No. 53–Spring 2012

The magazine for long-distance cyclists

Audax Australia Cycling Club

audax bright sparks DIY for randonneurs

Far North Queensland GT

A tropical super series

Beaches and Beyond

The wheel ordeal

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Audax Australia Cycling Club Inc.

No. 53–Spring 2012

Association No. A0014462 N ARBN 125 562 307

www.audax.org.au

President  Kerri-Ann Smith - 02 6258 0607 [email protected] Vice President  Gareth Evans [email protected] - 0408 497 721 Secretary  Helen Lew Ton [email protected] - 03 9329 9757 Treasurer  Richard Scheer [email protected] - 04 2319 5966 Committee Members Phil Bellette [email protected] - 0405 223 406 Henry Boardman [email protected] - 02 4261 2929 Dino Morgante [email protected] - 0412 617 221 Sandy Vigar [email protected] - 0412 377974 Regional Representatives ACT Tom Nankivell NC [email protected] - 0432 409 755 NSW Howard Dove NC [email protected] - 02 9476 5310 QLD Brian HornbyNC [email protected] - 0418 711 417 SA Graham Stucley NC [email protected] - 08 8295 2640 TAS David Killick NC [email protected] VIC Peter Mathews NC [email protected] - 043 999 2130 WA Tony Gillespie NC [email protected] - 08 9537 1428 NC

Audax Royal Weekend

Equipment

Kaputar or Kaput

My First Brevet

International Super Randonneur 1200

Great Ocean Road 600

4. Kilkivan 200

6. 202 km Inverell to Narrabri 8. Chasing a bright red patch with the world on it

Touring

11. McCarr’s Creakers in the Pyrénées

Planning a route

14. The Star Gazers’ Guide to the Solar System

Mixed terrain randonnee 16. Where the fun begins

Opperman All Day Trial 18. First Crack

Beaches and Beyond 1000 20. An ordeal on wheels

Far North Queensland Gran Turismo 25. Glad that I was talked into it

Audax Alpine Classic

28. Two Germans go to war at the AAC

36. The ultimate Audax bike? 38. Brisk Beaudesert, March 2012 39. Something extraordinary

Trim the Cat

42. 1200 km in seven brevets

Letters

46. Correspondence from members

Permanents

47. For the love of riding

Armchair randonneur

48. Racing Bicycles–100 Years of Steel

Club News

49. National Committee Happenings

Brevets

50. Results compiled by Rodney Kruz

Nutrition

52. Paris-Brest Cake and the GSR

DIY for randonneurs

29. Our members innovate, design, fix, invent, hack and make.

National Committee member

Membership Secretary Lorraine Allen [email protected] - 03 9716 3167 National Calendar Coordinator Bob McHugh  [email protected] IT Committee Chair Phil Bellette [email protected] Homologations Committee Chair Lisa Turner  [email protected] - 02 6722 2210 Life Members Lorraine Allen Phil Bellette Hans Dusink Terry Gross Don Halton Enid Halton Tim Laugher John Martin Peter Moore Russell Moore Checkpoint Editor Trevor Gosbell [email protected] Brevet Editor Rodney Kruz [email protected] Distribution Ian Boehm [email protected] Opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the respective authors, and not necessarily those of the Audax Australia Cycling Club Inc.

Cover: Peter Mathews displays his home-made helmet light. (See another of his lights on page 29.) This page: Vaughan Kippers, Pat Lehane and Dino Morgante on the Audax Royal Weekend (see report on page 4). Photo: Simon Faber

Checkpoint Spring 2012

1

Editorial

Great Southern Randonnee

I’ve recently been ‘off-bike’ for a few months due to something dodgy going on in my hand, making operating gear and brake levers extremely painful. It’s putting it mildly to say that it’s been frustrating watching other riders stack up mileage as some wonderful events pass me by. And let’s not talk about the declining fitness and expanding waistline. At the very depths of despair I even considered taking up [shudder] jogging. And this from someone who refuses on principle to run for a bus. But probably the worst thing about the situation is that it wasn’t even a ‘cycling’ injury that was keeping me in the pits. I didn’t break something in a crash. I didn’t wear out something from overuse. And I didn’t wrench something due to poor bike position or sloppy technique. There was basically nothing wrong other than the inability to apply the brakes firmly at critical moments. This started me thinking about all kinds of non-cycling conditions that could keep you off the bike or otherwise impair your enjoyment of riding. Things like asthma, atrial fibrillation, arthritis, prostate discomfort, high or low blood pressure, diabetes, or cancer. I’m sure you can think of—or may have experienced—others. Would you be interested in a future feature topic in Checkpoint dealing with non-cycling health issues that impact on riding? Please let me know if you have some personal or professional experience to share on this. An interesting trend recently has been the increase in ‘extra-long weekends’ in the Audax calendar—sequences of several events running over consecutive days. Most regions run series of events whenever a public holiday falls conveniently, the Gran Turismo SR series has been a regular feature in the calendar for years now, and then there’s the brevet-aday, point-to-point tours like the Lap of Victoria and Trim the Cat. When I think about these rides, something that comes to mind is recovery: how does a rider keep himself or herself in good shape, ready to roll out morning after morning, for a week or more? On a related matter, what about our longer rides? Is it possible to get any kind of recovery in the middle of a 1000 km+ event? And what do people do to recover quickly afterward? More generally, what do people do to make sure they bounce into work on a Monday morning after a weekend of randonneuring? (I mean, what’s the point of casually mentioning that you cruised around a 400 km loop on Saturday if you still look wrung-out two days later?) If you think you detect another future feature topic here, you’re right. Let me hear your thoughts, techniques and best tips for post-ride, mid-ride and between-ride recovery. Speaking of feature topics, thanks to the members who have contributed to a first-rate collection of DIY modifications, inventions, innovations and ‘hacks’ that they have used to improve their randonneuring—not surprisingly, many of them deal with lighting. I know I’ve learned a couple of handy tricks from them and I hope you do too. And finally, thanks to Dave Harrington who responded to my call for help and has agreed to take on the production of the printed Ride Calendar. Fine weather and fair winds Trevor

2

Checkpoint Spring 2012

October 29th to November 2nd 2012 200 km, 300 km, 400 km, 600 km, 1000 km and 1200 km distances Fully supported Very scenic ride Great Ocean Road Grampians National park Otway Ranges National park We have places left on all distances so please go to www.gsr1200.com.au for more information This year could be your last chance to ride the 200 km, 300 km, 400 km and 600 km distances The Victorian Alpine Series

In order to join the Victoria Alpine Series honour roll, members need to ride in one season at least three designated ‘alpine’ brevets: one of at least 200 km plus two each of at least 100 km.

Congratulations to Fraser Rowe and Stephen Rowlands who qualified in season 2010/11. The following events were included this season: 26 Nov: The Alpine Delight (100, 200 km) 7 Jan: More Alpine Adventures (300 km) 15 Jan: Warburton/Lake Mountain (100, 150, 200 km) 23 Jan: Semaine Fédérale: Falls Creek (100 km) 26 Jan: Semaine Fédérale: Mt Hotham (100 km) 29 Jan: Audax Alpine Classic/ACE (130, 140, 200, 250 km) 25 Feb: Great Alpine Road (300 km) 3 Mar: Bound for Baw Baw (100 km) 6 Oct: Great Grampians Challenge (100 km) To be included on the honour roll, contact checkpoint@audax. org.au stating the brevets ridden (including brevet number and distance) by the end of the season. Only current members of Audax Australia are recognised for the Victorian Alpine Series, so also include your member number.

Correction Due to some unfortunate errors during preparation of the Autumn issue of Checkpoint (no. 51), a couple of errors slipped into the list of Audax Australia Awards for 2010/2011. Apologies to Perry Raison who was left off the list of recipients of the Super Randonneur and the Year Round Randonneur for the 2010/2011 season. And also to Dave Harrington who was rightly shown as a recipient of the Super Randonneur but without that all important “×6” signifying his historical six Super Randonneur series in that season. (Fortunately his own account of that achievement was included in the same issue!)

From the President’s Pedals with

Kerri-Ann Smith National President Audax Australia A Super Series of 200, 300, 400 and 600 km events in a single riding season is—or should be—a goal of many Audax Australia’s Members. For several years now, the Club has offered the option to do one in just nine days: the Gran Turismo Super Series is certainly one of our most audacious cycling events! For me, this year’s edition epitomised so much that is Audax… Nineteen riders escaped the southern winter to participate in the recent Far North Queensland GT Super Series. Short rest days punctured a gruelling set of diverse rides prepared by Ride Organiser Tom Nankivell—who exemplified audaciousness and tenacity by continuing to herd the Audax flock even after breaking his wrist the morning before our evening departure! Most finished all events, some chose not to set out on the final 600. All demonstrated the Audax spirit of pedalling—to adapt the Olympic motto—further, longer, stronger. Audax is often said to be about ‘fast touring’. New routes often arise when ROs wish to explore and share beautiful parts of our vast country. Tom demonstrated this in his several trips of exploration north to explore and finely hone the FNQ GT’s routes. They provided fabulous scenery and diversity—dense rainforest and tropical beaches, vast savannah grasslands and sugar cane fields, crater lakes and misty mountains, large regional towns and remote villages, long flat stretches, 10% climbs and swooping descents.  Our Club’s success rests on ROs putting on a calendar of appealing events. Without the commitment of ROs like the FNQ GT’s Tom, members could not enjoy the superb riding

Tour de Tasmanie Proposed

Jan/Feb 2014

www.tdt1200.com

Contact Andrew at [email protected] with thoughts and suggestions or register your interest!

around the countryside that we do. I thank Tom and each and every one of our ROs who are our most important volunteers. Without their efforts, the Club does not exist. I love Audax for its acceptance of diversity. Age, gender, profession and type of bike are no indicator of success. GT riders were classic examples—men and women, Super Series old hands and 400 km debutants, retirees, tradies and professionals, touring, racing, recumbent and mountain bikes of carbon fibre, titanium, steel and aluminium, the oldest rider almost double the age of the youngest. Our members are a rather special group of people, committed to their long distance riding and to the Club. I’m keen to see that loyalty rewarded through benefits of Membership. Membership fees and ride entry fees are our two primary sources of income to run the Club at National and Regional level. In considering out budget, the National Committee recently decided to maintain our low membership fee, to introduce a joining fee and a late renewal fee, and to increase by $1 to $6 the basic ride entry fee for unsupported or minimally supported rides. Fees for supported rides will of course continue to include a component reasonably calculated to cover just the cost of that support. This keeps membership and riding costs for members low, supporting and rewarding membership. Measured against any other form of cycling event, surely Audax Australia offers the least expensive rides of any distance. The NC also decided to maintain the $10 total temporary Membership fee (to allow non-members to enter Audax events) but remove the option of returning $5 to the nonmember (essentially charging only $5). You can read more about this and the other work of the National Committee in ‘Happenings’ later in this Checkpoint. Of course, the other benefits of membership include this Checkpoint and all its fabulous articles and tips, insurance coverage for riders on events and office holders, eligibility for our riding awards, and the opportunity to buy our Club jersey and wind vest at a subsidised price. We’ve also included in this mail-out a personal identity card for each member and an Audax Australia business card. I hope everyone will complete the ID card and carry it somewhere clearly available whenever they are on their bike. While we would always wish accidents would not happen, they do. This is a means of providing essential personal information in the event it’s needed. The business card can be given away to interested cyclists you meet on the road, at work or in the cafe. More are available through your Regional President. I trust these are useful accessories to your Audax Australia cycling life. And, a final reminder that I will not be re-nominating for President at January’s AGM. If you are interested in knowing more for yourself or another, please get in touch via the [email protected] email address. The President’s position description is included on the back of your address label of this Checkpoint. It is a very rewarding way to contribute to the Club that brings so much to Australia’s long distance cycling aficionados. Happy riding Kerri-Ann Checkpoint Spring 2012

3

Audax Royal Weekend

Kilkivan 200 Michael Deed and Simon Faber

Kilkivan is about 250 km NW of Brisbane with a population of about 400 (plus some Audax riders for the day). Known now for it’s relaxed rural lifestyle, it was once a mecca of the gold mining boom when gold was discovered in the area during the late 1860 s. Thousands of prospectors descended on the area when payable quantities of gold were discovered in July 1868. The route took in Kilkivan, Tansey, Ban Ban Springs, Biggenden, and Woolooga. Gold and royalty are synonymous. Gold in the district and in achieving 100% completion rate for the ride, Audax royalty in the three starters, namely Pat Lehane (PBP×2 and current Queensland President) , Dino Morgante (National Committee Member, Audax Queensland Brevet Secretary and Audax Australia National UAF Brevet Secretary), and Vaughan Kippers (ex-Queensland

time and achieve what they set out to do. In particular, Simon and Michael rode the course in the week before and shortened it to 202 km at the Woolooga– Kilkivan junction after finding that the gruelling last 17 km to Kilkivan added an unwarranted degree of difficulty to an already challenging brevet. Dino added his own degree of difficulty by choosing to ride his single speed. (Which made our effort all the more sooky as we stopped 17 times and made it with six minutes to spare. Although

Dino Vaughan and Pat crossing one of the many cattle grids

president). This event was supported by ride organiser Simon, his wingman Michael and the “enthusiastic” coffee consumer/connoisseur Susan Goodall. While the participant rate was less than originally anticipated, those that came along had a grouse time, lots of laughs, some great scenery and camaraderie. It was an opportunity to give something back by providing an event that people remember for a long 4

Checkpoint Spring 2012

we were unsupported with the longest stretch being 98 km.) Start: Kilkivan Park After a breakfast of cereal, bacon-andegg rolls, and coffee the small but hardy peloton of three set off under a cloudy Queensland winter’s day. Simon generously provided bacon-and-egg rolls to two tree-loppers contracted by a power utility company in Brisbane to clear

power lines in the South Burnett district. When told of the event cigarettes were extinguished followed by a look of awe and disbelief on their faces. The support team packed up rather haphazardly to catch the group. The first climb of the day was 8% and at the top to the east was a panoramic view of the valley before the right turn at Tansey. Checkpoint 1: Lawless Park The support team awaited the arrival of Pat, Dino and Vaughan armed with tea/coffee/milo and Simon’s homemade pineapple, mixed fruit and sour cream slice (pineapple slice) which went down like a treat. Susan was rapidly gaining an understanding of long distance endurance cycling. Her experience to date was as lead organiser and supporter to long distance hiking events. Checkpoint 2: Ban Ban Springs Ban Ban Springs at the junction of the Burnett and Isis highways is an aboriginal cultural heritage place of great significance to the Wakka Wakka people. It is a sacred site. The water was bubbling out of the small pools in a couple of places and was quite a volume. You could see why the indigenous peoples of the area would want to make this a regular spot and our hunter and gatherer riders would rewarded with hot pumpkin soup and crusty bread, fruit, and sports drinks. Vaughan sped into the checkpoint out of nowhere followed by Dino and Pat. The road to Ban Ban Springs crossed two shires and this was clearly evident in the surface of the roads which reflected the both the nature of traffic and their budget allocations. Increased blue metal size over the border transmitted constant vibration which played havoc with hands, neck and shoulders. The wind had been assisting for the last 40 km or so but was freshening. As Pat cooled down Susan brought out

the supporter’s trump card for cool weather: a picnic blanket. It shields against moisture by an impervious layer which is put on the wind side and fluffy on the other side—toasty warm riders. To say Pat was wrapped was an understatement! Given the absence of traffic Simon commented that it shouldn’t be too difficult to turn the next corner to Biggenden. Riders moved off and were held up in all three directions by a variety of vehicles. The next leg had an 11 km downhill stretch, so after loading the car like a pit crew at Bathurst it was off to checkpoint 3. Checkpoint 3: Biggenden Biggenden, a lovely country town with a beautifully restored and maintained railway station, awaited the guys. The support wagon went through the first of scattered showers that would be a hallmark of the next few hours and set up in Biggenden. Vaughan and Dino arrived first. Susan nervously watched Pat speed past the turn to the checkpoint and Simon set off in pursuit lest he ended up in Childers. The route sheet only had eight directions: seven right hand turns and one left hand turn. Pat still managed to get lost coming into Biggenden by missing the turn into Edward Street as he alleged that “his pace was greater than the ability of the Garmin to identify the correct street”. Hot pasta and homemade bolognaise sauce (sans garlic) greeted the riders and we spent 45 minutes in the park talking about the very rough road surface, constant vibrations, and how the head wind had robbed them of the 11 km downhill. A wish for bigger bag tires! Fortunately, the roads were about to improve but the wind had now moved straight into the riders’ faces. On the road again Simon looked for a fuel supply point in Biggenden on a Sunday! No luck and with just half a tank we were on the road again to checkpoint 4. Checkpoint 4: Memorial Bridge Memorial Bridge is a peaceful and serene place. It is the only privately constructed bridge dedicated as a World War 1 memorial in Queensland. It was closed to traffic in 1972 and was restored in 2008 as a place of historical significance. It still had wreaths and flowers from ANZAC Day against the sandstone pillars.

Twelve cattle grids, unfenced roads and nervous cattle were another feature of this leg. Dino’s horn was effective in moving the cattle off the road. We set up camp like a well-oiled machine and Simon set off back 5 km to get some photos and to ensure on his return (estimating about 15 minutes for 5 km) the bacon and egg burgers would be hot and perfect for the boys. We had a book running on when the riders would arrive; with their time at 3.02 pm Simon’s 3.05 pm was on the money with Susan a close second.

was required so he could loosen his nuts if he punctured. We travelled ahead and with the rain just starting again, we hit the slippery dirt road stretch of five kilometres. We took a known shortcut back to Kilkivan to unload the wagon so the boys could be transported back from the finish. As he left Kilkivan Simon contemplated refuelling the wagon but was concerned in the fading light and cool conditions that he would arrive late for the finish and leave the riders in the cold and wet. Simon arrived early

Vaughan, Pat and Dino leaving the memorial bridge checkpoint

Pat received the royal treatment as Susan anxiously wrapped him in a picnic blanket. There were some unprintable shenanigans that occurred

at this checkpoint involving the ‘royal robes’. (You may like to ask Pat next time you see him but the baked beans at breakfast may give you an idea. Fortunately all the burners were turned off!) Photos were taken of the gang as they rode off in the softening light and a mid-flight refuel of Dino’s tool bag

and occupied his time doing nervous calculations of distance and fuel in the tank (and listening to the Rugby League which we had been unable to locate earlier due to the remote areas). Lights came around the corner 55 minutes later and with handshakes all around the roof racks were loaded and a tired but thankful group was whisked back to Kilkivan, muddy after the slippery dirt section, happy to finish and glad the course had been shortened to 202 km. A great ride through some splendid countryside with some really beautiful scenery. Places we have never been to before and great company. It truly was a ‘Champagne Brevet’! Footnote: Simon made it back to Gympie with the fuel light on for the last 12 km.

Checkpoint Spring 2012

5

Kaputar or Kaput

202 km Inverell to Narrabri Saturday 2 June 2012 Lindsay “The Captain” Harvey

The crack McCarrs Creek Cycling Club (MCCC) team of Brother Ian, Diesel John and The Captain, assembled at Inverell with three local riders, Ed, Bruce and Rob to cycle this interesting 200. In support were James and Lisa in their ASV (Audax Support Vehicle) which successfully supported the Garmin (Tim G Hancock) on his 600 km Border Ride from Inverell to Queensland and return. (Tim is known as “the Garmin” for his ability to get lost using the Garmin Edge 705). The Captain was trialling the navigation abilities of the Garmin 800. The map had been down loaded by “the Garmin” and instructions were given by Lisa to press the Go button as we took off at 7 am. It was 10°C and overcast with the threat of rain for most of the ride. The Captain was fully prepared to end up in Tamworth instead of Narrabri under the guide of the Garmin 800. For some reason this ride was fully sanctioned by the Chief (Marie my wife). I think it has something to do with the fact that I now swim with the Chief twice a week and let her beat me over one kilometre.) Brother Ian’s objective was to try and make it to Babinda, a distance of 97 km and it would be a personal best if achieved. As usual Brother Ian forgot his knicks, cycling shoes and helmet to add a bit of interest to his ride. James solved

the issue and Brother Ian was kitted out and set off on time. A prerequisite for this ride is a Rocket Science degree that would allow you to count up to 15 cattle grids so the sixteenth grid does not buck you off your bike. Fortunately the Captain was riding with Diesel John who has a Computer Science degree and the Captain was reasonably confident that John could count past three. Alas Diesel John lost count after three grids and for some reason the Garmin 800 does not show cattle grids. Needless to say we were very nervous at the arrival of each grid and there must have been about 20 on the course with one halfway down a descent with no warning. We hit that at 60 km/h. Arrived at the first control at the Copeton Dam (about 37 km), to a hot roll and cup of tea from the ASV. Could

Ed, Rob, Barry, the Captain, Diesel John and Lisa at Copeton Dam

6

Checkpoint Spring 2012

not want for a better stop and welcoming committee. Two years ago the dam was empty and now it was full. At this stage five of the six riders were together with Brother Ian holding the Lanterne Rouge position. Two of the Inverell locals had never ridden much further than 50 km and the aim was to make Bingara. Inexperience in long distance had them starting too quickly and the cunning MCCC Team soon found themselves in front with Ed, the Gym Junkie. Ed was by far the quickest rider but continually stopped to adjust clothing, eat food or some other excuse which meant that the Captain was never more than two minutes behind at the controls. The next section took out two back lights. After going over a cattle grid the Captain’s new rear light shook off and dropped onto the road. The Captain stopped immediately almost taking out

Diesel John, to recover the light but a passing car took aim and smashed it to smithereens. Better get to Narrabri in daylight thought the Captain whose back up light was nowhere near as good as his lost light. Ed also lost his backlight but at least it took him two grids. We arrived at the dreaded fifteenth grid only to see Ed and Diesel John jump their bikes over the grid like they were riding BMX. The Captain walked over the grid. At Bingara Diesel John and the Captain were met by James who took the bikes and then Lisa who directed them to a chair which had delicious a salad roll and cake and fruit waiting. Two years ago on this ride I thought Sandy’s control stops were the best I had experienced but Lisa and James have taken out a Doctorate in supporting long distance riders. Bruce and Rob came in about 15 minutes later with Brother Ian a further 90 minutes behind. A great effort for these riders and it will not be long before they hit the 200 km mark. Away on our final 105 km to Narrabri. The Garmin 800 (as distinct from The Garmin alias Tim Hancock) sprung into life and told us to turn left and right and head toward Mt Kaputar. (The Garmin 800 springs into life about 150 m from a change of course and even counts down the metres to the turn. If it had voice directions and a slightly larger screen it would be almost perfect.) Rode through two kilometres of road under repair and the Captain’s new Titanium Seven Bike with Dura Ace Di2 got filthy. Less than 1000 km on the odometer at this point and a clean would be required on return. (Note the charge on the battery to power the derailleurs is still showing full after 1000 km of riding. Can also report that very heavy rain did not upset the system.) Next section was a steep climb of 10–11% for about two kilometres. Toughest climb on the ride. Once again Ed the Gym Junkie led the way only to stop to eat a banana at the top and allowing us to catch up. Once at the top of the climb we made a good pace to Rocky Creek where the ASV was waiting. This time hot soup, cake and all sorts of goodies to help us on the last 55 km. We can offer some advice on when nature calls and you are nowhere near any facilities. When disrobing your cycle gear do not do it in long grass. Long

grass has some advantages in that you cannot be seen but when dressing you tend to find grass seeds all through your cycle clothing. In this case it solved the problem and we now have some grass seeds to plant in Sydney. We discovered on riding on a bit further down the road the Glacial Park where you can visit remnants of the ice age and also some facilities. Great climb up Mt Kaputar, with an average grade of about 5% with one massive switchback that got the Garmin 800 worried and wanted me to turn around. We were now confident that James and Lisa had cleared the course of the Turramurra Pretty Boys—not a white leg warmer in sight. The last 35 km into Narrabri was a bit of a blast and it was an amazing change of scenery with cotton fields everywhere. The road was so straight you could not see the end of it. At the 25 km mark it rained very heavily making for night time riding conditions. Diesel John took up the rear as his rear light was more effective than the Captain’s, and we put our heads down and rode with heavy rain for the next hour. About 10 km out of Narrabri Short Leg McMillian arrived in his car and advised us of the location of our overnight stay. In the appalling conditions this proved to be a wonderful information. As we neared our destination we spotted the Newell Highway and once again the Garmin 800 told us to turn left and almost navigated us to the cabin. Lisa had updated her map but I

had the older version so we ended up about 500 meters short of the end. Arrived soaked to the skin despite waterproof gear and found a beer in our hand. Much to our amazement Diesel John and the Captain had ridden a personal best of the 202 km with a time of 10 hours 15 minutes, 45 minutes quicker than last time. Diesel John and the Captain have now experienced this fantastic country hospitality in two regions in the last four months. First in Tumut and now Inverell. Thanks must go to Lisa and James (and their mighty ASV) who contributed a great deal to our comfort and good ride time. Doing Audax rides in country is just so good. You go where you would never drive your car and are rewarded with scenery that we are privileged to have in Australia. Our advice is to search the Audax Calendar and try and plan at least two country adventures. Post Script The MCCC had arranged for Bruce Short Leg McMillian to ride the return ride on the Sunday. Bruce is one of the top MCCC riders and completed the Sydney-to-Melbourne Alpine three years ago. We thought he was a certainty to smash the time record on this ride. However as the successful MCCC riders had lunch at Quirindi, we got a text advising that after 50 km Bruce’s bike was washed away and he was saved by the ASV.

The Captain and Diesel John with 45 km to Narrabri

Checkpoint Spring 2012

7

International Super Randonneur 1200

Chasing a bright red patch with the world on it Judith Swallow

2009 started pretty much like any other year. The usual winter emails were exchanged suggesting overseas rides in the sun. I said yes to John Barkman’s idea of Madrid–Gijon–Madrid (MGM1200); then good friend Nick Dale from Western Australia suggested riding London–Edinburgh– London (LEL1400) with the WA lads, another yes. Gold Rush 1200 in California had been on the wish list for a long time and it let me meet up with Carol Bell, Hans Dusink and his long-suffering wife Linda. The final piece of craziness was seeing Audax Australia’s Sydney–Melbourne Alpine (SM1200) and another entry went in. It was only when booking flights and leave that I noticed the schedule. The first three rides (Gold Rush, LEL and MGM) were within seven weeks starting in July. I then had a break of two months before heading out to SM1200. I’d set myself up for an International Super Randonneur 1200 series on three continents in under six months. It seemed kind of crazy but also struck me as an exciting adventure, so having never done anything so silly since riding tandem with Jon Jennings, I hopped on a BA flight to ride number 1.

