In great demand, the ever-growing C/D field of 30 interested SKCC riders booked out (and then some) the 1st ever edition of a training camp ‘preparation ride’, this time for the Inverloch Challenger Weekend on April 13-15. After a solid ride briefing in St Kilda’s central district, the ‘pack’ rode literally at a joked-about 40kph, laughing all the way to Frankston’s hilly Mt Eliza back-drop.
Once on the hills, all riders got to complete an optional Inverloch Training Camp ability level time-trial circuit: 6.5km within 17mins around the ‘Ridewiser Mini-Pyrenees Loop’ comprising the descent of Two Bays Rd, then a steep climb up to Banool Crescent and Canadian Bay Drive, finishing along Winona Rd ridge back to the starting point roundabout.
If all that wasn’t enough for the stronger riders, the fast jaunt down through Mt Eliza main-street and sudden descent of Oliver’s Hill greeted everyone with a testing strong northerly head-wind all the way back to St Kilda for a well-earned café stop. Riders finished over a 15-minute span, busting into 3 groups with some claiming it was the hardest ride they’d ever done.
Our good ol Mornington Peninsula doesn’t generally provide the toughest of terrains like the Dandenong range or Gippsland hills, but when the wind blows you might as well be on the alps!
Safe to say, all riders are very pleased to have jumped through the loops of Mt Eliza, faced the winds of Frankston, and completed the 100km Inverloch Camp prep ride, because if there’s any panic, they’ve still time to train just a little more before arriving on the folklore climbs of Inverloch’s Challenger course > ‘The Salamander’, ‘Cemetery Hill’ and the nasty ‘Kardella Dipper’ – all just part of a great little adventure next weekend…
See you all there, with bells on!
Crowie