6K Club. 2012 Edition. Cleaner and Greener.

[norbs]

Did a century ride this morning to achieve the goal for the year...9k done and dusted!

Now to see how close to 9500 I can get

Rapha 500? Congrats BTW. Great effort. Showed a lot of us blokes how it is done.

[marinmomma]

Did a century ride this morning to achieve the goal for the year...9k done and dusted!

Now to see how close to 9500 I can get

Rapha 500? Congrats BTW. Great effort. Showed a lot of us blokes how it is done.

Thanks Norbs, its been a good year for me on the bike!

I've signed up to do the Rapha Challenge, however as I'm still working on three of the days I will be happy to achieve 75%! Anything more will be bonus!

[grantw]

Congratulations Lisa, a good year indeed.

And you've just about caught the triangle Julie. Great effort.

I've ditched quantity for quality and today rode 52 awesome kilometers with Shane recce-ing his audax dirt ride From Fitzroy Falls, down through Meryla to Kangaroo valley. We decided to forego the car shuffle and take only one vehicle and ride back up Barrengarry as good Alpine Classic preparation.

The dirt bit was great, after a bit of exploration, and startling some Wallabies, we were able to find a side track that led us through the Falls lookouts and up to the fire trail and from there down into the valley. for a great descent and creek crossing watched by a Goanna and a water dragon. We paused for photos -


Meryla ride by _granty, on Flickr


Meryla ride by _granty, on Flickr

From the creek we had a bit o' climbing to get out of the valley. Shane aced it, while I lost concentration and lifted the front wheel and had to walk the last 100 or so metres to the gate. From there we undulated along (it's all downhill from here says Shane) until we found bitumen and headed to the end of the route at the Barrengarry Pie shop, where we had a well earned pie and long cold drink.

It was getting close to midday and it was really getting warm as we headed off to get back to the car. My Garmin had the temperature topping out at 42 as we approached Barrengarry Mountain. We encountered 3 broken down vehicles on the side of the road as we made our way up, all overheated and got to watching the NRMA guy drive up and down the pass rescuing them. We also encountered a lot of positive support from motorists, both the broken and the mobile during the ascent. I'm sure they thought we were mad.

It was a tough and slow climb on the MTBs but as with all things, it passed - and we were soon at the car most satisfied with the days riding. Driving back, we watched the outside temperature climb as we descended Macquarie Pass until we arrived at Shane's place for 37c, and we both glad for the cars air con.

[Mugglechops]

It's a great ride. But if you take the left just before the long downhill to Bendeela Pondage you miss Barrengarry all together.

Or you just go the other way and do the longer climb.

I ended up doing 31.2km out in the bush myself today too.

http://app.strava.com/activities/32576779

[norbs]

Working tomorrow Lewy?

[Mugglechops]

Working tomorrow Lewy?

Sort of. 40km MTB ride followed by BBQ lunch Then off to Wollongong to get a new phone as mine died today.

[grantw]

It's a great ride. But if you take the left just before the long downhill to Bendeela Pondage you miss Barrengarry all together.

Or you just go the other way and do the longer climb.

Yes Shane pointed that out as we went passed, but I'd left my climbing rope at home

[norbs]

Working tomorrow Lewy?

Sort of. 40km MTB ride followed by BBQ lunch Then off to Wollongong to get a new phone as mine died today.

Ah yes, I remember now. I am thinking of struggling around for another hundred. 26 this year. 30 would be cool.

[Mugglechops]

It's a great ride. But if you take the left just before the long downhill to Bendeela Pondage you miss Barrengarry all together.

Or you just go the other way and do the longer climb.

Yes Shane pointed that out as we went passed, but I'd left my climbing rope at home

It's only the first bit that is very steep on Mcphails. Most of the Meryla section can be ridden. Probably all of it by Shane

[grantw]

only?...most?...probably?...?

You left out maybe and no-way?

At least by me

[rdwaltonut]

Hey all, new to the forum, and just getting started on my new bike. I know I won't be getting the 6000K before the end of the year, but I will be here for 2013. In fact, i will be getting a new new bike for 2013, seeing as the retailer that sold me my current one did a crap job putting it together. Can't wait to break it in.

[Mugglechops]

Hey all, new to the forum, and just getting started on my new bike. I know I won't be getting the 6000K before the end of the year, but I will be here for 2013. In fact, i will be getting a new new bike for 2013, seeing as the retailer that sold me my current one did a crap job putting it together. Can't wait to break it in.