Ride 1: Gold Rush Randonnee

Date: 6–10 July 2009 Organiser: Davis Bike Club, California, USA

I can’t remember quite how this ride got on my ‘wish list’, but it did. It 8

Checkpoint Spring 2012

runs every four years from Davis to the turnaround at Davis Creek. It does what it says on the tin: travelling through gold rush country in the Sierra Nevada mountain range. At 6 pm several groups formed up for the dash through 100 km of flat lands to Oroville. There the climbing started and didn’t end until the feared Janesville grade some 888 km later. Then it was, as they say, ‘downhill all the way to the finish’ and back onto the flat lands where mosquitoes feasted on us. Rice is grown on land irrigated by dykes; hence the charming mosquitos. The ride turned out to be a really friendly affair, meeting up with old friends as well as new. I caught up with Mary Crawley and Jeff Bauer on their Co-motion tandem and Bill Olsen who I’d see again on SM1200. New friends made during the ride were many, but one that sticks in my mind is Paul ‘the Octopus’ Rozelle, one of three riders on fixed. The plan to ride with Carol fell by the wayside as she dashed off with the lead group, but over the next 24 hours a posse of Hans Dusink, John Evans (on fixed) and I formed and the rapid-fire exchange of banter and jokes made the ride a 1200 km full of fun. We rode together until 20 km from the arrivée where Hans and I managed to mislay John. He’d stopped for a much-needed coffee stop and forty winks, not headed down the freeway as we’d feared. The ride organisation was good; the route fantastic with wonderful scenery, the only disappointment was that my ride jersey got lost in the post. Would I ride this again? Yes.

Ride 2: London– Edinburgh–London

Date: 26 July–1 August Organiser: Audax United Kingdom

This was my second edition of LEL, my first was in 2005 but without a 1200 km prologue! The WA group set off at 8.30 am attired in our new team jerseys. It could have been something about the nice arrows or stripes on the jerseys, or perhaps our convict/ACP number 511501 that made AUKs wary of talking to us! During the ride, Nick and I hooked up with some great groups including bunches from Seattle International Randonneurs and Audax Italia. During the first day of the ride, Nick and I had the pleasure of riding with Rick Blacker from the US and Sophie Matter from France. Both had preceded LEL with the Rocky Mountains 1200. Unbeknown to any of us at the time, we’d meet up again at SM1200. The weather gods put on a spectacular display of rain and wind, but forgot to include sun in the mix. Nick and I became ‘the group’ with John

Evans popping in and out as he’d had the cunning idea of booking into a Travelodge or two rather than using the accommodation provided by the organisation. Despite the challenges of the weather, bunch banter provided enough entertainment for us to complete the ride with plenty of time in hand. The ride organisation was ‘interesting’ but the ride held together under difficult circumstances, so thumbs up. I preferred the 2005 route to this one. Would I ride this again? Perhaps.

Ride 3: Madrid–Gijon–Madrid

Date: 18–22 August Organiser: Audax Iberia

This was the second MGM. As with the first edition, it almost coincided with LEL, but this time they had been a bit more kindly and scheduled it two weeks after LEL rather than finishing two days before the start of LEL. I was one of the first three ladies to ride this event, the others being Spain’s Nuria Rodriguez Jurado and Italy’s Rosanna Bandieri. I was also one of a quartet of Brits who’d just completed LEL; the other three being John Barkman, John Evans and Peter Turnbull. John E was at this point, we thought, winning the crazy randonneur prize as he’d sneaked in the Super Brevet Scandinavia 1200 between LEL and MGM. I was unaware that Bill Olsen was on a similar run: his fourth ride was Endless Mountains 1200. However, SM1200 would prove a bigger obstacle to their attempts to ride six 1200 km+ brevets in the same year. We departed from Algete, a beautiful town about 20 km from central

Madrid at 10 pm. We were escorted by a combination of motos and mopeds for most of the night, acting as mobile route marshals. For once, Mr Evans had had a light bulb moment and had chosen a bike with gears as opposed to his beloved fixed, which was a wise move given the amount of climbing we were going to enjoy. However, Pat Hurt hadn’t had the same thought and was riding his fixed Airnimal. Going down long descents in the dark, he looked like a Bugs Bunny cartoon not quite up to speed. We headed out through a countryside turned the most wonderful shades of terracotta. As John said, we were seeing the visual of Miles Davis’ ‘Sketches of Spain’. The weather gods seemed to be smiling on us, kindly providing a gorgeous daily 40°C of sun on our backs. We rode over a 1240 m climb to get us up and over the Picos de Europa, where our world turned from terracotta to green all the way to the turnaround at Gijon, a working port on the Bay of Biscay. However, the weather gods hadn’t ordered 1200 km of sun and as we chugged back up the mountain, we rode in a nasty drizzle that had been hassling us for a couple of hours. This didn’t spoil the drama of the narrow road as it twisted and turned through a rocky gorge. However, the drizzle didn’t have our climbing legs and departed a bit before the summit of the climb. After that, thankfully the sunshine reinstalled itself right up to the finish. The motos were fantastic, constantly making sure we were all OK. They were even cheering and handing out CocaCola at gone midnight on top of the climb from hell, following the control at Ayllon. Basically, if you could find a metre of smooth surface to ride at any given time, you were doing exceptionally well. Following the route was a challenge, as the route sheet was in Spanish with no arrows painted on the road, unlike Gold Rush or Mille Miglia. Ray Robinson’s wife had translated the route sheet into English for Ray who was also riding MGM. John and I were lucky enough to be given a copy, but for whatever reason, there was a crucial instruction missing with less than 100 km to go to the arrivée. This led to an off-route excursion that added about 90 km to the ride while visiting the hilltop town of Guadalarjara. Once John had figured which way the sun was turning (he usually lives in Australia) in relation to my ten year old map, we

were heading in the right direction again. We pitched up at the arrivée with 1.3 hours to spare. John, Pat, Chris Wilby, Peter Turnbull and I then enjoyed a great festive lunch with most of the Spanish riders. The ride organisation only provided the basics, but always did it excellently, including their moto team. The event is very ‘Spanish’ with 85% of the peloton being Spaniards. However this contributed to the charm and enjoyment of this ride. Would I ride this again? Yes

Ride 4: Sydney–Melbourne Alpine 1200

Date: 29 November–1 December Organiser: Audax Australia

The idea of a straight-out 1200 km ride over the Snowy Mountains captured for me the spirit of adventure and randonneuring. What I and various friends didn’t realise was that our spirit of adventure and enthusiasm for randonneuring was going to be tested 110%. We rolled out from under the Sydney Harbour Bridge as one big peloton of about 60 riders plus local route finders at 6 am, heading for the first night’s stop at Canberra. Lots of good friends were in the bunch: Nick Dale, Dave Minter, Bill Olsen, John Evans (on fixie), Sophie Matter and Rick Blacker. The task of getting to Canberra had seemed relatively straightforward and promised a good night’s sleep (in randonneur terms at least). However a full-on head wind installed itself, which remained there for the next 600 km with rain thrown in as a special treat. The route and route sheet were both ‘challenging’ which meant that the group that Checkpoint Spring 2012

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formed after Gunning rolled in just two hours before the control closed. After a bite of food and a hint of sleep, we tackled breaking out of Canberra. My gruppetto had the good fortune of Peter Heal on his recumbent as a ride guide before he headed to work after a night helping at the control. Getting to Cabramurra at 1400 m in the Snowy Mountains, with the boast of being Australia’s highest town, proved the next challenge. At Cooma, having loitered in a control way too long with Stuart Dowell, Chris Rogers (ride organiser) gave me a bum steer, telling me that Dave, Bill and John were ahead. I launched a 110 km time trial, unaware that I was chasing Dave not on his bike, but in a car because the three of them had fallen victim to the ride and were already out. However, my time trial saved my ride, as I got into Cabramurra with an hour in hand before the control closed, near midnight. The subsequent descent and climb had gradients more severe than the Devil’s Staircase in Wales. An added bonus was the darkness and negative temperatures, due to wind chill. Then followed a crazy twisty roller coaster of descending and climbing, ending at the motel control of Corryong and some well-earned sleep.

STRALIA

I passed through the Bellbridge control, again in Mr Evans’ entertaining company. John, like a lot of the riders sans brevet cards, rode to the Melbourne finish just for the fun of it. With the sun out and the wind at our backs, the riding was great. Control cut-off times were no longer an issue and those lucky enough to have brevet cards in their jersey pocket really relaxed and enjoyed the ride. The last day on the road—200 km from Euroa to Melbourne—was brilliant. The weather was warm with a tail wind to gently push you along plus the company of good friends. I rolled into the arrivée with Dave, Bill and John to be greeted by lots of Victorian friends who didn’t ride SM1200, but were enjoying a Christmas party that doubled up as the control. It was the perfect way to complete my second ISR 3C. The ride organisation was excellent, but the route sheet ‘interesting’. This ride suffered one of the greatest DNF rates of all time (virtually 50%), only matched by Endless Mountains 1240 km, so a second edition might not be on offer. Would I ride this again? Don’t know.

Final thoughts

A big ‘thank you’ has to go to all the organisers and volunteers that made riding these brevets possible. The rides not only provided me with fantastic challenges, but the opportunity to meet up with long-time international friends, in some cases multiple times and making new friends who I’ve since had the pleasure of meeting and riding with again. Chasing an ISR award (twice now) has encouraged me to travel to new and wonderful countries that I might have not otherwise gone to and filled the memory banks to overflowing; thumbs up.

International Super Series?

The ISR is administered by Audax UK and the requirements are simple: “a rider can complete a Super Randonneur series, that is, 200, 300, 400 and 600 km rides under the Randonneur Mondiaux code, with each ride in a different country, over any period of time, and become an International Super Randonneur.” Longer rides may be substituted for shorter, completing rides on different continents is recognised and backdated claims are allowed. See: www.aukweb.net/isr/index.htm

Audax Australia THE LONG DISTANCE CYCLING CLUB

Audax Australia is a cycling club focused on long distance cycling, the challenge of Audax Australia events is in testing your limits and achieving the impossible. How audacious are you?

UPCOMING EVENTS FOR 2012 VICTORIA September

Daylesford Bobby Dazzlers 35/70/100 Wimmera Walkabouts Weekend 200 October

Great Grampians Challenge 100 QUEENSLAND September

The wonders of Glorious Mee 200km Cycling into Spring 200km October

Mt Charlton Challenge 50/100/150/200km SOUTH AUSTRALIA September

AUDAX EVENTS AROUND AUSTRALIA More than just the Alpine Classic, the Audax Australia events calendar has a wide array of rides, designed to appeal to everyone from nouveau randonneurs to fully fledged Audaxers. From 50 to 1200 and beyond, whatever your challenge Audax Australia has a ride for you.

OPPY, AUDAX & PARIS-BREST-PARIS

In 1931, Australian cyclist Sir Hubert Opperman (Oppy) won the 1200km Paris-Brest-Paris race. Nowadays, it is no longer a race, and is held every four years. It has become the most famous randonnee of all, and is known in the randonneur world simply as PBP. The next PBP will be held in August 2015.

Audax Australia Cycling Club Inc., Association No. A0014462N ARBN 125 562 307

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GREAT SOUTHERN RANDONNEE 1200

ALPINE

October

Round the Pound 110/200/220/230 WESTERN AUSTRALIA September

Peel around Peel 100/200 October

The Garden of Eden 100/200 NEW SOUTH WALES

CLASSIC

The Cowra Weekend 100/200/300

SUN 27TH JAN

An Epic Warm Up 150/200/250 Weekend at Robbo 100/200 AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

®

2013

29th October 2012

TICKETS

www.audax.org.au/gsr

AUG 2012

Follow the riders progress on this epic 4 day adventure

Discover Naracoorte 100/200/300 Copper Coast Wanderer 100/200/300/400/600

ON SALE

www.audax.org.au

September October

September

Highlands Hop 300 Riverina Romp 600 October

Mountain Creek Roubaix 160/300

For more rides & details visit: www.audax.org.au/calendar

Touring

Allez les mecs! McCarr’s Creakers in the Pyrénées Tim Hancock

My trip to the French Pyrénées in June 2012 began with a trip out to Levallois on the Paris Metro to visit Cycles Alex Singer. Alex Singer opened his shop on rue Victor Hugo in 1938. He made custom-built bikes there for 30 years, and then passed the shop and the business to his nephew Ernst Csuka who, in turn, passed it on to his son, Olivier, a few years ago. Olivier continues to operate out of the same shop using the benches and tools that Alex used 70 years ago, and makes some of the most elegant steel randonneuring (and other) bikes imaginable. I spent two fascinating hours touring the workshop and talking to Victor who is Olivier’s apprentice, and came away with a ‘maillot’, two bidons and an order form. Ah well! One can always dream… Three days later, I was sitting in a bar in the little Pyrénéen hilltop town of Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges with four other members of that august institution, the McCarr’s Creek Cycling Club. ‘Les mecs’ (the guys) and I had just completed a 100 km circuit over the Col de Peyresourde, and were feeling pretty satisfied with ourselves. In the square outside the eleventh century cathedral, a small market was packing up, and a vociferous farmer was shouting: “Fromage frais!” “On y va,” I said. We sank our last beers, and rolled down the cobbled street. “Allez, allez, allez les mecs!” shouted the farmer. The team consisted of Ian Maloney and Phil Newby (the ‘Beach Boys’), ‘Fast Phil’ Hellman, Richard ‘Scone Nazi’ Farago, and me ‘The Garmin’, navigational expert extraordinaire. In deference to our presence in France, these titles became: ‘Les Garçons du Plage’, ‘Phil de Vitesse’, ‘Le Nazi des Crêpes’ and ‘Le Garmin’. All enquiries about the origin, meaning and legality of these titles should be addressed to the Captain, Lindsay Harvey. Our original plan was to do the Raid Pyrénéen, or a coast to coast ride, supported by a local tour operator. But in the end all the tours were fully booked, so we settled for a week’s riding from bases near Luchon and Argelès-Gazost. Chris and Helen Balfour, who own and run ‘Pyractif’, organised it for us, and did a great job. They own a large and comfortable farmhouse at Bertren, 30 km north of Luchon, and focus on the epic cols of the Tour de France and fully-supported coast-to-coast rides. The farmhouse can accommodate 15 or more in five rooms with ensuite

bathrooms, and Helen cooks breakfast and dinner most days. They have a workshop and half a dozen high quality titanium and carbon-framed road bikes for hire, so we brought only saddles, pedals and the other necessary gear. The bikes were adequate, but I could not replicate my usual riding position, and by the end of the week my back was crippling me. Next time, I will bring my own bike. Despite delays and missed connections, we all managed to meet in Toulouse at lunchtime on Friday, 8 June. Richard in the Val d’Azun

I arrived by TGV from Paris, and the others came by air. They hired a car at the airport, and after collecting me from the station, we adjourned to the Rue de Strasbourg for a long lunch. By lunchtime on Saturday, we were in Bertren unpacking and setting up the bikes, and at 2.30 pm with Chris in the lead, we were off to the Col des Ares and the Col de Menté. Once over the Ares and the little Buret, we descended to a bridge over a torrent at HennéMorte. Here the road turns right for the Menté and left for the Portet d’Aspet. About 200 m above the bridge, toward the Portet d’Aspet, is the monument to Fabio Casartelli who was killed here during the 1995 Tour de France when he came off and hit the roadside wall while descending. Raymond Poulidor also came to grief at the same spot in the 1970 s. Chris said we only had time to visit the monument, but I hadn’t come 12,000 km not to climb everything in my way, so I continued upwards chasing young Dave who was riding with us. The Portet d’Aspet from the West (from Aspet) is only rated a category 2 climb at an average of 4.6%, but we rapidly discovered how meaningless this rating system is. From the bridge to the monument, the gradient is 18%, and it doesn’t drop much below 10% for the whole four and a half kilometres to about 500 m below the summit where it rises again to 13%. I managed it in 45 minutes, but Dave passed me on his way down well before that. A week later the two Phils did it in 30 minutes! Their assessment? Like mine: short and brutal. Descending, it rapidly became clear how easy it is to come to grief. The camber is reversed on every Checkpoint Spring 2012

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curve, and it gets progressively steeper the D26 through the foothills to Arreau towards the bottom. I was glad to be in the Neste valley where ‘les mecs’ over the bridge, and chasing the peloton stopped for coffee. Only just warmed up the Menté. up, I declined and pressed on for the From the East, the Menté rises Aspin. A sharp climb to begin, and then through a wooded valley for about long sweeping hairpins up to the col at 10 km at a pretty constant 8.5%. At 1489 m. Fast Phil caught me just before the top I passed a troop of Spanish the summit, and the others shortly mountain bikers heading for the bar afterwards. No café here, so down to (there is a bar/café on most of the the ‘sandwicherie’ at Payolle for lunch. Pyrénéan cols), and then plunged Given a 20-minute start by the down a multitude of hairpin bends others, Richard and I dropped down through St Béat to Bertren and dinner. The others had arrived about 30 minutes ahead of me. On the scoreboard: 77 km and three cols (four including the diminutive Buret). The next morning, with Helen following in the van, we headed for the Col de Peyresourde. First, a steady pedal up the Garonne valley for 25 km to Luchon, then a right turn and the gradient immediately rises to 8–9%. After a few kilometres, there are patches where it eases to 7%, but these Pyrénéan climbs seem to feature sharp starts and finishes and constant gradients of around 8%. The café at the top offered 12 crêpes for €5.00; a good many were consumed as we tried to solve the party puzzles provided by the patron. A swooping descent followed to Arreau, and then along the D26 to St Bertand and home. Add 103 km and col number five. Monday took us back up to Luchon, Les mecs shivering on the Tourmalet and then over the Col du Portillon to Spain: 10 km at an average of 6.6%, but to St Marie de Campan, and swung they don’t tell you that the gradient left for La Mongie. From here, the road rises continuously from 2% at the start rises 1295 m in 17 km to the Tourmalet in Luchon to 10.5% at the top. On some at 2115 m. The first four kilometres of the ramps it kicks up to 13% and to Cabadur are a modest 3–5%. The more. A real little ripper in a narrow second section up to Artigues through valley, through forests and past specthe forest rises to 8% and then sharply tacular waterfalls. Just as I reached to 11% through avalanche tunnels to La the summit in my regular position as Mongie. It eases back to about 8% over lanterne rouge, young Dave caught me. the last four kilometres to the col. He had set out from Bertren with us, Richard and I managed to fend off an but did the climb to Superbagnères first. attack until Artigues where the Beach We rocketed down together to Bossòst Boys ground past me and disappeared for Spanish beer and tapas, and then into the clouds, and Richard joined rolled back down to St Béat and home. Chris in the van. Somewhere in the That was 84 km and col number six. mist below La Mongie, Fast Phil caught Tuesday was showery and cold, so me, and a road mending crew driving a we decided to make a tour of the sweeper managed to fill our shoes with Garonne Valley. We wandered down gravel. Above La Mongie both the temcycle paths and through villages to perature and visibility dropped. Chris St Gaudens, and then back (inevitakept an eye on us from the van. Lights bly) to the bar at St Bertrand. Here would have been sensible. we refreshed ourselves, and took on At the summit, the café was closed. resolve for the following day’s ride With the wind chill factor, the temperaover the cols Aspin and Tourmalet. ture was close to freezing. Given the cold, Wednesday morning was cold, but lack of visibility and a wet road, common clear. The first stage took us 40 km on sense dictated that we retreat to the van, 12

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and Chris took us down to Luz and then Argelès in double quick time. A quick hot shower, and we were at the Bar d’Azun with the locals. Today chalked-up 85 km and cols seven and eight. The Hotel Beau Site at Argelès is a gem. Situated in a back street near the town square, it looks out across the rooftops and up the valley to Hautacam and the Pic du Midi de Bigorre above the Tourmalet. The rooms were comfortable, and the menu du jour excel-

lent. Mr et Mme Taik-Colpi are charming hosts. They also have bike storage. Highly recommended. Thursday produced the best weather so far. The road to the Aubisque rises 1353 m over a distance of 30 km from the Argelès town square. The first section rises at 8% to the Val d’Azun where it levels out, and the riding is pure bliss through meadows with high peaks above. At Arruns, the climbing begins in earnest. A long series of hairpins at about 8% takes you up to the Col du Soulor where there is a very comfortable bar from which the road to the Aubisque, through tunnels and along the cliffs, is only too visible. While we were imbibing suitable refreshments, a lone rider came up the road from Pau at high speed followed by an official-looking motorcyclist. At the top he pulled that admirable stunt of the professional: hands off the bars, jacket on and down towards the Aubisque. We were suitably impressed, and after making friends with a Pyrénéan mountain dog, a donkey, several horses and

Descending from the Portillon

Road to the Aubisque

numerous sheep, four of us followed with hands firmly attached to bikes. Richard decided to stay put and firm up his friendship with la patronne (and her daughter). That last stretch to the Aubisque was a little hairy. One tunnel has a dog leg, and was so dark that I had to stop and feel for the wall. It would have helped if I had remembered to take off my sunglasses. Then my right cleat came loose. ‘Better turn back,’ said someone. ‘Not bloody likely!’ A few hard turns with an Allen key secured the remaining bolt, and I remounted. At the Aubisque, the compulsory photos were taken with the big bike sculptures, and after some pleasant lying around on the grass, it was time to descend to the Soulor. Pure enjoyment, despite the 200 m climb at the end through the mountain cattle. Then down, down, down to the Bar d’Azun at Argelès. And that was 60 km and cols nine and ten. The following day, Friday, took us back to Bertren via Bagnères de Bigorre and St Bertrand. A perfect day with all the high peaks in view on our right—88 km and 935 m of ascent, but no big cols. I had to leave for London on the Saturday, but the others stayed on for a few more days, and moved East to Tarascon where they had what they thought was the best day of all on the Route des Corniches. On the way there and back, they managed to throw in the Portet d’Aspet, the Marmare, the Port and the Chioula. Lest it be thought that were only interested in col bagging, some of the most enjoyable riding we did was in the valleys and through the foothills. Quiet roads, charming villages, friendly cafes and ever changing views. The roads on the lower slopes of the mountains are often heavily wooded, and wind their way over rivers and torrents. Many villages are perched on ridges or hang precariously onto the mountainsides. The riding is endlessly interesting and exciting. The Raid beckons. I’ll be back.

Tim arrives on the Aubisque

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Planning a route

The Star Gazers’ Guide to the Solar System Bob McHugh

This article focuses on the making of the course for the Star Gazers’ Guide to the Solar System because it was a challenging yet immensely enjoyable exercise in itself. We’ve all experienced the charm of a quiet road which twists and turns with the contours of interesting countryside, enticing the rider on, on to discover what lies beyond the next corner or hill crest. That’s what I look for when planning any kind of cycling trip, Audax included. The Star Gazers’ Guide to the Solar System is a 1000 km ride in central New South Wales, which was held in April this year. You can read Chris Rogers’ and Hamish Moffatt’s accounts of the ride in the winter edition of Checkpoint and see the course maps online: Day 1: Cowra to Dunedoo (384 km) ridewithgps.com/routes/966178 Day 2: Dunedoo, Siding Spring, Dunedoo ‘loop’ (295 km) ridewithgps.com/routes/966286 Day 3: Dunedoo to Cowra (321 km) ridewithgps.com/routes/966292

Wishful thinking

The idea of a ride in central New South Wales occurred to me in 2006 during a tour from Canberra to Brisbane. From the top of broad hill north of Gulgong, the field of view suddenly stretched across many kilometres into a new landscape. The wide valley of the Coolaburragundy River rises gently to the base of the long blue ridge called the Coolah Tops. The next day I traversed similarly expansive country, dotted by small volcanic cones, all the way to Tamworth. Three weeks later, I returned through the same region but then headed southwest, down Wellington way, making easy progress between the undulating canola fields, brilliant yellow under August sunshine. Big sky country, all this, perfect for long days on the bike, virtually unexplored by Audax. However, the maps and local advice were discouraging. Most of the quiet roads which linked the small villages seemed to be spoilt by multiple sections of gravel. While I shelved the notion of an Audax ride in the area, the lure of that wonderful cycling country did not ebb completely. Occasionally I pored over the maps, trying to visualise a viable course. A good 1000 km route from the vicinity of Cowra to Coonabarabran would be feasible if not for all of that gravel!

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Exploration in earnest

As I grew more experienced in ferreting new courses out of unreliable Australian maps, I learned to be skeptical also of the well-meant but sometimes outdated advice of local people. My motivation to hold a multi-day event in the milder climate north of the ACT was sharpened by the hard frosts and strong winds which regularly struck the Riverina Romp, a ride which I also organise. In July 2010 I decided to explore the area intensively, trading the speed of a car for the pleasures of a bike. Even if my efforts to devise a proper Audax course were to come to naught, at least I would have some fun. The first attempt was no fun at all, being thwarted by flooded roads, but the second was a success. My base was Dunedoo. Though small, this village is well positioned as a sleeping place for both the first and second nights of a 1000 km course. I left Dunedoo before dawn. The sun’s rays soon warmed the morning as I climbed continuously but imperceptibly along the Coolaburragundy Valley. After four years, it was good to be back in this lush pastoral landscape. Eventually the road ascends steeply to the top of the western extension of the Coolah Tops, passing one incarnation of the iconic Black Stump. Then begins an exhilarating descent almost 30 km. The distant rocky crags of the Warrumbungle Range are visible straight ahead. A freight train rumbled and rattled beside me as I sped down hill. What a hoot! In addition to this fine cycling an extensive road side attraction raised the appeal of this potential course another notch. The Virtual Solar System is a huge scale model consisting of a billboard for each planet at its proportional distance from the sun, represented by the Siding Spring observatory which sits high atop the Warrumbungle Range. Contrary to the map, the roads all the way to Siding Spring are paved. So is the return leg which I explored, except for a short section of smooth dirt. I rode the last kilometres in

Finally the course was ready to ride! Although I had ridden almost every section at least once, I had yet to tackle it as a whole. A week before the scheduled event, I set out on the vollies’ ride. I thought I knew what to expect but I was in for a few surprises. By far the best was the unexpectedly early appearance of the lights of Cowra when I was still a considerable distance from the finish. Almost an hour later in a 24-hour petrol station, with the final signature in the brevet card, I felt both a deep satisfaction and the excited anticipation of supporting the other riders in just a few days. I have been an active cyclist for 23 years, an Audax member since 2000. This is my third year as the National Calendar Coordinator. I enjoy exploration of the country side with a bike and often a camera. A long distance Audax event or two adds extra pizzazz to cycle touring. It has often struck me that Audax riding is to a large extent touring for the time poor. Now retired and no longer time poor, I nevertheless still enjoy Audax riding. This contradiction has created an existential crisis so deep that on Audax rides I find myself obsessively pondering whether Being is no more than Time.

