Seat bolt blues on Bah Humbug

Bah Humbug attracted almost 20 riders on the last Saturday ride before Christmas. It wasn't hot but there was a stiff wind assisting the riders to Seymour. The normally quiet roads had more traffic than normal brought about by an accident on the Hume Freeway. Ride organiser Tim Laugher had to do a detour and only just made it to set up the Seymour checkpoint before we arrived. One rider Michelle had her seat bolt fail early in the ride and was an early DNF. Most people had not heard of this happening before.  Now contrary to the law of averages but consistant with the sentiment of Bah Humbug Ron McInnes arrived back at the finish in a ute as a 2nd DNF'er. The cause  - a broken seat bolt! 

BAH   HUMBUG!!!!

Nearly shot at Jump the Gun

Jump the Gun at Maryborough this year attracted a good number of entries for distances from 100 to 600 kilometres. The ride startred from the Maryborough Caravan Park. We had booked a cabin there and I literally just had to walk out the door, take about 5 paces and I was on the start line!

Riders assemble before the start

After my experience a fortnight ago with illness during a warm 300k I chose the conservative approach of only doing 200k in conditions that were to be humid and warm to hot.
The early weather was very pleasant being quite mild with an overcast sky. The sizable peleton held together for the 40k to the first checkpoint at Dunolly.  We seemed to cover the first 100k fairly quickly and on arriving back at Maryborough I split off from Hans and Garry with whom I had been riding to have a quick coffee with Carol at a local take away.

I linked up again with Garry and Hans as we left Maryborough on our second lap.

we left Maryborough on our second lap

The clouds having burned off had the temperature rising to the low 30's and the humidity was quite oppresive. The long gradual climb to the historic town of Maldon was a bit of a hot grind so we decided to stop there for a well earned cold coke. Peter Curtis had joined us on the climb and Bridgette pulled in for a break also. We watched a number of riders go past heading for the checkpoint at Newstead a further 12k or so down the road.

The long gradual climb was a bit of a hot grind

At Newstead we took another break for more refreshments before setting off on the last leg (for 200k riders) to Maryborough.  On a descent shortly after Newstead I seemed to roll away from the bunch and found myself a few hundred metres behind Bridgette and Peter and the rest of the group seemed to have fallen some distance behind. I decided to push on and caught Bridgette and Peter and chatted for a while but on reaching Campbelltown I decided to let them move on ahead. Just after Tullaroop Resevoir I caught Frank Preyer and rode with him for a bit but then I began cramping and I let him move off ahead as Maryborough approached.  

I was very  happy the ride for me finished at 200k as the conditions were certainly not to my liking and any further and I would have repeated the ride a fortnight earlier. As I sat with Carol recovering Hans and Garry rolled in only a few minutes behind.

Thanks to Gareth Evans for putting on this ever popular ride.

Cafe au Lait - Oh dear!

So I decided to do a 300k out of Wangaratta.
A loop to Yarrawonga, a loop to Beechworth and a loop to Rutherglen.
The first 200k I rode with a small group and thoroughly enjoyed the company as well as the scenery.

I rode with a small group

It was warm and I'm still not acclimatised to higher temperatures.
The last 100k, which I rode alone, progressively deteriorated into a death march for me.
I completed the ride but in a less than ideal state. I was thoroughly depleted and now 5 days later I am still feeling some after effects. Anyhow enough of these woes.
Thanks to Chris Rogers for putting on this ride which I understand attracted about 39 riders to undertake various distances up to 600k.

Pyrenees Magic was a wet one!

I left home in slight drizzle at around 6am for the 2 hour drive to Avoca for the Pyrenees Magic. There was still the occasional bit of drizzle leading up to the start of the ride at 9am so I had donned a rain top and shoe covers. About 20 minutes into the ride I was cursing the rain top as I had started to overheat. About 40 minutes into the ride I was thankful I had the wet gear on as the rain came and stayed. Not real strong but very steady and very wetting. The wind was helpful in parts but seemed to be against us for a greater percentage of the ride. A few familar faces from the Geelong, Bendigo and of course Maryborough but on the whole a lot of the 80 odd that I didn't recognize. For me, I haven't trained too hard since the big Perth adventure so I was really underdone, short of a gallop or whatever you want to call it. A half hour slower than all previous Avoca rides and not much enthusiasm to push hard but it was still fun and good to do a longer ride again.

Riders await the start

This was the first wet Pyrenees Magic in fifteen or more years.

Thanks to Andrew Thomas and his team for a great event and great rider support . They had to brave some pretty ordinary conditions in looking after the riders. Well done!

Perth Albany Perth 2010

Before the Ride

The pre ride BBQ lunch was held the day before the event on the shores of the Swan River in South Perth. It provided an opportunity to renew past acquaintances and to make new ones. Drop bags were checked in, clothing orders picked up, lighting checks made and final registration matters were attended to.

Drop bags checked in

Day 1

A cool to mild morming as Organiser Nick Dale  gave a final briefing to riders before the starters flag dropped to send us on our way at 5:05 am. The first 10k was to be neutralised to contain the riders to an orderly progression out of the city along the impressive bike path that extends tens of kilometres to the south. The pace for this first period was very brisk by my standards and I chose to settle in at about 15 or 16 from the front. The peleton formation of 2 riders wide must have been of some concern to the occasional oncoming rider as they headed toward our snaking sea of bright headlights. Concentration, courtesy and predictability were key to avoiding any mishap but unfortunately accidents do happen and Kerri-Ann Smith crashed heavily on this leg and due to injuries had to withdraw from the event. The crash broke up the peloton considerably and I took the opportunity to take a short break, eat a little and then chose to settle into my own pace until the first checkpoint, the foreshore rotunda at Mandurah (73k) was reached at 7:45am.