Welcome mate.

Just be careful of norbs......he bites

[norbs]

Hey all, new to the forum, and just getting started on my new bike. I know I won't be getting the 6000K before the end of the year, but I will be here for 2013. In fact, i will be getting a new new bike for 2013, seeing as the retailer that sold me my current one did a crap job putting it together. Can't wait to break it in.

Welcome mate.

Just be careful of norbs......he bites

[rdwaltonut]

I can tell. But no worries. I bite back.

[ColinOldnCranky]

I just logged my last five days riding to check how close - I now have just 17km to do.

On the off chance that I get to leave work early enough to ride home then it will happen a couple of kms before I get home this evening.

More likely is that I will hit it around Mill Point Road flyover tomorrow morning.

The over-ambitious target is not at all ambitious now. Hi fives coming soon!

For the moment I have climbed to 807 on the Bike Journal list. Here's hoping that the whole of North America gets closed in with snow until the new year. I'd love to finish in the 800.

[breezer1]

Been getting in some good rides lately, really lovin the new ride giant tcr aero, been updating it with a few cosmetic changes here's a pic!, put my mavic classic pro wheels on and a bar grip change, she's flyin now

[sblack]

welcome aboard rdwaltonut.

Grant, thanks again for coming along yesterday. Was an enjoyable ride despite the hot conidtions. Checking the Garmin data I also had 42 degrees on the approach to Barrengarry, rising to 44 on the exposed lower slopes before dropping back down again as the tree coverage brought shade and some respite further up.

Yesterday's ride was primarily for the purpose of making sure I had the route right for the Meryla Meandering Audax ride on the 29th but as Grant mentioned we also decided to use it as a bit of Alpine Classic training and ride back up Barrengarry as well. The ride also saw me complete my primary goal for the year by seeing me past the 6000m climbing for December and a complete year of 6000+m months.

My ride preparation wasn't the greatest with a sick little boy meaning a few nights of very disrupted sleep and I was still getting the last of my stuff together when Grant arrived. We headed up to Fitzroy Falls and arrived nicely ahead of schedule and ready to head off and see about finding the best route for the Audax ride. I had managed to get a route off Strava and modify it to have the route mostly on my Garmin but there was also a walking track on maps that could possibly provide an alternate to heading down the road to find the start of the firetrails. We had noticed an unmarked road heading in the right direction not far from where we'd parked and headed towards it. Turned out to be a dead end with a pile of dirt and some wallabies that went bounding off as we approached. So back down the road and Grant noticed another gate heading off into the bush, this time more successful and we soon arrived at one of the lookouts and the track that joined them up which we could follow around. A much more pleasant alternative that would allow us to get off the road that bit earlier and take in some spectacular views down into the valley we would be heading into a bit later on. After three lookouts it was time to follow firetrails and thankfully with the Garmin guiding the way things went a lot more smoothly than my first recon attempt.

So after some firetrail riding, occasionally coming out to find houses seemingly in the the middle of nowhere and with the the company of plentiful bird life, the occasional wallaby and a motorbike rider cruising around and passing us every now and then, we arrived at the top of Meryla Pass. A couple of gates and it was time for the quick descent to the valley floor. Last time I'd come there was a section near the top covered in mud. This time that section was mostly dry, avoiding the slipping and sliding. That was the only section of the ride where drier conditions meant more grip though. Earlier sections across the top had found sand drifts that weren't there last time and the rest of the descent was looser and with much more debris. The more time I spend off road the more I'm realising that a bit of rain often improves grip.

Down the bottom the trail undulates as it follows the river for about a kilometre before we come to the crossing. Here we are treated to a goanna before we cross the river and discover a small water dragon on the opposite side. It has been quite a ride for enjoying the wildlife. The other side provides a tough climb out the other side. Last time a loss of traction on a steep section had beaten me but this time I successfully make it to the gate. There's a little bit more climb on the other side of the gate and then I mention to Grant it's predominantly downhill from there. After enjoying some descent we again find ourselves climbing and the validity of that statement in question. There was another couple of climbs but they where definitely outweighed by the downhill trend we where able to enjoy. Arriving at Jacks Corner it was out onto gravel and then bitumen as we continued enjoying the general downward trend. It worked even better on the road as the momentum from each downhill was mostly enough to roll up the next climb.

