85km Loop the Lake - 2012

Oh what a fabulous challenge this was! Loop the Lake takes you all the way around Lake Macquarie and throws in hills, magnificent undulating road, fantastic scenery... and lots of friendly marshals & volunteers along the way! We have wanted to do this ride for a few years, but this is the first time any of the biker bunny contingency actually made it to the start (and the finish!).

The beautiful view of the lake seen from near Belmont

Token bunny Amanda...
Sadly poor bunny Amanda could not partake - her habit of leaving parties in 'style' has landed her with a bump on her head - meaning that 5 hours with a helmet would have been pure torture... So, we decided to bring token bunny Amanda along for the ride - and boy did she have a blast of a ride!

Getting there
Tor and I met up at Gosford train station (after my ride in the dark down Kariong hill)  in time to catch the 6:15 am train to Teralba. With the ticket office closed and ticket machine not accepting notes, it was lucky Tor had brought her card or we would have had to travel sans tickets :) The train ride gave us an hour to repack and check our things -  Tor's camel pack started the day with an annoying drip-drop that persisted throughout the day and eventually had her fling the tube over her back. All else was good though, and we arrived in Teralba deciding to follow the other cyclists hoping they knew where the start was - luckily they did. Once at Spears Point Park, we got our rider numbers and were off in a matter of minutes (after taking the compulsory pre-ride photos)...

Tor with token Amanda on the train

Annette trying to look as fresh as Amanda...

Whoo-hoo we're about to set off!

Helmet: check -  Sunnies: check - Amanda: check

The Hilly Start...
We coasted out of Spears Point Park and down past Teralba along the cycleway on Five Islands Rd. Soon the hills began and the road persisted with lots of up and downs for the next 20km. What a great way to wake up! There were lots of riders on the road and most were very friendly and happy to wave or say hello.

At this early part of the ride however, we did see a number of the so called 'serious riders' who ride 3 or 4 abreast and are unable to respond to calls of good-morning or even a simple hello... Later on in the ride we merely saw evidence of these riders by way of their discarded drink bottles and energy food wrappings - shame on them! Apart from these guys everyone else along the way were truly fabulous!

Setting out on our 85km ride

Annette, Tor (and Amanda) at Myuna Bay

Muffins and the undulating road...
Our first rest stop; in a little park just behind Morisset, marked a fabulous end to the the (more) hilly section of our ride. The muffin and tea ladies were all smiles and provided such a welcome energy boost: Tor raved about her cup of tea and decided that the chocolate muffin (delicious) turned her day around - and I couldn't agree more! We signed a petition for a cycleway, socialised with the volunteers and other riders (our biker bunny t-shirts were noticed :)) and Tor did some good yoga stretches on the ground before we mounted up for the next leg of the ride...

We left Morisset all refreshed and made our way along Wyee road, which eventually brought us onto the slightly more hazardous Rutleys road, where we were advised to ride single file (definitely a good point as the shoulder is practically non existent along here). The marshals were very helpful and we even saw a motorcycle police book a driver for playing silly-buggers with cyclists (passengers yelling out the window and driver doing some very risky overtaking on double unbroken lines)! Finally we reached Doyalson (the Doylo') and cruised out on to the undulating Pacific Hwy, which I have to say would be my favourite stretch of the ride: Long slopes and rises along a wide shouldered road - absolutely perfect! :)

Ahh! What a lovely cup of tea!

This one looks fresh as a daisy...

Tor with the lovely muffin lady...

After chocolate muffin boost!

Tor all smiles along Wyee road

Annette with her passenger...

The long road ahead...

Some beautiful trees along the way

Ahh that undulating road! - near Catherine Hill Bay

Nearing the end...
Our next rest stop was outside the Big Prawn on the Pacific Hwy, where we re-filled our water bottles and chatted with the water man and some friendly riders. Amanda true to form, chatted up one of the guys and even had her photo taken with him... :) We shared jellybeans and snakes with our new found friends (the water man was something of an expert, he admitted to being a jellybean freak and had no problem identifying these as 'natural' jellybeans), and took some more photos before embarking on the next leg towards Belmont.

