Some long ride experiences

From the plane/satellites eye view of google earth.

Albany Hwy to Kwinana Freeway via the Roe Hwy cyclepath April 19th 2006

The dark red thick line is the course I rode on my mountainbike. I have noted Kwinana Freeway and Jandakot Airport in the west (or left) of picture and Roe Hwy,Whaleback Golf Course and Canning River (which flows into the famous Swan River) to the right or east of the picture.....Report from my blogspot blog is as follows;

Reloading with Roe Hwy 3hr 26 Ride!

Wednesday 19th April 2006; Cycled 50.5km in 3hr 26min on the mountainbike. HR 126. Time includes about 15minutes I spent on drinks breaks and checking my maps. Pretty solid long ride. Very happy with it. Plan is to do at least one ride like this per fortnight, (preferably each week) until my achilles allows me to run again. So this is WEEK 1 of my Perth Marathon 2006 Assault. Its an 11 week program same amount of time as what as I did in 2004. Its time to get really focused and ensure my long 3hour+ sessions get done preferably each week, plus do some shorter easy sessions, and some more intense sessions...

Hopefully the achilles will clear up well before July. Found a useful link from Cool Running re treating achilles problems, so did 4x16 calf raises (double legged) with 2 minute rests
today also. Made sure I stressed the eccentric phase (the lowering part) of each calf raise. Need to be disciplined about maintaining this. Also iced my achilles last night. Going to rest the calves (gastrocnemius and soleus muscles) tomorrow, and then plan to do my next bunch of calf raises on Friday.

My ride was extremely interesting. Had heard that Roe Hwy now goes all the way to Kwinana Freeway, so was keen to see if this was true so followed Roe Hwy from Albany Hwy all the way to Kwinana Freeway, and then followed detour from Farrington Rd to Berrigan Rd, Karel Avenue and then back down Roe Hwy. Experienced lots of interesting sights,sounds and smells. The smell of a bakery in Canning Vale was good. Plenty of birds, plus the planes landing at Jandakot airport. Went past Whaleback and Glen Iris golf courses. My mountainbike is a bit worse for wear, but have to make do with what I have...it was ok...Had the usual niggling knee soreness at times, but mostly a very enjoyable and successful ride. Also came across some signs detailing the history of Aboriginal people on the plains below the Darling Scarp again, just as I did on Tonkin Hwy when I rode the 31km last week. Have learnt a few interesting things about how they lived in this area...Apparently they had 6 seasons for the year instead of our European influenced 4.

Seemed to cope better with saddle soreness this time, than I did on the Whiteman park 40km ride the other week. See how I pull up in the next few days. Onward and hopefully upward...

posted by trailblazer777 | 4/19/2006 05:32:57 PM | 0 comments links to this post  

Darling Scarp Adventure challenge! February 21st 2006

Darling Scarp Adventure challenge!

Darling Scarp Adventure challenge!

Tuesday 21/2/06; Cycled and bushwalked! for 2 hrs 44 min 34 mostly in 40 degree (Celsius) heat...and up some challenging hills, which reminded me a lot of 6-Inch Track... Was rather dehydrated and heatstroke affected after making some very costly navigational errors... A challenging experience this one! Ended up being a bit of an spontanous/unplanned orienteering/rogaining type experience.

I set off in the 40 degree heat hoping to get a quick 1 hour ride in on the path alongside Tonkin Hwy before the forecast thuderstorms set in for the evening. As I did not plan to be gone that long I only took one 600ml gatorade bottle, and about 500ml of water in my hydration pack. In hindsight I soooo wish I had taken the two one litre powerades and refilled the bladder in my hydration pack to its max of 2 litres as I could have done with the extra two litres of fluids for sure...

I took a wrong turn on some roads I have not yet ridden on yet, and thought from my map that I may be able to double back to Mills Rd.

However the dirt bush track I was following just got steeper and steeper until it was quite gnarly! trying to drag my mountainbike up it without losing my footing ( I had already given up trying to ride up I reckon about a 70-85 degree incline.) My gastrocnemius muscles (calves) were pretty close to maximal fatigue by the time I got up that hill, and I was rewarded with some shade from a tree in the oppressive heat and a glorious! view of the plains below as I was well up the Darling Scarp by this time.

However then I was faced with another challenge. There was no sign of Cockram Rd which I was looking for, and then I was shocked to discover a massive open-cut mine/quarry complete with a couple of those very large "Tonka" trucks (their wheels are about the size of a car! ) blocking my way forward. It was an incredible majestic sight a bit like looking at the Grand Canyon I suspect.... There was absolutely no way I was going to try a suicidal slide down the dirt track I had come up so the only thing for it was to try and skirt around the open-cut mine on bush tracks...

I spent the next 2 hours or so climbing steep hills in the oppressive heat, ran out of fluids, enjoyed some glorious views (felt like I was in a plane, and saw a few jet airliners Qantas etc flying just above too...)....Kept re-assessing my position trying to figure out how I could get to Mills Rd from here...Saw some of those massive powerlines heading in the correct direction and figured if I could find my way on tracks to them I could follow them to Mills Rd. Saw a few Rabbits and Kangaroos startled by my presence... The terrain was tough with lots of large boulders amongst the gravel...Prayed to God a few times to keep me safe...

Alternated between easy walking and easy cycling, as I attempted to conserve energy and fluids given my lack of each and the energy sapping heat...Eventually I managed to get to the powerlines and followed the track down until I cam to a small brook/stream. Unfortunately the first crossing I came to I decided not to take as it was covered with about 20 or 30 BEES! and a few WASPS thrown in for good measure... Soon found another crossing furtehr upstream not guarded by Bees and wasps. More climbing up steep gravel tracks in the HEAT! no fluids left now... and then I could hear the cars on Mills Rd in the distance. Then the big black clouds provided some welcome shade and I could rain down on the plain below the Darling Scarp a long way away. The views were absolutely fantastic! After much winding tricky gravel tracks and a few wrong turns I finally got to Mills Rd...and the feeling of elation as I dodged a car on the road and headed over to Cohuna Wildlife Park looking for a water fountain was a huge mental boost/encouragement...No sign of a water fountain so I would have to wait longer to treat my dehydrated state...However the sun was gone and rain was threatening as was;......LIGHTNING.

The tough ascents done, it was time to start the long descent down the bitumen of Mills Rd, and give the brakes on my bike a workout instead of me. Had to concentrate hard on the steep winding descent, with a few cars whistling past also..., but my legs got a welcome rest...The lightning seemed to be striking every few minutes and I reckon within a few km of me maybe even a few 100m of me...a little scary and I was glad to get through this part and enjoy the light rain all the way home...

So a very eventful ride which ended up being heaps tougher than I had planned and made me feel like I was doing SIX INCH TRACK again...but I will be better for it, and it feels good knowing I was able to rise up to the challenge...EYE OF THE TIGERESQUE.....Thanks God! for getting me through safely and without any major mishaps...

After that ride I think its time I did some reps....! to see what gains I picked up from the Darling Scarp ascent....but first I have to recover....I'm tired but happy.

posted by trailblazer777 | 2/21/2006 05:40:54 PM | 0 comments links to this post