Ride Report for the "3 Gorgeous"

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Dougie
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Joined: 11 Jan 2008, 16:39
Location: Dulwich Hill

Postby Dougie » 12 Sep 2011, 14:22

Now I will freely admit that detail is not my strong point. My value to my employer is my capacity to see the big picture. The fine print has always kinda been lost on me. So when I signed on for the ride I clearly didn’t read the fine print. I thought it said, “3 Gorgeous”, seriously! I had visions of an easy pedal up to the Illinois Hotel at Five Dock and slipping a lazy twenty into the garter belt of a lace covered lovely and gently sipping my brewed beverage of choice.\

You can imagine my shock when I discovered on Sunday morning that this was not the case. I had wondered why we were starting so early. Fortunately in the predawn gloom no one could see my quivering bottom lip. The hardy souls approached from all directions, resplendent in DHBC kit. Stuart advised at 6.04 am Eastern Standard Time that “it was well past 6, so let’s go”. The route took us up Shaw St and on to Crystal, Balmain Rd, Lilyfield Rd, over that bloody foot bridge which gives me nightmares and on the Anzac Bridge. We added two more hardy souls (Mike and Fiona I think from the UK). Some brief discussion about getting on to the Harbour Bridge, then across the Coat Hanger. A bit of a grind up to Crows Nest with the gazelles pushing the wind for the bunch had us to Gore Hill in no time. A few swap offs got us to Pymble and the turn off.

I have done a few descents but the one down to Bobbin Head was fast and cold and looooong. I translated this in my head to a loooooong ascent that awaited me on the other side. It was just the wind into my eyes that caused the tears OK! I clenched everything I owned on the way down. When I glimpsed the top through the trees down the bottom I continued the clench. I won’t lie I found the climb tough going. I have new impetus to shed 10KG off my ample frame. Very early on Karzie swept passed me and questioned whether I had run out of glycogen. I was not sure I had any available to start with and surely I could call on the carefully stored reserves I am carrying around my middle. Arriving at the top for a break and a photo. Please note in Stuart’s pictures, I am the one NOT smiling. The next time I was to smile was 1pm when I got home and that was more a palsied snarl.

Rolling roads to the next gorge at Berowra and the Ferry. Another bone chattering descent followed by a pleasant wait for the ferry. Please note in the photos, I am STILL not smiling! The ferry ride was an education. Apparently, one “donns” a life jacket in the event of the vessel sinking. I didn’t see anything about the availability of floatation devices for the purposes of saving thousands of dollars worth of carbon fibre. I was reliably informed that once you have dragged your body out of the water from said sinking vessel, you should then “doff” your life jacket. It was comforting that as I am screaming for help I will have also had a learning experience.

This ascent was tough. I cried a bit and maybe a little bit of wee came out. I am pretty sure Eleri made some remarks about flowers and birds ‘n’ stuff. Buggered if I saw any of it. Every time I stood up my thighs screamed “Get your arse back on the saddle. If God wanted you to be Andy Schleck you would have been born a Luxembourger not a Hamburger”. Fortunately the bunch waited for me at the school. I rolled in wordlessly. The break allowed me to get over the next little steep section. That’s a motivation sapper if ever I saw one.

Rolled on toward Galston. I am sure those riding near me got sick of the “are we there yets?” Karzie got himself a pinch flat on a short downhill. I was behind him, I marvellous piece of bikepersonship. He was doing fishtails that any Mt Druitt 18 year old with his first stolen Subaru WRX would have been proud of. He kept it upright and under control. Nice work!

Eleri wrote about the café experience so enough said, almost. When my very tall, very camp looking latte arrived I just knew I wasn’t in Marrickville any more Toto. The café had a very unique system of delivering sustenance to those whom ordered just now and nothing to those whom ordered first. I remembered that Stuart had said at the beginning, “let’s just have a quick coffee and banana bread and get going”. Like a good soldier I followed orders. As did those whom ordered the Pig, Eggs, Bread and BBQ sauce and the Eggs Benedict etc etc, had I realised all bets were off, I would have ordered the fruit compote and eoufs en cocotte. Life is so unfair. On to Galston Gorge.

