Flatland Frolic Finished

An uneventful ride of 90km to Frankston, having first explored Webb Dock.

A tail wind supported the 9 Alt Thurs riders, at least it did so on the way down.

Light traffic, deserted cafes,  smooth roads, balmy weather and I forgot to photogaph the event for posterity.

Thanks to Karlo for sponsoring the trip.

Check the blog as the ride for Thurs 5th Mar has been posted.

Jon

FLATLAND FROLIC Mk2 Thurs. 5th. Mar.

An 80km+ tour of the south eastern lowlands. Encompassing outer Dandenong, Cheltenham, Springvale, the metropoli of Edithvale and Seaford until we climax at the McClelland Sculpture Park Cafe. 

All flat and the route may vary according to the whim of the ride navigator.

Fingers crossed the weather will be nice. Just monitor the  blog

When             ....           Thursday 5th. Mar.

Start point     ...           Jells Park cafe

Time          ........           0900 hrs

Ride Navigator ......    Helen Geddes   

Jon 0439 311 212

FLATLAND FROLIC Thurs. 27th Feb

Karlo trialed this route a week or so ago and gave it the nod.  No Hills 😆😃

From North Road to Port Melb, back to North Road and onwards to Frankston where we partake the culinary delights from that metropolis. Then, distainfully turning our backs on Oliver's Hill we head back to North Rd. About 92.12km if you chose to do the whole lot.

HOWEVER.... Riders can section the tour to make it shorter as the whim takes them, e.g.  North Rd. to Port Melb and back, or turn back at Mordialloc, or anywhere else that appeals.

Start time ..... 1000hrs

Start spot ......cnr North Rd. and Beach Rd. ( The old spot where the Warbies used to start.)  Park in the side streets.

Master of ceremonies ....Karlo

As usual ... weather will play a determing factor, so keep checking the blog.

Jon     0439 311 212 🚲

Gruyer ride

Eight Alt. Thurs. riders headed for Gruyer and beyond. An interesting ride as there are a lot of hills,  all short and all with a following downhill section where you can rest. Hence, a pleasant workout rather than a punishing exercise.

Lunch at the Rochford winery. 50km approx.

Next Thursday.....

A FLATLAND FROLIC by Karlo

Watch the blog for details.

Jon

Audax Anyone ?

Not a bad ride Melb - Wang return - an Audax ride !!! (ps not me !)

Beechworth ride. Hard work all this riding. Bit of a relax at the Beechworth brewery. Peter had to start wearing a bra. His nipples are getting chaffed from riding & r starting to bleed.

Two old buggars (Jurgen & Peter) rode up to Mt. Buffalo because they had nothing else to do

GRUYER 20th Feb

A scenic ROAD BIKE tour through the verdant rolling hills of outback Mt Evelyn.

Last time we took this tour, the grass was brown. This time, John has promised green stuff.. And, there were next to no cars getting in the way.

Around 50km with lunch at a picturesque winery. 

What more could be asked for!

Start time.     0930hrs

Where            Cogs at Mt Evelyn

Surface          95% tarmac. 5% on the warby trail

Tour guide    John Bird

Jon  0439 311 212

Gembrook (gasp!) workout

Well, another Gembrook ride completed.

Anyone looking to gain fitness in a hurry should mandate this ride.

It may be only 30km (via  Stillwell's Deviation) but you work all the way.

If a multiplyer was applied to compare km/effort on a flat lander ride with this hills ride, then it would have to be a factor of 5. Harder than the Upper Yarra Dam epic. 

Three Alt Tburs riders took off. Jurgen had to cut sbort the ride at Cockatoo as there were insufficient hills to suit him. Jon B used every curse be could muster between gasps of breath for every hill there was, and Werner said "What hills?"

Next week....... Gruver .....Check the blog. 

Jon

GEMBROOK RIDE THURS 13th

This ride will see us relaxing with the standard Gembrook trek.

Two of the Alt Thurs crew (Jurgen & Peter)are heading for some marathon ride over hills and more hills on Friday, so elected for a gentle warm up on the Thursday.

Start at Emerald Library

0900hrs

Jon

REEFTON EPIC PHOTOS

Note, the good looking one is behind the camera.

Jon

REEFTON PUB and BEYOND

Well, that's the Upper Yarra Dam ride done for the foreseeable future (well, almost!). Six of the Alt Thurs group took off from Yarra Junction on a balmy morning. John Bird and Werner took the lead and set the pace, John on his startling white pedigree road bike and Werner on his Tour de France special. They are a good combination to keep the rest of us honest.  

I'd forgotten how many hills there are on that stretch road@#×*! €#

Unevenful on the road. The 4WD red necks must have been at work, generating taxes to support us senior citizens in our leisure.  So, it fell upon Peter to enliven the activities. He placed his upper inner thigh in the path of a passing bee (or wasp) and was punished accordingly. Like a stoic trogan, Peter kept riding, learning all the time about pain management. None of us were going to massage the swollen spot and while photos were taken as evidence, Peter vetoed their publication. I still have them and for a small fee.........

The gates to the Dam were closed so our quest was incomplete. To add furtber insult, so was the Reefton Pub, even though discordant music was blasting away inside. So, snacks at Warburton and a relaxed cruise home after a brisk? 70km. As for the next Alt Thurs ride, keep checking the  blog.

Jon

Workshop Friday 7th Cancelled

Hi folk.

We did not get a quorum for the workshop.

Thus, it has been cancelled.

Cheers

Jon and Henk

Thursday 6th Feb Yarra Junction to the Dam

Meeting in Yarra Junction (down the back car park) at 0900hrs and heading to Upper Yarra Dam. If the dam access road is closed we will return and sample the delights of the Reefton Pub.

Road bikes best except for those who prefer the effort if pushing heavy hybrids (No names, no pack drill).

Tour guide is Jon Bate. 

Prague - Copenhagen

The boys are at it again ! One Kevin T Henley and self (complete with bikes and panniers) will make our way from Prague to Copenhagen from late April. Our 2,000 km journey over 4 weeks will take in Saxon Switerland, the Elbe River trail, The Iron Curtain trail, beautiful Dresden & Potsdam before following the Oder River along the Polish border up to the historic WW2 Rocket research area of Peenumunde. From nearby Rostock we then cross over into Denmark and on to Copenhagen to finish up our scenic unsupported and relatively flat tour !

Workshop 1

Many Thx to Jon B, Henk, Pete and his wife Carol for making Workshop 1 a success !