Links

Audax Australia
This is the umbrella organisation running long distance cycling events in Australia Their website includes a calendar of events.

Bikejournal
A place where cyclist can keep track of their mileage and any number of other statistics, as well as an attached forum.

Bikeforums
A set of discussion forums covering almost every conceivable cycling related topic.

Cycling Adventurer
The Cycling Adventurer has tossed in the structured life of an urbanite to explore the world by bicycle. A well-written site detailing how he came to cycling, and what he learned along the way.

Crazy Guy on a Bike

Bicycle touring journals from all over the world, including a couple of my own.

Johns Cycles

This is my LBS on the Gold Coast. While they cater more to the racing market, their service, advice and workmanship is the best on the coast.

St Kilda Cycles

Importers of all manner of things hard to find in Australia, including the legendary Schmidt hub dynamo & E6 lights.

Blogs

Bicycle-eye
Wonderings and wanderings out and about in Portland, Oregon, US

The Journey
The journey begins in Perth, Western Australia.

Lance Notstrong
The "other" Lance!

Ms Mittens
The Wired Cat on-line

Iron Gambit
.

Aussie Writer and Cycletourist
A blog chronicling the writing and cycling of a seaside baby boomer.

Up in Alaska
Jill's subarctic journal about ice, bears and distant dreams of the midnight sun.

The Kin Chronicles
Taking mediocrity to a new level of ordinary.

Allez
Riding and running with a vengeance.

London Cycling Diary
Pedalling across the capital since August 2005.

CouchPilot-2-BikePilot (Zin's cycling blog)
Living an adventurous life with Type-2-Diabetes.

The adventures of Crazy Biker Chick
... Including cycling, adventuring, cooking, knitting and ranting.

Redneck Espanol
The two wheeled Spanish redneck.

Treadly and me
"Work is something I do between riding my bicycle".

Crowlie
Womanist philosophy and theology. Cycling, climbing, art, single-motherhood and fire-twirling.

Adrian Fitch's random rambling.
A bit about cycling, a bit about genealogy, a bit about radio but mostly a lot about nothing at all.

Geo's big adventure
The life and times of Geo.

It's about the bike
Musings on the cycling life.

Spinopsys
Various cycling tidbits.

Industry Outsider
A blog about bikes and stuff.

Tweed Coast Treadly
An old man's bicycle riding diary.

A cyclist's life in Tenerife
(Canary Islands).

Bike to work to live to bike
It's never too late to get back on the bike

Stupid Hurts
Just the random scribblings of a guy with a bicycle

I'm not drunk enough for this
Really, I'm not.

BikeHacks
What can I say? Just read it.

Mozam's cycling adventures
A random collection of the things I like to do most, and mostly that is to ride my bikes, bicycles that is... My musings from competitive riding, long distance endurance to puttering around the neighborhood..

More cycling blogs

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Sunday, December 30, 2007

Notoriety

Palms in Urliup

Recognition is a strange thing that can come at anytime. Yesterday I paused to snap the above picture at Urliup, when someone who was out jogging on the dirt road that I hadn't met before recognised me from this blog. It's not entirely incomprehensible, given that this page would probably appear in the top 10 results if one typed "Urliup" into any search engine, but it was still quite a surprise. They also invited me to drop in for a chat anytime I feel like it, and I may take up that offer one day. I should just be glad it happened at Urliup rather than a place like Ipswich or Caboolture that's received less flattering treatment from these pages.

The Garden of Eden overlooks Mt Warning

As to the ride itself, I continued through moist air, climbing Tomewin to head for the Garden of Eden. Inspired by last week's effort, I rode The Black Magic again. It's interesting to note some aspects about riding long distances on an MTB. While the acceleration isn't the same as other bikes, they are remarkably smooth when you're just holding a consistent rhythm. That would be telling later on.



I crossed the old Glengarrie Road across the top of the range, taking in the spectacular views, negotiating mud patches and climbing on the rocks. Here The Black Magic was in it's element, but the bursts of acceleration that I normally associate with this stretch just didn't seem necessary, and it was negotiated with ease. At the summit I opted to descend on the Zig-Zag road - a shorter option, but with more dirt these days as the rich boys are moving in below. It also has more interesting views, and I'd made up the distance I needed on the Garden of Eden road at the other side. The consistent descent and the roaring tailwind that pushed me home made for an embarrassingly easy finish to the adventure.

The Zig-Zag road

Somewhat less clear-cut has been the pursuit of accommodation for my Alpine Classic adventure next month. After thinking I had it all taken care off on Friday, I received an e-mail from the place I was staying in Bright advising me that the room I'd booked wasn't available after all, but someone had forgotten to update their page on roamfree.com. That's poor, but fortunately I've been able to make other arrangements.

Meanwhile, my two nights in Melbourne on either side will be spent at the same backpacker hostel that I stayed at in 2002 on my first visit, just before my tour in Western Victoria. I've actually thought quite a bit about riding the Great Ocean Road a second time, and there's a small feeling of nostalgia about this coincidence. The Great Southern Randonee is on this year, covering that particular piece of territory. I probably won't be ready for the 1200, but the 600 is a distinct possibility.

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