Dylan at the Noosa Crit

Dylan stepped up again on the weekend at the Noosa Crit, to finish at the pointy end of this race is no mean feat and that's exactly what he did (The Coffee Grinder kit must have helped....). To be comfirmed but he came home around 12th position from around 25 finishers, 60 started! Some of the group he finished with contained riders from Lotto, Argos Shimano, Orica Green Edge, Drapac, Budget Forklifts,Champion System, Team Raleigh (UK) and a few locals thrown in for good measure.
Well done Dylan, all the hard work (having a heart as big as Pharlap would help) is paying off.

Thursday Roll

Good numbers for the roll tonight with a good firm pace that built slowly as the ride went on. I have to say the guys looked the tidiest I've seen in some time, great stuff. The 'ladies pace' ride was on with Jody and Jenny being whipped into shape by Kaye. There are quite a few ladies coming out of the woodwork at the moment and they may just have a good sized group in the coming weeks.

Saturday rides are now leaving the coffee club in Tannum at 6am from this Saturday so wind your alarm clock back.

Tardy

The have a chat ride

This mornings Saturday ride was ridden at a very sociable pace with everyone having a great old chinwag as we rolled around the Smelter loop. Of course the pace heated up on the run up to the Smelter with the usual suspects pushing it along. How about Daryl's form, he was all over the pointy end, I think he's been getting his meat from the same butcher as Alberto.......I was only to happy to hold wheels as that being on the front just plain hurts ( I have soft serve running through my veins remember). It was great to see plenty of triathletes out and about and they were even friendly today; strange bunch that lot :)
The Maggie's were caught out a little this morning and must have still been catching grubs because they were pretty quiet, mind you they haven't really got into the bombing swing just yet.

 The Thursday ride saw about 16 riders turn up with many in the new kit. We'll go for a big group shot before the ride next week so try to be there early.This week we had the ladies pace ride and it will be a regular occurance from now on as it's a nice and steady ride with zero pressure.
The M1 Saturday ride is back in full swing so if anyone is interested in riding from Tannum to meet up with them give me a call as I plan to do it every second week.

The Gran Fondo Report

The following is my account of the epic day that was the Great Divide Gran Fondo.

The day for me started at 2:25am after a really ordinary sleep that I’m sure most people can relate to when there’s a big event on the next day and you have an early start. Once I picked up the guys we headed to the starting point at Calliope to get ready for the 4am start. Once there the first flat for the day was found with Wentzel having a rear flat before the bike even came off the car.

At just after 4am we set out into the darkness for what was to be a very long day. The ride was to be ridden at around 26 khr so that we still had some energy at the end of the day. At first some found this pace a little hard to stick to while feeling good but in time the pace evened out. By the time we hit the Bilo range we were all pretty warmed up even though it was still a little fresh and we just cruised up the grind that lay in front of us. At the top we regrouped and set off to Bilo.

There are some great downhill sections across the Bilo range and we all had a ball. As we hit the last 10 k’s into Bilo we picked up a tailwind and set a good solid pace all the way into town. I couldn’t help but think this tailwind was not a good thing, as it turns out it was the last tailwind we experienced until the last 5 minutes heading into Rocky many hours later.   

On the way into Bilo the awesome support team cheered us on and took photos and it was a great feeling I must admit. In Bilo we hit the first coffee shop we found and an hour and a half later (just a little over plan....) we departed with a very full belly. One of the highlights of Biloela was the Shim that stopped for a chat. Blonde wig, fake boobs, very tight and small hot pants with accompanying bulge in the front which was the only thing to give old mate away........50 in the shade would be kind he was but he did make us laugh, imagine the surprise Glenn had when he encountered him in the toilet!!!

As we turned and headed towards Rocky we were introduced to the headwind that would be our riding partner for the rest of the ride. Nobody really cared it was what it was and we just knuckled down and set about churning out the k’s.

By the time we hit Jambin it was around 30 degrees I think and some of the guys were looking a little hot. After a few minutes in the shade we headed back onto the road once again.

 

15 k’s later BANG! The second flat had found us and it was a tyre blowout to make it worse. The Spare tyres were with the backup team but all attempts to reach them were unsuccessful. Turns out they were in the food court and couldn’t hear the phones ringing....once we reached them they were into full swing and in no time they found us and we were ready to roll once again.

The temp was around 34 degrees for the next stint along the flat and windy country that lies between Jambin and Dululu. This was where the first reduction in pace took place so as to make sure the whole group was in with a shot at finishing. I should mention this stretch is where I mentioned Dululu was just around the corner and spirits lifted, only to find the sign that said Dululu 13 k’s away just around the corner......popular I was.

As we reached Dululu we went across the Dee River I think it was, it looked so good I’m pretty sure if the pub wasn’t 400 metres away the whole group would have jumped in.

The support team had pre ordered for us as we were now over 2 hours behind the plan and lunch at Mt Morgan would have been far too late. Everyone ate very well, I must say the beer, coke, steak sandwich and bowl of chips I had was awesome J The Dululu pub is a great stop which so much character and history.

