RICHMOND R.E.A.L. Cycling Challenge
A TEST OF METTLE
A TEST OF METTLE
METTLE TESTED AND FOUND WANTING!
In April of 2024, I became the steward of the RICHMOND R.E.A.L. Cycling Challenge™ a test of mettle authored by Richmond cycling legend Fulton Oliver Oregon Hill. A bit of an eccentric, Fulton handed me a single sheet of handwritten rules and communicated the nuance in mostly gestural and nonverbal terms. He implored me to administer the challenge and teach its rules. Below is my level best interpretation of what each rule means. His words are italicized, my comments follow.
Richmond R.E.A.L.
R ichmond
E urban
A enduro
L challenge
Twelve Richmond Real Ones - The challenge consists of completing all of the Twelve Richmond Real Ones™. They may be completed in any order at any time of day at your own discretion.
Timed Segments - The challenge is the sum of all the timed segments, the Twelve Richmond Real Ones™. Check Strava and complete all the Strava segments in a single ride to fulfill the challenge.
Shop Local - Buy your food and drink from local vendors.
Dirt + Road - The challenge consists of road segments, gravel segments, trail segments, and a bit of everything in between. Switching bikes midway through the challenge is allowed and encouraged.
one good story - Upload a video with a good story that happened during your ride to the Strava post in order to fulfill the challenge.
Circles - The challenge begins and ends with ten counter-clockwise laps around Scuffletown and the roundabout at Chimborazo, respectively. Timing begins and ends upon the completion of each segment, and all timed segments must fall between these two segments.
Hills - ??? There are several climbing stages. Beware ye who enter.
Traffic - As many segments run through the city, please be aware of traffic and traffic laws and ride within your limits.
Transfer stages - Do not use autopause when recording your ride. The challenge must be completed within 12 hours, but other than that, you may rest or ride between stages at your leisure. You must, however, ride under your own power throughout every transfer stage.
Mettel! - (Probably mettle) As a test of your mettle, if the elapsed time of the entire ride between the start and finish park segments is less than twice your timed segments (i.e., if your transfer stage cumulative time is less than your timed stage cumulative time) you may deduct the difference at a ratio of 1 minute per 2 minutes ridden. I.e. if your timed segments sum is 60 minutes and your total time is 110 minutes minutes, your resulting “time score” is 55 minutes.
Safety!? — This is an unsanctioned goofy cycling challenge. I cannot even award you with clout. Ride within your limits
14 — ??? Again, I honestly can’t tell you. But, here are the segments- pay close attention to them.
The Twelve Richmond Real Ones™
Leaderboards and Submission
Submissions
Submit your Strava ride here: Email and I will score the results. Yes, you have to use Strava. Please pay careful attention to the Strava segments linked. If you notice that a segment didn’t record but you correctly completed it, I will time it by hand, but I will not time a segment if you take the wrong route- longer or shorter! Pay attention to the direction of loops, specific turns, and starting and stopping points for each segment. To make things easy on yourself and me, please hit the lap button on your device at the beginning and end of each segment, including the start / finish loops.
As a refresher on the transfer segment timing, if the total time of the transfer stages is less than the time of the timed segments, the time is deducted from your total finish time. There is no penalty if the transfer stage time goes over. So, if your spend two hours on the timed stages and get between them in one total hour, your “finish time” will be 1:30. Do not autopause. If I notice a discrepancy between moving time and elapsed time you are disqualified from this benefit.
Finally, as if it really needs to be said again, there is no prize or reward or reason to do this other than you’re a bit crazy like me and Fulton. You undertake this challenge at your own risk and your own discretion.
Leaderboard
No one has tested or proven their mettle