Final figures

Hi all,
I just thought I would close off by saying a big thank you to all those that helped/contributed/supported us along the way. It really was a team effort.

Here are some final stats for you;

We rode a total of 1,020kms
There was a total of 8,971mts of climbing (29,432 feet - higher than Mt Everest)
We rode for a total of 45 1/2 hours
We have raised $10,745.00

So once again, so long and thanks for all the fish.....

Cheers
Carl

All Over

The ride is now competed. The last day was the easiest knowing that the finish was near.
Getting to the end was a little emotional. A combination of completion and disappointment it was now over. I had to take a deep breath just before I got there.
Great to so many people there clapping as we rolled in. This really completed the feeling of accomplishment.
I have definitely enjoyed the experience. From early morning training rides to generous people involved giving up time and/or money.
I am now content with the completion of the journey and knowing that we have help Port Kembla palliative care unit in the process.
Thank you.
Aaron

Final days

Day 7 was fun, tough to get the legs going but after 30k or so they picked up. We lunched in Vincentia and Erika's parents met us which was lovely. We ended up in Berry and Aaron and I had a little sprint up the hill which was not bad work after 150km. We then moved to the bar and stayed for quite a while... lots of beer was consumed.

Day 7 stats are here: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/124374259

Day 8, the final day, was just a short one, less than 70k for Berry to Wollongong. We had a fair amount of time to do it and I found it a little frustrating, we were pedalling slow and I just wanted it to be done with. I was very tired and a little hungover and wanted to get home. Once we got to the lighthouse I lay on the ground for a while and took it all in. It was all over, we're ridden every bit of Phillip Island to Wollongong (actually that's not true.. on day 7 I walked the bike up 100m of an incredibly steep hill - I couldn't pedal it).

All done. Thanks so much to the sponsors, you were an inspiration during the dark moments.

Stats here: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/124567753

Thanks to all the riders for making it a memorable experience.

Paul

Day 8 - the final day wrap up

Today was the final ride, hard to believe after 8 months of training and nearly 12 months of planning. We have now raised over $10,500 which is just fantastic.

Today we took an easy ride from Berry on our way to Wollongong. It is quite funny to think that ride is so easy now after so much training and then the ride itself. It was a very easy trip and it wouldnt have been complete without a big downpour at Kiama. As if we hadnt had enough rain...

We were planning a stop in Shellharbour for a coffee but we ran out of time so we just headed on to Wollongong and it was quite strange riding through familiar roads again. We headed back on the normal training route that we had used for months.

We arrived at the Wollongong lighthouse at 1pm and it was great to see family, friends and work collegues there. We were also met by Tourism Wollongong and the Illawarra Cancer Carers who later put on a bbq. Four sausage sandwhiches later I was happy:)

Thanks to everyone who has donated and supported us. Thanks to Dad who drove one of the support vehicles and took hundreds of photos. In the next week I will put up some photos on this blog. They all tell a great story.

Also thanks to Josh and Minnie who drove the other support car.

I would also like to give a special thank you to Aaron, Erika and Paul who jumped on this idea of mine and really helped it work. Without their help it would not have been as successful as this. Aaron, thanks to you for forcing me out to train during the cold, wet, windy, winter months to get hundreds of kms under the belt. Without that I would not have been able to keep the motivation up as much as I did.

So, all in all it has been very successful and it was great to be a part of.

Cheers
Carl

The final day.

Well, it has come down to the final day. A 65km ride into Wollongong via Shellharbour.

Just about to get some breakfast and a coffee and then we will head off around 9am arriving at Flagstaff Hill at 1pm.

Cheers
Carl

Day 7 - a struggle

Today was meant to be a little relief from the last few days, sure it was going to be long but not a hilly.
It was obvious from quite early on that I was going to struggle today, when ever there was a climb there was no power in the legs in comparison to the rest of the trip.
The weather looked like it didnt know what it wanted to do either which I struggled with during the day as I was either really hot or cold. As you can tell I wasn't having a good ttime of it.
We stopped in Vincentia for lunch which was good, got some food and coffee hoping to get some energy and it worked for about 20kms where I called out to Paul and Aaron "I think I have found my mojo", but it wasnt long before I lost it again:)
Paul and Aaron did a great job today and were there to help me along, thanks heaps guys. They also really drove the train home on the run into Berry.
Tomorrow is the final day and only a short one into Wollongong and then it is time to put the bike away for a week...
I cannot believe that we have covered so much distance over the last few days, we have been laughing and joking over dinner and drinks about what has happened over the last 950kms and we only have about 65kms to go.
I will give an update tomorrow evening with the full run down.
Cheers
Carl

Day 7 almost done.

