The joy of riding uphill & a guide to Victoria's best climbs.
Route: 3 Peaks Challenge
Distance: 235km
There was a brief moment on the lower slopes of Mt Hotham when I thought to myself: ‘Finishing 3 Peaks isn’t going to be satisfying this year. I’ve already done it once, what’s to … Read more “Episode 19: 3 Peaks Challenge 2012”
The fact I’ve already completed the 3 Peaks Challenge before doesn’t feel like an advantage at this stage. I feel surprisingly nervous for Sunday and I’m more than a little bit scared of how my ITB is going to hold … Read more “Episode 18: Let’s roll!”
Route: Thornbury, Emerald, Olinda, Dandenongs loop
Distance: 183km
Duration: 7 hours 11 minutes
Do you ever have one of those days where you wake up and decide not to go riding, only to regret the decision later in the day? … Read more “Episode 17: Beach Road vs. Mt. Dandenong”
Route: Warburton, Marysville, Lake Mountain loop
Distance: 140km
Duration: 5 hours 32 minutes
Over the past nine months it’s been inspiring to see the Donvale Demon rapidly improve as a cyclist. He’s gone from non-cyclist to Around the Bay in … Read more “Episode 16: the magical Reefton Spur”
Route: Bonnie Doon to Tolmie, via Mt. Buller
Distance: 146km
Duration: 5 hours 32 minutes
I’ve spent more on physiotherapy bills in the past three weeks than I did in the five years before that. It’s all in the hope … Read more “Episode 15: pushing through pain for a Buller PB”
Route: Heathmont to Inverloch, via Emerald and Pakenham
Distance: 159km
Duration: 5 hours 11 minutes
It’s a little over a month until the 3 Peaks Challenge and the days are melting away. The training’s going well, I’m ramping up the … Read more “Episode 14: a bittersweet hundred-miler”
Route: Heathmont to Thornbury, via The Crucifix
Distance: 119km
Duration: 4 hours 39 minutes
I made two mistakes on Saturday morning. The first was a failure to look at the weather forecast before leaving the house. The second was underestimating … Read more “Episode 13: climbing the Crucifix (and suffering in the sun)”
Route: Noojee to Mt. Baw Baw, return
Distance: 101km
Duration: 4 hours 30 minutes
There are few hills in our fine state of Victoria that inspire fear quite like Mt. Baw Baw. It’s not a long climb, but what … Read more “Episode 12: Mt. Baw Baw revisited”
Route: Warrandyte, Kinglake, Healesville and Yarra Glen ‘loop’
Distance: 130km
Duration: 4 hours 34 minutes
It took me two full days to recover from my trip to the Victorian Alps. My legs ached, I felt constantly tired and I had … Read more “Episode 11: climbs galore (and then up some more)”
Route: Germantown to Mt. Hotham, return
Distance: 102km
Duration: 4 hours 5 minutes
This is the final of three posts about my recent trip to the Victorian Alps. You can read part one here, and part two here.… Read more “Episode 10: Mt. Hotham doesn’t get easier, you just go faster”
Route: Falls Creek to Anglers Rest, return
Distance: 103km
Duration: 4 hours 32 minutes
This is the second of three posts about my recent trip to the Victorian Alps. You can read the first post here. I stayed at … Read more “Episode 9: backing up with the Back of Falls”