Sept 2012 – A New, Big Challenge

I mentioned yesterday that I have slightly adjusted my goals for 2012, dropping a list of local climbs for a new challenge in September. Well, the new challenge is the Tour de Kids Plus Adelaide to Geelong 2012 bike ride. 855kms from Adelaide to Geelong in 6 days. Yes, 6 days. Will certainly be a big challenge, that is for certain. Given that last December I managed 500kms in a week as part of the Rapha 500 Challenge, I know just how hard this is going to be.

The Route

This is a supported ride, so there will be a Ford transit van up the road for all of the ride to look after us in case of trouble. There is also about 12 people doing the ride, so that will make it slightly easier. 855kms is still a long way in 6 days.

This isn’t the first ride I have done like this, I did a 1000km ride solo in 2005 from Sydney to Melbourne via Canberra. That was a lot less travel each day than what the Tour de kids Plus ride is going to be.

The other exciting point to highlight is that one of my best mates, Jason Woods, is doing it as well. What an adventure it will be for the pair of us. He has already stated that the biggest challenge for him will be “putting up with Captain Cranky for 6 days!”

Dumb and Dumber

That is a shot of the pair of us at the start of last years Around the bay in a Day ride.

So the plan is not to ride a load of local climbs now, but to try and spend longer and longer in the saddle to prepare for 6 century rides in a row. A tall order for a chunky bloke like myself.

I will be chasing donations when it is closer to the ride, but for more details, just click the Tour de Kids Plus Adelaide to Geelong 2012 link and have a read.

I can’t wait.