Hanging Mountain

From Tuross Heads to Hanging Mountain and back is one ride that will test your hill climbing endurance. When I first did this ride back about 12 years ago, I can remember looking down at my Speedo thinking if only I could get my speed up above 8km/h it would be so much better, the climb seemed to last forever.
This time I was heading up there for my 3rd time, and I was really looking forward to it. I left my parents house at 5:20am, it was a perfect morning, with little traffic on the road. I pushed up the Princess highway and turned towards the fire trail onto Western Boundary road. The whole ride is on fire trail and is a pretty smooth run all the way. This trail to Little sugarloaf road was uphill and very undulating., and heads straight for Deua National Park and I was very surprised to get there on an hour of riding. Along little sugarloaf is where most of the climbing begins, this is where it just seems to never end. Being stronger this time it did seem to be easier from what I remembered and looking towards my destination during my climb encouraged a good pace.
Before I knew it I was there well under the 3 hour mark I was hoping for. Looking at the view of where I had just come from is always rewarding on this ride. As you can see (by the bottom picture) there is a clear view to Mt Dromedary. Heading back was very quick, putting some power down and keeping my speed up made the up hill sections very easy work. I completed the 75k’s in 4.5 hours which was about 1 hour quicker than any other time I have ridden it. I did feel pretty tired though and I knew I had pushed it pretty hard. A great ride and a lot of fun. Next time I am down there I will have to try Mt Dromedary.

Merry Christmas

What could be better than a bike for Christmas? maybe a Malvern star?. Nope sorry it is not mine, but it will be Clayton's daugther, Emily's in just 2 sleeps. You know the drill you have to hide it till the day, I could not resist on the photo.
But I hope you all have a great one, play it safe, and hopefully have a nice little holiday. I'll be working, but there will be a nice little relax down the coast to look forward to.
Enjoy.

The bakers bunch (on the dark side)

After some great riding during the week, trying to work to my program, Jase asked me to join him on a roadie bunch ride. This was no ordinary bunch ride, even though it is a pretty flat ride, it was a bunch ride that did scare me a little. It was known to be a very fast lap around Canberra, and to make it the whole way you have to be a really, really good rider.
We left Lanyon early to get into Phillip at 6:30am to set off with the big boys. The group set off at a cracking pace, heading up Adelaide Ave at 55kph was great fun. Once we hit Northbourne we ran into a little trouble with the red lights and Jase's chain coming off we were well off the back with no chance of getting back on. So we kept at it, and tacked onto a few other riders that had been dropped to make a nice little group of 4-5.
We continued out through Dunlop, Ngunnawal, Gungahlin, all these places I had never ridden before. With this in mind I could not be dropped or I'd be lost. I kept at it to Watson, when Jase and I decided to head back onto Northbourne. We tryed our best not to let the pace drop, on our way back down Northbourne, Adelaide Ave, through Phillip, Tugg lake and back home.
I was really working at my limits, my legs were hurting all the way, but there was no way I was going to give in. I had to sit at the back of the pack and try to hang on and I only just managed to do that.
I had a great time, and can honestly say I have never worked so hard on a bike. I averaged 77% of max H/R for 3.5 hours it is no wonder my legs were lactic. Thanks Jase for the ride, I really was in a world of hurt, and it was one of the best training sessions I have done.
This will be 1 session that I might have to try to fit into my program.

Giant XTC3 2006

Here is my hardy hard tail. This picture was taken during Shane’s bucks weekend which was very close to an Easter solo 24 by memory, so I had to take my bike. Great weekend I am still laughing about the lawn bowls, I'll keep that story for the boys.
It has been a great bike, I have thrown some pretty harsh rides at it over a few years and it has just taken everything in typical hardtail fashion. There is nothing special about it, but it is good to have to re-learn those basic skills. Before I had my road bike I used it allot as a commuter, and it has seen many k’s. It will be my recovery bike for spinning the legs till the Worlds, so it will see some use around Tuggeranong hill.

Merida 904

This is my work horse, it gets me there almost every day. It is a great bike that I had brought off my mate Scotty a few years ago I paid less for it than my bike computer ;). This roadie does the hard yards and I have put so many k’s on this thing to and from work it is one trusty old bike. I think I have only washed it a couple of times, and I know all you roadies are shocked and disgraced, but it’s my commuter ;).
With 105 components that have worked flawlessly, carbon forks and an alloy frame that give’s my bum a bit of a hard time, it is perfect for training for 24’s on.