Single track, single minded, singular joy. Stages 6 and 7, Terra Australis 2010.

No more numbers, no more elevation gains and losses, no more explanations of the route and how hard it was. You all get that. This was hard. I'm a stubborn SOB and at times I wanted to cry and curl up into a ball and rock. You all get that.
So what is it that made these two stages awesome and totally worth the pain? Single track. Beechworth's flowing, rocky, twisty goodness. It ended the stage on day 6 and started day 7. There is a fantastic mix of tight and twisty trail with real rock drops and roll overs and then the open, fast ribbons that weave through the trees and allow you to go so fast that it all becomes a blur and drops you into that special world where only the bike and you matter. This place should be visited by all mountain bikers once in their life.
I personally think that there is magical properties that exude from single track offering increased strength and concentration much like spinach does for Popeye or the elixir does for Asterix. Once your wheels hit it then all the encumberances of fatigue drop away to let the dogs off the chain to go chase that fun, no matter what. After feeling like death warmed up for the start of day 6 and continuing to feel that way most of the way around the course we were dropped into the first taste of Beechworth single track and it was like someone had just mainlined a double espresso into my veins and booted me in the arse with a size ten. Zip, gone, see ya later! We passed some of the riders who had been killing us on the long gravel roads like the were standing still. Stomp, stomp , stomp. All the way to the finish line.
Day 7, well it started with some new single track. I got a flat only about 20 minutes into the ride and watched as all the other teams went past me. I just calmly fixed it with the knowledge that te further ahead they got, the clearer the trails would be for me. I had been held up quite a bit on the early sections so was intent on enjoying this experience even if I had to wait an hour for the course to clear. Spencer had gone off the front when I got caught up but he called me and was happy to wait too. That clear single track was a real lure for us both.
Once I caught up to Spencer the trails didn't stay clear for long. We were bombing it! It really showed me how much time we could have made up if there was more technical single track on the other days. We ride it all the time and it showed as the pair of us carved a path through the other teams back to around the 2 thirds mark of the pack. Yep, we really could ride our bikes in this single track stuff. Real mountain biking. We talked and joked about it all the way to the finish line.
There is nothing much left to say about the race. The final two days were a fitting end to the race and the elation at crossing the line on Saturday is indescribable. There was a lot of congratulations and pats on the back, lots of cheering as teams crossed the line and a general feeling of comaraderie amongst the racers and support crew alike.
My final feeling as I crossed the line? Pride. Pride in Spencer for getting up after being knocked down and finishing every other stage. Pride in how we had carried ourselves as a team and as competitors. Pride in myself for taking that first step over a cup of coffee months ago, saying I would train and be ready for the start line, and most importantly pride in finishing.

Thanks again to Russ Baker for the kind use of the image. Onya Russ!

The Terra top ten.

While I finish up the last of the race reports I thought I would just lighten the mood a bit and throw in a top ten. It's what all the TV stations do when they don't have anything else to program so why can't I. So here it is.
Graham's Terra Australis Top Ten. (In some kind of order...)
10. Greens pancake mix. The breakfast of champions.
9. Rockin it to dub and reggae all the way to Mount Beauty on the way down.
8. Steak at the Victoria Hotel in Goondi on the way home. Just awesome.
7. Spectacular scenery every day for seven days. Everywhere you looked it was another post card view and it just kept getting better.
6. Beechworth single track. If you ride it, you'll know......
5. Beechworth Brewery after Beechworth single track. What better way to exaggerate how good you were in the single track than with a couple of fantastic hand made brews and some good friends. Yeah, we were pretty cool.
4. The Giant XTC1 29er. It performed fantastically well. Not bad for a bike that retails for $2300.
3. Lucas's Paw Paw ointment. My butt thanks you. Lets leave it at that.
2.Finishline Events and all the other competitors. Amazing people, an amazing event, an amazing experience.
1. Spencer. He was crazy enough to say yes. We are even still mates!

Hump Day.

Stage 5. Bright to Beechworth. 92.5km, 2297m alt gain, 1924m alt loss.

I was feeling pretty good about todays stage as I rolled up to the start line. The day before had been a massive hurdle and I felt I had cleared it and was now on the downhill run. The only problem with that was that noone had told the organisers of the race!

While physically I was in good shape mentally it was hard to get up for the start and to want to attack the first part of the course. I guess that a 14km climb up Mount Porepunkah will do that to you though. You heard right, 14km up. Granted this climb was at a very manageable 8% or so it was still long and had a couple of evil little pinches to throw the rhythm and max out the heart rate. I felt pretty settled after a couple of K's of turning the legs over but was having real issues just setting my head right. There was heaps of adrenaline and a healthy dose of fear for the day before but there was a very real sense of anti climax for this stage which made the ride feel like a chore.

