Closing date is next week Friday...

See this: http://www.msaustralia.org.au/gongride/entry-fees.asp

Those that haven't entered yet - are we all doing individual entries (like previous years) or should we try and have a NoBMoB team enter. I will be riding in my NoBMoB gear anyway.

Good idea m8, I'm game. Even if you have entered, you can still join the team...

Let's go ahead and set up others can join as they wish.

and i'm locked in. Will be a good "warm" up for the Fling.

Cheers,
Lance.

I have registered today. I have done this once many years ago and have no idea what time I did. All I remember was I hadn't been riding for ages and was talked into entering. By the end my bum was so sore I did the last 30kms standing. Should be a lot easier this time.

Oh dear - what have I done!?

BTW - how are people planning to get home? Someone should post a second ride if they plan to ride back. Are most people catching the train or having family collect them though? In the case of the second option - can I grab a ride as Pratiwi can't drive.

Oh... and is this a race (will we be getting times) or a 'fun' event (the organisers won't be publishing official results)?

Oh... and is anyone planning on riding to St Peters from the North Shore before the start? Can I join you? Or can I get a lift for the aforementioned reasons??

Ill be driving from home to st peters rob so I'll pick you up although it'll be early as I'm going for a quick time so want to start before all the 'fun' riders start. I'll be catching the train back. Did that a few years ago with no hassles. There's loads of extra trains so its not a mad crush like you'd expect.

Rob, more of a ride than race - no official times anymore, there used to be a beat the clock but now it's just a rock up and start. I'd suggest starting no later than 7.00 (earlier even better) as there are thousands of riders and if you get caught in the crowds you can add half an hour to the ride.

Ride back it's not far and it's all downhill on the way home

You're off your head Steve! 185km with a 5km uphill section at about the 100km mark a week before a 100km mtb race! Oh, go on then, I'll give it a go but don't wait for me!

I think we are planning a very easy trip back stopping at every Coffee shop we can find

Ahhh... here's a profile for the ride:

http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/1627990

1400m vertical. Even though this is on the road not sure I'd want to double that. Put me down for the train/lift home!

Well Steve I like Coffee a lot so I will be joining you for the ride back home, might as well make a day of it aye. anybody else going to join us?

Not so sure about the coffee but I reckon it will be a goodie.

I, not being a regular scummer or a scummer at all for that matter, only just found the post for the gong ride.
I am entered, have raised some funds, and will be riding down with a crew from work.
Will hope to catch up at some stage during the day.
Craig

I'm thinking about joining you on this ride. I see how I go on my new bike this weekend.

The more the merrier!

Guys, while I have never scummed before, but I have always wanted to do the Gong ride, especially now the new road section down at Coal Cliff is open.

Before I commit I have a few questions for the experience scummers.

a) Will I be able to do this ride on my XC full suspension bike.

b) Will this be social i.e. we all stick together like MTB's do or will this be like a road ride where your sole aim will be to drop me.

c) Do I have to wear lycra. When your my size lycra leaves nothing to the imagination.

P.S. I'll be catching the train home (be buggered if I'm going to scum all the way back up the coast)

Go Big or Go Home

I'll be riding my Trek Fuel with road tyres as I did last year which is the very same steed that I commute on. I won't be wearing lycra but I will be wearing leather chaps with tassles, a leather vest with little bells and instead of my regular helmet I'll be wearing a nice peak cap. You can dress as you wish. I probably won't be keeping up with the true scummers so you can join me at my relaxed pace if you wish.
I will be using the bus service that goes back to the St Peters start.

Sounds good P. If I make it I'm sure I'll be able to recognise you.

A word of warning though, leather + sweat = major chaffing so bring plenty of soothing cream and bandaids?

Go Big or Go Home

Brings about a horrible image, eh?

One man's "horrible image" is another man's "dream come true".

OK, I'm in. See you on the day!
Cheers
Anke

id like to join you guys on the "relaxed pace" idea, as this is my
first hack at the gong ride
if i could meet you guys somewhere at the start, ill be in a
socceroos gear, if ever that helps. let me know
cheers jeremy.

Click on my name and find my number in my profile. Prior to that weekend ring me and we'll nut out a meeting place.

So are we organising to arrive for a 6:15am start? Also, does anyone have a time they will be aiming for? This will give me an idea on the pace being set.

Anyone doing this long ride that will not be on a road bike ??
I am going to do it on a hardtail with hard skinny slicks!

83km on the dually at the sydney spring cycle was a good indicator...I was shagged must have been the heat!

See you guys at the park early!

