In the wake of a big ride

The Great Southern Randonnee occupied much of my 4 week vacation from October through to mid November. Although riding the volunteers ride and volunteering on the main ride only occupied the first two weeks and much of the remaining two weeks were dominated by a severe virus. Body defences were probably lowered by ride and lack of adequate recovery and shortage of sleep.
This has meant that I have not achieved a quick early season start to logging the kilometres for the 2012/13 Audax season.
I missed riding the Cafe au Lait 600 at Wangaratta but finally got going on the seventeenth with the Bellarine 200. I had a good ride with Geoff, Sarah and Ken around the Bellarine Peninsula. A 100k permanent the following Saturday was followed with the 200k Eureka Dales permanent on the Sunday. So the November total of 500k was a modest but steady start to the year.

Geoff, Sarah and Ken take a break

 

Eureka

 

December started with the old favorite Jump the Gun from Maryborough in Central Victoria. Warmish conditions greeted riders for the 600k on the Saturday but Sunday was cooler if not a little windier. Jimmy Chant, Tim Taylor, Joel Nicholson and myself completed the 600 while Tavis Baker unfortunately had to pull out with illness. It was the usual great weekend with riders undertaking distances from 100 to 600k.

Heading for Moonambel 460k down

 

A different perspective on a 1200k Randonnee

The 5th edition of the Great Southern Randonnee in late October this year provided me with a different view of a big ride to what I have been accustomed to.
It all started a considerable time earlier when I committed to Stephen Rowlands the new organiser of this iconic Audax Australia event to lend a hand with its running. I found myself part of a small organising team that held a number of meetings to sort out the detail. Some aspects of the required work were distributed amongst various people but the bulk of the considerable workload was undertaken by Stephen and the irrepressible wee Scotty, Ronnie McInnes. Ronnie and wife Meredith kindly hosted the organising meetings at their home.

Meeting at Ronnie and Meredith's home

I have organised supported rides before but a big multi day main event like the GSR is at a far higher level and requires a lot more in place than just food, a route and cue sheets and I have the greatest respect for the time and effort that Stephen and Ronnie put into this ride.

The GSR regularly attracts several international riders to our shores. Some regulars who I had met before at the Perth Albany Perth in 2010. Mark Thomas and Vincent Muoneke from Seattle were back along with Spencer Klaassen on fixed from Kansas. Julian Dyson from the UK was also back and there were several other new and returning internationals. I had fond memories from Perth of riding with Vincent and Mark through the forests after Pemberton, of Spencer's son helping as a volunteer on the ride and of briefly riding with Julian after dark on the the road between Wagin and Williams.

Having a spare bedroom in our house gave my wife Carol and I the chance to billet two riders for the days leading up to and the days after the ride. The two riders that were to stay with us were Rick Blacker from Seattle Randonneurs and Julian Dyson from AudaxUK. It was an absolute pleasure to have them stay with us. As one might imagine that most of the talking was about long distance cycling but I also got to learn a lot about them and life at home. It was really great to become good friends with the two of them.

Julian, myself and Rick

 

I had only finished my 1200k volunteers ride a few days earlier and I was out on a hard 100k permanent with Rick to tune him up for the GSR. At the halfway stage of the ride with many steep ascents my legs finally yelled "back off". I had to ease back,take things easier and follow Rick's wheel as a nasty wind and some rain added to the challenge.



Rick stops to take a photo

Two days later it was the same torturous route but this time it was with Julian on a brighter day and fortunately for me with stronger legs.

Julian cresting a climb

A pre-ride dinner at the Angelsea Golf Club the night before the start of the GSR gave many of the riders and volunteers a chance to catch up and renew old acquaintances from both interstate and overseas.

 

Rick, Mark and Spencer (rear views), Julian and Vincent catch up prior to the pre ride dinner

 

International riders before the start

 

The briefing of riders begins

 

 My primary role during the ride was to be a roving scout watching over the event and riders as they moved through the countryside spreading out over about 200k by the time the first riders finished. I was also lucky enough to be the person issuing the brevet cards, maps and route notes before the start so it enabled me to get to know some of the new faces early on.

