Well its been an interesting few days for the boys. Normally we're reliable, on time, fit and well but since Friday something has happened!!
First there was the late no show by Brad following the texting incident on Friday (see Saturday ride's post) and then today we had a similar situation. Dammo had backed up after a six hour lunch on Friday with a another big night. This time texting Kent at about 12.15am. Any text which arrives after midnight with the first word being maaaaaaaate should always be be read with a degree of caution. Yes Dammo was OUT for the Sunday ride.
Gav turned up at 4.40am as planned and things just weren't going his way. First he had bike trouble, then he heard Dammo was out and then he admitted to feeling like he had just been kicked in the right testicle....this was not shaping up as a great day for Gav.
On the other hand Spartacus Scriven, fresh from his Saturday sleep in, was firing on all cylinders. He was prominent at the front of the small but elite group of three all morning and had his sights set on the green, polka dot and yellow jersey from the start.
We managed to haul him in on the first KOM but he was riding like a man possessed when we hit the Samford range. Now this is where things become a little controversial. As we made our way up the climb Gav made the early call not to contest it given his obvious discomfort from his injury. Kent set off in pursuit but was faced with a decision "chase Spartacus down or go back and help a mate who was doing it tough??" There was no decision in reality.....go back and help your mate was the only thing to do even if it meant letting Brad take KOM. Well done Brad you certainly rode well and that good form we had been hearing about all week was very evident.
From the top of the range it was a fast ride back towards the city and we set up a paceline but soon thoughts turned to the final big climb of the day up Settlement Rd. Gav gave it his all and looked certain to take KOM only to strike problems some 30m from the top. Brad and Kent riding together reached Gav. Kent stopped and held Gav's bike while he stretched meanwhile Spartacus completed the climb to add it to his earlier KOM.
We decided to finish to the ride with a rather gentle riverloop and we all agreed it was strange completing a riverloop in daylight.
The final sprint along the Corsa saw Spartacus and Kent go head to head and Spartacus was not to be denied as he edged Kent out to pick up his second jersey of the day....a green to go with his polka dot one.
A good 90k ride. Lots of fun with some hard riding and as usual lots to laugh about. Coffee and muffins at Spoon topped it off.
Its been a different but hilarious weekend for the Cyc'd boys.
Cyc'd Cycling Club is a new social cycling club on the Brisbane scene
Sunday, 31 July 2011
Check out our new shirts - Today We Ride.
Well we are now all kitted out with our Smiddy cycling gear which looks great so we thought we had better get ourselves some casual shirts for the trip to Townsville.
We came across this Australian company called A'qto which specialises in casual clothing for cyclists. You can find them at http://www.aqto.com.au/
They say the following about themselves...
We came across this Australian company called A'qto which specialises in casual clothing for cyclists. You can find them at http://www.aqto.com.au/
They say the following about themselves...
WHO WE ARE
We are a fashion label.
A Melbourne-based start-up.
We do cycle inspired streetwear.
100% Australian made and owned.
We are a'qto
A Melbourne-based start-up.
We do cycle inspired streetwear.
100% Australian made and owned.
We are a'qto
We ordered the "Today We Ride." Shirts and once we told them we were doing the Smiddy Challenge and riding 1600km in 8 days to raise money for cancer research they threw in another shirt and a cycling cap for free!! Thanks Damian from A'qto great effort guys and much appreciated by the boys.
Here's a photo of Damian and Kent in their favourite bike store (and great supporter of ours) Cyc'd for Bikes at Norman Park Brisbane.
Saturday, 30 July 2011
A Saturday ride to remember
Today's ride was shaping up as pretty routine one. Gav had put the call out mid-week for a Ford Road ride of about 75ks nothing too exceptional there BUT it proved to be anything by routine. We hadn't banked on the following factors:
1. Brad "Spartacus" Scriven who had talked up his form all week doing a no show at the last minute
2. Lucie "the gun" joining the boys
3. Dammo hitting the drink for 6 hours on Friday afternoon but still turning up
4. Some very funny text messages between Brad and Dammo's wife (Brad on the drink actually thought he was texting Dammo!!)
5. Kent complaining of a sore knee (HTFU)
So how did this all play out??
Well firstly Dammo and Kent quickly adopted the second wheel position allowing Gav and Lucie to do all the work for the first 35ks!!! I admit to feeling a bit guilty but Lucie had us all working hard. Great effort as we certainly didn't feel up to it. In fact Dammo followed Gav's wheel for 45ks.
Secondly Dammo had us in stitches as he recounted the texting incident from the night before.Without going in to details bottom line was that Spartacus thought he was texting Dammo who had by now passed out after 6 hours of drinking leaving his wife to respond to the text messages. For some inexplicable reason Brad continued texting as if Dammo was on the receiving end and well for those of you have seen the TV ad for the beer economy lets just say Brad would be up for a few cartoons!!
The ride itself was great. Clear sky beautiful morning and back for coffee by 7.45am. Lucie joined us for coffee and we had a good laugh reliving the texting incident from the night before. Brad even called in to defend himself but we were having none of it.
Great work by Gav and Lucie for doing the bulk of the work on the front and a big thank you to Brad for providing the entertainment even if he couldn't make it along for the ride.
It was a Saturday to remember!!
1. Brad "Spartacus" Scriven who had talked up his form all week doing a no show at the last minute
2. Lucie "the gun" joining the boys
3. Dammo hitting the drink for 6 hours on Friday afternoon but still turning up
4. Some very funny text messages between Brad and Dammo's wife (Brad on the drink actually thought he was texting Dammo!!)
5. Kent complaining of a sore knee (HTFU)
So how did this all play out??
Well firstly Dammo and Kent quickly adopted the second wheel position allowing Gav and Lucie to do all the work for the first 35ks!!! I admit to feeling a bit guilty but Lucie had us all working hard. Great effort as we certainly didn't feel up to it. In fact Dammo followed Gav's wheel for 45ks.
Secondly Dammo had us in stitches as he recounted the texting incident from the night before.Without going in to details bottom line was that Spartacus thought he was texting Dammo who had by now passed out after 6 hours of drinking leaving his wife to respond to the text messages. For some inexplicable reason Brad continued texting as if Dammo was on the receiving end and well for those of you have seen the TV ad for the beer economy lets just say Brad would be up for a few cartoons!!
The ride itself was great. Clear sky beautiful morning and back for coffee by 7.45am. Lucie joined us for coffee and we had a good laugh reliving the texting incident from the night before. Brad even called in to defend himself but we were having none of it.
Great work by Gav and Lucie for doing the bulk of the work on the front and a big thank you to Brad for providing the entertainment even if he couldn't make it along for the ride.
It was a Saturday to remember!!
Wednesday, 27 July 2011
Cyc'd blog increases following
So who's following the blog now???
Well it seems that the Cyc'd for Smiddy blog is starting to have even a greater global reach with visits from 18 countries. We have had 1,920 visits since starting the blog about 8 weeks ago which is fantastic!!!
The leaderboard is as follows:
The leaderboard is as follows:
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Dammo cracks $5,000 for cancer research
This week Dammo has had a stella fundraising week which has seen his total reach $5,264 which is an awesome effort.
Fundraising is not an easy thing but I must congratulate Dammo, Brad and Gav for their effort and energy in raising money for cancer research.
Well done Dammo great effort mate
Fundraising is not an easy thing but I must congratulate Dammo, Brad and Gav for their effort and energy in raising money for cancer research.
