Mt Hotham - The Washup

The day began at 3 am QLD time with a 3:25 getaway, the plan was to travel to the town at the bottom of the climb in the dark and start just as the sun was coming up. The trip there was about 25 k’s and a slight climb the whole way, I was well and truly warmed up by the time I hit the first incline that signalled the start. From the first 20 metres into it I was in the smallest gear and out of the saddle, I was about 5 minutes into the ride and my heart rate was 170 something and I was thinking this isn’t looking good. I pushed on and it was hard going considering I had the same gearing on for flat roads - if anyone plans on doing this sort of ride make sure you select the appropriate gearing beforehand. On the way up my Garmin was beeping and carrying on because my speed was so low the auto pause was coming on! I managed to turn it off and in the process the timer as well! It wasn’t till later when it was about to auto shutdown I realised; a few F words were forthcoming....
I finally got to the first hard section I had read about, ‘The Meg’. It is steep no doubt but it only lasted about 400 meters or something like that. I was standing and then sitting grinding the gear enough to just stay upright. When I made it up that I made some manly noises and told the mountain in no uncertain terms I was on the way up!
Around the middle of the ride there is a 9 k false flat that does give some relief but it also gives you a glimpse of the summit for the first time, not a good feeling when you think you are going ok only to see what you have left to get to the top L
I made it to a ticket booth that was unmanned, well so I thought! Next thing I hear is the familiar snapping of wings and old mate magpie was giving me a hiding! He was pretty pissed too (he smashed me on the way down too even though I thought I could outrun him). From there the climbing got harder and I thought to myself this must be the CRB Climb (they are signed but I thought I just missed it) and ground it out to the top of that section and I was pumped knowing I only had 1 more major climb to go. I push on revitalised with that knowledge. Sometime later I emerge from the tree’s to see the summit in sight, as I near the treeless wasteland I had a very steep decent and hit over 70 k’s going down it, I could see I had a steep climb coming but I wasn’t concerned as I was nearing the end! As I rocket past the sign it reads CRB Climb, engage low gear.....I can’t tell you what that felt like but it wasn’t a good feeling. As I look up the hill I see the climb ahead as it meandered its way skywards. This was walking pace stuff I kid you not. I just pushed on and ground it out until the road flattened out somewhat once again. I was happy with the knowledge I had finally conquered CRB and I only had the Diamontina Climb to go at the very end of the ride, and it was only 400 meters whereas the CRB was 1.1 k’s in distance! The wind is cold up there and the crosswinds were there but I didn’t really feel them, I was close now.
Another steep decent not long after CRB and another rude shock on the other side, the Diamontina. Too easy I thought it was just 400 meters or so, this was hard going and I was just doing enough to keep moving forward ( bear in mind I had been climbing for just over 2 hours by now). As I round the corner where I thought the finish would be there was another section to go, ok I thought that is it for sure. I eventually get there and you guessed it, another one was there. I had got the 2 distances mixed up and I was on the 1.1 k climb!!! once again the feeling of fear, dread, WTF, anger, the look of joy on all your faces and despair all jumped on my shoulder and said ‘matey you’re fucked!’
I just dropped the head once again and ground it out again and again until the summit was reached, what a feeling that was.
I go into the village to refill the water bottle only to find it’s a ghost town! Nobody is there at all. I had a little water left so I thought I only had to go back down so off I went. The trip down was scary at times but what an experience, it was just like the tour only bumpier roads! The roads are pretty good on the mountain really but at that speed any bump feels big. I make it back down to the little town at the bottom and there is some old mate just heading up, good luck I say to him. I can’t see anywhere obvious to fill up so i keep going knowing the 25 k’s to Bright is all slightly downhill. As I ride along the side of a running stream I think just stop and fill up with that, I planned to but it got away from me. After that I was seriously contemplating filling up with the water from a still puddle on the side of the road but by then I was only 5 k’s from the end.
An Epic cycling experience for sure.
The 3 peaks challenge is something I would like to do one day with some mates but make no mistake, it would require a lot of training to have a chance at finishing. I have heard of guy’s training for 6 months for that one ride, I can see why.

Change of Plan

Well men after laying eyes on Mt Hotham I knew I had to change the plan and climb it. It is a sight to behold, and it was calling out to me 'come on no neck, have a crack', and have a crack I will. By the time some of you read this I may still be climbing it! I depart from bright at 3:30 your time to travel the 25 k's to the start of the climb, it is highly recommended as a good warm up.

