Sunday - TDU Reconnaissance

All

Its that time of year when we man up and try to find out what we might be in for on the TDU ride. Usually the last ride before Christmas is a Beach Ride but we delayed the Reconnaissance this year to give more time to prepare .

Meeting Times

• 7:30 am at the City 
• 8:00 am at the Tower
• Slower Riders leave the Tower promptly at 8:00 for a 8:30 am regroup at the Norton Summit (across from the Scenic)

Brian has had a look at the Tour Challenge course and suggested the following route for our ride:

As per Stage 4 course to Norton Summit - Summertown - Meadows - Macclesfield. Stop for Coffee in Maccelsfield. Optionally on to  Strathalbyn as its a great downhill run. 

Return via Macclesfield then direct to Echunga – Mylor – Stirling – Mt Lofty then down Greenhill Road.

http://www.tourdownunder.com.au/en/the-race/tour-details/stages/stage-4

The last climb up to Mt Lofty will replicate the Crows Nest climb at the end of the TDU to some degree.

Escape Route 1: Stirling Return via Mt Lofty Bike track
Escape Route 2: Mylor Return via Mt Lofty Bike track
Escape Route 3: Echunga Return via Mt Lofty Bike track

Brian estimates that course will be about 120km if we go all the way to Strathalbyn and about 100km if we only go to Macclesfield. This ride, even to Strathalbyn, is shorter than the actual Tour ride but much harder second half.

Its Christmas so Anything Can Happen

Due to the way Christmas falls this year we have not scheduled any rides for the

 27th of  December 2015 or the 3rd of January 2016 as Sunday is too close to Christmas and New Years day

If you feel like a Ride please go to City at 7:30 am on those days and we will decide from there. 

Definitely not available in the BG kit Shop. 

For those doing the Chistmas Eve ride this year. Good Luck. I hope the weather smiles on you.

Sunday Ride is a Beach ride

Hence Sundays Ride is the good old Outer Harbor loop. 

• Meet 7:30 am Hindmarsh Square in the City
• The usual sprint points
• Coffee at the Glenelg Marina (Esca) but the coffee committee is still willing to accept alternate suggestions

Sunday Ride Change & Ride Report

Hot

The weather forecast 40 degrees and 20 kph winds. I have consulted the Director Sportif and we have decided to shorten the route and stay toward the city side of the Hills. 

As such the ride for Sunday will now be the Pain Series ride 

Meet in the City at 7:30 am or at the Tower Hotel at 8:00am 

Source to Sea  

Graham 

Has recently returned from the 160km  ‘Alpine to Ocean’  Source to Sea Ride on NZ South Island. 

"The race starts at Lake Rotoiti near the St Arnaud Range in Nelson Lakes National Park and follows the Buller River - one of New Zealand’s longest - to Westport, squeezing through the Buller Gorge between Kahurangi and Paparoa National Parks. From Lake Rotoiti the Buller River quietly trickles away being joined by 12-major rivers tributaries turning into a mighty flow before it finally reaches the sea."

http://www.sourcetosea.co.nz/

Grahams Report 

The event for me was very interesting as up to 90 km mark, I rode in the bunch that was in the photo and we were averaging 35k/hr but I was very sick at that stage vomiting while I was travelling at 45k/hr drown a steep hill. After recovering I continued for the remaining 70k by myself against a head wind as I was between bunches. I finally finish suffering from cramp and lack of drink and food. I average 25k/hr for the total 160 km, so the last part was very slow! This race included 5 category 5 hill climbs, the first at 60 km mark. It was a great ride even though I got rid of the night before meal and all the drink and gels for the first half of the ride. 

Well the Jersey looks great in among the bunch.

Graham - Pre losing his breakfast. He does look a little peaky. Claims it was the gels 

Sunday Ride Report 

Last Sunday started a little disappointing with only 6 BG's leaving the city on a tailor made day for a beach ride. I suspect the Pimm's tent at the cricket bore a lot of the blame. However I shouldn't have worried however as Dan, Mike T and the David H all joined as the ride progressed giving a reasonable turn out post cricket test of 9. With David H having one hell of a chase and catching me just as I passed the southern end of West lakes. 

The Outer Harbor sprint point was interesting. Brian and Hugh, in the interests of keeping the group together planned to start the sprint later and hence peeled of the front just before the turn. With the cunning of a fox Geoff  waited until they both fell in behind me (last wheel)  and then put the hammer down in hope of opening the gap in the slight cross wind. We hit the mid/upper 40's in the acceleration (according to my strava) and I have to say It worked brilliantly.......but only briefly. Geoff's lead out fizzled and allowed the usual suspects to the front. Serious Kudo's he took them completely by surprise and had them worried for a few hundred meters.

On the way back we decided to add extra kilometers, Hugh set the pace and gave the group a serious work out. Which with only this ride being  only 8 weeks out from TDU week was seriously needed.

Hope to see more people out in the coming weeks.