 

The 1200 started at 6pm and not too long after the start I drove Stephen and Alison to the Queenscliff checkpoint then on to the secret control to check the riders as they progressed towards completion of the first 200k which was essentially a loop around Geelong and the Bellarine Penisula. A brief stop back at Angelsea for a quick coffee then I went on alone to Apollo Bay to sign cards of the faster riders before the shops opened in town. A few of the quickest riders just beat me to town but I looked after several until about 6 am when the bakery opened. I then drove on into the Otways and found a quiet side track where I managed about an hours sleep in the back of my car. I moved on to Port Campbell and had breakfast with the faster riders and got another hour or so sleep.  This sleeping scenario was repeated for the next four days as I moved from control to control. I focused on the mid pack to slower riders generally and didn't again see the quickest riders. I  picked up some 1000k riders that abandoned on Lavers Hill after a warm afternoons climb and ferried them to Port Campbell. I picked up an abandoned rider at Hopkins Falls after his inadequate lights gave out in the middle of the night and transported him to Port Fairy. I recovered another riders rain jacket and tights that he had dropped on the roadside between Halls Gap and Moyston. However for most of the time I was just observing and encouraging the riders and all the time itching to be out there with them.

 

 A quiet country lane

 

An emu near Tower Hill, Koroit

 

Sarah and Bec on the homeward leg

 

 A dramatic sunset in the Otways

 

 

 

Finished. Tired but satisfied (Mark, Mike and Rick)

 

Happy finishers 1 (Hamish and Ian)

 

Frank....where have you been?

 

Happy finisher 2 (Julian)

 

Happy finishers 3 (Sarah and Bec)

 

Jim   and his Bulgarian jersey

 

All in all the Great Southern Randonnee for 2012 was a great success. Riders were challenged by the route and the conditions and the successful ones will cherish their involvement. The DNFs will reflect on their performance and be better for their learnings. Many new friendships were forged during the ride and many old freindships were renewed and strengthened. Everyone involved will have a story to tell.  See you in 2016. 

 

The Great Southern – Volunteers Ride

There were three volunteers who chose to undertake the long rides of the GSR this time.

Tim Taylor and I rode the 1200k and Peter Donnan rode the 1000k option.

Tim and I set off from Angelsea at 6pm on Thursday 18^th October. Peter left at 8am on the next day. This meant our rides were synchronised and operating on a timetable matching the event itself. Carol and my daughter Kelly provided excellent support for me at overnight stops that I had determined as optimum for the pace I planned to ride. Tim and Peter were able to take some advantage of this. Tim catching some sleep at Port Fairy, Dunkeld and Apollo Bay with us while Peter had arranged a motel room at Hamilton. Both Tim and Peter also had a bite to eat with us at both Halls Gap and Dunkeld.

I rode with Tim for the first 175k but after Torquay I let him pull away and I wouldn’t see him again till Port Fairy. I chose to take a sleep at the 200k at Angelsea. Arriving at 3:15am and leaving at 7am.

I had developed a conservative schedule for this ride. I was not looking for a sub 80hr ride but rather looking to enjoy a pleasant roll through some spectacular Victorian countryside.

I enjoyed the leg from Apollo Bay through the lovely Otway National Park and the two climbs seemed to go nicely and I reached Port Campbell (367k) at 5pm just ahead of my schedule.

 Through the Otway National Park

I had friends in the trees

 

Progress was slow but steady against an annoying headwind on my way past Hopkins Falls and on to Port Fairy. A text message from good mate Steve Xerri broke the monotony as I rode on to a sleep stop at Port Fairy arriving at 11:40pm.  I had friends in the trees as well. A koala had been croossing the road when caught in the beam of my ayups. It was hard to get him to pose for the camera

I left Port Fairy around 3am to get to Macarthur a few minutes inside the closing time.

