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No 70, May 2010
Editor:Jennifer Gilmore
Production:Keith Griffin
The views expressed in Chain Mail articles are those of the authors only and do not necessarily represent either the common views shared by a majority of Bike North members, or Bike North policy as formulated by the Bike North Executive Committee.
The "Autumn Classics" 2010
In recent years, during the famous European "Spring Classics" cycling season, an increasing number of Bike North riders has been taking part in a parallel antipodean series of Bike North Autumn Classics. Our series is unofficial, much less competitive and includes several events not organised by Bike North.
In fact the Autumn Classics are so unofficial as to include different events for different people, but the main ones seem to be Loop the Lake, Tour de Hills, Tour de Cowra, Blayney to Bathurst Cyclosportif, Bike North Century Challenge, and perhaps the Great Hunter Cycle Challenge. While only two of these are Bike North events, they are the two which get the greatest numbers of Bike North members participating each year.
Importantly, each of these events is designed to encourage cyclists of all levels (perhaps not novice riders) to participate, which may help explain the large numbers taking part.
This year, as always, I was dreading the most difficult of these events, the BNCC. I realised some months out from the event that I would need to decide either to prepare well, or opt for a nice relaxing day sitting in a chair reading a book and handing out jelly beans to tired cyclists at a checkpoint. Given that Fran was very keen to ride, and she was not really sure with whom she could team up, my choice was made for me.
We were unable to get away to do Loop the Lake, and I heard the next day that many Bike North riders who had intended to ride did not due to significantly bad weather. We've never done Tour de Hills and again it fell on a day when we would not be able to ride. Therefore we began some training on our own: we started doing more rides, Thursday evening training was reborn and our weekend rides moved to harder and longer ones where possible.
A sea of Bike North riders in Cowra
What I should explain at this point is that not only had we decided to enter the Blayney to Bathurst short course (B2B, 70kms) but Fran had decided to enter the NSW Hill climb championship with a climb up Mt Panorama (using a service road, very steep!) and we were also volunteers to assist with the electronic timing equipment at the B2B weekend. The weekend before would be Tour de Cowra, and thus provide excellent final training with 4 days of good rides, a day off and then a few easier rides on our own before moving to Bathurst on the Friday afternoon.
Our lead up training to TdC worked well and we both felt pretty good. But best of all was the large number of people taking part in TdC and having a great time. Several did their longest ever day ride, some were recent Bike for Life graduates and were now out doing 80 kms rides in the country! Others were keen to find the best coffee shop in Canowindra, or sink a pint at the pub après ride. The excellent weather helped.