3 Peaks Challenge 2012 Training Log #11: tduMOTU Week - Days 6 & 7 "All good things must come to an end"

Tanunda Stage 4 - Final sprint from 150m

 This is the 3^rd post in my trilogy of posts documenting my and Team MOTU’s week shadowing the

2012 Tour Down Under

during which, between Sunday 15 January and Saturday 21 January (7 days):

·       914km were ridden;

·       all KOMs summitted;

·       11,390m climbed; and

·       >23,000 calories burnt in the saddle.

To review the 2^nd post CLICK HERE

To watch the tduMOTU video edit CLICK HERE

Day 6 - Stage 4: Tanunda - “BUPA Challenge Ride” (SpecK, SmA, DH, BY and ZZ): 143 km and 1,600 m of elevation

Yours truly ascending Menglars Hill

Once again I decided to register and compete in the Challenge Ride – the Official Tour Down Under breakaway ride allowing amateurs of differing experience/ability to ride a stage of a UCI World Tour Stage.  For 2012, the ride commenced in Norwood (just a very short ride from my home), travelling around the Ranges into and finishing in the wine region of the Barossa Valley.

This was my fourth Challenge Ride in a row, though the first was spent with my painfully watching from the roadside.  Long story; let’s just say I’ve since learnt from my mistakes and nutritionally I’m much more appreciative of the requisite (additional) fuel required for training and recovery.

With only SpecK, SmA, DH and BY also officially registered, SD, ET, AVO and DD had other respective plans for the day.  Snappy decided for a light morning ride ahead of watching the professionals set off later in the morning, and ET, AVO and DD each had their own respective plans to ride abridged routes to see the pros.  In advance I chose to accompany SpecK, SmA and DH, and help them if I could in anyway – if nothing else for moral support.  For myself, I saw the ride as a “recovery ride” ahead of what I anticipated would be a tougher day in the saddle the following day.  I had no target time, and would allow the pace to be dictated by the others.

·        The route itself incorporated three primary climbs, though only the latter two were classified as KOMs.  Curiously the first climb (Ansteys Hill) – that which was not classified, was a harder climb than the second (ie Norsworthy Road).  The third climb – Menglars – was clearly the toughest for riders, though a climb which, for those familiar, isn’t too overwhelming.  For the week, I would rate Menglars behind both Willunga and Fox Creek in terms of relative difficulty.

·        Officially registered for “Fox Tucker Lawyers”, my employer.  I was sans MOTU kit, but thought this year’s “red” was the best since the “yellow” of 2009.  Further, being one among the equally kitted gave me (from a distance) some anonymity and camouflage on the road – which I appreciated. 

·        Not my favourite of rides in terms of safety.  With a lot of nervous cyclists on the ride less familiar with riding side by side, in front or behind, I was a little concerned for my own health.  The descent from Anstey into Chain of Ponds I found incredibly scary; that is, a lot of inexperienced cyclists lacking the legs in the climb trying to make up “lost time” on the descent – risks taken, lines not maintained and mute when it came to calling out their position and intent.

Oscar Friere

·        Organisation for the ride was very good in terms of police presence on the roads; there was not one intersection that wasn’t maintained and which I was given right of way.  In terms of ride support and food support at the end, in comparison to the Ride-Like-Crazy that was held less than a week before, it was somewhat disappointing. 

·        Really enjoyed riding with SpecK and not be drawn into the temptation of trying to ride the stage as fast as I could!  SpecK is designer, moderator and “God” of Adelaide Cyclists, and (with only slight exaggeration) I’m sure knew every third person we passed on the road – was educational having him put a face to a name at times.

·        Watched Stage end in Tanunda in lieu of climbing Menglars a second time to watch the KOM.  It also enabled me to watch Freire take the stage win, and Kohler the ochre jersey.

·        Had always planned to get a lift home rather than ride home – I wanted to save my legs for the Willunga stage the next day.  That being said, in hindsight given how well I felt on Willunga and that entire Saturday, I know I could have ridden home from Tanunda and chalked up the 80km needed that would have given me a total 1,000km for the week.

Day 7 - Stage 5: Old Willunga Hill (SD, BY, ET and ZZ): 136 km and 1,890 m of elevation

Last day on the road for the week before being able to relax and enjoy the satisfaction of having achieved what we did during the week.  Slept well, albeit constantly dreaming about the week and the day to come; kilometres, nutrition, gradients, temperature, hydration, wind direction, when to attack, when to sit up etc etc etc, my brain even when asleep was churning through combinations and permutations as if some type of cycling – flight – simulator.