IN W

Riding it!

ce an Fr to rip at

a very happy frame of mind under the vast luminescence of the Milky Way. A northern loop was viable and the full course could surely be devised. Unfortunately the flood-related delay meant that not enough time remained for a survey of the southern half of the route before the deadline for the 2011 rides calendar. In several trips over the next 12 months, however, I assembled the full course. There is not enough space to recount this except to note my amazement at discovering a second extensive roadside attraction, the marvelous Animals-on-Bikes, between Molong and Dubbo, a perfectly apt motif for any bicycle event. Tin Lizzy and the paddock sculpture peloton blazon that bikes are back in town! Early in 2012, an unexpected road closure for bridge repair and delays to this work caused by flooding necessitated significant revision to the first stage of the course. Now running short of time I did this by car in the company of Andrew Blake, an Audax rider from Wagga who was recovering from a serious traffic accident. Andrew’s enthusiasm for the course settled my few remaining doubts about whether the event’s participants would enjoy the course as much as I hoped.

March 10th 2013 Labour Day Weekend (Vic) A new Audax event in the Victorian Alps 70, 135 and 200 km rides $20 discount for club members Starts at Dinner Plain Volunteers required All entrants eligible to WIN a trip to France* Event jersey and T-shirt available for purchase Accommodation details on website *Terms and conditions apply

Contact: [email protected] or 0405 223 406

www.hothamchallenge.com.au

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Mixed terrain randonnee

Where the fun begins Gareth Evans

As many know already, where the bitumen ends is where the real fun begins. Forget the stress of dealing with unsympathetic traffic, exhaust fumes and noise, and discover the roads less travelled as you venture into the new territory of the network of unsealed roads. It may all sound overly poetic but the truth is that there is real satisfaction to be gained by leaving the tarmac behind. No longer limited by retracing the same routes and free to find out what lies beyond the bitumen. Although it’s possible to discover a plethora of new routes and roads, riding unsealed roads also becomes a challenge in its self: wet greasy conditions, rough ungraded stretches, ruts and corrugations. If the scenery doesn’t distract you the road will. At times it’s eyes down, especially for a fast descent. Not such a problem on the climbs though, with eyes free to scan the scenery and soak up the view. The pace is slower than the road, tyres don’t roll as fast on gravel as they do on tarmac. Not such a bad thing to slow down and increase the ride time and the riding pleasure. Whatever your goal, whether it’s avoiding traffic, discovering new routes or the enjoyment of riding off road, the rewards are great. So why not set yourself a new challenge and try a bit of rough (stuff).

What is a mixed terrain randonnee?

“Nicknamed ‘rough riding’ in North America and ‘rough stuff’ in Europe, [mixed terrain riding] involves cycling over a variety of surfaces and topography” [en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Mixed_Terrain_Cycle-Touring]

A classic mixed terrain randonnee will include a mixture of sealed and unsealed road, plus a variety of topography, both hilly and flat. Ideally a mixed terrain randonnee will incorporate the best of both to provide a challenging and rewarding ride that tests the rider. Mixed terrain rides do not have their own ride category and fall somewhere between the traditional road and dirt brevets. Rides of 200 km and over are run under the standard BRM and BA road rules using the minimum average speed of 15 km/h. This makes for some very challenging mixed terrain events when the topography tips towards the scenic end of the scale and the distance creeps up. Since there are no rules to define mixed terrain randonnees there are no guidelines about the amount of unsealed, or the topography. The aim of the ride should be to ride the best roads available, visit the most scenic areas, and challenge yourself in the process. These criteria might not always be compatible with a rigid formula so as a general rule of thumb I try to include around 50% of unsealed roads and about 1500 meters of climbing per 100 km. Any more of either makes for an arduous day our rather than a challenging one, any less and it’s doddle. Although my preferred distance for a mixed terrain randonnee is 200 km, I have tested the water on a 300

and 400 with mixed results. Under the Club’s current ride structure the 200 is an achievable goal for most experienced randonneurs. Beyond this the 15 km/h minimum average speed curtails what is possible for an average rider like myself. (Note: minimum average speed for dirt rides is 10 km/h but dirt rides have a maximum distance limit of 100 km). The 300 is within reach, albeit only just, and the 400 is a thing of dreams. Apart from rider ability the limiting factors are the amount of climbing, night riding off sealed roads, and the lack of checkpoint options in remote areas. Although it seems inconsistent with the basic premise of the club, long distance cycling, mixed terrain randonnees for the moment are limited by how far you can ride in daylight.

Bikes and tyres

As it will be a long day in the saddle and over a range of road conditions it is important that you are on a bike that is suitable for the event. So, boad bike, mountain bike or touring? A cross-country or hard tail MTB has its advantages, especially on the rougher unsealed sections, but riders may find themselves disadvantaged on the road sections. The ability to carry water may be limited by smaller frame sizes; MTB riders often carry hydration packs because there are not enough bottle cages.

Some bikes to consider for mixed-terrain riding: Jan Erik’s Cyclo Cross bike, Leigh’s MTB, and Gareth’s neo-retro-traditional French randonneur bike from the USA

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Checkpoint Spring 2012

A flat bar road bike or touring bike offers the compromise of stable handling and being able to run wide tyres. Plus the extra wheel to frame clearance that means it won’t be affected by mud as much as a road bike. Modern road bikes tend to have lower clearance around the wheels in the area of the forks and brakes. This means a limited choice of tyres, prone to fouling with mud, and difficult to fit mudguards. Although these problems can be overcome, it is often at the expense of comfort. • Road Bike: fast and light weight • MTB: fast on unsealed road, slow on sealed road • Touring/Flat Bar Road Bike: stable, good clearance for wide tyres However, bike choice is probably less critical than tyre choice for this ride. As long as your bike is comfortable and has sufficient clearance between the frame and wheels there is no hard-andfast rule governing which type of bike you should ride. Finding a tyre that is suitable for all conditions is not simple. The rule of thumb is narrow = fast and light weight, wide = comfortable and more puncture resistant. Narrow road tyres will be fast on the sealed sections, but can be prone to pinch flat punctures, and make the bike difficult to control on unsealed roads due to the high tyre pressure reducing the suspension effect and traction Knobbly MTB tyres will provide great control and comfort on the rough, but can be slow on sealed roads. The mountain bike tyres tend to handle gravel well as their extra width means they pass over it rather than sinking into it. This means that slicks can provide a good compromise between stability on unsealed roads and speed on sealed roads, where knobblies would lose out. Touring/commuter tyres won’t be as fast as narrow road tyres on sealed sections or as stable as knobblies or MTB slicks on the rough, but have the advantage of being reasonably fast on the sealed roads and less prone to pinch flats on the rough. • Narrow Road Tyres: fast and light weight • Knobblies MTB: slow on sealed road • Commuter/Touring: good puncture resistance, good comfort

My own choice, 650B wheels with 42 mm wide Grand Bois Heter tyres, is slightly less mainstream, but over many rides I have found them to both reliable and comfortable. In terms of speed, the last of three Audax tenets, I have found any perceived increase in rolling resistance has been more than off-set by an increase in comfort from being able to run the tyres at a significantly lower pressure without fear of pinch flats.

Equipment

Equipment and what to carry is also very important. An experienced randonneur will take into account many factors, such as terrain, distance between towns, likely weather, and so on. Although it is possible to do a mixed terrain ride on a dedicated road bike, unless you have a support vehicle with spare wheels and bike I would not advise it. The pros manage quite well on the Paris–Roubaix after all, but on an unsupported Audax event riders are expected to be more self-sufficient. Traditional randonneurs are a resourceful lot used to doing long distance events carrying everything they need for the journey and relying on their own ability in case of mechanical breakdown. This is never more important on an event of this style. The following list is a suggested minimum. Many randonneurs would carry even more. Repair Kit • Pump • Tyre levers • Tyre patches • Two spare tubes • Spare tyre • Tyre patch • Multi tool, including chain link extractor • Spare chain link • Cable ties Spare Clothes • Waterproof jacket • Beanie • Gloves • Leggings Food and Water • Enough pocket food to get you to the checkpoint or town after the next (getting to the next town may not be enough if shops are closed) • Two 750ml bidons or equivalent (more if it’s hot)

Misc • Sun block • Mobile phone • Space blanket • Basic first aid kit Bags The final factor to be taken into consideration is how you will carry your food, clothes and repair kit, as this will probably also have a bearing on your bike selection. • Backpack: easy to attach and won’t come lose or fall off on the rough sections. Might be uncomfortable unless you travel light. • Rack‑top bag: stable on the rough, good capacity • Pannier: good carrying capacity can shake around a bit on the rough roads • Saddle bag: can shake around a bit on the rough or when riding out of the saddle • Handlebar bag: my own favourite, it has the advantage of being easily accessed and has good carrying capacity when rack mounted Safety

Safety

Nothing could be safer than riding in company. In the case of mishap or misadventure a ride partner can assist or raise the alarm. However riding in a group is not always attractive or possible, in which case it is possible to assure safety by taking a few simple precautions. • Let someone know where you are going. Be specific and give them a copy of your route. • Give them an estimate of when you expect to finish and let them know when you do. • Ride within your limits. • Prepare for the unexpected. This means having a plan B, and C, and maybe even D. The longer the ride the great the possibility of encountering the unexpected. • Take a GPS tracker with an SOS signal. If you lose mobile reception or for some reason can operate your phone, you can depend on a GPS to help others locate you. If all else fails, stay at home. It’s better to come back and try again later than persist and regret.

Checkpoint Spring 2012

17

Opperman All Day Trial

First Crack Shaun Kinna

Perhaps our team name, ‘First Crack’ should have been ‘First to Crack,’ because 30 km outside Geelong on a long but friendly hill (the first hill in fact), a conversation involving three, suddenly lost a contributor. Our team consisted of: Craig, a too hard as I took the lead which B-grade road and track rider with affected the flow, made the rhythm Dulwich Hill, Sydney—a strong rider too jerky. And indeed when I did adjust with, it must be said, a history of DNFs my method it was a notably smoother on longer rides. Wayne, an A-grade transition. As someone who almost rider of many notable achievements, exclusively trains alone, the subtleties of including recording the fastest bunch riding are a mystery to me. Cootamundra Time Trial when in his Within the team title, ‘First Crack,’ is prime, aged about 35. After his son, the insinuation that there might be World Junior TT Champion, Josh, reset other attempts, and indeed that was the record 20 years later, Wayne took it the plan. Pick a course that inspires the upon himself to “spend a bit of time in chaps to have a second and perhaps the saddle, train up a bit” and break it third crack, extending the distance again. He’s a hard fella. And me, a comeach time. petitive mountain biker with a bit of As we were attempting the modest Audax experience who loves a long ride. As mates, we of course gave Craig the A ripping descent benefit of the doubt. Must’ve got a flat. allowed the unbridled Could’ve broken his chain. joy normally reserved for Might’ve come off. Perchance do you suppose an alien boys wagging school. abduction with obligatory rectal probe? A worrying development. It was a bit early for dropping off. To this point we’d total of 410 km, I thought it wise to had a tail wind and were about to turn include some hills. You know, keep the into a head wind that would accombastards honest. pany us for the next 200 km. We planned to ride north from With just three riders, we had no Geelong toward Ballan then head west room for failure. We had to ensure that to Meredith via the Brisbane Ranges. all completed the ride to achieve our Further west to Mt Mercer, Dereel, shared goal, to achieve the Opperman Rokewood Junction, Skipton, Streatham One Day Trial Award. (via the Mt William Rd), Mininera, I’d seen Craig weeks before and he Willaura and into the Grampians via the was in fine fettle. He had just competed Yarram Gap Road. North to Halls Gap, in the NSW Road Team Time Trial then out to Moyston before a meal and Championships, where he reportedly a kip in Ararat. Then up in time to scoot gave a good account of himself. When I across the final 90 km to Maryborough clapped eyes on him, fully kitted out on via the unpretentious beauty of the the morning of our ride, however, I took Pyrenees Ranges. Enough climbing a mental note to remind him to wash included to break the arse-numbing his gear in cold water because the hot tedium of the flat back-roads without washes had clearly made his gear shrink. being murderously hilly. Considerably. Between Rokewood and Skipton we Happily, no misfortune had befallen encountered a hiccup. A mutiny was our colleague; he was simply finding it brewing. Yes, it was flat. Yes, it was hard to establish his rhythm. We crested raining and yes, we had a head wind the hill and rode comfortably for the but I wasn’t ready for the recalcitrance next twenty or so kilometres. Craig took of, ‘How much further!?’ Each word it upon himself to educate me regardequally weighted, all dripping with ing the conduct expected when rolling trouble and torment. I laughed out loud, turns. It was alleged that I was pushing but it wasn’t a joke. 18

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But this is the beauty of an all-day trial, right? We’ve got to work as a team to support each other, right? Or one team member might turn out to be a trial all $%#^ing day. The pace was too high. Craig alerted us that he was on the limit. Wayne and I were feeling bullish, happily pushing each other along. We dropped the pace from low thirties to high twenties and continued sharing the duties at the front as we had done since Meredith. Craig sat on but his discomfort was as clear as the rain was annoying. Small talk was unwelcome. Craig was lost in a painful world of looking too far into the future: focussing on the full 200 km block we faced before a proper meal and a comfy chair. Over a coffee and cake in the Skipton Tea Rooms we discussed the importance of thinking in terms of manageable goals. Focussing on our destination 270 km away was too dementing. Small, manageable chunks. Our immediate goals were Streatham, 24 km and Willaura, a further 36 km down the road—perfect distances to calm the anxious mind. The showers had dispersed leaving only a light head wind to grizzle about. Really, the riding was splendid, made even more so by bowls of salty hot chips at the Willaura Pub. After two shorter legs, the 65 km run into Halls Gap was a stretch that reopened mental wounds. It began well enough. Entering the Grampians via Yarram Gap, spirits were high. The delightful three or four kilometre climb a welcome break from the flat featureless farmland of the past 150 km. A ripping descent from the modest apex of Yarram Gap to the tourist road allowed the unbridled joy normally reserved for boys wagging school. The setting sun lowered itself behind the wall of the Victoria Range, and as amber and mauve began to dominate the evening colour palette, murk and gloom and doubt began to govern Craig’s brittle disposition. The windassisted undulating riding to Halls Gap

should have been welcome respite but at best it was a chore. I can’t begin to imagine what was going on inside my dear friend’s head. The boys pretty much cleared the bain marie at the Halls Gap greasyspoon before ‘launching’ into the final challenging 45 km for the night. The road to Moyston hair-pinned back into the head wind. Wayne’s lights failed. Craig’s suffering resumed. Between Moyston and Ararat are a couple of short but testing climbs. Fearing exposure to as yet unheard expletives, Wayne and I forged ahead, leaving Craig to set his own pace to the evening’s destination. At the top of the final climb near Ararat, I continued into

down a lazy half-dozen stubbies. He’s a sociable bugger, to be sure. A few brief hours passed before we reacquainted over breakfast. Craig looked pale. Wayne looked rough. Hmm. How’s this going to work-out? Methought. Due to a late wake-up and some less than enthusiastic pre-ride activity, we got away later than I’d hoped. Still, we had three hours to cover the undulating final 86 km. Barring mishap we’d romp it in. A short distance out of Ararat, grumblings of mumbled discontent turned to coughing and gagging followed by the unmistakable splash of gastric contents on pavement.

Wayne, Shaun and Craig remain friendly and still smiling (but Craig looking notably pale)

town to find a place to get our brevets stamped, leaving Wayne to chaperone our embattled companion. Wayne later reported that the combination of Craig’s lights zig-zagging across the sky as he climbed the steep pitch, and the ever increasing volume of the appalling language assaulting the silence was ‘memorable.’ At 10.30 pm after 325 km, hot food, an open fire and a comfy bed were on offer in Ararat. Predictably, all were well-received. After food, Craig swiftly bunked down. What was not expected was Wayne’s willingness to engage our hosts and spread the love by slamming

“Craig?” I asked expectantly, “Do you think you’ll be right to continue?” “Nah.” “Right.” Bugger. Wayne and I pushed-on into the darkness at a pace that kept both the cold out and us on-track for an on-time arrival. Not surprisingly Wayne was feeling the excesses of the previous night. He could hold a wheel but struggled when leading. The Pyrenees are like their French counterpart in name only, affording comfortable riding at a high average speed. Enthused by Wayne’s encouragement and elevated by the dawn we

surged through Avoca, now sure that although a man down and ineligible for the Oppy award, we’d make the cut-off time. With metronomic accuracy the small green and white roadside kilometre markers counted-down the last 25 km in multiples of five, ten minutes per marker. Maryborough. Yes, we would achieve our goal. Now, to find the train station. With literally seconds to spare, jubilant we arrived at the incongruously grand station. The empty car park seemed a bit odd and the complete lack of activity of any sort within a bull’s roar had us wondering where the others were hiding. Perhaps we were early. A passing rider told us to check the equally striking town hall. Aha! Cars, bikes, eskys, trailers and people. We had arrived. The sound of breakfast scraps being scraped from plates seemed a bit premature, and the kitchen crew had a distinctly ‘winding-down’ feel about them. Strange. Walking into the impressive ballroom however, and hearing the congratulatory concluding remarks of ride organiser, Martin Haynes, was confirmation that I’d somehow buggered-up. Yes, we had arrived—exactly one hour late. Despite being late and a man short we were greeted warmly and promptly provided with sustenance. Bacon and eggs and coffee; is there any ill this staple can’t cure? I learned plenty from this outing. First and foremost, read the detailed instructions provided by the Ride Organiser. Don’t rely on the info on the Oppy web page. As a last-minute entry, I foolishly skimmed what I thought I needed and got it wrong. Secondly, mateship dictated that we do this ride together despite knowing that the distance was not really suited to at least one of us. I take my hat off to both my colleagues but particularly Craig who not only overcame the daunting prospect of commencing the ride (road races up to about 100 km and crits are his forte), but dug deep several times to find something within that black, shrivelled apricot kernel of a heart to allow him to continue and went on to ride further than ever before. We’ll be back but the team may look a little different.

Checkpoint Spring 2012

19

Beaches and Beyond 1000

An ordeal on wheels Bec Morton

The course was tough, the support was magnificent and the sense of achievement on completion was enormous. Day 1: Kangaroo Point to Maroochydore (355 km)– so far so good It was a beautiful morning as everyone gathered at the start in Kangaroo Point. After the obligatory photos and briefing, we pedalled off into the pre-dawn light, led by Stuart Dowell who helped us “out of towners” navigate the more complicated earlier part of the course.

different times and all had a brief chat before continuing on at a faster pace than I could manage. Wayne was only behind me at that stage because he’d taken a more scenic route to the first checkpoint. By the time I was grinding my way up Mt Mee, I had taken my rightful place at the back of the 1000 km field. Katherine and Ian back in Sydney requested an update at that point. When I told them

Bridge crossing

I was able to hang onto the group for most of the journey to the first checkpoint at Scarborough, helped mainly by the flat terrain and speed-limiting bike paths. One of my “long distance mates” Pat Lehane was at Scarborough, but this time as an official rather than a rider. Sandy Vigar had a wonderful array of edible goodies laid out as usual. I had a quick turnaround, filling a bottle with Perpetuem and stuffing down a banana and some iced bun before heading off by myself. The rest of the pack caught me fairly quickly, I slid to the back and then the elastic kept stretching as we hit traffic light after traffic light. Finally it snapped and I was left alone once again. Dave Minter, Martin Pearson and Wayne Hickman came past me at 20

Checkpoint Spring 2012

I’d done 124 km and was at the back by myself as usual, they replied “only another 870 km of singing to yourself to go then!” Oh what a cheery thought for a sunny Saturday morning. However, I passed a very hot looking Dave Minter resting in the shade near the top of the climb, so I thought I may have some company along the way. Obviously the transition from a brisk UK spring to a mild Brisbane autumn was affecting Dave a little. I enjoyed the glimpses of the Glasshouse Mountains as I rolled my way along the ridge and was very appreciative of the jaw-dropping view at the Mt Mee checkpoint. “Wow, that view is almost good enough to make you forget the climb”, I said. “Almost” said Sandy with a smile.

The pasta salad on offer here really hit the spot and I consumed two platefuls before throwing my leg over the bike for the downhill run. Dave Minter caught me quickly and paced me along the rolling countryside until we caught up to Judith, who was not feeling like her usual strong self. I left Dave and Judith as they headed off for an ice cream and I continued on my merry way alone once more. Martin cruised up to me and we worked out that I’d missed the opportunity to top up my water bottles, so he graciously filled me up from his. It didn’t take long for him to disappear ahead once more. I passed Martin again while he was stopped at Peachester store, but he soon caught and overtook me as we made our way up Bald Knob Rd. I was given a boost by a couple of Audax ladies who had parked near the top of the climb and who cheered as I went past. After a bit more climbing I arrived at Mary Cairncross Park just after 5 pm and was handed a plate of rice and casserole. Mmmm, the food on this ride is great! I demolished that without too many problems and put on some warm gear as the temperature had dropped quickly with the departure of the sun. The next stretch contained plenty of rolling hills, but I had to stop again to put on the rest of my warm clothes. I was cursing that my jacket and knee warmers seemed to be in my drop bag and not my rack bag. Martin, who had taken a longer break at Mary Cairncross, caught me about two kilometres out of Kenilworth and we rode in together at about 8.15 pm. Sandy served us up some nice warm pasta and then went to dig out a spare thermal of Martin’s for me. Dave Minter rolled in by himself about ten minutes after us and told us that Judith had abandoned at Mary Cairncross as she was not well. I left Martin and Dave in Sandy’s care, turned on the iPod and set of for the final section of the day.

I was feeling more comfortable now that I had Martin’s thermal to keep me warm. The iPod was pumping out boppy tunes to keep me awake and my legs turning over at a reasonable cadence. I passed through some patches of dense fog, but the terrain was gently rolling and then flat and the traffic was very light all the way through to Coolum, so overall it was a nice journey. It was at Coolum that I came across the eerie scene of a horrible road accident. There were lots of flashing lights from police cars, fire engines and ambulances. As I approached the roundabout all was quiet, but it looked like a bomb had gone off earlier. A policeman directed me through the roundabout and advised which route I should take to Maroochydore. Soon after I came across Tony who was doing the 600 km ride and he was trying to work out the written directions. I told him to follow me as I had the route mapped on the Garmin and we headed off to Maroochydore together. The final stretch to the caravan park seemed to go on forever, as those stretches always seem to do in the wee hours of the morning, but eventually we arrived a little before 1 am and found the checkpoint cabin. We woke Phil, who dished out a generous portion of Moroccan lamb with cous cous (did I mention how good the food was on this ride?) and directed us to our beds. After a shower and preparing everything for the morning I flopped into bed at about 1.40 am. I woke briefly when a freezing cold Howard climbed in next to me, having completed the 75 km loop which I was to tackle in the morning.

trate to avoid a touch of wheels as they flicked back in front of me. The increasing amount of traffic was also decidedly unpleasant. I was immensely relieved to clear this stretch and hit relatively quiet roads once more. As I was making my way along McKinnon Drive I saw a large dog trying to run away from a 4 WD on the road. Its front legs must have been badly damaged as it kept falling on its face, rolling and trying to scramble away again, which was most distressing. I wasn’t sure if it had jumped out of the car or had been hit by it. The 4 WD pulled over and had come back to where the dog was now laying a good way off the road, so I didn’t stop as they Bec at the first checkpoint were clearly going to take care of it. knew that Martin and Dave were still I was still a bit distressed when I behind me and I expected to see them pulled into the secret checkpoint at appear in my mirror at any time, but Boreen Point. Phil was there to feed strangely they didn’t. and water me and to fill me in on the I arrived back at the Maroochydore progress of the other riders. As most checkpoint a little after 9 am and set riders had formed into two groups about preparing for the next 330 km leg. fairly early on, the supporters had This took a little longer than I hoped, given them code names to make but I managed to get myself back on communication about their progress the road at 9.45 am, just 15 minutes through checkpoints easier. The ahead of the checkpoint closing time. It “Three Amigos”—Howard, Warren and wasn’t til later that I realised I’d forgotWayne—were still ahead, being the ten to pick up my trusty iPod which only ones who had done the 75 km I’d left charging in the cabin. The next loop the night before. The “Four section through to Noosa was the Musketeers”—Roger, Tina, Stuart and least enjoyable on the entire journey. I Dave King—were still going strong. At had to fight for space on the shoulder that stage Martin and Dave Minter were with hundreds of cyclists doing a mass still behind me, but I was expecting to participation ride. Some didn’t seem see them at any time. to mind how close they came as they Leaving Boreen Point saw us wave filed past in packs and I had to concengoodbye to the flat coastal terrain. My Three Amigos ready to go on the second day

Day 2: Maroochydore Return ×2 (75 km & 330 km)– too long, too hilly As planned I headed out on the first loop at about 5 am. I passed three of the “Four Musketeers”—Roger Hawley, Tina Gilbert and Stuart Dowell—who were waiting by the side of the road while Dave King tracked down a dropped legwarmer. However, once they’d regrouped, they soon caught and passed me and disappeared rapidly into the dark. The sun rose and the day warmed up relatively quickly. The first part of the loop was lumpy and I had to stop to peel off some layers. The lumps culminated in a 17% ramp which I just resignedly ground my way up in granny gear. Once that was done, the rest of the loop was quite enjoyable, apart from another short steep climb up Golf Links Rd. I Checkpoint Spring 2012

21

Howard on a typical gradient

already tired legs were not thanking the organisers Stuart and Phil as I struggled up some of the steeper climbs. By midafternoon the lack of sleep the night before was beginning to tell on me and I was very tired when I rolled into Kin Kin just after 3 pm to be greeted by Alison. I considered having a 15-minute power nap here, but Martin and Dave arrived just five minutes after me and, as we were not very far ahead of the cut off, we agreed to continue on together after a short break. More short steep climbs took their toll as I struggled to keep Dave and Martin in sight. “This ride is just too hard for me,” I said to Martin at one point. The terrain also proved to be too much for Martin, who decided to turn left to Gympie, rather than right to Tin Can Bay when we reached that T-intersection. After making sure Martin was OK and happy with his decision, Dave and I pedalled off to the next checkpoint at Tin Can Bay. Thankfully this stretch undulated downhill and gave our legs some much needed respite from the relentless steep climbs. We passed the Three Amigos and later the Four Musketeers on their way back out as we headed down to the coast. Tin Can Bay marked the much desired 600 km point, after which the required average speed drops from 15 km/h to about 11.4 km/h. Dave and I chatted to Brian and Sue as we tucked into some pasta bolognaise, sleeping bags wrapped around our tired bodies to prevent them from cooling down too much in the early evening chill. I certainly wasn’t looking forward to the journey back up the hill, but it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. Dave kept 22

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me entertained by encouraging me to sing (I’m sure the local rabbits were impressed by our Lola duet) and discussing a wide range of Audax topics. In fact I was so distracted that I was quite surprised when we reached the point where we’d entered Tin Can Bay Rd earlier in the day. And not too long after that, we hit the outskirts of Gympie. Sandy and Martin were waiting in the park at Gympie and we were looked after with Sandy’s usual efficiency. I was warm enough while we’d been riding, but it didn’t take long for the chill to set in once I’d stopped, even with the hot food and a warm blanket wrapped around me. I wanted a bit of a sleep before we went on, and Dave agreed to my suggestion of an hour. I was shivering as I lay bundled up on the back seat of the car, but it still didn’t take me long to drop off. All too soon Sandy woke us and we headed off at about 12.30 am in the direction of Moy Pocket. My Garmin finally ran out of charge not too far beyond Gympie, meaning it was back to the trusty cue sheet. Thankfully there were not too many turns and half were T-intersections which require less diligence. There was less singing and chatting on this stretch. Dave kept pulling ahead as the late hour, tired legs and lumpy terrain slowed me down. On one descent I heard Dave yelling loudly near the bottom so I slowed considerably expecting to see some rubble or large pothole. I was very grateful for the warning as recent flooding had removed the entire bitumen surface and left a stretch of very rough and potholed gravel road, which I still hit a bit faster than I wanted to. Whew, that woke me up! Waiting for the roadworks

Cootharaba Rd: we’re halfway!

