Sea to Vines

[Deanj]

Just wondered whos going to be riding the Sea to Vines this Sunday? Should be good, course is a little hilly and with temperatures looking warm it will give the legs a bit of a workout. Had a tickly cough all this week so been taking the riding very steady to work this week. Hopefully will be 100% for it.

[europa]

My problem is 'what do I do when I get to the end?'

Not having a spouse, it's turn around and ride home again. I have to pick up the lad at Blair Athol late in the day. I guess I could leave the car there, ride to the start, do the ride, then ride back to pick up him and the car ... though I'll probably then want him to drive me home

Actually, this sort of long, straight ride really annoys me. It's based on the assumption that we all have support teams. Just like the TdU stage - it starts and finishes miles from anywhere.

The message they're sending? Cycling is really cool ... but it's not a viable form of transport because you're reliant on someone else with a car

But back to the topic, I must confess to being tempted and a bit of silliness never hurt anyone. I might run some maps and see what I come up with. It's about time I attempted an imperial century

Richard

[europa]

I've just seen the price. Sorry, no thanks. My wallet's taking enough of a hammering this weekend without pulling $70 out of it for a ride (keep forgetting to join BikeSA don't I )

Richard

[Dave A]

Just like the TdU stage - it starts and finishes miles from anywhere.

Exactly !
I could certainly be tempted to do this sort of ride, particularly the shorter TDU stage, but while i could get to the start, how do i get back to my car ?

I have a wife, but theres no way she's going to drop me off, fart around for hours, and then drive miles away to pick me up.
Id be using up a ton of credits with her already just to let me do the ride in first place

They really should look at doing a circuit instead.
But maybe its because im not a "serious" cyclist

[europa]

It's more a case of the TdU is designed for the racers. To close down or constrict urban roads more than already needed for the race would be asking a tad too much. But that doesn't excuse it. A shuttle bus back to the start would be useful. As for the Sea to Vines, no excuse.

If I were to do that, I'd park at the lad's mother's, ride to Glenelg, register and get my jersey oh, hang on, Say What am I going to do with what I'm wearing? Ah ha, cheap t-shirt that I can toss in the bin (this is an edit, I didn't think of that earlier). Oh, clog up a jersey pocket that's already full of food and stuff, then do the ride and ride all the way back to town again. Of course, if I tried to do it without the official jersey, I wouldn't be allowed because you have to wear the advertising that makes it possible in the first place Organise the jersey before hand? Okay, I could make a special trip into town to pick up their advertising.

Then there's the 'gentle 25km loop' for those that 'like it easy and gentle', only it's got a dirt stretch that they assure us is suitable for 'mtbs and most hybrids'. What about flamin' road bikes? The whole wording of that part of the documentations suggests that 'real' riders do the 'long distance' and everyone else rides a bloody hybrid.

Yeah, I'm being unreasonable and grumpy, and I do have a thing about wearing advertising so that doesn't help, but it does make it one hell of a nuisance to go for a ride. Still, if they get their 'thousands' to go on the ride, me missing out doesn't matter.

These are the conflicts that face any organised ride. The lad and I did the short ride on the last day of the tour and again, it was only possible if you had a car ... and at the end of it, you were just dumped, left to make your own way back to the car, which wasn't far but that wouldn't have helped those who were struggling in the first place, and a lot were. The 'jersey' was a crappy T-shirt that you can't wear elsewhere anyway.

The 'jersey' for these long rides had better be a bloody sight better, at least cut like a jersey and with pockets at the back, otherwise who'd want to ride all that away in the thing? Quite frankly, this is one area where the marketing men need to pull their fingers out and consider those wearing their sodding jersies - you can't tell me there's not a more creative way to subsidise it than putting everyone into a cheap, company uniform.

arrrgghhh, that's just me being grumpy again. Maybe I'm just pissed because the sum total of the irritations makes it not worth attempting a 200km ride - yeah, I'm woosey enough to consider that a big deal.

You know, maybe I haven't joined BikeSA for more reasons than just laziness.

Richard

[Deanj]

Theres nothing wrong with being unreasonable and grumpy, I totally agree. Lucikly the Mrs is running round dropping me off and picking me up but its totally daft that she'll be doing twice the distance in the car that I'll be doing on the bike. Who said cycling was good for the environment??

[europa]

Tell you what mate. Let the missus sleep in. Rice down to meet me at Glenelg. We'll crash the party but leave them at the Eagle and ride on up to your place. We'll drink all your beer and then I'll weave my way home while you sleep it off

Richard

[Deanj]

Now thats a ride that would make much more sense Mrs would be happier too, not impressed tonight when I said I want to leave at 6.