The last 150km day was finally a little easier for me. The hills between batemans bay and berry where not as big as the previous days. The highlights today for me was breaking my battery mount at Nowra and getting a little stroppy because of it. The frustration then lead to a putting into a driving pace with Paul for the final kms to berry. It actually picked up my spirits as I knew my performance had picked up since I was able to power up the hills keeping up with Paul. Paul had really been the leader in the last few days.
We spent to tonight swapping stories of the trip over a few beers.
Maybe one too many as it's now late and we still have one day to go.
A little sad that we are now at the end. The challenges have been mostly completed on our part and the money raise on yours.
Now to look forward to the finish line.

Aaron

Day 6

Forecast was for morning showers clearing. The forecast was wrong there was no clearing and showers became constant rain. Like Paul I was underdress and got cold and wet within the first two hours.
Wilf had the daily coffee ready at the first stop after two hours riding. I change into winter gear enjoyed the coffee and continued. We all seemed grumpy this morning due to the cold wet weather. It wasnt long before i was coldand wet again. So far I have found each day more challenging than the previous. Today was a battle with the traffic, the rain, the cold and trying to keep up on the climbs. I felt flat up till lunch.
I met up with my parents just after lunch and that really gave me motivation for the rest of the day .
The final 20km was relentless with climbs one after the other. They where not as big as others already but continuous.
Very happy to have put this day behind me.
I'm really hoping for better weather tomorrow. At least not constantly raining.

Aaron

Did you hear the one about the four cyclists......

Today was day 6 and going to bed last night we knew it was going to be a tough tough day. We have already covered 650kms and today was another 150+km day with a lot of climbing.
We woke up to a blustery and wet day...We headed off at 7.15am and were in the middle of heavy rain by 7.20..the rain would not stop for the rest of the day.
Apart from the distance the weather made it so much harder. By lunch Paul had changed his clothes twice and Aaron once. Luckily I had got the clothing department right and had kept the worst out for the whole day. The problem was when we stopped, it was so cold that we had to get going again to keep warm but needed the rest in the legs, catch 22.
We got onto the 'tourist drive' just after Maruya which added to the kms we need to complete and we were told it was flatter so after what we had been through it looked promising. After about 5-10kms of flat stuff the hills started...again. It wa a relentless, everytime we desended there was another climb waiting and this went on for about 15-20kms. At the end we were all getting a bit fed up as the day had been so long. We arrived nearly 2 hours later than other days so with all the kit to be sorted, get dinner and so on it has been a frantic evening.
Tomorrow is another big day and then the day after is our finsl run into Wollongong which is going to be good as it is just 70kms or so.
Bed time...... knackered.

Cheers
Carl

Day 6 - a day of two halves

Thiis is the second go at this post as blogger ate the first one so i'll be briefer this time...


Today was very very wet. I started out under dressed and by the first stop was wet and freezng and miserable. By lunch i had perked up and did a near complete clothes change to end up in dry warm stuff. The rest of the day was much better after that and i finished the day feeling really strong.


We're just $400 from hitting $10000 of our $20000 target.


Stats for the day: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/124173728

Paul

644kms and 27 hours of riding

Today was the hardest day so far, towards the end the climbs were hurting....I felt good all day but 2,000mts of vertical climbing is not going to be easy.
We are now in Tathra NSW and tomorrow we head towards Batemans Bay. Another 150km ride with about 1500mts of vertical elevation.
Everyone is in good spirits but tired. Also well done to Paul who took the lead for most of the day and was a champ in the hills, great for someone who doesnt like climbing.

