3 Parks 200

Following the Riverina Romp I decided to move my new bike purchase forward and took delivery of a Cervelo R3 last week.

After a few tuning rides I felt confident to remove the saddle from my faithful Roubaix and attach it to the R3 for this weekends 3 Parks Ride,  a 200 km brevet that is known for it's relentless pursuit of hills.

I had scheduled the ride in the Audax calender, but at this time of year there's a bit going on so I found myself the only taker for the ride. I had the company of Harvey on  the way up the pass but after that I was on my own. we started at 6.30am and the early conditions as we rode across the flatlands were foggy, cool and moist.



At the top of the pass Harvey and I parted ways - Harvey for a Pie at the Robbo Pie shop and me for the undulations of Tourist Road. Tourist Road is a favourite for many local cyclists and it was typically beautiful on Saturday, especially so as the fog began to lift and the warming rays of the sun came through to brighten the road as I approached the watershed of the Nepean River. From here I traversed across the valley, resplendent in its autumn colours, and I enjoyed the short but steady climb out the other side and onto the Gibraltar range ridge.



Range Rd which follows the ridge line above Bowral and Mittagong has a few steep climbs before plunging down into the town of Mittagong, where, with 70ish kilometers up I stopped for breakfast at the Tick Tock cafe.



From Mittagong it was downhill to Picton (more or less) though I experienced some navigational uncertainty when I took a turn off the main road to find a new and unfamiliar subdivision in my path. I'm pretty sure that it wasn't there last time, so I spent a bit of time nosing around before finding the correct turn a 1km or so back up the hwy and enjoyed the fast downhill run to Picton via many of the smaller highlands towns. During this section I was feeling very comfortable on the R3, it was predictable, comfortable and when I pushed down on the pedals it went forward.

I stopped for lunch at a Cafe in Picton and chatted with an older couple about wildflowers in Western Australia,  while I enjoyed my pie and coffee. As the next section of the ride was going to be a bit lumpy,  I was in no hurry to get away, especially as I had quite a bit of time in the bank despite the climb of Macquarie Pass and getting lost earlier.

Eventually I dragged myself away and once again found my rythm while enjoying the ride of the Cervelo on increasingly broken road surfaces. Once over the rollers on Menangle Rd, I turned right into Douglas Park for the dread Gorge. From the bottom the Hume Freeway bridge towers above, so I stopped for a photo and then commenced the climb. It's not especially long, but has grades of 25% and above for short sections, so I was glad to make the top.




By Broughton Pass things were becoming a bit overcast with clouds scudding in from the north and the breeze beginning to lift. Nothing too dramatic but while I had afternoon tea at Appin I was wondering if I was to get wet, especially with the most hectic section of the ride coming up between Appin and Bulli Tops to traverse, I was hoping for good conditions.



The trip acorss to the tops was dry but busy and the crossing of Loddon Creek on the single lane shoulderless bridge was heaertstopping, but nevertheless survivable. As I turned onto the old Princes Hwy I felt the first few drops of rain and before long I found wet road and then rain that kept me company through to Stanwell Tops.

Rain aside, I was on the homeward leg now -with a tailwind to boot - and with more time up my sleeve than I normally do, I pulled into Bulli for second afternoon tea and an energy sustaining caramel slice before cranking out the 10kms left for home



Riding up the hill towards home I coasted into the driveway just on 5pm. A little damp, but pretty happy with the day's riding and very impressed with the R3. Later I was surprised by how fresh I felt and put that down mostly to the bike.

The ride data told me that I spent 8hrs 31 minutes  at an average speed of 24.7kph  which meant I spent two hours stuffing my face and taking photos. Quite a nice day out really.

Mileage in Kilometers = 4337

Riverina Romp 600

Last weekend I had a go at the Riverina Romp 600 organised by the ACT Audax riders and starting in Yass. It was going to be my longest ride for some time and while I am yet to complete a 400, my form on the Opperman 24hour ride had given me a bit of confidence and I really want to complete a super series this year and was fast running out of 600km rides.

My luck had changed as the weather forecast for the weekend was excellent and I was feeling pretty good and the bike was in good fettle. Everything was there for a good ride.

The route was to take us northwest from Yass to Boorowa then west to Young, Stockbingal and Temora before heading south through Coolamon and then to the overnight stop at Wagga Wagga. The second day was via back roads to Bethungra and then to Cootamundra before heading over the range to Harden, back into Boorowa and then back to Yass via Binnalong.


