Race the Darling Downs Dasher steam train

[foo on patrol]

Might have known that you'd be happier about the soft option. [emoji143] [emoji12]

Foo

[ldrcycles]

Remember i'd be taking back roads, so the average speed would be a lot higher than 25kmh. Even with the downhills from Toowoomba, 38kmh solo for more than 2 hours on an old steelie is asking a lot! I think i might be able to do it on a modern TT bike if the lead in was good.

[foo on patrol]

I'm not giving you a leadout! [emoji143] [emoji12]


Foo

[koen]

Just thought I'd post on here an invitation for next month. Good to see it is still an active thread. (I rarely look here )
Weather permitting I was planning a nice ride around Stanthorpe now I live up here. Wonderful roads for riding and the white roads I just love. There are plenty of them. Anyway 21st 22nd March is a QR150th steam train from Toowoomba to Wallangarra ,overnight, and return with some more than usual stops I believe. I thought it would be a great time to invite a few friends up for a ride. The train doesn't hit Stanthorpe until arvo and we get to see it again Sunday morning on the return leg. In the meantime I thought I'd organise a scenic intersecting ride/ rides with some old bikes on display and food on the Saturday night at my place. There are wineries and such to visit at your ( or your idle partner's) leisure.
The more the merrier I reckon. Resilient 25mm or 28mm tyres should handle the white roads fine.
If anyone wants to camp and can't find space anywhere we probably have room for a couple in our back yard!

[elantra]

Just thought I'd post on here an invitation for next month. Good to see it is still an active thread. (I rarely look here )
Weather permitting I was planning a nice ride around Stanthorpe now I live up here. Wonderful roads for riding and the white roads I just love. There are plenty of them. Anyway 21st 22nd March is a QR150th steam train from Toowoomba to Wallangarra ,overnight, and return with some more than usual stops I believe. I thought it would be a great time to invite a few friends up for a ride. The train doesn't hit Stanthorpe until arvo and we get to see it again Sunday morning on the return leg. In the meantime I thought I'd organise a scenic intersecting ride/ rides with some old bikes on display and food on the Saturday night at my place. There are wineries and such to visit at your ( or your idle partner's) leisure.
The more the merrier I reckon. Resilient 25mm or 28mm tyres should handle the white roads fine.
If anyone wants to camp and can't find space anywhere we probably have room for a couple in our back yard!

Sounds great Owen. With your electrical prowess you could rig up a TV in the backyard so we can all watch the SBS coverage of the Milan-SanRemo on that saturday night.
(live coverage from midnight to 3 am).

[koen]

Hey I hadn''t noticed! I happen to have a spare 10foot screen and projector so it might have to happen somehow.

[koen]

Well Milan San Remo is Sunday night/ Monday morning but the train is still Saturday Sunday.

I have worked out a really nice 52km loop which will end up meeting the train at the Summit , Qld's highest station, at about 3.20pm Sat 21st. Then those that want to can race the 10ks back to town against the train. We will start in Stanthorpe, meeting at the station at 12.30. The ride includes 8.5km on white granite roads. I have ridden this on 23mm Veloflex tyres without any damage but there are a couple of spots to watch out on, and a few corrugations in places. Nothing a a good rider doesn't relish!
We will stop at Jersey Girls Cafe after 36.5 is for cheese tasting and drinks before moving on to meet the train.
Sunday I have another nice loop organised leaving the station about 8am and looping back to race the train uphill out of town after 9am.
Any queries Owen 0411586695
Hopefully it will cool down by then because Stanthorpe feels almost tropical just now!

[ldrcycles]

I'm a slim chance of making it, but fingers crossed i might be able to get up there with my Local 3 spd. That would be dependent on getting the "new" Sturmey hub built up to replace the Shimano one on there now, it would make a nice shake down ride.

[elantra]

I'm a slim chance of making it, but fingers crossed i might be able to get up there with my Local 3 spd. That would be dependent on getting the "new" Sturmey hub built up to replace the Shimano one on there now, it would make a nice shake down ride.

I will be taking something a bit more modern than that.

Accommodation options in Stanthorpe that weekend are getting a bit tight, looks like all the motels close to city centre are booked out.
Top of the town Tourist park seems to still have some budget priced rooms available, and it is only about 3 or 4 km from the Railway Station.
http://www.topoftown.com.au/

[koen]

We should have room for a couple at our place in the middle of town if anyone wants to turn up. No need to look for us on couchsurfing...just PM me.

