Three 30-minute rides each week of the year Challenge 2024

[Tail End Charlie]

Another week done for me, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. One longer ride and two other shorter rides, doing some errands and shopping. All were very enjoyable and are gradually getting longer.

 

[annedonnelly]

Rides Monday, Thursday and Sunday for me.

I *think* I could count Thursday as two rides. I rode up to Cramlington where there's a hub which includes library, cafe, and various meeting rooms. The journey there was about 40 minutes. I called in for hot chocolate and to put a few pieces in the communal jigsaw puzzle. A couple gave me an odd look as they passed so I wondered if it was their regular time for doing the jigsaw and I shouldn't have dared get in the way I headed home after amazing a couple of young girls as I unfolded the Brompton. It's mainly downhill in that direction so probably only 35 minutes home.

 

[ColinJ]

Week 8: 3 qualifying rides, 77 km, 4½ hrs.

• Ride 1 (Mon): 16 km. Extended lumpy local loop. ¾ hr
• Ride 2 (Thu): 11 km. Extended lumpy local loop. ¾ hr.
• Ride 3 (Sat): 50 km. Tod, Burnley, Crown Point, Deerplay, Bacup, Sharneyford, Rochdale Rd, Calderbrook, Summit, Walsden, Lumbutts, Tod. 3 hrs.

Mostly in 42/15 gear on 6-er but needed 42/29 for the longer, steeper Crown Point and Sharneyford climbs on ride #3.

Success rate: 8 weeks out of 8.

24 qualifying rides so far this year. Total 377 km (47.1%), of target 800 km (weekly target 100 km). Total ride time approximately 22¼ hrs.

PS Special characters to copy and paste for ride durations - ¼ ½ ¾ !

 

[FrothNinja]

W8R1 - Centurion 37 mins - local miles.
W8R2 - 2 hours 43 mins - slow miles Aldingham, Roosecote, Barrow etc.
W8R3 - Centurion 36 mins - local miles
Aldingham

 

[ColinJ]

[An early finish to my cycling this week due to family commitments. Weather etc. permitting, next week should be the best so far by a long way.]

Week 9: 3 qualifying rides, 51 km, 2¾ hrs.

• Ride 1 (Mon): 13 km. Extended lumpy local loop. ¾ hr
• Ride 2 (Tue): 13 km. Extended lumpy local loop. ¾ hr.
• Ride 3 (Wed): 25 km. More extended, more lumpy... Tod, far side of Walsden, Tod, Cliviger Gorge, Tod. 1¼ hrs.

All in 42/15 gear on 6-er, except for higher gears on a few long downhill stretches.

Success rate: 9 weeks out of 9.

27 qualifying rides so far this year. Weekly target 100 km; total to date: 428 km. Average progress now = 47.6% ; last week = 47.1%. Total ride time approximately 25 hrs.

PS Special characters to copy and paste for ride durations - ¼ ½ ¾ !

 

[bluenotebob]

Weeks 6 to 9: catch-up

Week 6: two HMCAM rides + 9 more local rides over 30 mins; distance cycled 233.97km
Week 7: 14 local rides over 30 mins; distance cycled 215.71km
Week 8: one Lunacy Distance ride + 9 local rides over 30 mins; distance cycled 220.84km
Week 9: one HMCAM ride + 9 more local rides over 30 mins; distance cycled 217.18km

Weeks 1 to 9: total distance cycled 1917km

@ColinJ ...you’re only 72km behind the seasonally-weighted monthly targets that I suggested you use (428km cycled against a target of 500km at end Feb) but you’ll need to step up your game soon…

@FrothNinja ... .. you shouldn’t post one ‘distance’ ride into two ‘distance’ challenges. See @13 rider ’s comments about “the spirit of fair play” in the 2024 HMCAM Challenge Chatzone. Decide which of the two challenges your ride relates to and then post it accordingly. You’ve posted a qualifying ride for both January and February in the 2024 HMCAM challenge but, as far as I’m concerned, you haven’t started the Lunacy Distance challenge yet. So please differentiate between your HMCAM and Lunacy Distance rides.

I hope everyone has a good March on the bike

 

[FrothNinja]

W9R1 - Centurion 35 mins - local miles.
W9R2 - Centurion 43 mins - Burnley, Barrowford, etc.
W9R3 - CX 2 hour 54 mins - Burnley, Barrowford, Yorks/Lancs border, Blacko, Roughlee, Clarion, Sabden Fold, the Ridge, Black Hill, White Hill, Higham, Wheatley Lane, Brierfield, Burnley (total 37.3 miles / 60.0 km plus 511 m / 1,677 ft ascent)
Sneaky stream seen lurking in the scrub on Tuesday - not noticed it before...

