Saturday November 24 - Change of Plans!! Freo instead

Ride Organiser: Robert Hind
Organiser's email: Robert@robert-hind.com
Organiser's mobile telephone no: 0417 934 502
Ride style: Social
Terrain: Mainly Flat
Estimated Distance: 65 kms+
Start Point: Maylands, Narrows - North Side
Start Time: Maylands 7:30, Narrows 8:00

*** Note: - Summer start time ***

We had scheduled Alan's "Mediocrity Ride" for this weekend..BUT Alan won't be riding and nor will Nigel, so it is doubtful we would get the route right.

So...we'll do the old familiar "Friendly Freo" with the usual obligatory coffee stop (in Fremantle). We'll have the usual Maylands Railway Station start at 7:30 am then hook up at the Narrows. The ride will start from the Narrows Bridge (North Side - where the bike path goes under the freeway bridge) at 8:00 am.

Saturday November 24 - Mediocrity Ride

Ride Organiser: Robert Hind
Organiser's email: Robert@robert-hind.com

Organisers mobile tel: 0417 934 502
Ride style: Social
Terrain: Mainly Flat
Estimated Distance: 50 kms+
Start Point: Maylands, Narrows - South Side
Start Time: Maylands 7:30, Narrows 8:00

NOTE: This ride will have an 8:00 am Narrows start even if forecast is for over 30.

I've taken the liberty of scheduling Alan's "Mediocrity Ride" for this Saturday so lets hope Alan is riding as I wouldn't have a clue which way to go!! 

Alan Perkins introduced to the "Mediocrity Ride" in April. It was, well "ok" (according to half the group). Some said the ride was really good ...but that was thanks only to the weather. Some said the ride was perhaps, "possibly repeatable". So we've decided to repeat it.

The "Mediocrity Ride" features ideas carefully pilfered from other people, and offers something to most. It is the ride rated "OK" by 5 out of 10 people! If you're excited about this ride ...DON'T BE ...you've missed the point!

Starting at Narrows - Southside, the "Mediocrity Ride" is a leisurely 50 km tour, via Kwinana Freeway and Mount Henry bridge, of the Riverton environs with a coffee stop at Lo Quay cafe, before returning via South Perth to the Narrows. The terrain is mainly flat with some gentle hills; uses a mixture of cycle paths and roads,and intersperses faster stretches with slower, more technical sections.

Alan anticipates an 8.00 am start from the Narrows (South side), with the "over achievers" having the option of a 7:30 departure from Maylands.

Cycling Workshops - a few places left!!

Here is a great opportunity to improve your cycling whilst raising money for CanTeen.  A few places still available. Hurry - first workshop is Thursday this week!

Click HERE to download the flyer.

And to register: https://www.registernow.com.au/secure/Register.aspx?ID=7587

Summer Start Time vote

I understand the temperature dependent earlier start caused some confusion and delays on Saturday Nov 17. The fact that I nominated Narrows South as the start point (when Narrows North was more appropriate for a Hillarys Ride) didn't help!

Firstly some background..to explain why, when changing to the summer start time of 8:00 am rather than 8:30 am at the Narrows, we had added the proviso of an even earlier start when the temperature is forecast to go over 30C.

In recent years some of our, valued, Ride_Group members have preferred to do an earlier ride and haven't ridden with the main group. This "splintering" started in the hotter months, with their preference to get in an earlier ride to avoid the heat and this continued on with a separate group riding throughout the year.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with this and this blog posting isn't implying criticism in any way ...just providing an explanation. It is perfectly natural that different times will suit different people to fit in with their other activities and we're never going to please all the people all the time

The split times were designed to suit those of our group who have got used to and prefer the later start while trying to get the ride done and dusted earlier when the heat turned up.

It looks like that plan won't work. So, we need to "lock in" an agreed summer start time. Please let me have your vote [state Option AND Start time] so we can set a time that suits most. The options are:-

Option 1: 6:00 am at the Narrows
Option 2: 6:30 am at the Narrows
Option 3: 7:00 am at the Narrows
Option 4: 7:30 am at the Narrows
Option 5: 8:00 am at the Narrows

In all instances the Maylands start would be 30 minutes earlier than the agreed time at the Narrows.

I must admit that with my partner, Andrea, now joining a group doing early rides that my preference will be either Option 3 or 4.

One note though... regardless of which option we agree on - the Familiarisation Ride on Dec 1 will be as already published (8:00 am).

Saturday December 1, 2012 - Pt Walter

Ride Organiser: Robert Hind
Organiser's email: Robert@robert-hind.com
Organiser's mobile telephone no: 0417 934 502
Ride style: Social
Terrain: Fairly Flat
Estimated Distance: 40 km?
Start Point: Narrows - South Side
Start Time: 8:00 am

On Saturday December 1 we will combine our ride with a Life Cycle for CanTeen [OnRoad] familiarisation ride. We will meet at 8:00 at the red kiosk at the southern end of the Narrows Bridge. For those of you who haven't done Life Cycle this is an opportunity to meet some of the great people who have participated in the past and others who plan to for the first time. It is likely that we will split into a faster and a slower group which will meet for coffee at Point Walter along the way. 

Saturday Nov 17, 2012 - Hillarys without twists

Ride Organiser: Bill & Peter Davis
Organiser's email: bppe_davis@iinet.net.au
Organiser's mobile telephone no: 0438 448 578
Ride style: Social
Terrain: Mainly Flat
Estimated Distance: 55 kms+
Start Point: Narrows - South Side
Start Time: Narrows 8:00 am

Ride Route:

PSP - Narrows to Loftus St

Loftus St

Mitchell Fwy PSP

Reid Hwy

Marmion Ave

Hepburn Ave

Coffee stop at Hillary’s

Return via Hepburn Ave and Mitchell Fwy PSP

Option catch train from Greenwood station

(Note: Bill & Peter Davis are the ride organisers. I won't be riding on Saturday..Robert)

Saturday Nov 10, 2012 - Heritage Trail MTB ride

Ride Organiser: Robert Hind

Organiser's email: Robert@robert-hind.com

Organiser's mobile telephone no: 0417 934 502

Ride style: Social

Ride type: Mountain Bike - non technical
Terrain: Steady Climb then Good descent
Estimated Distance: 45kms
Start Time: 7:30am
Start Point: Darlington Tennis Courts

We'll do the easy mountain bike ride on the Heritage Trail. We'll meet and start at the tennis courts in Darlington then ride down the track to Pechey Park then up the track North of Great Eastern Highway up to Sawyers Valley. This a fairly easy, steady climb. We'll cross the highway and return on the south side with a finish at Darlington for coffee / food.

For those of you who haven't done much mountain bike riding this is an excellent way to get accustomed to MTB rides.

Whether you're a member of the Ride_Group or a guest please let us know if you're planning on joining us for the ride. (Members - remember our ongoing competition!)