HTFU Thursday

[eon]

your a machine Sandy
Don

i second that.

130kms on thursday --> did you do morning and night tuesday too ?
how many kms do you do in a week Sandy 500+

One of these days, I must join the rides that way. I've never ridden there..

[zozza]

your a machine Sandy
Don

Kind words Don but there are fast machines and there are slower machines and sadly I think I know which category I inhabit and are likely to continue to inhabit

NFS

What Don said
Sandy is a Power Ranger

[Chuck]

your a machine Sandy
Don

Kind words Don but there are fast machines and there are slower machines and sadly I think I know which category I inhabit and are likely to continue to inhabit

NFS

What Don said
Sandy is a Power Ranger

No mate he's a Transformer

[Chuck]

Might try and commute tomorrow but since i ripped off my nail on my pinky toe it hurts like hell to wear cycling shoes

Do I sense another book on the horizon Don ??

[BadBlood]

With the coming of spring an old man's fancy turns to .................... climbing steep hills

So for the first time since early June it was out the M7/4 to meet up with Todd aka "Badblood" outside Lifecycles for my re aquaintance with some of the better stretches of uphill tarmac in the lower Blue Mts. Always a bit intimidating riding in the company of a young grimpeur of Todd's ability but he's a patient young man and stayed with me on all the hills with encouraging words.
Was not as hard as I was expecting so must be getting a bit of strength back in the legs which suggests the training is paying some dividend.
A couple of Shotz tablets in the water bottle courtesy of Bmxbandito provided additional sustenance for the ride home. Just as well since the stretch on the M7 coming home from the M4 interchange round to Richmond Rd was murder into a howling wind. Struggled to hold 25 kph on a stretch I was doing 45 kph on Monday!
With 130 km and a few good hils under the belt was ready to consume a small horse when I got home. Tks for ride Todd.
NFS

Was a good ride Sandy, thanks again. Good to hear your stories from Europe as well

[leximack]

Might try and commute tomorrow but since i ripped off my nail on my pinky toe it hurts like hell to wear cycling shoes

Do I sense another book on the horizon Don ??

smart arse
I rode the last 2 days and its bearable now, just cant do massive out of the saddle sprints.
Hope its full ok by next sunday, will need all that i can muster for the Southern Hemisphere Cup.
How was Reverse Lansdowne today? i really wanted to be there and was hoping the party i was at would finish early, but was not to be, i think the course would suit me. Maybe next time

Don

[NotFlyingScot]

HTFU Thursday with a difference! Just for a change of scene since I was caravan readying at Bundeena and I had the faithfull Fuji with me as part of the essential "caravanning equipment" I took the opportunity of a run down the coast road through the RNP. Have to concede they are hardy types who list the RNP roads as their regular training route. Even with the few kms of new road heading down into Waterfall junction ( and that was one of the better surfaced sections before from memory) it's a bone jarring ride along much of the way.
Had heard a bit about the "Otford Wall" as being a climb worth investigating so ducked off right down the hill at the pie shop however after turning left at the bottom of the hill next thing I knew was back up on the coast road with not even a hint of sweat. Thought "that can't be it" so headed back down the road, this time crossed over the railway and spotted a causeway which seemed to have a steep exit.
Now far be it from me to heap any superlatives upon the 'shire however I think they may have one of the finest stretches of steep uphill road in the Sydney area down there. It's a beauty. Very steep, quite long and the way it turns up to the right out of sight gives it an additional mental challenge not knowing what will be round the corner. So those fellow westies jaded on a diet of OBR and other stretches of the Blue Mts I recommend a trip down the "shire. Badblood you would love it! You could even turn left at Helnsburgh and shoot back round via Stanwell Tops and do repeats. In fact I'm sure you would.
Not sure what the trip distance was since I had no bike computer fitted however was a three hour round trip from Bundeena. Definitely qualifies as a HTFU Thurday outing.
NFS

[lukas]

There’s certainly some bumpy stretches in the RNP. Across the top between Garie and Audley is particularly teeth chattering in sections.

I ride in the RNP pretty much every weekend but have never give Otford Wall a crack. When I get back from my current injury I’ll have to put it on the to do list.

Now far be it from me to heap any superlatives upon the 'shire

HA!

[sandman]

Sandy

Which one are you ?

[zozza]

Blue of course

[NotFlyingScot]

Certainly not the green one!

[sandman]

Maybe pink ?

[NotFlyingScot]

Maybe pink ?