Cheers
Carl

Day 5 - much better

I woke up determined to be cheerful today. We left Cann River just after 6am and it was tough to turn the legs over, I was struggling to do 20kmh on the flats and before long we were going up our first sharp incline. But we have a plan now, we do 2 hours first thing before our first break, so I know where the first rest will be and can look forward to that. Next was lunch at Eden, and dealing with a cloud of flying ants before and afterwards. I was glad of my sunnies, not for the sun protection (it was overcast all day) but to keep the bugs out of my eyes. Eden was at 110km so we split the remaining 50k in half, with the second half starting in Merimbula with the climb up 'Magic Mountain'. Not long after we arrived in Tathree the wind and rain came. We've been so lucky with the weather so far, there were two wet days early on but other than that it's been dry and the winds have been behind us and quite light.melts hope this continues for the last three days. Stats are here. 2k of climbing today. http://connect.garmin.com/activity/123947705 Paul

Day 4 not much fun

A late blog entry as I was too grumpy to post yesterday. I did not enjoy the 75km from Orbost to Cann River. Well that's not quite true - I enjoyed the bits I didn't have to pedal, e.g. downhill. Unfortunately there were way too many uphills for my liking. Just glad to be done with that one. Stats here: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/123584165 Paul

Day 5 Cann river to Tathra

This was the toughest day on paper. It proved to be even tougher riding it. There where hills from 5 to 160km. Some climbs so steep that I had no choice but to get out of the saddle to make it. The good thing is climbs and height make for great scenery. The not so good was they hurt the legs. As the climbs where that tough today the now custom if your happy song only include a 'nod your head'.
The donations have been great and make it worthwhile putting in long hard days like this for.
Also passed the half way mark and back in NSW. Yet another milestone.
3 days of riding to go.

4 of 8 days.

Day 4 now ticked off. This was meant to be a bit of a recovery day before we realized the climbs are quite big. The day was made up of basically 3 big climbs the biggest being the last. It hurt. What was good was after the climbs coming down and not needing brakes.
The scenery was great again today national parks with scattered green fields in between. The height made for great views.
Still have 3 big days of 150kms infront so the challenge still seems big.

Aaron

4 days and 483kms done

Today was a short 73km hop from Orbost to Cann River.
The day started with a nice bacon and eggs at a local cafe, washed down with a superb coffee. I dont know what it is, either the country folk make amazing coffee or the taste buds are on high alert with all the kms we have done..
The weather was spectacular today which made a change for all the rain and wind we have had so far, temps in the high 20's, sunny and very little breeze. We started a bit later today due to the short kms to be covered, 9:45am and we were off.
The rolling hills and the green fields made the start of the day really enjoyable but then after about 10kms the first of the climbs started. We were all prepared for them after looking at the days profile the night before, but it didnt end up being too bad at the beginning. The legs have felt strong the last two days even though they are tired. It makes the climbing so much easier.
There were two more big (long) climbs left in the day and the last one was the longest at about 4.5kms and rising about 180-200 meters but the looong desent into Cann River was great fun. About 5kms of fast free wheeling.
All of the team have done a great effort, Erika has a suspected broken toe (she can explain that one:)) but still powered on, Paul has developed a sore knee, and Aaron has been getting over a chest infection.
I also want to send a big thanks to the support crew, my Dad, Josh and Minnie. They have been great and always around incase we need something. It has been great looking at the days photos that Dad has been taking, they really tell a story. I will put some up from today after dinner.
OK, I am hungry and thirsty so those who know me will know where I am about to go:)
Tomorrow is another big day over 150kms, with hills...


Cheers
Carl

On the start line

This is the four of us on the start line at Phillip Island.

Cheers
Carl

The trip starts here....

At the end of yesterdays ride we knew today would be the start of the hardest days of the trip.
We kicked off at about 6:15am and it was cold and damp, after about 15kms the rain started which made it colder, we stopped after 47kms and then again after 101kms at Lakes Entrance which was well needed.
It was hard getting going again as the legs had cooled down but I after a few kms I had warmed up and attacked the first climb with a bit of anger and it seemed to work...The legs felt like they were back to where they were a few weeks ago.
The final 20kms into Orbost was really fun and great scenery, great place for riding.
I was even happier after finishing as we covered 162kms which also meant I completed my first imperial ton ie over 100 MILES.
I would like to make a special thank you to Carol at the Triple F cafe in Sale who gave us 5 coffees and 3 sandwhiches free of charge as a way to help us with what we are doing, thanks again.