We weren’t really sure where the Moy Pocket checkpoint was going to be, as Moy Pocket isn’t actually a town. However, we spied a car parked near a shelter off to the left hand side of the road when we’d done about the right number of kilometres and figured that might be it. Eddie clambered out of the car and greeted us warmly, despite the fact that is was just after 3.30 am. He even had a small fire for us to sit by as we slurped down hot chicken noodle soup. Once all the necessary tasks were completed Dave and I flopped into the car for another sleep, asking Eddie to wake us in an hour. All too soon I was awakened by a knock on the window, but it took a few minutes and some words of encouragement from Dave for me to haul my tired body out of the car into the freezing night air. Eddie checked we had everything we needed, advised us it was a brisk 7°C and waved us off. The next leg took us back to Maroochydore via the mighty Obi Obi climb. I knew this monster was ahead and was fully prepared to walk some or all of it, even though I have gearing which would usually allow me to crawl my way up anything. Anyway, I’d made sure my cleat covers were in my rack bag for this very purpose. Dawn came, promising another beautiful day in paradise and a little while later Dave and I hit the start of the climb. It began quite gently and I started to think that all talk of this climb had been exaggerated. However, it wasn’t long before the road reared up in front of me and I was forced by my weary legs to dismount and continue on foot. I took the opportunity to send the following text to

Howard and a couple of other people who had requested an update on my progress: “Walking up Obi Obi. Great view of mist in valley below. This is one tough ride. 270 km to go.” Dave was waiting for me as I clumped my way to the top in my cleats. The run back to Maroochydore from that point was pretty easy and quite enjoyable. On the way Dave stopped to communicate with Judith, so I rolled into the caravan park by myself a little before 8.30 am. The ever-efficient Alison greeted me and asked if I was going to sleep. When I told her I was going to eat, shower and ride on, she accompanied me back to our cabin to commence the clean-up. By the time I’d showered, changed and packed up everything Alison had just about finished the entire cabin—talk about a whirl wind of energy! I wished I could borrow some to get me through the rest of this ride. Dave appeared as I was chowing down on a double egg roll with barbeque sauce in the “control centre” cabin with lots of very tiredlooking support volunteers around me. At that point Dave decided to abandon the ride and head off to meet up with Judith, who was feeling better and was out riding part of the route back to Brisbane. I was disappointed as I knew I would be riding well into another night, this time all alone, but sometimes that’s what randonneuring is all about. Day 3: Back to Brissie (247 km)– oh my aching legs With no time to charge the Garmin I decided to continue on using the cue sheet. I sent Howard a quick text and set off from Maroochydore at about 9.30 am. With 247 km to cover and 23 hours in which to do it I was feeling

pretty confident, despite my lack of sleep and tired legs. I knew the first leg to Peachester contained a climb, but because Stuart had said “no other part of the ride is any harder then what the NSW Turismo offered last year”, I thought it would just be a nice steady gradient. The climb started after passing through Landsborough and at first it didn’t seem to be too bad, apart from the heavy traffic and frequently disappearing shoulder. However, once I’d started to get into a rhythm a sign loomed

Support like this on a long, tough ride is invaluable and I’m very grateful to all those volunteers who gave up their time to help me achieve my goal. ahead warning of a steep gradient for the next kilometre. I cursed Stuart, but coaxed my body on, telling myself that it was only one measly kilometre. I’d only just finished congratulating my aching legs on their achievement when a second sign appeared, informing me that the next two kilometres were also steep gradient. Lucky Stuart wasn’t there to feel my wrath! My poor legs groaned and popped as I wobbled my way up the broken shoulder with cars zooming past just centimetres to my right. I willed the Bald Knob Rd turnoff to appear and finally it did. I gratefully steered my bike away from the zooming cars and onto the peaceful and scenic narrow country road.

I stopped a little way along Bald Knob Rd to stretch and take in the lovely view. When I dismounted I discovered that my rack bag was not clipped to my rack and was hanging halfway off the back of it. Doh! I remembered that I’d not fastened it properly while packing the bag at Maroochydore. Luckily the cable running from my Dinotte light to the battery in the rack bag had prevented the bag from falling off altogether. With the bag secured I set off towards Peachester, the first checkpoint of the day. I tried for, but didn’t quite achieve a quick turnaround here, despite Alison catering to my every need. I’d reached the point where I knew I needed to eat, but it seemed to take forever to chew and swallow that chicken roll. Also, as I’d been stopped for more that a couple of minutes, my body was telling me it was ready to go to sleep. I switched on the iPod as I left, hoping the music would motivate me to keep pumping along at a steady pace. However, I hadn’t gone that far when the twinges I’d been experiencing in my left calf turned to sharp pain, stabbing me just behind the knee with every pedal stroke. The usual stretches didn’t help, in fact, they seemed to make it worse. What to do? Not sure if it was cramp or an injury I swallowed a couple of Nurofen and four electrolyte capsules. After about ten minutes’ rest and some massage the pain started to subside and I continued on, being careful not to put too much pressure on the left leg. The rest of the journey to Kilcoy was quite uneventful, apart from having to dodge a snake, which pumped some adrenaline into my veins and put paid to my drowsiness for some time.

Three Amigos at Somerset Dam

Checkpoint Spring 2012

23

On arrival at Kilcoy, Brian pushed a plate of warm food into my hand before I’d barely had time to park the bike. I flopped into a chair and started eating. I was feeling quite low and a little teary as Brian chatted away to me, letting me know what to expect on the next leg. Still 150 km to go and it would be dark again soon. The food restored my spirits somewhat and it seems I was late enough to have missed most of the traffic, so my journey to Somerset Dam was quite enjoyable. It was fully dark and the evening chill had once again settled in, so I stopped briefly at Somerset Dam to put on my night time layers. As I was coming along the Wivenhoe–Somerset Rd a hare ran out Bec drinking champagne in the gutter after 1007 km in front of me, then he swerved and continued to run along the right hand contents from my bento bag, we got side of the road just ahead of me. I the Garmin to sit nicely on the top and tried turning my light away from him it was just visible through the mesh so he’d stop while I went past, but no closure. Still, it was easy enough to flick luck. Then I tried shining my light on the mesh back when I required better him, hoping he’d freeze, but still no luck. visibility. I was so tired that I started to I tried outrunning him, but the faster I doze off as Martin described the final went the faster he went…and well, he’s 76 km stretch to me. I was very disapa hare and I was on the tortoise bike. I pointed to learn that there were some was just thinking about stopping and short, but very steep climbs to tackle shooing him off the road when car before I got back to Kangaroo Point, lights appeared over the crest ahead one of which Martin had recently had of me, he froze and in the next instant thunk…no more hare—a sad end to our Frank Papp’s brief journey together. Beaches and Beyond Frank had ridden his bike in many As the evening progressed I started different parts of Australia and just about to feel very sleepy once more. After the every road in south-east Queensland. iPod warned me “battery low” I tried Thinking that the roads at his back door practicing my (very limited) French out in fact offered some of the best riding loud and singing, but it didn’t seem as terrain in Australia, he wanted others to effective as the chatting and duets I’d experience what he knew to be a fantastic shared with Dave the previous evening. area to ride, so the idea for this event was Then the dreaded microsleeps started. born. His plan was to create something Should I stop for a nap? Where though? that combined the harsh terrain with the picturesque countryside, an adventure. The shoulder was rough and rocky and I couldn’t find anywhere suitable to lie down. I downed a gel and chomped my way through half a bag of lollies which gave me enough of a sugar and caffeine hit to get me to the Brisbane Valley Highway. From there it wasn’t far to Fernvale, but it seemed to take an eternity to get to the penultimate checkpoint as the microsleeps started to hit me once again. Sandy and Martin welcomed me But sadly in June last year Frank lost his with smiles, a warm blanket and hot life in a tragic accident with a kangaroo. food. Martin had also brought his In keeping with Frank’s original concept, Garmin which was loaded with the we completed his vision and offered this route for the final stretch. Oh how brilvery challenging yet picturesque 1000 km liant! Just a slight technical problem: ride with a 600 km option. his Garmin 800 has a different mount Phil Milham & Stuart Dowell to my 705. After removing some of the 24

Checkpoint Spring 2012

to walk up. I climbed into the back seat of their car for a 30-minute nap while Sandy and Martin packed up and prepared to leave. Support like this on a long, tough ride is invaluable and I’m very grateful to all those volunteers who gave up their time to help me achieve my goal. I staggered out of the car just after 10 pm and gave Sandy and Martin a big hug before I set off on the final leg. The short sleep had refreshed me and I felt good as I pedalled on into the night. The route was pleasant and not at all challenging until I neared the end of Kholo Rd where I tackled two short, steep climbs before bumping my way over the gravel on Lake Manchester Rd. After that the short, very steep climbs just seemed to keep coming. Was it just my tired legs? I don’t think so. It seemed to be some sort of cruel and unusual challenge thrown down by the ride organisers when the end was in sight. I started to feel some more twinges in my left calf and I hoped that it would hold up in the face of such relentless punishment. At last the steep climbs gave way to more roller-coaster type terrain and then to flatter, but more navigationally difficult on and off road bike paths. It was at this point that I was extremely happy to have Martin’s Garmin as I’m not sure how well my tired brain would have been able to interpret the cue sheet. At 2.28 am my phone beeped. A quick check revealed a message from Howard asking how I was going. I called him to let him know I had 999 km on the odo and should be at the finish in 20–30 minutes (the route was 1007 km). Despite assistance from the Garmin, I still made a few wrong turns as I passed through the deserted city centre. As I slowly pedalled my way up the street towards the official finishing point, my light revealed three bodies standing on the road looking in my direction. Ah, that must be it! Howard, Warren and Phil were there to welcome me in. I stopped the clock at 3.07 am and gladly handed my brevet to Phil for the last time. He gave me a large chocolate Freddo and I laughed and asked him if that was all I got. However, Howard had been thinking ahead and cracked a bottle of bubbly as Phil threw a blanket around me. We chatted while we polished off the bottle, then all headed for our respective beds for some well earned sleep.

Far North Queensland Gran Turismo

Glad that I was talked into it Johan Brinch

Having completed the PBP last year my ambitions had been reduced to general recreational cycling and a 200 km brevet each month for the Audax year starting in November. Missing the November 200 (don’t remember why—possibly bad weather!) my goals became even more relaxed until I came across the flyer regarding the FNQ GT in a previous issue of Checkpoint. The prospect of cycling in warmer weather during Sydney’s winter and seeing a different area of Australia appealed and I placed the flyer in a prominent place as a reminder. As time drew nearer I did have some doubt regarding fitness, but I was assured by Bec Morton that I would make it. So I contacted Tom Nankivell and signed up. come back from PNG and was driving to Townsville in a rental car to be the support. So back in business. An afternoon snooze and ready for the 400 at 10 pm.

400 km

Starting as late as 10 pm for a 400 is not ideal, but it was all part of the plan to use all of the nine days to complete the 1500 km GT. Who said Northern Queensland was warm in the winter? Although forewarned the predicted 12–13°C during the night seemed OK so the windbreaker and warm gloves remained with the support car! It dropped as low as 5–6 and at the speed we were riding on the flat (first 100 km

two egg breakfast in the sun at Mission Beach restored life. The climb towards Atherton starting gently, but then sections of 10% reminding me of the pre-PBP tour climb of Col de Tourmalet. Thankful for the gearing! Reaching Milla Milla the local publican had offered to provide lasagne to the group. Accepted and with appropriate fluid intake was ready for the final 60 km. Found that the tableland is not a table south of Atherton. Up and down, up and down and not just straight to Atherton but a couple of zig-zags to make up the distance. At this stage we just wanted to get to the end. Main road sign 11 km to Atherton, but accordPhoto: Kerri-Ann Smith

Flights organised, shopping and packing done, bringing warm riding gear as I was warned that the nights could be cool/cold on the tablelands, I arrived in Townsville on the Saturday afternoon before the GT, due to start at 10 pm on Sunday. Very promising with temperatures in the 20 s and sunny. Met some of the other riders including Tom who I then recognised as a riding companion at the pre-PBP cycling tour—I am good with faces but not with names! Bike assembled and off to a pre-GT dinner—a good way to meet everyone. A varied group from all over except Tassie and NT. Sunday was relatively quiet except for some. Rebuild of new bike for Bec who discovered a crack in the frame in the bike she brought from Sydney—quite unsettling. A short warm-up ride up Castle Hill (250 m up in 2.5 km) for Tom and I. The compact crank and 11-34 cassette did the trick, and we had a beautiful view of the town. Tom left while I took pictures. Coming back to camp I found Tom in great pain. A freak accident at low speed on the flat back to the caravan park left Tom with a broken right wrist and a few other bruises and scratches. No riding for him. Aand what about finalising the routes and the support as one of the key volunteers, Tracey, was stranded in Papua New Guinea? It was amazing to experience the team resolve. First an ambulance for Tom, then several people offered to forego some of the rides, take on the role as support and drive the 4 WD with trailer, assisting with the course-setting and organise the files for the Garmin GPS units. The tour would go on. Luckily Tom was bandaged and drugged up for surgery in Cairns when we would get there. Tracey had managed to

Tom putting finishing touches to the next day’s route

in 3:40) the wind chill factor added to the misery. Shivering and with cold hands, nearly numb, invited a longer than normal use of the hot air dryers at toilet stops in Ingham and Cardwell. Couldn’t wait for sun rise before Tully. A

ing to instructions Bec and I had 25 km to go in the dark with the cold setting in! Caught up with a few other riders and was guided home by the reliable Garmin! Greeted by friendly support crew and other riders who arrived Checkpoint Spring 2012

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earlier and invited to a pasta meal. Shower and bed. Rest day: Relaxing, more carbs: morning, lunch and tea. Tracing the 200 and 300 routes for conversion to Garmin-compatible files, programming the various models, and early to bed for the 200 km ride to Cairns.

200 km

Criss-crossed the tablelands including some short steep climbs (measured 16%), visiting crater lakes, great lunch at the tea house at Lake Barrine before a short climb and an amazing 17 km descent to Gordonvale south of Cairns. Nice wide switchbacks and fantastic scenery—and warmer! Cane fields and suburbia until the somewhat dreaded climb to Lake Morris, Cairns’ water supply. Actually not too bad. Gradient varied between 3% and 12%, with the latter being fairly short kicks, but after the top undulations to reach the dam meaning there was climbing to be done to get back! Again beautiful scenery. The kiosk at the lake was closed but the electricity company managing the site had provided free instant and milk which was a nice complement to the biscuits carried. After a couple of climbs the great descent to the flats and 20 km to get to the motel in Cairns. A great day and finished in time to get protein! Steak special at one of the locals followed by ice cream at the night markets! Two rest days: Didn’t touch the bike but walked a fair bit past the lagoon, a large public swimming pool (no fence or admission fee), to the marina and through town. Had a full-body therapeutic massage. Wonders for a tired body! More protein and an early night the second day for an early start for the 300.

300 km

Flat for 70 km. Full moon in the beginning making us aware of the range that we were to climb later in the morning. The distinct smell of the sugar cane was all we could note during the darkness. Sunrise and up the mountain for the first and longest climb of the day. Then inland and north. Quite a change in scenery from the lush tropical coastline to the arid scattered tree and brush country on the other side of the coastal divide. Kilometres of straight roads with the occasional road kill—mainly roos, but also a cow and a couple of pigs— signalled by flocks of kites and crows

The climb to the tablelands

(some of which also ended as victims of passing cars). With 40–80 km between roadhouses/ petrol stations and towns and not many signs of people between. One car without wheels supported by bricks was a lone sign of civilisation along the road to Cooktown which we reached in the early evening after sunset. The support crew, Sandy, in full swing serving an excellent pasta meal before bedtime. Rest day: Sightseeing on foot, more carbs and rest before the big 600 and programming the Garmins just in time!

600 km

Backtracking from Cooktown to Mt Molloy gave us the opportunity to see the countryside from the opposite perspective—much the same! The car at the roadside was no longer standing on bricks and the windows were smashed. Did not stop to investigate the state of the interior. Decay is quick. The dead cow and the pigs were gone. Wonder who/what managed that. Surely not the crows and kites. That kept the mind busy for a few minutes as we were now heading east and into a bit of a head

Overview of FNQ GT Organiser Tom Nankivell Volunteers Maya Vasic Sandy Vigar Tracey McGlone

Riders Bec Morton Ben Del Fabbro Brian Hornby Chris Rogers David Adams Errol Ross

Franco Logozzo Gareth Evans Howard Dove Johan Brinch Kerry-Ann Smith Marea England Martin Pearson

km*

Route

Ups and downs m*

404

Townsville – near Ingham - Atherton 2624 - 1851

201

Atherton – Cairns - via Lake Morris

2352 - 3140

322

Cairns - Cooktown

2276 - 2274

603 321 128 154

Cooktown - Atherton Atherton – Ravenshoe – Atherton Atherton - Port Douglas

5236 - 5255 2588 - 1816 1989 - 1989 669 - 1450

1530

FNQ GT

12486 - 12520

Matt Rawnsley Michael Bentley Paul Bertolino Peter Donnan Richard Scheer Robert Branch Comments Cold during night. Most climbing in the last 100 km Most challenging climb when 50 km to go Solid climb from near Mosman and more, otherwise long stretches of nothing – anyone here? Three stages, sleep between 321 and 128 km Tiring – head wind No end to the hills? Liked this stretch! Made it. Great tour!

*per my Garmin (some minor ups and downs errors due to pressure variations)

26

Checkpoint Spring 2012

Photo: Kerri-Ann Smith

Richard Scheer approaching the top of the aptly-named Hillview on the Atherton ‘tablelands’

wind. Easy 25–30 km/h on the way to Cooktown now became a steady grind at 20 km/h, luckily only lasting about 50 km before the road turned in a more favourable direction. Nearly a full peloton from Mt Molloy to Mareeba, pizza stop and then a steady 40 km climb (1–2%) to Atherton, 320 km done. Pasta meal awaiting, a quick shower three hours sleep, more food and off on the next leg at 3.30 in the morning. All woollies on. Again undulating to Milla Milla through cold dips and relatively warm and foggy patches on the higher areas. Had to remove the glasses to be able to see! After Milla Milla and sunrise we A pause before the final descent to Mosman

could see why people would live here. Spectacular scenery, and what looked like rich, fertile dairy country. But hilly and the wind had picked up, perfect for the wind farm that probably supplied electricity to the area. Road peaked at 1045 m at the wind farm before descending to Ravenshoe and a supported checkpoint. More climbing to 1150 m back towards Atherton, some parts into the wind, must have been near gale force gusts making it hard going. Down to Atherton in time for the noon deadline. Limited support because of latest checkout at 11.00 so had a meal and a chain lube in town before Bec and I set out on the last

154 km one hour behind the 15 km/h Audax schedule. Not happy as being behind doesn’t feel good. The ride from Atherton to Port Douglas was mostly downhill through areas we already had been riding. All went well except overshooting a turnoff by a kilometre due to poor navigation by me. Met up with Kerry-Ann, Michael and Brian when we got back on course. Nevertheless I had a low at Mareeba and needed a rest stop. Kerry-Ann, Michael and Bec carried on after a brief stop while I had my coffee, chocolate drink and a half-thawed cheesecake. Brian stayed with me and having recovered we made very good time to Mt Molloy where we caught up with the others. A short food stop again and onwards to Port Douglas. The descent towards Mosman was a thrill—8 km at 6–7% followed by side roads through cane fields over a low ridge and to a river crossing. Dark by now and difficult to judge the depth…and were there crocs? Michael first, slowly, feet did not get wet so the rest of us followed assured! Then an easy ride through Mosman to Port Douglas where we were met by welcoming cheers two hours before the deadline. Was treated to a glass of bubbles by Howard and Bec before reaching a nearby restaurant just in time to order a meal and a glass of beer.

Highlights

Excellent courses and instructions completed just-in-time thanks to Tom’s effort, especially considering his handicap with the broken wrist. Friendly and good support by Tracey, Sandy and Maya. Meeting and riding with a group of special people of different backgrounds and randonneuring experience with the common goal of making the distance while enjoying each other’s company. Far North Queensland with its varied country side and friendly people, many of whom thought we were insane and should see an analyst! Surviving the odd car/truck driver who had no regard for cyclists and passed at full speed leaving just a few centimetres of road spare (Michael opted for the grass on one occasion). But in general the drivers were very considerate. All in all a top experience. Thanks for the opportunity to partake and a special thanks to Bec who encouraged me to join and for keeping me company during the rides. Checkpoint Spring 2012

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Audax Alpine Classic

Two Germans go to war at the Alpine Classic Ron Webster with Phillip Jang

It was a dark and stormy night before the start of the ride. Next morning we lined up and a few grunts later we were off. I had my brother on my flank. He was not going the full distance because he had just had an operation in Prostata (Prostata is a German word). I was next to my arch rival Eric Wehr. He outranked me by doing 16 Alpine Classics in a row, compared with my three. However, I knew that I had a good chance to defeat him as he had a virus, and my 70 th birthday was six months later than his. It was also a hot day, so I had the further advantage of being born of a German mother in Far North Queensland, whilst Eric is a native of the Fatherland. Therefore, I knew this was the day I would be victorious. You can always spot Eric when he’s riding in Sydney. He sports a red bike, wears red and he rides with those damn cursed Crocks (his regular riding group).

Eric started to pull ahead. However, I knew, with my secret training from my RAAF days I could keep up. My grunting got louder as Eric started to pull away. I tried to hold on. I grunted even louder, but still couldn’t match the pace. When I could grunt no more I screamed out, “Curse you Red Baron!” Then kaput! I met a soldier standing on the side of the road who looked completely deflated. He had come off and had used up all his CO2 ammunition. I used my double action pump and he was on his way. 28

Checkpoint Spring 2012

I had now used up all my grunt for the day. On the final climb I was told I was the last rider that was allowed to continue down the mountain to the finish. The support vehicles were following behind!

As I neared the finish line I could hear my name being repeatedly chanted: “Ronnie! Ronnie! Ronnie!” I was the last to finish and was therefore awarded the honour, Lanterne Rouge. I saw Eric had finished. He had outranked me again. Grr...I’ll get him next year! Apologies to Eric and the Red Baron for liberties taken with the truth.

diy

for randonneurs

innovate. design. fix. invent. hack. make.

Checkpoint Spring 2012

29

Lighting my way Peter Mathews

I can’t resist making stuff and for some years have had a bit of an obsession with making bike lights. My bike lighting odyssey started in 1976 when I had a borrowed Cecil Walker tourer to ride to and from RMIT. I rapidly discovered that you need good lights and that most of what was on the market in those days was inadequate. Over the years I’ve used all sorts units from WonderLites, Berec, Eveready, Sanyo, Sturmey-Archer, CatEye and LightSpin. The CatEyes I used for my first two PBPs were pretty heavily modified by 2003. The 1 kg sealed lead acid battery had been ditched for a Keystone pack holding two parallel sets of four AA cells, a Willie Hunt LVR regulator and a modified bulb holder with bi-pin Xenon bulbs. In 2003, on the recumbent, I paired the CatEyes up with a LightSpin sidewall dynamo and a Lumotec lamp. This set up worked well although the LightSpins proved to have bad mechanicals. By 2003 the first good LED headlights were appearing. They offered better light output for three or four cells. I didn’t like the beam or the very blue colour of the first high performance LEDs but experience with red LED tail lights had more than proved their quality in terms of efficiency, brightness and reliability. Pete Heal loaned me one of his LED lights for the GSR in 2005. I was sucked in. Many hours of research followed and a specification for what I wanted to make evolved. I wanted a light which had a flash and constant beams. Most of my lights to date use Luxeon III TV1 J emitters. These 3 W emitters were amongst the highest light output LEDs around in their day (about 80 lumens). They have a slightly warm white which is probably the best colour for use in the bush. I believe a bluish hue is the most conspicuous hue but it is not so good to use in the bush, and green is just no good as you don’t see green objects well in green light. The FluPIC Boards I chose are very efficient and have functions I was after. You can set a number of the parameters on board. Switches are another whole dilemma. If they fail you get no light. I tested, destroyed and replaced many types in my experimenting, and despite this a small number have failed in service. The Judco ones I now use are quite expensive but seem to be very good. Recently I have used a few Cree XML T6 bin emitters. These are slightly warm white emitters and produce nearly three times the amount of light (at least 200 Lumens) as the Luxeons. I have just completed this new helmet lamp using one of these, with a different AK47 A controller, discussed below powered by two CR123 cells. It is great to use. 30

Checkpoint Spring 2012

I prefer rechargeable batteries but I didn’t want to restrict my system to being able only to use a proprietary battery pack. I decided to use AA cells as my preferred and use two 3-cell Keystone holders running in parallel. Lately I’ve started using rechargeable Lithium batteries (18650 s). They crank out a lot of power and are very light. I will still carry an AA holder in the bag with my titanium anvil to guard against failures. LEDs generate heat due to the current flowing through them and this is dissipated by using thermal adhesive to stick them to an aluminium heat sink. If over-driven, LEDs initially get brighter and hotter. Eventually the colour drifts and depending on how hard they have been pushed they may go pffft! I found this out in my shed! My lights use high optical quality polycarbonate optics which transmit about 85% of the light entering them from an emitter. This is much better than most reflectors used in conventional lights. Because I wanted a spot beam with a bit of side spill (it is nice to pick the kangaroos in your peripheral vision at night) I chose a fairly narrow 6° beam. This means that most of the light entering the optic is squirted down the road in front of me. I put an optical quality plastic lens in front of the optic when I mount it in the housing to keep them clean. I can easily spot roadside reflectors a couple of hundred metres away. Most of my housings have been cut down torch bodies. For my prototyping and other experimental systems I have machined my own housings from aluminium on a mini-lathe. This is too slow for any sort of quantity production, but lots of fun. Mounts for lights are amongst the most vulnerable points in a bike lighting system. I’ve tried many and bought a big bag of these from Peter Moore. None have failed. I’ve now made, used, sold and given away around 55 of my headlamps. The need to maintain some sort of work, life, family and bike balance meant that I had to shelve plans to produce my lights in quantity when I started in my current job, but I am still producing a few for friends and family.