My left and right confusion threw in a hairy moment when I was passing a guy, and called out Passing on Left (when I should have said Right!!!) - luckily he didn't veer and there was no collision! Not wanting to startle people or appear rude, I have resorted to all sorts of phrases when passing other cyclists: Good Morning, Hello-Hello-Hello, and Sorry-Coming through-Coming through! - I think it's good advice to be brief and just call Passing... ;)

The rest stop at Belmont had me out of my shoes with a toe cramp - painful but thankfully a hop around without shoes made it go away. The lovely volunteers provided a selection of fruits for energy waning cyclists - they had delicious oranges cut in quarters and we must have had at least 6 each! Tor also brought out her yummy yoghurt covered fruity snacks to get us pumped for the last 16km!

Near Little Pelican and further up past Swansea, we got some amazing water views, which we captured as proof of circumnavigating the lake.

Water re-filling and all smiles...

(3) riders at the Big Prawn rest stop

Here comes the freshest rider of the day...

Bunny Amanda chatting up the guys...

Rearing to continue the ride...

Foot cramp at Belmont... ouch!

Little Pelican - just after the bridge

Tor showing us the view...

Now that is one silly smile...

The Finish...
The last section of the ride threw in a few hills, not too bad but enough to feel it - we were told there was a hill taking us past the hospital, only there appeared to be 2 hospitals (both with hills)! The last hill gave us a lovely decent down into Warners Bay, from where we could feel the finish line getting closer and we soldiered on bravely to cross the finish line with HUGE smiles!

The signs throughout the ride were great (despite the spelling)!

Not far to go now...

Happy Tor at the Finish line after 85km cycling!

Yes! We did it!

And here she comes - fresh as a daisy after 85km!

We had 10 minutes to make the 1:50 pm train from Teralba station and (madly) decided to make a run for it. So once our finish photos were taken, we hopped back on our bikes and ignored screaming leg muscles as we cycled towards the station as fast as we could... Problem: train station is on the 'other' side of Five Islands Rd, and we ended up having to lift our bikes over the barricade and then cross the busy road with 1 minute to go! Drama, muscle pain and suspense increased with every second as we pedalled down towards the station... The train was pulling into the station as we were carrying our (now super heavy) bikes up the (million) steps above the platform - Tor gritted her teeth and decided that either you miss the train by heaps or you DON'T miss it! She hoppetty hopped down to the platform and made sure that we got on that train, with yours truly lumbering down the stairs in a not so elegant fashion (I did have an extra passenger mind you)! Finally on the train, we could relax and enjoy our return journey with apples and snake lollies - feeling the achievement of the day seeping through all the sweat and grime - Well Done Bunnies! :)

Ride stats:
Loop the Lake Distance: 85 km
Total Distance Cycled: 93.7km (Tor) 105.9km (Annette)
Speed: 18.8km/h (average) 59.6 (max)
Calories Burnt: 3062
Time Cycled: 4 hours 56 minutes
Total Time (Loop the lake + station rides): 6 hours 36 minutes

The Map:

Happy riding all bunnies, and hope you can make the next one - this is truly a fabulous ride!

Annette :)

Loop the Lake

The Ride in Stats...
Loop the Lake - Long Jetty - Toukley - Tuggerah - Long Jetty

Bunnies on Board - Amanda & Annette
Distance cycled - 45km
Time cycling - 2 hours 34 min
Time it actually took to loop the lake - 3 hours 55 min!
Calories burnt - 1363
Heart rate - Max: 173 Average: 110
Speed - Max: 38.5 km/h Average: 17.2 km/h

Back in the Southern part of the world, after 5 weeks of sneaking away from the winter chills, it was a treat to embark on a new riding adventure with bunny Amanda. As we've just registered to go in the 90km Newcastle to Dungog ride (in less than 3 weeks time) we decided, on this fine sunny Friday morning, to do a slightly longer ride than the Gosford to WoyWoy cruise to help us 'get ready for the big one...'