Well done Dammo great effort mate
Warwick training weekend - Part 5
The ride home from Rosewood to Brisbane was famous for one thing and one thing only - afternoon tea!!
Now after two days of scoffing gels, energy bars and washing it down with Sharky's special Spizz you can imagine our surprise when we rolled into Springfield and pulled into The Corner shopping centre where we stopped at the Thai Emperor restaurant.
Soon we were treated to all sorts of beautiful thai food from curry puffs to satay chicken through to curries!! It was an absolute feast and we didn't hold back.
Thai Emperor owners with the Smiddy crew
With only 25kms to go and a belly full of thai food morale was sky high but as we headed out we had a small climb to navigate and a few riders started to question the use of curry puffs as a ready source of energy for cycling but who cares it was delicious.
After some 420kms of cycling I guess it was bound to happen....we took a wrong turn and added a few more kms to the trip. Of course Sharky copped the blame as we rectified our course and headed home.
Whether it was the sniff of home or the fact that we had been riding as a group for two days but the peleton was riding really well and as we rode into the Uni there was a real sense of achievement among the group. 440kms in two days in some pretty atrocious weather up some massive climbs I guess we had good reason to be proud of our efforts. The welcome home was great. The road crew and some family members were there to greet us with resounding applause which really topped it off.
Dammo's family were pleased to have him home
As we patted each other on the back the traditional handshakes were replaced with hugs, yes even the Cyc'd boys showed their softer side embracing each other as we congratulated each other on our efforts.
Once this initial euphoria had calmed down Sharky formed the Smiddy huddle and said some truly inspirational words which made us feel 10 feet tall. Here's a little of what he had to say:
The Smiddy huddle is a tradition. It allows us to thank those who made our trip possible and safe. It allows us time to reflect on lost loved ones and to remember why we are doing this. To be part of the fight against cancer. To make our own contribution to this fight. To make a difference as best we can.
Looking around the group there were some pretty tired faces but without fail each face showed a sense of pride a sense of achievement and they were happy faces....tired but happy faces.
I hope you have enjoyed this 5 part report as that brings this chapter of our training to a close. We still have 5 weeks to go so there will be lots more posts still to come.
The boys!!!
Now after two days of scoffing gels, energy bars and washing it down with Sharky's special Spizz you can imagine our surprise when we rolled into Springfield and pulled into The Corner shopping centre where we stopped at the Thai Emperor restaurant.
Soon we were treated to all sorts of beautiful thai food from curry puffs to satay chicken through to curries!! It was an absolute feast and we didn't hold back.
With only 25kms to go and a belly full of thai food morale was sky high but as we headed out we had a small climb to navigate and a few riders started to question the use of curry puffs as a ready source of energy for cycling but who cares it was delicious.
After some 420kms of cycling I guess it was bound to happen....we took a wrong turn and added a few more kms to the trip. Of course Sharky copped the blame as we rectified our course and headed home.
Whether it was the sniff of home or the fact that we had been riding as a group for two days but the peleton was riding really well and as we rode into the Uni there was a real sense of achievement among the group. 440kms in two days in some pretty atrocious weather up some massive climbs I guess we had good reason to be proud of our efforts. The welcome home was great. The road crew and some family members were there to greet us with resounding applause which really topped it off.
As we patted each other on the back the traditional handshakes were replaced with hugs, yes even the Cyc'd boys showed their softer side embracing each other as we congratulated each other on our efforts.
Once this initial euphoria had calmed down Sharky formed the Smiddy huddle and said some truly inspirational words which made us feel 10 feet tall. Here's a little of what he had to say:
The Smiddy huddle is a tradition. It allows us to thank those who made our trip possible and safe. It allows us time to reflect on lost loved ones and to remember why we are doing this. To be part of the fight against cancer. To make our own contribution to this fight. To make a difference as best we can.
Looking around the group there were some pretty tired faces but without fail each face showed a sense of pride a sense of achievement and they were happy faces....tired but happy faces.
I hope you have enjoyed this 5 part report as that brings this chapter of our training to a close. We still have 5 weeks to go so there will be lots more posts still to come.
Tuesday, 26 July 2011
Warwick training weekend - Part 4
After dinner we retired to our rooms. Gav and Damien had the honeymoon suite while Brad Jase and I played scissors paper rock to see who would get the double bed. Brad prevailed and secured the double bed but to be honest we were all so wrecked we would have slept on a bed of nails!!
It was at about this time that a serious issue came to light. Brad "Spartacus" Scriven had been riding for most of the day in some discomfort due to some pretty severe saddle soreness (the conversation he had with Lucie was now starting to make more sense). As you do in situations like this Jase made some polite enquiries as to the state of the said saddle soreness only to be confronted with the response of "open wound!!" No wonder they call him Spartacus!!! The pain must have been horrific but Brad had just suffered in silence but now there was growing concern about how the following day would go.
We slept well and after what seemed like about 5 minutes were we waking for breakfast. A hearty breakfast had our morale and energy up and soon we were on the start line and ready to go. There was something missing however......RAIN!! It was dry and it appeared as though the cycling gods were showing us some mercy.
Gav gets himself in the zone for another big day
Sharky gave us the pep talk and urged us to take advantage of the slight tailwind to make good time.
In fact I made some great time...in the van that is after an early flat. The van was toasty warm but the ride soon ended as I rejoined the peleton coping only a minor amount of stick from the lads. A second flat soon after and this time the boys showed no mercy with the sledging and I must say it was well deserved.
If day one had been the day for gutsy heroics at the front by Stuey Bryce and Jens Beasley and sublime climbing by the Schleck brothers Jase and Dammo then day two was shaping up for the day that Spartacus Scriven would come to the fore. Right from the start he was prominent at the head of the peleton driving the pace just as Sharky had asked.
Just as things were looking up disaster struck the peleton with a major crash just short of Allora. A couple of riders failed to safely navigate some train tracks and down they came. Spartacus through no fault of his own found even his sublime bike handling skills could not prevent him hitting the road hard.
A quick check and there was no major damage but all riders who came down were directed to do some van time. Now having done a little van time myself I encouraged Brad to take the opportunity but Spartacus just looked me in the eye adjusted his damaged helmet and threw his leg of his trusty Giant and away he went. It was going to take more than a little bitumen time to slow him down today.
The peleton was now cruising along quite well and we made our morning tea stop on schedule which once again was a feast to behold. Nothing is too much trouble for our road crew as they proudly offered the fruits of their baking to us all.
To make things even better we were about to descend for about 12kms through some beautiful gorges and sweeping roads.
As Sharky had given the nod to the riders to ride at their own pace a breakaway soon took off chased by you guessed it Spartacus Scriven who was riding like a man possessed maybe that head knock had done him some good!!
The next 50ks went without incident as the riders got on with the job at hand and while their was still the odd conversation a peaceful quietness descended over the peleton as we headed to Rosewood for lunch.
Cyc'd boys doing the hard yards at the front
Before we got there we had one last climb to do up the Laidley range. Brad was again at the front and the Cyc'd boys were urging him to take the KOM but soon the elite climbers showed their hand and it became a battle royal betweeen Rowan and Jase for KOM. Lucie again showed her strength by chasing the boys down. On the decent Rowan and Jase worked together but couldn't get away from Lucie who showed she can descend as well as climb.
Rosewood was a great place to stop and refuel. A couple of the boys were realy feeling the saddle soreness by now and a quick check revealed that not all was good inside the Smiddy knicks so it was time for some more butt cream.