Once we were over the first climb it was a very fast, fun descent down into the valley and a nice cruisey traverse across to the next feed stop. Vegemite and nutella sangers were consumed and we were on our way again. The fires in the boiler room had been re lit. I could smell the finish line. The tempo on the climbs went up and the descents became eye watering plunges into the valleys.  
There was a very real feeling that this was the final hurdle in a week full of hurdles. I knew I could eat up the final two days in my sleep and wow did that put a rocket up my arse! As the 85km mark ticked over we knew we had climbed the last hill for the day. It was all down hill to the line now. Big dog engaged, attack formation and let 'er rip! The run to the line was blisteringly quick and we only took the foot of the gas as we entered the university grounds where the finish line was. We were joking and pinning along and then I heard it.
Click, click, buzz. Gears changing and wheels winding up to speed. I looked back and there were 2 guys coming up fast. I yelled at Spence to gas it. He looked at me and shrugged. "Go, fuck ya!" So he did and after 5 days of racing and being at the back of the field we sprinted. We had no chance of catching the 2 guys in the general classification, no chance of improving our overall position but I was sick of being beaten over the line. It was the single most futile effort I have ever undertaken but it felt good. We smoked them. As we crossed the line I was cackling and hollering like I had won a stage of the Tour de France. We slapped the hands of the guys in the sprint and laughed some more. Great finish to the day.

Beer O'clock........

Stage Three, Dinner Plain to Bright. 72 km, 1219m alt gain, 2479m alt loss.

This was the stage we needed. After two gruelling days in the saddle we finally had a stage that was more down than up and had the promise of a short day on the bike for both Spencer and I. To his credit Spencer was up and ready to ride despite the disappointment of the previous day and even looking forward to a fun descent down to the Upper West Kiewa Valley. From Dinner Plain we climbed up to Hotham to begin the days first descent down the shaly side of Machinery Spur. This was rough and unforgiving with more than a few riders taking spills throughout the day due to loss of traction or hidden ruts. I was flying though. Spencer and I were whizzing past teams we hadn’t seen for the previous two days of climbing now and that really put the smiles back on our faces. The smiles only got wider as we made our way down into the valley and started the first of 6 river crossings on the Ovens River. Some riders were complaining about the wet feet but we just giggled like school girls as we plunged through the crystal clear water and past some of the most beautiful scenery so far. We even sat in the feed station and had a chat with a few riders as they came through and left again only to catch most of them on the climb out of the valley along Dungies Track. While the going was steep on this climb the surface was hard pack and smooth. We really attacked the climb and got a solid rhythm going all the way to the top. Very satisfying.

Once over the top of the spur we had a fast and flowing descent down to Bright with some sweet single track along the river into town. On the short dirt road and bitumen sections we teamed up with a Kiwi mixed pair and shared the load of the draft. As a mixed pair they were very strong but the previous day had really knocked them around. We slowed a little and then Karen fell right back. I checked if they were OK and once given the wave Spencer and I dropped into the big ring and powered along roady style to the finish line. We have now ridden with the kiwis quite a lot and they are a top pair. We have had long chats and even a beer or two together at the end of the stages. Another example of mountain bikers just getting along.

Finally now I could recover. I rested and ate and ate and rested with the knowledge that the next stage was the Queen of the race and the stage where the most DNF’s had occurred from 2009. It promised to be massive.

Stage Four, Bright to Bright. The Mount Buffalo circumnavigation. 117km, 3206m alt gain, 3191m alt loss.

I dreaded this stage from the day I decided to attempt the Terra. I’ve never done 117km on a mountain bike before, I’ve never climbed over 3000m in a day before and I certainly have never done it after 3 days of racing and possibly 2 of the hardest days I have ever spent on a bike. Daunted? You betcha.

We left Bright and basically the climbing started immediately. No warm up run in with some easy k’s, just bang in your face climbing at 17 percent. A little rest and then bang, here we go again. We climbed for around 17 of the first 20 kilometres of the day and that only set the standard for what was to come. There was a 19 kilometre stretch that was relatively flat on the profile but the truth was it was a gravelly heat trap that just seemed to go on forever with no real let up and nothing to keep you interested while you pedalled along. We stopped and ate some more with the view that the big climb was approaching and the fuel would be vital to get up it.