I'd say wish me well but I know none of you would ;)

The Big Bopper

What is Fear? As I struggled up the steeper slopes of today’s ride I was having a good hard think about it. Whereas shagged muscles just hurt fear can manifest in many ways. I guess there are many fears but my biggest one climbing isn't the fear of a rock slide or being cleaned up by a car (that does enter my mind at times I will say), but rather the fear of failing. For me on the steeper sections when my heart rate goes nuts I find my mind saying ‘stop you’re about to pop’ over and over, I guess it's a survival mechanism of the primitive part of the brain. Now I’m no guru at keeping these thoughts from appearing, but I have found that repeated use of the F word out loud does go in some way to keeping them at bay.
I have found that if I can control my heart rate via my pace enough to keep it below 200 it makes the climb a little better. This does have a downside of course that being you are on the climb longer, which of course means different demons come in to play. Climbing is a whole new ball game I’m finding.
Anyway I didn’t come down here to climb mountains, but they are everywhere we seem to go so why not I thought.
Mt Buffalo is about 1300 meters up I think and about 21 k’s long, so roughly double most of the rides I have ridden so far. Today I climbed for more than an hour in preparation for Buffalo and while I had moments of doubt when looking at a road that just kept going up and up, it has gone someway to making me think I’m in with a chance if I ride it the right way.
In about 30 hours from now I guess I’ll know :)

Mt Donna Buang

Up early once again after the storms down here last night, on the positive side the wind has gone for now. The wind down here yesterday was cyclonic, it was mad. The climb started about 150 meters from where we are staying so that was my warm up....I think it was about 640 meters in the end and about 7 and a bit K's up. I only got out of my easiest gear once on the way up....Towards the top I was making some grumbling noises and a few choice words popped out as well, it made me feel better. The clouds were thick and the road was that wet it looked to have slime on it. Bigger ones to climb in the next few days though :(

I'm on strava now so check out my rides if you want (not sure if you can as I haven't looked at it and how it works but I'm assuming you can). Strava is awesome, look into it if you haven't already.

Victorian roads suck overall though, no shoulder (except near where Cadel lives) and they are very narrow. I hate to say it but NSW have the best roads by far - that we have driven on so far.

Oh yeah and near Melbourne the rider awareness signs are massive.

Apollo Bay Ride - GOR

Well what a ride, up and into it by 5:30 (southerner time) and about an hour before the first vehicle went past me; this is riding some of the coast line on the Great Ocean Road I might add!

I went from Apollo Bay to Kennet Point i think it was before heading back and up Skenes creek road for a nice climb (if there is such a thing). The scenery is something else. The trip back down the mountain was awesome even though I was stuck behind a cement truck with a f$%^wit driving it who wouldn't let me pass. Of course I went straight to the coffee shop for a recovery drink.

The Ship Wreck Coast Ride

A sleep in after a failed attempt at a ride early this morning, I got up and opened the door to see if the wind had stopped, I went back to bed...I managed to sneak in my ride late this afternoon and let’s just say it was probably the most impressive ride I have ever experienced. Incredible scenery combined with massive headwinds and inclines where I was in the smallest gear I had just grinding it out. Being attacked by a dog while in that gear into the wind up a hill was a bit underhanded I thought, bloody thing bit my shoe too; he got a spray of my water bottle for his trouble. On the positive side when I got to the Great Ocean Road I had the wind behind me and I was in my top gear and feeling like a pro! I am very impressed by the attitude of drivers down here as i have already stated, but when half the farmers I passed today waved I thought this is great. The scenery is magic and the lack of traffic on the little back lanes is such a welcome change. We ran into some friends from Tannum today, go figure! and they said to watch out the closer you get to Geelong because there are bikes everywhere...I'm excited :)

Couple of shots from my ride which was about 50 k's. The shots with water in the background is actually the tops of the 12 apostles!

Greetings from the far south

Folks bloody cold and windy down here at the bottom of OZ! Of course I didn't bring any cold weather gear so I have had to man up and brave the conditions. First ride on the great Ocean Road tomorrow morning and while I'm excited by the prospect the cold wind isn't getting me too excited, maybe it will be calm...They certainly respect riders a lot more down this way without any doubt, sure there is the odd idiot so the lads that I have ridden with say but I'm happy to say I haven't come across any just yet. I've managed a ride in Dubbo, Ballarat and Warrnambool so far with more rides planned as I try to tackle Mt Buller in the high country next week some time! Standby for some more pics :)