Mate I think you applied a bit too much butt cream!!
Again lunch was worth riding 140km for and we enjoyed the break in the Rosewood park.
Part 5 - The ride into Brisbane coming soon
It was at about this time that a serious issue came to light. Brad "Spartacus" Scriven had been riding for most of the day in some discomfort due to some pretty severe saddle soreness (the conversation he had with Lucie was now starting to make more sense). As you do in situations like this Jase made some polite enquiries as to the state of the said saddle soreness only to be confronted with the response of "open wound!!" No wonder they call him Spartacus!!! The pain must have been horrific but Brad had just suffered in silence but now there was growing concern about how the following day would go.
We slept well and after what seemed like about 5 minutes were we waking for breakfast. A hearty breakfast had our morale and energy up and soon we were on the start line and ready to go. There was something missing however......RAIN!! It was dry and it appeared as though the cycling gods were showing us some mercy.
Sharky gave us the pep talk and urged us to take advantage of the slight tailwind to make good time.
In fact I made some great time...in the van that is after an early flat. The van was toasty warm but the ride soon ended as I rejoined the peleton coping only a minor amount of stick from the lads. A second flat soon after and this time the boys showed no mercy with the sledging and I must say it was well deserved.
If day one had been the day for gutsy heroics at the front by Stuey Bryce and Jens Beasley and sublime climbing by the Schleck brothers Jase and Dammo then day two was shaping up for the day that Spartacus Scriven would come to the fore. Right from the start he was prominent at the head of the peleton driving the pace just as Sharky had asked.
Just as things were looking up disaster struck the peleton with a major crash just short of Allora. A couple of riders failed to safely navigate some train tracks and down they came. Spartacus through no fault of his own found even his sublime bike handling skills could not prevent him hitting the road hard.
A quick check and there was no major damage but all riders who came down were directed to do some van time. Now having done a little van time myself I encouraged Brad to take the opportunity but Spartacus just looked me in the eye adjusted his damaged helmet and threw his leg of his trusty Giant and away he went. It was going to take more than a little bitumen time to slow him down today.
The peleton was now cruising along quite well and we made our morning tea stop on schedule which once again was a feast to behold. Nothing is too much trouble for our road crew as they proudly offered the fruits of their baking to us all.
To make things even better we were about to descend for about 12kms through some beautiful gorges and sweeping roads.
As Sharky had given the nod to the riders to ride at their own pace a breakaway soon took off chased by you guessed it Spartacus Scriven who was riding like a man possessed maybe that head knock had done him some good!!
The next 50ks went without incident as the riders got on with the job at hand and while their was still the odd conversation a peaceful quietness descended over the peleton as we headed to Rosewood for lunch.
Before we got there we had one last climb to do up the Laidley range. Brad was again at the front and the Cyc'd boys were urging him to take the KOM but soon the elite climbers showed their hand and it became a battle royal betweeen Rowan and Jase for KOM. Lucie again showed her strength by chasing the boys down. On the decent Rowan and Jase worked together but couldn't get away from Lucie who showed she can descend as well as climb.
Rosewood was a great place to stop and refuel. A couple of the boys were realy feeling the saddle soreness by now and a quick check revealed that not all was good inside the Smiddy knicks so it was time for some more butt cream.
Again lunch was worth riding 140km for and we enjoyed the break in the Rosewood park.
Part 5 - The ride into Brisbane coming soon
Monday, 25 July 2011
Cyc'd boys salute Cadel
Wow what an awesome acheivement by Cadel Evans!!!
As you would expect the Cyc'd boys have been following the tour pretty closely especially over the past few days. With our early morning starts a few have been getting by on only 2 or 3 hours sleep so there's going to be a few early nights this week recovering.
But back back to Cadel. There has been lots written recently about Cadel but we would just like to acknowledge his tenacity, his commitment and his fighting spirit. There is lots to admire about Cadel and what he has achieved and we intend to draw upon that as we commence our final weeks of training leading up to the Smiddy Challenge.
Inspirational stuff Cadel!!
As you would expect the Cyc'd boys have been following the tour pretty closely especially over the past few days. With our early morning starts a few have been getting by on only 2 or 3 hours sleep so there's going to be a few early nights this week recovering.
But back back to Cadel. There has been lots written recently about Cadel but we would just like to acknowledge his tenacity, his commitment and his fighting spirit. There is lots to admire about Cadel and what he has achieved and we intend to draw upon that as we commence our final weeks of training leading up to the Smiddy Challenge.
Inspirational stuff Cadel!!
Sunday, 24 July 2011
Sunday training ride - Katie joins the boys for a ride
Following last weekend's epic ride to Warwick and back the lads decided on a Scarborough loop this morning and what a day it was. beautiful clear sky's made for an awesome morning to be on the bike. as usual we we off and riding early leaving at 5.30am.
Today was a little special as we had a special guest join us Kate Warren who is part of the Smiddy Challenge team. It was great to have Katie join us and add a rather refreshing female tone to the group. The other thing about Katie is that she is a gun rider.
When Jase told me Katie was joining us for the ride I was very happy but was quick to point out that he had better pick a flat course because I didn't want to be put to shame up some massive hill like I and few of the boys were last weekend. Katie is a climbing machine and made it up the Queen Mary Falls no problems although she assured us that it hurt "just a little bit".
The 90k ride was very pleasant and we averaged 31kph which was good and saw us back at Conti for coffee well before 9am in fact we had time for two!!
I'm not sure what Katie thought of the banter over coffee but lets just say she knows the boys that little bit better now.
A great ride and fantastic to catch up with Katie again.
Jase, Brad, Katie and Gav
Today was a little special as we had a special guest join us Kate Warren who is part of the Smiddy Challenge team. It was great to have Katie join us and add a rather refreshing female tone to the group. The other thing about Katie is that she is a gun rider.
When Jase told me Katie was joining us for the ride I was very happy but was quick to point out that he had better pick a flat course because I didn't want to be put to shame up some massive hill like I and few of the boys were last weekend. Katie is a climbing machine and made it up the Queen Mary Falls no problems although she assured us that it hurt "just a little bit".
The 90k ride was very pleasant and we averaged 31kph which was good and saw us back at Conti for coffee well before 9am in fact we had time for two!!
I'm not sure what Katie thought of the banter over coffee but lets just say she knows the boys that little bit better now.
A great ride and fantastic to catch up with Katie again.
Friday, 22 July 2011
Warwick training weekend - Part 3
The nervousness around the group as we took a short break at the base of the climb was palpable. Those riders among us who had either ridden down the mountain as part of the Midi Smiddy in 2010 or those hardy souls who had ridden up it in previous training weekends knew what lay ahead.
For anyone unclear on exactly the challenge that lay ahead of us Sharky made it perfectly clear. "This is a 4km climb at about 17% on wet narrow roads so prepare yourself for an epic climb!" At this point having provided the inspirational words Sharky promptly jumped in a vehicle and headed up the mountain!!! OK the guy had recently compelted 2 Ironman triathlons in 6 days so we were prepared to cut him slack on this one.
I for one just stood there thinking about last year when I rode down it and the same thing that went through my mind then was going through it it now....how the hell can anyone ride up this thing!!
Just as the riders were heading off Brad found out that he had a puncture so as the riders headed off Gav and I hung around as Brad changed his tyre. This seemed to me to just be delaying the inevitable pain. We sent our Schleck brothers, Jase and Dammo, off in search of the KOM while we waited for the tyre change.
