The Imperial Century A Month Challenge Chatzone

[Sea of vapours]

March done. I'm looking forward to feeling happy to start imperial centuries an hour or two later. Today was 0920, which is pretty much 'crack of dawn' for me.

I decided to get up Great Dun Fell as I've not been up it since November and the new, second radome is now finished; and very shiny it is too. (New one on the left, for anyone who's not familiar with GDF.)

In all probability it will look less white and shiny most days. Today featured clear, blue sky all day to sunset and the wind speed at the top of GDF was a mere 'indiscernible', which is very rare indeed.

I approached via Kirkby Lonsdale, then northwards via Tebay and Orton to cross the excellent 'main' road across the Westmorland Dales to Appleby-in-Westmorland. The lanes from then on, to reach Knock and the beginning of the ascent, were pretty muddy, though surprisingly dry, which was a bonus. The ascent itself featured one opportunistic walker, near the top, and no-one else. In fact I saw very few cyclists all day; three perhaps. It was even warm up there; 7C according to my head unit. Later on was less so; the temperature had dropped to a bracing minus 3C by Newby Head and remained below zero until I arrived home. A really fine day out, with some great long views and some very pleasant light of the unaccustomed 'full-on sunshine' variety, even in Mallerstang (below), which is often somewhat dark and shadowed.

 

[13 rider]

March,s done 107 miles Markfield to Kettering then a loop around the countryside beyond and back .Weird weather day set of under blue sky's temp 4C rode for an hour dipped into a valley into fog climbed out and it didn't clear was under this blanket for 3 hours temp went down to -2C according to my wahoo . I hadn't dressed for this as I was expecting it to warm up and me be shedding layers . The downhills chilled me to the bone was quite thankful for some uphills to warm up on

 

[robjh]

Got March's done on Thursday 19th, on a one-way ride from home near Cambridge down to Portsmouth, ready for a trip round the Isle of Wight the following day. I took a route round the north-west of London, going through Hatfield and Slough to Windsor, then down to Guildford and the wonderful car-free Devil's Punchbowl, before crossing the equally wonderful South Downs on a minor road south of Petersfield.
I only touched the true London suburbs briefly south of Watford, but a lot of that area feels like extended suburbia with chunks of urban sprawl, busy arterial roads and constant traffic throughout the day, but the last stretch over the various downs more than made up for it.
It was a chilly start at 5am, and I needed to take ample storage for all the items that came off as the sun warmed up, until I was riding in bare legs and arms by the afternoon, only for the temps to suddenly plummet again at 5pm as the sun got low in the sky. Still, I was approaching Portsmouth by that time and was checked into my modest airbnb room in Fratton before 6.

(The Isle of Wight was a fantastic ride the next day too, but that's another day and another ride)

Distance 135.8 miles / 218.5 km
strava here
My 182nd imperial century ever, and 87th consecutive month.


Sup up your beer and collect your fags, that's Eton College in the distance

Windsor. The crowds and police presence are waiting for something.

weaving along the 'cycle path' beside the A3 to get to the Devil's Punchbowl

Devil's Punchbowl

Langstone Harbour, just before Portsmouth

IOW ferry leaving Portsmouth - photo taken later that evening

 

[ianrauk]

Also got March's ride done today.
To the sea to see the sea then on to Sandwich for a Sandwich but I didn't have a Sandwich and Wye? Because, thats why?
A fab days cycling. A nice Kent loop taking in some fabulous roads, climbs, descents and views.
Perfect cycling conditions, topping out at 16° for a while.
Scores on the doors 121 miles for the day. 8 hours graft in the saddle.
Imperial Century #364 Imperial Century Month 184 in a row.