The 2007 Century A Month Challenge Chatzone
Comments
-
-
Left this til possibly the windiest day of the year so far.
Roll on the good weather...
__________________________________
"The tyranny of distance, didn't stop the cavaliers, so why should it stop me?" - Split Enz
Anyone willing to let me tag along on the 180km Ryedale Rumble ride? Drop me an email please!"A cyclist has nothing to lose but his chain"
PTP Runner Up 20150 -
Well done, Ken - I was getting worried about you! You are usually much prompter than I am: I loved your 'fresh N/S/E/W' wind!!
Cheers
Jan0 -
Jan
Yours was a big ride-I know Cookham etc, but never cycled in the area. Nice if busy I should imagine?
And you had an Easterly at your back all day. Well planned is what I say!
<font size="1">"I once prayed to God for a bike, but quickly found out he didnt work that way...so I stole a bike and prayed for his forgiveness"
</font id="size1">“It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best..." Ernest Hemingway0 -
Hi Ken
It wasn't quite as easterly as I would have liked [;)] - more of a cross-wind until I was past Oxford, but certainly good for the second half. Cookham and area was great - really pretty - and the towns on the Thames, too. Managed to stay off the main roads almost until Oxford, so there wasn't too much traffic; then the rest of the route was 'home territory': only scary bit was the Witney bypass which is a really fast road, with no hard shoulder.
Cheers
Jan0 -
Thought I would use the 1st being a sunny Sunday to do my April ride. That NE wind seemed to be against me for 90% of the ride. It was relentless!
Still a good day with lots of hills - hard work though - need to work on my hill fitness.0 -
Was anyone else riding yesterday? I suspect it will have been the best cycling day of the May Day weekend - so good in fact that I rode home from Banbury rather than catching a train. I have more than a few aching muscles today [B)], but it was a ride I'll never forget [:D][:D].
Nick
One lady owner, never raced or hunted.Nick
One lady owner, never raced or hunted.0 -
Hi CN - yes, good day last Saturday. Ru88ell and I recc'ed his route for yesterday's Stourbug ladies ride from Stourbridge to Stratford-on-Avon. We too, had fabulous weather and I rode on down to Cheltenham to get the train. By Thursday of his week, I was starting to wonder if they were going to have to abandon (postpone)the ride, given that this was the inaugaural ride (44 miles) for 30 women who had never ridden more than six miles each in January. Ru88ell has done a fantastic job helping them to train and to increase their range/stamina and I have been providing on-line info and mentoring so I was very proud that they decided to go ahead in spite of the iffy forecasts.
Yesterday was a completely mixed bag of weather, but they all had a fantastic time. Extremely well-organised, with the women setting off in timed groups according to speed, so that they all overlapped at the picnic lunch stop without crowding each other on the roads. The women themselves were well-prepared, properly kitted out with waterproofs, food, drink, routes etc and chatted/supported each other in their groups throughout the ride. Thoroughly enjoyable!
Robgul met them at the afternoon teastop and we assembled the whole group together for their triumphal ride into Stratford: even the tourists were impressed! A great day.
My ride back down to Gloucester was a bit tough - 37 miles of headwind at the end of a pretty long day, but very worthwhile. Quality rating: the highest!!0 -
Is there a maximum time limit for a 100K ride?
Can I include a brief 8.5 hour stop off at work and another 1.5 hours at a pub?
So yesterday was 110K in 15h50 mins.0 -
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Spikey_David</i>
Is there a maximum time limit for a 100K ride?
Can I include a brief 8.5 hour stop off at work and another 1.5 hours at a pub?
So yesterday was 110K in 15h50 mins.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
You have the wrong thread...this is the Century A Month chat thread...the Metric version is elsewhere.[:)] I'm sure they have their own rules but in my view doing a days work between bits of a ride is not in the spirit of the challenge. If you had cycled 50km to a town/city and spent 8 hours sightseeing and then cycled home again that would be fine...but not working.
I'd rather walk than use Shimano.
The older I get, the better my power to weight ratio was.I'd rather walk than use Shimano0 -
You are a hard task-master Rob! [;)]
Jan0 -
[:I]
I'd rather walk than use Shimano.