Finally we were off with the support car right behind us. Whether it was the effort of the previous 50ks driving the peleton, the cold or a combination of both but we just didn't have it and finally all three of us were rapidly wearing out our cleats as we commenced the walk up the mountain. Was I disappointed in walking? Yes but when you can't ride any more and the road is 18% its walk or fall over and lay in the gutter still attached to the bike.
The hill was brutal, unforgiving and down right steep but the Smiddy riders are a tough lot and it soon became evident that quite a few had stared it down and made it to the top. An awesome effort with a few of the ladies showing real determination to get to the top with Lucie showing her climbing prowess in taking out Queen of the Mountain. Well done Lucie and to Kate for her awesome effort as well.
Dammo and Jase did the Cyc'd boys proud finishing in the top half dozen....well done to the Schleck brothers. Here's a couple of pics of the brothers finishing the epic climb.
Doing it tough but not beaten...well done Jase
YES!!! Well done Dammo
Now that didn't hurt much did it Gav???
Lunch was taken and epic stories of pain and hurt exchanged before the riders set off once again in search of the next climb which at mere 2.8km and 18% should be a walk in the park....NOT!!
The ride across the top was like riding through the high country. Rolling hills beautiful country side and cows to keep us company. The temperature was 7 degrees as we were at an altitude of about 1100m. All too soon we hit the bottom of the next climb and up we went.
This climb again proved challenging for many riders but a good number ground their way to the top where we regrouped.
The descent to Killarney was amazing. With the riders reaching speeds of almost 50kph the wind chill factor was extreme and at one stage we rode through heavy fog making it a most surreal feeling. We powered into Killarney for afternoon tea at 3.30pm and once off the bike we froze. Some were forced to sit in cars while others wrapped themselves in blankets to keep warm and some looked on the verge of hyperthermia.
With about 35ks to go we headed off with our police escort and with the wind at our backs the peleton rode as one all the way to Warwick finishing under dark skies and gloomy light.
As we huddled together I looked around and I didn't see cyclists I saw a bunch of riders arm in arm cold wet and covered in mud....warriors all of them united by the experience and strengthened by what they had just achieved over the past 11 hours. It was truly an amazing effort. As our leader Sharky spoke we all hugged those around us that little bit tighter thanking our awesome road crew for getting us through the day. We reflected on why we were doing this.......for Adam and for our own lost friends, family and loved ones. To help find a cure for cancer. It had been quite a day physically and mentally we were all drained....tired but happy. It would be a day we would never forget or indeed want to forget.
Hot showers and dry clothes boosted our morale as we prepared for the team dinner at the Horse and Jockey our fabulous hosts.
The Cyc'd boys doned their sponsors cap and headed off to the bar. As other rider rehydrated with Powerade the boys rehydrated with Canadian Club the only way to celebrate a 220km ride in rain.
Dinner was a great way to relive the day and share some stories with fellow riders and road crew.
While we wanted to keep on talking our beds were calling as thoughts soon turned to what lay ahead tomorrow another 220ks home....but that is another story.
Stay tuned for part 4 the ride home.
For anyone unclear on exactly the challenge that lay ahead of us Sharky made it perfectly clear. "This is a 4km climb at about 17% on wet narrow roads so prepare yourself for an epic climb!" At this point having provided the inspirational words Sharky promptly jumped in a vehicle and headed up the mountain!!! OK the guy had recently compelted 2 Ironman triathlons in 6 days so we were prepared to cut him slack on this one.
I for one just stood there thinking about last year when I rode down it and the same thing that went through my mind then was going through it it now....how the hell can anyone ride up this thing!!
Just as the riders were heading off Brad found out that he had a puncture so as the riders headed off Gav and I hung around as Brad changed his tyre. This seemed to me to just be delaying the inevitable pain. We sent our Schleck brothers, Jase and Dammo, off in search of the KOM while we waited for the tyre change.
Finally we were off with the support car right behind us. Whether it was the effort of the previous 50ks driving the peleton, the cold or a combination of both but we just didn't have it and finally all three of us were rapidly wearing out our cleats as we commenced the walk up the mountain. Was I disappointed in walking? Yes but when you can't ride any more and the road is 18% its walk or fall over and lay in the gutter still attached to the bike.
The hill was brutal, unforgiving and down right steep but the Smiddy riders are a tough lot and it soon became evident that quite a few had stared it down and made it to the top. An awesome effort with a few of the ladies showing real determination to get to the top with Lucie showing her climbing prowess in taking out Queen of the Mountain. Well done Lucie and to Kate for her awesome effort as well.
Dammo and Jase did the Cyc'd boys proud finishing in the top half dozen....well done to the Schleck brothers. Here's a couple of pics of the brothers finishing the epic climb.
Lunch was taken and epic stories of pain and hurt exchanged before the riders set off once again in search of the next climb which at mere 2.8km and 18% should be a walk in the park....NOT!!
The ride across the top was like riding through the high country. Rolling hills beautiful country side and cows to keep us company. The temperature was 7 degrees as we were at an altitude of about 1100m. All too soon we hit the bottom of the next climb and up we went.
This climb again proved challenging for many riders but a good number ground their way to the top where we regrouped.
The descent to Killarney was amazing. With the riders reaching speeds of almost 50kph the wind chill factor was extreme and at one stage we rode through heavy fog making it a most surreal feeling. We powered into Killarney for afternoon tea at 3.30pm and once off the bike we froze. Some were forced to sit in cars while others wrapped themselves in blankets to keep warm and some looked on the verge of hyperthermia.
With about 35ks to go we headed off with our police escort and with the wind at our backs the peleton rode as one all the way to Warwick finishing under dark skies and gloomy light.
As we huddled together I looked around and I didn't see cyclists I saw a bunch of riders arm in arm cold wet and covered in mud....warriors all of them united by the experience and strengthened by what they had just achieved over the past 11 hours. It was truly an amazing effort. As our leader Sharky spoke we all hugged those around us that little bit tighter thanking our awesome road crew for getting us through the day. We reflected on why we were doing this.......for Adam and for our own lost friends, family and loved ones. To help find a cure for cancer. It had been quite a day physically and mentally we were all drained....tired but happy. It would be a day we would never forget or indeed want to forget.
Hot showers and dry clothes boosted our morale as we prepared for the team dinner at the Horse and Jockey our fabulous hosts.
The Cyc'd boys doned their sponsors cap and headed off to the bar. As other rider rehydrated with Powerade the boys rehydrated with Canadian Club the only way to celebrate a 220km ride in rain.
Dinner was a great way to relive the day and share some stories with fellow riders and road crew.
While we wanted to keep on talking our beds were calling as thoughts soon turned to what lay ahead tomorrow another 220ks home....but that is another story.
Stay tuned for part 4 the ride home.
Wednesday, 20 July 2011
The face of PAIN
As I start to gather my thoughts about Part 3 of the Warwick report I've been reflecting on just what a hard day it was on the bike. I don't want to overstate just how challenging it was but neither do I want to understate what an awesome effort it was by all the riders that day.
They say a picture tells a thousands words well I'll let you decide what this photo of Jase says to you. It was taken by Wybrand Du Toit who was part of our road crew. Wybrand took photos throughout the weekend and I think he has captured the moment perfectly as Jase nears the end of the first 4km climb. Jase smashed it up the 18% climb to finish with the lead group...awesome effort mate. If you have read Part 2 of my report I can tell you that's not mud on his face either!!
