Master Les & myself are planning on riding the Mt. William rd Classic so we decided to sus out the course to see what we will be up against. We met up at the Shell servo just before the Westgate at 06:00, then off to Ararat. A stop at Beaufort for some coffee & snacks at a Café ran by a funny French guy. Surprisingly good coffee from him too (the French aren't know for their Coffee so I'm told). Ararat by 08:30 and as I'm kitting up I discover that my helmet pod is still in the back of my car back in Melbourne…. Luckily I was able to buy a cheapie from the local bike shop that opened at 9:00am! Arh, I can still ride.
The ride starts with rollers all the way to Moyston then flattens out to Halls Gap. It’s not the warmest and the roads are wet in places but we miss direct rain and there’s a slight head wind which will be well received on the return. At Halls Gap we turn off for the 1st climb of the day. We climb together & take in the great views that are all around us. When we get to the turn off for Silverband rd, it’s closed due to bushfire damage, so it's back down the way we came. Near the bottom there’s a close call for Les (out in front) with a car on the wrong side of the road! We both yell our guts out at the f_ucker!
Flattish now onto Mt. William and I’m starting to feel it at get dropped ½ a dozen times. Not a good sign with the major climb to come! A brief stop for food at the turn off, then up. The climb felt deceptive to me as it looked flattish but I was already in my 25 & slapping myself not to go to the 27! Or maybe it’s been too long outa the hills. Around the middle I really start to struggle to find tempo & Master Les flies by with ease. Near the car park I spot him again, then it’s onto the silly steep 1.8kms past the gate. Around the 1st corner & I see Master Les having his own personal battle with his 25 up the wall to the 1st switchback. The only thing that gets me up here is my 27 & the ugg strength I’ve gained from the riding Track over winter. Three nasty switchbacks then is starts to ease off a touch till the radio towers come into view through the low cloud. I’ve got just enough time to whip out my camera as Les is topping out too. A quick application of vests as it's drizzling up in the clouds then down and back to Halls Gap for Coffee & food. We’re pretty spent but are helped by the tail wind & keep a good pace till Moyston where the rollers make the final blow & slap our legs silly. We’re grinning though as we cost into Ararat.
Some pix and ride profile\stats at the start of my flickr photo stream.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaywoo/
The ride starts with rollers all the way to Moyston then flattens out to Halls Gap. It’s not the warmest and the roads are wet in places but we miss direct rain and there’s a slight head wind which will be well received on the return. At Halls Gap we turn off for the 1st climb of the day. We climb together & take in the great views that are all around us. When we get to the turn off for Silverband rd, it’s closed due to bushfire damage, so it's back down the way we came. Near the bottom there’s a close call for Les (out in front) with a car on the wrong side of the road! We both yell our guts out at the f_ucker!
Flattish now onto Mt. William and I’m starting to feel it at get dropped ½ a dozen times. Not a good sign with the major climb to come! A brief stop for food at the turn off, then up. The climb felt deceptive to me as it looked flattish but I was already in my 25 & slapping myself not to go to the 27! Or maybe it’s been too long outa the hills. Around the middle I really start to struggle to find tempo & Master Les flies by with ease. Near the car park I spot him again, then it’s onto the silly steep 1.8kms past the gate. Around the 1st corner & I see Master Les having his own personal battle with his 25 up the wall to the 1st switchback. The only thing that gets me up here is my 27 & the ugg strength I’ve gained from the riding Track over winter. Three nasty switchbacks then is starts to ease off a touch till the radio towers come into view through the low cloud. I’ve got just enough time to whip out my camera as Les is topping out too. A quick application of vests as it's drizzling up in the clouds then down and back to Halls Gap for Coffee & food. We’re pretty spent but are helped by the tail wind & keep a good pace till Moyston where the rollers make the final blow & slap our legs silly. We’re grinning though as we cost into Ararat.
Some pix and ride profile\stats at the start of my flickr photo stream.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaywoo/