From Mandurah it was through residential streets and a coastal bike path for about 20k before open roadway was reached. It was along this stretch I managed to drop my chain twice and so was annoyed with having an oily right hand.There was a welcome refreshment stop at the 128k mark on the side of the Forrest Highway and at this point I decided to shed some clothing layers as the morning had started to warm a little. As time went on however a strong head wind developed and a few rain squalls hit as I made slow progress through Australind and on towards Bunbury.The Bunbury checkpoint (181k) was in a foreshore restaurant and I reached it at 12:47pm and I was still feeling good.

I was still feeling good

For most of the leg to Busselton I rode alone fighting the wind much of the time. I hooked up with some other riders for a while but the pace was a little too hot for me but I did  ride the last 5k into the Busselton checkpoint (240k) with Gary Baker from British Columbia.

At the Busselton checkpoint just past the famous jetty

The ride to Margaret River was easier as the wind started to diminish as the evening fast approached. The sun had set and it was dark by the time I made it into the town and I missed the turn towards the community centre like many others as it turned out. This checkpoint was not well marked and the lighting was poor but it was fortunate my wife was there to guide me in.  That was 297k completed and it was now 7:00pm. I fuelled up on vegemite on dry biscuits and some noodles.

...and some noodles

Some distance out of Margaret River I started to lose some of the earlier zest and at a few points stopped on the side of the road for a power nap. This was to be the start of a longer night than I expected as I began to struggle with tiredness. The Alexandra Bridge Hall (334k) was a welcome break again but with the knowledge I still had another hilly 90k to go to reach Pemberton, and I was struggling, I was thinking its going to be a long night. That is how it worked out. I rode with Hamish Moffatt and Ian George for a while but I let them go as they were too quick for me. I was in survival mode now. I stopped for more power naps, so many I can't remember. Michael Bentley rode with me for a while approaching Pemberton. Once he had moved on I stopped and rested under one of the forest giants and contemplated the situation while I tried to get a museli bar down to raise my energy level. Two more lights approached and pulled up. Mick Creati and Frank Preyer stopped briefly and on assessment decided I wasn't going to move so they moved on. I did move and soon caught them and rode the last 15k to the the checkpoint deep in the forest near Pemberton (426k). It was 3:30am and it was very cold. The Pemberton Forest Stay was a series of weatherboard dwellings that were described  by one volunteer as "rustic" . They were adequate for the purpose and I managed nearly two hours sleep before getting up and making some breakfast and preparing for the coming day.

Day 2

Readying to leave I realised there was some action down in a shelter area where egg and bacon was on offer in front of a smoky fire. I suspect it  was about 7am when I finally rolled out of the checkpoint.

Checkpoint within a Pemberton forest

As the night had been so cold I had donned plenty of gear for the first part of the day but it wasn't long before I was shedding layers. After passing through Pemberton on the way to Shannon National Park (490k) I found myself riding with Vincent Muoneke and Mark Thomas both from Seattle, Washington and fellow Victorian Rus Hamilton on undulating roads through scenic forest.

on undulating roads through scenic forest

In warm sunny conditions I arrived at the Walpole checkpoint (555k) at 1:48pm  riding comfortably and confidently and looking forward to lunch. Oh that meat pie went down well! 

 Oh that meat pie went down well!

I made Demark (621k) at 5:51pm  and thoroughly enjoyed  a real coffee on the banks of the picturesque Denmark River. Before setting off I donned warmer clothes and relective gear, checked lights and directions for the final leg of the day to Albany. I rode the last part of the leg into Albany (679k) with Gary Baker. The last few hundred metres to the checkpoint involved a punishing climb to Albany Residential College our accommodation for the night. That wasn't the end of the climbing for the day though, my room was on the third floor! As it was only about 9:30pm I was going to get a good sleep and I needed it.

Arrival at Albany Residential College our accommodation for the night

Day 3

I awoke at 3:15am and having organised everything before settling down for the night all I had to do was have some breakfast and set off. I left with Vincent Muoneke  and we headed off on the route to Mount Clarence, the peak that overlooks Albany. It was a solid climb to the car park and it had the blood pumping strongly through my system but the road from the car park up to the monument erected to commerate the Desert Mounted Corps that stands near the summit of Mount Clarence had my legs wanting to explode!  Navigation out through Albany was technical and involved some bike path. Eventually Vincent pulled away and  I toiled into a strengthening wind along Chester Pass Road. I found it bitterly cold as dawn approached but it wasn't too long before I was shedding gear once the sun had risen. I was thinking it could be a very long day if the wind was to continue blowing as it was.

Heading to the Stirling Ramges National Park checkpoint

  A few riders passed me before I arrived at the Stirling Ranges National Park (768k) at 9:20am. The wind was easing and the sun was warming the day up as we tucked in. The next leg entered into the wheatbelt and to the town of Gnowangerup and it was in rising heat. Road trains became more frequent but most of them gave me  a wide berth. The biggest nuisance were tiny insects that either stuck to applied sunscreen on ones body or found there way into nose, ear or mouth.