After the compulsory photo shots in front of the pub we set of to Mt Morgan which was about 30 k’s away. The road starts flat but the hills start about halfway there gradually building. Schalk and Wentzel were feeling the pinch by now and tackled the hills at their pace. By this point this was the biggest ride most of these guys had ever ridden in one day and with minimal preparation there was always going to be a point where the demons would appear. I rode with Wentzel into Mt Morgan where we were greeted by a magpie, on a hill of course before we reached the support crew at the Golden Nugget pub. This was our quickest stop with a quick coke and hello to families before heading off to what were the best climbs since the Bilo range.

 

 

Once again we regrouped at the top of the first bigger climbs and this is where Schalk was happy to plug away at his pace for the rest of the ride and Wentzel made the call to pull the pin down the road a little further after the downhill off the range; he was hurting.

Daryl Glenn and I headed off and rounded up Schalk just before the descent and proceeded to enjoy the ride down the range. Once off the range we headed for Rocky and our spirits were high as it was now in sight, well mine were! As we turned and headed straight towards Rocky the headwind was doing its bit to make the last part of our journey miserable, once again. The pace was a little quicker now and while we covered the distance pretty quickly it was hard work with all the aches and pains coming from everywhere, especially the backside area. As we turned left at the highway we finally picked up some tailwind and just cruised the last 5 minutes or so into Rocky where out finish was to be at the Information centre.

There was the support crew once again and we were welcomed like kings as we pulled up, what a great way to finish a massive day on the bike. Peeling off my shoes and feeling the lush green grass underfoot was something special. Schalk came along a little while later after taking a wrong turn and heading to Gracemere and getting a flat on the outskirts of Rocky...wouldn’t have been a ride if he didn’t get a flat. Wentzel ended up calling it a day with less than 15ks’s to go. While this doesn’t sound far he was well and truly spent and the headwind was very cruel.

 

I would like to mention our awesome support team made up of everyone’s families. They had a ball too I’m pretty sure and made the day more than just a ride. We couldn't have done it without you. The feed at Sizzlers was a great way to finish off the big day.

If you’re wondering, yes there will be a 2013 Gran Fondo, stay tuned J .

 

The wait is almost over!!!

The new Coffee Grinder Kits are on their way! All going well it should land at my place this Friday. Once it's arrived it will be sorted and collection will start most likely on Monday if it actually does turn up....woo hoo!
There will be a new order in the not too distant future as there's been a lot of interst from plenty of people ;)

The Great Divide waits....

Only a couple of days now until we head out on the Gran Fondo and what a day it will be. A sore ass is assured, as will be hot weather, but can the merry men overcome these and other challenges to climb off the bike at Rocky with 245 klm's on the Garmin? We don't have long to wait now to find out.

Thursday Ride Record

Last Thursday saw us with a new record for riders with 22 turning up for the ride. There were quite a few Ladies in there as well which is great to see.
The group will split into 2 groups from now on to cater for the regulars and also the newer riders or those just wanting to take it easy. Craig and I will take turns at taking each group purely as pace setters and to try and pass on some basics. The larger group is to cruise on about 26/28 k/h and the other around 21/23. While the are not blistering speeds the please remember the Thursday ride is a social event where riders can meet other riders and plan other rides from there.
I am confident we will hit 30 very shortly with the warmer weather and longer days returning.

The first Thursday roll a couple of years ago....I think

Rocky Road Racing Champs

Perfect weather was supplied for the final road race of the year for the Rocky Club. After a late start the races began and so did the wind....On the trip out there was of course a nice tailwind for the long downhill. At the turnaround the headwind was very much in your face and the grinding began.
I'll tell the tail of B Grade from where I was sitting until I had my first ever DNF......
The trip out was very fast with speeds over 50 frequent and there wasn't anytime when the pace wasn't on. The turnaround saw the before mentioned wind come into play with some big turns pulled by the Rocky lads. There were a few attempts to mix things up here and there but nothing really. After the first lap of 3 everyone was together and the trip up the hill began once again. This time however there was a move from the Rocky lads that resulted in Sandy being spat out the back. Ryan was toast too but I'm not sure at what point he popped. Cat gave me some words of wisdom and also informed me her day wasn't far from being over as we rocketed along with the tailwind once again. Jason Paul and Paul Smith were very strong and did a lot of the work without any complaints, I could hear anyway. On the return they tried it on again up a hill and once again everyone had to dig deep. I'm not sure where Cat called it a day but maybe around here somewhere as she wasn't very well to start with. By the time we got to the last haul up the hill the guys went again and when they did I didn't respond but rather thought about what it would be like to do another lap and I decided that was enough for me, I was all but toast.
The Vman was still there as the field shrunk to just 4. As B Grade came into sight for the last time there were just 3, and yes the Vman was there! I thought for sure he would jump and take the guys but as it turns out he had jumped at the top of the hill with a rush of blood and paid the price with an empty tank; the other guys were running on empty too but held him out. Well done Vman and well done to Paul and Jason, they were super strong and deserved winners.
Ray took out C Grade and did it easy, of course he should have been in B grade but that's racing.......
Turns out there were a lot of DNF's on the day in many grades for many different reasons.

