Down to Kettering by 7.30 for the 7.45 ferry. Just be aware people, even at the height of tourist season in a very pleasant little seaside town that lives off the tourists coming through the Bruny Island terminal there is no where selling coffee at this hour of the day. How is any self respecting human being let alone someone on a gravel grinding bike supposed to function?
I think 7 cyclists for the day. 15 minutes on the ferry allowed for lots of admiring of bicycles and catch up with new people I hadn't met before. Got chatting with a guy who did the Transcontinental race last year and is all fired up for another crack this year. Had some great stories of being lost in France, Stelvio in the snow and lawlessness in Albania. Sounded like a huge adventure and an excellent demonstration of why people get hooked on touring.
Strategy for the day. There is always a diverse range of cycling abilities on Audax rides despite the sadly constricted demographic of participants, which means you really can pick your pace and there will be someone to cycle with if that is what you choose. I have always been a solidly committed mid pack rider and that suits me just fine. Unfortunately my good mate Benny is off the bike for a month or so after surgery on a dodgy shoulder. This time, I had been keen to ride with Dave who did such a sterling effort organising the ASH Dash a month ago. Dave enjoys riding sweep and has his timings sorted out so that he beats the cut off and hopefully has enough time for a creamy soda and paddle pop before the ferry arrives.
Difficult start straight off the ferry with a couple of quite steep pinches to start with. Unfortunately this meant that I put my head down and worked quite hard for the first couple of kilometres and when I looked up we had left Dave and a couple of the other guys behind. Once we reached the flat bit, the majority of the ride, found myself riding with the guy who did the Transcontinental and a bloke training up big for a 600km Audax in a few weeks as his qualifier for PBP. These guys were keen and if I had any idea how much I was going to hurt later in the day I would have casually backed off and rejoined my mates in the midpack who I know would already have been talking about beer despite it being only 9 in the morning.
Still, enjoying the ride.
The course for the day was an out and back format from the ferry terminal 60km south to the Light House and then return. Hilly at both ends otherwise just some gentle rollers to keep you on your toes through the day. Traffic was awesome with very few cars and those that we did see highly respectful in their interaction with cyclists. Big thank you guys.
Plenty of photo opportunities all the way down to the light house. With spectacular views out to the Southern Ocean.
Was actually still feeling pretty good when we reached the light house as the halfway point but was disappointed that there was no food truck there selling hot jam donuts and creamy soda. Why are Tasmanians so bad at capitalising on business opportunities? Reality was we were in a National Park where I am pretty happy that they don't do that kind of thing and also tourism is highly seasonal down here and it would be very difficult to keep a business going in the 10 months of the year when mainlanders fly north not south.
Hung around at the light house for about half an hour, regaining some composure and psyching myself up for the 60km ride back to the ferry which I knew was going to hurt but the whole in for a penny in for a pound stupid boy thinking had the better of me. Was happy to find a gentle sea breeze pushing me along.
About halfway back we stopped at the Alonnah General Store next door to the pub and reprovisioned. I gutsed a burger and a soft drink, found a tap and refilled my water bottles. Totally spent and a little sunburnt I knew that my mates in the mid pack were going to be stopping at the pub and enjoying a beer when they turned up in 40 odd minutes time but pushed on with the fast guys none the less. Riding made a little more enjoyable by the coastline.
I could say that I decided to slow down and enjoy the ride a little more which I have certainly done in the past but really not long after pushing off from lunch I was totally spent and surprisingly quickly the other two guys rode away from me. Not a bad thing, I do really enjoy cycling on my own and it was only 30km to the ferry to enjoy.
It was a different way to cycle and probably a good thing for me to do that every now and again. I have done a lot of big days in the saddle and am probably reasonably fit but this was in a different league. I have never felt myself cramping up whilst still on the bike purely from the days effort and I have had much, much longer riding than this.
As is always the way when you dig too deep and pay the penalty, the blackness that descends extends to all things. The ferry back to Kettering leaves every hour and I arrive literally two minutes after the ferry departs with the other guys on board. Sitting down at the little kiosk with my well earned paddle pop and can of pink fizz, check face book and my mid pack mates are posting photos from the pub back at Alonnah sitting on the front porch beer in hand looking out across the water.
Let's consider this one a lesson well learned. Awesome place to just go and ride bikes, perfect weather, next time just relax and enjoy being out there. Find some good gravel all. Hmmm, wonder when the next one is.
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