here is the lady herself beside Coniston Water:

View attachment 437407

She looks happy, and that's very nearly as important as a bike ride.

Hartlepool Headland is the land that time forgot and the locals are known for their, er, particular outlook on life.

Which makes it a fascinating place to visit, albeit there isn't a lot there so it won't take you very long.

A bit further round from the battery is the statue of Andy Capp - his creator, Reg Smythe, was a Hartlepool man.

I spoke to him once, slightly odd experience because he replied partly as Reg and partly as Andy.

Reminded me of that film in which the ventriloquist's dummy takes over the vent.

 

[Aravis]

I did the ride today. The drive back seemed a terribly long way! I'll do a write-up in Your ride today...

Not tonight though. I'd fall asleep on the keyboard and said write-up would consist of a long string of z's.

Today marked the completion of 24 consecutive months with a least two qualifying century rides, so there is some relevance to this thread.

 

[Racing roadkill]

I got November’s completed today. A variation on a theme, down towards Bournemouth. The weather turned horrific towards the end, the wind was blowing a steady 40mph with a couple of hefty 60 mph gusts, I was practically getting blown backwards at one point, as I was on the exposed coastal bit, so I had to dive inland a bit, or I may not have made it back in one piece. The rain had just started to come down as I got close to home, it’s a whole lot worse right now. I think I’ll go East or North for December’s effort.

 

[Trickedem]

I cycled 6 miles to the hospital, but didn't tell him. My shoulder separation is a grade 3, so unless I have surgery, I am always going to have a lump on the shoulder. He said I could start physio soon and to come back in 5-6 weeks if I was having any problems.

I've done 12 miles today with no real pain, so I am going to try and do my century as planned on 10 or 11th Nov. I will be aiming for an easy flattish ride, which will be a novel experience for me.

I am planning to do a century tomorrow with @ianrauk and @rb58. It is a relatively flat route for Kent, so hopefully won't stress the shoulder too much. We are expecting it to be a bit damp, but we've all cycled in worse, so expect it will be fine.

 

[rb58]

I am planning to do a century tomorrow with @ianrauk and @rb58.

Job done. Reports to follow, but The Three Musketeers ride again!

 

[Trickedem]

Job done. Reports to follow, but The Three Musketeers ride again!

A great relief that my shoulder was well enough for me to ride. It's surprising how you can lose fitness in just a month.
We were expecting wetness. However we only had a couple of short heavy showers.
Great to be back on track to complete 8 years of centuries.

 

[ianrauk]

Yep, Novembers ride done and dusted. Completed in the exalted company of @rb58 @Trickedem.
We were really pleased that Tim was able to do the ride without any problems due to his recent injury. It would have been a travesty if he couldn't complete the challenge this year as the 3 of us are now in our 8th year. Cycling together all those years through thick and thin, good weather and bad.

Yesterdays was an easy(er) pootle down to the worldly delights of Ashford International Station for a bite to eat. Such salubrious surroundings I must say

We had weather alright, two bouts of swirling, blustery rain, 1 of which whilst a puncture was being repaired. However, it didn't put a dampener on the ride, the rain was short lived, it wasn't cold and the sun made a brief appearance at times. It turned out to be a really pleasant ride.

A few pictures

The memorial in the village of Plaxtol

Puncture fix # 1

The village of Staplehurst

A long old drag

The wall of a Staplehurst pub - GBA 16-71

Puncture fix # 2

So Novembers qualifying ride done and dusted and the 96th Imperial Century month in a row.

1 more month to go... the finish line approaches.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Yep, Novembers ride done and dusted. Completed in the exalted company of @rb58 @Trickedem.
We were really pleased that Tim was able to do the ride without any problems due to his recent injury. It would have been a travesty if he couldn't complete the challenge this year as the 3 of us are now in our 8th year. Cycling together all those years through thick and thin, good weather and bad.

Yesterdays was an easy(er) pootle down to the worldly delights of Ashford International Station for a bite to eat. Such salubrious surroundings I must say

We had weather alright, two bouts of swirling, blustery rain, 1 of which whilst a puncture was being repaired. However, it didn't put a dampener on the ride, the rain was short lived, it wasn't cold and the sun made a brief appearance at times. It turned out to be a really pleasant ride.

A few pictures

The memorial in the village of Plaxtol
View attachment 438361

View attachment 438362

Puncture fix # 1
View attachment 438363

The village of Staplehurst
View attachment 438364

A long old drag
View attachment 438365

The wall of a Staplehurst pub - GBA 16-71
View attachment 438366

Puncture fix # 2
View attachment 438367

So Novembers qualifying ride done and dusted and the 96th Imperial Century month in a row.

1 more month to go... the finish line approaches.

Looks like someone needs to invest in some marathon pluses

 

[rb58]

Looks like someone needs to invest in some marathon pluses

Naaah. One puncture each in those conditions isn't too bad, especially as we went past several places where the Hawthorn hedges had just been cut (and one place where the farmer was cutting them as we went by). I'll take that over the riding though sludge effect you get with M+. I think that was maybe only my second or third puncture of the year. I'm reminded of the time @Trickedem had so many punctures on the veteran car run to Brighton that he had to head for home - and that was before we'd even left the start! What I do think i need though is a little mud flap on the rear mudguard - because although my *rse stayed quite dry, i think @Trickedem and @ianrauk may have been been showered with Kent's finest road muck.

 

[StuAff]

Eleven down, one to go. An easterly wind, so, just for a change (lol) Brighton it was. 14-15 mph headwind for the first leg- not like a wind tunnel, but hard work indeed. 4:50 riding time to Madeira Drive (apart from the wind, traffic, roadworks..)! Rather faster, unsurprisingly, on the return leg- tailwind was thankfully helpful. A long old day, but done and dusted.