Completed my first 100km Brevet today with the Wollongong Audax guys. Lovely day for it too. Hardly any breeze early on though getting hot after lunch time. They call the route the coast run which follows a big circuit north from Dapto to Bulli for coffee at Ruby's cafe and then south along the coast to Shellharbour, down through Jambaroo and then up over the mountain through Albion park and back to Dapto.
I felt strong and rode quite well today and ws very happy to complete the ride in 5 hours 15mins with about 4.15 in the saddle. Average speed was just over 24kph which just goes to show how much faster you ride in a group.
A few adjustments still required for the Apollogy, will look at smaller chainrings to replace the 52/42 set currently in place. I need a lower low gear for the climbs hereabouts and think I might be able to get a 39 small ring on. so look at something like a 49/39 setup.
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Loop around the Lake
Storms rushed through the Illawarra last night, but this morning dawned clear and bright with a south-east breeze. Time to hit the road!
I drove south to Berkley on the Lake with the idea of following the KBUGs lake ride. Heading west I road through the back of Horsley and West Dapto, then scooted down Marshall Mount Road to Yallah and along the cycleway past Macquarie Rivulet. Serious head wind travelling south west and but I kept my head down and thought about turning to ride with it with it when I got passed Yallah.
The path here is really nice and for some reason doesn't see much traffic. From there its a mixture of cycleway and on road riding back around the lake to Windang, Warrawong and across t0 Berkley and the car.
Apart from a taxi pulling out in front of me it was a fairly uneventful ride.
46.8kms in 2hrs and 5 minutes averaging 22.8kph with a couple of quick stops for photos and directions.
I drove south to Berkley on the Lake with the idea of following the KBUGs lake ride. Heading west I road through the back of Horsley and West Dapto, then scooted down Marshall Mount Road to Yallah and along the cycleway past Macquarie Rivulet. Serious head wind travelling south west and but I kept my head down and thought about turning to ride with it with it when I got passed Yallah.
The path here is really nice and for some reason doesn't see much traffic. From there its a mixture of cycleway and on road riding back around the lake to Windang, Warrawong and across t0 Berkley and the car.
Apart from a taxi pulling out in front of me it was a fairly uneventful ride.
46.8kms in 2hrs and 5 minutes averaging 22.8kph with a couple of quick stops for photos and directions.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Walk to work day
Last friday was walk to work day and a bunch of us from Wollongong decided to walk to work in Campbelltown. OK, So we didn't walk all of the way, but managed a 16km wander along the 10b fire trail through the Dharawal State Conservation Area to Wedderburn.
It was a beautiful day and one of the joys of walking at this time of the year, in this part of the world is seeing the gorgeous flowers. There's been plenty of rain over winter and the Teleopea's were fabulous.
We were raising money for the Cancer Council and managed just over $1000 which was great.
Not much cycling in the last few weeks, just a few short trips around to the shops, though I'm feeling fit for the Sydney to Gong ride in November and hope to do a 100km populaire with the Illawarra Audax group in a couple of weeks.
It was a beautiful day and one of the joys of walking at this time of the year, in this part of the world is seeing the gorgeous flowers. There's been plenty of rain over winter and the Teleopea's were fabulous.
We were raising money for the Cancer Council and managed just over $1000 which was great.
Not much cycling in the last few weeks, just a few short trips around to the shops, though I'm feeling fit for the Sydney to Gong ride in November and hope to do a 100km populaire with the Illawarra Audax group in a couple of weeks.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
100 km!
Yesterday I rode the furtherst yet in a single ride clocking up just over 100km in a round trip from home to Jambaroo roughly following the Illawarra Cycle Clubs training ride from bikely.
The 100 km took just over 5 hours inlcuding stops here and there for refreshments. I averaged 19.8 km/hr for the ride.
It almost didn't didn't happen. In the first kilometer I both broke my chain (hadn't refitted the conex link properly) and got clobbered by a Magpie at the corner of Crown street and Mt Keira road. Didn't know what had hit me.
Coasting into to Spearman cycles with blood dripping from my ear, I didn't have to explain anything. The bloody bird has been getting everyone who rides by!
The rest of the ride was less dramatic though pretty challenging at times. I took a wrong turning at Bong Bong road in West Dapto and ended up riding a few kilometers up a very steep hill before realising my mistake. Coming down the hill I topped out at 72 km/hr though which made the detour worthwhile.
Another Magpie wanted a piece of me at Marshall Mount but I managed to escape, squirting the bird with my water bottle seemed effective.
The climb up through Jambaroo was challenging. I really think I need to arrange lower gearing but that's another story. The descent was good and I stopped for coffee and cake at a Cafe in the village.
From there I rode back toward Shellharbour through scenic rural landscapes and a stong headwind before regaining the coastal cycle path that zips along the coast. Stopped again for a late lunch at Diggies on Northbeach and then home.
Recovering today I realised that I needed more regular food during the ride and should pack some snacks in future. Also, the saddle is getting better all of the time but I'm quite sore today. Gear changing was a bit fraught at times, lots of ghost shifts and rattles and while everything held together, I'm growing to think that the Apollogy may not be the right ride for the longer distances. At least not in its current form.
The 100 km took just over 5 hours inlcuding stops here and there for refreshments. I averaged 19.8 km/hr for the ride.