I was informed this wasn’t too bad other than the hairpins. Unfortunately, my definition of “too bad” was anything involving me pedalling, so things weren’t going to go too well for me. Another terrifyingly, bone jarring descent followed by switch backs. Either I had taken a teaspoon of cement with my girly latte or I had in fact toughened up. I found this the easiest of all the climbs. I appreciate the bunch waiting for me.

I note that Eleri and Alison made “going home on the train from Hornsby” noises. I should have listened. Chicks are muuuuuuch smarter than blokes. The route home was via the back roads of Wahroonga, Turramurra and some twisty turny, mountain bikie kinda thing misnamed as Brown’s Waterhole. I thought of a number of unspeakable appellations as I was tangling with a front derailleur that kept dropping my chain and jumping from big to small and small to big. My legs were going like a hamster stuck in a treadmill after the kids had fed it three codral cold tablets. I realise Stuart’s route avoided the Sunday Lunch Traffic on the Pacific Hwy however the word “Wahroonga” is Aboriginal for “the hills in the area make a man wish he had chosen golf”. I wish to put on record that I thank the traditional owners of the land.

By the time we hit the Bay run in Drummoyne, I think we had travelled on streets that only people who are lost go on. We would pop out at intersections of main roads that I was astonished to see. It was like some kind of space/time vortex. Crossing Parramatta Rd into Summer Hill all my manners had left me. Everyone hurled goodbyes and thankyous etc. I rolled down the drive at 5hrs 29mins of ride time, door to door and a 22.5km average absolutely trashed. Great Ride! Thank you for waiting for me as the bride had already half completed the death claim form for my life insurance. She likes to be prepared.

See you on the next one.
Dougie

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Stuart
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Joined: 11 Mar 2008, 10:43
Location: Dulwich Hill

Postby Stuart » 12 Sep 2011, 17:45

Great report as usual Dougie. Note that there was one person behind Dougie on every climb and that was yours truly. I thought I had the Galston one nailed to stay at least in front of one rider after having descended at the front to get a head start, but alas I was passed with about 400m to go to the waiting bunch. A fun day out indeed. And I loved the Brown's Waterhole bit - that descent from the Pacific Hwy down Kissing Point Rd is magic (especially as you don't have to peddle that much)!

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Trouty
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Joined: 09 May 2007, 13:23

Postby Trouty » 12 Sep 2011, 17:53

Great report Dougie, you're posts are always good value reading.

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jimmy
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Postby jimmy » 13 Sep 2011, 07:04

West side of Galston is a bone jarring descent?

It's silk smooth. It used to be a lot worse, but it got resurfaced a couple of years ago and it's fantastic now.

James

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Stuart
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Location: Dulwich Hill

Postby Stuart » 13 Sep 2011, 18:26

West side of Galston is a bone jarring descent? It's silk smooth. It used to be a lot worse, but it got resurfaced a couple of years ago and it's fantastic now. James
I think your idea of silk smooth and mine are way different James. There's bumps, although not as bad as the west side of Berowra but still bad enough.

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JoTheBuilder
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Joined: 19 Feb 2011, 15:32

Postby JoTheBuilder » 14 Sep 2011, 07:56

That ride report makes me disappointed (read: thankful) that I missed it!

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Karzie
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Joined: 03 Nov 2008, 17:14

Postby Karzie » 14 Sep 2011, 08:57

That's nearly the best thing in life, a fun day out in the country on your bike with your mates.

MtbAnt
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Joined: 12 Nov 2009, 20:51

Postby MtbAnt » 23 Sep 2011, 15:31

Ahahahah brilliant report Dougie. Teehee 'wahroonga...'.


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