On the leg to Gnowangerup

I devoured a pie, pastie and chocolate milk at the Gnowangerup Roadhouse checkpoint (830k) and topped up my food and water supplies.  The next stint to Katanning was uneventful. I stopped briefly in the shade halfway to eat and drink properly to ensure I kept functioning well. The checkpoint at Katanning (891k) had a sizable group of riders enjoying a break when I arrived.

A sizable group of riders enjoying a break when I arrived

From Katanning I rode alone to Wagin (947k) and arrived just on dark at 6:49pm. The checkpoint was under the Giant Ram which was pretty hard to miss. The temperature dropped rapidly and I donned extra clothes a short distance down the road from the checkpoint.

The checkpoint was under the Giant Ram

A group of about of 6 of us headed towards the night stop of Williams but everyone seemed to have their own pace that they felt comfortable with and so yet again I rode most of this leg alone but did have Peter Turnbull from the UK for company for part of the leg. I was actually feeling pretty good when we pulled into the sporting clubrooms at Williams (1008k) at 10:20pm.  It was here I made the judgement that I would not try and sleep at this point. My thinking was that the next day was forecast to be on the hot side with a northerly wind so I thought I would limit my exposure to those conditions as I generally function quite poorly in them. I freshened up by showering, eating and then putting on all the clean gear I had as it was again very cold and I was warned that Hotham Valley would be colder.

Day 4

I rolled out about midnight riding slowly and cautiously just wanting to make some early progress so I wouldn't have to endure a long hot 4th day. It was around 2am when I took a power nap on the side of the road, then another around 3:30am on the Lower Hotham Valley Road and once I was back on the Pinjarra Road around 4:15am I took a longer kip under a large tree on a soft bed of leaves. By 5am I was making my way down the road and having to occasionally get right off the road as log trucks honked their approach then rumbled past at speed. They didn't seem to show the same respect as the road trains the day before. On reaching a high point on a very hilly road I phoned my wife to let her know my progress and she said she had expected that I would adopt the ride through the night strategy. 

I arrived at Pinjarra (1137k) at 8:10am  and took an extended break and left a bit after 9am. I had a few navigational issues getting back onto the freeway bike path but I eventually got back on the right track and it was then head down with the smell of the finish in my nostrils. I now had the idea that I could actually finish inside 80 hours if I could average around 24/25 kph for the last leg into a stiff head wind. I kept it up for 3+ hours, I was constantly eating and drinking, thinking I was mad to be putting in what at this stage for me was a maximal effort. As South Perth  approached my confidence grew that I was going to achieve my goal. I arrived at the finish (1220k) at 12:55pm in an elapsed time of 79 hours 50 minutes totally exhausted but absolutely elated to have finshed my first 1200k randonee.

Accepting congratulations

Thanks to Nick Dale for organising the event and all the volunteers involved with the ride and congratulations to all the participants from near and far.

Mallee Routes

I chose the 400k option for Mallee Routes at Hopetoun this year. My history in this ride has been mixed. In 2008 a 35 degree scorcher with a vicious northerly headwind had me abandoning a 600k attempt just after Sea Lake with only 200k done. Last year 2009 I had a succesful 200k ride in gale force winds with a hail dump thrown in. This year the law of averages delivered a low wind day. The large group of riders set off from the bush retreat at 6am and everyone soon quickly settled in to groups matching individual efforts and aspirations. I settled into a group of about 7 riders as we made our way to the first checkpoint at Warracknabeal. Riding in the group gave me a chance to chat and it was good to catch up with John Hagan again on his carbon fibre recumbant. After a salad sandwich and a coffee supplied by ride organser Peter Annear about 5 riders grouped together on our ride across to the second checkpoint at Birchip. I set off alone on the leg to Sea Lake but again the group of 5 came together as we pushed into a light but nagging headwind. The stop at Sea Lake was welcome after a punishing pace for the last 100k but my energy levels were waning and my stomach was rebelling on the leg through Speed to Patchewollock. I was battling to keep pace with Stephen Rowlands who was having  a strong ride, Steve Xerri slowed to ride with me and we pulled into Patchewollock where Gordon had plenty of goodies to revtalise us.

Bowl of soup for Steve

Jam sandwich for yours truely

Ted and Bruno at Patchewollock

Nice haircut - guess who?

This gave me a boost and I held on with the group for about 20ks but with my inability to eat enough and I was flagging again and once more Steve Xerri slowed to ride with me. Thanks Steve. I took an extended stop at Hopetoun with 300k completed. I headed westwards into darkness and alone along the road to Wyperfeld National Park. On the long 30k straight road in the distance probably 10 minutes ahead I could see an occasional tailight flash and about 5 minutes behind the glow of a set of strong LED headlights. Just before entering the park Simon Maddison passed in the opposite direction and when I arrived at Wonga Hut Les Solly had a great fire going and was chatting with Simon Watt who was having a very fast ride on his recumbant and Stephen Rowlands. Ted rolled up about 5 minutes later. Pumpkin soup and a hot coffee and a couple of biscuits and a good chat before we we set off back towards Hopetoun. A stream of riders passed heading towards the hut from about 5 to 20 kilometres out of the park. Stephen moved away and Ted hung back a bit all the way back. I began to fatigue again with about 20k to go but kept nibbling lollies to keep up some energy. I was very tired when I arrived back at the Bush Retreat at about 12:05am  with 410k completed. I simply had not eaten enough during the day with my dodgy stomach and it had taken its toll on me. I was glad that I didn't have to face up to another 200k like many of the other riders the next day.  Thanks to Peter Annear for again staging this unique event in the flatlands of the Mallee.