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They say a picture tells a thousands words well I'll let you decide what this photo of Jase says to you. It was taken by Wybrand Du Toit who was part of our road crew. Wybrand took photos throughout the weekend and I think he has captured the moment perfectly as Jase nears the end of the first 4km climb. Jase smashed it up the 18% climb to finish with the lead group...awesome effort mate. If you have read Part 2 of my report I can tell you that's not mud on his face either!!
Cyc'd riders smash 20,000 kilometres for cancer research
Well the huge weekend of riding which saw each of the boys complete 440km has seen the team smash 20,000 kilometres for the year.
I'm not going to look at where 20,000 kilometres gets you as we all know 20,000 kilometres is a long long way but if we compare it to the ride we are doing in September its the equivalent of 12.5 times the distance from Brisbane to Townsville.
That is an awesome efforts by all the lads no wonder they all rode the house down on the training weekend with over 5,000 kilometres in the legs this year already the boys should be congratulated for their commitment to fighting cancer. Well done lads!!
I'm not going to look at where 20,000 kilometres gets you as we all know 20,000 kilometres is a long long way but if we compare it to the ride we are doing in September its the equivalent of 12.5 times the distance from Brisbane to Townsville.
That is an awesome efforts by all the lads no wonder they all rode the house down on the training weekend with over 5,000 kilometres in the legs this year already the boys should be congratulated for their commitment to fighting cancer. Well done lads!!
Tuesday, 19 July 2011
Warwick training weekend - Part 2
Well the road crew really excelled with morning tea which included coffee, hot milo, cakes and of course the legendary sao biscuits with tomato, cheese and heaps of salt. We were all feeling great and morale was high but as Kevvie started to rouse the riders an uneasy feeling came over the riders and when Sharky spoke our worst fears were confirmed.
"If we don't start pushing the pace along we won't hit Warwick until 7pm tonight!" said Sharky and a few nervous sideways glances were taken as this could mean only one thing - PAIN!!
To make it worse we told that things would start to get a bit lumpy as we rolled out from morning tea. So we headed off with full bellies with Christine handing out last minute lollies to the riders as we headed to Boonah.
Things did get a bit lumpy but the peleton navigated its way through to Boonah without too much difficulty and as we hit a flat section of road we were riding well at about 28kph which was comfortable enough but again things were to change. Sharky cruised up the outside towards the front and as he did he turned to me and said "Get some of those domestiques of yours up the front we need to push this along".
So it was the call went out to the Cyc'd boys to take control at the front of the peleton but alas only one other responded to the call with Gav bravely taking up the challenge with myself. Fortunately we were joined by 4 other hardy souls and soon all 6 of us were cranking up the pace to above 32kph. Not much was being said at the front as each of the 6 took their turn at the front to drive the peleton and dish out some pain to those behind.
Sharky had asked for a job to be done and a job we set about doing. It was after about 20kms of this that Gav while riding beside me mentioned the fact that the other Cyc'd boys had better perform on the big climbs we would shortly encounter as we continued to punish ourselves for them.
Gav also mentioned that he now knew how Stuey O'Grady must feel and almost immediately Cyc'd had morphed into Team Leopard Trek with Gav "Stuey" Bryce and Kent "Jens" Beasley dishing out the pain to the other climbers behind and with Jase "Andy" Nowlan and Damien "Frank" Windle sitting comfortably in the pack saving their climbing legs. You might ask where the 5th member of the team was well Brad "Spartacus" Scriven was also well protected in the peleton saving his legs for the following day for the Warwick to Brisbane One Day Classic. His day would come just not today. So it was that Team Cyc'd now Team Leopard Trek settled into the job at hand.
Did I mention it was raining? Well we were now some 6 hours into the ride and the rain hadn't eased up a bit. By now everyone was pretty comfortable with the wet roads and spray in their faces but that too was about to change as we reached the foothills of Queen Mary Falls. For those of you who don't know this area its a great area for cattle and where there are lots of cattle there is lots and lots of cow sh*t. The road was not only covered in it the rain has caused it to become liquified sludge that was picked up by the tyres and sprayed on those behind. Soon we were all covered in cow sh*t, our bikes were covered our water bottles were covered and yes even our faces had the odd drop or two.
This brings to one of the other interesting facts of the day. Now as you might know cyclists are notorious for loving everything light weight with carbon being the preferred material and some will go to extraordinary lengths just to save a few grams so when Sharky turned up with a full set of mud guards on his bike you can imagine that the comments from the peleton flew thick and fast like "careful not to catch your skirt in the mud guard Sharky" etc etc. We all had a good laugh but as we rode through the sludge Sharky stood out like a shining beacon of pristine lycra not a drop of cow sh*t to be seen. He was immaculate.....well done Sharky you certainly had the last laugh.
With the job almost done the 6 weary riders at the front delivered the peleton to the base of the mountains and to the start of the first epic climb of about 4km with a gradient between 17 and 20%.
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The sign says it all!!!
Part 3 - The climb to The Head......coming soon
"If we don't start pushing the pace along we won't hit Warwick until 7pm tonight!" said Sharky and a few nervous sideways glances were taken as this could mean only one thing - PAIN!!
To make it worse we told that things would start to get a bit lumpy as we rolled out from morning tea. So we headed off with full bellies with Christine handing out last minute lollies to the riders as we headed to Boonah.
Things did get a bit lumpy but the peleton navigated its way through to Boonah without too much difficulty and as we hit a flat section of road we were riding well at about 28kph which was comfortable enough but again things were to change. Sharky cruised up the outside towards the front and as he did he turned to me and said "Get some of those domestiques of yours up the front we need to push this along".
So it was the call went out to the Cyc'd boys to take control at the front of the peleton but alas only one other responded to the call with Gav bravely taking up the challenge with myself. Fortunately we were joined by 4 other hardy souls and soon all 6 of us were cranking up the pace to above 32kph. Not much was being said at the front as each of the 6 took their turn at the front to drive the peleton and dish out some pain to those behind.
Sharky had asked for a job to be done and a job we set about doing. It was after about 20kms of this that Gav while riding beside me mentioned the fact that the other Cyc'd boys had better perform on the big climbs we would shortly encounter as we continued to punish ourselves for them.
Gav also mentioned that he now knew how Stuey O'Grady must feel and almost immediately Cyc'd had morphed into Team Leopard Trek with Gav "Stuey" Bryce and Kent "Jens" Beasley dishing out the pain to the other climbers behind and with Jase "Andy" Nowlan and Damien "Frank" Windle sitting comfortably in the pack saving their climbing legs. You might ask where the 5th member of the team was well Brad "Spartacus" Scriven was also well protected in the peleton saving his legs for the following day for the Warwick to Brisbane One Day Classic. His day would come just not today. So it was that Team Cyc'd now Team Leopard Trek settled into the job at hand.
Did I mention it was raining? Well we were now some 6 hours into the ride and the rain hadn't eased up a bit. By now everyone was pretty comfortable with the wet roads and spray in their faces but that too was about to change as we reached the foothills of Queen Mary Falls. For those of you who don't know this area its a great area for cattle and where there are lots of cattle there is lots and lots of cow sh*t. The road was not only covered in it the rain has caused it to become liquified sludge that was picked up by the tyres and sprayed on those behind. Soon we were all covered in cow sh*t, our bikes were covered our water bottles were covered and yes even our faces had the odd drop or two.
