Gran Fondo - stories please

[elantra]

This was my first attempt at this event, which is part of the Battle on the Border Racing events.

There was a large field of participants in the 136 km event.
I had a great time and did talk to another member of this forum but i had to cut the event short to meet family for lunch at Tumbulgum.
Therefore i ended up doing about 90 km but it was one of the most enjoyable rides i have ever done, well the part of it that i did was
here is pictures to whet the appetite

[WestcoastPete]

They're relabelling the Darwin to Mandorah ride a Gran Fondo this year, and turning it around (Mandorah to Darwin).

I'll be away unfortunately, but it should be a good ride!

[marinmomma]

Nice riding with you Steve, even if it was cut short by other commitments.

I completed the ride, took it a bit easier to help my riding buddy who was struggling a bit at times, but that was totally cool, I've had plenty of people ride slower to help me!

The ride was in the most stunning country, great photos by the way.

As to the organisation of the ride...well that leaves a lot to be desired....the late start, the lack of support and adequate food at the stops and negotiating a couple of busy intersections toward the end with no marshalls anywhere to be seen.

I realise that most of their volunteers/marshalls would have been used on the road racing tracks for the BoB events, but maybe QSM need to decide to focus on the racing side and forgo the social ride events if they can't support the riders.
What was advertised with regard to food/stops/support wasn't what was supplied and if you didn't come prepared with your own food you could have been in a world of trouble.
Also, they encouraged you to take the ph number of some contact people....there were parts of the course where neither my friend or I had ph reception.

When I signed up there were advising a 7:30 start, yes, there was a TBC next to it, so fair enough but for the ride not to start until 9am made for a long day, thank goodness it wasn't too hot.
They advised muesli bars, fruit and fruit cake at the stops and at the first one at the 80k's there was a chocolate bar only by the time we arrived...and there were still a few people behind us....at the 2nd stop there were some bananas and lollies.

I enjoyed the ride, and I came prepared with enough food to get me through, but I don't think that I'd be back again. I will forward my feedback onto the organisers as well.

Enjoyed the Crit racing today though.

[elantra]

Thanks for connecting the dots Lisa - i had suspected as much.

At around about the time you were near me you may have noticed 2 characters looking a bit stressed who came in from a side road.
I spoke to them briefly, they had missed the turnoff to Stoker's Siding and ended up in Murwillumbah.
They did some innovative navigation to get back to Uki Road not long before the Tyalgum turnoff.

I completed my ride in a Tumbulgum restaurant with a glass of wine and sit-down meal waiting for me.
I think this was a great idea and i will do it again like this next year.

Turning onto the highway after Tumbulgum does not appeal to me at all.
The only thing i would do differently next year would be to leave earlier - with the 165 km riders.
That way i might have time to do the Tyalgum loop once before stopping for lunch as above. !

The Road conditions from Uki to Murwillumbah was the least pleasant riding conditions on the route (that i did)
Quite heavy traffic along there.
BTW lots of broken glass on the side of some roads- but i did not see anyone having to repair flats

[marinmomma]

Thanks for connecting the dots Lisa - i had suspected as much.

At around about the time you were near me you may have noticed 2 characters looking a bit stressed who came in from a side road.
I spoke to them briefly, they had missed the turnoff to Stoker's Siding and ended up in Murwillumbah.
They did some innovative navigation to get back to Uki Road not long before the Tyalgum turnoff.

I completed my ride in a Tumbulgum restaurant with a glass of wine and sit-down meal waiting for me.
I think this was a great idea and i will do it again like this next year.

Turning onto the highway after Tumbulgum does not appeal to me at all.
The only thing i would do differently next year would be to leave earlier - with the 165 km riders.
That way i might have time to do the Tyalgum loop once before stopping for lunch as above. !

The Road conditions from Uki to Murwillumbah was the least pleasant riding conditions on the route (that i did)
Quite heavy traffic along there.
BTW lots of broken glass on the side of some roads- but i did not see anyone having to repair flats

I saw those riders, we almost missed the turn off to Stokers Siding too, fortunately for us my ridding partner knew other riders who had done the ride previously and who were just ahead of us so they waited at the intersection for us otherwise we would have missed the sign and turn-off as well.

I saw a little bit of broken glass and came across a couple of people repairing flats. I had thought of leaving with the 177k riders but thought that their ride went a different way at the beginning, if I'd known that their ride was what was advertised I probably would have gone early.
My husband did the 177 ride and there was no notice of the stop out at Tyalgum and he went right past it and they missed the turn off for the road to do the 2nd loop and ended up having to backtrack and did extra.

The Tyalgum loop was really nice until you crossed the river at Chillingham, then there was a stretch of road that was fairly narrow and windy with not much of a verge, riding through that section earlier in the day would have been safer before the extra traffic.

Having lunch and a glass of wine would have been nice....I had a steak and a glass, or more of red for dinner and ate like I hadn't eaten in a week

[Ken Ho]

Lucky me, they ar all my local, regular rides.
The road back from Chillingham is rubbsh.
The stretch from Stokers turn off to Murbah Is ver hilly. I noted they excluded that, choosing the much flatter Smiths Ck Rd instead.

[elantra]

Lucky me, they ar all my local, regular rides.
The road back from Chillingham is rubbsh.
The stretch from Stokers turn off to Murbah Is ver hilly. I noted they excluded that, choosing the much flatter Smiths Ck Rd instead.

Yeah, the road from Stoker's siding to Uki was a very pleasant part of the ride.
And i had "experienced" the Chillingham to north Murwillumbah road a few yrs ago on the Rainbow ride - so i know what you are saying about that road.