Today's reccy - the mini river loop



I did it! I am very excited about this route because it is achievable. It requires some endurance as well as some strength because there are quite a few hills but I think if you know where you are going and what's around the corner, you are half way there. Here's the route I took:

 



If you look closely you can see that I started out at the corner of Vulture and Hardgrave where I saw 2 fellow team mates - Michelle and Katina. Then it was down to the river for a nice flat bit along to the Go Between. Over the bridge, left along the bikeway and down to Regatta for a sip of water. Then I was in unchartered territory for me. The path rises up to the footpath alongside Coronation Drive and then curls around Brisbane Street towards St. Lucia. I knew I was taking a left but I got the wrong one and ended up around the back of the old ABC building doing a couple more hills than I had intended. I won't be making that mistake again! Sandford Road is the right road. Not Glenn Street and bloody Archer street. Aaaanyway...
We're now cycling parallel with Sir Fred Schonell Drive. I would call this section of the route undulating. Once you get to Guyatt Park it's a nice flat run all the way to the Green Bridge which is where I stopped for another sip of water. Then it was up and over the bridge and up that little path that leads onto Gladstone Road. I was pretty tired at that stage so had to have another rest. This time I got off the bike and lay down for a good 5 minutes. After that I felt pretty good so I got on my bike expecting the hard slog uphill to start straight away but it didn't. It's not too bad for a while. The worst thing is the traffic which seemed to almost skim me as it passed even though I was as far left as I could be. Then, once I saw the bottom of the hill, I prepared myself with my gears so that I had a good 6 in hand, should I need them. As it turns out, I used 4 I think. I didn't think I was going to die so that was an absolute bonus. Then the sweet down-hill treat at the end of the ride - Dornoch, Ganges and Hoogley. It was like floating.

I am going to do this one again next Thursday. Same time same place. I would suggest that you only do this one when you are comfortable doing the smaller hill route as it is quite challenging now... but not for long.

Ride number 5 - previewing this Sunday's ride

It's been a momentous day for the West End Wonders today. Officially joining Jacqui Walters and myself in our team are Michelle, Kirsty, Katina, Cate and Jacqui Boon. It's actually happening. 

And so to this Sunday's ride. I'm likely to be hungover quite badly as I'm going to Dannielle and Vinnie's place the previous night AND it's father's day so I could well be doing this one on my own but... I'm up for the challenge. And with all those lycra-clad dads out of the way it might be quite nice! Here's a little map for you.

 As you can see, it's a combination of our previous rides but with a little sojourn into the botanical gardens in case we happen to find the cafe there open. We have the tempting joy of Hoogley and Ganges streets on the way there but also the Go Between bridge. I thought after that we could do the bikeway thing: up to Regatta, then double back, under the Go Between and straight through to the botanical gardens. Note to self: check to see if the VW van is there as we ride opposite. Just incase we can't find a suitable cafe open in the botanical gardens. After that, over the Goodwill Bridge and back home along the river but once again turning to go up Victoria Street at the end.

It's about 17.5kms.

Thursday morning... a reconnaissance mission.

Just because I'm curious, I'm going to tackle this route on Thursday morning after school drop off. I'll report back and let you know how I go. If anyone is free and feels like an adventure you're welcome to join me!

It's about 15kms and takes in such lovely features as the Go Between bridge, the Green Bridge and the gentle rise of Gladstone Road.

Ride 4 review

Ride number 4: Sunday 26th August, 8am


Attendees: Cara, Cate, Celia, Jacqui W, Kirsty, Michelle
Distance: 20kms. West End to Dockside and back.

Mostly flat with a hill at the beginning and one at the end.
Some less meaningful stats:
Start elev: 18m
Max elev: 41m
Gain: 75m

Firstly - what a turn-out! It was like being in a peleton... well kinda. Well done to all of us for sacrificing our Sunday mornings to be there.

So: The weather was one less thing to worry about yesterday as we embarked on our ride uphill under a cloudless sky. Here we all are at a suitable photo location down at Kangaroo Point:

We were mucking about trying to hold the camera and get ourselves all in shot until a kindly runner came to our aid and took the shot for us... thanks Michele! While she was taking our picture, a guy appeared out of nowhere and offered to take our picture with Michele in it...