A dynamo hack (may be ancient history now) Glen Thompson

My only claim to innovation may not be as relevant now as it was in the days of incandescent lights, including halogen, with a dynamo.

Increase your light output Phillip Jang

If you own a Smart/Bespoke 2 W or 1 W front light, you can increase the light output by using nickel–zinc AA batteries.

My lights were driven by a Miller dynamo, the old style Nickel–zinc batteries are 1.6 volts compared to 1.2 volts driven by friction from the tyre and it had no clever circuitry for nickel–metal hydride (NiMH) and 1.3 volts under load for to control its output. I was constantly plagued by blown bulbs. alkaline batteries. When the headlight burst, of course both the tail light bulbs With the higher (brighter) light output the lights do run a burst as well. One day, frustrated by having to buy dozens of little hotter and the run times are shorter. However they are new bulbs, I decided to do something about it. I made some good for 200 km Audax rides and commuting. measurements and discovered that my nominally 6 volt generator would actually produce 18 volts at 0.4 amps at the speed I usually travelled. This gave me the idea that I could connect three 6 volt bulbs in series instead of the usual parallel wiring. My headlight was a 0.4 amp (2.4 watt) halogen so I connected two tail lights fitted with 0.5 amp headlight bulbs in series. As they were only red tail lights they were quite adequate, in fact quite brilliant, at the 0.4 amps they were actually getting. The result was a bright headlight and two very bright tail lights and, best of all, no more blown bulbs. I never had any problem with too little light at low speeds. To achieve the series connection I had to make insulated mounts for the two tail lights. I already had some 6 mm thick Tests done with 2500 mWh nickel–zinc batteries and sheet plastic that I could cut and that did the job very well. A long wire ran from the generator terminal to the left tail light, 1800 mah NiMH batteries: • 2 watt 1.5 hours on high and 3 hours on low with nickel– then a short wire from the mount of the left tail light to the zinc batteries. terminal of the right tail light, then another long wire from • 2 watt 6 hours on high and 12 hours on low with NiMH the right tail light mount back to the halogen headlight. The and alkaline batteries. headlight remained mounted normally used the usual earth • Double the time with the 1 watt. return through the frame to the generator. I have thought about this trick again recently after reading about modern dynamos, but I’m actually quite happy now with good LED lights running from rechargeable batteries (plus a few replacement non-rechargeable batteries for very long night rides). On further thought, however, even the modern dynamos may be capable of higher voltages because riding speeds vary so much, and it may be more efficient to allow them to deliver, say 12 volts instead of their nominal 6 volts. Of course, modern systems with built-in rechargeable batteries are probably superior and continue to give light when stationary. Four nickel–zinc (also know as PowerGenix or NiZn) AA batteries can be bought from eBay for about $24 (including charger) shipped from Hong Kong. Note: There is a new nickel–zinc AA 2800 mWh battery now available. I will be testing soon.

innovate. design. fix. invent. hack. make. Checkpoint Spring 2012

31

DIY mountings It seems that a number of members have encountered the problem of a handlebar bag getting in the way of headlights. Here’s one solution from Alan Walker: make a mounting bracket from aluminium bar and conduit end caps, readily available in hardware stores at low cost.

Simon is clearly a man who likes to source bike parts at his local hardware. Take this light mount on his forks, made from a cut down part of a cheap painting extension pole—the tube with the thread is hollow and Simon drilled a hole big enough to take a screw into the black plastic end. There is a screw mount on the fork that it’s screwed into. Add an old handlebar grip to mount the light on, and a bar end into the tube and voila!

After a little careful cutting, drilling and bolting you can have a mount that fits on the front brake bolt.

Or how about this Corflute® cue sheet holder? It attaches by two zip ties and a couple of bulldog clips to hold the cue sheet. Simon only uses this on shorter rides (sub-200) when a handlebar bag isn’t really needed.

Simon Faber takes a similar approach, mounting this $1.49 bracket from Bunnings behind the brake calliper with an Ay-Up light mount attached. This sits low enough to provide good forward light vision and helps pick up potholes (as it’s lower) and allows good light without the interference of the handlebar bag.

The beauty of this is that it is interchangeable between bikes and doesn’t even need a visit the hardware store—if one can ‘steal’ a real estate sign! Simon reports only a couple of minor down sides: it can interfere when you stand on the pedals (and let’s face it, who does that much?) and it tends to chafe the inside of your knicks.

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Battery extender/charger for Garmin 705-800 Phillip Jang

This cable and battery combo. extends the run times of your Garmin 705-800 Navigator. This is particularly useful for rides of 300 km or more. It can also charge devices that use mini USB, such as lights, MP3 players and mobile phones. Also, using a different car charger adaptor, you can charge iPhones, iPods and other mobile phones. Parts • High quality USB mini car charger plug (I use a Cellink part No. ELI1000 or ELI5800) • High power 9 V connector (I get them from eBay) • Battery holder, 4×AA with a 9 V connector • AA Batteries (4×NiMh) and charger (I use Sanyo Eneloop)

Test Test the lead by, connecting it to your Garmin’s USB port, with the unit switched off. It should start charging the unit (make sure batteries are inserted correctly and charged). Unplug the lead and then turn on the Garmin, then plug in the lead. The Navigator should stay powered on and not switch off. If you like to use alkaline batteries you must discharge the batteries a little to drop their voltage as the Garmin has an over voltage protector and will not charge.

Tools • Soldering Iron (I use a 70 watt) • Low melting point solder • Safety glasses (use to protect the eyes when soldering) • Hot glue gun and hot glue Steps 1. Cut the 12 v car plug off and strip 10 mm off the outer insulation. The wires should be red and black. Strip 3 mm of insulation off and tin the wires with solder. 2. Pull the cap off the back of the 9 V connector. Cut off the lead, making note of the colours. Tin the connection with solder. 3. Solder the black and red wires that you cut off the connector. You have to solder very quickly as the 9 v connector will melt. 4. Use holt glue to cover the wires.

Note When the navigator is in use, it’s better if you allow the device to run down to at least 60% capacity before topping up. This way your unit will charge back up to at least 80% capacity without drawing too much on the recharge batteries. It isn’t necessary (whilst in use) to recharge to full capacity.

innovate. design. fix. invent. hack. make. Checkpoint Spring 2012

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My own cycling map Peter McCallum

I’ve always had a fascination with maps. As a boy I spent hours tracing the origin of the waterways around the Sydney suburb where I lived, planning adventures that were mostly unfulfilled. Later in life I caught the cycle touring bug and indulged my pleasure by heading far away from home on obscure roads, unnamed on road maps. For the past twenty years I have been living in Mackay up in Central Queensland. The dominant land use here is intensive sugar cane farming which means there are many small roads used most heavily during the cane harvest but otherwise quiet. These are great cycling roads but the thing that appears to be lacking is a good map, especially one that provides the information cyclists want. A couple of years ago my brother Alex bought me a Garmin GPS for my birthday. At first I saw it as a highly technical bike computer that could occasionally be used to find directions. Recently I realised that the GPS was building a great store of data about roads in the area. I thought that I might be able to use it to produce a bike map of the region.

on the map I kept the map reasonably accurate. I won’t be at all surprised if there is a more efficient or less complicated method undertaking this task but it works for me. Gradually, line by line, I have built a reasonable map of the roads I have been riding. Unlike other maps, this map highlights secondary roads and downplays highways and other roads used by heavy vehicles and commuter traffic. It currently extends about 70 km north of Mackay and about 90 km west.

The first line drawn back in March

Someone told me that Adobe had made its discontinued professional drawing software, Freehand MX, available free of charge on their website, so I downloaded a copy. I had used this software quite a lot while working in the printing industry and know its capabilities. Then I picked one of the rides I had uploaded to Garmin Connect and exported it to Bikemap.com. I took a screenshot of the map and imported the image into Freehand. From there I could trace the route as a line on the map. For several weeks I repeated the process after each ride. If I overlapped new roads with ones already Soon the map was starting to become a bit more two dimensional

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I started adding road surface information by noting changes using the “lap” function on the GPS

So what’s the benefit of all this effort? Well first of all it’s personally satisfying being able to indulge a couple of passions simultaneously, namely cycling and map making. It has also made my training more enjoyable as I choose one or two new places to explore each week rather than riding the same old routes over and over. From an altruistic viewpoint I hope that the map will benefit other cyclists, both locals and visitors. Eventually I plan to cover all the roads 200 km north and south of Mackay and up to about 150 km inland. Each one will have road surface and traffic volume information. It will also show places to obtain water and food as well as campsites and local attractions. So those international tourists, who tend to stick to Highway 1, may be tempted to take a bit of a detour through this beautiful region. I also plan to use the map as a promotional tool for Audax riding. Once complete it will be easy to highlight sections of the map and use them to show the route of the various brevets we are organising. It will also make it easy to plan interesting routes without having to scroll around a computer screen. Over the past thirty years or so I have also been involved in lobbying for better cycling conditions. A map is a great tool for showing others what needs to be done. It will probably take me a few months to complete the mapping. After that I’d be happy to help anyone who’d like to turn their local knowledge into a similar map.

Footnote: I’m sure that online maps like Open Street Maps would be much easier than what I’m doing but might take away from my personal journey of discovery. Last time I looked at OSM the data was as inaccurate in this area as Google maps and suspiciously similar in some cases, so I assumed that someone was just doing a copy-and-paste!

A tough boot Kerri-Ann Smith I don’t carry a spare tyre on a ‘short’ 200 km ride, so I got caught-out many kilometres from home with a blown-out tyre that had split along its grain line. The hole was too big for even the large mountain bike tube patch. I resorted to a ‘boot’ made of a plasticised European postal bag (essential cycling repair kit inclusion) and a cable tie around the whole tyre and rim holding it together. I made it home over 30 km—without using the front brake of course and taking it easy. But it was better than the alternative…

innovate. design. fix. invent. hack. make. Checkpoint Spring 2012

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Equipment

The ultimate Audax bike? Michelle Hendrie put the question to the Audax discussion group (groups.google.com/group/audax-oz): “I need a new bike. It will cost more in repairs to my old Shogun than it was originally worth, so I’m out looking for the ultimate Audax bike. And of course I’m coming up against about 500 different opinions in the shops, none of whom seem to understand what Audax means. So Audaxers, you all know about the right sort of bike to get, can anyone give me a recommendation in the $2000–$3000 range?”

Ming Wang

advantage is that they have clearance “Ultimate” would mean many things for wide tires. And classic steel tourers, to many people! Comes down to while comfortable in the extreme, are whether you believe in carbon or metal. just too heavy, since they are built to Three things are essential: travel around the world carrying 20 kg 1. Strong, comfortable and fairly light of baggage. frame with clearance for larger tires (up to 28 mm at least). At that Simon Naunton price you are looking mostly at aluFor what it’s worth, I’ve bought a minium, but a few carbon and one Van Nicholas Euros with Campy Veloce titanium bike is in this price range. groupo and Mavic Ksyrium Equipe 2. Gearing low enough for those big wheels from Van Nicholas for about hills at the end of a 300 km ride— $2200 landed. It was in their bargain SRAM Apex compact has served me bin 18 months or so ago. I have since well, but Shimano 105 or Ultegra put a Fulcrum Racing Torq R compact Compact is also great. crankset as it came with a Veloce 53/39 3. Strong, bombproof but not too crankset which was a bit too highly heavy wheels, 1800 gm or less, geared for the odd 20% or so pinch ideally. If they are too light they will climbs some of our esteemed NSW ROs probably break somewhere inconlike to amuse themselves with. venient at the worst time! I definitely recommended it, although A fourth is the “right” saddle, which keep in mind that I was riding ali of course is highly personal. If you are framed Tiagra/Sora bikes before this happy with your current one, keep it! so it was a big step up. Going from the As for off-the-rack bikes, the Giant geometry and weights the Mistral now Defy series is extremely well reviewed, has the same frame as the Euros. When and hard to beat for their pricing. They I bought mine this was not the case as have a model that fits into every price the Mistral frame was slightly heavier bracket, the Defy aluminium 3 series, although still the same geometry. My right up to their pro-level Paris-Roubaix only concern is the wheels. Mine have racer, the super light and amazingly 20 blade spokes on each so if I break fast/stable/comfortable Defy Advanced one it is probably a DNF. However, light SL. Since Giant makes most of the bike wheels make for easier climbing. If I in-house they can offer pricing that most ever get around to 1200 km rides (we other companies cannot match for the have a baby in the house now, so will level of frame, wheels and equipment. not be a for a few years) I’ll get some For titanium, there is only one choice 32–36 spoke wheels for it. at this price: the Van Nicholas Mistral, Also check out www.cyclingexpress. which is currently on offer at $2500. To com. They have had some absolute get a better bargain in Ti you have to bargains recently: carbon + SRAM Red either build a custom bike in China with or Dura Ace in the $2000–2500 range. uncertain levels of quality (but at least Limited size options though. your geometry and exact specifications), or buy second hand! The higher end Alan Tonkin Van Nicholas models cost more than Get measured up and have one made the entire Mistral, just for the frame. in steel, Reynolds 853 or Colombus Although there is a trend to cycloZona. Audaxian Tim Stredwick might cross bikes being pressed into service be a starting point www.velosmith.com. for Audax, they are generally built for au. Although I had my PBP bike made very short races, and often have the in Reynolds 853 by Kevin Wiggins at wrong gearing for our rides. Their main Paconi via Audaxian Leigh Kilpatrick 36

Checkpoint Spring 2012

who measured me up when he worked at Cecil Walker www.bikesportz.com. au/node/17. And my long distance fixie and tandem with SS couplings by Ewen Gellie in Colombus Zona www. gelliecustombikeframes.com.au. Go triple or a Rohloff (straight chain line, minimum wear and maintenance plus no derailleur to get knocked on the way to Paris but work out your basic gear ratio around which the 14 will operate) and sort out where you would like your fixing points for water bottles (my bike is set up for four, including two on top and one underneath the down tube) and rack/s (front and rear just in case the desire for a bit of touring takes hold).

Ian Boehm

Alan has said much of what I would have said i.e. custom made steel is a very good way to go. I would add: Talk to Ewen Gellie about the Ritchey Break-Away system for making a frame that comes apart easily for travel. As I see it, it is much lighter than the SS system and it comes apart using an Allen key rather than a big special tool, but I’ve not used either system. Talk to Huw at Commuter Cycles in Brunswick. That mob, along with Abbotsford Cycles, is more attuned to the needs of the randonneur than most of the shops selling go-faster shiny bikes to the Beach Rd set. If I wanted to return to upright randonneuring and my current Cecil Walker 853 frame needed to be replaced I would get another 853 frame the same size with a few modest changes to the braze-ons, Ritchey Break-Away and provision for wheels with fatter tyres. Jan Heine in Seattle is persuasive on the fatter tyres issue. He does sub 50-hour PBPs on a steel bike with 40 mm or so 650 B tyres. He is also a very fit bugger so it’s not the wheels that are the main factor. 650 B rims are somewhere between 700 c and 26 inch and tyres for them are hard to

get in Australia. The fatter 700 c tyre is probably the best option. Don’t abandon the trusty Shogun, keep it as your commuting bike and reserve the shiny new one for events. It’s no fun cleaning a bike down for the Sunday Audax ride after a week of riding to work on damp roads. One more thing: don’t fall for wheels with less than 28 spokes and 32 is better.

GregLR

I’m a titanium and steel devotee, so the Van Nicholas referred to by Ming Wang looks very good value. However the latest UK Cyclists’ Touring Club magazine (Cycle) reveals an interesting development in the UK: several brands are offering full carbon bikes with mudguards fitted and also with mounts for a carrier rack. For example: www.chickencycles.co.uk (search for Tifosi CS Corsa), tinyurl.com/7 wsdqwk (Kinesis Racelight T2 Tiagra), and www.surosa.co.uk/NewSearchRes. aspx?strName=Black%25 Diamond (Surosa Black Diamond). As you will see, some of these bikes cost in the range £999 to £1500 ($1600 to $2300), so when account is taken of shipping costs for a complete bike it may be possible to get one landed in

Australia (e.g. with Tiagra) for well under $3000. But of course, then you have the difficulty of making a warranty claim if something goes wrong (which I had to do for one of my Serotta Ti frames, fortunately bought via the importer Hendry Cycles in Ocean Grove), so it’s not all that viable. Nevertheless, the availability of these kinds of carbon bikes is a welcome development, though I can’t see it taking off here because I doubt that importers will comprehend the value and functionality of these kinds of carbon bikes.

Heather Murray

I love my nearly 20 year old 531 steel framed British Eagle tourer—it has served me well and continues to do so. I don’t do lots of big Audax rides and equally I don’t do a lot of touring on it either but I like the way it works for both. If I was going to get a new bike it would still be a steel tourer, that way I don’t have to worry about it too much. Last year I upgraded the components and managed to squeeze an extra cog on the rear, upgrading from a 7 speed to 8. The slightly lower gearing means that I don’t struggle quite so much. As you know I have a triple on the front

and I don’t think I’d change that—I’m not getting any younger or likely to get any fitter. I agree with Ian, keep the Shogun as a less important bike. I have a cheap MTB that I commute/shop on, that way the tourer stays clean, lasts longer and is less likely to be stolen. As for the weight, I’d get faster if I was fitter and stopped eating chocolates at lunchtime but Audax isn’t about being a fast rider there’s so much more to it that just being able to ride fast. So, think hard about what cycling you want to do, how many bikes you want to own and whether you want to spend a lot of time looking after it or worrying about it. I’d go for a steel-framed, triplegeared something. Probably a tourer and probably hand built for me as I’d expect it to last 20+ years!

Dave Harrington

Mr McGuire: I just want to say one word to you. Just one word. Benjamin: Yes, sir. Mr McGuire: Are you listening? Benjamin: Yes, I am. Mr McGuire: Surly.

(Apologies to Dustin Hoffman and the movie ‘The Graduate’.)

24/7 ALL PURPOSE URBAN & LONG DISTANCE TOURING BIKES

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Checkpoint Spring 2012

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My First Brevet

Brisk Beaudesert, March 2012 Rosie Godwin

I first heard about Audax when I attended the Semaine Fédérale in Bright in 2010. I had a fantastic week riding around the beautiful alpine area of Victoria and enjoyed the informality and friendly camaraderie of my fellow participants. I was particularly inspired by a small group of older men who, despite their advancing years, seemed to cycle effortlessly up every mountain and achieve hair-raising speeds on their descents. One had even ridden from Adelaide to Bright to attend the event. It demonstrated to me that cycling is a sport where age is no barrier. During that week I met a few Audax members and they directions. We left the start point at about 7 am and suburbia were very welcoming and provided information about the soon dropped away as we headed into the countryside club. I was attracted to the style of riding offered by Audax towards Beaudesert. I was happy because the pace was fine because I’m interested in improving my endurance in a even with the head wind, my companions were friendly and non-competitive environment and I love riding around the the three kilometre gravel section had been recently graded countryside and attempting to conquer any mountains with so my road bike coped well. As the group spread out I found a few like-minded companmyself riding with Nick and ions. I had such a good time Allan. They seemed to know that I vowed to join up when I where we were going and had returned to Brisbane and one the directions handy. It was day revisit Bright to do the just as well I stayed with them, Alpine Raid. because I realised when we Two years went by but I arrived at Beaudesert, that I’d never forgot about joining left my reading glasses sitting Audax. In March I finally made on the boot of the car! If I’d a few enquiries, spoke to Pat been alone I wouldn’t have Lehane on the phone and he had a hope in hell of reading was so enthusiastic, I quickly the list of directions. paid my money and registered At Beaudesert we refor my first ride on the Brisk grouped at the bakery Beaudesert 100 km. Though and had a break of about excited about my first ride, I 25 minutes before starting the hadn’t done any 100 km rides different route of our return for the previous four months. I journey. It included a couple felt a bit apprehensive about of challenging steep pinches the expectations of the other but was mainly flat. The group riders, the speed (since it stayed mostly together and at was called ‘Brisk’ Beaudesert) Rosie at Tawonga Gap on Semaine Federale…the seed is sown times we seemed to be flying and whether or not I’d be dropped off the back to complete along with the tail wind. As it turned out, we were 25 minutes the ride on my own. Though I’ve done quite a bit of riding quicker coming home, despite the more hilly route. by myself, one of my main objectives for joining Audax was Altogether we’d covered 101 km and taken 2 hours to find more cycling companions. The ride organiser, Dino 20 minutes on the way out, 1 hour 55 minutes on the way back Morgante, kindly offered to keep me company which was (the tail wind was obviously a help). I had a great time and I’m reassuring. really looking forward to my next Audax ride. I thank all my The day before the ride was very wet and forecast to get ride companions who made it an enjoyable experience. My wetter on the Sunday. I nevertheless was determined to show next goal is to work on my endurance each weekend so I can up. I didn’t sleep very well but on the morning of the ride, I eventually tackle a 200 km ride. was pleased that the weather looked better than expected. Maybe in 12 months time I’ll be fit enough to return to I met up with Dino and four other riders: Nick B, Rodney C, Bright to do the Alpine Raid. It’s only about 200 km—it’s just Michael D, and Allan U. Dino introduced us, gave us a little the hills… talk about what to expect and distributed copies of our route

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Great Ocean Road 600

Something extraordinary Shaun Kinna

A bit over twelve months ago, along with my good friend Big Nath, I had a crack at Peter Donnan’s 600 km route along the Great Ocean Road to Warrnambool and back, with a goal of completing the distance in less than 24 hours. I failed. So, with the knowledge gained from an unsuccessful attempt and an intimate understanding of how hard it would be to better the time, Big Nath and I again lined up outside the Kardinia Café with about 20 other foolhardy types at 6 am for the start. I say ‘foolhardy’ not to be disrespectful but because the weather forecast was…er, not favourable. And by ‘not favourable’ I mean bleak. And by ‘bleak’ I mean shithouse, before turning really nasty. There would be no complaints about syrupy liquids in sun-warmed bidons on this ride. We had been gifted a light northwesterly affording some assistance to Torquay and nothing more than a gentle cross-wind to Aireys Inlet. In fact, all the way to Apollo Bay, we were protected from the intensifying wind; the hills to our right proving an excellent shield. Within sight of the much-photographed ‘Great Ocean Road’ timber arch at Eastern View, Nath moved his hands to the drops, lifted his bum out of the saddle and eased a half a bike length ahead of me. Upon passing beneath it, he gave a little fist pump. “What just happened, Nath?” “Sprint points. I’m leading.” Right, so that’s how it is? It is an undeniably spectacular route; the two-wheeled audience treated to stunning natural theatre in the form of huge, perfectly-formed surf at every turn. In what seemed like no time (enough for a couple more losing sprints) just after 10 am actually, Peter Donnan was scurrying around generously offering all manner of treats and goodies at the Apollo Bay checkpoint (110 km). We had determined from the 2011 ride that we’d lost too much time at the scheduled stops and had committed, this year, to only ‘meet the requirements of nature,’ refill our drink bottles and pockets and push-on. Oh yeah, and how bloody good are those ‘EM’s Power Cookies’?

Buoyed by our trouble-free start, we enthusiastically approached the Otways proper, both happy for some time out of the saddle. From the relative flat of the run to Apollo Bay, the first hill out of Marengo comes as a rude awakening. (By the way, does this hill have a name?) I’m not too good at accurately assessing gradient percentages, but it’s steep, and it keeps going long after you’d expect it to peter out. A persistent climb of about 10 km tops-out around 330 vertical metres, followed keenly by a zippy descent into the Aire Valley. Here we were made aware of the ferocity of the increasing wind and the accompanying drenching showers. Leaves and branches littered the roads indicating the presence of mayhem prior to our appearance. The focus was again on taking-in adequate food prior to the second of the two big climbs. I didn’t think I’d ever have cause to say this but I was already thoroughly sick of the sight of rainbows. The longer ascent to Lavers Hill was better protected from the wind but the rain was on the increase. It’s a bugger of a hill. Unlike the hills we all train on— the Humevale Hill, the Barrabool hills, St Andrews, Panton Hill and King Lake hill, the Dandenongs, Mt Donna Buang, anything else on the Great Ocean Road, those that allow us to establish a rhythm and get into a tempo and push, maintaining a good speed—this bastard goes straight at an unrelenting gradient until you crest. You turn a few times, then up you go again, runway straight, for kilometres at a time. Argh! And it’s deceptive. At only 460 m you don’t expect the ass-whooping it gives you. It’s a formidable hill. Within sight of the top, Nath moved his hands to the drops, lifted his bum out of the saddle and eased a half a bike length ahead of me. Having dragged his sorry arse all the way up the hill, I was spent, I couldn’t respond. Sly grin, fist pump. He claimed King of the Mountain points.

