2006 Alpine Classic

Michael and a number of other people do this ride pretty much every year. This is my second in a row, I am hooked I suspect, it really is a good outing, a long hard ride through some of the best scenery in Australia. This year Sue finished in 9h24m, I finished in 9h52m, Marea in 9h57m and Michael, Warren, Allan and many others (Cath Toet and Dan for example) pulled the pin on their return to Bright choosing not to do the final 70km ascent and descent of Buffalo. A large contributor to this high pullout rate would have been the searing heat, it was around 42 Celsius in the sun and was not really a pleasant temperature anywhere (especially not below 1000 metres down in the valleys).

1600x1200 Some of our bikes outside the caravan on the morning of the ride while it was still dark, Michael's Dean, Warren's Cannondale and my Lemond. 1600x1200 A blurry shot of some of the 6:20am start group getting out of Bright (I started at 6:40am so was able to take some photos as I cruised to the start). 1600x1200 Another blurry photo, Michael appears in this one too. 1600x1200 At the start/finish point awaiting the 06:40am start. 1600x1200 The people waiting behind me in the start group. 1600x1200 The group I was climbing up Towonga gap with, an ACT vets rider two in front of me on the left (he knows Michael and Allan)

1600x1200 A shot of my bars while climbing Towonga, I maintained about that speed all the way up Towonga and Falls Creek, probably a bit fast, though I was able to catch the others rather early on the Falls Creek climb. 1600x1200 A pretty good photo of Michael as I passed him on the climb up to Falls. 1600x1200 A blurry photo of Marea on the Falls climb. 1600x1200 Dan and Cath climbing Falls. 1600x1200 Sue as we got nearer the summit of the Falls Creek climb. 1600x1200 A large bunch of riders enjoying the shade on at finishing the return climb up Towonga.

1600x1200 My road bike looking out from the view at Towonga. 1600x1200 Marea rode with me for a while up the Buffalo ascent, then she left me as I was not tough enough to keep her pace on the climb. 1600x1200 A view up some of the exposed rock faces we climb through on the way up Buffalo. 1600x1200 My bike at The Gap, the summit of the Buffalo climb at last. 1600x1200 Sue took a photo of me upon finishing the 200KM, looking rather worn out.