A Grade 75km- Jay Callaghan, Adrian Lohmann, Kevin Ronan; B Grade 75km - Paul Smith, Jason Paull, Vaughan Flowers; C Grade 50km - Ray Rhodes, Gary Hill, Bailey Goltz; D Grade 40km - Dave McIntosh, Reid Newell, Wayne Coleman; Under 13 16km - Scott Thomasson, Danielle Ruff, Xanthe Newell; Under 11 & 9 6km - Kayla Brady, Ellyssa Ruff, Caden Ruff.






Vman coming in third.

Saturday

Another weekend of great weather for riding has come and gone. Saturday saw a new starter for the group with Reg turning up to follow a few wheels and fitted right in working with Marty to keep the speedo humming along around 40. Not too sure what happened on the rest of the Dam ride because I turned around at the road works as I was taking it easy for the club champs the next day. I met up with a few people while I waited for them to come back and had a chat before they went on there separate way. I also came across another couple that couldn't even bother to wave or even look sideways to acknowledge the 'gday' I threw out there; a sad state of affairs......I'll leave that one alone.
Anyway Graeme and John came into site and I joined up with them and to the brew shop we went. The other guy's eventually caught up to us at the Boyne lights with Steve mentioning Marty's name and there was no need to tell me what had happened as I had a fair idea. From there we descended on the brew shop for a well deserved coffee, well for them in any case.

Gran Fondo

I have long viewed Gran Fondo rides from afar and thought wouldn’t they be an awesome experience. With racing finishing shortly, no big races for me on the horizon and an expanding waistline, I thought why not do my own Gran Fondo.

On September 29 I will set out from Calliope at 4am (yes that’s early to some of you) to make the most of the cooler part of the day and attempt to make it to Rocky via Biloela (245k's). Now I will not be setting a scorching pace but rather a gentlemen’s pace around 26kph to give myself every chance of making the distance. I plan to ride nonstop to Biloela and have breakfast and a brew before heading off to Dululu which is about 75 k’s for another stop to just stretch the legs and top up water bottles. From there the road heads up ever so slightly to Mt Morgan which is only 20 odd k’s away and where I plan to stop for lunch (I should get there about 1pm). From Mt Morgan there is about 6 k’s of up before the descent to Rocky starts and is pretty much down hill for about 25 k’s with a small bump to go over before some flat to finish off with. We plan to stay overnight in Rocky and hit Sizzler that night before passing out not long after that.

I do of course have a backup vehicle manned by my beautiful other half that will meet me at various stages throughout the day.

So far there are 2 others making the journey with me. Don’t feel like you can’t because you haven’t prepared for it because neither have we. I would like to think this will be a yearly trek and who knows what might happen in time. Like they say, ‘from little things big things grow’.

 

 

Silver Man

Words from a very proud Dad.

Dylan's race in the State Title's in the U/19 Mens Road Race; 7 laps of a 17km course to cover 119km.

Before the start Dylan said he was going to make the race hard for all. From 2km into the race Dylan Newberry, Fraser Coast Cycling Club, went off the front and gained 40 seconds. At the 3km mark Dylan jumped out of the bunch and sprinted to bridge the gap. With his heart rate hovering at 190bpm he bridged and after 1km settled in to work and put pressure on the chasers. And so the "two Dylan's" proceeded to ride hard. After Lap 1 the gap was 55second. Once we got over the shock of him being in the break from the go, we started get regular time gaps and at lap 2 they had lost time and were at 45 seconds. The chasing bunch of ten had started to chase but the presure on them was too much and the start of lap 3 saw the boys back on the pace and had lengthened the gap to 1min:20seconds, they had settled in to the task at hand. Meanwhile the chase bunch splintered and had only 6 left to chase.

By lap 4 they had stretched the gap to 2minutes and were riding as if it was a two man time trial. End of lap 4 the gap was 3 minutes. The chasers where fading and had dropped to three. At this stage the commissaire had pulled all but 6 riders out of the race as the pace had broken the race apart. So with two v's three chasers the two of them went further away adding time each lap and at the finish had put over 6 minutes onto the others. With 5km to go the race result was a race of two and Dylan Newberry, last years silver medallist and a year older, put in a surge and dropped Dylan, but he pushed on and finished about a minute down but 5 minutes up on third place.
A silver medal in his first ever U/19 race. A good end to his first season as a cyclist.

Well done to Catriona Newell on her great ride as well for silver.