Yep, that’s how it is. Gusting winds and leaf strewn, wet roads made descending sketchy, but nothing had prepared us for the maelstrom we rode into at Princetown. With the road running east-west and now totally unprotected, we were subjected to a battering from the elements like I’ve never experienced before. The head wind was reportedly 50 km/h+, gusting to something ungodly, with intense, sporadic cross winds causing occasional calls for divine intervention. Ahead we saw what looked like sheep floating across our path, flotsam from the paddocks between us and the turbulent sea, some 400 m to our left. Sea-foam, smashed against the massive cliffs and sent skyward, was littering our path and landing upon us. Wild. Shouting, Nath instructed me to pull over. It was impossible to eat and maintain effort. We were barely able to hold a speed of 15 km/h. This required a plan. It was essential to keep our spirits up so we ate and committed to roll turns every minute and press-on to Port Campbell. To this point we had ridden mostly two abreast but the decision to single-up was wise. The energy we saved would be well spent later. (The 20 km from Princetown to Port Campbell took well over an hour, riding hard.) At the Port Campbell checkpoint, Peter was keen to know if the conditions were dangerous. Keen enough to ask me three or four times. Hmm, dangerous? Bracing, challenging, unpredictable, demoralising, and at times alarming, but dangerous? No, I don’t think so. If the elements conspired to combine with circumstances incompatible with sharing the road, i.e. an aggressive crosswind hit you at the same time as tourist buses approached from either direction, I suppose you might be in strife but… what are the chances? Eh?…Eh? With Peter’s blessing, we’d decided to break the battle with the wind by heading north to Timboon before venturing further west to Warrnambool. So, Checkpoint Spring 2012

39

it was a short break first time around at Port Campbell and despite the offers of stews, casserole, toasted sandwiches, cake, pastries and warming beverages from Eileen and Joan we headed back out into it, determined to lose as little time as possible at the checkpoints. The decision to head to Timboon worked for us. It was by no means pleasant riding but for the next few hours, the punishing head wind became a cross wind that offered neither assistance nor hindrance. It was a change and a change was well received. On the return leg to Port Campbell I went food flat for the first but most assuredly not the last time. It’s a bloody awful feeling: generalised weakness, a kind of hollow feeling bordering on crook guts, sweaty, frustrated/nervous/ confused. Perhaps the only benefit of experiencing the low blood sugar state is that one becomes more familiar with recognising the symptoms earlier. From personal experience, the deeper you go into hypoglycaemia, the harder it is to climb out of it. A benefit of riding with someone was the opportunity to talk over what I was feeling and get a considered opinion in response: “I’m struggling, Nath.” “Food? Water? Electrolytes?” “Dunno.” “Got food?” “Yep.” “Then eat!” I broke out a couple of portions of roast potatoes and drank half a litre of electrolytes and 15 minutes later I was back near to normal. Normal however, as every Audax rider knows, is a constantly changing beast. Although essential, it’s not normal to eat while exercising at a moderately high intensity, but it becomes normal to feel like you’re going to vomit unless you skilfully, artfully and patiently manage the expulsion of gas via expertly controlled burps. The rain had hit us hard on the way out and thoughts of being spared on the way back were sadly misguided. Drenched, we rocketed along the Curdievale Road, pushed hard by the welcome, forceful tail wind; our first bit of natural assistance for about ten hours. Back at Port Campbell it had become clear to us that, due to the conditions, we were unable to stay ahead of the energy debt: that to keep up with our food requirements we would have to 40

Checkpoint Spring 2012

stop and eat a substantial meal. This was a tough time for us. Ten hours down and 260 km covered, we knew we had a 65 km stretch into a relentless, strengthening head wind and that to head out with less than optimal energy in the form of consumed food, would be a fraught pursuit. So, we aimed to use the down-time wisely. Eat, drink, warm-up, stretch and plan for the next 150 km. The route kept us on the Great Ocean Road which meant little to no protection from the wind. However, every 10–15 km the road mercifully turned north–south for a kilometre or two, offering brief respite. It was on the north–south runs that I became acutely aware of the noise generated by the movement of the trees. It was as if the

who informed us that we were only the second riders to get stamped. One other fellow, she told us, had just left. My God! Some poor lunatic was out there alone! Again we needed a meal. A hearty, tasty, filling meal. And that’s exactly what we got at Siamese Thai in downtown Lava St. Splendid. We strongly recommend any and all to dine there. The proprietor was a rider of sorts who thought us mad. Good food. The relative quiet of the restaurant was reminiscent to stepping outside from a rock concert. Everything sounding muffled, ears ringing. Stepping out from the seductive restaurant cosiness into the chill-wind, showers lightly refreshing that which had only recently drained from the roads, was not a joyous moment. Nor could the first kilometre or two be called celebratory. But then it I didn’t think I’d ever dawned upon us: we had a tail wind. say this but I was already a  t  a  i  l  w  i  n  d. Tayul weend. It was thoroughly sick of rainbows. glorious. Finally, return for effort. I could hear my chain. I could hear Nathan. The roaring wind was behind trees were being grasped at the trunk me. I could stop pedalling and just roll, by hidden hands and forcefully shaken, not immediately slow to a stop. smashing the trees together. Perhaps Twenty kilometres out from Port it was the encroaching darkness that Campbell I stopped to pee, and having made it seem worse but the clamour not seen a car for about an hour I didn’t was distracting. It was literally a bother to move too far from the edge of howling wind. the road. Mid-way through, a car pulled Having been denied all previous avail- up next to me. I waved, letting them able points, I was determined to make know I was fine, thanks, move along, amends by snatching the prize at the nothing to see here, etc. traditional Cheese World sprint, which, I I was not expecting a conversation. had decided, was worth double points. “Hey mate, what are ya doin’ ridin’ out Severely energy depleted, nauseated here at night in this weather?” (Implying, and exhausted, Nathan was nearing “Ya dickhead.”) unconsciousness when I jumped. “I’m fine thanks. I’ll be on my way in I moved my hands to the drops, lifted a sec.” my bum out of the saddle and dashed a “No mate, what are ya doin’ ridin’ out couple of bike lengths ahead of him. here at night in this weather?’ Take that, Boy! I was Eric Zabel-like Do I detect the voice of authority? (without the chiselled looks and blisterI turned to see the distinctive blue ing speed.) and white chequered markings of a The last few kilometres from police car. Allansford into Warrnambool were a “I’m part of an event. We’re riding from largely mental challenge. Whichever Geelong to Warrnambool and back.” way we turned, the wind seemed to “What? Tonight?” get stronger, determined to retard our “Yep.” progress and keep us from our goal. “How many others are there?” And we knew we were close. The glow “About twenty.” of the city lights a domed halo to our “A lot of people ‘round here drink and right. Soon we would be done with this drive on these roads mate, so keep alert.” tormenting head wind. Keep alert? Had he no concept of Cue the rain. what we’d just ridden through? Keep Three hours after leaving Port alert. Pfff. Campbell, wet, tired and hungry, we “Drink drivers, eh? Shouldn’t you be greeted the lady at the APCO servo doing something about that?”

“I am, mate. I’m talking to you!” (Implying, “Ya dickhead.”) And off he went. An hour and fifty minutes after leaving Warrnambool, icy-cold and shivering vigorously, we were changing out of our drenched clothes at the Port Campbell Backpacker’s Hostel and filling our pockets for the final 200 km; the sound of snoring cyclists in their bunks like the sounds of the sirens to Odysseus as we readied ourselves to resume our odyssey. Within minutes of departing Port Campbell for the final time we were wet. Now back on the coast proper, the cross-winds again played merry havoc with our ability to hold a line. We had both assumed the tail wind would feel like a tail wind should; like a pair of warm hands firmly massaging our buttocks, providing passive assistance, propelling us homeward. But no. Instead of warm, firm hands, the wind was more like the claws of a bear, playfully but forcefully batting from left to right, interspersed with weighty shoves before climbing aboard to slow our progress. Fatigue was undeniably setting-in. Perhaps the hills will provide some protection. Perhaps the wind will assist the climbing. Perhaps the climbing will warm us up. Perhaps I should splurt some Sensodyne toothpaste into my bidons to stop my teeth aching when exposed to the icy-cold contents. Perhaps. On a positive front, the weariness wasn’t equating to negativity. If anything, we just became more business-like. “Let’s get this done.” The climb back up to Lavers Hill was relentless. Darkness helped it not. Our riding became more synchronised as the kilometres ticked by. Side-by-side each mirrored the technique of the other. Gear change down, stand-up on the pedals, grind it out…change-up, sit down and push back in the seat, grind it out…and so the dance continued for an hour or more, each breathing in time with the other. Near to cresting this beast the heavens opened yet again. Once more wet to the skin, we sought shelter at the covered Lavers Hill Café. As the rain eased we took our chance. The climb concealed the bitter cold. Descending however, we were made painfully aware that our failure to pack a waterproof jacket was not just discomfort, but a potentially dangerous mistake. At 50–60 km/h, dripping wet, the icy wind carving through to my skin, shiver-

ing became an uncontrollable menace. Like a just-washed dog, the shaking rippled through the body from nose to tail. The water and leaf litter, the painted white lines on the road and complete absence of effective brake control combined to make this an extraordinary, memorable piece of riding. The heavy rain smashed into the tarmac, each drop blasting open and bouncing back up to become a hub-high swirling mist, which, accentuated by our lights, proved a mesmerising distraction. The lower half of the wheel buried in the mist felt like a rudder allowing me to surf the road. Was I hallucinating? I don’t know, but

I was glad of every second I had ever spent on any kind of bike in any and all conditions. I have never felt so connected to the bike. it felt incredible. Remarkable. Absurd. Concentration plus, plus, plus. It was one of those rare moments in life when the planets align to produce something extraordinary. I was glad of every second I had ever spent on any kind of bike in any and all conditions. I have never felt so connected to the bike. Numb hands and feet, aching jaw and facial muscles from shivering, stiff neck, burning knees and quads from the static position of descending, cold to the core, as tempting as it was to focus on generating body warmth, the flat land of the Aire Valley was the opportunity to eat. Warming-up would have to wait 15 minutes until the next climb. And climb we did. Warming was signalled by plumes of steam emanating from the clothing of the lead rider as captured by our lights. Watching Nathan’s exhaled breath wrap around his waist and spin-off like a severed tail while the sweaty vapour of hours of work disappeared upward into the night was a playful visual reminder that tough times pass. The frosty discomfort of the previous hours, now a memory. Again we fell into our synchronous rhythm, urging each other forward, no slacking-off. My eyes were developing a voice and they were saying, ‘Close us.’ It sounded like a reasonable request. Long blinks

afforded heavenly relief. Long blinks led to micro-sleeps. Head-bob… rouse…whoa! How’d I get over here? Concentrate! Big, slow head-dip…wake!…wrench on the bars, straighten-up you fool! I confessed my condition. Not surprisingly, Big Nath was in the same state, wrestling with his own sleep demons. Blissfully, no rain fell. After an eternity we crested the final climb. And then it rained. ‘Yeah, whatever. Bring it on!’ Descending became an unbridled celebration of our journey so far. Big Nath may have been ahead in the quest for the Green Jersey, but I think I stitchedup the newly established downhillsprint, the Brown Corduroy Knicks, on the fast cornering, exhilarating run into Apollo Bay. We still had plenty of distance to cover but we’d broken the back of it. Perhaps too the reality of another failed attempt could not be ignored, freeing us to enjoy what remained without watching the clock. Of course we each knew prior to leaving Port Campbell that our goal would not be realised but it was too early to openly discuss it. Apollo Bay pre-dawn on a cold, wet and windy Sunday morning offered us absolutely nought. Nothing open. Nobody about. Not even a jogger. Water our only need, our stop was brief. Significantly, Cape Patton, five kilometres short of Kennett River, was our location when 24 hours expired; significant because last year we were at the same spot at about the same time. The Great Ocean Road between Apollo Bay and Anglesea offers the sort of appealing riding I earlier described. Intermittent hills of a reasonable gradient inviting strong climbing at a good cadence and encouraging fast descents through open corners with adequate vision to let it run. Between Kennett and Wye River, on one such 50 km/h descent, an unseen crazy-powerful downdraft ripped us from the left to the right side of the road with such strength, such ferocity that I hit the ocean-side armco. A hundred metres behind, Nathan watched, incredulous, before he too felt the wrench. We both straightened-up, regained composure and started to resume speed when it happened again. I had time to register that I was about to have a very nasty fall. I broadsided the armco Continued on page 44 Checkpoint Spring 2012

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Trim the Cat

1200 km in seven brevets Chris Rogers

I have always dreamed of riding between Melbourne and Sydney. It seems that everyone has a greatuncle or aunt who rode between these two cities during the Depression, or has a mum who knows a neighbour at the retirement village who did the ride on a penny farthing in the sixties, or has heard of someone who survived the SM 1200 in 2009. But for me it never got beyond the wistful gazing at maps. It seemed that the only chance of my really doing the ride was to put it onto the Audax calendar. No avoiding it then. Riding 1200 km in 90 hours for a brevet is a real challenge, and I seem to get less and less sleep on these rides as the years go by. But 1200 km in seven days made up of 200 and 100 km brevets seems much better value for money, with lots of lovely sleeps along the way. Looking at my maps I saw that I could break the 1200 km ride up into 200, 200, 100, 200, 200, 200, and 100 km

nators, and was encouraged greatly by their support. They quite rightly asked about the safety of the route. I explained that apart from a small diversion the route was almost exactly the same as that recommended in the Lonely Planet book Cycling Australia, and was very popular with international tourers. I remembered that before twice riding from Adelaide to Melbourne I was told that the timber trucks around Nelson would be murder. Well they weren’t. In Western Australia

Wayne and Chris take in the view of the Illawarra from Stanwell Tops

brevets. Every night we would be finishing in a major town. Even better there were YHA hostels in Foster, Merimbula, Batemans Bay, Wollongong and Sydney to stay in. Bairnsdale has a good caravan park, and we would wait and see about Orbost. So I floated the idea with the Victorian and NSW calendar coordi42

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on PAP I was freaked out by the road trains, and a couple of times when I didn’t like what was about to pass me I just pulled off the road. Having ridden up winding mountain roads in Victoria many times I know that one can hear approaching traffic long before it is seen. Give me country traffic any day rather than city hoons and hazards.

At first I planned to do the rides unsupported. With light panniers it is easy to carry a change of clothes and other necessities. Staying in YHA hostels means that there is a kitchen, laundry, lounge room and all sorts of comforts. Doing a maximum of 200 km a day leaves plenty of time to shop for food for dinner and breakfast. I wondered if I should limit the number of entrants to, say, 20 so as to not overwhelm the accommodation available. By the time the ride started I ended up with…three. Wayne Hickman came over from WA to ride the full series. Ken Gaune from Geelong was going to take each day as it came, and hopefully look at completing the whole series. Et Moi. There were three other riders, Kevin Ware, Greg Martin, and Jon Miller, who would join us for the first two legs to Bairnsdale, then train it back to Melbourne. Originally Caroline Williams from Perth was going to ride as well, but an ankle injury ended that idea. Caroline was still interested in coming over as a tourist, so we arranged a car for her so that she could accompany us. So now we were supported with bag drops and other luxuries, and things were looking good. Ken’s partner Lyn was also able come along, so we were doubly blessed. Day 1: Melbourne to Foster Wayne, Ken, and I lined up for the usual photo shots outside the National Gallery in St Kilda Road before heading off at 7.30 Sunday morning. The paparazzi did not turn up. We picked up John and Greg in Brighton, and headed off for the Stony Point ferry. The only convenient ferry leaves at noon. Miss that, and it is five hours till the next. It was a really pleasant ride along the Bay to Frankston, then across to Stony Point, and we arrived with plenty of time to spare. The deckhand on the ferry looked like he had just stepped

out of the gym, and lifted all our precious bikes across the watery void one-handed as though they were just another dumbbell exercise. From Cowes on it was a dream ride with a gorgeous tail wind. I had ridden through Wonthaggi a number of times, and had promised the others the delights of a wonderful bakery. Kevin joined us here, but we found that all the bakeries and cafes were closed, because it was Sunday! We were reduced to going to McDonald’s for a coffee. As usual, there were 20 school kids dishing out burgers and chips to the masses, and one poor sixteen year old schoolgirl in the McCafé trying to make coffees for the desperate. After the Great Ocean Road, the road between Cape Paterson and Inverloch is one of the best coastal rides in Victoria. We all loved it, with tail winds and blue skies. Ken and Lyn stayed the night in the Foster YHA, and the rest of us had a great meal and night at the Port Franklin Resort with Kevin’s sister Janice and brother-in-law Pat. Day 2: Foster to Bairnsdale Another great day with lovely tail winds, and bakeries all the way. We stopped at the Yarram Bakery for our first latte of the day. When we came out of the bakery and started getting our bikes ready a lovely lady came up and started talking to us: “Where are you going? How far have you come?” etc. After we chatted for a while she said, “You may have heard of a relative of mine who has done a lot of riding, and is fairly famous. My uncle Hubert Opperman.” Well we were in raptures. We told her all about Sir Hubert’s and Lady Mavys’ inspiration and roles as patrons of our club, and how we all ride the Oppy each year. She was really pleased, and told us how Sir Hubert would send all his young nieces lovely postcards and small gifts while he was High Commissioner in Malta. Forget the ride, we could have talked all day. We spent the night in cabins in the Mitchell Gardens Caravan Park in Bairnsdale. John, Kevin and Greg waved us good luck as they headed off to the train station and back west. Day 3: Bairnsdale to Orbost With only 100 km to ride this was to be a rest day. Once again we were blessed with a lovely tail wind, and arrived in Orbost early in the afternoon.

Caroline had done a great job on the internet sussing out the accommodation in town. The caravan park was still closed after the floods, so Caroline booked us into the Commonwealth Hotel, a huge double-storied building with a walk-around verandah on the first floor. There was a long corridor down the centre with numerous rooms off each side. We were told that Caroline, Wayne and I were in the honeymoon suite. Strangely, the suite was filled with single beds. Perhaps there are unusual local customs we don’t know about. We met Ken and Lyn for a pleasant Chinese meal in a recommended hotel. During the night there were heavy downpours of rain. Day 4: Orbost to Merimbula The good weather couldn’t last, and it didn’t. Early in the morning the rain set in seriously, and stayed. The wind had swung around to become an easterly,

After we chatted for a while she said, “You may have heard of a relative of mine who has done a lot of riding, and is fairly famous. My uncle Hubert Opperman.” and strengthened. But once we were in the forest it did little more than rage in the tree tops. Cann River looked like being our last town before Eden in NSW. The three of us rode into town in the rain. Here Lyn did the best thing a support driver ever can for drenched riders: she had checked out the three bakeries in town, and found which was best, and pointed us there. Hot food, hot coffee, and we were off. I had been warned that the road from Cann River to Eden was pure misery. My memory of twenty years ago was of a narrow winding road. But this is the A1, the Princes Highway. It was a lovely wide road with broad sweeping curves. There was a reasonable 70 cm shoulder most of the way, with only minor sections still needing upgrading. Sure, there were some caravans, and some cars pulling boats. There were some large trucks doing the coastal route, but few logging trucks. There was very little traffic, so that overtaking traffic could

give us a wide berth, and it did. I used my rear vision mirror to check what was coming up behind me. Only once did it look like I would have trucks passing beside me, so decided that it was a good time for a natural break. On the outskirts of Eden I pulled into a roadhouse for a hot chocolate. There was a big burly bloke leaning against the counter drinking a Coke. We did the usual, “Where are you going? How far have you come?” thing. I said that I was amazed at how few logging trucks there had been on the road. He put his Coke down and looked at me. “Don’t you watch the news? There have been severe floods for two weeks. The loggers can’t move their equipment, so there is no timber coming out, and all the truck drivers are sitting at home watching videos.” Oh well. Day 5: Merimbula to Batemans Bay Well it rained and blew all night at the Merimbula YHA. Thankfully the huge wind had swung around to become a southerly. Wayne and I headed out in the dark at 6 am. Ken, much smarter than either of us, looked out the window and decided that a rest day was in order. Well it rained and rained, and blew and blew, and the hills were serious at times. Thankfully Wayne and I were off the A1 and onto the tourist coast road for the next 100 km. We arrived in Tathra in the middle of a real downpour. We stood in the doorway of the bakery eating pasties, looking out through the pouring rain. We could not stay there all day, so we headed off, with the rain easing. After some 10 km the road ahead was blocked by a barrier. Road Closed. Did this mean us? Just then a few cars came towards us, so we decided that cars were getting through, so continued on. After another 10 km we came across another sign. Floodway. Sure was. There was a 40 metre section of water flowing across the road. I stopped, and walked into the water. It was up to knees, and the white line in the centre of the road disappeared in murky water. Oh great: 20 km into a strong wind back to Tathra, 20 km up to the A1 at Bega, then the A1 all the way to Batemans Bay. That is three hours and 50 km out of the way. I looked at Wayne, and Wayne looked at me. He said, “We can’t get any wetter. At least we know how deep it is. There is a depth marker on the side of the road: 0.8 m.” So I Checkpoint Spring 2012

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walked into the water with my bike. The current was brisk, but by bracing against the camber on the road it wasn’t too bad. The water just reached my crotch, but I got through. Wayne lifted his bike above his head and started in. Half way across his two water bottles fell off and disappeared towards the Tasman. He was soon by my side. At least I now know that my bottom is 80 cm above ground level. So we rode off. We had the road completely to ourselves. Hang on. If there is no oncoming traffic, does it mean that we will get up to Bermagui and find an impassable river five kilometres wide? After another 10 km we saw our first car, which I flagged down: a local who had just driven down from Bermagui. Hallelujah. We both really enjoyed the pasta and beers Caroline had for us that night in the YHA at Batemans Bay. Day 6: Batemans Bay to Wollongong From Batemans Bay onwards, and especially after Ulladulla, the road traffic steadily increased. Generally the road was good with a reasonable shoulder, but there were a few tighter sections that needed care. Ken joined us for the first 100 km, before he and Lyn headed off to Canberra for some culture to round off their holiday. For me the worst section of road was around Nowra. I ended up riding through this industrial city around 4 pm, which must have been the time

for shift change at the factories. The shoulders of the road were rough, with a lot of rubbish, and intersections were not designed to be friendly for either riders or pedestrians. I had suffered with a number of punctures earlier in the day, and Wayne was a good hour in front of me. He said that there was little traffic in Nowra when he rode through, but that he really hit peak hour in Wollongong. In contrast Wollongong was a ghost town when I rode through an hour later. Day 7: Wollongong to Sydney With only 100 km on the last day we slept in and had a leisurely start. The weather really cleared up for a lovely sunny day. The ride along the coast and through the Royal National Park was a delight. We hit suburbia in Sutherland. Being a Victorian I was not familiar with good routes for bikes from Sutherland into the Sydney CBD. I searched on Bikely, and found a route someone had put on to ride from Sutherland station into Sydney. Checking on my Sydways it seemed to link up a number of bike paths. It wasn’t too bad a route, though Wayne noticed that it seemed to head for every hill it could find. We got a little confused close in to Sydney where the roads seemed to often change names, but found Darling Harbour, then rode under the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and into the small park overlooking the Opera House. Caroline clapped us

in as though we were Tour de France heroes. Later that day we shared a celebratory champagne with Howard and Bec in Waitara. It was a wonderful ride: 1200 km in seven brevets in seven days is the only way to travel. Riding with Wayne and Caroline for the whole distance was just so good, and sharing the earlier sections with Greg, Kevin, John, Ken and Lyn really made the trip. So who was Trim? He was a black cat with white paws born on a ship bound for NSW in 1799. A brave and intelligent moggie, he chose Matthew Flinders to look after him, and later persuaded Matthew to go with him on a trip to circumnavigate the continent of Australia in 1801. In his time he survived falling overboard on the high seas, and shipwreck. Later when he and Matthew were returning to England they were both arrested by the French in Mauritius for spying. Trim later went to stay with a French noblewoman, but then disappeared. Matthew feared that he was eaten by hungry black slaves, but I prefer to thank that he met une petite chatte jolie et française. Last time I was in Mauritius there really were a lot of black cats around. There is a nice sculpture of Trim behind another of Matthew outside the Mitchell Library in Sydney: the real presence behind the hero. So Trim has sailed again. Sorry that you missed him.

Great Ocean Road 600 Continued from page 41

and just assumed that I was going over the edge, but I ricocheted back onto the road and continued on my merry way. Despite the advance warning and his mighty bulk, Nath was powerless to resist the invisible force and suffered a similar fate. Coffee, cake and debrief (that should have carried a language warning) in Lorne was essential and spectacularly rewarding. Familiar roads. Nearly home. The lead-out for the final available sprint points began on the hill leaving Lorne. I stuck it into the big fella early but he hung on like a limpet. I surged again and again on the climb but couldn’t shake him. As we rounded the corner at Tin Hill to begin the slightly downhill drag to the famous timber arch we were pushing high 40 s. A hundred metres out, I was gone. Spent. Shot. Big 44

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Nath sidled up, moved his hands to the drops, lifted his bum out of the saddle and, smiling like a drug-free Mario Cipollini, he eased several bike lengths ahead. Fist pump. Game over. The tail wind made for pleasant riding with no more than the occasional drenching from the persistent heavy showers. A flat tyre in Torquay (just two for the trip) was the only punctuation mark of the last couple of hours. Twenty nine hours had passed since leaving Geelong, heading south with a tail wind, into the darkness, into the threat of rain. Returning to Geelong across the James Harrison Bridge, over the now very swollen Barwon River, we had the tail wind but no threat of rain. No, it was pissing down. Well done to all who participated in this brutal ride. Particular mention must be made of the efforts of Andy

Moore. He managed to retire not once, but three times. You’ve got to respect a bloke who, despite the atrocious conditions elects to re-enter the fray repeatedly. Kudos to you, sir. To those that completed the ride, hearty congratulations. Perhaps in retrospect the ride could be named ‘Mother’s Day Madness.’ What a beast. Buckets of thanks to Peter Donnan, Eileen and Joan for their generous assistance and encouragement at all the checkpoints. And thanks to you Nath. I can’t imagine a better riding partner. While we didn’t achieve our goal, the fact that at no stage did either of us drop our heads, carp or moan, sets us up well for another crack next year. What about it?

