G
GPLama
Guest
Thought I'd post my 'Around the Bay in a Day' experiences for the Google
cache and future generations to find My first ATB, so it was all much of
an unknown. My background/training is; just turned 26, I ride 450-600kms a
month to and from work and weekend rides (both road and mtb). Longest
training rides are 106kms with average of 30km/h. To and from work is
almost hilly (Kew to East Doncaster), I don't call myself a hill climber.
Arranged to ride with a mate, with the agreement that we wouldn't go out of
our way to stick together.
Rode to the start from home (Kew), start went as normal, lots of delay in
getting into the pedals... nobody knew where the direction split was for the
first km, we come to the split and headed off towards Sorrento. Looking for
a pack sitting on 30km/h was hard, so tagged into a bunch doing 33-37,
before we knew it we were in Mordialloc.. decided to take it easy into
Frankston so found a bunch doing spot on 30km/h and worked with them.
The hills just outside Frankston was the #1 filter for the people who must
have started early or from further down the track than the official start,
climbed up and past the rest point still going strong. Not much bunch
riding through the undulations into Dromana, just kept spinning with 'gotta
hold back for the ride home' thoughts in my head. Passed the photo spot at
8:13am (still waiting for the company to stick the photos online). Noticed
a large number of people fixing flats from Dromana to Rosebud, with one guy
yelling "someone has put down tacks".. we all kept our eyes open for these
nasties someone left for us. Some guy stacked into the curb as a bunch had
compressed to get by some cars, he went to merge in and bounced off the
group. Made it to the ferry around 9 without much fuss.
Got our lunch which was a salad roll/wrap, a banana, bag of lollies, a drink
and a powerbar. Munched down in the sunlight waiting for the next large
ferry to arrive. We had heard nightmare stories from years past about good
bikes getting dinged up so we gaffer taped up our forks and tubes ready for
the worst. We put our bikes down below and spent the next 30-40mins up on
deck in the sun. Watching the smaller ferries with all the bikes stacked up
like shopping trollies, the gaf would have come in REAL handy!
Off the boat and back onto the bike, I was worried about the first hour
after the ferry as have read about people not staying warm and having
trouble. Lots of stretching on the boat and we warmed back into the
spinning before we hit a few hills. Loving the hills at this stage, did
everyone else only train for the flat? Started to notice the wind
direction, looked to be our lucky day! Though Geelong, short drink refill
and onto the home leg.
Started off riding with the Colac Veterans club in their yellow tops,
keeping a great pace had a chat to one of the guys. Kept with them till
they were stopped by a member getting a flat, went out alone from around
Lara to Little River then into Werribee. Moved from group to group, this
was the most boring part of the ride, hard to explain the boredom, very much
a mental challenge to keep motivated. Found a group of guys on OCR's so we
had an OCR bunch going for a few Kms, remind me to get a respray for next
year! Awesome tailwind along the freeway, don't listen to anybody else,
Sorrento first is the ONLY way to fly!
Into Werribee where I took my last rest, some local kids were in the park
swearing more than I could imagine. Hmm, if only these kids knew how hard
life will be when they grew up they'd be home reading the damn dictionary!
(*enter a comment here about hating smartarse kids or that being a bad
area*). Looking for a bunch to take off or go past to join, no luck so I
head out alone catching up to the group stuck at the first set of lights.
Zig zagging all the way back into the city, didn't feel like we would ever
get there. Got stuck waiting for 2(!) trains as we rolled onto the Westgate
Fwy. I was amazed there was no lane closure or markings on this road,
cars/trucks/etc flying past everyone at 100Km/h+. Memories of the Great
Melb Bike Ride and the last few Kms into Lygon St where there were
kids/oldies/everyone mixing with peak hr traffic. We even had some 'older
lady' (nicest words I can describe her at the moment) pull into the
emergency lane we were all riding in, wind down her window and give us all a
mouthful. OK, WHAT THE F**K is with that? Did BV not have signage up on
this road? She could have been really hurt by a random flying water bottle,
or worse yet, hit in the head by a few Allen's Lollies!! Very disappointed
in BV not marking this section of the road better. I would happily pay a
few extra $'s to have improved safety for everyone. Hmm.. Millers Rd exit
(or there abouts) had one nasty road resurface edge that the marshals were
pointing out, and while leading the bunch I pointed out, someone didn't take
note and stacked.
Last climb, the Westgate bridge! Finally, a section marked off for
cyclists. Had one last spurt and left the group behind. I had one last dig
and caught up to the Colac bunch again! (They must have gone past when I was
stopped in Werribie). Final sprint to the line, well, I stepped up a few
gears and suck my head down if that counted, over the line with an avge for
the day of 30km/h If the course was 210km as they said, my math works out
as 7hrs flat. If anyone has a more accurate Km'age of the course let me
know.
Over the line, didn't stop for the showbag as I still had to ride home!
Through the city and up Studley Park Rd was HELL! Fell into home, into a
bath, and into bed, that was the day over!
A good day all up, kept out of trouble and managed a good time for my first
attempt. In hindsight I should have done a few 5-6hr stints on the bike as
better preparation. Not sure where to go from here, this was my main goal
for the last 6 months, might join a club now and meet up for bunch rides, or
check out the crits they hold right near home here in Kew.
This is the kind of post I'd love to have read before taking on the ATB to
know more about it, so I hope this might help someone who wants to do the
ATB in the following years!