 Macarthur a few minutes inside the closing time

Similarly i timed my arrival at Dunkeld with a 10 minute buffer and this rounded out the first 600k.

Dunkeld

I felt in good shape with two good sleeps under my belt as I made my way on to Halls Gap where Carol informed me that Tim and Peter had just left following a nice feed of soup. Tim also had kindly bought some ice cream and that went down well as the morning and early afternoon had been reasonably warm.

Mount Abrupt

I passed Tim and Peter on the return through Halls Gap and arrived at our cabin at 9pm with the others pulling in for a break at around 9:30pm. I took 6 hours at this checkpoint and got another good nights sleep.

Most of the following day was very unsettled with gusting and swirling winds making it impossible to find a good rhythm. Just prior to arriving at Port Campbell in the late afternoon I was hit by a violent storm that bought cold lashing rain that certainly dampened my spirits a little. I caught up with Tim at Port Campbell . He had left Dunkeld earlier but had taken an extended break as a bite on his leg was causing considerable swelling and discomfort for him. I rode with Tim as he battled his condition through the climbs of the Otways.

Tim

 

Near Hordern Vale we were separated and it wasn’t until Apollo Bay that we caught up with each other. After a sleep Tim left early to ensure his leg would not prevent a successful finish. I again had a good nights sleep and left Apollo bay at 6am. I reached Angelsea to be greeted by Tim and Carol at 9:37am. The ride took me 87 hours 37 minutes to complete.

The finish

Goals

Setting yourself a goal in the things we do can be a great motivator along the way to achievement. Sharing that goal with others provides even more incentive to complete what you have set out to do. I love my bike riding and enjoy the philosophy behind the rides that Audax provide through both organised rides and permanents (do it yourself rides or rides with other members).

In past years I generally have set myself an annual riding goal. From complete Around the Bay, to achieve a Percy Armstrong award (50,100,150 &200 k ride) in a year, complete my first 600 then in 2009/10 it was complete my first 1000 and 1200k rides. Last year I didn't set a goal and it seemed my riding lacked a bit of purpose with the only rides that gave me a real sense of satisfaction were two long weekend series of 3 x 200k that challenged me to back up and ride well on consecutive days. So when Audax introduced a single season cumulative award I thought here's a chance to stretch myself. Previous years I accumulated around 6 or 7000k of audax riding so I thought 10,000k would be an admirable goal and so my target was set. I then mentioned it to anybody who would listen so after that there was no turning back. The other self imposed aspect was that I wanted to achieve it before riding the Great Southern Randonee as I didn't want to rely on the last ride of the season where anything might happen.

So yesterday on a cool but clear spring day I achieved my goal with a 300k permanent through some delightful country in the Otway region. Barwon and Beyond roughly traverses the Barwon River from its bottom reaches around Geelong then extends beyond its upper reaches in the picturesque Otway Ranges. The countryside was green and lush, the traffic was light and the weather ideal for a long ride. I strongly recommend the Otway region for some great bike riding.

Green and lush

 

Deep in the Otways along Turton's Track

 



High up around Beech Forest

 

A walkabout weekend

I spent the recent weekend in the lovely rural city of Horsham. A few days leave from work allowed relaxed travelling to the Wimmera on the Friday and the same for the return on Monday. The rides Carol and I were organising were the Wimmera Walkabout rides that I developed some time ago to fill in a bit of a gap as in all my time in Audax I hadn't seen a ride organised from the Horsham area. The closest being Mallee Routes to the north and the Grampians challenge from Halls Gap. On day 1 the 200k skirted the west side of the Grampians before heading through sheep country to Balmoral and then a return to Horsham. The 300k required riders to additionally undertake an out and back to the wheat town of Dimboola where an information control required them to determine when the post office first opened their doors. Any guesses? Sunday's 200k had a great climb over the Grampians to Halls Gap and then on to Stawell for lunch. A long stretch to Murtoa followed and a bit of rain had the riders donning wet weather gear for the final leg to Horsham. This was the first real section all weekend where the wind rose above a negligable level and had riders working harder. The appreciation of the riders for the support we provided was very satisfying. The rest for me from riding was probably beneficial although I must admit I was as tired at the end of it all as I would have been if I rode it. Thanks to Carol(and Kelly) for supporting me in putting on the weekend.