Met SD to climb Belair, the hills before Clarendon and Willunga Hill ahead of enjoying the festive atmosphere at the summit for stage end.  Feeling in good form, I chose to also ascend Wickhams Hill and descend Pennys Hill Road whilst SD chose to ride straight from Kangarilla to McLaren Vale skipping Wickhams to see the professionals ride their few loops past the town.  Brad, SD and ET (on Dahon) then progressively – in their own time – progressively climbed Old Willunga to the top, they I’m sure, slowing their progress up the hill knowing I had already claimed a great vantage spot :p



Gerro, Rogers & Valverde (tuckd behind Rogers) with 200m to go

 

Atmosphere at the top of Willunga was fantastic.  A lot of enthusiasts!  It is very hard to explain, but to be able to be share in and be among the throng of four deep at the top in the widening channel was a huge highlight for the week.  I have never been to France (let alone watched a mountain top finish at the TDF), so this is as close as I was going to get to experience such atmosphere:

·        A lot of group cyclists heading up Belair and past Kangarilla on their way to Old Willunga Hill, though all seemed to skip Wickhams.  I was alone on the bike for the first time during the week, and it felt nice.  Alone with my thoughts, on the bike feeling physically and mentally very good.  I was able to digest the week, the preceding months and what still lay ahead in the last seven weeks ahead of the 3 Peaks.

·        Descent down Penny’s was taken cautiously.  Upon seeing a kangaroo jump across the road a hundred metres ahead of me when travelling close to 70km/hr I thought... “let’s be careful”. 

Part of the Willunga crowd

·        Was very pleased to be able to welcome BY, SD and ET one-by-one at the top of Willunga with camera in hand, each of them basking in the aforementioned atmosphere as they crested the top to the whistles, clappers et al.

·        Return ride via Range Road and back through Kangarilla, Clarendon and Belair with SD, BY and BY’s friend Dean was fun, so relaxed, and again, feeling very good I tried to bear the pace burden as much as possible.  We missed the opportunity to join BMC as they returned as we were forced to refill our bidons at the Kangarilla service station – no support vehicle for us. 



BY, SD, ZZ and ET



·        To the amusement of SD, I continued to consume gels and bars all the way home, even in the final 20km’s for the week.  So ingrained am I now to keeping properly fuelled on the bike, that I barely noticed that I was even doing it.



·        Got home feeling great!!  I was stoked!  In all seriousness, I feel I could easily have ridden again the next day if other plans hadn’t been made, or have ridden harder/longer in the days preceding.

·        Evening was spent at Team MOTUs “Almost Legends Dinner” at Chianti Classico.  A very lovely evening, although by the time dessert was served I was almost falling asleep in my chocolate torte.


MOTU Family Picnic - Stage 6: Adelaide

Final day of the 2012 TDU was spent in the company of my Boys sharing afternoon picnic with SpecK, ET, and DH watching the professionals as they rode the final city stage. 

A really nice end to a great week.

Day 6 and Day 7 - Route maps and profiles

3 Peaks Challenge 2012 Training Log #10: tduMOTU Week - Days 3, 4 & 5 "Can it really get any better than this?"

Peloton climbing Fox Creek

This is the 2^nd post in my trilogy of posts documenting my and Team MOTU’s week shadowing the
2012 Tour Down Under
during which, between Sunday 15 January and Saturday 21 January (7 days):

·         914km were ridden;

·         all KOMs summitted;

·         11,390m climbed; and

·         >23,000 calories burnt in the saddle.

To review the 1^st post CLICK HERE

To watch the tduMOTU video edit CLICK HERE

*    *    *

The tduMOTU Week That Was… (cont.)

Day 3 - Stage 1: Clare (SD, ET, DD et al and ZZ):  168 km and 1,363 m of elevation

Peloton ascending Tarlee Road KOM

When looking ahead to Stage 1 in the preceding week, we knew that the day would be extremely tough.  Day 3 would be the longest day of the week in terms of kilometres, and we were heading North-Northeast in the most extreme of summer weather conditions – a tinder box with a forecast temperature of 42° (in the shade) and an anticipated strong hot northerly.  Fortunately for the hardcore amongst us who were riding, the route was relatively flat. 