The older I get, the better my power to weight ratio was.I'd rather walk than use Shimano0 -
i'd check your posts for your rides . the changeover lost my july ride :evil: and messed up the others. still at least they haven't got rid of us
0 -
Well at least they are still stickies!!
I'd rather walk than use Shimano0 -
hi rob, you got a mention here http://www.cyclechat.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=393 so thought i'd mention it. not that i'm stirring it or anything. 0
-
Ok...I'll take the bait!! I'd rather walk than use Shimano0
-
Rob Sallnow wrote:Ok...I'll take the bait!!
This place, that our old place has been transplanted to, doesn't seem so much fun, and there aren't as many people about
I feel as I once did as a kid, when everyone else at a party hid from me. Never recovered, please don't let it happen again
What say you, fellow imperial centurions?“It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best..." Ernest Hemingway0 -
Ken Night wrote:Rob Sallnow wrote:Ok...I'll take the bait!!
This place, that our old place has been transplanted to, doesn't seem so much fun, and there aren't as many people about
I feel as I once did as a kid, when everyone else at a party hid from me. Never recovered, please don't let it happen again
What say you, fellow imperial centurions?
The Century A Month Challenge franchise is up for renewal at the end of this year....up for host status is ACF, Cycle Chat.....and the Knitting World forum.I'd rather walk than use Shimano0 -
Rob Sallnow wrote:[The Century A Month Challenge franchise is up for renewal at the end of this year....up for host status is ACF, Cycle Chat.....and the Knitting World forum.
I don't like it here-so let us all know where you go
FWIW, 3 centuries in July-All French Sportifs, and all very hard. I must be addicted, as one a month is no longer enough!“It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best..." Ernest Hemingway0 -
Hi
Only just found the thread - it does seem a bit buried and sad....
Jan0 -
Rob Sallnow wrote:Ken Night wrote:Rob Sallnow wrote:Ok...I'll take the bait!!
This place, that our old place has been transplanted to, doesn't seem so much fun, and there aren't as many people about
I feel as I once did as a kid, when everyone else at a party hid from me. Never recovered, please don't let it happen again
What say you, fellow imperial centurions?
The Century A Month Challenge franchise is up for renewal at the end of this year....up for host status is ACF, Cycle Chat.....and the Knitting World forum.
I don't spend enough time here to find the recent changes a problem. However, that is because I now spend more time in ACF than C+, for similar reasons to those that drove many to ACF in the first place. Neither is perfect, but that's life. Neverthless I have an allegiance to the "Special Intererests" forum, after the battle getting it established despite determined managemnt opposition.
I would not complain if the franchise stayed here for another year. I would prefer ACF (acf?) if it were to move.
However I am only a Junior Partner. It has taken some time to realise what the challenge is about. It was all crystallised when I had an excellent opportunity to chat with Jan Connett on 2nd June, and learnt more about what had been going on in Stourbug. Well done Jan (also Ru88el & Robgul).
I cannot think of many better excuses to ride a century. That obviously excludes reaching the last day of the month and not having done one
. However "travelling hopefully" remains my motto. Nick
One lady owner, never raced or hunted.0 -
jan_connett wrote:Hi
Only just found the thread - it does seem a bit buried and sad....
Jan
Yaaaaaaay you found us!!!! I'd rather walk than use Shimano0 -
Hi Rob
Thanks for the welcome!
How are things? Bit tough for me at present, but a huge relief to have a few dry days. Nick - it was great to meet you and humbling to winess you riding some pretty serious hills on 'fixed'. Impressed!
Here's hoping for some sunny August weekends!
Cheers
Jan0 -
Yesterday’s run was definitely one of the more memorable CTC rides I’ve done. It was supposed to be a train-assisted CTC ride, starting at Lichfield. However Central Trains had decided not to operate trains from New Street to Lichfield due to “Staff shortages”. So Tamworth was to be the start for those using trains (Virgin, since Central were probably not running trains that way either). However there might have been some riders going to Lichfield by car whom we couldn’t guarantee to contact in advance. So I ended up riding directly to Lichfield to collect any stragglers – none as it transpired - before a rendezvous with the train travellers part way along the planned route. Thank goodness for mobile telephony .
The others had had problems booking bikes with Virgin for the return trip. Over a very pleasant lunch we planned a modified return route with a diversion to Burton station to try advance booking. This proved fruitless, since the station, like Tamworth, was not manned. At least we had time to appreciate the enormity of the brewing business that was all based on the excellence of the water (not, I hasten to add, from the Trent). A few miles later I suffered a puncture and, after fitting the spare tube, realised that time was running short to get to Tamworth in time for one of the rather infrequent Virgin trains back to Brum. We made it with less than a minute to spare .
After that, the solo ride back from Tamworth was rather uneventful!Nick
One lady owner, never raced or hunted.0 -
Fabulous August ride through Wales!
And, of course, I can't understand now why I haven't been there before (at least, haven't been so far into Wales on a pushbike - I used to do it from time to time on my motorcycle).
Other than Rogerzilla's amazing sunshine surprise, this must have been my only truly sunny ride this summer. Had to make sure I was well-stocked up with food and water as I have got caught out in the wilds of (south east) Wales in the past.
I called in at Monmouth Tourist Info: they booked me a B&B in Aberystwyth while I went and had coffee; they even made sure there would be secure parking for my bike. Then, as the promised faxed directions didn't appear, they said they would arrange for them to be faxed to Hay-on-Wye instead... and it worked! I picked them up on my way through. Amazing service!
Jan0 -
Wow, Ken! :shock:
Sounds like you are having an incredible year! How did the pbp go? Congrats on all your other huge rides this summer.
Cheers
Jan0 -
Hi Jan
Yeah, great, if self indulgent summer-not having a job helps, though I'll go bonkers if I don't get one soon
PBP was all that the hype made it out to be, and more
I don't frequent this parish (or any other) much at the moment-there was a rash of posts "over there" the week after PBP
here is my diary, as sent to a mate FWIW-if it's too long, just skim.....
PBP was great, and should be added to your list of objectives. You’ll have to grow a beard, get a steel bike, learn how to mend a deraillieur, with a spoke filched from the non drive side, and to smoke shredded Carradice in your pipe, take a teabag to a café and ask for hot water….
in some ways, the best thing I've done on a bike. A huge ride, realised by breaking it up into smaller goals, managing ones declining physical power, emotions and increasing tiredness, and doing it with a truly likeminded international peloton.
One is allowed 90 hrs so it's definitely doable if everything goes right-I had planned to finish in around 70 hrs, and had made a plan to achieve that.
I broke it up into
Day1 start 9.30pm-447k-4hrs sleep-
Day2 start 1.00am-330k-5hrs sleep-
Day3 start 3.00am-310k-3hrs sleep-had originally planned to finish today, riding 447k again-this time with a following wind
Day4 start 4.00am-140k
I napped on day 3 in a park for 40 mins (chap woke me up and asked if I'd like to rest at his home)
On day 4 I napped on a pavement, and in one of the controls for the most satisfying sleep I've ever had
I reached the finish in 88 hrs, and glad to do so-I can't say, how near I was to giving up, because I couldn't eat
Day1 So far going according to plan, despite headwind and heavy rain. During the second evening, I weakened. I'd picked up a gastric problem probably from a dirty bottle (lots of road splash the night before). Stayed at campsite at Loudeac, which took an hour and around 12k to find. I'd arranged a bagdrop here, and simply had to crawl into the tent having got all my wet kit stored and dry kit ready for tomorrow
Day2, Very draining day, being ill, took much longer than planned, so no way I'm going to finish on day3headwind out to Brest, and following wind back, some rain. Now definitely ill, and clear that it was a game of survival from around Carhaix on the way out, with only about 40% of the ride done-against my gaol of sub 70hrs. Campsite again. More dry kit
Day3 I was going to cycle to the finish today, travelling light with no spare clothes, precluding a stop. Awful struggle all day, torrential rain clearing. Dazy recollections of cycling in the night. Trying to maintain a good average speed was difficult because of the rolling ground. By the time I got to Montagne 85% of the way back I was very weak, and counting the hours/kms, and getting off the bike for toileting around 2 or 3 times per 90km stage.