Thistle and Rose

I got out of bed at the ungodly hour of 3:45am to get to the Thistle & Rose 200k ride from a fantastic base at the Drouin West Primary School. Ron McInnes and Frank Williams put on a great event that took in some wonderful country. The ride started at 8 am. The first 50k was a loop with some steep gradients on the way up to Neerim South, Jindivik and Labertouche. The second 50k went down to Drouin East, Lardner and back through Drouin. The 2nd half of the ride was out beyond Moe pretty much along the Old Sale Road with the 150k checkpoint at The Gippsland Heritage Park. The final 50k started back along the flat, but into the wind to Yarragon before heading for the hills again up the Darnum - Shady Creek Road.
Finishing at 5pm I was very pleased with my ride as I felt I had ridden quite strongly throughout the day.

Riders and organisers dig in

West fom Werribee into the Wild

Saturday 21 August 2010 saw the running of the Wild Wild West from Werribee. There were 200 and 300k options on offer. Organiser Merryn Rowlands was ably assisted by husband Stephen and Tim Taylor and once again put on a top ride.

Getting ready

I chose the 300k  option to get extra miles into the legs before PAP in early October. Something like 22 of the 35 starters on the day also chose the 300. WNW winds dominated the early part of the ride where I was accompanied by Leigh Johansen and Peter Curtis across to Anakie  and the first checkpoint. Just prior to turning into Slate Quarry Road on the second leg the fist rain squall blew across dropping the temperature and making the descent down to the Moorabool River a little treachorous. Through Meredith and heading towards Shelford and I found myself alone and travelling well. Leigh Paterson motored past after a longer stop at Anakie. Merryn served up baked potatoes and chilli beans at the checkpoint and they were the perfect nourishment in the cool conditions. Setting off I rode alone again to Moriac. The section along Barwon Park road was exceptionally tough with its continuous rise and a howling wind. Just before Moriac Leigh Paterson motored past after a longer stop at Shelford. Cards signed and refreshments consumed at the Moriac store and it was off toward St Leonards. From Ocean Grove to Point Lonsdale I chatted with another cyclist out for a training ride who said I was crazy to be riding such a distance. Just after turning onto the Queenscliff -Portarlington Road Leigh Paterson motored past after a longer stop at Moriac. Tim Taylor and Stephen had hot soup, warm rolls,  pasta and fruit salad on menu to satisfy hungry riders who they reported were strung out over a huge distance. Geelong was the next target and darkness set in at Drysdale. It was East Geelong before Leigh Paterson motored past after a longer stop at St Leonards. Catching Leigh at the traffic lights I was chasing him through Geelong when he suddenly turned south. I wondered where in the hell he was going. I caught him at traffic lights again and queried him. The 24 hour cafe he said. Yes Leigh I said but you've got the wrong 24 hour cafe! He was heading towards the cafe we had used as the start/finish of the Western Districts Wanderer 1000. Back on track we stopped at a pizza joint and bought coke had a little food then off together through North Geelong and North Shore. Leigh gradually pulled away then he stopped for a quick break. I rode on through Lara and on the road to Little River Leigh motored passed me for the last time. I rode on steadily through the cold of the evening to complete the ride around 9:30 pm

King Parrot Creek and to Yea again

Peter Martin again organised the King Parrot Creek Rides again this year. I took on the 200k ride with a little trepidation as I had managed to have a serious fall at work about 10 days earlier. Fortunately I didn't break anything but it has left me with significant soreness and a deep contusion of the right quadricep. The day was very cool and for much of the ride it was raining lightly.

I had travelled several of the roads on this ride on the Northern Hills ride a fortnight before. There are some challenging hills on this ride including Junction Hill and climbs up to Kinglake West. There was a lot of water on the roads to dodge along with tiny brachletts from bushfire affected trees. Much of the ride is in sheltered areas but in the more open areas partictularly between Flowerdale and Strath Creek the wind was a battle.

I certainly didn't set any PB's and still don't seem to have my normal zip. Maybe I worked a bit too hard early but I think the wet and cold conditions dampened enthusiasm as well. About a dozen riders did each of the 100 and 200k rides and they were really well supported by Peter and his team.

No photos, I took the camera but it was too wet and cold to take out.

Challenge of the Northern Hills

The last day of July saw the running of the Northern Hills 200 and 300k rides. Henry de Man has taken over the organising of this ride from Bob Bednarz who had successfully run the ride for many years. The routes that these rides follow put them amongst the more challenging on the calendar.

Briefing the riders

 I rode the 200 and my GPS recorded in excess of 2400m of climbing. The ride took in some well known climbs including up to Kinglake from St Andrews and Junction Hill on the Whittlesea-Yea Road. After the checkpoint at Yea the 200’s head towards Strath Creek along the King Parrot Creek Road from Kerrisdale and negotiate the climb of Murchison Gap on the way to Broadford. For the 300’s you can throw in some serious climbing in the Switzerland Ranges and in the Great Dividing Range that put that ride up to about 3700m of gain. The good thing is that all that climbing is rewarded with the equivalent amount of descending to even the score. The weather varied with some rain here and there but the majority of the day was cool and fine.