The only concession made for the conditions was our choosing to cut short the original route by a few kilometres by heading out not from the CBD, but instead from the northern suburbs taking about 30km off what would have been a 200km day for SD and I.  Snappy and I rolled out from Andrews Farm heading parallel to the Northern Expressway along the Stuart O’Grady bikeway before riding through Gawler (there meeting ET), Freeling and Kapunda (there meeting DD et al) and heading to the KOM on the Tarlee Road – ET and DD due to other commitments were riding abridged routes. 

Our intent was to then return through the Barossa and the hills, but not before having some pre-planned late lunch at Two Hands Wines.

Temperature at 48.8 degrees
ascending KOM

·                The 40km/hr northeasterly was intense and SD and I were doing rolling 500m turns.  On a flat gradient when our pace on any other day would have been considerably high, our average speed was fractional.  Had today been later in the week our morale could have been low, but as today was Stage 1, spirits were high.  Further, it gave an insight as to the conditions the pros would be facing not far behind.

·                Drank more than 2 x 750ml bidons of Powerade every hour on the road, supplemented with the odd Berocca or two.  Jersey and knicks were white with salt by the time we reached the KOM.

·                Riding into Kapunda was fun, pushing it hard to get a break for the sprint points – even got a cheer from a passing car, ha ha J

 

·                KOM was the easiest climb of the entire week – it was barely a pimple, but given temperature on the bike at the time of ascent was 48.8° I’m not complaining.  I held back on the climb and I felt as a group MOTU were a little disbanded – embarrassingly we didn’t do a “head count” when we left Kapunda meaning one of our number didn’t get on the train and had to push hard solo into the crosswind.  After apologies/excuses given, we all group hugged at the KOM and all was well again.



Our Skoda hat/water friend and strip of shade



·                The only shade available was the narrow strip of shade caused by the inflatable Skoda KOM arch.

·                Atmosphere at the KOM was great.  A quaint group of dedicated cycling enthusiasts, but not too many fellow cycling crazies who made the effort to brave the conditions.  Given the pace of the breakaway and peloton was about 50 minutes behind schedule we had more than enough time to talk to the media, sponsors and KOM line judges.  Notably, we tended to meet the same group each day for the rest of the week and recognised each other by sight.  So much so that our “Skoda friend” was always pleasant and volunteered multiple hats bottles of water at the Sellicks Hill KOM later in the week when the temperature was again up – I really felt for the other cyclists that day.

·                Lunch at Two Hands Wines was fantastic and a very welcoming oasis in the desert we felt we were in.  Inter alia, such a lovely cellar door and outdoor setting, and the homemade wood oven pizzas were delicious whilst listening to the digitally streamed radio broadcast of the stages conclusion in Clare.  We had one of each, including the “Well Hung Pig”, “Plain Jane”, and “Clucking Awesome”, but my favourite of all was their “Fun Guy” which I highly recommend (mushroom with a dash of truffle etc… get it, fungi…). 

I must admit to being a little bit over cautious in terms of my diet and health, and didn’t partake in any wine, though I know from the past their wine is very good.  I just didn’t want to risk a headache for final 70km.

·                We knew the weather would change later that day and our fear was that the wind would turn south giving us a return headwind – it did after lunch...

Day 4 - Stage 2: Stirling (SD, BY, ET, SpecK, SmA, DH and ZZ):92 km and 1,759 m of elevation

Will Clarke on Stirling Lap 1

From the day the routes were officially released last June we knew that today would be best in terms of seeing the professionals.  There were so many opportunities for us to watch the them and recover from the previous days long course; ride to Lobethal for the pre-race atmosphere and start, then fast to (and climb) the KOM at Fox Creek, before finally cutting across to Aldgate/Stirling to watch the pros three times as they loop:

Snappy and I given the previous day’s late return chose to rollout (with BY) to Lobethal up Norton Summit and the Lobe Road via Forest Range an hour later than the others.  This is a route the three of us knew very well, and we were more than comfortable with the speed at which we could climb and get to Lobethal if things were getting tight for time.

