Rotary Spring Cycle (5 peak challenge) - Sun 10th Oct 2010

[Ross]

http://www.rotarnet.com.au/users/9/97109/Cycle%20tour/Bike%20ride.html

[Steven]

Despite wild weather conditions (snow on Stromlo!) I enjoyed this event last year and will ride the 100km Five Peaks again this year. It would be nice to have a group of us in club kit if anyone wants to join me.

[Andrew]

Assuming I don't end up doing the Scott24 (which appears to be on the same weekend), I shall be doing this..

[Steven]

Yeah it looks like Five Peaks does coincide with the Scott 24. No joy for the mud-eaters.

If anyone is interested in forming a VCC team entry for Five Peaks please PM me as soon as possible. Let's fly the club flag :)

[RobF]

I like this ride and will fly the flag.

[Nos131]

So that means that the Five peaks, the Scott 24hr and the Vikings ITT are all on on the 10/10/10... looks like a busy weekend for Canberra cyclists.

[_ABC_]

Yep, I'm interested too.

[Steven]

Super, and Matthew Larkin is keen as well, so we need at least one more.

Folks please PM me with your email address or phone number so we can organise registration fees. It's $20 a head - I'm happy to be the banker.

[RobF]

James is in as well but only comes to the forum occasionally to spread panic and fear.

[j_young_80]

The only spreading he's done lately is for an extra serve of Nutella on his pancakes.

[Andrew]

The only spreading he's done lately is for an extra serve of Nutella on his pancakes.

Buuuuuuuuuuurnnn!

I might be able to do this.

Pressure on the wrist doesn't seem to be problem - but I'm still in a cast. I should know for sure in a couple weeks..

[Ross]

2010 Rotary Spring Cycle - registrations open

EARLY BIRD REGISTRATIONS CLOSING SOON
A ride to suit everyone, from families to serious cyclists.
Pedal slowlyaround the lake with your family, challenge yourself on the 100km FivePeaks ride or choose something in between.
Spot prizes and free sausage sandwich for riders on completion.
BBQ and coffee van on the day.
Discount voucher for Cycle City Lyneham available on with confirmation of registration.
Full information and registration brochure available from:
Website www.rotarnet.com.au/woden.
Phone 02 6288 3568, or
Email nhart@netspeed.com.au.
All proceeds to local and other Rotary projects.
REGISTER NOW and go in the draw for an earlybird prize.
Proudly sponsored by Bike City Lyneham, The Canberra Times and PedalPower.

Julie Samuels
2010 Rotary Spring Cycle
Tel: 61 2 6223 9014
Email: julie.samuels@immi.gov.au

[Steven]

Thanks Ross - a timely reminder!

So far I've only had two people pay their registration:

1. Mike Masters
2. "NSW TEACHERS CU" whoever that is...
3. oh, and me.

We need two more members to enter the Vikings as a team - I'd like to see a heap more of course! So it's time to put your money down, folks.

Please PM me with your email address or phone number so we can organise registration fees.

[mikeyc]

I'll be doing this ride (most likely) but it'll be with the Hartley team I'm riding with. See you out there :)

[Steven]

Rob Fisher's just come aboard. One more... Rossco/Andrew...?

[Andrew]

I'm still not sure Steve.. I'm going to roll out on the weekend for a bit and see how far I can push it before I fall off in agony :P

[_ABC_]

I'm keen. Just have to organise approval from the better half.

[RobF]

James Fisher (no C) is also in.

[Steven]

Excellent.

[_ABC_]

Transfer all done. Looks like we'll have a decent 'posse'

[Steven]

Our team of 6 is now registered...

[RobF]

thanks for this.

[Michael M]

Thanks also for organising - see you all at the start of the ride.

Cheers,

Michael.

[Steven]

No worries at all.

[Steven]

W00t! BoM says near-perfect conditions for Sunday:

Partly cloudy. The chance of a shower from the late morning until late afternoon. Winds northeast to southeasterly averaging up to 25 km/h tending easterly up to 35 km/h later in the evening.

City Centre: Possible shower. Min 7 Max 19

...where "near-perfect" is defined as anything better than last year's max 11, winds gusty to 55 km/h, sleet throughout the region and light snow on Mt Stromlo!!

See ya'll there :D

[Ross]

Where's the ride report boys?