I have entered gongride with another team. but i'll be riding with nobmob in spirit

So who is confirmed for riding back? At this stage I have a lift but I am half thinking about riding back but it does depend on who else is.

exactlty whats happening yet bri, im split between the choice of taking it easy on the way down and meeting the others down there but then there's a chance i might hold them up on the way back. my other option is a sprint down there, trying to do the fastest time possible then a real slow ride back. i dont know yet. has everyone recieved their numbers yet? i entered ages ago but still havn't had anything in the post yet???

That's why I am asking who is riding back because I wouldn't want to hold anyone up. I also wouldn't want to be still riding to the finish only to see NoBMoB jerseys going the other way .

I've received my number and check point card which requires stamping at the start and finish.

I'm going from the finish line to the Scarbourgh Hotel for lunch, then getting a lift back to St Peters to collect my car

Just checking is case someone wants to ride together at a fair pace, but not crazy

As early as possible, then as the bunch starts to spread out and the road starts to open up, we 'naturally' divide up into smaller groups...
There will be a few ppl keen to hammer it and others that are wanting to cruise down to the Gong.

As for the return trip, there will be a few NoBMoBer's that will be riding back to St. Peters (unless the weather turns nasty), so if you're keen, speak up so we have an idea on who's riding back.

Pikey - hope you're tapering now... hopefully your new found love for Lycra and lattes doesn't make you ride too much this week...

Put me down for arriving at 6am to start at 6:15 and then riding back.

I'll do the early start as well then ride back, should be a good test for the Fling the folowing weekend

Anke, I was intending to make this a cruisy pace, but the definition of 'cruise' may vary. On this course I would imagine 25Km/h+ pace would be rather easy to achieve, giving 3h30m finish time.

I am getting a lift to the start with Junkie, so will start with them. Depending on how I feel might try and keep up with them as am not planning on riding back so don't mind being a bit burnt when we get to the gong. That said, I have to wait for Pratiwi to finish (she is doing 56Km, about 8am start) so it's pointless flogging it and will happily hang at a slower pace if there's an interest in doing so.

No im not doing this 2 times in one day..... Vanina and I will be joining the early crowd of NoBMoB leaving at 6.15am. we are planning riding home as well. We are both aiming for a good pace down and a gentle-ish ride home. (yeah right Vanina doesnt understand the idea of a cruisy ride home).
I am thinking a couple of stops on the way home to refuel and regroup.
Does anyone know if there are water refuel stations on the way down? I dont think 2 bottles is going to be enough...

You reckon you would use more than 2 bottles for 90km's?
Either way, there seem to be plenty of water stations... check this out:
http://www.msaustralia.org.au/gongride/ride-maps.asp

If 2 bottles isn't enough you can always stop at the Austinmer Pub for a few more. Personnally I think cans would be a lot safer, then again I'm not silly enough to ride on the road.

Go Big or Go Home

...and then see what speed I feel comfortable with. I will have to refill my water bottles at some stage but not planning to stop for long.

Rob - 25km+ sounds perfexct, so will quite possibly tag along with you.

I doubt I'll be cycling home, so if anyone can give me a lift back to St Peters I'd be forever grateful - otherwise it will be the train with the masses

Finally entered today

Will be looking to get away in the early group at 6.15 to avoid the usual traffic.

I intend on riding back to Sydney too, nice & easy with a stop or two for the mandatory latte.

Don't forget to join the NoBMoB team http://register.gongride.org.au/?NoBMoB

I just received the 2008 Gong Ride newsletter by email and reading through it half way down has a point

Arrive with plenty of time to leave at your allocated start time

I can't remember reading there were allocated start times and I know we have discussed starting at 6:15am

That will leave us with 30 minutes until start time.

Also, are we riding in NoBMoB gear?

I will be in my NoBMoB jersey and plain knicks as I didn't get NoBMoB ones.

envelope your number came in has your start time on it - we're also planning a 6.15 departure and will be at the "start" banner just before if anyone is still around 3.30 hours or better is what I'm aiming at which is close to what Rob's average. Plenty water stops on the way down and morning tea at Loftus has become a bit of a tradition since I started doing this a few years back. No intention of riding back.

I'm tapering alright. Was thinking about getting a lift down and back

Looking at doing it in 3Hr:17 mins

Taking two bottles one full of Staminade and one tomato juice and vodka.

See you at the 6:15 start with Harry and Graham

I'll be the one wearing lycra, can't miss me

Greg

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Salad is what food eats
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I have binned that. Oh well, I'll be starting at 6:15am.