·                Woke up feeling very well with no weariness or soreness at all.  I attribute this to being extremely anal with my post ride recovery routine; high protein shake immediately on return from riding, followed by lots to drink and some food whilst stretching for at least 30 minutes and rolling my muscles for 15 minutes on the hard roller.  The pre-ride routine then has me roll the muscles again, and consume a high protein shake about 30 minutes before hopping on the bike – this together with the first 30 kms, gets me in good form for the rest of the ride.

·                Got dropped by SD on the descent from Ashton (as I always do), and consciously realised that come the 3 Peaks, despite my climbing ability and (I think/hope (??)) leg strength, I will definitely lose time on the descents.  For example, between Ashton and the bottom of the climb to Forest Range I would have lost about (if not more than) 2 minutes, and whilst on any other day I would made the effort to try and bridge the gap on the short climbs between, and then final climb up Forest Range, I wanted to keep something for Fox Creek.  Further, SD had already advised he would take things more leisurely from Lobethal and ride to the KOM (without ascending it) via the back way with SpecK, SmA and DH.

Jens Voigt & Phil Liggitt

·                To be able share in the atmosphere of the start in Lobethal was fun.  A lot of people made the trek, so the town I think had doubled in population that morning.  It was great being able to see the riders warm up (and eat), see the riders (and media personalities.... yes Phil I’m looking at you) take their turn holding baby wallaby, and to look for and (have my photo taken with) this year’s “Obscure Pro” Wouter Moll – at 195cm and 84kg, its proof that us tall bastards can ride bikes too.  I note that I’m 198cm and weigh in ordinarily at about 85.5kg.

 For video of the Lobethal start - CLICK HERE

·                Only BY and I elected to climb the KOM at Fox Creek.  We thought we’d have to be quick in getting there so pace was on from Lobethal, but we had plenty of time up our sleeves as it turned out.  Fox Creek was the steepest KOM for the entire week with gradients of over 15%, but at only one kilometre in length it is not too bad.  It is a very beautiful road that winds and is one of my favourite climbs in and around Adelaide. 

Back - SmA, BY and ET
Front - ZZ and SD

After summiting BY and I then positioned ourselves at about the 100m mark and waited for the rest of the lads to join us from their “short cut”, which now didn’t now seem so short.

·                Mobile phone/internet coverage given the volume of people was frustratingly poor and made difficult checking the twitter commentary feed; battery went dead very quickly as a consequence of its constant search for reception.

·                Seeing the pros multiple times on their Stirling loop was made extra special to see Will Clark’s successful solo breakaway effort to win the Stage.  

For video of Aldgate/Stirling - CLICK HERE

·                Brad, DH and I rode with the Liquigas-Cannondale riders into the city from Stirling – none of us understood Spanish so the only words we could follow from their conversation was when on Ayers Hill Road, in English, we passed, a lovely young lady in QuickStep kit on the short (but steep) ascent and in heavy accent they yelled out… “Hellooooooo, Miss QuickStep”.  The guys also looked somewhat bewildered when we passed a Storm Trooper (from the Death Star) pushing his cart up the Old Freeway…

Day 5 - Stage 3: Victor Harbor (SD, BY, AVO and ZZ): 152 km and 1,580 m of elevation

Waiting patiently now at the Sellicks Hill KOM

Today’s route took us along the coast and roads less familiar to me to get to the KOM at Sellicks Hill; up the veloway (that runs parallel to the Southern Expressway that the professionals would be later riding) and coffee at Moana, before riding into some wind on the beach roads and main south road for the ascent.

Due to my unfamiliarity with the coastal roads, much to the frustration I’m sure of SD (who was familiar) I was becoming increasingly agitated that we had been too relaxed in our route choice and we would miss the KOM.  I was wrong of course, and thankfully SD didn’t hit me.  In fact, generally speaking our timings for the entire week were pretty spot on!

·                The veloway is a better road to ride than the boring SOG bikeway; it has some short climbs and sweeping turns, and there is actually a view and some greenery.

Coffee at Moana

·                Increasingly frustrated with my new front derailleur as I was losing the chain far too often when moving from small chain ring to big chain ring.  I didn’t have the bike mechanical confidence to start tinkering with it myself, even if I knew the theory, so it left largely unattended until the end of the week.

