Silly Long Easter Ride 2004

The planned route was Jindabyne, Thredbo, Dead Horse Gap, Tom Groggin, Geehi, Khancoban, Round Mountain, Cabramurra, Adaminaby, Berridale, Jindabyne. This in fact turns out to be 330KM. Also you may note if you know the terrain, when looking for some climbs on bitumen in Australia, this ride includes a large number of the tough climbs.

At the start at 5am in Jindabyne we had Marea England, Neil Skipper, Pete Heal, Michael Carden, Steven Hanley, Andrew Remely, Allan Bontjer, Jaymz Davies and Tony Hawke. Marea's husband Stephen Murphy had kindly offered to sweep us by car at some point in the ride.

The only two people to complete the entire ride were Marea England and Neil Skipper, returning to Jindabyne at 1:17am Sunday morning. Pete pulled out at Adaminaby around 9pm. Steve and Mikey pulled out 10KM shy of Kiandra around 7pm. Andrew Remely pulled out at the top of Scammels spur out of Geehi early in the day. Jaymz and Allan both turned back at Dead Horse gap so as to avoid the climb back out of Tom Groggin as neither felt fantastic and didnt think they could make it round the loop. Tyno was hit hard by the cold and had to stop before reaching Dead Horse Gap.

Personally I had a fantastic ride, the scenery was incredible, the company good, the riding fun and tough in places. If I attempt this again I definitely want a triple chain ring on the road bike though.

Congratulations to Neil and Marea for completing the ride.

1600x1200 Allan and Neil while we waited at Dead Horse. 1600x1200 I got Mikey to photograph me at Dead Horse. 1600x1200 Marea at Dead Horse, Pete and his recumbent in the background 1600x1200 Andrew Remely arriving at Dead Horse 1600x1200 Another photo of Andrew, somewhat blurry. 1600x1200 Pete, Mikey and Marea on the way down to Tom Groggin, lots of fun available on this descent. (blurry) 1600x1200 Mikey and Marea. 1600x1200 My road bike and backpack on the bridge at Geehi 1600x1200 Looking up the river from the bridge, the water is perfectly clear, the silt is quite visible from all the fires. 1600x1200 Photographing another photographer (Mikey) on the bridge.

1600x1200 Pete riding past a spectacular view over toward the main range. 1600x1200 Mikey posing in front of the view, alas the Range is not visible in the photo. 1600x1200 Mikey and Pete up near Round Mountain, we stopped for a food break here, unfortunately about 300 metres and one corner shy of where Stephen had been wiating for 40 minutes with the car and more refreshments. 1600x1200 Pete riding across 2 Mile dam before Cabramurra. 1600x1200 The spectacular view down the gorge from the dam wall. 1600x1200 Mikey riding accross the dam. This was after a fun descent, and just before one of the most fun (read easy) climbs of the day. 1600x1200 My road bike half way up the climb from the dam, where it gets easier or something if the sign is to be believed. 1600x1200 Mikey on his way up the climb from the dam. 1600x1200 A photo just on dusk of Mikey somewhere the other side of Cabramurra. 1600x1200 Marea and Neil, the two happy finishers, just before we cracked open the champagne.