AUTUMN, A MOSAIC OF THEM ALL >> Gawler Wheelers Group Ride Report: Saturday May 5th 2012
Gawler Wheelers-ROUTE42-Gawler-Gomersal-Tanunda-Lyndoch-Cockatoo Valley-Gawler-UNDULATING
http://www.bikemap.net/route/1413759
Gawler Wheelers-ROUTE34-Gawler-Gomersal-Tanunda-Angaston-Greenock-Freeling-Gawler-UNDULATING
http://www.bikemap.net/route/1362775
No. of Riders : 48
TO JOIN GAWLER WHEELERS Group click >>http://www.adelaidecyclists.com/group/GawlerWheelers
*** TODAY's PHOTO GALLERY BELOW ***
Ride Summary
What a fantastic way to spend an AWESOME AUTUMN morning…riding through the beautiful Barossa Valley! 48 riders turned up for the Gawler Wheeler events this morning to do just that.
I met today’s newbie, Rob, on the road to the start point when he pulled up alongside me in his vehicle and yelled “ I have been looking for you!” Hmmm…”can’t be the cops” I thought, so he must be a newbie who is lost! I responded “just follow me mate...all roads lead to the Gawler Wheelers”
There were not many there at 7.00am…maybe low numbers due to the very cold weather we thought? Not the case….the numbers quickly built up! There was a big buzz in the crowd as people chatted about whether they would do the 100Km ride or the shorter 60km ride.
We all rode to Gomersal Road as one group. There the final decisions were required, and 17 brave riders elected to split off to ride the 100+km route through Tanunda, Angaston, Nuri, Greenock, Kapunda and Freeling. Whilst some who elected to ride the 100kms were used to this distance, for others it would be the first time riding over 100kms. One of those was a relatively new rider, Lyndelle, who gets a 10/10 for attempting the ride and completing it! A special mention to John Mills who assumed the TEC duties on this route and did a wonderful TEC job from all accounts. Those who rode this route will tell you more about the ride when they comment later however this comment from Darren may best summarise it: “the first 50km was great, the last 50km was hard!” More detail later!
The 60km group had the luxury of time as we took it a little easier and meandered down to Tanunda, Lyndoch, Cockatoo Valley and back to Gawler. Even a broken frame was not enough to stop Gary (Star Cycles) from completing the ride!
Both groups had fantastic surreal rides today. Surreal because accompanying us all morning was the awesome autumn ambience….aka the MAGIC AUTUMN MOSAIC.
NEXT WEEK: On Friday night we will be holding our second Gawler Wheelers Track Night at the Super-Drome. Due to the Track Night and today’s long ride, on the Saturday we will be holding one big group ride over a shorter, but still challenging, distance. Full details will be posted on AC Events soon and YOU are welcome to attend both events. Today’s photo gallery follows:
Newbie Rob finally gets to the start point↓
Mark: “It’s cold, it’s dark and I should still be in bed!”↓
Love the bike David!↓
All of the GW girls love Barry↓
Darren….what is your favourite colour?↓
Pete signing up for the 100km ride↓
Entering Kapunda Road↓
Lyndelle looking slightly spent at the 5km mark….but she did go on the complete the 104km ride in fine style!↓
Kapunda Road Regroup↓
Gritting the teeth on Roseworthy Road↓
Michael (L) with newbie Rob who is really enjoying his first GW ride↓
Clive (R) with TECs Mick and Richard. (Richard is that THE WHISTLE in your mouth?)↓
Regroup under the awesome autumn sky ready to tackle Gomersal Rd↓
100km riders split off from the main group at Tanunda↓
Family bonding. Brothers John (JB) and Tony↓
The GW young ones: Brendan, Gundi, Jonah and Carmen↓
100km Group Peloton entering the Nurioopta to Angaston Bike Path↓
Pete’s workshop at Angaston on how to change two flat tyres in two minutes↓
Gary at Lyndoch rings the Helpdesk about his broken frame↓
Juz, back on the bike after her big crash last week on the Port Elliot ride, runs into two friends at Lyndoch (Denise and Phil).↓
Mark and Daniel chasing down Pete on the 100km ride. Get him??↓
Basking in the autumn sunshine at Cockatoo Valley↓
Tony holding up a 1966 newspaper article about him winning a race in a Gawler Junior Cycling Club event↓
Article close-up. By the way….46 years later Tony still always rides at the front of the bunch! You can see him in action at Friday's GW Track Night Event↓
Wilson and Pete arrive back from the 100km ride↓
What an awesome autumn ride! 104kms and 30.8kph average! (Darren).↓
Gawler Wheelers is all about comradeship, fun, fitness and chasing our dreams. Join the GW group on AC. Come on our rides. Contact details below. Until next week >> Cheers for now...Frank.
http://www.adelaidecyclists.com/group/GawlerWheelers
Next Gawler Wheelers Event Details (check the following links) :
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by terry heney on -
Well done to all the riders.. Wish I could have been there :(
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Permalink Reply by Darren on -
What an awesome autumn adventure. Sure am feeling all 104km tonight! Cramped up quite badly with 20km to go. Excellent group of people to ride with. Special mention to Lyndelle for finishing her first full 100km ride!