It could have gone on all morning. But we still had some kilometres to pedal so we had to leave the posing and get back on the road.

Congratulations to Kirsty who surprised herself by making it up Hoogley and Ganges streets in one go. And on that old mountain bike! Michelle was sporting a new (for her) road bike courtesy of Jacqui's sister and led the field for pretty much the entire ride. Nice work, Michelle - and also nice work holding up the more serious cyclists on the path near the cliffs. That's two near misses. Next week: the trifecta. Thanks to Cate for squeezing our ride into her busy Sunday schedule and well done getting back to your car in time to get to your stuffsmith workshop. And then there were 5.

Here's us on the way back from Dockside. What a day for it!

We had intended to stop at the VW van for coffee again but it wasn't there so we pushed on through to GoMA. 2 teas and 3 coffees later, we headed for home at a relaxed, chatty pace.

Kudos to Jacqui and me for gearing up in not-so-cool lycra shorts. That padding is starting to pay dividends. Congratulations to Celia who not only managed to complete the whole course but even had time to stop off and give a bit of emergency medical advice to a cyclist that had been in an accident. She's dead handy, our Celia.

And so to the home straight. I must admit to being a bit devilish with Victoria Street uphill for the last push but we completed it no problem at all. I can see I'm going to have to make things more interesting.  Let me know if you have any route ideas.

Ride 4 preview - this Sunday at 8am

I've mapped out ride number 4 for us, this Sunday. This ride is nearly all flat with just one hill at the beginning and one at the end. We start out at the usual spot, Orleigh Park by the CityCat stop, and then head up Hoogley Street and Ganges Street. We will be breathing heavier by then I'm sure so then an easy ride down Hardgrave Road to Victoria Street and head down Victoria, across Montague, down Victoria again before picking up the bike path along the river and taking it all the way around under the Story Bridge to the far side of Kangaroo Point. Coffee there. And back again along the same path. Distance is...wait for it... 19.47km!

If you want to make a route for us to go, let me know.

Ride Number 3 (Finally!)

Attendees: Celia and Myself

There was a chill in the air this morning but definitely not as cold as it was this time two weeks ago. Once again it was cloudless and glorious along the river actually I didn't do too much noticing of rowers and birds and such - I think we might have been nattering  too much. Then over the Go Between nice and smoothly and left onto the Centenary Bikeway heading towards Toowong. We picked up speed along there but still managed to keep chatting all the way to Regatta where we stopped for a sip of water and a couple of snaps...

Back on the bikeway and it was a straight run all the way from Toowong to the Goodwill Bridge. It really is so easy to ride a bike around here; the bikeway is so smooth.The smell of coffee was wafting over us as we crossed the bridge and it was tempting to stop and have one there but the plan was to go to the VW van so we pushed on through.

And it was worth it, I think, so we could check out the van, the Tai Chi going on in the background and the free mini gingerbread man you got with your coffee. mmmmmmmgorgeous.

Wait... are those lycra bike shorts I'm wearing??? >shudder< Yes it's not pretty but actually, I have to admit, pretty good for riding in. I got them cheapo cheapo on the internet. It's a bit weird. They've got some padding going on there which takes a bit of getting used to - it's a bit like wearing a nappy - but in the end I was thankful for when Celia mentioned her aching bottom and mine was still ok.

 It was an easy ride back and we chatted about how some of our routes should have some hills in them. We had discussed a possible hill circuit. Then Celia suggested we tag it on to the end of our ride today seeing as we were feeling so good!

So: starting at the CityCat stop you go up Hoogley and Ganges Streets. You turn left onto Hardgrave Road and ride down to Granville Street. Right onto Granville Street, waving at Cate's place, right onto Boundary Street, up the hill and down again almost to the river, right onto Ryan street for the sting in the tail which is a small hill and then easy ride back to the CityCat stop. As we get better we can change Granville for Bristol or Whynot Streets.

Final Route:

11.53 miles which is about 18.5kms

I recommend that little hill circuit.... give it a go during the week some time. It's short and sharp but I guarantee you it will get easier each time you do it. I reckon if we can each aim to do that circuit once during the week at some point then we can save our Sunday ride for the longer, flatter stuff.

x x x

This year's route...

They have released the route for this year's ride which is happening this weekend:

Day 1:

Day 2: