2012 Audax Alpine Classic

[rotating2]

Hi BNA, l'm new to this forum.
I'm down in Bright for the Audax ride this Sun, entered in the 250 6:19 start. Looking forward to it and saw a few of you are doing the same start. Should be a good day, good luck to all.
Mark.

[Eleri]

Everything checked and ready to go for tomorrow. I'm not thinking about the back of Falls, well only a little bit. I guess the proof will be in the riding. Good luck to everyone else riding tomorrow and let's all hope we beat the storm / rain or whatever it turns out to be.

[jules21]

i think the storm will be a welcome change if it comes through in the evening!

[oldnewby]

just arrived to my accom in Porepunkah, been into Bright to pick up my pack, I love the ride already! (I'm sure I'll feel differently this time tomorrow....) Waiting on a mate to arrive, and debating whether to go for a quick spin later on.
It's beautiful up here!

[Daccordi Rider]

Since Tuesday have done 300km and 4500m climbing, probably not a good taper but the riding is too good not to. Bike now clean, gear ready and feet up. Hope you all have a great ride!

[feral grasshopper]

Since Tuesday have done 300km and 4500m climbing, probably not a good taper but the riding is too good not to. Bike now clean, gear ready and feet up. Hope you all have a great ride!

+1
I agree spectacular here, I've done Buffalo and Hotham, meant to ride the last two days but a little bit stuffed from Hotham so just poodled about having fun! Just the 130 2moz for me, I think the weather may be shaping up to be fairly kind

Have a great ride Eleri! And old newly and daccordi rider et al, bonne chance!

[oldnewby]

Have a great ride Eleri! And old newly and daccordi rider et al, bonne chance!

likewise to everyone else on here, hopefully you all have a great day tomorrow! I cannot wait to get into it

[X-ray]

Good luck to everyone riding the AAC tomorrow. Have great ride!

[Semar]

Yep, have a great ride. Wish I was there. Next year.

[jules21]

12 hours for the ACE250. the back of falls was like a scene out of apocalypse now. my arse hurts.

[feral grasshopper]

12 hours for the ACE250. the back of falls was like a scene out of apocalypse now. my arse hurts.

Kudos Jules! It was damn hot and humid out there today, I just did the 130 and that was a sufferfest or at least 2nd Tawonga was, I cannot imagine what 250 would have been like! I dips me lid to you!

[chucknitro]

14 hours for the ACE250 Very happy considering the heat. Used just much water tipping it over my head.

Sat down in a couch at Falls Creek checkpoint. It was so comfortable, I almost didn't get out.

Kudos to all who rode on the day.

[oldnewby]

well done to all, esp the likes of jules21 & chucknitro, doing those distances at all, let alone on a day like yesterday... respect.
I'm right there with you feralgrasshopper, the 2nd time up Tawonga was not fun at all. my little thermometer said 46 at one point. Highlight was that little spring about 4km up!
Very satisfying to have finished the 130, I crossed the line at 3.24pm, 8hrs and 4 minutes after starting.
It has given me the appetite to do more rides like this, I already can't wait til next year!
After taking up riding around 3 months ago, I can well and truly say I am hooked.
Well done again everyone, and to the organisers/marshalls/volunteers, great job, thankyou!

[Eleri]

ACE 250 for me too, but a little slower. I aimed for 15 hours and got 14 hours 59mins. Pretty happy with that!

The back of falls was the hardest ride I have ever done in my entire life. It was so hot, so steep and absolutely unrelenting. Until the bit it did relent and was still steep.

Anyway, all done now. Good to see my friends who were volunteering at the top of Falls Creek and very welcoming. And I ate 2 ricecreams which was extra excellent.

Well done to everyone who rode on the day. It was hot and windy but at least the storm held off and I didn't have to worry about being electrocuted on a steel bike.

[hitch]

Audax 130 for me (which was 119.5, not 130 - not sure what happened there ). 2nd time up Tawonga was a killer - the strategic placement of the water stop about 2 k's into it was a lifesaver. HR at 184 and not dropping at all by that stage. The Falls and Tawonga descents were spectacular.

I have a lot of respect for anyone doing the 140, 200 & 250. I could not imagine continuing on into that heat. As we left town at about 4:30 we were still passing people on the way back in from Buffalo.