I arrived in Yass just on sunset on Friday evening, found my room at the motel and before long had met Bob the organiser and was enjoying dinner at the Swaggers restaurant with some of the other riders.Amongst them were Grahame, Russell (who was part of the oppy team) and Cribby from Tenterfield. Dinner done I retired to my room and slept well until the alarm went off at 5am. Phone told me it was 2.5c so I layered up and drove to the start at the Yass Service Centre.


The riders soon massed at the start and the field was expanded by riders from Canberra and Wagga Wagga so we made a peloton of about 11 as we headed off, not knowing anyone very well and in the dark I was happy to follow the blinking lights and adjust to the pace. From the start the ACT approach was clear, stick together and stay efficient and we bunched towards Boorowa with some concern for Russell who had dropped off (he had punctured both wheels we later found out and had to drop out). As we rode, the sun slowly rose and provided a welcome relief to the cold and moist air, though at one point we crested a hill to find a spectacular inversion effect spread across a valley, with mist below us. Inevitably we dropped back down into this valley to lose the sun but the view was great from the top.


I required a nature stop at Boorowa and then found myself on my own for a bit on the road to Young. The sun rose higher and I stopped to strip off some layers before catching up with the group in Young.



I sculled a coffee and then left with the others who after a few hills formed an orderly bunch, Anthony acting as Captain and keeping us in line. Along this road I chatted to Cassie who as a twice finisher of RAAM I held in some awe and was soon introduced into the finer points of riding with this bunch taking a turn on the front for what seemed like hours before getting some advice from Anthony.



We rolled along, into a headwind and soon made Stockbingal where we stopped and enjoyed elevenses at the cafe with homemade cakes and quite fine coffee.



From there, well fueled and joined by Michael, we made an orderly train along the mostly flat roads towards Temora and then turned to enjoy a tailwind towards our dinner checkpoint at Coolamon. The weather was wonderful and we enjoyed a glorious sunset shortly before riding into the town and finding the control set up and ready to feed at a small park.



From Coolamon to Wagga Wagga was only 70ish km along back roads and we again rode on in a bunch, watching the moon rise full and orange into the sky. Fatigue was beginning to become a factor and we spread apart on the dark roads but by the time we were in the outer suburbs of Wagga Wagga everyone was rolling togther and we were soon at our respective hotels/houses by 9.15. The days riding had seen me accomplish my fastest 200 and 300s and I was very pleased to see a nice chunk of time for resting in a comfy bed, with a planned starting time of 4am in the morning.

After a shower, I prepared things for the next day, packed my dirty kit into a post pack for mailing home and set the alarm for 3.30am and was soon asleep. And then, it seemed after I had closed my eyes, the alarm was ringing and it was time to get up.

Pulling up at the arranged place, Grahame was already waiting and before ,ong we were joined by Tom and toegther we began the second day of the ride, in the cold and dark, dodgy errant kangaroos as they bounced fleetingly into the beams of our headlights.

The going was tough for me during this stage, I was tired, cold and miserable. The brain kept wanting me to stop and sleep by the side of the road and I fell behind the others only catching them when they halted to clarify a route turning. I perservered howevr, there was nowhere to stop and the only way I could conceivably get home, other than on my bike, was from Cootamundra, which was 120kms away.

After about 2 hours of struggling the dawn began to break and as the landscape lightened so did I, until the first rays of the sun did their warming work and before too long I was feeling happier and strong again.

We easily identified the various information controls along this section, stopped briefly in Bethungra to delayer and top up water and enjoyed a long chat with a garrulous gentleman who provided some good advice about the route ahead.

We soon found ourselves climbing, short but steep rollers and after a brisk descent were in Cootamundra by 11.30am, back in front of the clock and ready for brunch.

Leaving Cootamundra, Tom indicated that he would press on as he wanted to be home early and left Grahame and me in his wake as we commenced the increasingly difficult climb up onto the Great Dividing Range.

We found ourselves in a sequence of rolling hills, were we would ascend for 1km and descend for 1 km slowly gaining more and more height as we went east. It was hard work and the day had turned quite warm making the going at times tough but we eventually worked our way up to 600m and made it into Harden for the 3rd last control, surprisingly we had made up a bit of time as well.

The wind was no freshening, but thankfully it was behind us our slightly cross for most of the next stage back to Boorowa. Again we climbed and descended and climbed again and our stop at Boorowa was the beginning of the end, only 90kms more to travel so we were able to enjoy the late afternoon and early evening before riding into the penultimate control at Binnalong just on dusk.

