This weekend was the annual CSC 200, the brainchild of Ed, the masochist. The concept being a ride from Canberra to Batemans Bay (197.4km) with his vision being the following:

1) The route there is raced, but it'll be neutral until we're off the Captain's Flat road - I don't want chaos in traffic. The race finishes at the Bateman's Bay the marina.
2) Party / Dinner
3) A cruise back the next day, easier route.
4) Self-supported

Needless to say, it wasn't the most social ride I'd ever done, but allowed those who wanted to really test themselves to push as little or as much as they wanted; unlike some other rides I've done that had ended up being painfully slow, the result of riding as fast as the slowest rider.

A somewhat unlikely bunch of riders, it seemed that we had inadvertently created a Solo World Championships training camp, with only one of the fourteen riders not competing in October. Bikes were a mix of back country tourers, dual suspension and super light race bikes - the recurring theme however, was the popularity of 29ers, proof of there endurance prowess.

It all started at 6am, Wooley St, Disckson; on a freakishly warm winter morning with temperatures reaching a scorching 3.9 degrees, the warmest for a month or so! Fueled by Joel's strict breakfast of rich jam donuts, we headed through the burbs to Majura for a lap of the single track at the break of dawn; by the time we started heading toward Queanbeyan the sun had risen, with beautiful view of the Majura Plain.

Bitumen lead us all the way over the range and onto Hoskinstown Plain where the roads straightened before we hit the dirt which was flowing and smooth until we hit the Talleganda Ranges where it got rockier and headed up. Soon enough we hit the smooth stuff again just before Major's Creek and it was back on with the winter clothes as the cross winds were freezing.

The views descending into Araluen Valley were astonishing and it was fast bitumen once we reached the valley floor; the reward for our work so far was hot food and cold beverages at the Araluen Valley Hotel. The bunch had split significantly but the short stop ensured a few of us caught up to each other once again.

After a lunch of pie and coke we re-assumed our journey further through Araluen Valley and onto beautiful undulating roads that followed the river. Unfortunately this part of the journey was followed by one of the only climbs I've ever attempted that has nearly broken me (considering I've spent hours at a time climbing on the same bike, fully laden with panniers, this is no mean feat!). 4.5km doesn't sound like much, but the lack of effective granny gear on the Rohloff left me grinding up the climb with significant difficulty; something I really shouldn't complain about considering Brett was on a singlespeed....

The top of the range afforded great views once again before Kevin and I may have headed the wrong way, no great loss except the addition of an extra 10km to get us to Mogo on the Princess Highway. The sun soon disappeared as we rolled into Batemans Bay. We checked into our cabins and I enjoyed one of the best warm showers I've had in a long while.

We enjoyed great recovery dinner and beer in town before retiring to bed. The majority of riders left bright and early to ride back to Canberra on roughly the same route, minus some of the bad bits but a challenge just the same. Kevin and I secured a ride in Joel's car; him suffering from his recurring swollen ass and me, a knee injury (alarming considering it's the first time I've suffered an over-use type injury, not happy). Although at the time it felt like the soft way out, the weather we encountered on the journey home made me petty damn happy I was inside that tiny car, bikes stacked on the roof.

It was a great ride, something I'll definitely do again, but I'm not sure the knowledge of the climbs will make it easier or harder? Special thanks to Ed for inventing it and again to Ben for building my front wheel, it seemed to hold together perfectly, now for the Rohloff to be re-laced so it matches the bright red front!