Tomorrow is another big day, so time for rest.

Cheers
Carl

Aarons day 3

Didn't post yesterday as I really was feeling terrible after the ride. I had 3 flats and then coughed up a lung or two after dinner. I was focused on getting ready for today and rest.
Today was still tough to start out. Wet in the morning yet the rain ceased in the afternoon. With the sky's being grey and dark each day the scenery wasn't as inspiring. I have found new way of making the ride more exciting over the long distance by mooing at cows. Interesting enough they seem to respond and definitely watch us go pass unlike when you pass them in a car. Guess not to many cyclists pass these parts regularly. Ive also stared singing one of my daughters favorites "if you happy and you know it". I have vowed to add a new line each day. Let's see if the others just push me off my bike than let me sing.
It was a long ride and I'm happy making the distance still grouped with the others.
Also happy to say feeling much better after the big effort today. With sore legs tomorrow will be yet another challenge.
Onto day 4.

Aaron

Day 3 - the longest day

Today was scheduled to be our longest day - 162km. We agreed the night before to keep the speed to 25/26 km/h as this would be the furthest that many of us have ridden. This was quite difficult to stick to - we were bowling along at over 30km/h yesterday with the average ending up above 28 - high for us. But today would be 40k more than yesterday so we needed to pace ourselves. There wasn't much in the way of towns on the route so our first stop was in the middle of nowhere after 47km - Carl's dad found a bus shelter (it had been raining) and brought coffee which was awesome. I also changed into dry socks and put on my shoe covers which helped my mood hugely. We stopped for a photo at the Lakes Entrance sign and I felt a pain in my knee as we pushed off to go into the town for lunch. Two bread rolls, a coffee and a load of full-fat coke later, (sugar... caffeine... rocket fuel) we were off again. We split the remainder of the day into two 30k sections and for the first one I felt awesome, still strong and in a good mood. After the push off for the second 30k I felt some knee pain again and it didn't go away for the rest of the ride. We have a shorter day tomorrow and a later start so hopefully the extra time will help. Anyway, stats are here: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/123346328. Reading this back I realize it's a very self-centred view so hopefully the other teams members will post their points of view too. Paul

Day 2 - Wet Wet Wet

Not just a Scottish band, it also sums up day 2, Foster to Sale. Fast day too, averaging over 28km/h. Plenty of fast flat sections and we all took it in turns to push it along at the front. And we all took it in turns to say 'slow down a bit' to the person in front. Even so, we're all a little wasted tonight. Tomorrow is the first REALLY long day - 160km+ - so we'll be up early so I need to go to sleep about now. Stats for the day: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/123154448 Paul

Day 2

Today was the day to see how we backed up after day 1 and we all felt good, but it was raining most of the day and was cold
We got off and it took a while to get into it but once we were warmed up we started to really get going. The route was flat so the average speeds were quite high and Erika lead us into Yarrum where we found a warm bakery, coffee went down well....
Then it was onto the final half of the ride where the temperatures dropped but the pace picked up due to the long flat sections. At times the pace was probably too high but we were having fun.
Tomorrow is the longest day of the trip at 165kms and there are a few hills to contend with so we will have to be sensible, hopefully todays exhuberance will not affect the performance too much.

Cheers
Carl

Day 1 cont.

Day 1 has been somed up fairly well. A great day. For me it was really tough to get started. After taking on Carl the sprint king on Phillip island I was shattered. I have been sick the last couple of days and was really hoping I would feel better. But at the start of today i really wasn't feeling like I was. For the first 30 or more km's I was playing mental games with myself trying to convince myself it wasnt that bad and I would get over it. After the first stop/break for a coffee and sandwich I started feeling better. As the day went on I really started enjoying the riding on empty country roads. Long green fields scattered with cows to ocean views. Much more enjoyable to pass on a bike than in a car.
Now onto day 2.

Day 1 cont....