Along with a band of willing helpers Henry provided great support to the riders that almost numbered 40. This was Henry’s first go at organising a ride and he excelled. Adding a 200k option to the ride was a great move that certainly added to the numbers attending.

I had a day of feeling rather sluggish. I managed to do an extra 7k as I left the Yea checkpoint without my helmet so had to do a U-turn to retrieve it. I thereby wasted a good twenty minutes. My elapsed time for the ride was 9hr 17 mins so I finished before dark and the new Ay-ups didn't get a work out.

Training around the Moorabool

Today I decided to ride much of the course that will form my Moorabool Mayhem ride next year. The concept of the ride is that it largely follows and crosses the Moorabool Valley in a number of places. This provides the opportunity to do a number of short sharp climbs with plenty of recovery in between. Several of the climbs are in excess of 10%.

 Across a valley

I generally rode at a cruisey pace (22 kph average over the whole ride) not wanting to breakdown the body too much as I slowly increase my base of endurance. Average HR was only 135 but I did peak at 180 bpm on the final climb before I resorted to walking for about 100 metres.

My Garmi GPS told me that I had gained over 1800m in elevation over the ride so all in all a solid day of training.

My course today. The ride next year will finish in Bannockburn

The elevation profile. Note the valleys.

A few of these signs on the ride

Gales East of the Prom

This entry comes over a week after completing the majestic ride from the South Gipplsnd town of Foster, down Wilson's Promontory to Tidal River then looping around to Walkerville then on to Tarwin Lower and Fish Creek before a climb up Falls Road and a descending ride down O'Grady's Road back into Foster. Checkpoints on this ride were at Tidal River, Waratah North and Tarwin Lower.

 Road to Tidal River, Wilsons Promontory

The ride started at 7am and I managed to finish just before 3:40pm.  My moving time for the ride was 8h 3m. The GPS showed 2000m of climbing had been achieved. There was a little bit of rain around for the ride but in general I missed most of it. Riding through Fish Creek there was evidence that there had been some very heavy rainfall prior to my arrival. The day was generally cool and it got fairly cold on the longer descents of the ride. It was good to see in excess of 20 riders undertaking this winter ride which can have a reputation of being very windy. Fortune would have it that the wind was not a major factor on the day unlike last year when it took me a bit over 10 hrs to complete this ride. Well done to Stephen & Kirsty Chambers for putting on this ride. The warm soup at Waratah North was delightful!

 At the rotunda start/finish point with Stephen Chambers

Wandong Winter Wander 200

Well I have finally got back on the bike after a very nasty illness. I've missed some great Audax rides in the last few months and lost the opportunity for my second year round randonneur award. Guess there is always next year.
Anyhow this weekend I made my comeback! Although still very much uncertain about my capability I entered Lorraine Allen's Wandong Winter Wander 200.

 Registration

It was a pretty cool crisp morning that saw the riders heading off on the variety of distances up to 200k. The day turned out to be a beautiful winter day with lots of sunshine and with no wind to speak of. The course heads off from Wandong to Seymour, then up to Nagambie across to Longwood then back via Avenel to Seymour and back to Wandong.

 Henry De Man on arrival at Nagambie

There's a few sharp climbs with an overall elevation gain/loss of 1400 metres but in reality the ride is not too difficult and the roads are quiet. I spent a good bit of the first half of the ride riding with Steve Xerri and Richard Freemantle. The second half I rode solo finshing around 4:30 with a riding time of  7hrs 52 mins for the 204k. Thanks to Lorraine, George and the crew for a great ride.

Blackgate 50 - An unusual double

Today, wife Carol rode her first 50k Audax ride. I went along and although I've now done too many Audax rides to count it was my first 50k too! A chilly start from the Grovedale Hall at 9am but the forecast was for perfect riding weather and it did not let us down. We set off with 100k riders and soon everyone was spreading out along Horseshoe Bend Road before turning west in the general direction of Moriac. We strategically positioned ourselves towards the rear of the field and progressed at a sure and steady pace that would be maintained for the full extent of the ride. As we travelled along Hendy Main Road we were passed by a small bunch of racers, car escort and all, but to be honest I think we could have given them a good run for their money but racing is not what our style of riding is about. A litte bit further along I rode ahead to grab a pic.

Carol and others approching Moriac

The checkpoint at Moriac General Store provided the opportunity to take a break, sit in the sun, and have a Cappucccino in my case or a long black in Carol's. Cape Otway Road was quite busy as we headed back with 20k to go but we were soon on a more quiet Mount Duneed Road. In no time we were back at Grovedale, handing in our brevet cards, and enjoying minestrone soup and another coffee with other riders and ride organiser Maxine Riggs.

Carol was driving home but my plan was to ride home over the Barrabool Hills to put in another 60k for the day. Things were going well on my return ride and today I was riding No.2 bike- my Avanti Corsa Pro. I climbed up to Ceres and turned towards Gnawarre. I then had a rear gear shift problem at low speed, my chain and rear derailleur decided to have an argument that resulted in the chain jamming in the cassette. The rear derailleur hanger snapped off as my rear wheel locked up and with no time to release from the pedals I hit the deck. Bummer!  

 derailleur hanger snapped off

The rear derailleur will need replacing as it is rather bent and my Maxxis Refuse tyre on the rear had the outer casing worn off by the lock up but suprisingly the kevlar layer below was tougher and this meant the tyre remained inflated.

 damaged tyre

Thank goodness for mobile phones. A call to Carol had her returning from home to pick me up. Once picked up we drove on a few k's to the final checkpoint of the Blackgate 200 and chatted with Geof Bagley and other riders as they reached the top of the Pollicksford Road hill.