Graeme

 

Vman Delivers

Well the juggernaut that is 'Vman' keeps building momentum with each race. Stepping up to B Grade again (there will be no more C Grade) this week for his first Crit and low and behold he pulls off a win! While some may still have a hard time accepting he can actually ride pretty quickly,  you just have to look at the weight he's shed and the amount of riding the man does. With the Club Champs not far away you would have to think he's a contender (he does!), so long as he can drag himself over the hill each lap and get over the disappointment of not being on the 7 news coverage of the crit ;)

Change is in the air....

Well I guess it had to happen eventually but we have changed brew shops....a shock I know but a change is as good as a holiday. Where have we moved to? Gillies cafe is the new weekend haunt where it just so happens they have Sexie Coffee, very tasty, so is the $1.60 a mug less!

Not big turnouts over the weekend but of special mention is Steve and Marty. Marty seems to have a big motor made very evident by the fact the chain never leaves the big ring, never! And a special mention for Steve because he has to ride with him :) Another one to watch is the ever improving Daryl, he just gets on with the job at hand with no fuss, and doesn't he make going up look easy!

6am starts for Saturdays ride won't be too far away now with the sun getting up that little bit earlier each day, stay tuned for the change date. To add to this M1 longer rides aren't far away either so we might run into them as well as an option for those that want to experience suffering on a whole new level :)

Brass Monkey Weather

It's funny how the cold weather knocks around the size of the group that turns up for weekend rides.  When looking at it the vast majority of our group are MAMIL's (middle aged men in Lycra) and with middle age comes great wisdom; generally enough to know that when it's bloody cold like this morning a sleep in is the smarter option. Seems some of us are slow learners because a few brave souls headed down Old Tannum road with the temperature reading just over 4 degrees for the Sunday loop. To say it was cold is an understatement. For me riding in that sort of cold is just plain miserable and if long enough painful (yes I know I'm soft).
Anyway to cut a short story shorter we only did half the ride before seeking shelter at the brew shop. Dylan felt the cold the most I think and made anyone looking at him even colder because he looked frozen.
Yesterdays ride was a much nicer ride with the temperature pretty warm (for winter) and the pace very firm with Michael needing to be back by 8:30. At the Dam Michael left us and Daryl, Graeme and I had a quick chat in the fog before heading back at a much nicer pace. The weather was all but perfect as the sun beamed down on us as we cruised along having a great old chat, the birds were chirping, the brooks were babbling, the angles were singing, it was perfect, then we spotted Marty and Steve.........As they caught up I couldn't help but notice they were sweating (why would you ride so hard as to sweat I don't know) and pretty much from that point on the Gentleman's pace we had been enjoying went out the window. The brew shop was a welcome site :)

Weekend Wrap

Well it would seem that the combination of cold weather and strong winds resulted in the option of staying in a warm comfy bed the preferred option of many this weekend, out here in any case. This mornings ride was on from the get go with Scotty his usual self setting a scorching pace. There was only Dylan, Scotty and myself to start with in the first group with Graeme and Schalk riding gentleman's pace. I was more than happy to hold wheels while those 2 set the pace I would like to point out :)
On the way back Scotty felt the pinch on Old Tannum Hill and dropped back a little, once he was back on off we went again. In the Ranch we picked up Marty. Dylan cracked the whip a bit harder through town only to drop the old fella again on the hills in Boyne. Once he was on again we headed up towards the Smelter up that horrible never ending grind; I'm sure you all know the one. Not sure where we lost Scotty as I was too scared to look as Dylan dragged Marty and I along at almost 40 up the hill. Once past the first roundabout he cranks it over 40 and keeps pushing. Past the next roundabout and he cranks it up another notch to over 50 then at the bottom of the decline he gets out of the saddle and goes for it. Well by then I had blood coming out of my eyes and ears but I still had a crack, it lasted about 5 seconds and they were starting to pull away so I sat up and watched Marty scramble to keep Dylan's wheel as they disappeared up the road. That was no mean feat Marty so I take my hat off to you. The ride ended at the brew shop for most with only a few doing some extra k's after a bit of a chat. If you want a good fast ride Sunday is the day for you, likewise there's always a group that rides gentleman's pace as well, it is after all Sunday morning.

RCC 2012 ITT CHAMPIONSHIPS RESULTS

Saturday saw the Rocky Club TT Championships held out at Alton Downs. The weather was kind with a swirling wind that seemed to move around during the race and a very warm temperature. Many of the fast men were away but Lew and Jay were still in A Grade to battle it out for the Club Champion. Jay rode very strongly and averaged just over 42khr for the distance, not bad considering there are 3 turnarounds. Lew was nowhere near his best and cruised to the line towards the end.Vaughn was put up to B grade and was secretly chuffed even though he denied it and he performed admirably to claim 2nd position in B Grade. The Vman has come a long way in so many ways over the last year, well done Vman, or should that be Dman???