With darkness now descending the remaing 37kms to Yass was not without adventure. The route was forced to transit along Burly Griffin Way, a very busy road with some long rolling hills and inadequate shoulder, but thankfully we soon turned off that road before rejoining the Hume Freeway for the last few kilometers to the finish.

As luck would have it, about 4kms out I flatted (first and I think only one for the ride) but this was soon repaired (and thnaks to the unkown cyclist who stopped in his car to offer the use of his track pump and tools) and we were soon at the service centre, cards signed and stamped and more than pleased with the weekends riding.

I enjoyed the ride so much, that I rewarded myself with a new bicycle, a Cervelo R3. I shall take it on it's maiden audax ride soon.

Getting used to the pies

After surviving my manflu I wasn't anticipating any heroic riding this weekend. In fact I had committed to some extracurricular work activities (which involved driving a mini loader) so was less than optimistic about riding too far.

Saturday morning I rode with Ben on our Asquith St loop and varied it with a new segment through Mangerton, and then I spent a solid 5 hours at the controls of the loader shifting railway sleepers and building garden beds. The loader was fast though, and by the end of the day the planned weekends work was done. Cue Barry's email that he was riding up through the gong on route to the Pie Shop with his triathalon club and would I like to meet up?

I thought that I would, perhaps not all the way but at least some of it so I arranged to meet at 8.30am at the Harbour and set off from there with the group of about 25 other riders. Apart from Barry I didn't know anyone but chatted along as we cruised through the flat lands around the Lake and towards Albion Park. Bunch riding is always an interesting experience, some riders have impeccable discipline, other's less so and I worked to avoid to swervey wobbly riders, admired a nice Cervelo R3 and winced at chain crossing and poor fit.



We stopped for water briefly at Albion Park before heading along in single file up the Illwarra Hwy towards the pass. The climbing began to string the group out a bit and as we neared the bottom of the Pass most of the club members pulled in to regroup and to contest the KOM, while I just rolled through.

It was pretty warm now and the climbing was hot, and there was lots of traffic and a large number of vintage and veteran cars en route to a car show in Bowral. My inner rev head enjoyed the progression of MGs, Sunbeams, FE Holdens and the odd Jaguar. I was less enamoured of the modern motorcyclists who were racing themeselves and overtaking on blind curves however. They were just dumb.

As I passed the 2 thirds point on the climb I was passed by a few of the faster triathaletes, but only a few and was soon at the Pie shop for the second time in a week, enjoying their wares and cooling my heels waiting for the others to arrive.



Sure enough they were soon all there. Most were getting lifts back to Cronulla though a few were planning to ride back to Albion Park Rail for the train, while Barry was aiming to ride all the way home. So four of us set off for the descent and enjoyed a traffic free screamer. One of Barry's mates, Peter, dropped like a stone and we were flat out trying to keep him in sight. I learn't a lot on the way down.

It was a steady roll back into town after that. The other's had some cramps and a puncture and then there was a headwind but being relatively fresh and nearer to home I enjoyed sitting on the front and tapping out a rhythm, though I'd sometimes roll off the front and have to slow down.





Once back into the City we rode past the Wollongong Station and Peter opted for the train for the rest of the journey while Barry carried on, arriving back home in Sutherland at about 7pm with 240kms done.  I did 105 which was a pretty easy day in comparison.

I quite enjoyed the ride though, a bit of variety was a treat, the waether was great and I was feeling well recovered from my cold.

Tallong bridge and a bodgy bottom bracket

Last week I noticed that my drivetrain was getting worn so ordered a replacement chain, cassette and bottom bracket though as the week progressed I realised that I needed the bb sooner rather than later and while climbing up Macquarie Pass this morning on the monthly 200, I was losing confidence in the bb's ability to get me all the way there and back.

It had that nasty slop where the pedal would rock through a quarter turn before feeling like it was engaged with the chain. So at the top of the pass I decided to avert disaster and turn for home, but not before enjoying a pie and a ginger beer at the Robbo Pie Shop.



Ben was coming with me as far as the Pie shop so with the pie onboard we both headed back for home towards a lowering sky which decided to catch us out with a downpour only 3km from home.

I cycled on the bike shop and got a replacement bb and spent a happy hour cleaning bike and replacing bearings. As it turned out they were well shot, the seals had gone and water was lapping around the bearings. They'd only done 8k or so. I may need to review my maintenance schedule!

On the positive side the weather radar has revealed that the route was copping a lot of rain - the stupid clouds hadn't realised I was at home and dry, So weather 0.5, me 1 , for a change.