So after a perfect Audax ride and some good conversations with fellow audaxers I can hardly complain about my mechanical problems. Looking forward to Balmy Bendigo 200k next weekend.

Western Districts Wanderer 1000

The ride start was at a 24 hour café in Latrobe Terrace Geelong, a stones throw away from the home of the AFL team the Geelong Cats. Checkpoints following included Lorne, Laver’s Hill, Port Campbell, Warrnambool, Dunkeld, Hamilton, Dunkeld, Hall’s Gap, Ararat, Dunkeld, Warrnambool, Port Campbell and Wye River. The finish was again at the 24 hour café in Geelong.

 Route for Western Districts Wanderer 1000

As far as climbing goes bikely indicates that an elevation gain of about 3800 metres is required to be negotiated in this event. The greatest challenges are the Horden Vale and Laver’s Hill climbs in the Otway National Park which are tackled both on the outgoing and return leg of the ride. The Dunkeld to Ararat leg through the Grampians provides a few extra climbing memories, one is just out of Dunkeld on the way to Hall’s Gap and Carroll’s cutting just before Ararat.

Ride Profile

Peter Donnan was the organiser of this ride and his detailed planning was to show through in countless aspects of this ride. From the registration process to the cue sheets, sleeping arrangements to food selection, checkpoint determination, volunteer coordination and logistics, everything was executed to precision.

32 riders registered for the ride and several interstaters had made the trip to Victoria to participate. A few late withdrawals meant that 29 starters eventually headed off on the Saturday morning. Peter having successfully completed it unsupported and solo the week before. Most left at 7am but a few had chosen an 8am start option. Overcast conditions made switching on taillights advisable and with wet weather forecast along with unfavourable winds I think most riders knew the first day in the saddle was not going to be a cakewalk.

Matthew Rawnsley and John Osborne-Rigby moved away quickly not to be seen for the rest of the ride and Oliver Portway who started at 8am was to pass us at Laver’s Hill. Being a mid-pack rider I was happy to eventually settle into a growing bunch of around 10 riders as we travelled down the Surf Coast Highway to Torquay. Once on the Great Ocean Road the undulations seemed to break up things a little but by the time we arrived at Grandma Shield’s bakery in Lorne there were many riders making the most of the first checkpoint. I didn’t want to waste too much time early in the ride as I knew that as the mind and body tires using time efficiently at controls becomes increasingly difficult so I set off alone now looking to find my own rhythm. I next arrived at Apollo Bay and pulled into a servo to top up my fluids for the climbing on the way to Laver’s Hill. As I was heading out of town I checked my rack bag and realised that I had left one of the pockets unzipped. I pulled up on the edge of the road and oh sh…!  The small purse I was carrying my money in was missing. Now I had methodically packed tools, zip ties and the like in one side pocket and my brevet card, route notes and money in the other side pocket of my bag. The look of horror and panic on my face, as I frantically searched through every nook and cranny tossing arm and leg warmers, raincoats and undervests aside, must have been something because a kind lady jogger had stopped and was asking me was I alright? “Just lost some money” I said. “Oh is that all?” she said. “I thought you must have broken your bike” she said as she jogged away. Fortunately I had placed my money in the wrong pocket at the last stop and it had not fallen out as I had feared at all.

Drama averted I got back on the bike more determined than ever to approach the first significant climb of the ride with a steady and conservative effort. During this period I was passed by 3 or 4 riders but felt very comfortable with my pace and condition. I also stopped a few times to don and remove arm warmers and rain gear as some very cold showers blew across the mountain range. Yatzie’s Café at Laver’s Hill was the next refuelling stop and there it was very cold and windswept. Stephen Rowlands who had apparently not fully recovered from some illness during the week was feeling the cold very badly as we sat down to coffee and eats and he was subsequently to pull out of the ride at the next checkpoint. Downhill from Laver’s to Port Campbell should have been enjoyable but it turned in to quite a slog as the wind provided extra resistance to slow my progress as I was again pedalling alone. I also had an incident while descending where in my caution not to lean too much or brake too hard in the wet I managed to run off the edge of the road at about 50kph into a pile of leaf litter and a drain grating which I was fortunately able to recover from without falling. I think it took about half an hour for the adrenalin to dissipate from my system and for me to feel fine again.

The volunteers at the Port Campbell checkpoint provided great support looking after all the needs of the riders. I spent a little extra time than I had planned there as I was hoping a number of riders would leave together and we would be able share the workload a bit. This is how it turned out as about 8 riders headed off into the blackness of our first night. The group pretty much held together for a lot of the way to Warrnambool as more cold wind and rain buffeted us. Hans Dusink, Rus Hamilton, Frank Preyer and Tim Taylor all did a lot of work at the front. In Allansford we asked a patron standing outside the pub for directions to confirm we were still on course. His directions were dubious and we decided that we were still on track which it turned out we were. The checkpoint at the APCO servo was reached sometime after 10pm. It was very cold and I was getting colder as I waited for the others to be ready to depart. We still had 100k to go before we could get to bed.