·                The KOM at Sellicks Hills was an extremely nice climb of several kilometres.  Having been passed on the short flat getting to the climb and rudely spoken to by some riders for some grievance (maybe we looked too happy?), BY and I saw them further up the climb racing amongst themselves to get to the summit first.  Brad looked at me and said, “I’ll give you a wheel for as long as I can, then you’re on your own”.  I put it into a big gear when BY peeled off and I got the summit victory by about 50 metres over our – then not so chatty – rude riders.  I was pretty rooted for having rode it so, but winners are grinners and is so much sweeter when it’s a moral victory as well. 

Please note that as a group we did not return any words as all, we left our riding to do the talking.

For video of Sellicks Hill - CLICK HERE

·                Following the pros ascent of the KOM we rode into Myponga for lunch, but surprisingly the bakery seemed blissfully unaware that there was a bike race on that day and hence foods options were limited.  Oh well, I got the last two sausage rolls and was happy.

·                We returned to the city via the Range Road between the top of Old Willunga Hill (noting the infrastructure being constructed ahead of Saturday’s stage finish) and Wickhams Hill, Kangarilla, Clarendon and Belair.  A very lovely stretch of road to ride and extremely scenic.  Feeling physically in very good knick despite the cumulative kilometres already that week and my recent familiarity with that road, I felt able to push hard and lead the pace out up front.\

It was a great day in the saddle, and upon getting in it thoughts immediately turned to Day 6 and the following days BUPA Ride… (TBC in Part 3 coming soon).

Routes Maps & Profiles:

3 Peaks Challenge 2012 Training Log #9: tduMOTU Week - Days 1 and 2 "How's the serenity?"

This is the first post in a trilogy of posts documenting my and Team MOTU's week shadowing the
2012 Tour Down Under

*     *    *

For those who have read my previous posts, it is abundantly clear that the 2012 3 Peaks Challenge has been the primary focus of all my training for the last 11 months.  With a view to comfortably complete the route and finish the final climb into Falls Creek at the end of 235 kms, I have ridden as many kilometres and climbed as many hills as I could in and around my work and family commitments.  Health setbacks too were tackled with the same intense ruthlessness and sacrifice with a view to a fast recovery and being back on the road.  As the great Eddy Merckx said this past Saturday evening “if the head wants to do it, the body will follow”...

However... in my training regime I had always factored in the week of the 2012 Tour Down Under, which is of course a very different beast to the 3 Peaks; it too has been close to the front of my mind for the last 7 months.

The Plan // Pipe Dream

The plan to ride each day, climbing all the KOMs and to chalk up between 900 and 1,000kms in the seven days, in what could be difficult conditions, was not mine.  Whether serious or not at the time, ET and DD first postulated the idea not long after the end of the 2011 tour.  However, in June when the official tour routes for 2012 were first published, what began as “just an idea” began to take significant shape and I ran with it with exuberant enthusiasm knowing that it provided an additional goal to help maintain my focus on the often cold, wet, dark and lonely winter roads.

Whether we were all (or some of us) biting off more than we could chew only time would tell, but we knew that this would be a fantastic week to remember; there was a good chance of pain and general exhaustion yes, but there would also be a lot of fun, great laughs, the strengthening of existing friendships and possibly the creation of new ones.

Our own routes were planned, contingency arrangements considered, social engagements in and around the week organised, and of course suitably “pro” team name determined and jersey designed (recognising, of course our many sponsors...) :p  This is definitely the subject worthy of its own separate Blog post!

The Preparation

In my head I have essentially labelled the “3 Peaks” as a single day “classic”, whereas the week of the tour akin to riding a personal “stage race”.  This is of course not to suggest the latter is harder than the former (or vice versa), rather that they are different and, as is the mental and physical approach to be taken.  Consequentially, in my training I have tried to accommodate both; for example, recovery time needs to be faster in a multiday tour as is a whole of week focus, as opposed to putting it all on the line in a single day.

Consequentially, my training during the Christmas and New Year period changed, and my mental preparation and dietary build up varied.  I shan’t embarrass myself with detail, because I fear that nutritionists and the more experienced among you will pick (the many) flaws in my approach.  Though in hindsight, I can happily say that whatever I did seemed to work.

I also ensured my bike mechanically was up to scratch for the week ahead, taking it in to be serviced/rebuilt in the days ahead of the tour by the great guys at BMCR.  What I had hoped would be quite routine ended up being quite expensive, as in only the 11 months that I have had my Cannondale I had managed to completely wear out my rear cassette and crack slightly the front derailleur, needing both (and the chain) to be replaced.  To be honest, I'm actually not all that surprised given the kilometres in the 11 months, and some of the gearing issues I was having over Christmas.