Ian and Leigh discuss progress at the Noradjuha checkpoint on day 1

Riders (Jim, Joel, Arno and Leigh) dig in at the Wartook checkpoint on day 2

Spring has arrived!

Spring has arrived! It’s been great to get out and spend more mid-week time on the road. Winter from a cycling viewpoint for me means many hours on the indoor trainer, spinning away whilst watching LeTour and other European cycle races. This is interspersed with Audax calendar or permanent rides on the weekend. My rate of accumulating Audax kilometres lessened but my goal of 10,000 Audax kilometres in the season is almost achieved. At 9650km I can move my sights to the Great Southern Randonnee 1200k ride (volunteer’s version) which I plan to undertake towards the end of October. 

On the weekend I did the reconnaissance for one of my Wimmera rides. They are coming up on the weekend of September 15^th and 16^th.

Day 1 ride skirts the west side of the Grampians and passes through some lovely countryside on the way to Balmoral before a return to Horsham. The 300k adds an out and back to Dimboola.

Heading to Balmoral

 

Day 2 heads to Wartook to begin a climb over the Grampians to Hall’s Gap with a lunch stop at Stawell. The second half has a long haul to Murtoa and a final leg to Horsham.

Climbing from Wartook

Hope to see a few of you there.

Hume and Hovell – 2 Great 300’s

An ominous northerly breeze was blowing through the leaves in the trees out the front of the Melbourne YHA for the start of the Hume 300k from Melbourne to Wangaratta. Ten riders had turned out for the ride on a very cool Saturday morning. During the first 50 odd K on the gradual climb to Wandong into a moderate headwind my pace was matching that of Jim Chant. I kept the first bakery stop to a minimum whilst Jim had left a little earlier I was able to link up again about half way on the to Broadford. I took a considerably longer stop than normal at Seymour and really felt in no hurry as I was aiming for a relaxed weekend on the bike. Jim and I set off after a half hour. Jim chose to head direct onto the Goulburn Valley Highway from Mitchellstown Road at the road construction works whilst I added about a K by following the gravel south to get onto the highway. We had a pleasant walk across Kirwan's Bridge before our third bakery for the day at Murchison. The wind was lighter on the northern side of the Divide but it was still against us. Jim did a lot of the leading saying he was looking after me for the Sunday return trip which he was making in the car. After we left the Shepparton checkpoint it was west towards the finish but not before the sun had set and an interminable climb and bitterly cold descent over the Warby Ranges before Wangaratta. Thanks for great company on the ride Jim.

At Tooborac on the Hovell 300k

The second day only had about 5 of the riders from the previous day make the return trip on the Hovell 300k. It was a cold but fortunately not a freezing start to the day. I did a 10k ride out along the Greta Road after which the plan was to link up with the other riders who had stayed at Chris’s place at Killawarra. Either I had missed them or they were running behind time because I waited at the nominated rendezvous point for a good ten minutes or so before I decided to push on. I eventually crossed paths with Simon and Joel who were about 5 minutes behind me at the first stop at Benalla. Euroa was the second stop then on to Seymour for the afternoon break. The wind was a light south westerly for much of the day. It was just enough to be a hindrance and play on the mind as one wondered why maintaining a decent speed was difficult. After Seymour it was a grind through the hills to Tooborac and then on to Lancefield in rapidly fading light before Romsey and the penultimate control. It was very cold and on leaving Romsey I thought my steerer was loose as my front wheel wobbled as I shivered for the 5 minutes or so till I warmed up. Finishing the second 300k for the weekend was very satisfying. We had been fortunate not to cop any rain that required a raincoat and that the winds, although generally against us for the weekend, were for most reasonably light.