Driving to Gawler, stopped for this one from the Elder Smith bridge looking over Parafield airport.
Riders assembling for the pre-ride brief.
Pic from Gomersal looking toward Kersbrook.
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Permalink Reply by Clive Palfrey on -
Strange that last time I ventured out to GW (Easter Sat I think) we had exactly the same route though last time, I got a lift home. Thanks to Barry and Mick who let me draft them for much of the way to Gawler and much of the way back. A round trip of just over 121kms for me and although none of the hills on the official part of the ride were particularly tough they were consistent and coupled with the climb up through Para Hills to get home led to a much needed Radox bath when I got home.
Another good day with a great bunch and thanks also to Wilson, Frank and Richard.
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Permalink Reply by Ian Hart on -
Another great day and ride. It was my first time over 100k since January and it came after 80k on Tuesday (including Menglers) so its been a good week! The legs were still pretty dead on the inclines so was crawling up some of them, but just gutsed it out and got though pretty well. Just wanted to pass that barrier. It stayed cool all ride and particularly so up around Angaston. Strong headwinds spoiled the fun of the downhill run from Kapunda.
A big shout out to Dave and Pete for driving our train all the way along that Kapunda Road. Great effort guys! I finished the ride feeling strong and loved flying up that on ramp to the by-pass , haven't done that for years!! Ended up doing 110k at 26.8. Good for me. Happy bike rider!!
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Permalink Reply by Pete (repeats ?) Roberts on -
Thanks Ian,
Today was a very pleasant ride, and just a long enough stretch of the legs to know we were still alive. It feels these days that it's almost not worth getting out of bed for anything less than a 100km ride! (135km for the day today).
I hope you all enjoyed your half hour rest at Angaston while I worked on my bike. It's been a naughty girl this week, and I think I need to throw some money at it to keep it quiet for a bit longer. ( Works with all my girls .... )
Ps. I think Dave took most of the wind on the Southerly trip home. Cheers Dave :)
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Permalink Reply by Dave, Lewiston on -
I think we backed each other up pretty well on that last stretch, Pete. Love these GW rides!
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Permalink Reply by Paul Koch on
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Congats to all those doing the 100+ especially first timers. Sounds like Dave put in a big effort, I'll sure there will be plenty looking for his wheel next windy ride!
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Permalink Reply by Peter Bond on -
Another really great ride with the GW today, arent they always?
I only did the 60k (too many chores at home :-( ) but got to ride some of the best bits of road in SA (IMHO) the bits from Tanunda to Lyndoch and the stretch on Balmoral Rd.
It was a pretty cold morning at the start, my ears always feel the cold more than anything but the day did warm up a bit once the sun got up - you could tell it was a cold day when you peeked over the fence of the nudist colony!!
The beautiful autumn colours throughout the Barossa certainly helped make the ride so enjoyable. All the grape vines changing colours and the green hills in the background. Also the lovely smells of the different plants (but the piggery doesnt smell too good) as we ride along. I like looking at the old homesteads and churches as we ride by and think about how hard the pioneers must have had things back in the old days. No wonder my speeds are so slow.
Looking forward to next weeks ride with the GW.
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Permalink Reply by Juz on -
Ha! I knew there had to be a benefit associated with this broken nose - I couldn't smell the pigs! Score one for my face.
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Permalink Reply by Gundi hahn on -
Good ride this morning, not a big fan of the cold although Gomersal Road certainly has way of getting my body temperature up reasonably quick, a good chance the thermal wear will be out next week.
I was in two minds about which ride to do, thinking how good it would be to ride the 100+ kms with great scenery. In the end I felt I had not prepared for it during the week, thus making my decision easier. Even though I did the shorter ride It was still an enjoyable ride pushing the pace with a group up front, specially on Balmoral Road where you tend to push it a bit more. A good ride, happy with my decision to do the short ride, next time for the 100+ km.
A big congrats to the first time riders of the 100km. A great accomplishment.
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