So what classes as a big climb in the Terra Australis? Well that would be a 12 kilometre climb that takes you up 1200m to around the 1300m mark above sea level on gravelly rutted tracks with little or no protection from the sun. Spencer was smashing it. He left me for dead several times but waited each time until I got my rhythm going and started to nail the pace. Somewhere along the way he just stopped. I pulled up to him and asked what was going on and he could only say to me that he was in a dark place mentally and needed a rest. I left him to his thoughts and continued on. Sometimes there are no words to fix a problem. We had been riding for about 6 hours and the fact we still had so much work to do to get home had just snuck up and overwhelmed him. I waited at the summit for him. We took on water and stretched the legs a little to loosen up after holding the attack formation for the last 12 k’s. He came around and I led off on the descent down to the valley floor and the second feed stop for the day. Again the volunteers put on a good show and picked us up mentally as well as physically with jokes and plenty of vegemite sandwiches. Another glowing report for the support crew.

Along a flat stretch to the pine plantation outside of town for the last of the climbs for the day. These were shorter but way pinchier especially with shattered legs and backs and fragile mental states. The day had also turned quite hot and the pines offered no respite from the sun with the reflection off the decomposed granite surface adding to the heat. Once we reached the top the relief was like a curtain being thrown open to reveal the sunshine. We started talking and joking again and flew into the descent down to the town of Bright. We crossed the finish line inside the 10 hour cut off for the stage and was met by handshakes from the race director as he shakes the hand of every rider who finishes this stage. 9 hours and 31 minutes in the saddle. We were both shattered but very happy to have made it over the stage. I won’t say I conquered it as that implies a victory but I do think I survived it and kept my dignity. That’s enough for this year.

The immages from this report were kindly supplied by Terra Australis, Russel Baker and Kaz and John. Cheers folks!

protection from the sun. spencer 

Terra Stage 1 and 2. How to suffer.

Well finally I can take the time to get to a place to upload my blog for the Terra Australis 2010. The amount of emotional and physical feelings I have experienced in the past 5 days makes it hard to ensure that I can express them and carry you along for the ride.

I must premise it all by saying that the riding has been spectacular. The photos don’t do it justice as the scenery is breath taking and the sheer volume of amazing places you ride through is mind numbing. From the high plateau of Falls Creek and Dinner Plain to the lush forest around Bright and the slowly regenerating eucalypt forest of Beechworth you just keep being amazed. I have crossed the Ovens River 6 times, climbed to the top of Goldies Spur and seen the western side of Mount Buffalo, scaled shaly climbs that went on for kilometres and then plunged into lush forests with massive gums surrounding bracken ferns.

If this all sounds idyllic there is a definite sting in the tail of every vista I’ve seen, every beautiful creek I have crossed and most definitely every lush valley I have plunged into. I have suffered. I have sweated, sworn, struggled and bled for every kilometre and stage finish so far. This race is a beast and even if I get to the end I won’t say I have tamed it, only survived it.

Stage 1. Falls Creek to Mount Beauty. 92km, 2550m alt gain, 3726m alt loss.

I showed up at the start line with apprehension and fear. No other way of putting it. There was a 50km wind blowing across the top of the mountain which dropped the temperatures down to about 6 degrees and would later take a heavy toll on us on the plains as a head wind. Down to it. We set off and quickly gained our place at the tail of the field with the first climb of the day being a relatively gentle gravel road up to the edge of the lake and then turning off toward the plains. I was feeling OK by then even though Spencer had flatted and we had lost time already and were now well back in the pack with no real hope of picking up places. No matter, the aim is to finish. That’s when it got hard.

We hit the climb to Mount McKay and the terrain turned to hell. Imagine plate sized flat rocks that slid from under you when you pedalled coupled with bottom bracket deep ruts and you get the idea of what I mean. Now multiply that by about 15 kilometres. Yep, 15 kilometres of climbing at about 12% on that. The Terra was showing me who is boss and it’s only day 1. When I thought I had got a rhythm going on the climb I came to a curve in the trail then it hit me. A head wind at 50 kilometres per hour that took the temperature down to about 5 degrees was smashing me in the face while it’s buddies the rocks and ruts took turns at taking chunks out of my leg strength. Unreal.

I finally got to the top and was really looking forward to the descent down Timms Spur to the Big River Valley. If only it wasn’t the roughest, most technical, longest descent I have ever done. There are head sized boulders and sticks the size of small countries across the trail and all that is laid over a bed of slippery pea gravel and hard pack. Mega. My arms were so sore I had to sit down at the end of each descent and shake them out. I had no feeling in my fingers from grabbing the brakes and bars so hard and while I should have been able to rest my legs on the downs I found that I was constantly on the hammer otherwise it was flaming wreck time for yours truly. There was a comment made at the end of the stage by one of the elite guys that said he has never been so happy to start climbing again. It was simply that full on. The feed station at the end of this was a god send. Spencer and I sat in silence looking each other with fear in our eyes.