This brings to one of the other interesting facts of the day. Now as you might know cyclists are notorious for loving everything light weight with carbon being the preferred material and some will go to extraordinary lengths just to save a few grams so when Sharky turned up with a full set of mud guards on his bike you can imagine that the comments from the peleton flew thick and fast like "careful not to catch your skirt in the mud guard Sharky" etc etc. We all had a good laugh but as we rode through the sludge Sharky stood out like a shining beacon of pristine lycra not a drop of cow sh*t to be seen. He was immaculate.....well done Sharky you certainly had the last laugh.
With the job almost done the 6 weary riders at the front delivered the peleton to the base of the mountains and to the start of the first epic climb of about 4km with a gradient between 17 and 20%.
Part 3 - The climb to The Head......coming soon
Monday, 18 July 2011
Warwick training weekend - Part 1
As I start to write this post I have a fear.....a fear that no matter what I say I will not be able to do justice to what was truly an epic, brutal, amazing and fun weekend we just had training for the Smiddy Challenge.
As we rode in to the university late yesterday afternoon it dawned on me that it was 35 hours since we had left. We had crammed so much into those 35 hours it just didn't seem possible.....surely we had been gone for a week!
I'm going to break the report into a few posts as there is lots to tell.
Perhaps if I start with some facts about the ride:
Total distance covered - 439km (217 Saturday and 222 Sunday)
Total time taken to cover the distance - 21 hours 50 mins
Total time turning the pedals - 16 hours 54 minutes
Total elevation gain - 3,876m
Total pedal rotations - almost 90,000
Av temp day 1 - 11 degrees (min 6 degrees)
Av temp day 2 - 18 degrees (min 10 degrees)
Hours of rain day 1 - 10 hours (almost all the way from Brisbane to Warwick)
Punctures - 7 (Gav 3, Brad 2 and Kent 2)
Check the stats here
Saturday
The forecast for the Saturday was rain and they weren't wrong. We arrived at the uni ready to go and were putting the final pieces of wet weater gear on when Gav asked if we had our plastic bags on. What the f%#k we thought is he talking about was he serious or taking the piss? Well apparently he was serious and soon the Cyc'd boys were all seen putting their feet in freezer bags before pulling on their socks. "Don't worry fellas you'll be thanking me later" said Gav. We just thought this was the biggest setup ever but continued to wrap our feet in plastic.
The ride out of Brisbane was pretty uneventful wet but uneventful less one minor crash and couple of wrong turns which saw a solid if not a cautious start to the day.
I don't know about my fellow freezer bag wearing friends but I for one know that within 20kms my feet were sitting in bags of cold water and Gav was just laughing. All I could think about was revenge which involved filling his water bottles with the water from my freezer bags!! Drink that Gav "Bear Grylls" Bryce!!!
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Gav thinking about the plastic bags!!
Before we headed off rumour had it that that morning tea would be waiting for us at the 70k mark. 70ks came and went as did 80 and then 90......there was rumblings among the peleton and not just from some stomachs as everyone was keen for a break.
It was during this period that one of the Cyc'd boys (Kent) overheard a conversation between another Cyc'd rider (let's call him Brad) and a female rider. Now there are conversations being held all the time in the peleton as riders get to know each other a bit better, you know where are you from? where do you ride etc etc however this time the conversation was about that rather personal matter perculiar to cyclist.....butt cream. The Cyc'd rider was overheard expousing the benefits of butt cream, the pros the cons the application techniques etc. Now this might be OK among the boys in fact there is some history here from the Tour Down Under this year with another rider from our group who is now overseas but to use butt cream as a conversation starter with a female rider does raise the question of should this be allowed or encouraged??
At morning tea a hasting gathering of the Cyc'd ethics committee was convened and the situation outlined. "Brad" ably defended himself and the committee, whilst somewhat bemused by his antics, dismissed the case out of hand, no cards were issued and a big pat on the back was handed out to "Brad".
Morning tea was legendary. The support crew are simply amazing and the spread they put on sensational. One rider was heard to say "I just ate my own body weight in Sao biscuits with tomato and cheese!!"
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Jase and Gav going to work on the morning tea
Part 2 - Cyc'd team models itself on Team Leopard Trek....coming soon
As we rode in to the university late yesterday afternoon it dawned on me that it was 35 hours since we had left. We had crammed so much into those 35 hours it just didn't seem possible.....surely we had been gone for a week!
I'm going to break the report into a few posts as there is lots to tell.
Perhaps if I start with some facts about the ride:
Total distance covered - 439km (217 Saturday and 222 Sunday)
Total time taken to cover the distance - 21 hours 50 mins
Total time turning the pedals - 16 hours 54 minutes
Total elevation gain - 3,876m
Total pedal rotations - almost 90,000
Av temp day 1 - 11 degrees (min 6 degrees)
Av temp day 2 - 18 degrees (min 10 degrees)
Hours of rain day 1 - 10 hours (almost all the way from Brisbane to Warwick)
Punctures - 7 (Gav 3, Brad 2 and Kent 2)
Check the stats here
Saturday
Sunday
Ok with the stats out of the way lets get on with the story.
The forecast for the Saturday was rain and they weren't wrong. We arrived at the uni ready to go and were putting the final pieces of wet weater gear on when Gav asked if we had our plastic bags on. What the f%#k we thought is he talking about was he serious or taking the piss? Well apparently he was serious and soon the Cyc'd boys were all seen putting their feet in freezer bags before pulling on their socks. "Don't worry fellas you'll be thanking me later" said Gav. We just thought this was the biggest setup ever but continued to wrap our feet in plastic.
The ride out of Brisbane was pretty uneventful wet but uneventful less one minor crash and couple of wrong turns which saw a solid if not a cautious start to the day.
I don't know about my fellow freezer bag wearing friends but I for one know that within 20kms my feet were sitting in bags of cold water and Gav was just laughing. All I could think about was revenge which involved filling his water bottles with the water from my freezer bags!! Drink that Gav "Bear Grylls" Bryce!!!
Before we headed off rumour had it that that morning tea would be waiting for us at the 70k mark. 70ks came and went as did 80 and then 90......there was rumblings among the peleton and not just from some stomachs as everyone was keen for a break.
It was during this period that one of the Cyc'd boys (Kent) overheard a conversation between another Cyc'd rider (let's call him Brad) and a female rider. Now there are conversations being held all the time in the peleton as riders get to know each other a bit better, you know where are you from? where do you ride etc etc however this time the conversation was about that rather personal matter perculiar to cyclist.....butt cream. The Cyc'd rider was overheard expousing the benefits of butt cream, the pros the cons the application techniques etc. Now this might be OK among the boys in fact there is some history here from the Tour Down Under this year with another rider from our group who is now overseas but to use butt cream as a conversation starter with a female rider does raise the question of should this be allowed or encouraged??
At morning tea a hasting gathering of the Cyc'd ethics committee was convened and the situation outlined. "Brad" ably defended himself and the committee, whilst somewhat bemused by his antics, dismissed the case out of hand, no cards were issued and a big pat on the back was handed out to "Brad".
Morning tea was legendary. The support crew are simply amazing and the spread they put on sensational. One rider was heard to say "I just ate my own body weight in Sao biscuits with tomato and cheese!!"
Part 2 - Cyc'd team models itself on Team Leopard Trek....coming soon
Friday, 15 July 2011
Shocking weather forecast for this weekend's training ride
Tomorrow at 6am we roll out of the University of Queensland to commence our Smiddy training weekend. Now Brisbane has been enjoying some pretty good weather of late but apparently all that is about to change!!