Further to Pauls post, it was a great day today. Just good to finally get out there and start the ride after 7mths of training.
The lap of Phillip Island was brilliant, I have always wanted to do a lap there since
my motorbike days and today was a dream come true. Peter Mitchell.....thank you so much, and too then allow us onto the podium was just the icing on the cake. Photos will follow in the next few days.
The conditions got harder as the day went on with the temps in the 30's, strong winds and a long uphill climb at the end of the ride until a great downhill run into Foster.
Great hospitality, great pub, great beer, great food, great town.

Cheers
Carl

Day 1 done

We started at 7:30 with a short ride to the Phillip Island track, the hallowed land for motorbike riders and fans. We did a 'hot lap' - well, warm-ish, on our pedal bikes. Carl took it out, my excuse being that I forgot to change into my big ring so ran out of gears... seriously, Carl did great and enjoyed the victory. The Phillip Island track people were awesome, sending us up to the podium for photos before letting us go. Then it was onto the serious business. We left the circuit and headed towards our first stop at Wonthaggi, about 35km up the road. With tailwinds, before we knew it we were there drinking coffee. Next up we planned to head to Koonwarra for lunch but a mix up on the mapping side meant we ended up in Meeniyan, a long section, with a break near the end for Aaron to fix a puncture. We kept that break short and pushed on to our overnight stop in Foster, VIC, arriving on time at 3:30pm. Just time for a quick shower before we headed down the pub for a few beers and pub food. It's about 8pm now and I'm about ready for bed. Tomorrow we head to Sale, another 125km day but the weather forecast does not look so kind - colder - around 15 to 19 degrees (today was around 30) and rain. Stats for day 1 are here: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/122956555. Thanks for your donations. Paul

We start tomorrow...

Well today we set off from Wollongong at 6am and arrived at Phillip Island at 6:30 pm....but we stopped for a bit in Albury and then got caught in Melbourne traffic.
After a bit of sorting things out it was down to the pub for a couple of drinks and a meal.
All the kit is prepared and the plan is to ride to the Phillip Island race track as a warm up and then it is down to the 4.5km lap of the world famous track, there was already talk of dirty tactics on the approach to the finish line in order to cross it first.....
Everyone is just excited to get the ride underway and the weather is so warm here today, over 30 degrees so it should be warm at least. Not 100% sure about the rain forecast, it could be a bit dodgy.
We will provide a further update after tomorrows first stage:)

Cheers
Carl

Ride starts on Thursday

With the ride only 1 day away it time I posted my own update to the blog.

Thank you to all the donators. It really cannot be said enough. It’s your support that will directly benefit Port Kembla Palliative Care.

A couple of special thanks from me personally are to my wife. Who has not only put up with me and the countless hours of training and the constant talk of “The Ride” but is also pregnant. She is due next month. Also thanks to my big donators Nebo Computer Services and Illawarra Dermatology and Laser Clinic. The commitment from the Oasis/ANZ office to various fundraising initiatives demonstrates their good nature.

For me this has been a great experience so far without the big ride. Seeing Carl and the gang put together a ride out of nothing and raise $7000 so far is astounding. The approach and setup of the event has been very professional.

Finally without this ride I may still be sitting on the couch saying I must get back on the bike one day. The training and commitment to regular riding has been much easier having a training partner (Carl). I think I would have only put in half the riding effort if he was not there to spur me on. He definitely made riding the longer distances a bit easier passing the time with scintillating conversation or mindless chatter.

Now I just have to get through the 1000km's.

Aaron

2 days to go...

Hi
Well.....it has come down to the final week. We leave on Wednesday, it has come around so fast.

Donations have been flowing in which has been fantastic, we are now over $6,800 and will be over $7,000 before we go. If we could get to $10,000 that would be brilliant.

This weekend was just very light in terms of training, just a couple of 30km rides to turn the legs over. All the hard work has been done and now it is just time to make sure that the legs are fresh for Thursday morning.

Thanks again to everyone who has donated and the next update I will give will be probably be on Wednesday evening.

Cheers
Carl

$6,500.....

Hi there,
We have now past the $6,500 mark...amazing..!

Thanks to everyone.

Carl

The last week

I thought I would elaborate on Carl's earlier post about my bike accident last week and the week that has followed.

