Blogs

Great to be all sorted and back on the bike racing again took it real easy and enjoyed the ride.

Where was everyone I know the tour was on but my 3 hours sleep was more than enough to get through.

Wow 7th in C grade got to be happy with that after two weeks with the flu staying up to watch the tour before the race and no riding for the last few months.

Unlike Gazza I turned up and raced. Wasn't sure about the weather so went with long knicks and a woollen undershirt and ended up being warm despite the 13 degree day. It stayed dry the whole race and we even got sunshine for the last hour so the track just got better and better.

I went up there with three of my friends and we came second to a team that met through nobmob and by the end we were nackered but we all really enjoyed it. my best lapped time was just oevr 30 mins so that was pretty good.

I'd only been to Awaba once before and had forgotten how much climbing there is there. Four laps in four hours + had me pretty well spent. Stacked on the first lap coming into the downhill left hand turn just before the cinderblock descent (wet, greasy, going too fast after finally getting past some people, slightly aged Kenda Small Block 8's) and lost my chain and a bit of confidence. Then at my "pace" it was a bit hard to keep a rhythm going once the faster riders started lapping, as there are so few spots for an easy pass.

Peter Beggs and myself had a fabulous day out...

Lithgow to Capertee via Blackfellows Hands, Baal Bone Gap, Gardens of Stone NP into Capertee Valley, and to the Hwy @ Capertee.

Weather was exceptional and we had a hoot through some of the most picturesque country around...

The meeting was an opportunity for "representatives" of all stakeholder groups to state their case in regard to how the land is managed. Various sections of the cycling fraternity were represented, as were local residents, local police (not AFP, interestingly), Sutherland Shire Council, Gandangara LAC, and various ANSTO personnel: communications, operations, OHS, etc.

Simon, Singlespeeder, Hawkeye and Hawkeye Jnr spent a few hours today looking at the Allambie trail section from 19th Hole to Cootamundra Drive/Monserra Road. If you were naughty and had been riding there in the wet today you will have noticed lots of yellow spraypaint on the ground by the side of the trail.

The circles with crosses through them will be where the contractor places large rocks to corral riders and - we hope - stop trail widening.

It was surprising how long it took. The key issue was to confine the track while both reducing speeds and maintaining trail flow.

Last year I rode 1:12:10
this year I rode 01:08:54

As discussed in the previous update on 27/6/11 the Manly Dam rangers arranged for a meeting at the dam to look at sheduled works on the Allambie side.

Overview

NoBMob and Manly Warringah club reps took a few hours off work to meet yesterday afternoon until well after dark to talk over the area commonly known as the 19th hole and a section near Cootamundra Drive. One of these reps was our own in house riding Geomorphologist (expert on soil erosion and design solutions).

The main points of discussion were:

First time racing at Awaba and in the HMBA XC series. Haven't ridden much since April due to both the rain and injury. The HR was racing averaging at 163 bpm and I felt every beat! Hope to get some more K's under the belt so that I can improve my position next time round.

Thoroughly enjoyed the track and had an awesome time hanging onto to the back of a few riders who managed to get away towards the end