The group stopped a few times early is this leg, which now largely headed in a northerly direction, for a break or two and it seemed that perhaps a few were feeling the pinch a little and slowing. I was keen to forge on so I could get to Dunkeld to get some sleep as it had so far been a relatively tough day in the saddle. I moved away and eventually Mick Creati and Stephen Atkins followed and caught up to me before they moved on past. Penshurst lies at the midway mark of this leg and I stopped very briefly under the street light outside the pub to eat some lovely cake that Sandy had provided at the Warrnambool stop. On this leg Martin Haynes also offered some food and coffee at the road side but I declined fearing if I stopped in the cold in the middle of nowhere I may not get started again. The last 20k to Dunkeld had me struggling to stay awake as a fog tiredness descended on me and micro-sleeps started to cause me some concern. It was a relief to reach the Glenelg Highway knowing there was only 4k to go. I arrived at the Dunkeld checkpoint at 4am to happy faces, food, a shower and a bed. After a fantastic 2 hours sleep it was time to get up for another day. Unfortunately a number of riders, Alan Baker, Hans Dusink, Stephen Watson, Peter Searle and Henry DeMan had now decided not to continue due to various issues.

It was a cold and foggy start on the ride to Hamilton with half of it spent chatting to Bec Morton before 4 others caught us and I moved off with them. A quick turnaround at the servo control and I was feeling really good now and I made the most of the tailwind and downhills as I arrived back around the same time as Paul Cribb and Phillip Jang at Dunkeld for lunch. Rob Roseby was unwell and later withdrew here. Sitting in the sunshine eating toasted sandwiches and enjoying a laugh with Peter, volunteers and fellow riders was really enjoyable. The next leg had some fantastic scenery as I travelled along the valley road in the heart of the Grampians passing Mt William and Lake Bellfield before arriving at Hall’s Gap to what is a very popular bakery. The next leg was probably the most difficult for me as I struggled to find any rhythm on the road to Moyston and suffered a real flat spot before an energy bar perked me up. Caroll’s cutting about 10k before Ararat required my lowest gear and plenty of muscle to negotiate but soon after the downhill into town proved to be quite a hoot! The checkpoint was a roadhouse 5k to the east on the Western Highway but with a good width emergency lane traffic was not a problem. One of the riders pulling in while I was here was Dave Harrington. He was being troubled by foot problems but was travelling well otherwise.

Darkness fell on the road between Ararat and Glenthompson and the evening highlight was the bright glow of paddocks of stubble being burned by farmers. The night became colder as a result of the clear sky but this was somewhat offset but the light being shed by a relatively fullish moon. Howard Dove and Leigh Paterson rocketed past me along this road and it only took me a millisecond to decide not to jump on. It was good to reach Glenthompson and turn toward Dunkeld with the knowledge that I would be greeted by happy helpers with lot’s of hot food and I would be in a warm bed soon after. In fact the three servings of lasagne and the sticky date pudding were absolutely first class.

I resolved to get up the next morning at 2am in an effort to be on the road by 3am. Porridge, baked beans and toast before leaving had me confident that my calorific intake on this ride was serving me very well indeed. The road to Penshurst and on to Warrnambool was quiet and the 100k ride for me was uneventful as I proceeded to just turn my legs over, easily and steadily. The Warrnambool stop was to top up drink bottles and consume two 4’n20’s in short order. I was preparing to leave as Peter Donnan arrived for a coffee on his drive back to the later checkpoints. He was the only familiar face I was to see until my arrival at the Port Campbell checkpoint at lunchtime. On my arrival there I was greeted by an eager group of vollies all wanting to provide whatever I required. Soup followed by tinned fruit was the ideal food.

I seemed to have more time to enjoy the natural beauty on the return ride along the Great Ocean Road admiring the world renowned sandstone formations and the dramatic cliff faces. The climb up to Laver’s Hill was not too bad and stopping for 20 minutes at the café out of the cold air for a strong coffee and salad roll was refreshing. As I was preparing to leave Leigh Paterson, David Eales and Simon Maddison arrived and they were all soon to pass me along the road to Apollo Bay. The Horden Vale climb in this direction was probably the most severe of the entire ride but I was happy that I was negotiating it much better than I had in the 2008 GSR 600. The fast sweep down into Apollo Bay, a quick stop to put on reflective gear and turn on lights and I was starting to feel that completing a 1000k ride was possible as I headed to the Wye River control. Ron and Chris were among happy faces that greeted me and I was soon consuming sausage rolls, stew and boiled potato and desert.

I left the control around 7pm with the aim to finish before midnight. Muscular fatigue was now starting to slow me down, understandable after 940k, and I reverted to coasting down hills and climbing most hills in much lower gears than I would normally. I stopped in Torquay to ring my wife Carol and advised her that the last 20k would take me at least an hour. It was with great satisfaction I completed my first 1000k ride pulling in to the finish at the 24 Café at 11:36pm. It was great to relax and have the big bowl of chips with lashings of salt that I had been craving.

 My finish at the 24 Café at 11:36pm

Then off home for a good sleep before returning to the café to welcome in the final riders on Tuesday morning and celebrate their achievements. Peter Horsley, Martin Pearson and Pat Lehane all rode well. Allan Dickson put in a great ride after looking out to it at Dunkeld and Stephen Chambers was pleased to receive the lantern rouge.

 Allan Dickson put in a great ride

Lanterne Rouge Stephen Chambers with ride organiser Peter Donnan

All in all, a brilliant ride organised magnificently by Peter Donnan and supported by a fantastic group of vollies. Congratulations to everyone involved.