Thanks must go to Chris Rogers for two great routes, organising the ride and supporting the riders.



The Power of the Pie (and Soup)

Stephen Rowlands run a new version of the the Wild Wild West 300k on Saturday 9th June from his new home base at Little River. The weather forecast early in the week was for light winds and no rain. By the time Saturday came around south westerlies to 20kph and isolated showers were the promise.
I was entering the ride with some trepidation. I had had an infected tooth extracted earlier in the week but the infection had not cleared up in my gum and I still had pain that I was supressing with medication.
Misty rain was falling when we set off. A lead group of about 8 held together until Geelong. I was first to drop off and the traffic lights through the town  delayed me further so other riders were soon out of sight. Climbing up into the Barrabool Hills I set my own rythem and caught up with Steve Xerri as we turned south towards Moriac and the first checkpoint at the general store. A light headwind greeted us along Cape Otway Road before we turned towards Bambra for the pleasant ride through the slopes of the Otways. We took a brief stop at Deans Marsh then headed on towards Forrest. As we climbed towards the second checkpoint it became wetter and decidingly colder. Steve was having a bit of a flat spot but to be honest I wasn't firing on all cylinders either.
I couldn't resist the lure of a hot meat pie that has become a bit of a staple food for me on Audax rides. Steve on this occasion was also tempted and followed suite.

Nice pie Steve ?

After the break we headed on towards Colac through some lovely forest, timber lots, very lush fields and some prime dairy country. After Colac it was left and right several times before being greeted at Warrion Hall by Stephen and Tim ready to feed us with some lovely hot soup. We had hoped for some wind assistance from this point but it was getting later in the afternoon and the wind was dying away. I was dying away a bit too and Steve was getting stronger.

Shelford was the next checkpoint which we hit just after it had got dark. Merrryn and Rhys were manning this checkpoint and more lovely soup was on offer. My wife Carol had also popped down to greet us as we live only about 5k from the checkpoint.

The ride then took us on a constant grade to Meredith, over the Moorabool in Slate Quarry Road with its pretty severe climb out. I had laboured to Meredith but a gel had me feeling better and some more pain killing was a help.

Just after we turned onto Geelong Ballan Road there were flames and a vehicle on the side of the road. Had there been an accident? What I thought was a drunken yobbo was trying to flag us down. As we got close we realised it was Stephen at the secret control with Tim ready with more soup to get us to the finish. This time I chose the muffins and before long we were on the road again descending towards Anakie Junction.

Richard on his recumbant had missed the Granite Road turn and he soon joined us for the final kilometres. We all seemed to be riding strongly now in the knowledge that the finish was close. It had been a long, damp and cool day and I was personally very happy I had seen it through to the end.

Once more Merryn fed us with some fine food at the finish.

Thanks for riding with me again Steve I thoroughly enjoyed your company. Thanks to the Rowlands for yet again putting on a great ride and Tim Taylor for his support of the ride also.

The battle along the Shipwreck Coast

Even before the season began I had the Great Ocean Road 600k pencilled in as an essential ride to do.  The first class support and menu provided by Peter Donnan, his wife Eileen and his sister Joan has to be experienced to be understood. Eighteen riders left the 24 Hour Cafe in Latrobe Terrace Geelong on Saturday at 6am.

The weather forecast was a little ominous with strong westerlies forecast for Saturday with similar strength winds from the south west on the Sunday. No one relishes 280 kms of head wind but you have to take it as it comes and this was a weekend when we had to take it. My plan was to ride well within myself for the first day and see how the second would work out.

The bakery at Lorne where I normally stop was closed as I sought out something to eat so I made do with a banana from my pocket and a milk from a cafe to see me through to the first checkpoint at Apollo Bay at 111 kms.