We met in the carpark at Long Jetty and unloaded our bikes. I showed Amanda a new mad gadget I found online... the Dog-Off.. This funny little thing is a training device, completely harmless to both humans and animals, designed to train pet dogs who bark (I know, I know - I don't have a dog!)... Anyway, the gadget features an ultrasonic beeper (inaudible to humans, but dogs can hear it) and a loud alarm to alert people (help) and scare off an attacking dog - this was the bit got my attention, as I have nightmares about being chased by dogs whilst cycling through semi-isolated areas on my own... The online description said it was particularly useful for cyclists, meter-readers & early morning walkers... So as we laughed our heads off and pondered how this novel thing would work, I stuffed it in my bag and we got ready to leave the carpark.

Amanda showing of her iPhone case at the start

Our first pitstop was just up the road where we tried to pump Amanda's tyres with a service station pump designed for anything but Black Beauty's skinny wheels.Failing to put even a smidgeon of air in her tyres, she decided to brave the land of softish wheels, and so we continued towards The Entrance and beyond. It actually was truly wonderful, the weather was perfect and the undulating terrain toward Toukley is blissful to cycle, it really is...

There's a big bridge at Toukley (with amazing, windy views from the top...), but this bunny decided the ultimate photo opportunity was before the bridge and the ultimate views... this meant that we had two photo stops with very little space in between. Getting a bit too excited about taking photos, we almost ended up with a drowned camera, but luckily Amanda stopped me from placing the camera on the bridge railing to take a 'group photo' - it would most definitely have blown off and landed in the drink!

Pre-bridge photo opportunity...

 

Amanda near Toukley bridge

Two bunnies ON the bridge...

... and the view from the now famous bridge

Cycling through Toukley was exciting; water was clearly visible on both sides between the houses on either side of the main street which made the scenery quite spectacular! We cruised on up a steep hill where poor Amanda was pushed to the limit as she didn't want to stop half way up the hill in full view of a domestic argument taking place on the other side of the road. Time to catch that breath and find a cycle shop where Amanda finally got some air in her tyres. She will tell you she gained a foot in height, as she zoomed down the road towards H.C. Anderson land and Wyong.

Along the cycleway (an absolutely lovely stretch of separate cycleway between Wyong and Tuggerah) we almost collided with a car - parked, doors open, right in the middle of the pathway - I made some comment as I swerved around the car, only to get past the car... and see a dad with a kid that obviously had brought the car to a stop with a session of unpredicted projectile vomiting! Oh dear I thought, let's hope they didn't hear me as it was clear they had well enough on their plate already.

Amanda found an unexpected helper coming up onto Wyong road, where the hilly finish had a supportive passenger in a car wind down their window and yell: "You can do it! You can do it!" We continued in happy spirits all the way to the cycle path along the lake at Chittaway bay, where we parked our bums on a bench for a quick snack and a breather.... There were a couple of dogs barking and just out of curiosity I aimed the Dog-off gadget in their general direction and pushed the silent button to see what would happen - they stopped barking! We decided we'd leave while we could still believe it was the gadget that did it (Amanda already seeing her furry friend at home wearing this little gem around her neck...). We gritted down and cruised the last 10 or so km back to the Long Jetty carpark to make it a 45k ride with a delicious coffee waiting around the corner (where we seriously thought we would fall asleep and have to be carried off the premises).

Pelicans posing along the cycleway

Cruising along the last bit of cycleway

On the way home I dropped my bike in for a service (a mysterious clunking sound in the pedals...) and it looks as though I (in my not so clear-headed state) asked the helpful bike shop man to fit some cleats as well... oh dear, next post may well be more adventurous than I care to think of...

Fabulous to be back riding and hope to have more bunnies back on board too!

Annette :)

... and from bunny Amanda's saddle:

What a morning … Annette has covered most things but I shall just add my tuppence worth

I was so looking forward to this ride as I hadn’t seen or ridden with Netti for over 6 weeks and I was itching for an adventure..

First photo of the day...