Fleche Opperman 2013

My last Oppy was in 2011 and was an epic in inclement weather, in 2013 I had an opportunity to complete my 4th Oppy at relatively short notice and jumped at the chance.  The team was comprised of diverse and it turned out "reduxing" riders who for one reason or another had been off the bike for a period of time (heart problems, foot problems, cramping problems, etc). I didn't know about the reduxing part until during the ride but it was going to be interesting so I said yes.

The route was to take us across the north of Sydney to Hornsby and then to Fennell Bay in Lake Macquarie along the old Pacific Hwy and Expressway. From there we would return around the Lake via Morriset and Wyee before tracking into Wyong before retracing our path back through Peats Ridge and Hornsby to our sleep stop at Seaforth. The last leg was from Seaforth to Parramatta park via the harbour bridge.

I had arranged to spend Friday night at Seaforth  to save an early start on Saturday morning and was glad I did. Stephen's home is nestled on the shores of Middle Harbour and provided terrific and relaxing views over the water and pleasurecraft. We enjoyed a quuite evening preparing and talking bikes before heading to bed.



The day dawned spectacularly and by 8 o'clock the team had gathered and was organised, Philip, Russell, David, Stephen and me. We set off, Stephen leading us through the maze of streets that wook us through Seaforth and beyond. The early stages of a ride are always interesting, observing how others ride, settling in to ones own rhythm and remaining observant. The Saturday morning traffic was also heavy and we were glad to leave the relatively busy roads of suburban north Sydney for the quieter conditions along the Pacific Hwy. We were travelling along quite well together, and I was feeling strong and comfortable.






Shortly after crossing the Hawkesbury River bridge some close passing traffic froced me through a bad patch of tarmac and I pinch flatted my front tyre. No big deal (and as it turned out the only puncture on the ride) and I set to repair it aided by Philip while the others decided to ride along and start the climb up Mt White. It was a beautiful day though growing steadily warmer as the clouds burnt off. Puncture repaired Philip and I soon caught the others and we continued along the climb past Mt White and onto our first control at Peats Ridge where it was now becoming quite hot, with 30c showing on my garmin.

From Peats Ridge we enjoyed a period of descent enroute to the F3 and Toronto. I was feeling pretty good and with the tailwind we were picking up some pace. Word came up that we were to make an unscheduled stop at the Service Centre at Paruna for water so we pulled in for a quick break.




Before heading onwards for the 30kms to the Toronto exit. I was travelling at the front of the group swapping turns with David and Phillip, and we paised at the turnoff for Russell and Stephen, who was struggling a bit in the heat, to catch up.




From the turnoff we had a good run on quieter roads to Toronto, taking a turn along the foreshore to see the cool waters of Lake Macquarie before heading to the turnaround point at Fennell Bay. I was starving so we called in at the Macdonalds for some salt and fat and it was here that Stephen succumbed to the heat, experience some heat stroke and painful cramps. At first he suggested that he wouldn't be able to carry on and we should head off, but it became clear that he needed some assistance so we hung around, called his wife and then an ambulance. We propped him on a table and amidst his pained groans applied ice to cool him down.

It was a bit of a worry but as things transpired he was OK and had experienced similar issues a few times before. With Stephen tucked safely in an ambulance and on route to a clinic, his bike safely in the boot of he's wife's car, we were free to continue our journey back towards Sydney and a sleep.

We were now a fair bit behind schedule and headed off into the setting sun around Lake Macquarie towards our next control at Wyong. As the sun set we fell into a strong rhythm, taking turns on the front and pulled into a relatively lifeless Wyong at about 9pm.

After a quick stop at an all night service station we continued along, climbing Ourimbah Mountain on the F3 before turning off at Somersby for a return visit to Peats Ridge. The cafe's were long closed but the blutions were open so we filled up our bidons and headed back out onto the road. It was now quite late and we were getting slower and the sleep break arrival time blew out from 1am to 2am then 3am in the blinking of a microsleep.

A slow 300 to be sure, but we were all together and travelling with various degrees of doggedness. And eventually, after a close encounter with a Powerful Owl at Mt White we felt renewed vigour as we sped up the Wakehurst Parkway towards Seaforth and enough time for a shower and 90 minutes of sleep.

An hour and a half doesn't seem like much but I awoke refreshed to see the waters of Middle Harbour riffling in a strong breeze. Once outside again and on the bike, the breeze seemed much stronger, especially comming across the Spit, Harbour and Anzac Bridges.



ONce the other side of Pyrmont and tracking through the inner west, the wind dropped off and we made steady progress towards Parramatta along the various cycleways. I particularly enjoyed the river path at Ryde, but not as much as I enjoyed entering Parramatta Park and tracking towards the finish.