[_ABC_]

We started as a group of 6 near the front of the bunch heading up Mout Pleasant and got there in good time and condition before heading up Mount Ainslie where things went a little off plan.
Rob got a phone call at the top from James who had snapped his chain and was waiting at the bottom. We rolled down to the bottom and spent 15 minutes watching James wrestle with a very greasy chain only to break the chain breaker and give him a temporary fix that wasn't going to make the next 90 odd km.
So we left James and powered on through the City with Steve driving the pace on the flats and Rob pulling us all up the hills.
We all worked really well together and overtook many a rider, or group of riders, who seemed to tack onto the end of the Vikings train for a little while before dropping off again. We skipped the Lady Denman morning tea opting for a stop once we got to the GG's. Coppins Xing and Mount Stromlo were pretty uneventful apart from watching some of the solo 24hr MTB riders looking very weary at the top.
Powering on we got to the Governor General's for morning tea and some lovely pink lamintons. We all commented how awesome it would be to have a sprint finish down Dunrossil Drive towards the GG's under the trees - any chance we can reroute the Canberra Tour down here?
Red Hill was a harder climb than usual but we were all still in reasonably good spirits. The sprint down TGA hill was a little more sedate than a Friday Norman but we were willing to give it a nudge. Rob came out the victor in the end.
By the time we hit Canberra Avenue the wind had started to pick up a touch and we found ourselves in a bunch of about 20 riders all pushing the pace wanting to get out of Queanbeyan as fast as possible.
We pushed all the way to the end and Michael, Matt, Steve, Rob and Myself arrived back at Blundell's Cottage after pretty much bang on 4 hours of riding time. After a brief stop we then headed to Debacle for a recovery Beer and Beer Battered Chips which went down a treat!

On a personal note it was a number of 1sts for me:
1st time up Mount Pleasant
1st time up Mount Ainslie
1st time up Black Mountain
1st time riding over 100km in one go.

Thanks guys, I could have done it without you, but it would have been nowhere near as much fun! :D

[Steven]

Thanks for the write-up Andy! Little to add except that the weather and the company was heaps better than last year. Great hitout and good preparation for Fitzs. Looking forward to next time!

990

[Startrek]

Nice read and photo, thats what i love about cycling the amazing friends you find to ride with.

[j_young_80]

It is a great writeup, but how the hell have you lasted this long before tackling Ainslie and Black?

Got to knock off Majura now too, best climb in Canberra IMO.

[MatthewL]

Except for the gate!

[Ross]

I did the 5 Peaks ride solo and not part of the 'team' because I didn't know how far or how many peaks I felt like doing and wanted to ride at my own pace.

The short version of the story is I did the full distance (~130km actually because I rode out and back from home) and the 5 peaks (6 if you include Coppins Crossing). I found Red Hill the hardest, a combination of not doing it much of late and because I'd already done 80 or so km and 4 peaks before I got there.

No mechanicals for me except for a slow leak in the rear tyre, tried to pump it up just to get me back to the finish but it only lasted another km or so before going down again. I stopped and changed it like I should of the first time.

So much crap on the sides of the road, saw a lot of people stoped fixing punctures on Sunday.

After getting my name checked off on return I went to jump back on the bike to ride home to find the front tyre had now developed a slow leak. I wasn't really in the mood to change another tube, even though I did have a another spare, so I just pumped it up and hoped for the best. It lasted until I got home but had to stop a few times to re-inflate it.

It was a bit strange too, riding part of the Norman route (Mugga, RH, Narrabundah Ln etc) in full daylight for a change, instead of the semi-darkness I've been used too!

[j_young_80]

Don't you ride the Gramps bunch on Fridays these days?

[Ross]

Yes, Jamie, what relevance has your question? I have ridden Norman plenty of times before (~2 years), problem is it makes me late for work whereas the other ride I do more kms and get to work earlier.

[j_young_80]

Quality k's over quantity. Support your squad ride.

[mikeyc]

Yes, Jamie, what relevance has your question? I have ridden Norman plenty of times before (~2 years), problem is it makes me late for work whereas the other ride I do more kms and get to work earlier.

Can I borrow your Flux Capacitor this weekend?

[tom]

Quality k's over quantity. Support your squad ride.

The Norman has made me a better person. I highly encourage participation.

[Bean]

The Norman has made me a better person. I highly encourage participation.

It's true. Tom was a hoodlum and no-good teenage punk before he came on the Norman. Now look at him!

[j_young_80]

Anla was definitely a HOODlum when he started. Years of riding the norman have helped his calves become what they are today.

[Bean]

Anla was definitely a HOODlum when he started. Years of riding the norman have helped his calves become what they are today.

...a poorly placed set of breast implants? :mellow:

[Ross]

Can I borrow your Flux Capacitor this weekend?

The way it works is I ride out to Curtin (Carruthers St overpass) which is 20 something kms from my place (closer to 30km if I go the back long way through Yarralumla and Deakin) to meet the bunch as they roll down Adelaide Ave and I finish the ride at Phillip Ave/Northbourne Ave and then roll to work (Mitchell) arriving at around 7am. If I do the Norman then at 7amish I am still usually at the Lennox Gardens roundabout where the 'gallop' starts and I peel off there and have to sprint back to Mitchell which takes me ~20-25 mins and therefore lose 30 mins pay.

[Andrew]

<deleted, wrong thread to post in>

[SSSimon]

This is the 5 peaks thread right?

Nice write up and pic guys! I would have loved to join the crew for that ride - had a late drafting into a Scott 24hr crew instead. The weather was perfect riding weather on Sunday and not too much mud to eat either.