 At this stage I still had around 1000m of climbing to do to the finish. If only it had been easy fire road or gravel but no, it was not to be. More of the fist sized, square edged rocks met us for the entire climb. The only comment I have on this section is I was numb. I climbed slowly and in silence. My heart was broken and my legs were trashed with no end in sight. I really am lucky to have got through this section as it could very easily have been the end of me. I finally saw the turn into the Mount Beauty single track and Big Hill. Another flat while in the single track further sealed the day as a complete disaster. I did not enjoy the single track or even take in the amazing views across the Kiewa Valley. I was smashed physically and mentally and it was only day one.

Day 2, Falls Creek to Dinner Plain. 102km, 2112m alt gain, 2052m alt loss.

I started the stage with a feeling of confidence and a plan to steadily gain the altitude needed and rest on the long descents into the valleys. The climb from the start was steady and on reasonable terrain so we just ticked along and ate up the first 15 km with ease. Then the rot set in. We missed a marker on a turn and headed up a steep and rock littered climb until we reached another intersection where there was no trail marker. I was pretty annoyed as we tried to get mobile coverage to find to where we were and how far off track we had gone. Finally after a 10k diversion with a lot of climbing we were back on the trail and moving towards the next check point. The whole adventure took a massive toll on both Spencers and my state of mind and there was a real negative vibe about the climb back out towards the Bogong Highway. More bad news. As we were now so far behind the pack, a sweep vehicle had been through and removed a further trail marker and now we had 4 options as to which way to go. Finally after a lot of swearing and cursing Spencer announced that he was heading down the bitumen no matter what and that someone could just come and get us from the next town. Fair enough too I thought.

We lucked out though and there was a checkpoint a few k along the road. I headed into it at 45 degrees, head down and attitude turned up to nuclear. I was pissed in a big way. We still don’t know what happened to the marker and I have since apologised to the guys that bore the brunt of my frustration but hey, it still sucked.

The climb that followed was brutal. 22 percent and covered in what can only be described as rider destroying, jagged edged demons. We both walked it most of the way and from all reports so did everyone else. 1.5k later we crested a spur and looked down at the same trail we had climbed only this time descending. My arms and shoulders were aching from the day before and this only nailed the coffin closed a little more. I think I lost a tooth on that descent. It was just that rough. You could not rest, you could not drink, you could not blink. The consequences of failing to ride the descent would be race ending as the speed gained due to lack of traction and the type of surface would have both ripped me apart and shattered bones.

The next part of the ride is a blur to me as fatigue was setting in and my brain was struggling to make informed decisions. Spencer was in a bad way too with his hip and knee in pain constantly and the toll of the off trail excursion messing with his head. There was another climb on pea gravel, we caught the back markers and the sweep vehicles, and we grovelled for every kilometre we made. Spencer cracked. As we came over a rise he could see the climbs continuing off into the distance and the knowledge of the 30 kilometre climb up to Dinner Plain was just too much. I had watched him struggle up every hill that day when normally he would lead me out and then he would drop off the back when I tried to rest him on the long straights. There were still 10 k’s to cover before the next aid station and it was just too much. We talked about it and I asked if he was OK for me to continue and try and make Dinner Plain. He agreed, slapped me on the back and gave me a push off. 40 k from home, 3.30pm in the afternoon and 10k until the next aid station. Alone.

I stomped the big ring into the aid station and covered the 10k in a little under 30 minutes. Up hills and down dales I smashed it. The aid station saw me coming and jumped to it. I will write more about them later but they are awesome. My Camelbak was taken and filled, electrolyte filled in the bottle and food was shoved at me from every direction. The Bicycle Superstore guy grabbed the bike, had it cleaned and lubed and in a good gear to set off in minutes flat and I was away again. Supportive words, a few jokes and a lot of best wishes pass the way of every rider on this race but Christ I felt special.

2.5 kilometres of bitumen climbing and the real climb began. Up. 27.5 kilometres. Dirt and stones. Cold. That was all that I could think of and I very nearly cracked. I did what I thought was my last option to get myself over this hurdle and called my wife. Her words, “You’ve done harder days at work than this doing things you hate and you survived. You love riding your bike. Get on with it. You can do it.” So I did. I chewed the bars, I swore at myself and I cried a few tears until finally nearly 3 hours later I approached the top. I saw a house and then another and then a gravel path. I could see a person on a bike at the end of the path and it turned out to be Meg. She and Spencer and Pete had all come down to see me over the line. What followed was a blur. Over the line and off to the accommodation for a shower. I only really clocked what was going on when i got to the pub and ordered my steak and tasted the first sip of beer. I finished the stage. How I still don’t know but I can tell you it has carried me through all the other stages so far. No matter how hard they are.