Comments and questions welcome.
cheers all,
GPLama
cache and future generations to find My first ATB, so it was all much of
an unknown. My background/training is; just turned 26, I ride 450-600kms a
month to and from work and weekend rides (both road and mtb). Longest
training rides are 106kms with average of 30km/h. To and from work is
almost hilly (Kew to East Doncaster), I don't call myself a hill climber.
Arranged to ride with a mate, with the agreement that we wouldn't go out of
our way to stick together.
Rode to the start from home (Kew), start went as normal, lots of delay in
getting into the pedals... nobody knew where the direction split was for the
first km, we come to the split and headed off towards Sorrento. Looking for
a pack sitting on 30km/h was hard, so tagged into a bunch doing 33-37,
before we knew it we were in Mordialloc.. decided to take it easy into
Frankston so found a bunch doing spot on 30km/h and worked with them.
The hills just outside Frankston was the #1 filter for the people who must
have started early or from further down the track than the official start,
climbed up and past the rest point still going strong. Not much bunch
riding through the undulations into Dromana, just kept spinning with 'gotta
hold back for the ride home' thoughts in my head. Passed the photo spot at
8:13am (still waiting for the company to stick the photos online). Noticed
a large number of people fixing flats from Dromana to Rosebud, with one guy
yelling "someone has put down tacks".. we all kept our eyes open for these
nasties someone left for us. Some guy stacked into the curb as a bunch had
compressed to get by some cars, he went to merge in and bounced off the
group. Made it to the ferry around 9 without much fuss.
Got our lunch which was a salad roll/wrap, a banana, bag of lollies, a drink
and a powerbar. Munched down in the sunlight waiting for the next large
ferry to arrive. We had heard nightmare stories from years past about good
bikes getting dinged up so we gaffer taped up our forks and tubes ready for
the worst. We put our bikes down below and spent the next 30-40mins up on
deck in the sun. Watching the smaller ferries with all the bikes stacked up
like shopping trollies, the gaf would have come in REAL handy!
Off the boat and back onto the bike, I was worried about the first hour
after the ferry as have read about people not staying warm and having
trouble. Lots of stretching on the boat and we warmed back into the
spinning before we hit a few hills. Loving the hills at this stage, did
everyone else only train for the flat? Started to notice the wind
direction, looked to be our lucky day! Though Geelong, short drink refill
and onto the home leg.
Started off riding with the Colac Veterans club in their yellow tops,
keeping a great pace had a chat to one of the guys. Kept with them till
they were stopped by a member getting a flat, went out alone from around
Lara to Little River then into Werribee. Moved from group to group, this
was the most boring part of the ride, hard to explain the boredom, very much
a mental challenge to keep motivated. Found a group of guys on OCR's so we
had an OCR bunch going for a few Kms, remind me to get a respray for next
year! Awesome tailwind along the freeway, don't listen to anybody else,
Sorrento first is the ONLY way to fly!
Into Werribee where I took my last rest, some local kids were in the park
swearing more than I could imagine. Hmm, if only these kids knew how hard
life will be when they grew up they'd be home reading the damn dictionary!
(*enter a comment here about hating smartarse kids or that being a bad
area*). Looking for a bunch to take off or go past to join, no luck so I
head out alone catching up to the group stuck at the first set of lights.
Zig zagging all the way back into the city, didn't feel like we would ever
get there. Got stuck waiting for 2(!) trains as we rolled onto the Westgate
Fwy. I was amazed there was no lane closure or markings on this road,
cars/trucks/etc flying past everyone at 100Km/h+. Memories of the Great
Melb Bike Ride and the last few Kms into Lygon St where there were
kids/oldies/everyone mixing with peak hr traffic. We even had some 'older
lady' (nicest words I can describe her at the moment) pull into the
emergency lane we were all riding in, wind down her window and give us all a
mouthful. OK, WHAT THE F**K is with that? Did BV not have signage up on
this road? She could have been really hurt by a random flying water bottle,
or worse yet, hit in the head by a few Allen's Lollies!! Very disappointed
in BV not marking this section of the road better. I would happily pay a
few extra $'s to have improved safety for everyone. Hmm.. Millers Rd exit
(or there abouts) had one nasty road resurface edge that the marshals were
pointing out, and while leading the bunch I pointed out, someone didn't take
note and stacked.
Last climb, the Westgate bridge! Finally, a section marked off for
cyclists. Had one last spurt and left the group behind. I had one last dig
and caught up to the Colac bunch again! (They must have gone past when I was
stopped in Werribie). Final sprint to the line, well, I stepped up a few
gears and suck my head down if that counted, over the line with an avge for
the day of 30km/h If the course was 210km as they said, my math works out
as 7hrs flat. If anyone has a more accurate Km'age of the course let me
know.
Over the line, didn't stop for the showbag as I still had to ride home!
Through the city and up Studley Park Rd was HELL! Fell into home, into a
bath, and into bed, that was the day over!
A good day all up, kept out of trouble and managed a good time for my first
attempt. In hindsight I should have done a few 5-6hr stints on the bike as
better preparation. Not sure where to go from here, this was my main goal
for the last 6 months, might join a club now and meet up for bunch rides, or
check out the crits they hold right near home here in Kew.
This is the kind of post I'd love to have read before taking on the ATB to
know more about it, so I hope this might help someone who wants to do the
ATB in the following years!
Comments and questions welcome.
cheers all,
GPLama