The Rapha Festive 500

I’ve found the be pair of socks better than two. Bit like the gloves.
Also I find the velotoze good as a windbreaker to help the sock do it’s job. Obvs YMMV.
Can you get heated insoles? No idea if they are any good.

Today was a day of doubles. Double gloves, double buff, double over shoes and doubling down on getting this thing done.

The layer of cloud overnight seemed to have warmed things enough to stop the Peak resembling an icy waste land. The lack of ice coupled with light winds and no rain meant it felt like the right day to go as long as time permitted. Bagged another 135km leaving just another 150km to go.

We are due to be hit with snow overnight though. Loops of the reservoir down the hill could be the fall back, 10 laps a day should do it.

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Dec 24: 154k
Dec 25: 76k
Dec 26: 43k
Dec 27: 107k
Dec 28: 103k

Didn't do the hilly option, went for flat + beer instead.

17 to go. Could probably just go shopping to do that but where's the fun.

Had defeet woolie boolies plus Shimano winter boots on today, my feet were lovely and toasty. Only got 82km to go now, but working for the rest of the week so will have to fit it in around that.

411/500 now

Tomorrow should wrap it up nicely.

Well, that probably sounded particularly miserable even for me. I do think it's on balance a good thing, but when you think about who might not be able to ride 500km between Christmas Eve and New Year for various reasons you realise it's not really that inclusive.

As a physical event/ challenge it has to rank pretty high in terms of accessibility.
Cycling has far bigger hurdles to deal with.

You’re in the wrong thread I think.

Yeah i have no idea how people keep their feet warm.

SIDI winter boots, Rapha Deep Winter socks, and iThermic electrical heated insoles. Lovely toasty tootsies.

Dec 24 109k
Dec 25 79k
Dec 27 88k (hard won)
Dec 28th 136k

No words just frozen digits.

Another 86k today; 174 to go. Doable. I think I’d rather three 60k rides than another long one but we’ll see what the met office says about that.

Very cold in Essex/Hertford today but no ice on the roads, thankfully.

101km today and hated most of it. Had nothing in my legs from the start so was a slog. Almost got t-boned by a speeding white van on stokey roundabout at the end and had a new one from aggro Essex drivers; 1ft close pass in a hot hatch while attempting to wheel spin. Clearly a shit driver and if he’d got it anymore wrong I’d have been in a ditch

Strangely the bit I enjoyed the most was finishing with some regents park laps because every time I went round it’s less that I have to do tomorrow.

that's the spirit

Always worth trying to remember their number plate and calling the police IMO. Can make you feel better and there’s a chance they’ll be stopped.

thanks goat.

Really wish I’d had my wits about me enough to take note. Was too busy trying to catch him by the roundabout to discuss it with him/his wingmirror

“Had defeet woolie boolies plus Shimano winter boots on today, my feet were lovely and toasty. Only got 82km to go now, but working for the rest of the week so will have to fit it in around that.”

2 x defeet woolie boolies, but Rapha explore lace ups for me.

I got on a ride today for the first time since christmas. Plan was go for a ride with two friends and then stay out for the night, and possibly ride the 500 along with this. Ended up at 260km today and out camping now, but it's so wintery here and tomorrow's weather looks even more slippery that I might take a shorter route tomorrow. Should have had studded tyres, instead of the gravelkings, even though they've been good closer to the coast. Thick ice on the otherwise so nice smaller roads around here.

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The luxury of a 7 o’clock lie in for me.
Good luck to everyone riding today.
Look forward to the tales later.

Also extra motivation you can enter a draw for a Canyon Grail once complete

how are the forcalz mittens? Is it hard to use brake levers?

Heading out with no route today. Hoping to keep it flat and once I see ~40k, if I’m not feeling it I’ll turn around for the 80; if I am I’ll keep going for 100, which would help a lot.

Because you should have added that to the pitiful 43K and made it a wrap by now

The better half wanted a rest day. The 3 days before it had a lot of climbing.

She's probably going to have another. I might go do some gravel ridin'

50km of a local 5km loop before work. 32km to go!