16 replies to this topic

[chilliman]

staypuff, on Nov 27 2009, 03:08 PM, said:

Prefer a male that rides so knows what they are doing

What, and girls that ride don't ?

You just want to grab his bum, come on fess up.

[wobbly man]

Where is the event Staypuff? Guessing Adelaide but just checking

[HughB]

I've put myself down to do the 160km ride from Norwood to Goolwa (on Friday 22nd January) .... but only started last week to think about the logistics of getting myself plus road bike over from Melbourne to Adelaide and back. I have done a last minute cheap Virgin flight booking which should work OK as they supply a bike box for just $15 and it is carried free of charge.

One thing I am finding hard to sort out though is .... once I (hopefully) get to Goolwa - how do I get back to Adelaide ?... I don't fancy turning around and riding all the way back; there are no trains from Goolwa to Adelaide, and the last bus leaves Goolwa at about 3.30pm or so which really doesn't give you any time to watch the Pros (Lance Armstrong, Cadel Evans, et al) ride past.
My current thinking is that I'll try to find someone who has a holiday place in Port Elliot or Victor Harbor (which I understand are only 10 or 15 kms from Goolwa) and see if I can use it for an overnight stay; then catch a bus back to Adelaide the next day (Saturday).
If anyone knows of other options and/or what the smart thing is to do about travel; can you advise.

Cheers,
HughB

[HughB]

Thanks Staypuff .... if they ride back on the same day, that is some serious riding happening !!
I doubt I will take that option - but look fwd to your feedback.
Cheers,
HughB

[HughB]

Hey Staypuff... I just managed to get the logistics sorted ...
I hope to get down to Goolwa by about mid-afternoon before the professional riders (Lance Armstrong, Cadel Evans, etc) arrive; that way I’ll get to watch them as they ride past into Goolwa. I have now found a member of the extended family who have a place in Victor Harbor so (after a beer or two in Goolwa !) I'll ride on to Victor to stay Friday night. Then on Saturday morning I am planning to ride the (approx 50kms) up to Willunga and McLaren Vale; and hopefully watch the next stage of the Tour Down Under; in particular the Willunga Hill King of the Mountain part. Then I hope to stay Saturday night with a friend in Moana before riding on to Noarlunga on Sunday morning to catch the train back to Adelaide.... bit of a logistical challenge but hopefully it will work out.
Cheers,
HughB

[sunny1]

HughB, on Jan 20 2010, 07:06 AM, said:

Hey Staypuff... I just managed to get the logistics sorted ...
I hope to get down to Goolwa by about mid-afternoon before the professional riders (Lance Armstrong, Cadel Evans, etc) arrive; that way I’ll get to watch them as they ride past into Goolwa. I have now found a member of the extended family who have a place in Victor Harbor so (after a beer or two in Goolwa !) I'll ride on to Victor to stay Friday night. Then on Saturday morning I am planning to ride the (approx 50kms) up to Willunga and McLaren Vale; and hopefully watch the next stage of the Tour Down Under; in particular the Willunga Hill King of the Mountain part. Then I hope to stay Saturday night with a friend in Moana before riding on to Noarlunga on Sunday morning to catch the train back to Adelaide.... bit of a logistical challenge but hopefully it will work out.
Cheers,
HughB

That sounds like a great way to catch some of the tour and have a ride too.

If you see any coorunners as you ride up Norwood Parade, give us a shout!

[miners]

Best of luck with it Hugh. I'll be out there somewhere too. Thankfully I have friends driving down to spend time with sailboarding in the afternoon.

If we get hit with a heavy headwind, you can blame me. I'm torn between which weather gods to pray to. But the chance to blast around on my friend's brand new 290 Starboard is winning out!

[HughB]

Miners .... that was tempting fate too much when you said "...If we get hit with a heavy headwind, you can blame me...".
Although I got two flat tyres (around the Woodside area) the ride was fine ... except the last 40km or so - that headwind !!! ... that was just hard work and no fun.
After the ride I rode on to Victor (via a few beers at the Middleton Tavern ) and stayed overnight there. It was a good way to re-charge the batteries before riding northwards again. I had a very enjoyable ride on Saturday. It was a nice temperature and light breeze. I rode up to Willunga via Mt. Jagged and Mt. Compass – stopping on route for a famous South Australian Farmers Union Ice Coffee of course
I stopped at the top of Willunga Hill and had a great vantage spot just 10 metres before the end of the King of the Mountain finish line and watched the King of the Mountain race ride passed twice – fantastic sight !
I then rode in to Willunga (back down the Hill that the Pro riders had just come up) to see the finish and then rode on to McLaren Vale for lunch. I then went on to Moana to stay with friends on Saturday night. Sunday I rode up to Noarlunga and caught the train into Adelaide and watched the first couple of laps of the final stage of the TDU – again a great spectacle – it was an exciting finish with some Aussies featuring in the last couple of laps and of course on the finish line. So all-in-all the round trip of Adelaide-Goolwa-Victor-Willunga-Adelaide was a great way to be involved and see the final 3 stages of the TDU.
Cheers,
HughB

[chilliman]

HughB, on Jan 27 2010, 09:49 AM, said:

I stopped at the top of Willunga Hill and had a great vantage spot just 10 metres before the end of the King of the Mountain finish line and watched the King of the Mountain race ride passed twice – fantastic sight !

Nice work HughB, I'm guessing you didn't have any CR gear on being a bike race and all, but Eat`Em and DuckGirl probably passed you too on Saturday, they were lucky enough to be in the BMC car handing out drink bottles and stuff on the course.

Pity we didn't get a chance to met with you either, it was a pretty full-on week !



How did you go on the Tandem staypuff ?

Riveting Tandem racing on the Stage 2 leg between the German Arms and Hahndorf Inn team below:
The Arms won by a serious Arms length.

 Arms_V_Inn.jpg   217.58K   17 downloads