Arriving at The Old Store Barrengarry things had warmed up quite a bit on the ride, with the temperature now in the mid 30s and it was time for a nice cool drink and some top quality pies. We'd managed the recon section of our day well within the three and a half hour Audax time limit, even with our early exploration to find the alternate start to the ride. After lunch it was time to do the Alpine Classic training part of the ride and with the warmest part of the day now upon us we made our way to Barrengarry. As we started the climb I was sitting just behind Grant but as I went to change to the little ring the chain missed and all of a sudden I was stationary. I put the chain back on and started back up the hill, rounding the first corner I saw Grant had pulled over having noticed I wasn't there anymore. I gave him the thumbs up to let him know all was ok and he again set off into the toughest part of the day. The heat, combined with the steep road was enough to bring a few cars undone, parked on the side of the road with the bonnets up. Their drivers in reasonably high spirits considering and they, along with other drivers along the way, offered up encouragement as we rode on.

It was a longer and slower climb than usual on the MTBs and as we climbed the gap Grant had on me kept growing until he was starting to disappear around the bends ahead. Yes it was a tough climb but I couldn't think of any better preparation for the Alpine Classic than being on my own, pushing up a climb with the sweat pouring off me in the heat. As I neared the top and in the distance I could see the 100 sign that meant the climb was effectively over what should be a time of relief turned into the final survival stage of the climb as I could feel my right on the border of cramping. That final section was spent in the delicate balancing act of maintaining forward momentum without pushing the muscle past it's limit and it was with great satisfaction that I crested the top and saw Grant just ahead waiting in a bit of shade.

From there it was another few kilometres of fairly flat road to arrive back at the car to bring the end of a testing but enjoyable ride. So who's keen to come join us on the 29th? The ride back up is optional. If the weather is the same a more desirable alternative may be to head down the road into Kangaroo Valley for a swim in the river.

[DavidS]

I just logged my last five days riding to check how close - I now have just 17km to do.

On the off chance that I get to leave work early enough to ride home then it will happen a couple of kms before I get home this evening.

More likely is that I will hit it around Mill Point Road flyover tomorrow morning.

The over-ambitious target is not at all ambitious now. Hi fives coming soon!

For the moment I have climbed to 807 on the Bike Journal list. Here's hoping that the whole of North America gets closed in with snow until the new year. I'd love to finish in the 800.

Yeah, I'm hoping if I can dip into the 800s this week I might be able to hold my position in the top 1,000 at the end of the year.

How do you measure your distance on a unicycle, do you have a speedo for one of those?

DS

[ColinOldnCranky]

I just logged my last five days riding to check how close - I now have just 17km to do.

On the off chance that I get to leave work early enough to ride home then it will happen a couple of kms before I get home this evening.

More likely is that I will hit it around Mill Point Road flyover tomorrow morning.

The over-ambitious target is not at all ambitious now. Hi fives coming soon!

For the moment I have climbed to 807 on the Bike Journal list. Here's hoping that the whole of North America gets closed in with snow until the new year. I'd love to finish in the 800.

Yeah, I'm hoping if I can dip into the 800s this week I might be able to hold my position in the top 1,000 at the end of the year.

How do you measure your distance on a unicycle, do you have a speedo for one of those?

DS

Good luck though I will be really pi...ed if you manage 800 and pip me out at 801!

I have a wireless trip meter - holds two sets of readings and an accumulating total. Though I just use it for logging and to occasionally see what sort of avg I do so I can get a guage of time spent over the year.

[ColinOldnCranky]

Did it!


Done. 7,500km. 150km a week. Every week. All year 'round with lots of company all thru winter. Finito. Made it. Still keen for more!

I got away from work early last night and got to ride home. And somewhere within a km of home the odometer ticked over to the required 23,048 km.

It's been logged into Bike Journal so it all feels official. I am dressing up this post to make doubly sure.

From now on any riding I do is just icing on the cake. Indeed this mornings ride to work has added another 17km already.

[DaveOZ]

Well done Colin, does this mean you would have gone 15,000km with two wheels? Quite an achievement.

[grantw]

Cheers Colin, that is a great achievement.

[sblack]

Well done Colin, an impressive effort on the uni. So how many hours does that equate to for you?

[coffeeandwine]

A very impressive effort Colin!!!

I reckon I could get about 7.5cm on a uni before it started to get a bit ugly

The really impressive bit is the commitment though, 150km EVERY week, rain hail or shine.

[lovemybike]

I'm always amazed by you Colin - well done!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk