THE GREAT SOUTHERN RANDONNEE 2008
27th - 31st October 2008 
Preparations for the Great Southern Randonnee 2008 (the fourth) are nearly complete, for both organizers and riders. There will be 1200, 1000, 600 and two 300 options, in a format similiar to previous events. Entries have now closed for all distances, with a field more than twice as big as ever before (see Rider Lists). The majority of the field is from Interstate or overseas, confirmation of the appeal of the Great Ocean Road to cyclists as well as motorists – “Driving the Great Ocean Road” won the RACV contest for best 100 things to do in Victoria, with the Audax Alpine Classic second! EVENT PHOTOS A selection of phots will be made available during the event. Please follow the link to see more. http://picasaweb.google.com.au/Victoria.Audax/GSR2008# RIDER PROGRESS Keep a track of rider progress by checking their arival times at selected checkpoints along the course.
ONLINE UPDATES Follow the events and contribute without the need to log-in. This facility will be active during the event. When it opens please wish the riders all the best. CHANGES Changes for 2008 include moving the start to the Light Keeper’s Motel, right on the Great Ocean Road at Airey’s Inlet (Airey’s is 10 k further West than Anglesea, and a smaller town). The first loop for the 1200 has been revised to make navigation simpler. The Port Campbell Checkpoint will be at the Caravan Park, one street off the main street. We will also provide a food and sleep stop at Hamilton on Wednesday afternoon for the return. There will be no support at Laver’s Hill either way, but a food and sleep stop at Apollo Bay on Thursday afternoon, through to Friday morning. THE PLACE: SOUTH WEST VICTORIA These rides will take you through a wonderfully varied terrain, on generally good sealed roads with very low volumes of motorized traffic. The 1200 Brevet riders will first do a 200 km overnight circuit of the Bellarine Peninsula, touching the shores of Port Phillip Bay at the Heads and Portarlington, and traversing Victoria's second largest city Geelong, while it sleeps. West from the heathlands and wildflowers of Airey’s Inlet the Great Ocean Road climbs around headlands above Bass Strait, dropping down to sandy beaches along a real paradise for surfers. The Great Ocean Road was commenced in 1919 and was built using mainly picks and shovels by returned soldiers as a tribute to all those who fought in World War One. It was completed in 1932, bringing to an end a long history of isolation during which the only access to the coastal communities was either by boat, or tortuous tracks over the mountains. As you cycle with the sea on your left, up to your right rise the rugged hills of the Otway Ranges. At Apollo Bay you climb steeply into the rainforest, plunge down and climb again, long and slow. At Princetown you return to the Southern Ocean, above the eroded sea cliffs forming the "Shipwreck Coast", a graveyard for the early clippers which sometimes fetched up here disastrously six months out from the UK. At Port Campbell Phil Bellette and his team will be waiting with hot showers and hot food! If the Westerlies have been howling, perhaps you will welcome the turn inland here, up the valley through rugged country cleared and made pastoral by returned soldiers turned into settlers, now producing great cheeses - and ice cream! A slog West from Cobden to Warrnambool: in the main street you can salute the memorial to Australia's most famous road cycling race (ridden by the late Patron of Audax Australia, the epitome of long distance cycling, Sir Hubert Opperman, "Oppy"). On to a welcome break with Martin and Libby and their crew at the friendly YHA in the little fishing village of Port Fairy, home to another record breaking long distance cyclist and Audax member, the late Graham "Woody" Woodrup. Turn North up a quiet road past the volcanoes to Hamilton, centre of the richest wool growing area in the world. Now East and to your left on the road to Dunkeld loom the spectacular Grampian Ranges (Gariwerd to the Aboriginals, who have left evidence here of long occupation). Under Mt. Sturgeon a steep drop and sharp climb out of the Wannon River, and you have entered a magic valley, coasting along surprisingly gentle grades below the jagged scarp of the Serra Range. At dawn and dusk there may not be a car for hours, and the wallabies and kangaroos will be quietly feeding. Stop at Hall's Gap for the warm hospitality of Pam and Grant Palmer. Flat from Hall's Gap out to the little shop at Moyston, birthplace of Australian Rules Football, century old spoil heaps from gold mining outcropping among the vineyards of the Great Western Wineries. Then turn around and cycle back to Airey’s Inlet! At Hamilton we will provide food and beds later on Wednesday, into Thursday morning. From Port Fairy those riding the 300 Brevet back, after a detour to Koroit, will join the 1200, 1000, and 600k riders at Warrnambool for the trek back to Airey’s Inlet. Andy will be providing food and thermarests at the Surf Club in Apollo Bay from Thursday afternoon into Friday morning, before the final 65k back to Airey’s.
FURTHER INFO
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