Saterday broke dark, howling and sleeting...what the'  ?!?!?... (whadido?)

I did however also drive to Geelong, to make sure there wasnt some freak of nature that would have enabled fair conditions. Not so. Nor a beep from PBs mobile to give me a status update his side. It appears he was stumbling in the dark trying to get ready whilst the rain lashed outside. Until Kerith spoke the tone of reason.... "Oh yes why go get cold wet and ill" came the thought to PBs dusty interior.... "Why not go back to bed. Good idea Kerith....come here you ..."

Anyway back at the Gee..

The start looked like a flood relief camp with about a thirty soggy riders. I looked around for bandit signs. No joy. So did a quick tour of the area and shot back to Anglesea. I waz well relieved at not having to make any woesy piking comments about riding in the rain amongst all that damp, deluge & flooding rivers.

....Later that day (after a warm toasty brek) we went to Lorne. Hello some bikes on the road. How dedicated. Then a pack of em at the parking lot (opposite the hippy shop and a few doors down where they make a mean baklava (and cuppalatay eh?)... So I popped over to have a quick perve at any fancy gear and see what it was about....

Well it turned out that that this was a feeding station for the Ottway Challenge and who should be there (at that exacto momento) but Nuggetty and his Coppi u lato.

Hey folks, what an intrepid traveller eh?

While we were reading the paper, Phil was creating a trail of vapour

A little mud splattered and soggy was our intrepid traveller. He greeted me with grace and good humour. No sidehanded comments about crumpet and fart sacks.

So I award my highest tribute and state that the Nugget is our most Intrepid Rider of the Month. [perhaps we can have an award for that one day...]

Wow, we saw a lot of soggy riders on the way back home - partially obscured by the frantic actions of my wipers. Whilst languishing in the heated concerto environment of my 4wd steed. 

ho ho ho. (Onya Phil you ripper. )

We must do it next year people. It looks a ride most splendid  [...if the weather is good.]

The Trekky, hung up dry she is, shiny and polished. The new 26 tooth cluster gleaming and virginal. For the mega ride that will test its metal. Damn !!

How Phil Did It...Nuggety vs the Ottways...
Saturday, November 10,  2001

the night was dark and stormy,
the morning light was dim,
the rain squall was an omen
the chances of an easy ride were looking pretty slim.
a bit of over confidence, a bit of sh*tty weather....oh how the mighty suffer!

the ride...the otway classic
distance 163.44 (the ergobrain never lies!)
average spd 28.4km/hr

At 6.30am, a wall of rain and hail lashed the freeway near Lara and it didn't let up until Geelong. The starting point was under water with
rolling showers adding to the glum mood of the 170 adventureous soles who decided to give it a bash. Of those there was a mixture of good
young crit riders and hardy old club riders. not many weak looking souls...like me! an ominous site!

The first 1.5hrs consisted of battling a headwind and rain squalls on the open plains to the east of Geelong in a peleton of 100 riders.
With every piece of cold gear i possess on my back the cold was not a problem but the conditions were very dangerous. A few punctures bought howls of "slowing, watch out!!" and had riders heading in all directions.

After Moriac, we headed towards Deans Marsh. An Audax checkpoint broke up the group as we stopped and had cards stamped...no stamps = no t-shirt at the end! A pit stop and removal of legs put me even further behind between two groups and alone on the road.

We headed south into the hills...three big ones taking the riders higher into the otways. a 23 rear cog was too high so it was more standing and dancing rather than sitting and grinding. it soon became clear the few weeks off since the sydney ride had softened me substantially... my back was feeling the strain.

Onward and upward for 15km soon had us in snow country. a hail storm hit the leaders. when i went thru hail 6 inches deep covered the road and the forest for over 1/2 km. ...
10km downhill into Lorne froze the knees but moving down to the coast put us back in the jaws of the wind that was now approaching gale force.

A quick stop for lunch...only Audax didn't provide any. Wazza was a welcome sight amid the gloom and despair that only half the ride was
done then it was back on the GOR to Anglesea. The up and down nature of the road, the sunday traffic and the wind made this section really
tough but once past Anglesea...(the hill this side of Anglesea is a real pr*ck!!) we did a turn onto back roads and soon hooked up with the same back roads we used to get from Geelong.

The weather was changeable but not wet so some of the wet gear came off. after 5km i was feeling gutted but 3 triathletes came along and gave me the lift i needed to finish the last 40kms. the last 4km was a blur as hunger, fatigue and the wind really took hold.

As we finished the rain came down again but the feeling was good. i finished in 6.34hrs riding time, placed 64...not that it was a race!

...thoughts of the sydney flodded back...ah, the shower, Poppa Smurf ready with a whiskey, a bed to relax upon and the boys to share the gory details of another days battle. alas, i was wet, cold, hungry and tired...and a 2hr drive from home.

This is a one tough ride...harder than round the bay but the roads are good and ride thru the hills is worth the effort.

things i learnt...
i now realise where the money goes in a bike. my coppi is a dream.
but i need to do a lot more work to get the best out of this baby.
occasionally the weather forecasters get it correct...don't try this ride on a 'bad' day!
how quick i can lose condition. 3 weeks back i was flying, yesterday i was dying!
careful where you park in Geelong. A late decision to have a massage...ever had 2 ladies work on your back at the one time??? saw
me turn onto a dirt verge ...and slide totally out of control for 8 feet towards the Barwon river. i stopped 2 feet from giving my car an expensive wash! ever had a tug in front of 20 laughing riders??? it could easily have been lot worse.

Another notch on the belt, another t-shirt... only when i wear this one i'll remember the rain....and the pain...and remind myself never to get over confident.

nuggetty

(it sure was a ball cracker of a ride...but by sundown the car and bike were a gleamin'...i checked last week about a new rear set of cogs but $200!! ...after yesterday, maybe the order will be placed soon! )

The Riders Dilemma...to be or not to be...whether to go or not. i went on an offroad ride earlier this year and sat and pondered while the rain flaid away at the windscreen and decided a hot latte and lunch was a better bet. but it nagged me for months that i was a cop out and after sydney, what else is there??? i tell you, there is worse than the sydney ride out there.

How PB saw it ....We Are The Hollow Men
Monday, November 12, 2001

I SALUTE YOU NUGGETY ONE... 

Oh! How ashamed do I feel after reading your epistle on your Deprivations of yesterday! At 4.45am when I stuck my head out of the laundry door to see the lashing rain and think to myself "the weather bureau sure got it right this time"........ I'm listening to my wife's advice that I would be insane to venture out on my bike in that weather, and I'm back into the NICE WARM SACK. .

... AND I have to say that I have NO REGRETS, as I sat by the roaring log fire later and read my Wilbur Smith novel and watched the rain and hail. 

It's just as well there are some REAL Bandidos in our group who will face the elements and not woos out like I did. In fact I wasn't even prepared to go out and do a quick jaunt up Humphries Rd to maintain ownership of the Spotted one.... 

-BUT I do promise that no matter what the weather next Sunday, I will be there!!!! (Unless it's hailing again????) 

Regards, P.B..-

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http://www.baysidebandidos.com

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