Grape Ride

[Pip]

So, how many of you are still planning on doing this? I've barely ridden since doing the Taranaki Cycle Challenge at the end of January. I'm training for a marathon and am only allowed one ride a week and the last two weekends the weather's been shocking. I've had to do two-in-a-row spin classes instead!

I'm hoping base fitness will get me through. From memory it's not too hilly, and I've done a few 100km rides this year so I'm hoping I'll be ok. I might not wipe as much off last year's time as I hoped though!

[hilldweller]

If you can run a marathon I'm sure you could ride 100k!

I was hoping to but it was always going to be a big ask to get fit enough starting at Christmas, and when that date turned into mid Feb due to poxy flamin' couriers it became impossible. Would still love to do it though - next year!

Good luck and have fun :)

I'm not really aware of any other big bike events except Taupo. Can anyone recommend other good ones, pref in the South Island?

[MillieNZ]

Grumbling , grumbling ,grumbling about the last couple of weekends weather :mad::p

Well I was all set to come down for the week and do the Grape ride, but Hubby is too busy writing up his thesis to take the time out & it's also the weekend of our 1st wedding anniversary....... Soooooo to keep married for another year, I'm not coming down.........(bummed out about it)...........I can't even do the Rotorua to Taupo Flyer instead..................Have a great ride down there, I hope the weaterh is totally stunning for you, tail wind all the way :)

Next bigger ride is the Cycle for Life in Clevedon in April, nice 105km to finish off the season....

[Pip]

Sorry you guys won't be there! I lucked out with the weather for our last ride today - around 30 of us took over the Wellington roads for a short, flat (but fast) 55km ride. I rode 76km last weekend and 86km the weekend before that, so hopefully I should be fine.

I just want to get down there now!

[kiwi girl]

Yeah I can't wait either. Did 50 km this morning,might try to do 100 km tomorrow and then that will be that.

[Pip]

I'll see you soon KiwiGirl!

If anyone else is lurking and wants to introduce themselves on the day, I'll be the short blonde wearing a blue and pink "Gearshifters" t-shirt with a pink helmet and pink and white cycling gloves, on a champagne gold Genius.

It's stunning here in Wellington today, cloudless and windless. Let's hope we have something similar Saturday!

[hilldweller]

Hope you all had a great ride :)

[kiwi girl]

I had a great day

My chip time was 3:59:31 - so I was thrilled to meet my goal of sub 4 hours

I had never been on the Queen Charlotte drive on a bike or in a car - the hills were tougher than I was expecting but the views were spectacular.

The nor' wester got up pretty early in the day too which made it tough in patches - but the tail wind from Havlock into Renwick was great. I had actually given up on breaking 4 hours at Havlock and sat on the back of a slowish bunch for a while - till the wind took me home.

We shared accomodation with Pip and her husband and it was neat to share the experience with another TEer.

I haven't decided yet whether to go back next year (if I hadn't met my time goal there would definitely have been unfinished business to deal to) but I'd fully recommend it to any kiwis or anybody who can find there way to be there.

[crazycanuck]

Hey you crazy kiwis :cool: Did ya take any pics?

[kiwi girl]

Unfortunately the camera got nicked when we got burgled a month ago and hasn't been replaced yet.

Marathon-photos were on the job though - here is a link to mine

http://www4.marathon-photos.com/scripts/event_entry.py?event=Sports/RSNZ/2009/Graperide&match=4081

In my defense (and even though it is repetitive of the above - I feel the need to point out that the time that shows up is gun time - chip time was under 4 hours (just)


Yay -I've just checked back on the site and they have updated it so that anything that shows time now has chip time

[crazycanuck]

Looks like fun :) Sorry to hear some bogan knicked your camera :mad:

How were the hills? Good to see AV jerseys in NZ/Aust :D

[kiwi girl]

I found the hills pretty tough - I hadn't done nearly enough hill training. But the spectacular views more than made up for it

[RoadRaven]

Well done you...
Thats a very repectable time - I'm well impressed
:)

I'm hoping to get down to it next year. I think 2 of my son's are planning on doing it as it is part of the NPS and I think they plan on getting into a team.

[Pip]

Back on the Team Estrogen forums after a post-Grape Ride road trip around the South Island. It was, indeed, lovely to meet Kiwigirl and both of us did really well. I knocked half an hour off last year's time and think I'm good for another 10-15 minutes off on a day with less of a headwind. I lost a bit of time on the ride out to Picton because I was coasting a bit to stick with a good pack of women, (including one with a very lust-worthy white, black and orange Pinarello) but then I lost them behind me somewhere on the hill up to Picton. Thankfully I managed to get into another pack on the last stretch into Havelock where the headwind was fierce. It turned into a tailwind from Havelock onwards and that was the fun bit. I felt like I was flying!

I won't be doing the ride again next year. I'd love to but on 27 March it's too early. I'm thinking I'm going to do the 130km ride in Buller on 17 April instead. It's on my birthday and it ties in with my husband and I heading down to Central Otago to help out on my father-in-law's vineyard. I can highly recommend it to any other newbies out there though!