We were the second group in with 15 minutes to spare and 364kms under the wheels. Soon we were joined by the other teams who had managed a simiarl distance, longest being the Psychologists from Newcastle who completed 390km.

So with Oppy number 4 completed I enjoyed a big breakfast before heading off for a couple of ferry rides back to Manly and the drive home.





The scenery on the water capped the day off nicely!

Mileage in Kilometers = 2404
Meters climbed = 26,608

Royal Ride - wet windy and alone

I had been planning to ride the Gunning 400 last weekend however the ride was cancelled due to the inclement weather (there was a tornado and torrential rain) and had been tapering for that so really haven't done very much except the odd morning jaunt, some hill repeats and such.

Today though I was organising the Royal Ride 200, a personal favourite of mine which takes in the beautiful coast and much of the Royal National Park. After an initial flurry of interest the usual suspects were otherwise engaged and then the early interest faded so it was just little old me for the ride.

Again, the weather was looking poor, forecast of scattered showers and southerly winds to 55kph and when I awoke, it was raining and I really had to push myself out of the door.

The route commences with a loop around Lake Illawarra and I was pleased to see that the roads were dry once I cleared the bulk of Mt Kembla. The wind was also pretty benign at this early stage and things went  well. There was a bit of shower at Windang and  the wind was picking up but by this time it was on my rear quarter so was an added benefit.

Before long I was up Bald Hill and descending into the Royal National Park. The roads were wet but inside the park I was sheltered from the wind, though there were occasional showers every now and then.

The various creeks and rivers in the park were running and made a delightful sound and site as I rode along



A few showers passed over, but I had decided to wear my merino long sleeve jersey and it dried well after the showers and did a good job of keeping me warm. Especially as I had now climbed up to the main ridge of the park and was heading towards Bundeena for the halfway point and lunch.





 I enjoyed a chicken burger at the "pasho" before heading back up the hill and on to Audley. The rain came again in waves, this time a little more concentrated on where I was before passing. The weir at Audley was open but high.




 From here I had a short steep climb up before turning back for home along the Hwy and into the wind for a short while before descending back into the park from Waterfall.




Crossing the bridge at the bottom of the descent the river was looking more swollen than before. I carried on, sheltered from wind now, but I could hear it in the trees every now and then. It wasn't long though before I heard a new sound, looking ahead I saw sheeting rain, racing towards me. Oh well I thought another scattered shower, but It wasn't and for the next 30kms I was caught in a very dense downpour. The road was soon running with water and I could only plug along into it.

Topping out at Bald Hill it was foggy, windy and very wet. I was nearly blown over as I entered the lookout and took shelter in the amenties to refill my bidons and listen to the howling in the eaves.

The descent of Bald Hill was a tentative affair, I just wanted to make it down without falling and from there I just had to grind it out. The sea cliff bridge put on a show, with waves crashing beneath, and rain and wind thrashing above. I was glad to clear it  and then focus on the remaining familiar and less weather thrashed road home.

By the time I got to Sandon point I turned to see what I had just ridden through.




And was glad it was nearly over.I still had 20km to go plugging into the wind and frequent squalls but I was already wet through and the more it rained the less I heard the drive train squeaking in protest so I soon found myself rounding the bend for home, a warm shower and a beer.

Despite the weather, or perhaps because of it, I really enjoyed the ride, I even managed to complete it in under 9 hours which is one of my faster 200s.

Mileage in Kms = 1785
Climbing in Meters = 20,622

New Shoes

The quest for the perfect pair of shoes really knows no bounds and on Friday I picked up a pair of wide fit Bont Vaypors.

They look the goods and a 70km ride on Saturday with poorly aligned cleats showed them to be quite comfortable though I am yet to heat mold them. They are much lighter than the current workhorse Sidis and very stiff.

I hope to sort them out during the week and use them in anger a couple of times before the Gunning 400 at the end of the month.

Saturday's ride saw Ben and I head north to intersect with Barry as he came south. We rode up to Bald Hill and then with Barry safely met, we returned to the gong for second breakfast at North gong

 

 

This morning I headed out with Harvey for a clockwise Lake Loop taking in Hill 60 and a detour up O'Briens road, which is steep and at least today, hot. The view from Hill 60 was typically refreshing though.

 

With today's ride I surpassed my 200km goal for the week and find myself sitting on 1,348km for the year with 14,912m climbed.

To celebrate I cleaned the Roubaix and even gave it a coat of wax. Shiny bike to match the shiny shoes.