Jon,
I think Peter and Andrew's ride reports above capture it pretty succinctly.
But to fill in a few of the gaps:
I went into this year's Fitz thinking that I am significantly fitter than last year and should do it quicker, easier or both. The result, almost as hard and no quicker. I think next year I will be doing 160 km.
It was cold at the start, 4 degrees on the Garmin and most of the first 10 km downhill so by the time we crossed the Murrumbidgee I was frozen stiff. I had a moment of panic as the corners tightened coming down to the river. The brakes don't work! Am I going to join that upside down car with the police tape on it? Thankfully, the brakes were fine, it was the fingers that didn't work but a bit adrenaline fixed that.
My game plan was to pace myself carefully early, so the next 50 km to Tharwa should have been a doddle but the cold in my muscles refused to go away and it just seemed like hard work. Legs, warm up and work properly please!
At Tharwa I met Robert and Anna, sick with the flu and suffering after 60km in the fridge. The snot was flowing but Anna was determined to continue so onwards and upwards we went, 15km of rolling gradual climb and then the mighty Fitze's hill. A bit like 3 x Artillery Hills but with watermelon and muffins at the top.
The back side of Fitze's is a cracking descent then more of the rolling climb that seems to make up all the bits of the ride that aren't big climb or big descent. Down a bit, up a ramp, down a bit, up a steeper ramp, down a bit, up... past the guy walking his Zipps up the steepest of the ramps. Whoosh, was that James? Another fun descent to the turn-around point at Rendezvous Creek. More watermelon and muffins and the occasional person who comes in too hot and can't get the Zipps to stop, overshooting the checkpoint.
At Rendezvous I get a mild verballing from a 6 times Tour de France rider ( and 4 Giro and 4 Vuelta ). "That's the old man's hip flexor stretch" he preaches. "This is the correct way to do it". I guess with a CV like that he does speak with some authority.
Hi Andrew, Hi Philip, Hi Peter, Hi Ben. The “Extreme” guys wiz through while I guzzle muffins and watermelon and some of Anna's superb home-made florentine. A short(ish) climb and then we thunder back down the rolling descent, the steep ramps now a source of fun. Spotted Phil and Greg, spotted Eleri. This is great fun. Climbing the back of Fitz’s we are passed by a wheezing guy on a full suspension e-bike. I can't believe his battery will last 160km with so many hills. Surely this guy is headed for the Sag wagon.
The run down Fitz’s hill is a cracker. My ailing Garmin says 230kph but I think 70 is more realistic. What this really means is riding conservatively and braking quite a lot to keep it down to 70.
And then the big one looms, Honeysuckle creek. The course sheet says 9km at 6% but what it really means is down a ways, up a lot, sometimes over 20%, along a bit, and then a steep bit to finish. At top, no one is capable of eating watermelon and muffins, they just stand around looking stunned or ill. At least this year there does not seem to be any one vomiting. Hi Andrew, Hi Keith, off they wiz again.
The descent from Honeysuckle is a cracker. Fast, steep ramps, Aaargh-cattle grid, Spotted Philip, Spotted Peter, sweeping turns and again my Garmin is going crazy, 120kph, zero, auto pause, auto resume, beep beep STFU.
I get to the bottom of Honeysuckle thinking I am full of beans and ready to power it home. By the time we get to Tharwa (10 km later) it is obvious that the beans are almost gone. Time for more food, fantastic rolls made lovingly by the wonderful ladies of Tharwa followed by multiple tubs of yoghurt. Just one little climb and then it's all flat from there says Robert. Perhaps not completely flat I think.
Corin Forest climb has been cut in half by a landslip and no one seems sad that a 9km climb has been turned into a 5km climb. Compared to Honeysuckle it is a doddle but that doesn't make it easy. At the top my spirits sink momentarily, they are out of watermelon
![Sad :(](./images/smilies/icon_sad.gif)
But then Ann pulls out some more home-made Florentine and life is good again.
The final 40km to the finish is just a matter of digging deep and finishing it off. Roll down, climb up, down to granny gear, roll down, climb up ... A long false flat down from Uriarra village to the Murrumbidgee is the only bit where you can just pedal along without constantly changing gears. Then climbing back up the hill that froze us to the core this morning and back to a cheering crowd of one at the finish ( thanks Andrew ).
Thanks Robert for waiting for me at the top of every climb. Massive kudos to Anna for keeping on despite the flu. And massive Kudos to all the DHBC folk who took on the Epic/Extreme/Challenge. Winners all.
Did anyone take any photos?
Anthony