I have also worn thin my rear wheel, but believe it safe enough to survive until just before the 3 Peaks in March.  New wheels will be acquired in the final few weeks, but will be changed beforehand if I consider them truly unsafe.

The tduMOTU Week That Was…

It is very difficult to presently write a detailed piece for each day without turning this series of post into a thesis.  Given this, I think the better approach is to try to be as succinct as I can in illustrating the ride and highlighting (in bullet form) the things that stick in my mind and will do so for a long time to come.  Also, pictures tell a thousand words so I hope the pictures in this (and later two posts) and the video above assist in illustrating the experience and atmosphere.

I have also noted the MOTU members who rode, and the kilometres ridden, though acknowledge that not all members rode the precisely the same:

Day 1 - “Ride Like Crazy” (ET, DD, and ZZ): 133 km and 1,610 m of elevation:

The morning of Day 1 was always going to be the “Ride Like Crazy”; a cancer fundraising event boasting (as I understand it) as many as 3,000 riders.   An extremely pleasant route up the Old Freeway to Crafers, before returning in and around the Adelaide Hills.  Not a taxing ride, but an incredibly well organised one for a cause where there is comfort that an extremely high percentage of the registration monies go to cancer research.

·                Slept well and woke feeling “ready” and quietly confident, albeit with a healthy mix of nerves for the week ahead.

·                Weather conditions in the morning were perfect for riding.

·                Heard/watched Greenedge's new anthem for the first time whilst eating breakfast - an apt song for myself that week I thought too;

Greenedge Lasses descending into Cudlee Creek

whilst I repaired my flat

·                Found the number of persons who rolled out early and whom I was catching on the climb up the Old Freeway incredibly surprising.  I always wonder, what's the point, but aren't too bothered by it this morning;

·                ET's constructive advice in managing the bunch was useful – I was taking too many turns up front and needed to be more assertive in getting assistance from the wheel suckers hanging on for a free ride.

·                Punctured on Gorge Road past Cudlee Creek requiring me to stop, though it did allow me to watch the very resplendent Greenedge girls ride past.

·                My 11 year old rode the final 51km and did extremely well.  He was very proud of his efforts (as was I of him).

B2 watching the Down Under Classic

Splashing good times to be had here

The afternoon of Day 1 was spent back at my place for “Team” family poolside BBQ ahead of heading into the city for the TDU Classic.  An incredibly fun afternoon with all the lads, spouses and children, both by the pool and at the city circuit!

Day 2 - Rest Day Riding (ZZ): 91 km and 1,495 m of elevation

Following the previous day's poolside festivities and the excitement of the evening's Tour Down Under Classic today was a planned “D.I.Y” day for MOTU.  For some, it was resting ahead of the longer rides later in the week, others the drudgery of the office, but for me an opportunity to get back in saddle ahead of meeting some of the lads at lunch in the Tour Village in Victoria Square.

My planned route had me ride up the Gorge before turning to ride through Lobethal and the Lobe Road and Mount Lofty Summit, roads that I had anticipated seeing some of the pro-teams in their final day's training.

·                One of the best solo days on the road I have had in a long time.  I just felt extremely relaxed, comfortable and alive!!  In no hurry and being able to just enjoy “the serenity” I can’t recall looking at my bike computer once, bar later to see the time of day.

·                Passed the occasional group of interstate club riders (recognisable by their kit), looking at times confused at intersections not knowing where precisely to turn – I always called out if I could assist.

·                Passed Radioshack-Nissen-Trek between Ashton and Summertown.  Big Jens was out front.  There was not a single “tagger” following, and I thought why intrude myself, so let them ride without my poor company hanging off the back.

·                Sitting and relaxing later with some of the lads at the tour village later was great; I love sitting down and just “people watching”.  We noticed a considerable number of autograph hunters out to get the signatures of Australian cyclists recognisable by their Greenedge kit..., not recognising other Australian stars who happen to be wearing other team kits (eg, Haussler, Rogers, Renshaw...).  Oh, BMC were pretty popular too... “the Cadel effect”.

·                Arrived home mid afternoon to continue drink, eat, drink, eat, drink... ahead of Day 3... (TBC in Part 2 coming soon).