Landslides & Route Changes - things just got a lot harder

So with all the rainfall the East Coast has seen over the last 12 months, we've seen a lot of impacts on communities through Australia's eastern states.

Seems like the same fate has befallen Falls Creek, one of the towns through which the Alpine Classic rides:

https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/landslide-threatens-to-bury-falls-creeks-summer-economy-20221031-p5bucf.html

There's been a major slow moving landslide which has cut the road between Mt Beauty & Falls Creek. And that's the "Front of Falls" - a major climb then descent on the 200 km route (not to mention a key piece of the 130 and 320 km routes). 

It seems trivial to whinge about the impact on my planned ride when road closure is having a massive impact on the livelihood of the people of Falls Creek, but impact my ride it has.

The 200 km ride hasn't been cancelled though, rather they've cut out the front of Falls and the two ascents of Mt Beauty, and replaced it with Mt Hotham.

Oooooooffff. Mt Hotham is a much tougher climb than the front of Falls. Higher, longer, steeper.  I'd picked the 200 as the route avoided the steep stuff. Front of Falls doesn't get above 6%, Hotham has plenty of 9 and 10%. 6% is a comfortable grind, 10% isn't.

Here's how the Climbing Cyclist describes the two climbs:

Front of Falls

Hotham

My arse is now sucking up buttermilk.

Here's the new route. I think the only pieces of good news about it is once I've done 150km, it's literally all down hill from there. And I get to ride up CRB hill, which looks like a cool piece of road:

I doubt it will look quite as cool on the day......

I see lots of hills in my future

The 'Rona for real. A fly in the ointment

  Last 2 weeks summary:

 Distance: 186 Km (longest ride 75.5 Km)

 # of Rides: 6 rides

Weight:  90.4 Kg

So the 'Rona finally caught up with me. Don't know where I picked it up. I did a short sharp trip to Sydney, and tested positive the day after I got back. Might have picked it up on the journey (plenty of close contact pinch points), though might have picked it up locally before travelling. 

It hasn't been terrible: sore throat, lethargy, bit of coughing- I've gotten off lightly. I am though quadruple vaxxed and the right side of 50, so I'd have been rather annoyed had it given me a right going over. 

It has though kept me off the bike. Sydney already pulled me off the bike a couple of days, then COVID reared up. Hopefully I'll be back on the road tomorrow (I'll keep it light), before another long ride on the weekend.

Weight still tracking nicely. Walked when I was in Sydney, and have walked a couple of days in spite of the spicy cough. It's no cycling, but it can't hurt. 

End of October Fortnighly Update

  Last 2 weeks summary:

 Distance: 335 Km (longest ride 104.2 Km)

 # of Rides: 10 rides

Weight:  91.8 Kg

Again a decent fortnight on the road. Another century ride, a somewhat hilly day, and the bike is feeling good. 

Ended up racking 899 Km for October. That's my biggest month on a bike EVER.

Heat is starting to arrive in a big way up here. We had an early season heatwave the last week which is only just breaking now. Really sucks the fun out of being out on you bike beyond 9 am, and even before then it's hot and humid. Ugh.

Weight is again down, but I suspect the drops will become smaller now. I think I've racked up the bulk of the quick wins. I'll keep at it though.

I've booked my flights to the Alpine Classic (fly to Melbourne and drive from there). Accom is sorted for Bright. Better register for the ride soon.

Heatwave - FFS

 So NQ is entering a short sharp heatwave:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-24/extreme-heatwave-far-north-queensland/101568942

Looks like it'll be 33 and 34 degrees thru the weekend. Not pretty. Can't see myself doing much more than 60-70 km rides this weekend.

This time of year, 28 and 29 is more the norm......

The Fortnightly Update: Nice set of numbers

 Last 2 weeks summary:

 Distance: 449 Km (longest ride 100.3 Km)

 # of Rides: 12 rides

Weight:  92.1 Kg

Best fortnight on the bike this whole journey. Muscled out a century ride, which wasn't easy (but I wouldn't have expected it to). Also had an 81 and a 67 in there too. Good miles.

Think it's key though that I build on this over the coming weeks. A few more hundreds, maybe even push out to 120+

The heat is starting to rear it's heat locally. Not getting down below 24 degrees over night, and pushing up to the low 30s during the day. Humidity isn't massive though, so it's manageable (for now).

Scales also continue to head in the right direction. Not been at a weight like this since 2015 or so. I have a bag full of "retired" shorts I might be able to bring back into circulation. Hurrah. Presently in week 8 of the 12 week plan if the CSIRO diet. Given I'm also hoping to have 4 solid weeks on the bike, I'd suggest 85 kilos might even be a realistic target. 

Boom - Century

It stung, but I got it done:

 

 

Getting up super early was key. It's getting hot by 9am

The fortnighly summary that's actually fortnighly

 Last 2 weeks summary:

 Distance: 379 Km (longest ride 78 Km)

 # of Rides: 10 rides

Weight: 94.2 Kg

Solid fortnight this. Not so much for the number of rides, rather the Km. Best fortnight on the bike this whole journey.

And the weight continues to shift. The CSIRO diet might suck, but it works. Long while since I've gotten below 96 kilos. 90 looks within reach rather than a pipedream.

Must go try a Castle Hill. Dropping 9 kilos should knock off 60 seconds plus off my climb time.