Whilst we were trying to pump up my tyres I noticed that my back wheel was out of alignment so Annette and I clashed bicycle helmets on numerous occasions whilst we try to realign the wheel – this means that I had been cycling with a dodgy wheel for two weeks how funny!

A few things that caught my notice – mainly the ride through Toukley was one of the scariest cycling moments I have experienced and of all places to happen it had to be on a hill when I was tired. Annette was already up the top of the hill before I had got a quarter of the way up and as I looked up I saw this young lad running across the road and head towards a young girl who screamed about 4-5 times – you f**** C*** - unfortunately for me I had just stopped pedaling out of sheer exhaustion but this certainly got me going again. There were old ladies lined up on their balconies watching and one old lady walking looked at me and tutted as if to say “here we go again”. Sad that that was part of their daily life!

Safely out of Toukley we headed along the freeway (I think) and pulled up to some traffic lights – Annette ahead and me close behind. On the side of the road was the black guy from the herbal essence ad (well that’s who he reminded me of) and he was cruising down the road with his headphones in. He looked up and saw Annette, stopped and mumbled mmmmmmm and then looked at me stopped and mumbled mmmmmmmmmmmmm. What a pleasant young man I thought.

My final point is when I was cycling in the wrong gear up the underpass and I was pulling an atrocious face full of agony when a young lad wound his window down and shouted ‘ you can do – a little bit harder and you will be there” – he could quite easily have taken the mick out of me in a nasty way.

Anyway that is the end of our 45km ride, we are still preparing for our big 90km one from Newcastle to Dungog and even thinking about cleats and bike shoes. Gosh we do take this seriously!!!!!

Amanda :)

1st Bunny-ride for 2010

The Ride
18th January 2010 - Gosford Pool to Umina return 


Stats
Distance cycled - 50.2km
Speed - 16.5 km/h average 50.7 km/h max
Heart rate - 113 average 170 max
Calories burnt - 1440
Time - 4 hours 19 min incl stops


... and here's the adventure seen from the saddle of bunny Amanda:

An interesting article prompted me to write about our last bike ride from Gosford Pool to Umina Beach and back –

Extract:
"...It seems to have escaped the attention of a lot of bicycle riders that it is a shared path for pedestrians and cyclists. It has also escaped their attention (to put it politely) that pedestrians do not have eyes in the back of their heads…"

I had a chuckle at this because we were cycling along this very path when an older lady (who I may add was right in the centre of the path) shouted at Annette ‘Would you like to cycle over me’ – Annette as usual was totally oblivious to this and had no idea the comment was aimed at her. Whilst I admit cyclists do (sometimes) need to be more conscious of pedestrians the same can be said of pedestrians who think they can take up the whole path and expect us wonderful health fanatics to veer into the grass and wave politely at them as if they were royalty………… there, I have had my whinge – now its all over!!!!!!!!!

This was actually a delicious ride, perfect weather and perfect company – Lou as usual up for a pose wherever she could and Annette laughing her merry way around the track. I surprisingly had a hangover and was not feeling to hot when I started but after a dodgy start I was raring to go (especially at the end when I discovered I had burnt 1000 calories).

Our first giggle of the day started when Lou told us that she wanted to go to the toilet even before we had started riding and that she wanted to go to the bike shop and get a stand on her bike. ‘No way’ I screeched – it will take hours and I was on a time limit. Dejectedly she cycled past the bike shop dreaming of her missed chance.

Posing bunny on our first stop

... more posing :)

Bunny Amanda in Woy Woy


Shortly after, Annette and I chuckled at the most intense cyclist we have ever seen – about 50 years of age with his lips tightly pursed and his eyebrows furrowed doing about 10kms – at least he was giving it a go!

Then we cycled along the beautiful Brisbane Waters to the end of Umina Beach where Annette and Lou both leaned their bikes up against the showers (no stand see) making it virtually impossible for any beach goer to have a shower.

We've reached our half-way mark

Note the bike having a shower...