Only the sunburnt bits.
NFS

[sandman]

Gawd........please make it not so

[aeroslave]

[NotFlyingScot]

Well this week HTFU Thursday had to be postponed for a day. Thursday was 32nd wedding anniversary and if I'd keeled over with a coronary on my wedding anniversary who knows what some of you lot might have implied
So Friday found us in sunny Laurieton on the NSW N coast overlooked by the North Brother Mountain. A challenge awaited. Something like 4.6 km and 490 meters of ascent to the look out at the top of the hill I think it is. So 6.15 am start, about 10 ks round to the bottom of the hill and we were off. Seriously steep almost the whole way as the distance and elevation would suggest. Thought I was going to make it all the way in 39/23 but had to slip onto the 25 tooth for one stretch which I really thought was about to beat me. Just a shade under 29 minutes from the Nat Park sign at the bottom to the Lookout point at the top. And six scary minutes back down!
Now at Scotts Head and only a couple of short sharp hills to be seen around town. Probably just as well after this mornings exertions
NFS

[NotFlyingScot]

Just how knackered can an old man look??

[Spiza]

Well done Sandy. Sounds like you're having fun. You certainly look knackered in the pics We won't be able to keep up with you on TNFPR after all these HTFU Thurs/Fri "challenges" you're putting yourself through

Agreed about the keeling over on your wedding anniversary Congrats mate.

[Chuck]

Sandy the extremes you go to to find a road that goes up make Bandito's and Sandman's efforts look lame. They're content to find deadend streets and causeways close to home where you go treking across the country looking for Mountains. You put us all to shame

If Cadel is looking for support in the mountains at next years Tour, I say look no further than our very own NFS

Thursday was 32nd wedding anniversary and if I'd keeled over with a coronary on my wedding anniversary who knows what some of you lot might have implied

Maybe the GLW would have thought that you keeling over and leaving her all the millions you've acquired over the years would have been the best anniversary present you could have given her

Sorry mate, I'll get my coat

[ruscook]

Well done Sandy. Sounds like you're having fun. You certainly look knackered in the pics We won't be able to keep up with you on TNFPR after all these HTFU Thurs/Fri "challenges" you're putting yourself through

Agreed about the keeling over on your wedding anniversary Congrats mate.

1 to both bits Sandy, a top effort, and yes we would have taken the pi$$ even if you weren't there to appreciate it. That looks one hell of a climb - well done.

[NotFlyingScot]

all the millions you've acquired over the years

If only

[Spiza]

Maybe the GLW would have thought that you keeling over and leaving her all the millions you've acquired over the years would have been the best anniversary present you could have given her

Sorry mate, I'll get my coat

[aeroslave]

Sandy is the Gran Fondo Master!

[NotFlyingScot]

It's that time of the week again so it was out the door early under a fortunately cloudy sky, round the M7 cycleway then point it west along the F4. First stop 4hr 20 min later was Mt Victoria with 103 kms on the clock. The first "first"of the day having never done a 100 km non stop before. After stopping for a bit of food it was back on the bike and down to Wentworth Falls and a short diversion to have some lunch with an old mate in a nursing home. ( you know you're getting on when your friends are in nursing homes!).
Down the road and elected to go via Penrith since I'm not a fan of running down Lapstone at 75 kph with semis two feet from my elbow. So much for the greeting from my friends at Lifecycles. Copped it in the neck from those two cycling style nazis Jeff and Doug when I happened to mention I was carrying my fluids for the day in a camel back pack. "Roadies don't use camel backs, you can only wear a camel back if your bike has knobbly tyres" was the cry
Beating a hasty retreat it was back onto the F4 and bar a damn puncture just as I swung onto the M7 ( and a new tube that refused to fit in the rim untwisted until the fourth attempt) I was home and happy with 210 km under the tyres. Don't have all those fancy stats that Don can do however I can guarantee I will not be circumnavigating Sydney tomorrow as an encore like some we know
My first 200 km plus ride so happy with that.
Not sure if it will qualify for a genuine HTFU Thursday ride until the adjudication panel of sandman, bmxbandito and badblood have given their OK. Given that I did not enter the Blue Mts via Old Bathurst Rd it might not qualify. They can be damn picky when they want to
NFS

[Loosenutt]

Excellent effort Sandy

I'd hate to think where the FPR's are going to be in another 18 months, considering that 18 months ago we thought Sunnyholt to Elizabeth drive was a decent ride

Ryan