Gravity 12 Hour!..

[Cúl-Báire]

Well folks, I'm back, and in case you didnt know, I was off riding at the Gravity 12Hour, in Rosewhite Vic, all weekend :D I'd have to say this was one of the better events I have been to thats for sure, well organized, a great coruse, and just generaly good fun.

Friday: Was a cunt of a day, Geelong is a very long way from Rosewhite (near MT Buffalo)...Once we got there and got setup my team mate (Stewart) and I head out for a few laps of practice :P WOW! The course was amazing, lots of fast singletrack, and even some sections that would be more at home on a DH track...Berms gallior. We rolled back into camp at about 7:30ish. I found out that I had snaped the spider off my crank (although it still works :D )

Saturday: What a great day, the race had a running start at 9am, then it all began :D Stewart and I were riding 50 to 60minute laps on the 13km course, in 15th in the Marathon Pairs class. My 4th lap was the "end" of my day after a high speed crash ruined my rythem... Still pluged along though and went out for another lap right on 6:30; hoping I could stretch it out to 8pm so I didnt have to ride a night lap as my neck was well fucked, I couldnt look up the trail without a ton of pain... I rocked up at the trasition area at 7:30pm only to find Stewart was elsewhere :P After racing back to camp to put the lights on, Stewart deside that he wouldnt go out till 8, and then he'd cruise it.

Well in the end we made it the full 12hour; and as much as I wanted to quit after my 4th (8th hour) and 5th laps (10th hour) I desided to stick with it...WOW What fun! Today I am totally rooted, but I wanna go again. I just fell like I have achieved something "Big" or "Important"...I just had to tell someone, so I hope you'll like the "review" of my race :D

Did anyone else go?... So does anyone know when the next enduro is? :P

[jays_5000]

congrats on making the full distance....

theres no way i would be able to do something like that.... 12 hrs of riding up hills, i get stuffed walking up a hill after 5 mins

[tonas]

Friday: Was a cunt of a day,

geez, why don't u tell us what u really think... :shock:

[LordNikon]

Congrats dude...

I know what you mean about feeling like you've achieved something after those things.

It's very cool... 8) 8) 8)

[josh]

Sounds really good, anyone know where I can find some pics of the event? I'd like to see how cool the course looks!

Congrats culbaire! Im looking forward to doing my first enduro early next year sometime!

[LordNikon]

here (www.beechworthchaingang.com)

Not sure if there are pics from the weekend yet but there are a few of the course.

[Cúl-Báire]

Unfortunatly evertime, I went out on the course for a walk etc... I forgot the camera :oops: There was quiet a few "real" photographers there, so some good race photo's should be up soon. There are a small sample of track photo's on the Beechworth Chan Gang site... http://www.gravitysport.com/chaingang/photos12.html is the dirrect link to the photos.

The course turned out to be quiet dusty by race day, and god the sun was hot too :oops: ... But to those that wanna try it, Give it ago, you'll wont forget or regret it :D

[josh]

Some cool photo's for people to lazy to click on the link :)

http://www.gravitysport.com/chaingang/photos/rosewhite02.jpg

http://www.gravitysport.com/chaingang/photos/rosewhite01.jpg

http://www.gravitysport.com/chaingang/photos/rosewhite04.jpg

http://www.gravitysport.com/chaingang/photos/rosewhite09.jpg

Someone get this man a dh bike! :P
http://www.gravitysport.com/chaingang/photos/eldorado03.jpg

http://www.gravitysport.com/chaingang/photos/eldorado01.jpg

[Cúl-Báire]

lol. Thats what it was like in some sections, especially the section of the track aptly named Gravity Drops...Fast winding DH, Berms, etc... I hit a tree down there on friday prectice, when I bounced out of a turn into a tree. No harm done though!

The bottom 2 photo's are actually from the Beechworth to Eldorado "Gold Rush" the other week but it gives you an idea of what the track was like...By the 3rd hour (lunchtime) there was only one line the whole way down the back fireroads (near pic 3), you go off line, you visit the sticks. it was so dusty :P

[struggles]

sounds like a good event. Was there any night riding invovled? I did the Mont 24hr a few weeks in a two man team and it was tough as but when its over you wish you could do it all again.

[Cúl-Báire]

Yeah there was bout an hour of nite riding, 2hours if you come into the transition area before 9pm...I was lucky enough not to have to ddo another "night" lap, as I couldn't look up, my neck was rooted from an earlier crash.

MONT! Thats big especially for a 2man team...We just missed out on the Mont, not quick enough to get in. :(

[struggles]

yeah, you had to get in early. Are you going to do the 12hours of darkness in may that one sounds like a heap of fun

[Cúl-Báire]

I'd love to, but I recon it'll be a lighting nightmare, 12hours worth of lighting fark, I'm lucky to get 2hours out of mine...Charging takes time too, and extra batteries cost money :P

I'd like to see how my efforts go in the shorter races for a while, I'm going to be competeing in the Vic State series for a while... I'dd like to have a lighter bike before doing another 12hour too 8)

See what happens but!

[singlespeeder]

I was there...man it was a sweet ride!

I averaged between 40 and 44 minute laps....

[Cúl-Báire]

Cool, fast :P What catagory was you riding in? The 12hour was only my 2nd race, this week I am riding sport at a round of the Vic Championship series (You Yangs, Geelong), and next weekend( 6th, 7th) I am off to race at the KONA 24hour :D

I feel so fast since the 12hour, Yesterday I went for a 1.5hour ride, it just seemed so effortless, I cnat wiat to do some more racing, and in particular more enduros :D