"Sunday Sufferfest": Sunday, 22 February 2015

[p_mayson]

Start: Marrickville (post office square) @ 5:30am

Route: Marrickville - enter RNP @ Audley - Artillery - Garie Beach - Waterfall - Back of Waterfall - Stanwell Tops - The Wall - down to Sea Cliff Bridge - Bald Hill - The Wall - Waterfall - Back of Waterfall - Garie Beach - Audley Hill - exit RNP @ Audley - Marrickville

Distance: Likely +170km (although not sure)

Ascent: Likely +3,500m (although not sure). 12 x substantial climbs

Finish time: Not sure / full ride will take a fair chunk of the day

Food / water / accessories: 2 x bidons + snacks + money + spare tube(s) + pump. Food stops @ Otford Pantry + Garie Beach kiosk

Suitable for: Fast 28s / Middies / 3 Peaks riders / people whose spouses are away / sadomasochists?

Notes: Using this as a training ride for 3 Peaks. Objective is survival, not speed. People may wish to join for some, but not all, of the ride. Would be grateful if stronger riders could wait for me at the top of the climbs

[Dougie]

sounds great however I am ride leader this weekend. enjoy your ride

[humanbeing]

I'm in although BOM doesn't like our chances [SMILING FACE WITH OPEN MOUTH AND SMILING EYES]
Peter

[p_mayson]

Pete - unless there's electricity in the sky, I say we go: the weather in the Victorian high country waits for no-one

[andrewm]

I'm in as long as no more than slightly moist.

[Liamo]

Is there a report forthcoming for this ride Paul? The waterfall ride was a tale of halves. Drenching and dreary and then fine and sunny (with a little bit of road water spray) the second half.

[humanbeing]

Thanks Paul - brutal ride. I ended up in the room full of mirrors taking a good look at myself and giving myself a good talking to.
Climbs - Artillery, Garie Beach, Waterfall, Garie Hill, The Wall, Bald Hill, The Wall, Waterfall, Garie, Garie Beach, Audley.
Wet roads to start, rained on as we descended to Audley, rain again as we descended Garie, intermittent showers then sunshine, some more showers then sunshine from the afternoon onwards.
Great ride,
Peter

[Eleri]

But did you have your suitcase of courage in the room full of mirrors?

Not sure that sounds like a "great" ride to me, you haven't sold it well - but WELL DONE YOU ALL!

[p_mayson]

Well... That was, indeed, a festival of suffering...

As Peter says, the weather was unstable / unpredictable throughout: heavy rain for the first hour through the Park (including descent down to Audley Weir, ascent up Artillery & descent down to Garie Beach); intermittent showers, mixed with some sunshine, thereafter; a few headwinds; and predominantly wet roads.

There was some confusion with the route. But the guiding principle was: "Ride to RNP; seek out every hill of substance down to Scarborough; then do it all over again on the way back."

We rode from Marrickville; entered RNP at Audley; down to Audley Weir & up Artillery (hill #1); through RNP (undulating) to Garie Beach turn-off; down to Garie Beach & back up again (hill #2); down to Hacking River & up to Waterfall station (hill #3); down to Hacking River & back up to Garie Beach turn-off (hill #4); down to Hacking River & up to Otford lookout (hill #5); down to Otford station & up The Wall (hill #6); across to Stanwell Tops; down to Stanwell Park (morning tea); across Sea Cliff Bridge; up the "pinch" on the other side; across to Scarborough Hotel; turn-around; back across Sea Cliff Bridge to Stanwell Park; up Bald Hill (hill #7); down to Otford station & up The Wall (hill #8); across to Stanwell Tops; down to Hacking River; back up to Waterfall station (hill #9); down to Hacking River & back up to Garie Beach turn-off (hill #10); down to Garie Beach (lunch) & back up again (hill #11); through RNP (undulating) to Audley Weir; up Audley Hill (hill #12); exited RNP at Audley; rode back to Marrickville.

Garmin stats (after elevation corrections) suggested something in the order of ~200km of distance, with ~4,000m of pure climbing. Elapsed time of ~11.5 hours.

Many thanks (and congratulations) to Peter Bownes, Andrew Mattes and Michele Wood for your fearless resolve, tenacity and camaraderie (and to Philemon Daniel and Anthony Kenway for accompanying us as far as hill #3 in the most trying conditions).

Certainly hoping that the legs will thank me in 2 weeks time... For now, enough suffering!

[Dougie]

Garmin stats (after elevation corrections) suggested something in the order of ~200km of distance, with ~4,000m of pure climbing. Elapsed time of ~11.5 hours.

wicked