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Written by Nick   
Jan 19, 2007 at 09:09 PM
The Unofficial Bunch Ride - Usually a long one!


100km in the bag and
still as fresh as daisies!




This ride doesn't have "official" status. It was started by Ed Vella and myself way back in 2004. Those were the "good old days" when 60km was a very very very long course, especially if there were some hills involved.


Bombay Hill Pit Stop


New ride! 150km on 3 Feb 07. Through the Hunua gorge heading South till we
reached SH2. Stopped at the famous "Castle" and then headed back via Kaiaua -
Kawakawa Bay and Clevedon.


More of that famous SH2 landmark.

Things have progressed considerably since then and we now do 80km to 120km sessions on a regular basis depending on how close we are to the next big race.

The ride now starts from Sierra Botany at 8.00am. We decide on the "parcourse"  just before we depart.  It's a democratic process whereby we choose the distance and the degree of difficulty depending upon how everyone feels plus their schedules for the day. There have been times when the group has split into 2 along the route to accomodate varying schedules but this happens only once in a blue moon.

Popular courses are :

  • Botany - Papakura - Karaka -   Pukekohe - Bombay Hill - Drury - Papakura  and back to Botany via Great South Road. (100km)
  • Botany - Kawakawa Bay via Cleavdon and back to Botany. (85km)
  • Botany - Kawakawa Bay via Cleavdon - Orere Point and back the same way. (100km)
  • Botany - Waitekere Ranges (TV tower) and back (We have done this one only a couple of times - nice ride but too many traffic lights along the way) 110km
  • Botany - Papakura - up the Hunua Gorge and down the other side - turn West along Paparata Road and over some awful hills till we get to Bombay Hill - Drury - Papakura - Botany (110km)
All are welcome - good fitness level required. Average speed 27 - 31kph depending on what the training program dictates.

Nobody will be left behind. We wait for those who get dropped.

Last Updated ( Feb 04, 2007 at 08:42 PM )
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