what did everyone else do over the holiday period ???
we hit the road for the annual pilgrimmage to Marysville, for Road riding, Mountain Biking and running, 7 years in a row, my MTB broke in the Kona 24 hr so it was a hire bike Kona Cinder Cone Disc brakes and 100mm shocks that work! unlike my old bike, was looking forward to it
Day 1, 28th Dec 05:
South Melbourne to Marysville, 100kms ~, beautiful weather, safest ride so far, perfect conditions, even the cross wind section just before Healesville, set a great time for me up the Black Spur, down the other side and a killer 2 km climb up into Marysville
Day 2, 29th Dec 05:
Marysville to Lake Mountain, this was by myself so it was improve the time from last year, heart rate hit 171 500 metres into the ride and it went up and down from there all the way up the 21km climb, 1hr2 mins and 12 seconds later my best time up, have improved it every year, took about 3 minutes off last years time, really went for it this year from the start, where as I usually build up into it, included avoiding 2 wobbly sticks on the way up a wallaby, and heaps of Rosellas on the way down.
Run up to Stevensons Falls and back that night including the steep section right to the top from the viewing platform, to check out the path for the night rides to follow.
Day 3, 30th Dec 05:
Brother joined me, for his first ride up Lake Mountain on his new Trek Madone 5.1, 1hr32 mins ~, he enjoyed the ride though, even though he was stuffed at the top, was a definate pace change from the day before.
First MTB and night ride, brother and best friend Stevie joined in for a great little session of night riding, along Micheldene walking track and back from the Golf course to make sure all bikes are in tact, working and lights are fully functional. Then it was up to Stevensons Falls at night and all the way down Tree Fern Gully track, FUN FUN FUN, avoiding the spider webs and Fern leaves deftly flicked back by the leader to make the ride even more fun!
Day 4: 31st Dec 05:
Tempature is ramping up!! we leave a little late but my brother and I are heading up Paradise plains road for the "Heart Starter", his first, he thought the climb up lake mountain was hard, hehehehehe, he dropped the bike at the top and hit the gravel in a gasping rabble of skin 🙂 nice climb, its all down hill from here, apart from the few ups. New look-out tower and Keppels lookout, sensational ride across the ridge top to De La Rue lookout, no time for stopping or else the March Flies pry on any bit of exposed flesh! and there were lots of them, switch back time and the couple of k's down to Stevensons falls, my brother is a minimal MTB so he struggled here, reasonably technical, but great fun! especially the switch backs. Then it was a burn home down Tree Fern Gully again after meeting Steve at the Falls.
Day 5: 1st Jan 06:
Hot Hot Hot. A very late start from the previous nights drinking and staying up late session, but we head out about 10am for Hamptons Hoot, 35kms, about 3 hard climbs with some steep sections of rocky climbing and some equally bone rattling, brake squealing down-hills. Brother decided to stick out the entire ride and we headed up Mt Gordon Road to Woods Lookout, all the hard climbing done, tempature has been up and down the entire ride, but we start to get some cloud over and I could smell the rain in the air, 32 kms down and the rain starts to sprinkle down, 1 km later, rain starts to hit !!!! 2 kms from home, *SNAP* after almost neutering myself, chain breaks, so I get to fix my chain in the rain, make it home for a nice shower.
Day 6: 2nd Jan 06:
Everybody else who is up with us, has headed home, so I get to do the Cruel Lady all by myself.... 🙂 55kms, 2 big climbs, but a fantastic ride for time alone, just the sun, forest and sounds of animals. The hire bike, even though fantastic on descents is not as good a climber as my old stump-jumper, really feel it on the hot climb up Yellow Dog road, got a bit of creaking, so it is low gear and ease the pressure on the chain, get up the climb and eventually out at Tommys Bend road, decide to work the bike on the plummet down, Camerons Cascade, first time I have managed to ride it all the way down and get spat out on Lady Talbot drive for the 13 km climb up Lady Talbot drive to Mt Margaret Gap, I love this ride, by myself, thinking, watching, hearing everything around, its great to see the Trees change as you climb up to the gap, before I know it, it is over and its time to come back down. Blasting down East Falls Road, half way down, avoid a section of road fallen away and come around a corner to see a fairly attractive women walking up the track towards me, I pinch myself, Ive been eating and drinking so im not hallucinating, soon find out she is the spotter for 2 4 wheel drives coming up the track, head down and tell them what I have seen and wish them a LOT of LUCK, join up with Lady Talbot drive and just cruise down the gravel road back to Marysville, smiling.
Day 7: 3rd Jan 06:
The morning and afternoon off! very depressing, I can feel the depression setting in already, the thought of heading back home. Evening time. Run up to Stevensons Falls and back and then dinner and bask in the warmth of the camp fire before my final solo night ride up to Stevensons Falls back. Depsite a minor accident during the day, hand banadged up, im eager to go, I love the solo night ride, because I know the track so well. Un-eventful up, FUN FUN FUN at night on the way down, 1/4 way down, cruising around a corner, im on the floor, WHAT THE !?? look back nothing there, cool, nice removal of skin from left elbow and some more divets of skin on my legs 🙂 Half way down, hear the wallabies scattering into the bush, then I think I hear a growling of some sort, hmmmm head QUICKLY over the bridge and crank it up the last half back home. either a VERY big Moth or a SMALL bat decided to meet my helmet and a fun ride back, for the very last ride.
Day 8: 4th Jan 06:
Wake up breakfast, pack up and its times to go, *sigh* not feeling like it today, very sad day, low on energy so it was a real struggle the 100 ks back home, the kind of ride, company is a blessing, but anyway get back home, feeling slightly better, the new Polar CS200 has finally arrived, FOOD and sleeping.
does anyone else do stuff like this, I kind of use this as a mini training camp in a diefferent environment, bulding some strength on the mountain bike and just get away from all the distractions of home.