Farewell Guy

Well just one week after we lost Michelle to the big smoke of Brisbane, Guy had his last ride with us on Thursday night. Guy improved a lot since his first few rides here in sunny Tannum and it was none more so evident then at Noosa this year where he did his first hundy; you couldn't stop him smiling. Guy is the sort of character that we will remember just like Earle Chin, another bloke that talked funny and also came from a place you can only ride outside for 5 months of the year. Thanks for the memories Guy and we look forward to seeing the new strip on top of some famous mountains in the not to distant future :)

Mt Archer KOM

The Mt Archer King of the Mountain was held on Saturday and is something that has to be experienced. 5km at an average of 10% is tough in anyone’s books I assure you; I can also assure you that there is zero relief from that 10% from the start to the very top. In any case our own Dylan Nankivell took home the crown of 2012 KOM. Dylan took a mere 18:40 to get to the top. To put that into perspective, the only guys to have bettered that time have been or are currently pro’s.

Other riders from our local area were Vaughn 'MG' Flowers who rode very well to crack the 30 minute barrier, Gary and Brendan Hill and yours truely. There were plenty of Gladstone riders present as well and in the end our numbers made up for almost half the field. My hot tip for Mt Archer is have very low gearing to fall back onto.

KOM 2012

Mountain Goat

Tannum Kit

Well it might appear that I’ve been a bit slack in recent weeks as far as the Blog goes and clearly I have been; but I’ve been busy on other stuff in the background.


The Tannum Kit we’ve been working on is in the final days of ordering now so if you are keen let me know one way or another. Why are we doing this? I guess it came about after Noosa where groups that have their own kit really stand out so we just thought why not have our own Tannum strip. Now when we go away for a big ride or race in local events people will know where we are from.

They keep coming...

What a weekend to be out and about on a bike, sunshine, cool tempreatures and no wind made it what I consider ideal riding weather. I know i've gone on about the numbers on the rise out here before on many occasions but new riders just keep appearing. Thursday seems to have a solid base now of around 14 riders now and is slowly starting to look like an organised group the more we discuss the basics of how to ride in a bunch.
On the Sunday ride today we saw about a dozen riders turn up for the usual loop and the pace was firm from the start, and then off, and then on, and then off.......If you are going to have a turn on the front try to keep the pace constant as much as possible, when you don't the group gets very nervous behind and there was a lot of near misses this morning from the ever changing pace. If you are new and you find yourself on the front a lot of people try to be brave and do there time pushing the wind only to pop and promptly drop off the back of the pack. Rest assured everyone else in the group has been there and will not think twice (most of them) if you just roll to the back straight away or if you don't even have a turn up front. Anyway back to the ride again.....what was very pleasing was the amount of other riders on the road we passed during the ride, what a great feeling to see so many riders out enjoying the day. Slowly but surely the brew shop filled after the ride as the pace took it's toll and people turned up; how good is a brew after a ride on a cold morning.
As some would know there has been some work going on in the background around a kit for our group and this is the latest design kicking around. This is still in draft so it's still a bit rough but you get the idea - yes there will be a girl (pink) version ;)

The Big Time

Dylan has just experienced life in the fast lane like never before; well maybe he has ridden as quick but not for so long. Dylan rode the Tour of Toowoomba on the weekend after scoring a ride for a different team to what he generally rides for in the Queensland road series. This event is on par with anything else on the Australian Calendar and has all the gun teams from across the country racing vying for the overall win.
Day 1 saw Dylan finish comfortably in the bunch and not expending too much energy knowing what lay ahead. Day 2 had a finish that had a big climb to finish off the stage, unfortunately he was caught up behind a crash and lost some time but rode very well to be the first of his team home.
Day 3 at around 50k's and riding in windy conditions fatigue catch up with him and he fell off the pace finishing about 30 minutes of the winners time. Day 4 and the Crit was the last stage of the event and he rode well to finish off the Tour.
When you read this consider that he has never trained to ride more than 2 days at State level so to finish the Tour was a great achievement. Well done Dylan. Watch this space!

Long weekend update

Thursday saw 18 riders hit the road for the Thursday roll. The new riders just keep coming which just goes to show how popular cycling is becoming in our area of the world. I must say I would not have picked our numbers increasing considering the cooler weather but happy to be wrong....

Sunday sees a 7am start for the usual ride from the Surf Club and Monday we'll be doing a roll out the Dam from the coffee club at 7am returning for a brew.

Thursday Roll

The Thursday roll is slowly but surely getting more and more interest from the local riders of the Boyne Tannum area. While the ride pace has slowed to 26-27 it may still be a little bit of a stretch for some newer riders. I will now take anyone that is interested up and down the Esplanade - Boat ramp area at a slower pace to cater for the riders that can't keep up with the bigger group just yet. I'm pretty sure the regular riders would agree that it's a good feeling when new riders join the group no matter what level of experience they have.

And so it begins.....