There's a section of road near Port Kembla, about 25k from Bulli, which doesn't feel safe for cyclists so we use the shared bike/pedestrian path, then go back on the road inside the PK area itself. (Ironically, this is now two accidents in a couple of months where I've been riding on 'safer' footpaths and have fallen off). There are two ramps from the footpath to the road, one about half way down a hill, the other at the bottom. I used to go back on the road using the bottom ramp but recently have started to use the top one, the road is smooth and I'd rather ride on that than the path as the traffic is gone from that section. I was going fairly fast down the hill and following Carl quite closely, too closely to be able to see past him properly. He took the ramp and I was surprised as I didn't think we were that far down the hill yet. I made an attempt to get to the ramp but just overshot it, instead coming off the full kerb and not able to control my landing I bounced along the road on my right knee, shoulder, elbow, buttock and the right rear part of my helmet.. I lay there for a moment, a little dazed. I think the bike was on top of me and my brain couldn't get my arms to move. Some people who were driving past and saw the accident stopped to check I was OK (I remember lying on the ground with three hi-vis jacketed people looking down on me. Thanks, whoever you were). Carl and Aaron come back and someone took the back off me and I moved to the side of the road to sit on the kerb. After a few minutes to gather myself and check I hadn't broken any bones, I checked out my bike and was relieved to see there was no damage - the handlebars had gone off centre but that was it. Another 75km to go so we rode on.

The next day I had stiffened up a little but heavy rain meant we didn't go out riding anyway. It's Friday now and I can still feel some soreness in my hips and deep in my glutes which makes sitting a little uncomfortable. I've just done 45 mins on the bike trainer this week (plus the usual runs & swims) as I've taken the week mainly off cycling to keep mentally fresh for the ride.

Back to it this weekend.

Paul

Team Jerseys

Hi,
Today we got our team jerseys courtesy of Rob and Co at Wollongong Bike Hub.

They look great and it will be nice to look like a team with matching kit as we go on our journey.

Thanks again to Rob, it is really appreciated.

Cheers
Carl

Back into it.....

Hi again,
Well the coughs and colds have nearly gone...just in time too as it is 2 weeks tomorrow that we leave for Phillip Island.
Tomorrow morning we are back into the regular weekend training, 5.10am alarm is set for a 5.30am start. Going to get out there and get the legs back in action.
I am a bit dissapointed that I didnt manage to do the amount of training that I had planned over the last week and a half, but we have to move on and make the best of what we have.
Starting to get both nervous and excited now. Looking forward to doing the trip but aprehensive that the training will pay off.

Cheers
Carl

Bad weekend for training

Hi,
Yesterday was another decent hit out, 110kms in cold and windy conditions. It seemed that the day was getting colder as it went on.
We were 25kms into the ride when Paul had a crash, just a small lapse in concentration and he was on the floor. Luckily he got up and was pretty much unscathed apart from a couple of scratches but it showed how quickly the ride for him could have been over. After 7 months of training we have to make sure that we are safe on the roads as it would be a disaster if something was to happen and put an end to someones trip.
After that Paul and Aaron were riding well and seemed quite strong, I was really struggling on the flat sections, the hills were fine though.
I woke up this morning feeling unwell, cold, cough and aches which might explain the performance yesterday.
We were hoping to get out this morning but terrible weather put a stop to that, with driving wind and rain it is just too dangerous.
Looks like I will just have to stay inside with the heater on, cook a bbq and watch the grand final later today (oh yeah, probably have a couple of beers in there too).
Only two weeks to go now, not long now.....
Cheers
Carl

Fund raising update

Also, I just wanted to let you know that we are nearly at the $5,000 mark in fund raising which is great.
We have a couple of initiatives in the next couple of weeks which will hopefully get us closer to $6,000.
Thanks to everyone who has donated.

