Wandering out of Wandong

A sizeable group of riders entered the ever popular ride series "Wandong Winter Wander" organised by Lorraine Allen. It was very brisk with a chilly breeze as everyone registered for the rides. I had risen at 4:30am to get to this ride and for some reason was extremely tired on the two hour drive to Wandong. So much so that Carol was not happy as she had to stay awake on the drive rather than catch up with some sleep herself. Clearly I couldn't be trusted.

As riders left Steve Xerri and myself were soon leading the pack on the road to Broadford. Soon though to be joined by three new faces and the irrepressible Leigh Paterson. The bunch pretty much held together to Broadford. I was yo yoing off the back every time the road went up and had to ride hard to catch up on the downhills. This was a pattern for much of the way to Seymour. Leigh had headed off into the distance and  the new faces were strong riders and pulled away a little as well. Steve dropped his muslei bar and that gave me a chance to catch up and we rode to the first checkpoint together.

Steve, Jimmy Chant and myself left Seymour together. Steve took the lead and virtually didn't relinquish it till just before Nagambie and the second checkpoint. He certainly demonstrated some strength as he drove on at the front without let up. I was hanging on for grim death and cursed every rise in the road as I had certainly left my climbing legs at home and the ones I had brought were laden with lead! Leigh powered past on this leg after his usual longer stop and so for fun I surged to catch him a couple of times from about a 30m deficit. What an idiot I am! What was I thinking? I didn't have energy to waste on senseless acts like that. Jimmy supported that theory.

We took about 20 minutes on the stop at Nagambie where Steve and Jim were trying to convince me that my meat pie, which I had flooded with sauce and the 600ml strawberry milk was not the optimum  food I should be having. But hey it works for me. Leigh was a late arrival having punctured on the way into town.

A detour off the normal route on the way to Longwood was required but the front runners failed to take it and they added a few extra k's as they arrived at Longwood after Steve and I. Jim was tiring a little and pulled in to the pub shortly after us followed by the quick men.

Steve about to head off from Longwood

Reflective gear models - Yours truely and Jim

The leg to Seymour and I was starting to tire myself so Xerri-jet pulled away just after Avenal and I settled in to my own rythem. A quick stop for me at the final checkpoint at Seymour had me leaving with Steve again before the others. I was carrying a little extra weight now  as Leigh had given me my gloves that I had left on the bench outside the Longwood pub.

It wasn't long before I started to fall back as the undulations began. Steve pulled away, the quick riders flew past and Leigh passsed me as well before Broadford. Steadily on I rode taking time to relax a little now in contrast the first three quarters of the ride where I was really under the pump.

I finally pulled into the finish at about 4:45pm tired but satisfied. The day had been a really good workout. Thanks to Lorraine and George and their assistants. It was a great day. Lorraine had promised sunshine and the afternoon had had plenty of it. Thanks to Steve and Jim for company (and breaking the wind) during the ride. Special thanks to Carol for driving me home.

Queens Royal Tour - 3 Days in Seymour

Well the Queens Birthday weekend was an opportunity to get in some solid cycling during June. Ride organiser Stephen Rowlands devised 3 great 200 km loops each with different characteristics, the one common denominator was that they were not without some solid climbing.

Stephen is unable to ride at the moment so Carol and I took on the role of getting the rides started each morning from the rotunda. The traditional starting point of rides out of Seymour. Conditions over the weekend were generally cool with periods of sunshine and the winds were rarely ever more than moderate

Stage 1

This ride had 17 starters and for me it ranked as the hardest. The ride started at 8am and travelled up to Broadford and then headed to Strath Creek for the first control. It then turned and headed up to Kinglake West before again turning to the lunch time control at Kinglake. Then north along the Melba Highway to Glenburn before turning into Break O'Day Road which then turns on to the Junction Hill climb. Once this is  negotiated you then sweep down towards Yea for the third control of the day. Soon after Yea you turn into the Ghin Ghin Rd and have a very tough long climb to Highlands before you can set your sights on the finish. For me the finish was just after dark at around 5:40pm.

Stage 2

There were 14 starters that set off on the second day. I considered Day 2 the easiest of the three rides. This was largely due to the fact that most of the climbing was undertaken in the early part of the ride. This ride headed across to Pyalong before heading over the hills to Lancefield for the first stop of the day. From there the ride headed along the Burke and Wills Track for some more elevation gain. Once the high point of the ride was achieved it was pretty much downhill and a tailwind to Mia Mia. After that it was undulations to Heathcote and the lunchtime stop. I spent a few minutes chatting to Carol who had stopped in town also. Then it was a nice flat run to Nagambie where I could make some good speed. Fraser Rowe hooked up with me on the last leg back to Seymour. We pushed on solidly into a head breeze and reached the finish in daylight this time, at a few minutes after 5pm.

Stage 3

It was a chilly start with 5 official  riders only on the third day. This ride climbed all the way to Wandong before heading down and across to Wallan. Then it was a very tough trip across to Woodend into a pretty cold breeze and some tough grinding hills along the way as well. Then back tthrough Lancefield and the climb up to Kilmore for the third checkpoint. From there it was pretty much downhill to Broadford and Seymour with a fading tailwind. This time I finished at around 5:20pm


All in all the weekend was great fun. Thanks Stephen Rowlands for organising the rides. Thanks Carol for helping at the start each day. Congratulations to Ian George and Steve Atkins who joined me in completeing all three rides. Well done to all the other riders.

Ian George, yours truely and Steve Atkins

A balmy day in Bendigo

Peter Searle organised some great weather this time of year for Balmy Bendigo. After a drive of a few hours I was greeted wuth a cool but not too cold start to the ride.

Peter briefing riders at start

I have done this ride a few times before and thoroughly enjoy it each time I do it. The main features of this ride are the climbs of Mt Alexander and Mt Tarrengower. For a bloke who doesn't like hills that much and who struggles with an ordinary power to weight ratio when the road inclines I do somehow enjoy certain climbs. These two are in that category.  They feature in the early and mid part of the rides so getting to them relatively fresh is a big help. The ride started at 8am and I finished at 5pm which wasn't too bad as the second half of the ride was into a solid headwind for much of the way. Thanks  to Peter for organising the ride and the weather.