3 beach bunnies


Acting like little pigs we stuffed our faces and then headed off to Woy Woy for coffee where Lou once again not missing a shopping opportunity headed over to ‘maybe do a little shop’. Annette couldn’t decide whether she wanted coffee here because last time we came, a little child had pooed in the toilets and you could smell it outside – too funny!!!!!!!! And no funny smells this time!

Posing coffee drinkers...

Back on our bikes and off home where I stopped every five minutes to see if I had got my dream job as Web Author at Sanitarium but alas I did not get the phone call til later in the afternoon and it was negative!

The beautiful waterfront ride!

Start gearing up for the 50km cycle from Cronulla to Homebush in the Go Girl Challenge March 6

Amanda :)

Sydney Sping Cycle 2009

A 50km ride and an early start for 6 happy bunnies on a fabulous adventure!

The Ride Stats

Bunnies on board - Collette, Amanda, Lou, Tor, Janine and Annette

Distance covered - 50km

Cycling time - ~4 hours 30 min

Heart rate - 112 (average) 163 (max)

Calories burnt - ~1432

Stacks - 1

Bravery award - Collette :)

Wind factor - Gale force!!!

Scenery - Amazing :)

Non-bunny riders - ~ 12,000

The annual Sydney Spring Cycle had 6 biker bunnies rocking up to the start at North Sydney. What an adventure and so much fun to ride through the streets of Sydney with roads closed and lanes devoted to bicycles only :)

Polly Dolly Amanda bunny wraps up our ride:

Well the day (or should I say ridiculously early start to the day – a 4:45 rise) started with two alarms blaring in my ears. I didn't want to be late to pick up Tor and seeing as I am a sergeant major about time it would not have looked good.

Jumped out of bed raring to go – wolfed down some toast and coffee and headed out the door – helmet, food and warm clothes in hand! Picked up Tor and then raced up to Kariong to pick up Annette – drama with bike on bike rack and so ended up taking off her wheel and putting it in Paul's ute - easy drive to Wahroonga except my tummy was rumbling already!

Unloaded bikes and then Lou's key snapped in the lock of her boot – not a good omen.

Oh dear - key's broken, what to do, what to do....?

Get on the train and I realize I have bought Georgie's helmet which is way to small and gives me major headaches – oh poo!

Morning smiles on Wahroonga platform :)

And we’re off – get to the start line and meet Collette – millions of cyclists around – make our way to the start line and it’s freezing cold! Cycle cycle cycle – watch out for uncoordinated people and those with no spatial concept – concentrate concentrate.

Biker Bunnies at the start!

Over the Harbour Bridge – fantastic experience except it was blowing a gale and it was ice cold – back of Star City – wind everywhere to the point that my bike skidded from underneath me and blew me right and then left – shit I think I am going to fall but my amazing skills save me and I carry on pedaling. Fear had now entered my heart – as I am such a light delicate creature I fear for my safety along the trip! Ha ha!

Cycling over the Sydney harbour bridge :)

Everybody was in high spirits and as usual Annette and I have a laughter attack and cannot stop at one point – we were travelling along a section of the road where cars were allowed and Annette as usual forgot they existed. We were in the middle of an animated conversation when I say to Annette CAR to which she replies "oh really they don't" I say CAR she replies "Are you serious" I say CARRRRRRRRRRR and she again replies "that doesn't seem right" ANNETTE THERE IS A CAR BEHIND YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! "Oh a car" she replies innocently and moves off the road.

Collette commented on how in the whole ten or so years I have known her we have never done anything sober together – how terrible! We couldn't think of things to say each other so I gave her a hash cookie and everything was fine.

Our second rest stop, which was all about sustenance and posing with food.... until Amanda said:

THERE'S A DOG RUNNING UP BEHIND YOU ANNETTE!!!!

At one stage Collette and I had somehow cycled ahead of the group and so pulled over to wait for them – Annette comes cycling along in the distance and gasps – sorry about that my heart stopped and the others stopped to help me – oh my god! – what do you mean – how are you?? – why are you ahead if your heart stops??? – "it was only my monitor!" – Only Annette could be so casual about her hear stopping!!!!!!!!!!!