Cheers
Carl

3 weeks to go - still training

Three weeks today we leave Phillip Island, I cannot believe that we are so close to the start of this ride now.
It seems a long time ago that we started all the training. But that was 7 months and nearly 4,000kms ago. The plus side of the training now is that the weather is so much warmer than even 1 month ago. The 5am starts are not quite as hard as they do not have that biting cold on the face and the body. On a couple of mornings recently I have found myself wearing too much in the way of clothing and nearly over heating...never happy!
The last couple of weeks have seen a lot of kms travelled, we have done over 700kms in training for the month of September alone and this weekend we are planning two big days of riding which will bring the total closer to 1000kms for the month..
We were discussing how far we have come, and if we look back 5 months, a 100km ride seemed quite daunting, whereas now it is not something that we are concerned about. The mental approach is how many kms can we do past the 100km mark? Last weekend I decided to go home after 130kms, not because I was getting tired but because I had other stuff I needed to do....!
The weather forecast is not that great for the next few days but we will have to get out as we cannot afford to lose any weekend training. That is where we put in the big kms and the weekdays are used to keep the legs turning over. After this weekend we only have one more weekend where we will put in big rides as I think the weekend before we leave will be quite mellow, a light ride or two and just getting all the kit together.
The question of how we will go by riding long distances day after day is only something that we will know once we are doing the trip. With families and so on it is asking too much to try and replicate that in training, just getting out like we are impacts more than just the riders. Partners, wives, kids and so on are all impacted. I would like to say thanks to all those involved in the ride, not just Aaron, Paul and Erika, but their families and those who are also helping us raise the money. It is a great team effort.

Cheers
Carl

Perfect training day

Saturday was our first group ride since our Berry trip of 160kms.

We took a casual ride from Wollongong to Shellharbour in fantastic riding conditions, the sun was out, there was no wind and it was warm. It was great to be out on the bike. If we could request conditions for the whole trip from Phillip Island then it would be like Saturday.

The ride out to Shellharbour was at a very steady pace, we were riding at the pace we intend to on the trip. Compared to other training rides this seemed quite slow but it makes the day much more achievable without getting too tired. It was a pace that we could sit on all day.

We were back in Wollongong before 9.30am and then Aaron and I headed up the coast to Bald Hill. When we got to Coalcliff I started to feel a lack of energy, I had eaten all my food and needed something fast otherwise I wouldnt be able to ride much longer. We stopped at a cafe in Stanwell Park only long enough for me to buy two mini muffins and gulp them down...then we headed up Bald Hill.

After having already ridden 95kms the legs still felt really good and once we were in the rhythm it wasnt too bad. At the top we filled the water bottles and then headed back home.

120kms covered in perfect weather up and over hills, it was a good day.

Cheers

Carl

160km training ride

This Saturday saw the team have a serious training ride which will be the equivalent to the longest days on the trip from Phillip Island. It was a 160km ride from Wollongong to Berry and back.

It was a great day and the weather could not have been better. All of us felt strong on the bikes and up to the 120km point was relatively easy. The last 40kms were tough due to a head wind that would not go away.

Further training to come in the next few days but it is a rest day today and perhaps tomorrow, last week was big with 360kms covered in 8 days.

Here are some photos from Saturday.

Cheers

Walk like a cowboy

Well this was our first big weekend, as Carl, Aaron and myself left Bulli on Saturday morning for a return trip to Bulli. We left slightly late - my brand-new chain snapped just a few hundred metres from home, but luckily I could borrow another bike. We were missing Erika, who had a foot injury and wasn't able to join us. It was a beautiful day early on, clear skies and close to no wind. It was uneventful for the outward trip, I was making sure to drink every 20 minutes and eat often, and took salt tablets every 45 minutes or so - I have cramped horribly on a long ride before, to the point of being barely able to walk afterwards, and a review of my nutrition later had suggested I had basically washed a lot of the salts and electrolytes out of my body. Carl and Aaron were faster up the hills, I just wanted to put the bike in the lowest gear and spin up - possibly the bottles of wine consumed on Friday night weren't helping here, but I also wanted to pace myself and leave plenty in the tank for later on. I've done rides before where I pushed too hard too early and the results were not pretty. You don't want to end up hours from home without the energy to get back.

After a coffee stop at Shellharbour we cycled through Gerringong and pushed on to the half way point at Berry where we stopped for a quick snack. The peanut butter bagel I had brought with me went down a treat, washed down with my first 'full fat' Coca Cola in years. Carl's knee, which had been troubling him for a week or so, had flared up again and Aaron was suffering a little from cramp but we stocked back up on water and sports drink and pushed on out from Berry in good spirits.