A swim in the river and a couple of beers at the brewery above the finish line were a spectacular way to finish the day. The weather can be so changeable up that way, it wouldn't have surprised me if we'd been riding in 17 degrees with rain. It is such a beautiful area, will definitely be back for more riding.

[JV911]

congrats to all

hotter than last year?

[Apple]

Fantastic, congratulations to all of you.

[rogan]

Well done all!

I'm doing the cold and wet version of the ACE250 in 6 weeks (3PC) so your comments and reports are of great interest!

[feral grasshopper]

well done to all, esp the likes of jules21 & chucknitro, doing those distances at all, let alone on a day like yesterday... respect.
I'm right there with you feralgrasshopper, the 2nd time up Tawonga was not fun at all. my little thermometer said 46 at one point. Highlight was that little spring about 4km up!
Very satisfying to have finished the 130, I crossed the line at 3.24pm, 8hrs and 4 minutes after starting.
It has given me the appetite to do more rides like this, I already can't wait til next year!
After taking up riding around 3 months ago, I can well and truly say I am hooked.
Well done again everyone, and to the organisers/marshalls/volunteers, great job, thankyou!

You beat me by 22 mins, not such an old newby! Chapeaux!

[feral grasshopper]

congrats to all

hotter than last year?

Heaps hotter than last year!

[feral grasshopper]

Audax 130 for me (which was 119.5, not 130 - not sure what happened there ). 2nd time up Tawonga was a killer - the strategic placement of the water stop about 2 k's into it was a lifesaver. HR at 184 and not dropping at all by that stage. The Falls and Tawonga descents were spectacular.

I have a lot of respect for anyone doing the 140, 200 & 250. I could not imagine continuing on into that heat. As we left town at about 4:30 we were still passing people on the way back in from Buffalo.

A swim in the river and a couple of beers at the brewery above the finish line were a spectacular way to finish the day. The weather can be so changeable up that way, it wouldn't have surprised me if we'd been riding in 17 degrees with rain. It is such a beautiful area, will definitely be back for more riding.

The 130 used to detour around Mr Beauty!

Raining (pouring) in Bright this morning, how lucky we're we!

[feral grasshopper]

14 hours for the ACE250 Very happy considering the heat. Used just much water tipping it over my head.

Sat down in a couch at Falls Creek checkpoint. It was so comfortable, I almost didn't get out.

Kudos to all who rode on the day.

Da 'Hoppa was on da couch too, +100 - hard to get off again!

[feral grasshopper]

ACE 250 for me too, but a little slower. I aimed for 15 hours and got 14 hours 59mins. Pretty happy with that!

The back of falls was the hardest ride I have ever done in my entire life. It was so hot, so steep and absolutely unrelenting. Until the bit it did relent and was still steep.

Anyway, all done now. Good to see my friends who were volunteering at the top of Falls Creek and very welcoming. And I ate 2 ricecreams which was extra excellent.

Well done to everyone who rode on the day. It was hot and windy but at least the storm held off and I didn't have to worry about being electrocuted on a steel bike.

Hats off to you too, Eleri! Awesome, especially for the day, can't wait to see it on Strava!

[ausrandoman]

I've done the ACE 250 twice. My time budget goes something like this:
- there's about 60 km of serious climbing 5 hours
- what goes up must come down 1.25 hours
- that leaves about 120 km of what, in normal circumstances, would be considered hilly terrain 5 hours
- stuffing my face at the five controls and water points - 1.25 hours

Total 12.5 hours. I have grey hair, bifocals and hearing aids. If you have none of these impediments, you will go faster.

When you turn left off the Omeo Highway to go up Whisky Tango Foxtrot Hill, you are 100 km from the finish and 400 metres above it.

Done and dusted. I felt good almost all the way around. Well, as good as one can hope for while flogging up ridiculously steep hills in the blazing sun. I didn't wear a watch, nor did I have a computer or GPS so I had no idea how I was going compared to my estimate. When I looked at the timing board at the finish, I discovered, much to my surprise, that I did it in 11 hours 28 minutes.

[JV911]

Heaps hotter than last year!

my garmin read a average of 28 and max of 44 for last year