Letters Send your correspondence to [email protected]

Regarding shorter rides

There has been a bit of debate in Queensland amongst some of my fellow members over some comments made in the last Checkpoint about sub-200 km rides and whether they should be promoted by the club in light of our ethos of long distance riding. True, that is the forte of the club and what sets Audax-style riding apart from other forms of cycling, however inside the true heart of our club is the self-sufficiency and capability of the average rider to achieve above average results. The Queensland Region offers many sub200 km road and dirt rides. On some of these rides I have met and enjoyed the company of many people who I would not normally meet in the course of my cycling. Some of those riders (including myself) joined forces for the Oppy this year and four of the five riders in that group achieved their highest ever 24-hour distance. Many of that Oppy team are regular participants in 50 km and 100 km rides as they are an opportunity to practice things or try different bike set ups, accessories or training tips in a ‘real time’ environment. The shorter rides are also an opportunity to experience the rigours of the organiser in a more controlled environment. The setting up of the ride, the cue sheet, the publicity are all small things which, if learned in an environment where less can go wrong, provide insight into how to get it right when beginning to run longer rides. While a plethora of knowledge abounds on these things, if I can’t practice in my way how do I get better? And do we then run the risk of the rides ending up with an element of sameness? I found the experience of organising and running 50 s and 100 s invaluable in successfully running my first fully supported 200 km, right from concept development to successful completion this year. Shorter rides also allow targeted experiences. In Queensland this year our region has used the 50 km and 100 km ride to celebrate some of the history and geography of the Brisbane area and to try to build our membership base in regional areas. In each of these rides there has been a mix of regular Audax participants and a number of non-members who had a great time in a friendly and relaxed environment. Just over 30% of riders in these events were non-members with the youngest being under eight years old. Shorter rides are part of the strength of our club. They do allow “people returning from a break or injury or those in the twilight years of our sport” to still participate but they offer a far greater benefit to the club: they are the incubator for new 46

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rides, new concepts, new members and new ride organisers to test their skills and involve themselves in the club. That’s how we inspire new regional and National Committee representatives and how ultimately, to represent the club as a whole, our President is chosen.  Simon Faber

Are short rides an introduction to longer rides?

It was recently hypothesised in an email to the Audax mailing list that “Victoria, with its large diverse membership, has often won the ACP worldwide award for most BRM rides (i.e. >200 k) within a single season for an individual region” and that “this to some degree is built on the foundation of the shorter BA rides(<200 k) which are popular in this state. Short rides are the intro to longer rides”. While there is a certain intuitive appeal to this, I’m not sure the statistics bear out the hypothesis. In 2008, 733 riders across the country completed a BA as their longest ride and had no homologated ride recorded in the previous year, so let’s assume they were new to randonneuring. Of those 733 riders, 107 went on, in either 2009, 2010 or 2011, to ride a 200 km or longer event. So about 15% went onto to ride an endurance event; not a bad conversion rate. But Victoria region’s success in winning the trophy for the largest number of homologations across the globe in an Audax season is pretty much a result of one event, the Alpine Classic. If we drop the Alpine Classic from the equation and count only those who completed a non-Alpine Classic BA in 2008 (with no ride in 2007), 773 riders drops to 410. And of those 410, only 28 went on to complete a non-Alpine Classic 200 km or longer brevet in the next three years. Of course what is left out of this picture are riders who completed a BA ride in 2008 at the Alpine Classic and then went on to complete a non-Alpine Classic BRM event in a subsequent year. Unfortunately this is where working with Excel and 23,000 lines of data gets a bit limited. The real conversion rate will be somewhere between the two. Does a low conversion rate of shorter distance riders into longer distance riders mean we shouldn’t offer BA events? I certainly say no, BRM events take time and few of us have the luxury of time without competing priorities. I ride every weekend but generally restrict myself to one BRM event per month with shorter rides on the other weekends. BA events can usefully fill out the ride calendar for even the most ardent randonneur. Garry Armsworth

Concerns about audaciousness

Dear Sir, I am concerned that many Audax members are losing sight of the rationale behind the existence of our club. We are a club of long distance cyclists, we set out to challenge ourselves, we are audacious as befits the name “Audax”. Two hundred kilometres may be a pleasant day out on the bike but what has a pleasant day to do with audaciousness? There are plenty of other cycling organisations that offer a “pleasant day” on the bike and if that is what you want, then perhaps Audax may not be the best club for you. In any case, a day is 24 hours, not the eight to ten hours that it may take to amble around a 200. Surely the minimum distance for an Audax ride should be 400 km to enable the truly audacious rider to challenge his or herself! As a concession to advanced age and infirmity, perhaps the shorter 300 km distance should be retained, but the availability of this distance should not be widely publicised, lest it give nonclub members the wrong idea about Audax. Another concerning trend that I have noticed in recent years has been the increasing popularity of bicycle frames constructed of carbon fibre. Those of an environmental bent may argue the global benefits of carbon sequestration in these frames, but we should consider that the message this sends to non-Audax cyclists is that we are, well, lightweights. Careful perusal of the many excellent photographs published in Checkpoint will reveal that many of our members would certainly not fit this description, however we must be careful not to send mixed messages to our cycling brethren. An obvious solution to this dilemma is to establish, along with a minimum event distance, a minimum event weight for the rider plus bicycle, say 100 kg. A pre-ride weigh-in would be a simple addition to the mandatory lighting check. Those not making the grade could then be provided with the requisite number of club bricks that must be attached to the frame before starting. We must move decisively to preserve the true spirit of Audax, otherwise we will find that the insidious adoption of carbon fibre frames will be inevitably followed by the widespread use of free wheels and derailleurs. Yours sincerely, ‘Old Velo’ Editorial note: a reliable source advises me that the above missive was penned by “one of the less desirable members of Audax Queensland”.

Permanents

For the love of riding Michelle Hendrie

Sitting by the side of the road, in pitch blackness, struggling to get my tyre back on the rim after fixing a late night flat, not a soul for miles, no sounds except my swearing and the odd chirp of a nocturnal animal…this is the ultimate in Audax self-sufficiency! When I decided to do a Year Round Randonneur a couple of years ago, I found myself surrounded by likeminded individuals who loved to challenge themselves and it wasn’t a race. One thing quickly became apparent to me though, was that although you have a time limit of 13 h 30 m for a 200 km ride, it is rare that anyone takes this long. I am, and always have been, an unapologetically slow rider. One of the allures of Audax was this time limit that allowed me to qualify for medals without having to be fast. An unexpected consequence, however, was that I just about always end up riding alone. If the ride is fairly flat I can stay in a bunch for a while, but once the hills come I take them slowly and wave goodbye. Don’t get me wrong, I actually enjoy riding alone, it gives me time to think, work through problems, daydream, sing out loud and otherwise entertain myself. I especially love hills where you’re alone in your mind, you fight against your body and you play tricks on yourself to go just a few more revolutions of the pedal. What I don’t enjoy is being made to feel like I’m holding everyone up, and if you arrive at the final checkpoint three hours after everyone else, the BBQ is packed up, and the ride organiser is wondering what happened to you, it’s not the victorious Tour de France finish you’d imagined in your mind. And then I discovered permanents and my world changed. Permanents are a wonderfully Australian celebration of self-sufficiency and independence. No one checks on you at every point during the ride, there’s no cushy hot food and drink at checkpoints along the way and if you break down you need to figure out for yourself how to get out of the situation. Talk about the spirit of audaciousness! Yes they have permanents in other Audax organisations, but no one else

Michelle enjoying a permanent earlier this year

has embraced them quite as much as the independent Aussies. I do need to stress that I actually love the weekend organised, unsupported Audax rides. I love catching up with the Audax community that has supported me in my quest to ride further and higher, and I’ll try and go to every organised ride I can. But when I can’t travel to a ride outside Melbourne, or when I want to ride mid-week, or when there isn’t a ride organised on the one day I can get free, or when there is only one good weather day during the whole winter month and there’s no organised ride available, then I can still be audacious and do an Audax ride! Here’s how permanents work: you log onto the Audax website, work your way through “All Audax Rides” to the “Permanents” page (scroll right down) and you find a list per state of all sorts of wonderful rides from 50 to 1200 km! Our French parent, Audax Club Parisien, doesn’t homologate permanents, so these rides don’t go towards qualification of any BRM medals, but they do go towards qualification of Australian Audax medals. Next you find a ride in a location and of a length that suits you, contact the ride organiser, work out a date and time

and you’re set. They’ll tell you all the rest about what documents are needed, how to pay, brevets, checkpoints, etc. On some Victorian rides, like Chris Rogers’ “Buckley’s Ride”, nearly everything can be done electronically so you’re not relying on a organiser being home on the same weekend you want to ride. You usually ride alone, so it is an honour system and you need to carefully abide by all Audax rules regarding lighting, high-vis vest, etc. In fact you need to prepare extra carefully as it’s unlikely you’ll meet other riders on the road to help you with water or food. Plan how you load your bike; make sure you take enough of everything on your adventure, up to and including a spare tyre and even consider a spoke wrench. Look at the route. Check out where you can find water. Are there likely to be shops and if so, will they be open? Are you likely to be out of mobile range? If you’re riding outside of build up areas, I’d recommend taking an instrument with GPS—I use Google maps on my iPhone in case I miss a turn. Arrange for a family member or friend to keep an eye on their mobile in case your bike breaks down. Above all, have fun. Permanents are not for everyone. As I was sitting by the side of the road listening to the noises of the night and struggling with my wheel, I was thinking how much I was enjoying myself. Others may not have the same viewpoint! But I have been in the same situation on an organised ride, and in both cases just made sure I was safe at all times. I love belonging to a club that celebrates independence and challenges me to go further and further on my bike—who knows, maybe one day all the way from Paris to Brest and back! Michelle loves Audax so much that after a remarkably short five minutes of vigourous armtwisting (a new record by a considerable margin) at the last Victorian AGM, she agreed to take on the role of Region President.

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Book review

Racing Bicycles–100 Years of Steel David Rapley Images Publishing Trevor Gosbell

1953

If you have ever wandered open-mouthed through Paul and Charlie Farren’s unique collection of vintage bicycles in Melbourne, caught yourself spending a little too much time browsing web sites like www.cycleexif.com, or have problems storing your huge back catalogue of old cycling magazines, then Racing Bicycles:100 Years of Steel should be on your Christmas wish list this year. Although this is unashamedly a book about steel-framed bikes, it is a book for anyone who loves stylish old bikes, not just the ‘steel is real’ mob. Starting in 1902 and proceeding chronologically to the late 1990s, each bike is given a two-page spread with several luscious photos plus technical specifications, including country of origin and current condition. David Rapley also uses each bike as the basis for a story or commentary. If the provenance of a machine is known the author provides a brief biography of the famous racer who once rode it, for other bikes he highlights particularly unique design elements or comments on the wisdom (or otherwise) of particular restoration decisions. By reading across related entries, it’s also possible to get a good feel for the history of some of the major Australian bike builders such as Malvern Star, Super Elliott, and Cecil Walker. And at every turn the author seems to winkle out little gems of bike trivia, a favourite was learning that Bianchi originally made its bikes in black (or green, reserved for military purposes); when the alternative shade of celeste was later offered it was an instant hit and has been the Bianchi ‘trademark’ colour ever since. With bikes selected from eight Australian collections, there is a natural emphasis on local marques, which makes this book an important and valuable resource on the history of bike design and competitive cycling in Australia in the previous century. That’s not to say that European, British and North American brands are ignored, with a good representation of foreign designs (Bianchi being particularly well-represented).

Model Country of manufacture Condition Frame no. Frame size Colour Lugs Fork ends Wheels Cranks Chain wheel Pedals Gears Brakes Head stem Bars Saddle

Five Star Track Australia Factory restored 53M 15067 H21½ x L22¼ inches Yellow Haden Malvern Star Track Hubs: Harden Rims: Fiamme Singles Spokes: front 36, rear 36 Stronglight Cottered Stronglight 3-arm 48T Phillips Quill Fixed 81-inch Universal Cinelli Track Brooks B17 Sprinter

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Rapley has cleverly assembled a book that will appeal to a range of bicycle enthusiasts, whether your interest is crunching the technical specifications, absorbing cycling history, appreciating bike restoration, or simply poring over gorgeous photos of well turned-out bikes. Indeed, at just about every turn of the page I found myself wanting to take each bike out for a spin. It’s quite astonishing to think that many of these bikes, even those up to 50 or 60 years old, would not look out of place on Beach Road or rolling out from Bar Coluzzi this weekend. Racing Bicycles–100 Years of Steel works both as a browsable coffee table book and as a text book of bike history.

Racing Bicycles–100 Years of Steel

236 pages, hardcover with full colour illustrations ISBN: 9781864704822 Publisher: Images Publishing RRP $69.99

Malvern Star Owner

Alan Telfer

A rare special order pure track frame manufactured in Malvern Star’s Melbourne factory, this bike’s buyer and early history is regrettably unknown, but its later life is well documented. Les Gates was a frame-builder at Malvern Star, apprenticed to them in 1939, and his first job was cutting out small metal stars for the new Five Star range. After leaving the company in the late 1950s, he became a noted tuner of racing motorcycles. When he retired, his friends thought that a restored Malvern Star from his era would be an excellent retirement present. The frame featured here was found and sent to Malvern Star for refurbishment and completed with fine artwork from senior painter, Don Bone. Set up with modern cycle parts but unfortunately ‘drilled’ for brakes, it was presented to Les, who never rode the bike. Instead it was displayed in a place of honour in his house until his death. A Melbourne enthusiast bought it from the Gates estate, fitting it with correct period track parts. It now represents an excellent example of a factory restored Five Star frame with the very best of period artwork.

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Club News

National Committee Happenings Kerri-Ann Smith, President, Audax Australia

The National Committee works through teleconference and email exchange. I thank all NC members and other national position holders for their ongoing dedication and, in particular, Helen Lew Ton who, as Secretary, is insatiable in her quest to follow up and keep things rolling.

Financials

Richard Scheer, our National Treasurer, has been budgeting to ensure our club finances are managed at the high standard expected of a national not-for-profit association. Membership fees and standard ride entry fees are the two primary sources of income available to administer the Club and provide membership benefits. They have been unchanged for some years. The NC has decided to maintain our low level of membership fee but introduce a joining and late renewal fee to encourage early renewal, and to increase the basic ride entry fee for unsupported or minimally supported rides from $5 to $6. These decisions keep Membership and riding costs for Members low. Temporary membership has been kept at $10 as decided at Lancefield several years ago but, to provide more benefits in Membership and to ensure regions have funds to promote Audax cycling in their Region, we have removed the option of charging only $5 and returning the Regional component of $5 to the non-member.

Regional Stuff

All regions are reporting that their ride calendars are well underway and they enjoy a variety of social and ride activities: NSW having some great social activities and busy with website developments, Victoria gearing up for the GSR and Hotham Challenge among other long rides, Queensland noting some positive growth in activities and numbers, the ACT quiet over the winter and the President busy organising the FNQ GT Super Series, and WA and SA busy with preparations for another year of Audax cycling. In particular, members of the NC were pleased to hear from David Killick, the new President of a hopefully resurgent Tasmania, that he is confident that local membership and participation in events can be increased.

Administration and Regulation For role clarity and succession planning, I worked with Lisa Turner and various incumbents of our national volunteer

positions to develop the following Position Descriptions: President, Secretary, General Member, State Representative, International Brevet Secretary, Regional Brevet Secretary, and UAF Brevet Secretary. Further work is happening on: Vice President, Treasurer, National Rides Calendar Coordinator, and the various ride type Brevet Secretaries. Other National position holders roles will be next to be under development. There are a number of projects underway to better manage our Club’s business. These include:

• Richard is continuing to lead work on a draft of Regulations‑Regional Annexure to regulate the financial and administrative affairs of regions and settle brevet fee arrangements. • Helen is continuing to lead work on accident procedures to assist ride organisers and others involved in responding to accidents. • Sandy is revising her draft Harassment Policy following comment by Committee members in July.

Policy and general stuff

Our Vice President, Gareth Evans, presented a strategy for a series of advertisements that will appear in Bicycling Australia magazine which fulfil our contract with the defunct Australian Cyclist. The strategy will take an educative focus to Audax and feature upcoming rides and relevant themes throughout the months— the challenge of long distance riding, alpine riding and the Audax Alpine Classic, night riding and the Fleche Opperman, history and the lure of PBP, etc. I presented a draft amplification of the Brevet Permanents Rules to provide clarity and consistency around their development and administration. It is intended that the Rules will be finalised for agreement at the National Committee meeting in September. Howard Dove is co-ordinating the implementation of the new Awards Policy with a small team. As with all activities relying on volunteer time, this has not been able to be progressed as quickly as hoped, but awards for those claiming them will be available and presented at the AGM. Sandy Vigar’s draft of the awaited Big Ride Guide was not available for the Committee’s consideration in July but it is intended that the final version should be

accepted by the National Committee at its meeting in November. Helen presented the PBP committee’s report on its actions and findings. The NC noted the recommendation that the 2015 PBP committee be established earlier in the four-year PBP cycle.

IT – Website and Membership and Database and online Calendar

The audit of the new Audax Australia website indicated keeping the home page and the regional pages fresh is a priority. Most State Representatives still need members to actively manage their Region’s page. Philip Jang of NSW is willing to help other regions with their pages. Our online calendar is being coordinated by our National Ride Calendar Co‑ordinator, Bob McHugh, who has worked with Ewen Hill to identify and implement improvements. These include streamlining the ‘Propose a Ride’ function, being able to capture more information about the ride, improving the review and assessment process for ride proposals and better extraction of reports. The system is working well and is open for general use. Work commissioned several years ago on the Club’s membership database was not fulfilled satisfactorily. Phil Bellette, as our IT Committee Chair, has attempted to secure action through our previously contracted developer and explored several companies offering membership type software services to find a product and service to meet our specific needs. Consideration of the competing aspects of cost, suitability, timeliness, flexibility and interdependence has lead to the conclusion that we adopt the membership database proposal put forward by Ewen Hill. Using the same successful processes as the online calendar development, the plan is to move the existing Access membership database into the calendar database to make it a single system and to test and deploy it prior to the 1 October membership renewal date. In 2013 we hope to develop other requirements of the membership database from a priority list. Ewen’s robust systems, his past experience and complete familiarity with our requirements, and his approach, value for money and reliability all speak in his favour.

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Brevets Rodney Kruz, Brevet Editor [email protected] Firstly, I have an apology to make to all Brevet Australia riders in the ACE250. I inadvertently listed your names as completing the ACE250 Raid. Still a great achievement, but not what you actually achieved. A full list of all finishers in the ACE250 is at the end of the Road Series ride results. My thanks to those who alerted me to the error. This month, results will not be listed in a particular alphabetical order, but just for something a little bit different, will be listed in order of average character values (a=1, b=2, …, z=26) in the name, with the lowest first. (ACE250 finishers will be listed in reverse alphabetical order as were the previous results). FEATURE RIDES

This edition’s feature rides are not necessarily the biggest rides, the most popular rides, or the longest rides–they are a different style of riding, Brevet UAFs. Brevet UAF rides are ridden as a group under the control of a captain, normally at a 22.5 km/h riding average. There are relatively few of these rides on the Audax calendar, and highlighting Brevet UAF rides may encourage ride organisers to add a few more of these rides to the calendar. 300 km, 19-May-2012, SA, UAF CLARE 300

Organiser: Richard Scheer Richard Scheer, Ray Cockram, Lloyd Sampson, Matthew Rawnsley

200 km, 14-April-2012, SA, UAF 200 NORMANVILLE

400–590 km (A weekend away) 400 km, 21-July-2012, VIC, Port Franklin 400

Organiser: Kevin Ware Jim Chant, Adam Joel Nicholson, Tavis Baker, Peter Donnan, Leigh Paterson, Simon Maddison, David Wilkinson, Kevin Ware

300–390 km (Middle distance) 300 km, 14-April-2012, NSW, The Queen Stage

Organiser: Tim Emslie Howard Dove, Bec Morton, Tim Emslie, Peter O’Sullivan, Paul Seton

300 km, 21-April-2012, VIC, Dances with Dinosaurs

Organiser: John Laszczyk Michelle Hendrie, Adam Nicholson, David Woodman, Peter Donnan, Sean Soh, Heather Murray, Frank Preyer, Peter Matthews

300 km, 5-May-2012, SA, Eastern 123

Organiser: Glen Thompson Ben del Fabbro, Richard Scheer, Allan Dickson, Andrew Kennedy, Lloyd Sampson, Matthew Rawnsley

300 km, 7-June-2012, VIC, The Wild Wild West

Organiser: Stephen & Merryn Rowlands David Eales, Ian George, Richard Harker, Jim Chant, Hamish Moffatt, Henry De Man, Craig Eastwood, Tavis Baker, George Judkins, Peter Donnan, Leigh Paterson, Simon Maddison, David Wilkinson, Steve Xerri, Tim Taylor, Rodney Kruz

300 km, 16-June-2012, NSW, Lower Hunter Valley

Organiser: Malcolm Rogers Jonathan Egan, Jonathan Page, Ron Gehring

300 km, 16-June-2012, VIC, Hume

Organiser: Chris Rogers Donald Noble, Jim Chant, Adam (Joel) Nicholson, George Judkins, Greg Martin, Simon Maddison, Kevin Ware, Steven Elward, Heather Murray, Chris Rogers, Franco Logozzo

300 km, 17-June-2012, VIC, Hovell

600 km, 5-May-2012, QLD, Beaches and Beyond

Organiser: Phil Millham Vaughan Kippers

600 km, 12-May-2012, VIC, Great Ocean Road 600

Organiser: Peter Donnan Ian George, Jim Chant, Ken Morgan, George Judkins, Shaun Kinna, Leigh Paterson, Peter Carr, Joel Nicholson, Jon Miller, Geoffrey Austin, Nathan Wilson, Steve Xerri

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Checkpoint Spring 2012

200 km, 7-July-2012, SA, North Eastern 123

Organiser: Rodney Kruz Mark Chapman, Adrian Whear, Barry Hahnel, Brian Joyce, Patricia Dorey, Tim Laugher, Leigh Paterson, Heather Murray, Don Mintern, Chris Rogers, Leigh Thornton, Ron Nettleton, Steve Xerri, Rodney Kruz

200–290 km (A day on the bike) 200 km, 17-March-2012, NSW, The Three Parks Ride

Organiser: Greg Lansom Derek Wolfson

200 km, 7-July-2012, VIC, Mid Winter Madness 200 km, 14-July-2012, NSW, The Royal Ride 200 km, 14-July-2012, VIC, North & South of the Murray

50–190 km (Short) 150 km, 28-April-2012, NSW, Mudgee Classic

200 km, 28-April-2012, VIC, Billyo’s Ride

Organiser: Chris Walsh Adam Farrar, Gary Keating, Chris Walsh, Glenn Druery, Jeremy Thomson

200 km, 29-April-2012, VIC, Benalla la Belle

150 km, 29-April-2012, NSW, Mudgee to Bathurst

200 km, 6-May-2012, VIC, Moorabool Mayhem

Organiser: Carol & George Judkins Mark Chapman, Ian George, Adrian Whear, George Judkins, Greg Martin, Peter Donnan, Leigh Paterson, Sean Soh, Heather Murray

200 km, 12-May-2012, NSW, Picton-Sutton Forest Ride

Organiser: Henry Boardman Jonothan Egan, Kevin Linnett

200 km, 13-May-2012, NSW, Hawkesbury Howler

600 km, 31-March-2012, NSW, Highlands Wanderer

Organiser: Garry Skeers Cassie Lowe, Steve Lee, Tom Nankivell, Garry Skeers

200 km, 7-July-2012, QLD, Travelling South 200

Organiser: Sandy Vigar Andrew Bragg, Gerard Keating, Calvin Raison, Gavin Raison, Peter Jenkins, Tony Limpus

300 km, 7-July-2012, SA, North Eastern 123

Organiser: Richard Scheer Richard Scheer, Allan Dickson, Luke Cutting, Matthew Rawnsley

Organiser: Katherine Bryant & Ian Garrity Jonathan Page, Michael Smith, Graeme Weatherill, Robert Hoehne, Wayde Hazelton, Garry Armsworth

600 km, 14-April-2012, NSW, Big Black Crow 600

200 km, 30-June-2012, NSW, Hawkesbury Valley Randonnee

Organiser: Phillip Jang Johan Brinch, Michael Smith, Rebecca Morton, Howard Dove, Wayde Hazelton

Organiser: Richard Pinkerton Grant White, Kevin Linnett

1000 km, 5-May-2012, QLD, Beaches and Beyond

Organiser: Greg Lansom Barry Stevenson

200 km, 24-June-2012, VIC, Wandong Winter Wander

Organiser: Lorraine Allen Damian Le Dan, Barry Hahnel, Rob Beswick, Peter Donnan, Leigh Paterson, Sean Soh, Athol Andrews, Jon Miller, Alistair Elliott, Andrew Elliott, Peter Mathews, Garry Wall

300 km, 7-July-2012, QLD, Travelling South 300

Organiser: Sandy Vigar Roger Hawley, Martin Pearson, Anthony Douglas, Errol Ross

Organiser: Howard Dove & Rebecca Morton Phillip Jang, Carl Olsen, Tim Emslie, Ricky O’Brien, Tom Carment, Peter Meyer

Organiser: Phil Millham David King, Wayne Hickman, Tina Gilbert, Warren Page, Howard Dove, Bec Morton, Roger Hawley, Stuart Dowell

200 km, 24-June-2012, SA, Midwinter Classic

Organiser: Richard Scheer Ben Del Fabbro, Michael Schell, Richard Scheer, David Fairweather, Ray Cockram, Andrew Kennedy, Claudio Pompili, Matthew Rawnsley, Oliver Portway

Organiser: Rus Hamilton Jon Miller

Organiser: Chris Rogers Mark Chapman, Barry Hahnel, Brian Joyce, Myra Morgan, Leigh Thornton, Steve Ambry, Yves Quaglio, Rodney Kruz

ROAD SERIES 600 km+ (Long)

200 km, 23-June-2012, QLD, Frank Papp Memorial

Organiser: Sandy Vigar, Stuart Dowell David King, Hayden Bentley, Iain Cummings, Brian Hornby, Roger Hawley, Martin Pearson, Anthony Douglas, Stuart Dowell, Errol Ross

300 km, 30-June-2012, NSW, Hawkesbury Valley Randonnee

Organiser: Phillip Jang Ron Gehring, Simon Naunton

200 km, 15-April-2012, WA, UAF 200 Yanchep-Chittering

Organiser: Nick Dale Adrian Giacci, John Eden, Hari Goonatilake, Colin Farmer, Klaus Hagedorn, Geoff Merks, Wayne Hickman, Aaron Hoette, Eamonn McCloskey, Peter Markakis, Allen Gunther, Guido Gadomsky, Danny Rock, Andrew Priest, Tony Gillespie, Perry Raison, Kym Murray

200 km, 17-June-2012, QLD, Eungella Challenge

Organiser: Peter McCallum Andy Steane, Peter McCallum, Matt Marshall, Mia McIntyre, John Martin, Peter Robertson, Troy Forbes

Organiser: Richard Scheer Andrew Kennedy, Lloyd Samspon, Oliver Portway

Organiser: Chris Rogers Jeff Gosbell, Chris Rogers

100 km, 25-February-2012, WA, Bjorn Blasse Celebration UAF

200 km, 16-June-2012, QLD, Beaudesert Bash

Organiser: Dino Morgante Gerard Egan, Adam Barron, Kym Raffelt, Vaughan Kippers, Mark Riley