We noticed the cloud cover increasing and the wind picking up, and those good spirits lasted until about the 95km mark, where there is a hill that felt like it went on forever - looking at the stats now (http://connect.garmin.com/activity/109639588) it looks like it rises 130m in 2.5km which doesn't sound like much but at the time was torture. I was in my lowest gear and pedalling so slowly that I felt I could have gone faster by getting off and walking. Stubbornness kicked in, I was determined to make it to the top without stopping, and I felt such a boost when we finally got the the top and took a break so we could regroup. After this I really hit my stride, I was feeling strong and confident, leading the line into the headwind quite a few times. Then it was on to Shellharbour again for another coffee stop. It was on the ramp off the freeway at Shellharbour that I felt my first and only cramps of the trip - the quads on both sides cramped as I stood out of the saddle to climb. I managed to stretch them out but it was a lesson learnt - don't climb out of the saddle when your legs are already tired!

We had more drinks at Shellharbour and refilled our water bottles. Aaron and Carl will have their own stories to tell but it's fair to say we were all doing it tough with fatigue, cramps and soreness kicking in. The headwind had picked up and it was again stubbornness that got me home, tired but happy with the effort level we had all put in.

On Sunday Erika and I took a gentle ride down to North Wollongong and back, just 25k to loosen the legs, then off for a swim to cool down.

We still have a way to go but this weekend has given me a massive boost in my self-confidence.

For the coming week I'll be riding into work once or twice - that's 65km - then next weekend Erika and I will be riding to St George's Basin on Saturday (115km) and ideally back on the Sunday.

Paul

Paul's update - nine weeks to go

As Carl has said, it's just nine weeks until we start our ride of DOOM! I've started to incorporate bike rides into my daily commute - I live in Bulli, about 75km south of where I work in Pyrmont, Sydney. I've not cycled the entire way as Bulli sits at the bottom of a 500m pass, but I have done various parts of it - last week was Helensburgh to Pyrmont, just under 70km when you factor in getting lost on the way... That, along with a couple of other rides, added up to a 230km week which I was quite pleased with. Still a long way to go though, if we're going to do 1000km in 8 days we need to be up around the 600-700km per week mark in training by the beginning of October.

I still want to lose a heap of weight leading up to the ride, if I can drop 4 or 5 kilos in those 9 weeks it will make climbing hills a lot easier.

Up and at 'em.

Paul

9 weeks to go

We are on the final run towards our trip, this time in 9 weeks we will be on the second leg of our ride.
The weather has not been that kind to us and this weekend is not looking any better, but still have to get out there.
Next weekend is a 140km group ride to Berry and back, that should be interesting.

Cheers

Back into training

Tonight is going to be the first hit out in over a week due to illness.
Should be interesting to see how I go, baby steps for a couple of days and then hopefully a decent ride on the weekend.

Carl

Starting on Phillip Island Grand Prix track

Great news...last week we received confirmation that we can start our ride on the Phillip Island Grand Prix track!!

We will do 1 lap of the world famous track and then head off on our way towards Wollongong.

It is going to be the slowest recorded lap time in the history of the track but it is going to be fun. Sheepstations for the first rider into turn 1......

Many thanks to the people at the track who have allowed this.

Cheers
Carl

Training

Just back from a weeks rest after a few good training weeks. Last week I covered 250+kms which was good. A long way of 1,000kms in a week though....
But the aim of the game is to be consistent and then build up to big weeks a few times before we go.
It was strange getting back on the bike yesterday after the break, it felt like I had been off for months and the legs struggled a bit.
Out again tonight after work and the plan is to get out each evening and then hit some big rides on the weekend.

Carl

First group training ride

We had our first full group ride on Sunday. The weather was wet and cold but the spirits were high. Carl and Aaron managed 100km while Erika and Paul were a bit more conservative.

The Beginning of the Journey

And so, the adventure begins.

Phillip Island, VIC to Wollongong, NSW. 1000km in 8 days!

We have set up this blog to track our journey from the beginning - the training and fund raising, right through to the end.

Our plan is to leave Phillip Island on 20 October 2011 and to arrive in Wollongong on 27 October 2011. Here is a map of the route that we are going to follow:

Our goal is to raise $20,000. If you would like to make a donation please go to our webpage at bit.ly/EHJJ39.

If you would like more information please contact us