April Mt Macedon ride

wizdofaus
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April Mt Macedon ride

Postby wizdofaus » Mon Feb 11, 2013 2:33 pm

Ok, giving everyone more notice this time - after having just completed my first ever climb up Mt Macedon, I'm determined to do it again before the weather starts to turn. Early-Mid April is actually quite spectacular up in the ranges, the autumn colours are earlier and much more intense than anywhere else I've seen around Melbourne. So my proposed dates are any of

April 6 (Sat), 7 (Sun), 13 (Sat) & 14 (Sun).

I'd look at starting from either Gisborne or Woodend this time instead of Sunbury, and take the 'easier' ascent from Woodend, perhaps via Hanging Rock. We'd want to leave reasonably early as there can be a fair bit of car traffic after about 9am on weekends around there, especially that time of year, so I'd suggest a 7am start.

Any suggestions/comments welcome and hopefully within a couple of weeks I can post exact details.

Please let me know if interested - if you're not a forum member, you can email me at wizofaus (no d!) at hotmail dot com.

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Re: April Mt Macedon ride

Postby wizdofaus » Wed Feb 13, 2013 9:28 am

Update...

At this point April 13 (Saturday) is the date I'm looking at.

There may be two groups, one more experienced and one less so. For the former group, perhaps something like this: http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/172646094" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;, and for the latter: http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/172616204" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

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kb
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Re: April Mt Macedon ride

Postby kb » Mon Feb 18, 2013 9:42 am

Looks fun! Definitely interested in the longer ride.

Karl
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wizdofaus
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Re: April Mt Macedon ride

Postby wizdofaus » Mon Feb 18, 2013 1:01 pm

There's a small possibility I'll be rowing in a Regatta on that day, hope to determine if so by the end of this week. If so then I'd opt for April 6th as some of the riders that want to do the shorter ride (not forum members) are planning to catch the train to Woodend, and on Sundays the earliest train gets in at 9:40, vs ~8:20 on Saturdays.

If there's anyone here interested in the longer ride that wants to take the train, then we'd have to move the start to 8:30. In that case it might be better to hit the mountain first then do the "forest" part of the ride, where there's likely to be less traffic.

ausrandoman
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Re: April Mt Macedon ride

Postby ausrandoman » Mon Feb 18, 2013 4:46 pm

wizdofaus wrote:Update...

At this point April 13 (Saturday) is the date I'm looking at.

There may be two groups, one more experienced ... something like this: http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/172646094" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;, ... .
May I make a suggestion? Your hard route has people going down the steep side of the mountain. I never do that because I don't like going through the village centre at speed with cars doing U-turns, pulling out of the hotel carpark, turning into side roads etc. I always go up the steep side because it is much safer.

Besides, what's the point of going to Mount Macedon without hitting the 12% climb? :lol:

This is just a suggestion - I'm grateful that you have taken the trouble to work out a route and put it here for us. I'd like to join you but I'll be involved in an Audax ride that day.
Nobody younger than <del>27</del> 28 has experienced a month cooler than the 20th century average.

wizdofaus
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Re: April Mt Macedon ride

Postby wizdofaus » Mon Feb 18, 2013 4:58 pm

ausrandoman wrote: Besides, what's the point of going to Mount Macedon without hitting the 12% climb? :lol:

This is just a suggestion - I'm grateful that you have taken the trouble to work out a route and put it here for us. I'd like to join you but I'll be involved in an Audax ride that day.
Yes, that has occurred to me, but I've already been up the steep side! Plus the less-experienced group would definitely struggle with that, and it's easier to arrange if everyone goes up the same way.

Which Audax ride is on that day? Tour of the Goldfields? 400km in one day? Eek...though there's 600km SA ride on the same day starting at 7AM...um...what sort of time do most riders take to do that? (I gather there's a 40hr limit)

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Re: April Mt Macedon ride

Postby wizdofaus » Fri Feb 22, 2013 9:36 am

Ok I've settled on April 13:

http://www.facebook.com/events/267106970088955/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If you can't let me know here or via FB that you're coming, please e-mail at wizofaus at hotmail dot com

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Re: April Mt Macedon ride

Postby wizdofaus » Fri Feb 22, 2013 12:52 pm

Oops, I just found this:

http://www.gisbornerotary.org.au/the-gr ... challenge/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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Re: April Mt Macedon ride

Postby wizdofaus » Tue Feb 26, 2013 8:30 am

Can anyone recommend whether a route for the less-experienced cyclists that returned from Honour Avenue in Macedon to Woodend via Middle Gully or Bawden Rd would be better? The former looks to be a good packed-dirt road, that should be fine for the sorts of bicycles that group will have (actually I'm pretty sure it'd be fine for most road bikes, but I'd personally not usually want to cycle that far on an unpaved road), whereas the latter route looks like a better surface but a bit longer. I suspect either will be fine, and it's not that big a deal if they reach the unpaved section of Middle Gully Rd and decide it's a bit rough and would prefer Bawden Rd instead.