Dylan has scored his first big win and did it in style at the Metropolitan Championships. The race was over 92km, four laps of a 23km circuit, over hilly country near Boonah. The bunch stayed pretty much together for the first three laps with one break getting up the road by 1min 30secs on lap two but Dylan and the boys closed it down and put some pressure on at the start of the final lap. Dylan's job for the team was to get one of the other guys in the team to the start of the climb on the last lap at the front of the bunch. Dylan did his job and they were about 30 seconds up at the foot of the hill just as a second rider came across the gap. Dylan then went and his team mate told him to go as he had nothing (he had spent some time training with the Budget team recently). The other guy blew up going over the top of the hill so Dylan just went with 20km's to go. A lot of the guys about 30 yrs old who could probably race A grade some days underestimated how hard Dylan is learning to go up a hill. After the race I was told the commissaire was going up and down the bunch telling them the time gap on the last lap and they said they were chasing as hard as they could. From here he soloed to victory. Final margin was about 50secs.


Brad Lawlor rode his heart out but he blew up on the last hill with quite a few others due to the pace at the front (A new bike will make a difference for sure). A lot of us know that feeling locally so it’s now other peoples turn to feel the pain. His team were also second and fifth so a good showing.

Weekend Racing

Local road racing on the weekend was at Calliope and was a handicap with the distance just shy of 60 k’s. The 3 main groups headed off 7 minutes apart and were a bit of a mixed bag in each group. I can only speak for the group that headed off chopping block but the ride was pretty much a paceline the whole way with an average of around 38. The group rode well and stayed together through thick and thin under the instruction of Matt who freely offered tips in his own unique fashionJ pretty sure without his coaching we all wouldn’t have finished together. At the end of the race the 7 minutes proved to be too much to close down for any group with only stragglers getting caught along the way. Lachie Ferguson came home with the goods after starting in the first group and I’m pretty sure they said Reggie came in second place. I’m still scratching my head a little as to some of the handicaps but I guess being the handicapper is no picnic at times.….   

Thursday Roll

I’m sure that everyone would agree that the group has started to look a lot smarter in the last couple of weeks since we slowed down the pace. The consistent speed has allowed people to relax and feel more confident to hold the wheel of the rider in front and as a result the group is a lot tighter.

Been a bit Slack...

I apologise I haven’t updated the blog for a while but I have discovered Xbox 360 and COD (Call of Duty) 


Noosa has come and gone now with a great weekend had by all riding some amazing roads through equally amazing country and plenty of coffee. Our weekend started with a ride to Coolum for a brew (in a bike lane the whole way! they are the things that exist down south where all the money we generate goes) which just happened to have the ocean right next to us for most of the way. Once there the biggest dilemma we had all weekend appeared -which coffee shop do we go to? Maccas won out because of the burgers  There were plenty of groups out riding but not as many as I would have thought.

Sunday morning and we rode to the start in the dark and along the way we passed the M1 team and shouted out to them, they were waiting at their pick up point for other riders and looking very cold. There were about 600 riding the 160k ride so there were a few bikes around. I won’t go into detail but the ride was awesome and the scenery something off postcards at times. When we got back we were greeted by the guys that had completed the 100k ride and they were pumped! Can’t say I was feeling ‘awesome’ as Craig and I had ridden by ourselves for the last hour at about what felt like a 36 average. The next morning we headed back to Coolum for another brew before making the long trek home.

I can definitely recommend putting that weekend in your diary as it’s a great weekend away riding on some great roads.

Ryan has made the trip back to Port to race Ironman 2012 and posted a great time in the process. 10:49 is almost and hour faster than last year and that is a bloody big improvement in 1 year in anybody’s books. Without the tide working against him in the swim, 2 stops on the bike and a wobbly moment at about 33k’s on the run I am sure the 10:30 time he was after would have been realised.

Dylan and Brad have been racing down south and up north at Mackay with mixed results - but they are improving with the exposure to racing with at the top riders in the state.

Tannum Sands Coffee Grinders gear is underway with a design out for viewing not far away!

Noosa Looms

Noosa is now only days away and is sure to be a great weekend for all those heading down. For me the Saturday coffee shop ride will be a highlight as there’s no pressure (other than to look really fast even if you’re not) and all the time in the world to enjoy some coffees and great roads with some friends. Roll on Friday!  

1st Degani Crit

Sunday morning saw the start of the winter Degani Crit series and it was a great morning of racing. The weather was coolish (for Rocky) and the sun stayed behind some clouds for almost the whole time racing was underway. B grade and D grade got underway at 8am and the pace in B was steady but not crazy. Brad rode as a controller for B and did his job well, too well for my liking ;) My race ended on the last lap after making some errors in judgement (that's the nicest way of putting it) that lead to me sitting up before I passed out. Sandy rode well and finished even better right up the pointy end but couldn't overtake the girls, great race Sandy.
A grade was not the usual pace we have seen in the summer series but there were plenty of solo attacks that were pretty much doomed with Macca sitting in the pack. Brad went pretty early and stayed out in front for a while until Macca showed some interest and started to pull the gap back. Brad sat up eventually and rejoined the bunch. There was the odd attack and then Dylan had a bit of a crack as well - not bad considering he did a 120k training ride averaging just shy of 35 the afternoon before. Towards the end there was a good go from some regular A graders and Dylan latched onto Jay's wheel with Lew jumping across not long after. Lew finally dropped off and Jay lead Dylan onto the final straight delivering him to the finish line like a pro. Jay came in second with Brad coming home well for third.
This may not be 100% accurate but it's how I remember it....