The early part of the ride was remarkably pleasant but by the time I arrived in Apollo Bay it was turning decidedly cooler and the wind was lifting in strength. I imagine it was around 15 minutes before I left with good buddy Steve Xerri who was undertaking his first 600k ride.

Steve at Apollo Bay

Leigh Paterson with Peter Donnan

Ian George and Hamish Moffat

The Horden Vale and Lavers Hill climbs came with some rain. The road in parts was very slick and to add to that oil or diesel that was visible all the way along the road added to my concern and meant that I was gently squeezing my brakes and focussing on my line through corners more than ever before on the fast descents.

The cafe at the top of Laver's provided a welcome break before things to come. As we descended from the high point of the ride and out of the protection of the Otway National Park we were hit with gale force side winds that made riding at times near impossible. A side wind of such strength is infinitely more difficult than riding straight into it. It was quite a battle getting to Port Campbell and the 5k sign seemed like about 20k out of town.

Port Campbell was decision time for riders deciding whether they would continue through the night in the appalling conditions or pull the pin and have a good nights sleep before a ride back to Geelong the next day. There were a number of riders that understandably took the latter option.

Steve and I joined Ian George for the ride to Warrnambool. It served up more wind and rain but getting to the most westerly point on the ride was a psychological boost for me as surely the hardest work was done. Ken Morgan joined us after taking a longer break at Warnnambool. The wind pushed us along at a cracking pace for about 10 minutes or so but then a shift from WNW to SSW suddenly meant the ride back to Port Cambell was not so easy at all.  The roaring wind and boiling ocean was almost deafening along with road signs and loose tin rattling madly and powerlines producing a booming howl in and around the small towns.

We had lost valuable time through out the day and night so a break of a little more than 2 hours was all we could afford for sleep. It was a 4:30 am get up to complete a ride to Timboon and back before breakfast to round out 400k.

The wind continued to be a real nuisance back along the Shipwreck Coast pushing the bike sideways but at least it was towards the edge`of the road not towards the middle like the day before. Not until we got to the more protected areas of the climb to Lavers Hill did we get real respite from the conditions.  It was raining and very cold at the checkpoint so the warmth of the cafe was difficult to leave. The skies cleared by the time we got to Horden Vale so the rain coat was removed for the last time but the wind was continuing unabated.

Peter greeted`us at the checkpoint at Apollo Bay and hot soup warmed us up for the next leg to Lorne. Another break there before embarking on the final 65k to the finish. Ken was having a few issues with his bike so Steve and I stopped under lights of a Torquay servo to check things out. Ian continued on but he needed to stop for a while on the outskirts to sort out some lighting issues.

It was great to be welcomed at the finish by my wife Carol, several riders and Peter.

Smiling Jim Chant at the finish

Everyone was smiling at the finish

Most of the riders described it as the hardest Audax ride they had ever done. I totally agree.

Thanks again to Peter, Eileen and Joan for fantastic support. Thanks to Steve, Ian and Ken for their company during the ride which would have been even harder if completed alone.

Congratulations to Steve for completeing his first 600k in such difficult conditions.

A rock - to - a hard place

The Moorabool Mayhem 200k was run on Sunday 6 May 2012. Fifteen riders entered but there were three no shows. Riders left Teesdale at 7:30am in cool overcast conditions. I remained at base having undertaken the ride the previous weekend.

The quicker riders (Leigh, Mark, Sean, Adrian and Ian) led the way.

Unfortunately back behind them and just after Bannockburn only 15k’s into the ride Carl had a very bad fall. It appears he hit a rock about the size of your fist that was in the middle of the road. He sustained serious head and facial injuries, elbow and ribs. Fortunately the following riders and a passing motorist were able to assist him with first aid and care. I also arrived on the scene and we waited for the ambulance to arrive. Carl underwent surgery that night at the Alfred Trauma Unit. Everybody is wishing Carl a very speedy recovery. The signs are already good. It's Tuesday and he's already talking about getting back on the bike. Get well soon mate.

