Hi Kimmie, glad you found my comments useful although I am by no means an expert. Have only ever gone anti-clockwise so can't comment on other direction- with the exception that wind direction can make a difference, last year was very strong SW which made it a piece of cake for anyone riding into Melbourne from Geelong (but difficult to pick wind direction a few months out from ride )kimmie wrote: Otherwise if I am on my own, I will ride the 210KM (Melb - Sorento - ferry - Queenscliff - Melbourne) - just like you, apparently... or yours is the anti-clockwise one? It's a pity that the M-Q-f-S-M one has been sold-out. I agree that riding on West Gate at the end of a long ride might not be fun.
The ferry can be a pain to wait for, last year a lot of people got turned around as they missed the last ferry at 1300-bet they weren't happy!!!!! It is a good chance to have a break and refuel and a bit of a chat; it can get a bit cold.kimmie wrote: Having said that, I read quite a lot of gripes re: the ferry ride, and a mate from work suggested me to simply take the Melbourne - Sorento - Melbourne one, if I reall want to do the 210KM. Would you mind commenting on that, Peter? Most appreciated.
Personally i would steer clear of a back pack -sore shoulders and neck for sure. Lunch IS provided but carry a bit more snack food than you expect. May need some gels as you do the last kms, or an extra coffee stop. One of our group insisted on afternoon tea in Frankston last year as they had "missed morning tea" (and the consequences weren't going to be pleasant ) . Hitting the wall is no fun, so need to work on managing energy levels and food intake.kimmie wrote: Now, regardless of which one I will sign myself to, what sort of things I need to bring? Normally I would prefer a light ride - i.e. bring nothing but stuff that can fit into my jersey's pocket: some energy bars, mobile phone, wallet, house key, a spare tube, an all-in-one tool - or, should I bring more on a back pack (i.e. more tubes, more food, etc)? For my weekly train, I normally survive with just a big brekky and two energy bars. I believe they provide lunch on the day,aren't they? Ben
Def take a tube or two/ability to fix punctures and hope you don't need them but there is a bit of glass on roads.
Good Luck with the prep.
cheers