The forecast is for rain heavy at times with a maximum of temperature for where we are heading of about 12 degrees C. That is for the lower elevations and we are heading up all the way to about 1000m above sea level so no surprises that it's going to be freezing up there and yeah its going to be WET!!!
Looks like it should be an interesting few days for the riders. Stay tuned for a full report in the coming days.
The forecast is for rain heavy at times with a maximum of temperature for where we are heading of about 12 degrees C. That is for the lower elevations and we are heading up all the way to about 1000m above sea level so no surprises that it's going to be freezing up there and yeah its going to be WET!!!
Looks like it should be an interesting few days for the riders. Stay tuned for a full report in the coming days.
Thursday, 14 July 2011
Cyc'd for Smiddy enlists help of Super Domestique for Warwick ride
Well the Cyc'd boys have done it again. Knowing how hard the Warwick ride is going to be they have bolstered their numbers with a new member just for the weekend.
But this is no ordinary cyclist this is Jase "the Super Domestique" Nowlan. Just have a have a look at him doesn't he look just like Stuey O'Grady....
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Jase will be towing us all the way to Warwick, going back to the team car to fetch water bottles, carrying our wet weather gear and will ensure that he carries sufficient food for all of us. When we get to Queen Mary Falls Jase has volunteered to carry anything we can remove safely from our bikes eg. water bottles, kit bags, lights etc up the mountain.
We can't wait to have Jase on board as an honourary Cyc'd for Smiddy member and super domestique!!
But this is no ordinary cyclist this is Jase "the Super Domestique" Nowlan. Just have a have a look at him doesn't he look just like Stuey O'Grady....
Jase will be towing us all the way to Warwick, going back to the team car to fetch water bottles, carrying our wet weather gear and will ensure that he carries sufficient food for all of us. When we get to Queen Mary Falls Jase has volunteered to carry anything we can remove safely from our bikes eg. water bottles, kit bags, lights etc up the mountain.
We can't wait to have Jase on board as an honourary Cyc'd for Smiddy member and super domestique!!
Team fund raising reaches $35,000
Wow!! It never ceases to amaze us just how generous people can be when it comes to supporting a worthy cause.
We have been blown away by the fantastic support we have received for our involvement in Smiling for Smiddy.
This week we reached $35,000 which is amazing and we are extremely grateful for the generous donations we have received on behalf of the Mater Foundation. That's $10,000 more than our original target which means we are on our way to getting close to our new target of $50,000.
On the riding side the boys are starting to load up on the carbs for this weekend's ride to Warwick and back. With wet weather forecast Gav has done the right thing by the other lads and fitted mud guards to the LOOK so that we don't get sprayed as he tows us all the way to Warwick.....at least that's his view of how we ride.
We have been blown away by the fantastic support we have received for our involvement in Smiling for Smiddy.
This week we reached $35,000 which is amazing and we are extremely grateful for the generous donations we have received on behalf of the Mater Foundation. That's $10,000 more than our original target which means we are on our way to getting close to our new target of $50,000.
On the riding side the boys are starting to load up on the carbs for this weekend's ride to Warwick and back. With wet weather forecast Gav has done the right thing by the other lads and fitted mud guards to the LOOK so that we don't get sprayed as he tows us all the way to Warwick.....at least that's his view of how we ride.
Wednesday, 13 July 2011
MASSIVE weekend of cycling coming up
One of the reasons why the ride from Brisbane to Townsville is called a challenge has absolutely nothing to do with the road between Brisbane and Townsville but rather the road between Brisbane and Warwick. This ride is the major training weekend for the Smiddy Challenge and is on this weekend.
Why is this so? Well its because between Brisbane and Warwick lies the imposing mountainous feature of Queen Mary Falls which the riders must ascend on their way to Warwick. Reaching the dizzying height of just over 1000m this is a climb not for the ill prepared or feint of heart.
From when the road starts ramping up at about the 120km mark we have about 40 kms of climbing ahead of us. Sure the first part is pretty gradual with a gradient of around 3 or 4% but once we hit the the steep section there is a 4km 18% stretch with switchbacks that would not go astray on the Alpe d'Huez!!
This ride has reached almost mythical status amongst the Smiddy riders who have ridden it in the past and has been sitting out there playing on our minds for many weeks. The nervous banter over coffee has been a regular feature with the all too often question "is it really that steep?" being frequently asked.
Those Cyc'd boys with a 25 cog on the back have been doing some serious sole searching asking themselves should I get a 27 fitted??? Those with a 27 (Kent!!!) have been smirking a little but still seem to be thinking maybe a 29 would be better!!
The ride is 220km each way making it a 440km weekend so its going to be a couple of long days in the saddle with an absolutely epic climb in the middle but we are looking forward to it and will approach it like a 2 year old child approaches Santa for the first time.....wide eyed, full of anticipation and excitement but with that nagging thought of is this going to end well or in tears!!!
You can check out the profile for the ride at http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=276667
The good news is that on the Sunday we get to ride back from Warwick and to descend Queen Mary Falls.....that is after first climbing it from the other side!!
Stay tuned for a full report of this 440km epic adventure next week.
Why is this so? Well its because between Brisbane and Warwick lies the imposing mountainous feature of Queen Mary Falls which the riders must ascend on their way to Warwick. Reaching the dizzying height of just over 1000m this is a climb not for the ill prepared or feint of heart.
From when the road starts ramping up at about the 120km mark we have about 40 kms of climbing ahead of us. Sure the first part is pretty gradual with a gradient of around 3 or 4% but once we hit the the steep section there is a 4km 18% stretch with switchbacks that would not go astray on the Alpe d'Huez!!
This ride has reached almost mythical status amongst the Smiddy riders who have ridden it in the past and has been sitting out there playing on our minds for many weeks. The nervous banter over coffee has been a regular feature with the all too often question "is it really that steep?" being frequently asked.
Those Cyc'd boys with a 25 cog on the back have been doing some serious sole searching asking themselves should I get a 27 fitted??? Those with a 27 (Kent!!!) have been smirking a little but still seem to be thinking maybe a 29 would be better!!
The ride is 220km each way making it a 440km weekend so its going to be a couple of long days in the saddle with an absolutely epic climb in the middle but we are looking forward to it and will approach it like a 2 year old child approaches Santa for the first time.....wide eyed, full of anticipation and excitement but with that nagging thought of is this going to end well or in tears!!!
You can check out the profile for the ride at http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=276667
The good news is that on the Sunday we get to ride back from Warwick and to descend Queen Mary Falls.....that is after first climbing it from the other side!!
Stay tuned for a full report of this 440km epic adventure next week.
Monday, 11 July 2011
Total kilometers travelled in training updated
As of today the total kilometers travelled by the Cyc'd for Smiddy team this year in preparation for the Smiling for Smiddy Challenge is 19,313km.
That is the equivalent of a return trip from Brisbane to Mt Everest!!
Speaking of Mt Everest the boys have also clocked up some pretty impressive vertical kilometers in their training. It certainly has felt like we have been doing lots of hills and when we checked our Garmins we found that we had accumulated just over 200,000 metres of vertical ascent or 200 kms which means that not only have we ridden to Mt Everest and return but we have climbed the equivalent of 22 times the height of Mt Everest!!
That is the equivalent of a return trip from Brisbane to Mt Everest!!