The rock

The remaining riders ultimately continued. I drove to the first checkpoint at Meredith to sign cards of the some of the riders and those who had stayed behind. It was misty rain as (Lyn, Ken, Peter, Heather and Greg) left the checkpoint heading towards Gordon.

Greg at Meredith

Lyn & Ken leaving the Meredith checkpoint

Riders reported that it was quite cold up around Gordon but by afternoon the breeze had died away and the day remained free of rain. The quicker riders were able to ride up “Godzilla” which was some achievement.

They finished inside 9 hours and all riders were in by 7pm.

 Refreshments after ride

Thanks to everyone for coming to the ride and thanks to those who assisted Carl.

Cycling about the Moorabool

I did a reconnaissance ride for the Moorabool Mayhem 200k last Sunday. I am running it as an unsupported Audax ride this coming Sunday. The route crosses the Moorabool River valley on a number of occasions. The valley has steep sides so there are some serious grades to contend with. Fortunately most of them are short and with a little straining, huffing and puffing they can be negotiated by reasonably capable cyclists. There is one real beast however that is known to local cyclists as Godzilla. Its at the 175k mark and on tired legs I generally take a walk for about 50 metres where the Garmin displays 20, 21, 22%. Other issues I noted on the ride were a number of short gravel sections on the Ballark Mt Egerton Road where quarry trucks have broken up the road. Riders will need to be cautious. A good number of people have registered for the ride, the weather forecast currently is for the occasional shower and light winds so its all good to go.


Having ridden the route last week I’ll sit out the ride myself this week as I try to freshen a little for the Great Ocean Road 600 the following weekend. The GOR600 is also quite a challenging ride that is similar to the Great Southern Randonee 600 I did in 2008 and the mid week 600 I did last year. The ups and downs of the Great Ocean Road, the Otways and the hills around Timboon will provide some great riding.

ANZAC Day

A pre lunch 100k on Anzac Day. It was cold and winter gear was called for. There were wreaths laid at the monuments in all the towns I passed through. Veterens were gathering at Winchelsea Oval for a function as I passed.  

Lest We Forget

Storm clouds over Wurdiboluc Reservoir on Anzac day

Wheels to Dereel

An easier weekend was called for so I set off at around 7am for a 100k permanent that inclines gradually for 30 odd k across the plains towards Mt Mercer. The negative to this was a headwind of significant proportions slowing my pace to 20 kph and below. A few undulations and a gradual loss of elevation through Dereel and Rokewood Junction before hitting the main road for a glorious and rapid downwind 50k back to Teesdale. On reaching home my cool down consisted of a gentler 10k ride with Carol around the town. This brings my Audax tally for the year to 6300k.

Mt Mercer

A ride with Steve

An invitation from Steve "The Tooborac Terror" to ride his Rock to Lock permanent was too much to pass up when it arrived mid week. Yes, I had just ridden 3 x 200k the previous weekend, had already entered the 100k Blackgate ride on Saturday and the garden is in need of manpower but opportunities to ride with a great bloke like Steve on a beautiful near windless Autumn day don't come often. An 8am Lancefield start required a 5 O'clock wake-up followed by a 2 hour drive north. Carol and Kelly came along for the drive and they spent the day researching in cemeteries whilst Steve and I were on the road.
The countryside was spectacular, Lake Eppalock was looking great and Hanging Rock and Mt Macedon added to the stunning landscape. We had a great day, it got reasonably warm but not too hot and I think we both felt we had earned our brevet by the the end.

Steve

Googy55

Blackgate Saunter

Saturday 14th April and the 100k of the Blackgate Saunter seemed like a good idea. A flat and fast 100 (actually 106k) in the form of a loop from Grovedale to Moriac then a loop to Ocean Grove in the tracks of Cadel on a warming day was most enjoyable. Only a pesky westerly wind on the return leg prevented what would have been a very quick time for me over the distance.

Riders arriving before the start