Organiser: Chris Rogers Donald Noble, Adam (Joel) Nicholson, George Judkins, Simon Maddison, Heather Murray, Chris Rogers

Organiser: Richard Scheer Richard Scheer, Andrew Kennedy, Graham Stucley, Lloyd Sampson Organiser: Nick Dale Ian Viapree, Geoff Merks, Wayne Hickman, Alison McLernon, Wayne Bertram, Tony Gillespie, Perry Raison

200 km, 16-June-2012, NSW, Central Coast

Organiser: Malcolm Rogers Geoff Robb, Rebecca Morton, Howard Dove, Tom Carment, Peter Barlow, Robert Berry, Garry Armsworth

200 km, 19-May-2012, NSW, It’s the Pitts

200 km, 19-May-2012, QLD, Low and High 200

Organiser: Martin Pearson Pat Lehane, Gerard Keating, Andrew Dickinson, David McCrossin, Simon Nitchie, Kym Raffelt, Shaun Kennedy, Martin Pearson, Myk Lozyk

Organiser: Chris Walsh Adrian Emilsen, Jeremy Thomson

150 km, 12-May-2012, NSW, River Ride

Organiser: Garry Armsworth Kieran Reid, Tim Hancock, Graeme Weatherill, Carl Olsen, Douglas Kennedy, Ron Gehring, Robert Lie, John Florin, Frank Paterson, Roger Blazey, Wayde Hazelton, Derek Wolfson, Lindsay Harvey, Thomas Legowo, Keith Scott, Tom Boogert, Garry Armsworth

150 km, 24-June-2012, VIC, Wandong Winter Wander

Organiser: Lorraine Allen David Woodman, Peter Delphin, Sonya Degaris, Peter Kilevics, Andrew Tytherleigh, Stephen Watson

150 km, 30-June-2012, NSW, Hawkesbury Valley Randonnee

Organiser: Phillip Jang Graham Jones, Geoffrey Burge, Tom Carment, Ron Webster

150 km, 5-July-2012, VIC, Mid Winter Madness

Organiser: Rus Hamilton Dominique Jeremiah, Stephen Jeremiah, Phillip Maas, Robert Wilkinson

100 km, 28-April-2012, NSW, Mudgee Classic

Organiser: Chris Walsh Pia Atahan, Bruce McMillan, Dayna Williams, Lindsay Harvey, Trevor Hambley

200 km, 2-June-2012, SA, Hilly Hills Challenge

100 km, 29-April-2012, VIC, Kinglake loop

200 km, 10-June-2012, QLD, Audax Royal Weekend 200

100 km, 19-May-2012, VIC, Foster Weekend, Day 1

Organiser: Andrew Kennedy Richard Scheer, Allan Dickson, David Fairweather, Andrew Kennedy, Luke Cutting, Lloyd Samspon, Matthew Rawnsley Organiser: Simon Faber Michael Deed, Pat Lehane, Simon Faber, Dino Morgante, Vaughan Kippers

Organiser: Bill Jeppesen Sean Soh, Alistair Elliott, Andrew Elliott, Peter Phillips, Robert Payton Organiser: Bridget Evans David Eales, Catherine Enter, Bruce Beatson, Mark Bowden, Gareth Evans, Leigh Paterson, Jenny Fenwick, Liz James, Mark Withers, Steve Varney, Robyn Curtis

100 km, 20-May-2012, NSW, Tumut Talbingo 100

Organiser: Charlie Taylor Bruce McMillan, Jim Goode, Hugo Dejong, Karen Hayes, Holly Dejong, Charles Taylor, Lindsay Harvey

100 km, 20-May-2012, VIC, Foster Weekend, Day 2

Organiser: Bridget Evans David Eales, Catherine Enter, Gavan McCarthy, Gareth Evans, Dave Harrington, Leigh Paterson, Jenny Fenwick, Liz James, Peter Curtis, Steve Varney

100 km, 27-May-2012, QLD, Sarina Century

Organiser: Peter McCallum Sean Campbell, Garth Blackburn, Jane Tagney, Magdalena Stolz, Peter McCallum, Phillip Burnham, Danny McCarthy, Rita Jewell, Susan McDowall, Peter Robertson, Troy Forbes, Stuart Bradley (HD)

100 km, 27-May-2012, VIC, See Sea Rider

Organiser: Chris Rogers Ken Self, Paul Kalitsis, Ian Knox, Chris Rogers

100 km, 1-June-2012, VIC, Drouin to Cape Poowong Organiser: Kevin Ware Barry Hahnel, Robert Beswick, Heather Murray

100 km, 2-June-2012, NSW, Gorges Galore

Organiser: Katherine Bryant & Ian Garrity Nigel Hill, Jennifer Wang, Ming Wang, Patrick Fogarty, Peter Meyer

100 km, 16-June-2012, NSW, Hawkesbury River

Organiser: Malcolm Rogers Nigel Hill, Graham Jones, Malcolm Rogers, Patrick Fogarty

100 km, 23-June-2012, NSW, Café Rides

Organiser: Henry Boardman Graham Carthew, Henry Boardman, Kevin Grimmer, Wayde Hazelton, Mark Lloyd, Grant White

100 km, 23-June-2012, QLD, Frank Papp Memorial

Organiser: Sandy Vigar, Stuart Dowell Michael Clare, Craig Shephard, Kayleen Biglands, Haydon Biglands, Mark Shephard, Tom Colligan, Brian Lowe, Peter Jenkins, Shane Wharton, Murray Davies

100 km, 24-June-2012, VIC, Wandong Winter Wander

Organiser: Lorraine Allen Mark Hibberd, Jan Gardner, Bill Jeppersen, David Willshire, Tim Laugher, Phillip Hayes, Andrew Thomas, Raymond Lelkes, Pete McIntosh, Stephen Hartley, Pat Dorey, Rodney Snibson, Steve Morris

100 km, 30-June-2012, QLD, The Casino Chip

Organiser: Simon Faber Michael Deed, Simon Faber, Dino Morgante, Darryl Marsden, Vaughan Kippers, Rosamond Godwin, Errol Ross

100 km, 7-July-2012, NSW, Surf & Turf

Organiser: Craig Gavin Craig Gavin, Angie Emery, Paul Andrill, Marshall Innes, John Emery, Melissa Turnbull

100 km, 7-July-2012, SA, North Eastern 123 Organiser: Richard Scheer Claudio Pompili, Werner Maass

100 km, 14-July-2012, VIC, Toll Free

Organiser: Chris Rogers Jan Gardner, Robert Beswick, Ian Knox, Chris Rogers

50 km, 25-April-2012, QLD, Lest We Forget

Organiser: Simon Faber Simon Faber, Ian Lobley, Jessica Morgante, Dino Morgante, Vaughan Kippers, Rosamond Godwin, John Sauer, Terry Telfer, Steve Weir

50 km, 5-May-2012, VIC, Ride along the planets

Organiser: Robert Wilkinson Ken Self, Ian Knox, Robert Wilkinson, Peter Knox

50 km, 19-May-2012, VIC, Foster Weekend, Day 1

Organiser: Bridget Evans Gavan McCarthy, Bridget Evans, David Harrington, Donald Roberts, Myra Morgan, Steve Ambry

50 km, 19-May-2012, VIC, Foster Weekend, Day 2

Organiser: Bridget Evans Bridget Evans, Myra Morgan, Steve Ambry

50 km, 21-July-2012, QLD, Take off your Pants and Jacket

Organiser: Simon Faber Michael Deed, Simon Faber, Ian Lobley, Dino Morgante, Darryl Marsden, Vaughan Kippers

250 km, ACE 250 (Corrected Results) Organiser: Alan Tonkin

ZY: Sean Young, Richard Young, Matthew Young, Mark Young, James Yorston XW: Graham Wright, Angie Wren, Erik Wolfhagen, Jonathan Wilson, David Wilson, David Wilkinson, Carl Wilkin, Ubbo Wiersema, Peter Whyte, Doug Whiteford, Greg Wheeler, Derek Wells, Britta Weller, Robert Webster, Richard Ward, Nick Walter, Neville Walsh, Garry Wall, Alan Walker, Jeremy Wah V: Shane Von, Geoff Vietz, Adam Ventura, Arno Van UT: Darren Trickey, Vu Tran, Huyen Tran, Ben Tolley, Les Tokolyi, Malcolm Tennent, Gordon Taylor, Chris Taylor, Nick Tapp

S:Graham Stucley, Neil Stitt, Richard Staunton, Christopher Stack, Spiros Soulis, Mark Sommerville, Jan Sommerville, Sean Soh, Ross Smith, Justin Smith, Dan Smith, Lisa Smallbone, Tom Smagas, Samantha Smagas, Alison Skinner, Craig Sinclair, Damien Sims, Haydon Shorten, Douglas Shirrefs, Tim Shilling, Glenn Sherlock, Phil Sheppard, Jason Shell, Andrew Sheats, Lachlan Shaw, Lloyd Shanks, Paul Seton, Jason Scott, Andrew Scott, Jeffrey Schulz, Cam Schubert, Dale Schrader, Frank Schoen, Errol Schmidt, Michael Schell, Karen Schell, David Scadden, Greer Sansom, Russell Sands, David Samuel R: Matt Ryan, Henry Ruiz, Sebastian Rudkin, Fraser Rowe, Grant Rogers, Craig Robson, Hugh Robertson, Andy Roberts, David Robb, Ivan Riley, Michael Reppion, Nicholas Renneberg, Kieran Reid, Campbell Reid, Jason Rayment, Mathew Rawnsley, Jon Ratcliffe, Grant Ramm, Perry Raison, David Rae, Bruno Rabl Q: Son Quach P: Gary Pye, Frank Preyer, Sam Prescott, Brad Poyser, Louis Pouw, Robert Postlethwaite, Nathan Portlock, Craig Porritt, Zoran Popovski, Michael Phan, Steve Peters, Martin Pearson, James Pearson, Jill Pattison, Russell Patterson, Maxine Patterson Nick Paton, Daniel Patience, Stuart Partridge O: Philip O’Toole, Simon Osborne, Oseka Onuma, Christine O’Neill, Nathan Olsen, Joanne Oliver, Paul Ogorman, Damien O’Connor, Ricky O’Brien N: Camilla Norman, Russell Noble, Don Noble, Drew Neal M: George Murley, Ross Munro, Christopher Munro, Paul Muldowney, Rebecca Morton, John Morrison, Anthony Morlet, Eleri Morgan-Thomas, Paul Morgan, Hamish Moffatt, Jan Modrzejewski, Adam Mitchell, Phil Millham, Leigh Miller, Michael Milewski, Bruce Mesley, Ruth Meex, Mick Meaney, Liam McShane, Mark McLean, Paul McKinn, Chris McKelvey, Darren McKellar, Anthony McIntosh, Ian McGregor, Tim McDonald, Keith McCulloch, James McCormack, David McAdam, Peter Mayall, Andrew Maughan, Duncan Massie, Chris Martin, Tim Mansfield, Rod Mann, Robert Malicki, Cleve Magree, Simon Maddison, Don Macrae, Neil Maclaren, Stuart Mackay, Douglas Mabey

The purpose of the randonneur is not to race, but to achieve a challenge while respecting the rules and spirit of randonneuring. Audax Club Parisien, 17 th PBP brochure L: Peter Luscombe, Bruce Luckham, Cassandra Lowe, Scott Lovell, Andrew Ling, Chris Linden, Ernest Lim, Steve Lieschke, Craig Lewis, James Levinson, David Leong, Stephen Lee, Walter Lederman, Craig Le, Paul Lawton, Justin Lang, Karl Landorf, Luke Laffan, Mark Lacey K: See Kwang, David Kretschmer, Niels Klazenga, Mark Kirtland, Shane Kirkland, Trevor King, Richard King, Steve Kennett, Peter Keillar, Andrew Kaye, Daniel Kalker, Rob Kalinowski J: Marcus Judge, Andrew Jones, Leigh Johansen, David Jeffs, Michael James, Liz James, Christopher James, Francis Jackson I: John Irvine, David Inglis H: Luke Hussey, William Hurley, Victor Hurley, Paula Hulett, Norm Hulett, Peter Hudec, Ron Horne, Chery Horne, Tony Hope, Ian Hood, Simon Holland, Chow Ho, David Hislop, David Hinke, Ron Heron, Thomas Hensel, Grant Henderson, Brian Hender, Andrew Healey, Mark Hayward, Michael Hay, Roger Hawley, Matthew Harrison, Julian Hanson, Sean Hannigan, Bruce Hanlee, Sheridan Hall, Andrew Hall, Tony Hajdasz G: Mark Guy, Anthony Gugel, David Grosshans, Aaron Griffiths, Rod Grace, Jamie Gluszek, Geoffrey Gledhill, Philip Giddings, Patrick Giddings, David Gerrard, Ian George, Chris Gates, Michael Gass, Ian Garrity, Stan Garland, Lucas Garden, Simon Gaeta, Nick Gaeta, Mark Gabler F: Hayden Fung, Phillip Frigo, Quentin Frayne, Nigel Frayne, Warren Foreman, Tim Fitzgerald, Russell Fisher, Matt Ferris, Rodney Favero, Adam Farrugia, John Fantini E: Gregory Evans, Stuart Emmerson, Matthew Elding, Philip Egan, Jonathan Egan, Glenn Eastwood, Craig Eastwood D: Michael Dyczek, Charlie Dutra, Roko Durmanic, David Durad, Juernjakob Dugge, Julienne Drysdale, Finbarr Dowling, Gary Dowel, Howard Dove, Peter Doonan, David Digiantomasso, Paul Devereux, Norman Derham, Andy Derham, Mark Dent, Andrew Demicoli, Julian Del, Stephen Dayment, Eric Davidson, Alexander Danne, David Dall C: Luke Cutting, Stephen Cunningham, David Croxford, Anthony Cross, Mick Creati, Tom Courtice, Peter Coull, David Couche, Michael Cosgrave, Sergio Corona, Mark Corbett, Rex Comb, Michael Collier, Jennifer Collier, Paul Coles, Peter Coleman, Richard Cole, Stephen Cogan, David Cocking, Geoffrey Clarke, Robert Clark, Greg Chivers, Ian Chilman, Melissa Chiappazzo, Sarah Chaplin, Robert Catford, Robert Cass, John Carroll, Peter Carr, Stephen Carey, Jack Carecos, Jonathan Cantwell, Mickey Campbell, Phillip Camenzuli B: Michael Byrom, Allen Burton, Greg Burghardt, Geoffrey Burge, Paul Buntine, Geoffrey Buntine, Christopher Bull, Katherine Bryant, James Brown, Christopher Brown, Roger Brink, Chris Brennan, Les Bradd John Boyle, Jesse Boyd, Colin Boyd, Neil Bowman, Anthony Boulton, Andu Borsaru, Michael Borowski, Geoff Booth, Tom Boogert, John Bolwell, Peter Bodeit, David Blair, Robb Belsher, Alexander Belajin, Dean Beavan, Carmel Barro, Brett Barnard, John Bahoric

A: Geoffrey Austin, Dave Arnup, John Archer, Jim Anthanas, Tuan Anh, Henry Andryszczak, James Anderson, Mark Amabile, Richard Allen, Simon Alford, John Aitken, Paul Adler, George Addison, David Adams, Rod Abram

PERMANENTS

400 km, 04-Apr-2012, Bob McHugh, Wattle Valley 200 km, 20-Dec-2011, Jon Miller, Bay City Roller 200 km, 28-Dec-2011, Gareth Evans, Gippsland Gold 200 km, 30-Dec-2011, Pat Dorey, Portsea Express 200 km, 13-Jan-2012, Tim Taylor, Bay City Roller 200 km, 13-Jan-2012, Kathryn Temby, Bay City Roller 200 km, 10-Mar-2012, Tony Gillespie, Peel Around Peel 200 km, 11-Mar-2012, Gareth Evans, Portsea Express 200 km, 09-Apr-2012, Wayne Bertram, Avonguard 200 km, 10-Apr-2012, Richard Ferris, ACT Border Patrol 200 km, 14-Apr-2012, Martin Pearson, Clifton 200 200 km, 14-Apr-2012, Gareth Evans, Portsea Express 200 km, 14-Apr-2012, Leigh Paterson, Portsea Express 200 km, 14-Apr-2012, Tim Taylor, Portsea Express 200 km, 14-Apr-2012, Kathryn Temby, Portsea Express 200 km, 20-Apr-2012, Jon Miller, Greendale Jaunt 200 km, 20-Apr-2012, Adrian Whear, Greendale Jaunt 200 km, 20-Apr-2012, Greg Martin, Spa Country Jig 200 km, 21-Apr-2012, David Armstrong, Portsea Express 200 km, 21-Apr-2012, Peter Curtis, Portsea Express 200 km, 21-Apr-2012, Robyn Curtis, Portsea Express 200 km, 21-Apr-2012, Maxine Patterson, Portsea Express 200 km, 21-Apr-2012, Russell Patterson, Portsea Express 200 km, 25-Apr-2012, Perry Raison, Toodyay 200 200 km, 25-Apr-2012, Robert Beswick, Wheels on Fire 200 km, 25-Apr-2012, Barry Hahnel, Wheels on Fire 200 km, 25-Apr-2012, Phillip Maas, Wheels on Fire 200 km, 28-Apr-2012, Perry Raison, Avonguard 200 km, 28-Apr-2012, Greg Martin, Spa Country Highland Fling 200 km, 29-Apr-2012, Matthew Rawnsley, Reservoir Run 200 km, 29-Apr-2012, Richard Scheer, Reservoir Run 200 km, 01-May-2012, Stephen Page, Follow the River for Peats Sake 200 km, 01-May-2012, Jon Miller, Spa Country Reel 200 km, 03-May-2012, Chris Rogers, Benalla la Belle 200 km, 05-May-2012, Lorraine Allen, Shepp Swing 200 km, 05-May-2012, Pat Dorey, Shepp Swing 200 km, 05-May-2012, Tim Laugher, Shepp Swing 200 km, 08-May-2012, Tim Emslie, Ferry Long Way Round 200 km, 11-May-2012, Chris Rogers, Bright and Beautiful 200 km, 17-May-2012, Barry Hahnel, Drouin to Cape Paterson 200 km, 17-May-2012, Kevin Ware, Drouin to Cape Paterson 200 km, 19-May-2012, Rodney Kruz, All Saints Day 200 km, 19-May-2012, Perry Raison, Peel Around Peel 200 km, 20-May-2012, Geoff Farnsworth, Doing the Dog Trap 200 km, 21-May-2012, Tim Emslie, Daddy Gorges 200 km, 21-May-2012, Wayde Hazelton, Spencer Loop 200 km, 26-May-2012, Gareth Evans, Gippsland Gold 200 km, 26-May-2012, Leigh Paterson, Gippsland Gold 200 km, 27-May-2012, Michelle Hendrie, Drouin Cruisey 200 200 km, 27-May-2012, George Judkins, Eureka Dales 200 km, 27-May-2012, Peter Curtis, Portsea Express 200 km, 30-May-2012, Barry Hanhnel, Drouin Cruisey 200 200 km, 30-May-2012, Kevin Ware, Drouin Cruisey 200 200 km, 02-Jun-2012, Mark Chapman, Buckleys Ride 200 km, 02-Jun-2012, Michelle Hendrie, Buckleys Ride 200 km, 02-Jun-2012, Brian Joyce, Buckleys Ride 200 km, 02-Jun-2012, Adrian Whear, Buckleys Ride 200 km, 08-Jun-2012, Howard Dove, Follow the River for Peats Sake 200 km, 08-Jun-2012, Ron Gehring, Follow the River for Peats Sake 200 km, 08-Jun-2012, Wayde Hazelton, Follow the River for Peats Sake 200 km, 08-Jun-2012, Phillip Jang, Follow the River for Peats Sake 200 km, 08-Jun-2012, Rebecca Morton, Follow the River for Peats Sake 200 km, 09-Jun-2012, Lorraine Allen, Spring into Seymour 200 km, 23-Jun-2012, Greg Martin, Drouin Cruisey 200 200 km, 23-Jun-2012, Kevin Ware, Drouin Cruisey 200 200 km, 23-Jun-2012, Ricky O’Brien, Ferry Long Way Round 200 km, 23-Jun-2012, Robert Hoehne, Follow the River for Peats Sake 200 km, 23-Jun-2012, Liam Crowley, Gippsland Gold 200 km, 23-Jun-2012, Gareth Evans, Gippsland Gold 200 km, 30-Jun-2012, Pat Dorey, Portsea Express 200 km, 30-Jun-2012, Tim Laugher, Portsea Express 200 km, 07-Jul-2012, George Judkins, Eureka Dales 200 km, 07-Jul-2012, Lorraine Allen, Portsea Express 200 km, 07-Jul-2012, Tim Laugher, Portsea Express 200 km, 11-Jul-2012, Barry Hahnell, Loch to Inverloch 200 km, 14-Jul-2012, Chris Rogers, Portsea Express 200 km, 14-Jul-2012, Gareth Evans, The Great Escape 200 km, 24-Jul-2012, Chris Rogers, Wangaratta Wahine 200 km, 28-Jul-2012, Tony Gillespie, Peel Around Peel 200 km, 28-Jul-2012, Perry Raison, Peel Around Peel 150 km, 20-Jul-2012, George Judkins, Lycra in Lorne 106 km, 28-Apr-2012, Howard Dove, Follow the River 106 km, 28-Apr-2012, Phillip Jang, Follow the River 106 km, 28-Apr-2012, Rebecca Morton, Follow the River 106 km, 28-Apr-2012, Morton Page, Follow the River 100 km, 03-Apr-2012, Graham Stuckley, Glen Lobethal 100 km, 03-Apr-2012, Graham Stuckley, TDA stage 3 100 km, 22-Apr-2012, George Judkins, Wheels to Dereel 100 km, 25-Apr-2012, George Judkins, Inch to Winch 100 km, 09-May-2012, Barry Hahnel, Drouin to Poowong 100 km, 02-Jun-2012, George Judkins, Wheels to Dareel 100 km, 10-Jun-2012, Barry Hahnel, Drouin to the Wong 100 km, 23-Jun-2012, Alan Baker, Burrum 100 100 km, 28-Jul-2012, George Judkins, Wheels to Dereel 50 km, 05-May-2012, George Judkins, Inverleigh Idle 50 km, 20-May-2012, George Judkins, Inverleigh Idle Checkpoint Spring 2012

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Nutrition

Paris-Brest Cake and the GSR Jon Miller

An enterprising patissier on the route of the first PBP in 1891 was looking for a way to cash in on this mammoth bicycle race. He came up with the Paris–Brest cake which he sold from his shop to much acclaim. This cake is now very popular and sold all over France. The exact recipe for the original Paris–Brest Cake has been lost in the mists of time. Spend a few minutes on Google and you will soon discover dozens of slightly different versions. However, they’re all based on a ring of choux pastry, that deliciously light and airy pastry the French make so well for their éclairs. This pastry ring is sliced in two and stuffed with a sweet filling. Sometimes it’s whipped cream, sometimes butter cream, sometimes praline, sometimes pastry cream…you get the idea? Most of them are sprinkled with slivered almonds and dusted with icing sugar but some have one or the other and some are topped with whipped cream. Part of what makes the Paris-Brest Cake special is its symbolism. The ring of pastry represents a bicycle wheel; the filling represents the mud; the almonds pave or cobblestones, and the icing sugar is the dust of the road. And the taste? Sweet and delicious as all good French pastries are. The PBP has had its own cake since it was first run, 120 years ago. The Great Southern Randonee has been held every four years since 1996 and has become a must-do ride in the Audax calendar. However, it doesn’t have its own cake! A situation that needs to be remedied. I mentioned this to Stephen Rowlands, one of the organisers of the 2012 GSR and he said it should have an Australian flavour. With this brief, I set about creating a GSR cake. The two iconic Australian cakes are the pavlova and the lamington. I didn’t think I could do much with a lamington so I started with a pavlova and came up with the GSR Cake.

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Checkpoint Spring 2012

Each cake is in the shape of a rocky tor representing the Twelve Apostles, which are a feature of the GSR. The crème patisserie filling is a nod to the French influence and the Paris–Brest cake. It has a coffee flavouring because all Audax rides in this country involve coffee. The chocolate topping is a performance enhancing drug.

Meringue 3 egg whites ¾ cup caster sugar 1 teaspoon vinegar 2 teaspoons cornflour Crème Patisserie Filling 1 cup milk 2 tsp instant coffee powder 3 Egg yolks 3 tbsp caster sugar 1 tbsp cornflour Chocolate Ganache Topping 70 g good quality chocolate 3 tbsp cream Method Preheat oven to 150 degrees. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper,

draw four circles approximately 10 cm in diameter. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Add caster sugar one tablespoon at a time beating continuously. Mixture should be stiff and glossy. Gently fold in vinegar and cornflour. Spoon the meringue evenly into each of the four circles on the baking paper. Pile it up as high as you can, you’re making the Twelve Apostles. Turn down oven to 130 degrees and bake meringue for 60–75 minutes. It should be crisp on the outside and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Leave to cool in the oven with the door left ajar. The meringue will keep for 3–4 days in an airtight container. Heat milk and coffee slowly until almost boiled. Beat egg-yolks, sugar and cornflour until thick, then pour in heated milk and beat until smooth. Heat mixture in a clean saucepan over a low to medium heat stirring continuously until it thickens. If you don’t keep stirring, the egg will cook on the bottom and you’ll end up with a coffee frittata. Transfer to a small bowl and press glad wrap on to the surface to prevent a skin forming. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Assemble just before serving. Cut a plug out of the bottom of each meringue, fill with the crème patisserie, replace plug. Melt chocolate and cream together over a low heat stirring continually. Pour over the cream. Refrigerate 30 minutes or until chocolate set.

feel the serenity...

Disc Trucker

As you may know, the Long haul Trucker enjoys a reputation as one of the best riding and most valuepacked touring bikes out there. This year, we also offer the Disc Trucker. It’s a Long Haul Trucker with 51mm I.S. caliper mounts instead of rim brake mounts. When designing the Disc Trucker, we started with a brand new set of rear dropouts which place the caliper mount between the chain and seat stays, providing uncompromising clearance for a rack and fender. This means no jury-rigging to get your rack to play nice with your disc caliper. Most of the components on the complete bike are the same as the standard LHT, parts chosen for their balance of technical capability, durability, and value.

Surly is distributed by Dirt Works Australia. For more info talk to your local DW dealer or email [email protected] for a dealer near you.

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Surly bicycles are supplied with full Australian Standards compliance equipment. International model may be shown.

Checkpoint Spring 2012