320 km, 6500m vertical - Jindabyne to Jindabyne loop on December 3 2011

I did not quite make it around, this being the longest ride I had attempted in around 5 months I may have been a little too soft on the day and was climbing a lot slower than the other 5. We made the call at Tom Groggin with a 20 km climb to do that if we could get a lift up the hill for me we would. Fortunately with in a minute or two a car full of mountain bikers came along and they gave me a lift. The others started the climb and finished the whole ride by 9:05pm after the 5:15am start.

Well done to Heather, Alex, Greg, Ryan and Nathan. I plan to go back once I have some more km (and maybe a compact chainring setup) in my legs and get this one done.

fullsize Greg early on the cold morning start climbing out of Jindabyne. fullsize Heather losing feeling in her fingers and toes but otherwise enjoying the start. fullsize Easy climbs early in the day fullsize Approaching the petrol station before it flattens out on the way to Berridale fullsize Alex as the sunshine hit fullsize Finally on the smaller roads heading out of Berridale fullsize Greg and Ryan ahead as we head for Adaminaby fullsize Over the shoulder shot, it was still cold but everyone is having fun fullsize Nathan on the front reminding us (as he did all day) why we nickname him Jens Versey fullsize The variety of scenery on this ride is fantastic from these open plains fullsize where later in the day we got a variety of alpine scenery fullsize Finally approaching the big trout in Adaminaby fullsize Heather and Greg posing with a great big fish. fullsize As I kept dropping off the pace on hills all day Nathan very kindly spent a lot of time pulling me back on. fullsize Another scenery change here near where the 2010 Australian Rogaine champs were (providence portal) fullsize Great day for a ride

fullsize The vistas opening up a bit as we approach Kiandra fullsize Fun downhill to the river, it was around here we saw some road signs with the distance to Wagga, it was shorter (and much less hilly) to ride to Wagga than to turn left and head to Jindabyne the way we were going. fullsize Alpine scenery fullsize There was a headwind in this area too which we were able to stay out of most of the day. fullsize Just near the Selwyn parks entry station fullsize Heather on a climb fullsize Ryan pulling a face for the camera fullsize Nathan near where we camped on the mtb ride last November fullsize Ryan, Heather and the others on some rolling terrain. fullsize Photo of my bars on a descent. fullsize Waiting at Tumut ponds fullsize The others rolling across the ponds fullsize Getting ready for our first really hard climb of the day fullsize Grouped together waiting for me to finish the climb fullsize Ryan and Nathan enjoying the final bit of up before we get into some of the serious descending (1500m down to 300m) fullsize Pointing downhill

fullsize Greg is loving these descents fullsize Nathan towing me on again after a climb interrupted the descending. fullsize Ryan after lunch fullsize Ryan and Nathan gearing up for the hard riding to come fullsize The pipes heading down to the rather cool power station we pass on the way out of Khancoban. fullsize Only 100km to go (though probably still half the climbing or more to go) fullsize Lovely alpine wooded scenery with vistas through the trees. fullsize Heather climbing fullsize From the bars shot on a descent fullsize Geehi crossing fullsize Same shot as taken in 2004 at Geehi fullsize Definitely a lovely place fullsize Come for the scenery stay for the pain of really big climbs? fullsize Heather hung with me for the climbs through this area. fullsize At the bottom of the final 20 km climb when I hopped in the car for the lift up the hill. fullsize Heather and Alex finished fullsize They rolled in together at 9:05pm fullsize Here is Greg after losing his chain on the hill up to the unit.