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