You Yangs and Yonder

The forecast was for strengthening northerly winds during the day but wind didn't play a big part is this ride.
Approximately 27 riders departed at 8am on Sunday 18th April from Merryn and Stephen's place at Werribee and headed west towards the You Yangs. A well known series of granite peaks protruding out of the grassy plains to the west of Melbourne and to the north of the Melbourne-Geelong freeway. We headed out of town as a bunch that progressively disintergrated out along Bulban Road.

 Stephen leads everyone away

The short sharp climbs of Granite Road singled everyone in my vicinity out and so by the time we were in the Brisbane Ranges and climbing on the Geelong - Ballan Road we were all riding solo. I had Leigh in my sights ahead and knew Stephen was a little way behind but by the time we were climbing up from our first climb out of a Moorabool River valley the 3 of us were together courtesy of a short stop by Leigh and some honest pedalling from Stephen. The first control was at the Meredith milk bar as the coffee shop appeared to be thoroughly occupied by a car club. Some of the locals were also out for a stroll. [below]

 A Meredith family enjoying a walk

 Riders relaxing at the first checkpoint

Following refreshments I headed off solo down the familiar road through Steiglitz to Maude with 3 good solid climbs but also some pretty fast descents. Turning to the east at Maude onto Thomsons Road came the most challenging climb in the ride out of another Moorabool valley peaking at 14% but holding 12% for much of the ascent. I then headed back across to Geelong Ballan Road again before turning north to the second control at Anakie general store. As I was about to hit the road Leigh rolled in. My ride through Staughton Vale, Balliang and around the side of the You Yangs was quite uneventful but for once having drunk pretty well and eaten enough my performance was not tapering off like it often does. On Bulban Road along the railway line I was travelling at about 35 kph with a nice south westerly breeze at my back thinking what a cruise it will be back to the finish when within metres the wind changed to a fresh easterly that left me with a bit of a slog for the final 5kms. I arrived back at Merryn and Stephen's place about  2:15 pm to a lovely cup of coffee and cake. Some chat with Merryn and other finishing riders rounded out a great day.

Another Greendale Permanent

No scheduled Audax rides this weekend and a fortnight since the last "long" ride so a 200k permanent seemed like a good idea. I chose to do Stephen Rowlands Greendale Jaunt as it has some good solid climbs totaling nearly 1900 metres. I need to do a bit of climbing to ensure I can cope with 2 crossings of Lavers Hill in the upcoming Western Districts Wanderer 1000k which is now only 3 weeks away. It was only back in February when I last did this ride but it is good course and is nice and convenient.  As is usual with daylight saving ending overnight I was confused with what time to get up to ensure an early before dawn start. I got it right and set off from Werribee at 5:30 am.

Werribee is one of the fastest growing municipalities in the country and even in the past few months the houses seem to stretch even further to the north and for an early Sunday morning there were more cars than one would expect on the roads around town. Maybe they were late getting home from the night before? Finally on reaching the open country out towards the end of Tarneit Road I was apalled at the amount of domestic rubbish along the roadside. Everything from garbage bags to mattresses and lounge suites. The ride slowly climbing up past Rockbank to Toolern Vale was uneventful but with clear skies you get rewarded with some great views back towards Melbourne and down the bay towrds the You Yangs as you travel along the Diggers Rest Coimadai Road. You then skirt the essentially dry Lake Merrimu before dropping down past the sand quarries into Bacchus Marsh for the first scheduled stop.

"along the Diggers Rest Coimadai Road"

After Bacchus Marsh you take a short trip along the freeway and then there are some good climbs that lift you above the Western Freeway and Werribee Gorge as you head up through Myrniyong and on to Korobeit.

"above the Western Freeway and Werribee Gorge"

From Korobeit you turn westwards and head across to Greendale before a high speed descent into the town. Turning at the roundabout at the local pub and you are soon climbing again on another one of those 8% or so hills. Once topped its down again before the long climb which passes back over the freeway into Ballan. Just through town you turn south over the railway and on towards Meredith.Along the way you get some good views across towards Mt Egerton, Warranheip and Ballarat. You pass through Ballark, nothing there except a farming property with that name, and then Morrisons which has a very steep descent on a very rough valley road. There is a short 10% climb out of the valley and then before long you arrive at Meredith. This is the second controle and the obvious lunch spot.

Road to Meredith

Leaving Meredith you immediately enter the Brisbane Ranges. There are no flat roads here, its either up or down and its not long before your flying down towards the Moorabool River. A good climb out of that valley and you are soon hurtling down into the old gold mining town of Steiglitz with its historic buildings with the most notable being the courthouse. Up out of town you then turn east and on to DeMotts Road which has this nasty short climb that peaks  at 15%. Once you reach the high point approaching Anakie you get some great views towards Geelong and Corio Bay. 

 Approaching Anakie with views towards Corio Bay

The road then sweeps down into Anakie where you turn and travel up past Fairy Park and on to Staughton Vale. Leaving the bushland you now hit farmland at Balliang which will be featured for the rest of the ride.

"farmland at  Balliang"

Shortly you are travelling around the back of the Ford Proving Ground and traversing the edge of the You Yangs with a relatively flat 20k to go to Werribee to complete a 200k that has a lot of variety and scenery on quiet country roads

"edge of the  You Yangs"

Greendale Jaunt 200k