[europa]

We'll need ride reports boys. It's blowing a gale where I live

Richard
glad I went for my ride yesterday

[Deanj]

Well up bright and early and got down to Glenelg for 7. Just time to find the toilet a few stretches and listen to the pre ride briefing. I rode with a few guys from work and plan was to ride together to the end stopping at each stop for refills. We were to get a police escort from Glenelg to the Freeway with the lead car going at 25km per hour keeping us all as one group. Traffic lights on green all the way. Well all I can say is someone for got to tell the lead police car. Staying with my group my speedo was in the low 30s all the way up cross road and it left us behind stringing out all the riders. We were about mid pack so hopefully the guys behind had no problems but I'm sure all the car drivers stuck at red lights for a while will have an even lesser of an opinion of us cyclists.

Had a headwind up some most of eagle on the hill but not to much of a problem. One of the guys was still carrying a cold he'd had for over 2 weeks and struggling with a cough.

Lookily after crafers we turned out of the wind but on some parts you did feel it blowing across you. Ended up being a steady ride staying together as a group which was very hard times. The course was constantly up and down so riding in a tight group was hard as we'd all split up on the climbs. Had to ease up at the tops to regain as a bunch. Must say with guys flying by I found it pretty hard being a competative git to not stretch the legs out but I resisted.

There were 4 refreshment stops along the way with the usual bananas, cake, water and sports drinks. The one was in a bit of a bad location right on a busy t junction. You had cyclists trying to cross the road to get there with annoyed motorists trying to get through the mayhem as quickly as possible. I know your restricted with where public toilets are located but some of the close shaves I'm surprised there wasn't an accident.

The ride had a total climb of just over 1600ms
In the end my speedo data was
Distance 121.15 kms
time 4:31:12
Avg speed 26.8
Max 66.41
Avg cadence 83

So all in all a nice steady ride, a few grumbles though. Had one guy decide to take the racing line round the corner whilst in a bunch on a 50 km per hour decent. Luckily I saw him coming so could shift my weight before he shoulder barged me. Just about managed to advert going over the white line into in coming traffic. This idiot then almost whipped out mine and other cyclists with his zig zagging across the road. Had a guy at the front of a group spit over his shoulder covering me. Cheers mate! Also when we got to Jacobs creek winery the finish was virtually just after the driveway entrance. The final registering area was on the left before the finishing archway. You had worn out cyclists riding to the archway (which seemed the obvious direction to be heading) but you had a bike SA guy who must of had enough, pretty much abusing everyone trying to get them to stop and register. The Mrs said it made for good entertainment waiting for me to get there. With all the commotion you had lines of cyclist waiting to sign off, annoyed drivers trying to squeeze by to get through to the winery and cars coming the other way trying to get out and the bike SA guy getting madder every second. Didn't see the point of the finishing archway if you couldn't ride under it myself but I'm sure there was a logical reason.
Sorry for the rant but thanks to the volunteers for their efforts getting the ride ready.

[mikesbytes]

Great ride needsapush and excellent time considering all the hill work.

How many were riding?

[Deanj]

There were about 800 registered but not sure how many turned up. It didn't seem that there was that many but there was the option of Starting 20kms up the road so could of been a big bunch there. The guy with the cold had been off the bike for 2 weeks and coughed all the way round so he did amazingly well. Saw a woman riding something very similar to this


Think she did the best effort of everyone riding round on one of those. I wouldn't of fancied it if I was paid too!

[europa]

Sounds like you had fun anyway. The missus buy anything she shouldn't have while she was waiting for you?

Richard

[Deanj]

No wine I'm afraid, she got there really early though as she didn't want to miss me crossing the line to get a good photo. Waited patiently for almost an hour and when I got there in her excitement she forgot to switch it on. Bless her!

[stevos]

No wine I'm afraid!

i got two bottles of wine today for wining my grade in the semephore street race

[europa]

Good one Stevos

Richard

[MichaelB]

I too didn't ride due to the hassles of getting back and it makes for a VERY long day.

I echo the sentiments re the rides that start and stop in different spots - makes it bloody hard when the other half isn't interested, and an active 5yo also adds to the mix.

Anyway, it would have been a good day and it sounds like it was a good ride - well done on finishing it !!!

[Deanj]

i got two bottles of wine today for wining my grade in the semephore street race

Well done on the win, hope you enjoyed the deservedly won wine! Heard a few guys talking that there were races going on down the road. What grade did you win?