Ironman Calling

Ryan starts heading south today on his way to Port for the 2012 Ironman on May 6 and his second tilt at the event. Ryan has prepared well for the event and even though he came down last weekend on the bike and lost some bark he’s mending quickly. Ryan’s hoping for a finishing time of around 10:30 and if all goes well he should see that. His race number is 470 if you want to check up during the day on http://www.ironmanlive.com/

Stay tuned for updates and some pictures from Ryan leading up to race day.

First Degani Crit for Season

This weekend sees round 3 of the Rocky Road Racing season and is the first Degani Criterium. There should be some great racing if the weather is kind to us with some rain forecast around the weekend. The Crit’s have been well attended in the early part of the year so there should be some good numbers turning up. This is a great form of racing for spectators as the riders compete on a 800 meter course (approx) so you don't have to wait long to see them each lap.

Record Numbers for Thursday Roll!

The Thursday afternoon roll bunch were excited to hear that there was going to be a famous sprinter tagging along for the ride; so much so we set a new record for the ride with 17 riders! (and that was with more than a few regulars away). Turns out the famous sprinter was Brad from M1 Cycles who rides in the same team as Dylan in the Queensland Team Road Racing Series. The ride was pretty normal with the last lap the usual flat out to see who can hold onto Dylan’s wheel to the end. Brad came good for the sprint and kicked away once the speed hit about 40 or so and managed to hold his position up the last little kick. It was also good to see another local turn up for the ride (Pyney) and I hope he comes back as a regular.

I must say though we do look pretty messy as a group and it’s something we need to start working on especially with the group getting bigger - even more so when the pace gets firmer.

Anzac Day Ride

The Anzac Day ride was supposed to be an easy 80k ride to help some of those that haven't ridden a hundy before prepare for Noosa next weekend. With FIFO (Michael - Fly In Fly Out) on the front the pace was on, all I could think was there will be some boys hurting on the return trip :) On the quiet back roads we tried some rolling over with mixed results...... but we've made a start and it can only improve. The rolling over was getting there slowly until a certain Kiwi made a break for it and some of the guys thought they had to chase him and it all went to puss - thanks Kiwi. The return trip to Calliope was a good pace and nobody dropped off which was the plan; must have been good riding at the front ;) Once we finished our stop at the cross roads servo Craig decided being Anzac Day there had to be casualties and set about laying down a firm pace that cooked a couple of  lads. Schalk true to form passed him on the last hill and turned the screws on him to make him suffer for his hard work up until that point. It was great viewing :)
By the time we got near Boyne the lads at the back were really feeling it and their body language spelt it out very clearly. Gary (who is 60!) gets a gong for biggest heart of the day because he just kept digging deep, Guy was a close second.
The coffee shop was a welcome sight to say the least and a fitting conclusion to a great ride.

Rocky Road Race 2

The racing was hot at round 2 of the Rocky road series, damn HOT! I think it was just over 30 degrees when racing got underway and the heat had a fair bit to do with more then a few riders pulling the pin early.
In A grade it seems that most of the riders were just feeling each other out and treating the round more like a training session then an all out race, evident by the pace they rode at. Brad grabbed second after messing up the sprint (from what I heard) and Lew in third. Dylan and Mick were a little way back but read nothing into that....Dylan TT'd a fair bit of the race out front and Mick is still in training mode.
In B grade there was more than one attack off the front (M1 rider more than once)  but they weren't going to get away with the headwind over the back of the circuit and the speed in the pack behind. In the end the heat and pace (at times) cooked a lot of the pack that saw only just over half the riders that started finish. This was my first sprint finish and I thought I was going to pull off a win, until I hit the point where everything feels numb and started to fade just before the line. I looked over my shoulder to see 2 guys screaming up on me but i was gone and could do nothing, third it was. Still it was my first ever place in a race other than a TT :) Craig rode strongly and was feeling the heat like I was but he still dragged the pack around the last lap on his own...give him a month and it will be different.
C Grade was taken out by Cat from Gladstone. She was always going to win with the k's she has in her legs. I think she is part mountain goat with the amount of climbing she pulls off every week :)

Noosa Century Rides

Less than a few weeks to go now until the Noosa Winter Festival and there looks like a good sized contingent heading down. Myron, Craig and myself have signed up for the 160 and Guy, Schalk and Doug (plus another couple i think) are doing the hundy. Looks like we won't be alone with some M1 riders making the 'Trek' down as well so we'll be sure to keep an eye out for them. If anyone is keen to know more check out the USM site or give me a shout. No doubt we'll try to all hook up for a coffee shop run on Saturday morning to soak up the awesome atmosphere and ride on some bloody decent roads! Oh yeah and drink lots of coffee :)

Rocky Road Season Kicks Off

The weekend just gone saw the long awaited (for some) start to the 2012 Rocky road season and it kicked off with a 20K TT. In A Grade Lewis Marshall and Mick Newell from Gladstone took and 1st and 2nd in A grade respectively with Lew the only rider to average over 40kph in the windy conditions. Yours truly took out B Grade with Sandy McVey from Tannum coming in 5th. There weren’t a lot of riders present for the first round but all in all it was a good start to the season. The next round is a Kermesse at Glendale this weekend and should see a lot more riders turning up to blow the cobwebs out.