I'm actually more concerned about the longer route, whether Kearneys Rd, Pearces Rd and particularly South Bullarto Rd west of Trentham are good for higher speed riding. It's about 9.5 km worth of roads that don't look fantastically well maintained on Google Street View (actually it doesn't cover South Bullarto Rd at all), and it'd be frustrating if you had to take that much distance at a significantly slower speed. Unfortunately I'd have to change the route quite radically to avoid those roads. I'm not prepared to drive out there first just to check though!

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Re: April Mt Macedon ride

Postby wizdofaus » Wed Feb 27, 2013 7:43 pm

wizdofaus wrote: I'm actually more concerned about the longer route, whether Kearneys Rd, Pearces Rd and particularly South Bullarto Rd west of Trentham are good for higher speed riding. It's about 9.5 km worth of roads that don't look fantastically well maintained on Google Street View (actually it doesn't cover South Bullarto Rd at all), and it'd be frustrating if you had to take that much distance at a significantly slower speed. Unfortunately I'd have to change the route quite radically to avoid those roads. I'm not prepared to drive out there first just to check though!
Ok I've had confirmation that Kearneys Rd isn't good for road bikes. Have now proposed this: http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/172618116" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; which is all good sealed roads. It's a bit shorter, but could be extended after the Mt Macedon climb to include Syndicate Rd etc., which I rode up through last time somewhat by accident and is actually a great little detour.

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Re: April Mt Macedon ride

Postby wizdofaus » Tue Apr 02, 2013 12:56 pm

Reminder that this is on in less than 2 weeks - Saturday after next.
The Facebook event page is the best place for information, and no you don't need a Facebook account to view it.
At this stage I'm not sure how many are coming for the shorter (30km) ride, if you are definitely interested please contact me.

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kb
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Re: April Mt Macedon ride

Postby kb » Tue Apr 02, 2013 3:24 pm

wizdofaus wrote:Reminder that this is on in less than 2 weeks - Saturday after next.
The Facebook event page is the best place for information, and no you don't need a Facebook account to view it.

Image
Hmm. Might try later at the desktop.

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Metor
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Re: April Mt Macedon ride

Postby Metor » Tue Apr 02, 2013 3:30 pm

I would like to ride but am depending on public transport. Or if I could catch a ride with some one... (Living in East Melbourne)

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Re: April Mt Macedon ride

Postby wizdofaus » Tue Apr 02, 2013 5:54 pm

Metor wrote:I would like to ride but am depending on public transport. Or if I could catch a ride with some one... (Living in East Melbourne)
The shorter ride (30km) is planned to start just after the first V/Line service gets into Woodend. If you want to do the longer ride then unfortunately you would have to find a lift - I'd shift the start of that one to 8:30 but I have something else on later that day and kinda need the extra hour sorry!

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Re: April Mt Macedon ride

Postby wizdofaus » Tue Apr 02, 2013 5:56 pm

kb wrote:
wizdofaus wrote:Reminder that this is on in less than 2 weeks - Saturday after next.
The Facebook event page is the best place for information, and no you don't need a Facebook account to view it.

Image
Hmm. Might try later at the desktop.
Yeah, definitely works fine using the full FB site if you're not logged in.

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Re: April Mt Macedon ride

Postby wizdofaus » Sun Apr 07, 2013 7:15 am

Great news...weather forecast for next Saturday is mostly sunny and 26 - it'll be cooler up on the mountain but looks like no need for wet weather gear.

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Re: April Mt Macedon ride

Postby wizdofaus » Mon Apr 08, 2013 7:17 am

Metor wrote:I would like to ride but am depending on public transport. Or if I could catch a ride with some one... (Living in East Melbourne)
I've now added a 50km alternative starting at 8:30 for those dependent on public transport. The full 90 km ride still starts at 7:30 though, so unfortunately you will need to find a lift, or stay the night before if you're determined to join us for that ride.

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/189915580" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Crawf
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Re: April Mt Macedon ride

Postby Crawf » Mon Apr 15, 2013 12:16 pm

Out of interest, any foreseeable issues with this route for a visitor?
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2355007" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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Re: April Mt Macedon ride

Postby wizdofaus » Mon Apr 15, 2013 12:28 pm

Crawf wrote:Out of interest, any foreseeable issues with this route for a visitor?
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2355007" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Looks like street view is available for your whole route, so it should be fine...not sure I'd bother making that much effort to avoid the freeway though - too many turns to remember!
I will say though the riding out and around Woodend is far more scenic - I'd definitely recommend taking the train out to Gisborne or Woodend. BTW the climb up from Gisborne is pretty tough, but the descent is an absolute cracker - almost passed a car doing 80 :-)

jcjordan
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Re: April Mt Macedon ride

Postby jcjordan » Thu May 09, 2013 1:28 pm

This seemed as good ad anywhere to post this.

I am headed up to AEMI in Mt Macedon for a week for a course and of course my trusty steed is coming with me.

Besides heading up Cameron drive to the lookout any other suggestions or warnings would be appreciated.
James
Veni, Vidi, Vespa -- I Came, I Saw, I Rode Home

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