Inspired by a couple of organized rides garnering interest this month, we’ve decided to re-fashion last year’s February gravel challenge into a similar low-key event for 2022. This is open to anyone with a gravel or cross bike (or a road bike that appreciates mud and general abuse) and a healthy sense of adventure!
TO PARTICIPATE
Ride at least one qualifying ride during the next four weeks:
Feb 13: North Saanich gravel fondo (long or short version)—see Spond event
Feb 19/20: Any pre-fab route from last year’s challenge [viewtopic.php?f=21&t=9354]
Feb 27: Craig’s Rail Trail absurdity—see Spond event
March 5/6: Any pre-fab route from last year’s challenge [viewtopic.php?f=21&t=9354]
Anyone who can’t attend the organized rides on the 13th and 27th can also earn points by riding the same route on their own or any pre-fab route from last year’s challenge during the same week. Up to four gravel rides over the four-week period Feb 13-March 6 can qualify.
POINTS
Attend one or both of the organized rides and/or ride one or more routes from last year and earn one point for every increment of 50 km travelled (a single ride of less than 50 = one point, too). Yes, more points for more distance...cuz why not, it’s February! Anyone can complete more than one ride per week, but only one will count towards that week’s points. Ad-libbing extra distance following an organized ride or pre-fab route is a-okay.
1-50 km = 1 point
51-100 km = 2 points
101-150 km = 3 points
etc...
REPORTING
All participating riders must DM me (Claire) via Spond to alert me of completed rides each week (a Strava link or screenshot will do).
PRIZES
Highest points earner will receive the coveted tacoed-wheel trophy. Additional swaggy prizes will be unearthed and awarded by random draw (one entry per point) and are TBD.
Just-for-fun, non-competitive winter gravel/cross challenge!
Moderator: mfarnham
Re: Just-for-fun, non-competitive winter gravel/cross challenge!
Asking for a friend,
Thank you for posting this here Claire. Hopefully I will not make as many typos on this full sized keyboard..my short fatty fingers are not a good fit for my phone
There is mention of four(4) weeks at least twice in this post. There is also a mention of February 13 to March 6. My friend tried very hard, and they are not able to fit in four weeks between these dates. This friend wonder if the competition started on February 6 and ends on March 6---it is about a February challenge after all. My friend had planned to pre-ride one of the official rides this week!
I will pass on your message to them. They are only looking at Spond and are having a lot of problems with Spond...not loading, slow.. etc etc.
Cheers,
Mikael
ps. I certainly hope that there are cookies. Having had a chance to try your cookies in the past I will certainly ride much further for additional opportunities .......as will my friend I am sure.
Thank you for posting this here Claire. Hopefully I will not make as many typos on this full sized keyboard..my short fatty fingers are not a good fit for my phone
There is mention of four(4) weeks at least twice in this post. There is also a mention of February 13 to March 6. My friend tried very hard, and they are not able to fit in four weeks between these dates. This friend wonder if the competition started on February 6 and ends on March 6---it is about a February challenge after all. My friend had planned to pre-ride one of the official rides this week!
I will pass on your message to them. They are only looking at Spond and are having a lot of problems with Spond...not loading, slow.. etc etc.
Cheers,
Mikael
ps. I certainly hope that there are cookies. Having had a chance to try your cookies in the past I will certainly ride much further for additional opportunities .......as will my friend I am sure.
Re: Just-for-fun, non-competitive winter gravel/cross challenge!
Have you confirmed with your friend that there are no points awarded for pedantry, Mikael? They sound pretty uptight. I hope they'll get out on their bike soon and loosen up a little.
Re: Just-for-fun, non-competitive winter gravel/cross challenge!
Oh, my... Yes, Mikael is correct that there are not 28 days between Feb 13 and March 6. But there ARE four weekends, and that was the point!!
Anyway, rides completed in the week/few days preceding Feb 13 AND the few days following March 6 will also be accepted!
And, yes (spoiler alert!), homemade (by me) cookies will surely make their way into the random prize draws.
Anyway, rides completed in the week/few days preceding Feb 13 AND the few days following March 6 will also be accepted!
And, yes (spoiler alert!), homemade (by me) cookies will surely make their way into the random prize draws.
Re: Just-for-fun, non-competitive winter gravel/cross challenge!
Hi all, here's a tl;dr summary of the links to the four routes from last year's challenge for quick reference, plus two joined up routes for those wanting a longer adventure. I made some adjustments to the joined up routes and since I haven't had a chance to ride them yet, I recommend caution. Any experts, feel free to suggest improvements.
Do have a look at the helpful notes on the original routes provided by the original cartographers in the link provided by Claire.
Original routes:
1) 34k Elk https://www.plotaroute.com/route/1333608?units=km
2) 34k RRU https://www.plotaroute.com/route/1426090?units=km
3) 27k Charlton - Quicks - Donwood https://www.plotaroute.com/route/1431435?units=km
4) 48k Rolf's Wriggle Romp https://www.plotaroute.com/route/1440508?units=km
1 & 2 combined - 58k
https://www.strava.com/routes/2928896434422811390
3 & 4 combined - 66k
https://www.strava.com/routes/2928904698694490502
In case anybody is interested, this website was fantastic for combining routes: https://www.gpsvisualizer.com/convert_input
*cross-posted to Spond*
Do have a look at the helpful notes on the original routes provided by the original cartographers in the link provided by Claire.
Original routes:
1) 34k Elk https://www.plotaroute.com/route/1333608?units=km
2) 34k RRU https://www.plotaroute.com/route/1426090?units=km
3) 27k Charlton - Quicks - Donwood https://www.plotaroute.com/route/1431435?units=km
4) 48k Rolf's Wriggle Romp https://www.plotaroute.com/route/1440508?units=km
1 & 2 combined - 58k
https://www.strava.com/routes/2928896434422811390
3 & 4 combined - 66k
https://www.strava.com/routes/2928904698694490502
In case anybody is interested, this website was fantastic for combining routes: https://www.gpsvisualizer.com/convert_input
*cross-posted to Spond*
Re: Just-for-fun, non-competitive winter gravel/cross challenge!
Thanks for this, Lani!
All of last year's CX Challenge routes are included in the club's list of "canned" CX routes here, with links to route maps in both Plot-a-Route and Strava Routes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LCu ... sp=sharing (screenshot below.)
I haven't ridden either the long or short Wriggly Romps too recently. But I'll note that both Knockan Hill and Highrock Park have areas near the route where cycling is discouraged. So be prepared to dismount and stroll with a smile.
All of last year's CX Challenge routes are included in the club's list of "canned" CX routes here, with links to route maps in both Plot-a-Route and Strava Routes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LCu ... sp=sharing (screenshot below.)
I haven't ridden either the long or short Wriggly Romps too recently. But I'll note that both Knockan Hill and Highrock Park have areas near the route where cycling is discouraged. So be prepared to dismount and stroll with a smile.
Re: Just-for-fun, non-competitive winter gravel/cross challenge!
Sunday is the final day of this year's CX Challenge! I've commandeered Sunday's Social CX_2 and will lead a fun (easygoing!) 48K ride that combines Routes 1, 3, and 4 from last year and should hit Second Breakfast by 11. Come see the sights and earn chances to win prizes dug up by Claire and Damian!
Route maps:
http://plotaroute.com/route/1834793?units=km
http://strava.com/routes/2934972770798794958
Re: Just-for-fun, non-competitive winter gravel/cross challenge!
Tripleshot Winter CX Challenge wrap-up (reposted from Spond, for posterity's sake)
During four weeks from early February to early March, 21 Tripleshotters took to the dirt, logging a cumulative 50 rides and 4098 qualifying kilometres for the 2022 cx/gravel challenge.
This just-for-fun event echoes a similar one James Barry dreamed up last year, at a time when we all pined for organized group rides but COVID largely shut them down. So we took to the trails, sharing routes and completing similar rides “together in spirit” (and in small bubble-groups) to stoke our club love and vie for prizes…and a rather unique trophy!.
This year, group riding was back on and when club members started organizing long rides, it seemed natural to rekindle the challenge. Damian, Claire and Craig kicked things off with the three biggest rides of the month: the North Saanich fondo (100-140 km), the Full Damian (165 km) and the Goose Gravel Grind (180 km). People also logged various rides of their choosing - largely inspired by 2021’s challenge routes.
Participants collected one draw-prize point per 50 km (or portion). To no one’s surprise, Damian collected the highest points - 17 - easily securing his place in the bent-wheel trophy history books. Rounding out the top three were Claire with 10 points and Ann with nine.
Oak Bay Bikes and club member Brad J. graciously donated Prize Packs of Useful Things that are going to the following lucky club members (thanks to Flynn, the impartial name-picking cat for his participation):
OBB prize packs (tire levers, gummies, chain lube, cup of coffee)
*Shawn M. <--still not claimed as of March 18
*Sam H.
*Damian P.
*Ann C.
*Lani M.
*Claire T.
*Dave D.
*Rolf W.
Brad pack (phat tube, electrolyte tabs, cup of coffee)
*Andy B. <--still not claimed as of March 18
Cookies by Claire + cup of coffee (cookie particulars negotiable - see Claire)
*Markus K.
*Mikael J.
Contact Claire or Damian to arrange prize pick-up!
docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1fcSbU_e ... sp=sharing
During four weeks from early February to early March, 21 Tripleshotters took to the dirt, logging a cumulative 50 rides and 4098 qualifying kilometres for the 2022 cx/gravel challenge.
This just-for-fun event echoes a similar one James Barry dreamed up last year, at a time when we all pined for organized group rides but COVID largely shut them down. So we took to the trails, sharing routes and completing similar rides “together in spirit” (and in small bubble-groups) to stoke our club love and vie for prizes…and a rather unique trophy!.
This year, group riding was back on and when club members started organizing long rides, it seemed natural to rekindle the challenge. Damian, Claire and Craig kicked things off with the three biggest rides of the month: the North Saanich fondo (100-140 km), the Full Damian (165 km) and the Goose Gravel Grind (180 km). People also logged various rides of their choosing - largely inspired by 2021’s challenge routes.
Participants collected one draw-prize point per 50 km (or portion). To no one’s surprise, Damian collected the highest points - 17 - easily securing his place in the bent-wheel trophy history books. Rounding out the top three were Claire with 10 points and Ann with nine.
Oak Bay Bikes and club member Brad J. graciously donated Prize Packs of Useful Things that are going to the following lucky club members (thanks to Flynn, the impartial name-picking cat for his participation):
OBB prize packs (tire levers, gummies, chain lube, cup of coffee)
*Shawn M. <--still not claimed as of March 18
*Sam H.
*Damian P.
*Ann C.
*Lani M.
*Claire T.
*Dave D.
*Rolf W.
Brad pack (phat tube, electrolyte tabs, cup of coffee)
*Andy B. <--still not claimed as of March 18
Cookies by Claire + cup of coffee (cookie particulars negotiable - see Claire)
*Markus K.
*Mikael J.
Contact Claire or Damian to arrange prize pick-up!
docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1fcSbU_e ... sp=sharing
Last edited by Claire on Fri Mar 18, 2022 10:56 am, edited 1 time in total.