The Challenge

After more than a year on the Vegan diet and hearing reports of at least three cyclists doing (Pambula Beach) sea to Charlets Pass return solo trips in 24hrs i got to thinking up a crazy dream that it should be done Pambula Beach to the Kosciuszko top survey Marker and return rounding out a neat 500km 8000m+ in a 24hr period.

Hatching the Plan

This ride required both road and Mtb bikes to complete so going unsupported was not an easy option although such an option as pre organised Stashing Mtb bike at Charlottes Ski resort and food Water hidden at roadside locations was considered and in theory possible requiring a drive up and back the day before and possibly after to collect mtb. The decision to go fully supported was made and would seem to cover a lot more bases in the event of it going pear shaped with body bike or weather.

The lead up

8 weeks out a build up of training rides ending with two 200k rides the second of which had plenty of vertical climbing and a 1 am start to coincide with the epics 12am start on new year’s eve  epic that would start in 2014 and finish 2015.

As the days counted down it became apparent I may not be able to nail down  support car drivers a few days to go creating havoc with my selfish plan and it’s motivation.

The details of this plan where kept a secret from everyone bar support people only hinting to my regular Wyndam cycle group something big might happen when asked what the big training rides were for.

With self doubt ringing in my ears days before i came close to pulling the plug on it at least 5 times  and I could so easily just cave in and just get a New Year’s Day beer head ache like any normal person, but the abnormal person in me seemed to take control of the situation.

A gradual change in sleep pattern was part of the preparation and I feel training for endurance cycling is about training the digestive function under greater than normal load and duration as much as improving  physical performance on the bike.

The Day

With around 5hrs sleep my eyes opened to a 12am clock 12.30 and I’m out the driveway for one big  filthy day on the bike.

Starting in the early hours seemed to suit the body clock feeling awake and ready. A mindful paranoia of the need for body preservation from the word go would be the ticket for my lunatic epic to somehow morph into reality.

(Metering out the effort for such a monster nonstop cycle effort was taken care of by the use of a power meter on my bike it is a device that measures actual wattage output from the rider it is very useful for giving the rider feedback in real time of your work load for the purpose of this ride my power had to kept below 300 watts at all times and av around 200 watts for the 24hr duration) 

At this time of the day you expect to have the road all yours but not so  just before Wyndam 2.30am some Young revved up party dudes are driving alongside me trying to find out what the hell I’m doing out at that hour so I told them what lay ahead by the looks I got I think they couldn’t comprehend it so they revved up and left then 10min later my peace was broken with a second visit from the same crew this time trying to get me to have drink and party on with them I was also thinking this could end my epic very early if they did something dumb  !

On I went up past Cathcart weaving around many wombats Roos and some insomniac liar birds it got a little cold stopping in Bombala 4am the town fast asleep a quick dunny  stop then on towards Dalgety a little persistent head wind until the Ando turn off We timed it so the Support car would catch me near Ando well that time came and went with no water it was time try my luck out of a flowing creek this turned out not well just as I am clawing back onto the Rd with some swampy tasting water the  car shows  Phew!

Tooled up with food supplies it seemed like no time we arrived in Dalgety 165k time to get the Yoga matt out do some body correction roadside style ready for the much feared Beloka hill at 22%.

Arrival in Jindabyne 197k 9hrs40min all good so far body feeling the work load but ready for 1000m climb up to Kosciuszko My Support car Drivers Kobi Thompson and Phil James had a very very long day ahead  they diverted into Jindy for supplies mean while I head for the summit passing other cyclists on training camps they are oblivious to my little new years mission.

The climb up to Charlottes   the boys  get the music pumping out the back of the car for a little extra motivation setting a steady pace sees arrival at Charlottes 12.30pm.

A quick change to MTB bikes Kobi Thompson and I set off from Charlottes pass car park for Kozi Summit and the track is very busy today!

Apon arrival at the Kosciusko toilets 1.6k from summit we discover there is a parks ranger person on duty whose sole mission in life it is to stop bicycles from getting past the toilets and no you cannot push your bike either left with no choice and 3.2 km s chopped from the epic along with photo opportunity with the Survey marker gone we thought it would be best not to cause a scene fight etc. as there was a long road waiting in the other direction.

Home Bound

Back to charlottes car park back on the roadie with Kobi to Jindy and the long trip home Waits !

The low point of the ride came heading up the Snowy river Way climb towards the top of Beloka Hill my back had pinch pain my head was grumpy as hell it was hot so a pitt stop was in order just before the Beloka descent a little massage and stretch during the stop some Training camp Cyclists arrive then a little chit chat transpires eventually I’m forced to tell them I have 320k on the clock today at 6.20pm so far with 180k to home there response was to do a phone interview with me so they could make one of thier Audax riding mates jealous.

Down Beloka hill and off to Dalgety then a long steady climb up onto the Plateau Boco Rock the Wind Turbines have their tails pointed our way so it is a head wind until we turn back onto the Monaro Hwy far in the distance, Once 350 km ticked over my body seemed to go into an auto pilot mode previous pain seemed to disappear with the exception of the Butt discomfort  and neck muscles these had to be managed on the down hills’

The food for the trip consisted of my Vegan Power Bars made from fresh dates shredded coconut dried fruit they were the mainstay Coconut sugar in the water  a small coke here and there a packet of snakes water melon and even a non-vegan sausage roll at one point just for the sake of something different on the taste buds coming into Bombala 9.30pm new year’s eve I was confident I could get a pizza which I was desperate for but I was wrong no food in Bombala after 10pm a few packets of chips from the pup would have to suffice.

On to Cathcart the descent Down Mt Darragh was somewhat frustrating the support car out front was slow with the wild life thick on the road at times roos would bound along with the car for some time this the only crowd I had witness to the lunacy that is one day long distance cycling at 11.30pm new year’s down that very familiar hill.

Not a sole in Wyndam 12am not a party or a fire cracker nothing, then on to Pambula we go in the middle of the night the end in sight arrival in Pambula South 12.55 pm  a Quick stop to give my wiery support car drivers  a briefing on how to Finnish off this long day.   Plan was to get to Pambula Beach with around 484 km on the clock then lap up and down Pambula Beach Rd until 500km ticked over on the Garmin then pack up head home to Bald Hills Rd.

Somehow my words didn’t make it to the working parts of sleep deprived brains  as I turned back from Pambula Beach to clock more Kms Confusion took over with 24hrs since bedtime I guess we all had an excuse.

 At 2am the road was busy and people walking home from New year’s Parties Sure they were wondering why some nutter is riding his bike up and down Pambula Beach Rd at 2am after three laps up and down Pambula Beach Rd 504.8 Km 21 hrs 48 min moving time Job Done.

Ok where is the Support Car Gone that’s Weird ok I will have to now pedal up the Hill to Home to find them,  Riding up the Main St of Pambula 2.15 am in dead silence not a sole in sight they are all in bed just as they were when I left at 12.30am the day before Back into the Drive way 2.30am Phil is standing in the drive looking like a walking corpse and tells me they got confused as to what I was doing I then had a little rant and felt better we then tried to stay awake while eating downloading Garmin to Strava cycling app and reviewing the day Back into Bed just on Day Break 4hrs sleep Phone Rings Claud here just checked out your strava what the hell have you Done ?

https://www.strava.com/activities/234973748