It almost didn't didn't happen. In the first kilometer I both broke my chain (hadn't refitted the conex link properly) and got clobbered by a Magpie at the corner of Crown street and Mt Keira road. Didn't know what had hit me.
Coasting into to Spearman cycles with blood dripping from my ear, I didn't have to explain anything. The bloody bird has been getting everyone who rides by!
The rest of the ride was less dramatic though pretty challenging at times. I took a wrong turning at Bong Bong road in West Dapto and ended up riding a few kilometers up a very steep hill before realising my mistake. Coming down the hill I topped out at 72 km/hr though which made the detour worthwhile.
Another Magpie wanted a piece of me at Marshall Mount but I managed to escape, squirting the bird with my water bottle seemed effective.
The climb up through Jambaroo was challenging. I really think I need to arrange lower gearing but that's another story. The descent was good and I stopped for coffee and cake at a Cafe in the village.
From there I rode back toward Shellharbour through scenic rural landscapes and a stong headwind before regaining the coastal cycle path that zips along the coast. Stopped again for a late lunch at Diggies on Northbeach and then home.
Recovering today I realised that I needed more regular food during the ride and should pack some snacks in future. Also, the saddle is getting better all of the time but I'm quite sore today. Gear changing was a bit fraught at times, lots of ghost shifts and rattles and while everything held together, I'm growing to think that the Apollogy may not be the right ride for the longer distances. At least not in its current form.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Harder than it looks
I lined up for my first 100km populaire "Cafe Ride" yesterday with the good folk in the Illawarra Audax group. The ride was from Dapto to Fitzroy Falls and return taking in the imposing Macquarie pass - a climb of about 800 meters in 8kms.
Short story is I didn't make it and turned around about 1 km up the pass. A 42 x 28 low gear not low enough for a heavily laden and unfit (buggered right knee) rider.
Longer version is I was hanging off the back of the small group from Dapto down the Princes Hwy and Illawarra Hwy into a headwind, slowly losing ground. The other guys were averaging about 27kph on mostly carbon bikes with light loads. I carried a pannier full of tools, clothes and food.
After turning back I had glorious ride back to Dapto and as often happens regretted turning around. The knee pain told me I had made the right decision though and need to take things easier for a while at least.
Later on Saturday Henry rang to check that I was OK and to suggest a few things - lighter load, training rides and don't give up. The next brevet is "on the flat" mostly so my road gearing might be OK. Alternatively a triple ring could be arranged (and a new transmission perhaps?)
Final outcome is, I've learned a lot from the ride and brought the mileage on the Apollogy to 200km.
Short story is I didn't make it and turned around about 1 km up the pass. A 42 x 28 low gear not low enough for a heavily laden and unfit (buggered right knee) rider.
Longer version is I was hanging off the back of the small group from Dapto down the Princes Hwy and Illawarra Hwy into a headwind, slowly losing ground. The other guys were averaging about 27kph on mostly carbon bikes with light loads. I carried a pannier full of tools, clothes and food.
After turning back I had glorious ride back to Dapto and as often happens regretted turning around. The knee pain told me I had made the right decision though and need to take things easier for a while at least.
Later on Saturday Henry rang to check that I was OK and to suggest a few things - lighter load, training rides and don't give up. The next brevet is "on the flat" mostly so my road gearing might be OK. Alternatively a triple ring could be arranged (and a new transmission perhaps?)
Final outcome is, I've learned a lot from the ride and brought the mileage on the Apollogy to 200km.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Sydney to Gong Ride 2007
I have registered for the Sydney to the Gong ride on Sunday 4th November 2007. My fund raising page is http://register.gongride.org.au/?grantwhite if you would like to sponsor me on the 90km ride.
Should be a great ride this year!
Should be a great ride this year!
Monday, September 3, 2007
Stanwell Park and return
Took the Apollogy for a spin up to Stanwell Park and back on Saturday 1.9.07. What with the after effects of a lousy flu and the new Brooks saddle it was a difficult ride with a fair degree of pain experienced. Its mostly uphill after leaving the cycle way at Thirroul and I ran out of puff (and gears) on the last big climb up through Coal Cliff. The road section of the ride is quite nervewracking as the shoulders are non-existent the route is pretty popular for drives on the weekends and not every car of tourists appreciates the narrow spaces.
On the ride back I succumbed to hunger and feasted on a Burger and coke at Ruby's cafe on Bulli beach. Just on 70 km for the ride in about 4 hours with stops - averaging about 23kms/hour which for me is flying - but I was feeling it afterwards.
As a bonus for Father's day I received three new bidon holders and a Cateye Velo8 bicycle computer. They are now installed and waiting for my posterior to recover enough to want to go out again and commence recording boring statistics. For the record, in the last week the Apollogy has clocked up about 160kms.
I really hope that the pain I'm going through now will pay off in coming months.
On the ride back I succumbed to hunger and feasted on a Burger and coke at Ruby's cafe on Bulli beach. Just on 70 km for the ride in about 4 hours with stops - averaging about 23kms/hour which for me is flying - but I was feeling it afterwards.
As a bonus for Father's day I received three new bidon holders and a Cateye Velo8 bicycle computer. They are now installed and waiting for my posterior to recover enough to want to go out again and commence recording boring statistics. For the record, in the last week the Apollogy has clocked up about 160kms.
I really hope that the pain I'm going through now will pay off in coming months.
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