Speaking of Mt Everest the boys have also clocked up some pretty impressive vertical kilometers in their training. It certainly has felt like we have been doing lots of hills and when we checked our Garmins we found that we had accumulated just over 200,000 metres of vertical ascent or 200 kms which means that not only have we ridden to Mt Everest and return but we have climbed the equivalent of 22 times the height of Mt Everest!!
Saturday, 9 July 2011
New target set - $50,000!!!!
The Cyc'd boys have been hard at it putting as much effort into the fund raising as they have on the bike and with the wonderful support of the Curragh mine taking our tally to almost $35,000 we have decided to set a new target for our fund raising by doubling our initial target of $25,000 to $50,000!!!
To do this we need all the support we can get as we have to raise about $15,000 in 7 weeks so if you can help out in any way it would be greatly appreciated.
To do this we need all the support we can get as we have to raise about $15,000 in 7 weeks so if you can help out in any way it would be greatly appreciated.
Wesfarmers Curragh to support Mater Foundation and cancer research
In an exciting new partnership Wesfarmers Curragh has agreed to use the Mater Foundation to provide health education services for its employees at its Blackwater mine.
In doing so they are also supporting the Smiling for Smiddy Challenge by coinciding two days of on site education and awareness sessions on prostate cancer during the week that the cyclists will pass through Blackwater in central Queensland.
This is a fantastic initiative of Curragh who through this partnership will increase awareness of the dangers of prostate cancer while supporting research into finding ways to combat this disease that affects 1 in 9 Australian men.
The Mater Foundation in recognition of the work of one of the Cyc'd for Smiddy team in bringing Curragh and the Mater Foundation together has agreed for the $10,000 contribution made by Curragh to be channelled through the Smiling for Smiddy Challenge.
We often hear about win win situations well this is a win win win situation with all three organisations benefiting from Curragh's involvement. A big thank you goes out to the Curragh team for recognising the importance of educating its workforce about prostate cancer and the critical need for funding vital research.
Our thanks goes to
In doing so they are also supporting the Smiling for Smiddy Challenge by coinciding two days of on site education and awareness sessions on prostate cancer during the week that the cyclists will pass through Blackwater in central Queensland.
This is a fantastic initiative of Curragh who through this partnership will increase awareness of the dangers of prostate cancer while supporting research into finding ways to combat this disease that affects 1 in 9 Australian men.
The Mater Foundation in recognition of the work of one of the Cyc'd for Smiddy team in bringing Curragh and the Mater Foundation together has agreed for the $10,000 contribution made by Curragh to be channelled through the Smiling for Smiddy Challenge.
We often hear about win win situations well this is a win win win situation with all three organisations benefiting from Curragh's involvement. A big thank you goes out to the Curragh team for recognising the importance of educating its workforce about prostate cancer and the critical need for funding vital research.
Our thanks goes to
Tuesday, 5 July 2011
So who's following the blog???
Well it seems that the Cyc'd for Smiddy blog is starting to have a global reach with visits from 11 countries. We have had 1,200 visits since starting the blog about 6 weeks ago which is fantastic!!!
The leaderboard is as follows:
The leaderboard is as follows:
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Monday, 4 July 2011
Our sponsors products are AWESOME!!
Our team is very fortunate to have received some fantastic support from many individuals and businesses. Along with that great financial support via donations we have also received some amazing product support and I'd just like to say a big thank you again to a few of them.
Firstly the boys are all kitted out with Rudy Project NOYZ RACING PRO WHITE - PHOTO CLEAR sunglasses which are amazing!! They are photochromatic and just a pleasure wear on long rides.
The second item is the SKINS RY400 Men's Compression Long Tights for Recovery. The boys have just started wearing these as part of their recovery at the completion of their longer rides and they are awesome. Recovery seems more effective allowing the guys to back up for training day after day. Thanks to the guys at SKINS for their great support.
Thanks too everyone who is supporting us and the fight against cancer.
See you on the road!!
Firstly the boys are all kitted out with Rudy Project NOYZ RACING PRO WHITE - PHOTO CLEAR sunglasses which are amazing!! They are photochromatic and just a pleasure wear on long rides.
The second item is the SKINS RY400 Men's Compression Long Tights for Recovery. The boys have just started wearing these as part of their recovery at the completion of their longer rides and they are awesome. Recovery seems more effective allowing the guys to back up for training day after day. Thanks to the guys at SKINS for their great support.
Thanks too everyone who is supporting us and the fight against cancer.
See you on the road!!
Sunday, 3 July 2011
Another good weekend of training
Well its Sunday afternoon which means the weekend training is over.
So what did the Cyc'd boys get up to this weekend?
Probably best to start with Friday's ride for which we were joined by Australian mountaineering legend Michael Groom. Michael is a friend of some of the guys and it was great to have him along. He rides about once or twice a week and goes up hills like you wouldn't believe but then he he has climbed Everest twice without oxygen and missing the top third of both feet so we kind of think he likes the hills!!! It was great to have him along and to have few coffees with him afterwards.
Saturday was the regular Wynnum Manly loop only this week one of the team was AWOL. Kent had quite a few too many drinks on the Friday night and pulled the pin on the ride. While he did make it for coffee he was awarded the princess award for the weekend and fair enough too.
Today we did a solid 100k ride on the north side known as the Zupps loop. A good with only four of us averaging around 31k/h.
We're planning another good week this week as we lead up to the Warwick training weekend which involves riding 440km over two days with the biggest mountain between us and Warwick which should make things interesting.
So what did the Cyc'd boys get up to this weekend?
Probably best to start with Friday's ride for which we were joined by Australian mountaineering legend Michael Groom. Michael is a friend of some of the guys and it was great to have him along. He rides about once or twice a week and goes up hills like you wouldn't believe but then he he has climbed Everest twice without oxygen and missing the top third of both feet so we kind of think he likes the hills!!! It was great to have him along and to have few coffees with him afterwards.
Saturday was the regular Wynnum Manly loop only this week one of the team was AWOL. Kent had quite a few too many drinks on the Friday night and pulled the pin on the ride. While he did make it for coffee he was awarded the princess award for the weekend and fair enough too.
Today we did a solid 100k ride on the north side known as the Zupps loop. A good with only four of us averaging around 31k/h.
We're planning another good week this week as we lead up to the Warwick training weekend which involves riding 440km over two days with the biggest mountain between us and Warwick which should make things interesting.
Friday, 1 July 2011
Cyc'd team crashes through $24,000
Well its been a great week of fund raising as we have matched our kilometres ridden by dollars raised.
This week we have received $1,300 in very generous donations which is a fantastic result and seen our total funds raised crash through the $24,000 mark ($24,558 as of today).
With our target being $25,000 and still 8 weeks left to go stayed tuned for an announcement of a new target in the coming days.
Remember its not to late to join us in the fight against cancer. Just go to our fund raising page and donate....every $$ counts in this fight!!!
Donate at http://www.smiddyfundraising.com.au/cycd_for_bikes
This week we have received $1,300 in very generous donations which is a fantastic result and seen our total funds raised crash through the $24,000 mark ($24,558 as of today).
With our target being $25,000 and still 8 weeks left to go stayed tuned for an announcement of a new target in the coming days.
Remember its not to late to join us in the fight against cancer. Just go to our fund raising page and donate....every $$ counts in this fight!!!
Donate at http://www.smiddyfundraising.com.au/cycd_for_bikes
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