Strava

What is Strava you ask? Well this is the official explanation - Today, Strava lets athletes all over the world experience social fitness—sharing, comparing and competing with each other's personal fitness data via mobile and online apps. Currently focused on the needs of avid cyclists and runners, Strava lets you track your rides and runs via your iPhone, Android or dedicated GPS device to analyze and quantify your performance. Strava makes fitness a social experience, providing motivation and camaraderie even if you’re exercising alone.

So what that means is if you have a Garmin device or an I phone or android phone you can track your ride and upload it to Strava - for free! As well as tracking your performance there is an option where you can select a section of road or track that will be timed every time you go over it. Strava shows you all of the other athletes who have covered the same ground so you can see how your time stacks up. Or go for a PR and try to beat your fastest time on the same stretch that anyone else's time for that section (that doesn't hide there ride or run).

Rider numbers increasing

It seems of late almost every time you head out for a ride you see a new rider you haven't seen before. With the numbers on the Thursday roll increasing slowly but surely it seems that cycling is becoming more and more popular. This was very evident at the coffee shop this morning with a good number of riders from a few different groups all turning up at the same time. As numbers increase so to does driver awareness of cyclists. Sure there are still plenty of tools out there that have to pass you about an inch away for whatever reason, but I have certainly not been abused as much as I used to in times gone by (yes I'm touching wood).

The Thursday roll just gone was well attended with 16 riders all up turning up for the ride. It seems that the addition of the extra half a lap is becoming popular as it allows the red mist to descend and the riding almost becomes racing. When this happens it's important you hold your line and don't chop and change all over the place if you don't know where riders are around you.....or there will be pain.

The I lost my Wife ride!

Not often you go out for a ride with your wife and you lose her......it happened today with Michael not realising the better half had already turned with some other riders and headed for the brew shop. It was pretty funny for everyone but Michael! :)

Weekly Wrap

It's been a pretty quiet week with no major races on at the moment. The Thursday roll saw 15 riders turn up even though a few regulars weren't present. Nobody was interested in taking the quick ride so we set out for the easy ride. By lap 3 without Craig, Graeme or I on the front the pace crept up and up, these are the people that speed up in overtaking lanes :) There was time for an extra half a lap so it was on, can't tell you what happened because I was ordering my first beer :)
This morning saw only a few turn out for the Saturday ride with Dylan, Craig and myself heading north to hook up with the M1 ride again. Luke came along for a spin to knock up a few k's and ended up on the back of the hitters group for a few minutes, clearly not too impressed with the pace....hehehe. The pace on the Hitters ride was fierce from the get go and by the time the group made it to the Krombit road turn I think it was close to half the size it was 5 minutes before! Once on the Krombit road the pace was turned up and I'm pretty sure the only time the speed dropped below 40 was up the hills....it is a seriously hard hit out. Craig lasted a little way up the road before he called it a day and I managed to hold on for a fair while but in the end I was afraid if I tried any harder I wouldn't be able to ride home and sat up. From the 20 odd at the start there were only 4 left at the end...enough said.

Sunday saw a big turnout with around 14 riders leaving the surf club at 7am. From all reports the 'Dealer' was dishing it out from the get go up Creek street; wasn't too long ago he couldn't go up at all!

Weekly Blurb

Thursday night saw another solid turnout with 12 riders setting off for the roll. As we neared creek street where the people that want to go a little quicker should head there were no takers....seems everyone was having a recovery ride.....or not.
The pace was ok for the normal laps but as we had time to squeeze in 1 more we headed off to knock it over. Dylan rounded up the group and headed off, the temptation to do some dick measuring was too much for a lot of the lads and off they went after him :) of course I went along to just make sure the measuring was conducted fairly;) One by one 'POP' they went with their heads low and lungs screaming :) By the time we got back to the surf club Dylan was warmed up and began his ride....

The Saturday group was a little smaller today with a few of us heading in to hook up with the M1 ride but they still headed out even with the threat of rain around. We got back to the brew shop and expected to see them there but only saw someone riding away, not to worry though they were only a few minutes behind us. With the rain starting just as we neared Boyne the thought of coffee was calming but the pace wasn't!
Tip of the day - if it's raining that hard you have to call the cook to come and get you make sure you ask her to not stop in front of the brew shop. Schalk copped a flogging from not just us but everyone sitting at the brew shop for not riding home in the rain :)

Sunday 19 Feb Crit Pix