Here comes Lou-bunny with Tor just behind

Comparing and smearing on sunscreen

Bunny t-shirts!! :)

Collette and Lou finding some shade

There were lots of wee stops along the way and lots of prangs and stacks (and I think Janine had a few mishaps) but poor Collette topped the day with a huge fall and lots of blood – only to be saved by two policemen – which is why I think she fell in the first place.

Annette Lou and I hit the finish line and Annette says ok we have more lap to go – no we don't we are finished and she would only believe us when another cycle read her pedometer counter to her!!!!!!!!!!

Are you SURE we've done 50k??

50km piece of cake except I wish there were not so many bloody bike riders to contend with – they ruined the day – only joking! Then Janine, Tor and Collette come over the line and we realize Collette is hurt and what we think is blood and dust but it was Florence Nightingale’s (aka Tor) benadine and fancy first aid (which I thought was Lou's job but she obviously delegated it to the nurse) – poor Collette – Annette and I made her reenact her fall so we could take photos and then we hobbled off to first aid!

BUNNY DOWN!!

Collette performing a reconstruction!

Crash Evidence on helmet!

Collette being patched up

Final laugh of the day came on the train on the way back to Wahroonga when Lou went into the wardrobe like Mr Bean and turned into a deep sea diver!!!!!!

Bunny on day-release with snorkelling friend

Tired and weary I got home and collapsed but with good energy and ready for our next adventure – hopefully the 90km Woolongong ride...

Amanda :)

All up it was a fantabulous ride! Plenty of laughs and a great experience :)

A few things picked up from Netti-bunny's saddle:

• The Wind!!! Oh that wind was strong; in parts it really did feel like I was going to get blown off my bike. Little did it help when I glanced sideways to see bunny Amanda letting go (one hand) of her handlebar to WAVE at the cameraman poised on the harbour bridge, while wobbling terribly in the sudden gust "photo opportunity - HERE I COME!!" Luckily she stayed firm on her bike and the wind chooffed off to blow at someone else.
  
  
• Janine managed to turn several 'near-stacks' into elegant sideswipes, leaving awed onlookers (including myself) in her wake. Let's face it; stopping and starting at traffic lights on a HILL, when you've got lots of other bikers to look at and get distracted by... does pose a unique set of obstacles, yet bunny-Janine wheeled her magic and got to the end on a breeze :)
  
  
• Tory Tor rode with an interesting clanking sound coming from one of her pedals... we decided that it was simply a case of "Crank up the stereo" (i.e. not a sound warranting further investigation just now....) luckily her trusty bike hung in there to the end. Tor rode happily the whole way with her contagious and delightful enthusiasm :)
  
  
• Amanda who initially had been concerned about the 50km distance, simply blitzed the Sydney ride, even to the point of complaining to volunteers and policemen at traffic lights... "Oh these bloody red lights!! They're stopping my groove... I'd be at Homebush already if it wasn't for all these stops and starts" She did complain with a smile on her face though :)
  
  
• Collette got pulled up near the start by a police man (this girl likes men in uniform ;) ) for running a red light. He let her off though, as she smiled her "But I was scared of getting left behind" smile. She sought the men in uniform again as she dived off her bike (no it wasn't deliberate), and two policemen attended to her straight away (and fixed her bike up), while nurse Tor applied iodine to the nasty wounds. What a brave bunny this girl is!
  
  
• Lou-bunny rode like a pro with her 'snorkel kit' and plaits flapping in the wind. A champion not only at riding, but at quickly assessing and reporting wee-stop facilities reporting back before others have even dismounted their bikes: "THIS ONE'S A NO-GO IT'S FLOOODED!!!" Onwards and upwards with side-glances at trees, even little bushes that may be of use where other facilities fail :) As our registered 'First-Aid Officer' Lou provided ample support and suggestions when my 'heart stopped' and would no doubt have performed surgery on Collette, if she had been close enough when 'bunny down' incident happened (at the start of our ride, Lou EXCITEDLY told us that she has a scalpel!!....).
   

We did it!!! :)

Thanks for all the laughs and for a great adventure!!!