Not funny, having to get all your kit off in the rain to take a dump.
Decided to stop the night in Mortagne, and used the Dortoir, a sportshall, equipped with hundreds of campbeds and sleeping bags. Not enough toilets. Luckily my clothes and shoes were reasonably dry
don't know how I rode 310k that day-I felt sick and couldn't eat anything on the Thursday, so had to ride at a snails pace. Just managed a rice pudding at Fougeres, and a flann at Villaines
Day 4. Had slept very badly, and been to the toilet four times in the 5 hours I was at Mortagne. Lucky I had my own store of loo roll. Had a rice pudding, which I struggled to keep down. Having to find a toilet stop every few miles, trying to keep the stops to every 25k. thinking I'd got rid of the bug after one particularly horrendous behind the hedge session, discovering after some hours respite I hadn't.
Highpoints
-the anticipation when signing in, and looking at all the wonderful bikes (standing out are the American Rambouillets classic retro style statement, a carbon/ti serrota belonging to the president of Seattle Randonneurs, the 1928 onion seller's bike replete with onions and garlic, the bamboo Parlee
-the first evening bowling along on closed or nearly empty roads, at a pace better than anticipated. Reaching the first control with an av speed of 22mph
-meeting up with Ned Baring(and mate Adrian), with whom I'd ridden the Brevet Cymru-and doing the next 140, at greater than 20mph, on rolling ground
-organising a chain gang between Fougeres and Tintiniac
-meeting Comet at the bag drop and being able to sleep
- The woods in the night on the way to Carhaix, arrival at Brest when sweeping along the harbour road, and the climb out of Brest into the Breton "mountain".
- Kids asking for "high fives" along the route, and on the way into the controls. Older "kids" too!
-the villages in which free coffee and cake stalls had been set up. Some just on the road too.
-the shower at Loudeac campsite on the way back
-the Coke I had at Mortagne, when I got in, after such an awful day
-the long wind assisted descent to Dreux on day 4
-meeting so many bike focused people-too many to mention, bar 2017, Jean-Michel-absolutely charming veteran of 3 previous PBPs (as were so many other people)
-realising that as bad and as ill as I felt, the chances of my finishing were increasing, from Mortagne-my four hours in hand, becoming an increasing (by percentage) buffer
-seeing hundreds of riders just kipping where the tiredness took them, in doorways, on pavements, in dewy grass, on the floors in the controls
-the high at Dreux, knowing that I was going to make it
-the hundreds of cars, trucks and pedestrians hooting, shouting, whistling encouragement.
-the shouts of "bonne route" "bonne courage"
-the general bonhommie all the way round
-the shower at Formule 1 at Trappes
-the deep sleep on the return ferry
-finally recovering from the bug on Sunday, after 5 days of the trots“It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best..." Ernest Hemingway0 -
Again - very well done, Ken!
Hope you have remained well once you recovered. So what's next?
Cheers
Jan0 -
jan_connett wrote:
So what's next?
Cheers
Jan
Hi Jan
Planning September's century this week.
I'd really like to get out for the Marmotte week again next year, perhaps a little lighter!
Raid Pyrenean is what I'd really like to do
Arranging a village cycle ride on 4th Nov will also give me a lot of satisfaction
I understand that you've been involved in getting a group started. do tell“It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best..." Ernest Hemingway0 -
Hi Ken
Village cycle ride sounds fun - who is invited? Do you have a regular group?
I was helping Russell who set up a magnificent ladies' group in Stourbridge. They trained from January til May this year, then did a ride from Stourbridge to Stratford-on-Avon, which was absolutely magic. We were joined by John (Basil Brush) and Robgul on the day.
Mostly I was providing on-line advice/ motivation and support during the training months, and I went up a couple of times to meet the ladies before their Big Day. Russell did all the hard work of recruiting people and organising/ leading the training. They are still going, but I have more or less dropped out at the moment as things are not going well in the Connett household. Hopefully I should be able to regroup over the next few months and will have a bit more time again.
Still commuting by bicycle every day though (15-20 miles, depending on which office I am in) and still hanging in there with the centuries. Very nice to see you enjoying yours so much!
cheers
Jan0
