On Par - All about golf in Australia

With excitement and trepidation, I met Ben, Liss, Campbell and Matt for the Round the Bay Ride. Having riden the 100k ride for the last 2 years, this was the next big step, though wasnt sure how far I could ride! Weather was clear but chilly, luckily I had the vest, arm and leg warmers! Plus drinks, protein bars and of course Snakes!

We set off at just after 6am, first few k’s were pretty cruisy through Altona and Werribee then the long run down the Geelong Road. Riding was fairly chaotic with large groups riding all over the place, requiring concentration on the brakes. Couple of ‘rest’ stops en-route (plenty of fluids taken on!). Hit Geelong in good time, and then pushed on towards Queenscliff, the last few k’s were hard with the ferry trip beckoning for rest and recharge. Lunch was Chicken Tandoori sandwiches, nice one BV.

Arrived at the ferry at 10:30am booking ourselves on the 11am crossing. Id heard nightmare stories about the ferry queues, but the logistics and marshalling of the bikes onto the ferry was fantastic. The ferry was bursting to the seams with carbon fibre and lycra as we all sat down for a well earned rest.

Once off the ferry, had a quick coffee with Ben’s parents at the Commercial Hotel in Sorrento. Campbell and I decided to head off first while the others hung around longer. Luckily there was renewed power in the legs and we made good pace through Rye, then joined a small pelaton for a while which picked up our speed to 35kmh for a while. Hit the hills through Mornington and then into Frankston. We decided to push on to Mordialloc for our next rest stop. The ride through Carrum and Chelsea really took its toll as the k’s slowly ticked along. By Mordialloc the thighs were starting to tighten up and ache, but after a refuel and rest we set off again knowing that the end was only 30k’s away. Jumped onto a small group for most of the way and finally cruised into St Kilda.

With the weather decidedly cold, and the others still half an hour behind us, we decided to head home. A hot bath and a beer ended the day perfectly. A big challenge and a fantastic feeling to complete the ride. Bike Victoria to be commended on a well run event managing almost 15,000 riders and supported by some fantastic volunteers.

Some observations: – Most inspiring: a one legged amputee passing me on the flat – Worst thigh pain: Mordialloc – Bens legs are part human part carbon fibre – Protein bars and Leather are of same chemical composition – Punctures spotted on roadside: lost count – Best sight: the city skyline and the Queenscliff ferry – World record for amount of carbon fibre and lycra in a confined space: 11am ferry crossing – Majority of road kill on the verges: Red Snakes – Bike Vic did a fantastic job managing the event and over 15,000 cyclists – One of the best beers Ive ever had: cold one once I got home!

Ride Statistics
203.05km
7 hours, 53 mins, 51 secs (Total riding time)
25.7kmh (Average speed).

Google Earth Map of the Round the Bay Route (Requires Google Earth App)