[koen]

Ride as posted above for Saturday starting at the Stanthorpe train station at 12.30. Hopefully no violent storms later in the day!
On Sunday I think we will probably leave earlier than the 8am I had mentioned. Just in case anyone was turning up I didn't know about. We will talk about it Saturday but any queries 0411586695
Cheers , Owen

[ldrcycles]

I won't be able to make it unfortunately, and not just because the Local hasn't even moved from the shed .

[elantra]

I won't be able to make it unfortunately, and not just because the Local hasn't even moved from the shed .

Damn ! you were the great retro hope to beat the train.

I will be up there for the ride tomorrow mornin. Might still be room in the car if you have the free time.

[koen]

We beat the train and the storms..just. Actually because we raced from the Summit it was pretty easy to beat the train as it slows a bit at the level crossings so I got a fair way ahead. We were on the platform well ahead of it's arrival.

[foo on patrol]

^^^ ^^^

Foo

[ldrcycles]

Nice work koen, hopefully i'll finally be able to meet you in a few weeks time when i'm down there again.

[elantra]

We beat the train and the storms..just. Actually because we raced from the Summit it was pretty easy to beat the train as it slows a bit at the level crossings so I got a fair way ahead. We were on the platform well ahead of it's arrival.

And this morning in the reverse direction the train was (just) beaten over a 10km distance from Stanthorpe central station to Summit village (specifically where the train line is crossed by the service road)
However it was a close call and only one of us was actually standing dismounted by the time the train reached the crossing.
It is a gradual climb out of Stanthorpe to the Summit and we had a slight headwind.
We made a significant impact on the "Showground hill" Strava segment, getting into the top ten for this segment. https://www.strava.com/activities/271964070

some pics..............

[ldrcycles]

I'm locked in for the Clifton run tomorrow morning, i was going to ride down there on the Local 3 speed but she had a tantrum only 30k out so i had to turn back. She's gone to the garage in disgrace and the Tom Wallace will be stepping in. I still haven't sorted my scratch made clanger but i should only need the big ring and it's not in the way for that. Looks like i will actually have a tailwind for once .

[foo on patrol]

Are we there yet? [emoji39]

Foo

[ldrcycles]

Are we there yet? [emoji39]

Foo

Strava just uploaded, run down and pics in the morning.

Short story, won by 11 minutes, even though i had to stop at Allora and borrow a screwdriver from the hardware store to fix the blasted Campagnolo shifter. Tough ride but very enjoyable.

[ldrcycles]

Finally got the words n photos n stuff done .

[elantra]

Finally got the words n photos n stuff done .

Brilliant effort, to punctuate it with a drop in at the Allora hardware store was a stroke of genius, the sort of thing that pioneer cyclists would have done all the time.

Anyway what is your next challenges ?

What about a few climbs in the Pyrenees sometime ?

Imagine yourself in this picture, which i would guess is over 100 years old.

[ldrcycles]

Brilliant effort, to punctuate it with a drop in at the Allora hardware store was a stroke of genius, the sort of thing that pioneer cyclists would have done all the time.

Anyway what is your next challenges ?

Great minds think alike . I certainly wouldn't turn my nose up at a trouble free ride but the detour was a delightful addition to the narrative . The hardware store would have looked pretty similar 50 years ago too.

In terms of the Darling Downs, my next definite trip down will be the Queen's Birthday long weekend in June for the 200km run out to Goondiwindi. It would take some catastrophic events to keep me from that one, i'm determined to finish the job.

As for putting myself in that picture, not a snowball's chance in hell until i have a shorter granny gear than a reluctant 42-24. The pain from last year's Noosa Strade Bianche is still far too vivid!

[oxonabike]

Great Story. I know that bloke you know on the train. I think the pace was a little bit more sedate outbound, and there are a couple of operational things that slow the train down beyond Hendon so for others doing the 'race' this is the way to do it.

Coming back, I was up the front working for my trip, and it seemed we rattled along with a bit more enthusiasm, and with some contrary breezes, this would be a bit more challenging.

LOL! pity about the KoM attempt. Next time!