 

[Tail End Charlie]

I was away for the first part of the week, so thought I may struggle to get the rides in. However, one ride yesterday and two today, after getting up early meant I've got the three rides in. All were short ones although two today we're good as it's my birthday!

 

[ColinJ]

@ColinJ ...you’re only 72km behind the seasonally-weighted monthly targets that I suggested you use (428km cycled against a target of 500km at end Feb) but you’ll need to step up your game soon…

I will probably jinx myself, but... I am aiming for close to 200 km in week #10!

 

[annedonnelly]

Not the greatest week weather-wise so to add to Tuesday's ride I had to go out twice yesterday. Luckily it wasn't been a bad day with hardly a breath of wind! Cold in the morning though and my hands were soon numb. Turned back a bit earlier than I'd planned so 7 miles in about 45 minutes.

Back out in afternoon and when the sun came out it was rather pleasant and I didn't feel like my hands were going to drop off! Ventured north of the river for the first time in ages. 10 miles in about 75 minutes.

It's a lovely frosty morning here so I'm off out to get a head start on the week.

 

[annedonnelly]

When I got a ride in on Monday and two on Tuesday I thought I might manage more than three rides this week. But we've had cold, strong, easterly winds for the last few days and it looks like it's set to rain all day today so just the three 30-minute rides this week.

 

[FrothNinja]

W10R1 - Hybrid 2 hours 44 mins - Coalburn, Deadwaters, West Cauldcoats, Gilmourton, Avon Water, Dungavel, Allanton, Loudoun Hill, Drumboy, Drumclog, Dungavel, Avon Water, Linbank, Sandford, Deadwaters, Coalburn (total 36.3 miles / 58.4 km plus 657 m / 2,155 ft ascent).
W10R2 - Hybrid 33 mins - around Coalburn, Deadwaters etc.
W10R3 - Hybrid 3 hour 46 mins - Deadwaters, Coalburn, Poniel Water, Douglas Water, Longmoor Hill forest, Burnhouse Moor, Roberton, Clyde's Bridge, Littlegill, ancient settlement, Abington, Castle Hill, Abington, Redmoss, Happonden, Coalburn, Deadwaters (total 52.1 miles / 83.8 km plus 1,033 m / 3,389 ft ascent)
Littlegill, north of Abington

 

[ColinJ]

I will probably jinx myself, but... I am aiming for close to 200 km in week #10!

Well, I failed to ride close to 200 km...



... I rode exactly 200 km!

I set off on Sunday to do the 4th ride of my week in Devon, aiming to see how close I would get. It was raining and windy so I thought that I wouldn't feel like doing the required 38 km but the rain stopped after 45 minutes so I carried on and did it all.

Devon has had an awful lot of rain over the winter so the narrow Devon-Banked lanes that I use were covered in mud, grit, potholed puddles, and even the occasional mini-flood! I think that I will fit some proper mudguards to the bike that I have down there, and probably leave a pair of neoprene overshoes there too!

The details...

Week 10: 4 qualifying rides, 200 km, 12½ hrs.

• Ride 1 (Tue): 50 km. Mucky lanes between Crediton, Thorverton and Upton Pyne. 3 hrs
• Ride 2 (Thu): 81 km. Mucky lanes, Exe cycle route to Exmouth, met up with my niece and rode towards Otterton and back, then cycle route and lanes again. 5 hrs.
• Ride 3 (Fri): 31 km. Nadderwater climb from Crediton, Exwick, mucky lanes again. 2 hrs.
• Ride 4 (Sun): 38 km. Those mucky lanes yet again! 2½ hrs.

Success rate: 10 weeks out of 10.

31 qualifying rides so far this year. Weekly target 100 km; total to date: 628 km. Average progress now = 62.8%; last week = 47.6%. Total ride time approximately 37½ hrs.

PS Special characters to copy and paste for ride durations - ¼ ½ ¾ !

 

[FrothNinja]

W11R1 - Centurion 38 mins - local miles.
W11R2 - Centurion 34 mins - local miles.
W11R3 - Centurion 1 hour 5 mins - local miles.
One of my all time fave British wild flowers - Fritillaria meleagris [Snakes Head]

 

[Tail End Charlie]

I'm still in this! Didn't post last week, but I did three rides and have done so this week too. Broke out the tandem for the ride today, it was such a lovely day, spring is almost here!