Stage 5

Darrydale – Montague
Distance: 105km
Time: 5h15min

Quote of the day:
I hope my bike goes missing!
(Riders comment after another tough day in 30 + degree heat!)

Why we are really doing this crazy race:
To kick back, put our feet up and be massaged at the end of each day!!

Sorry you guys but there was no internet in Barrydale and very limited cell reception!

How is the butt going? I really don’t want to speak to soon, but so far so good! Definitely a little tender for the first icy 20km but once it warms up there are no issues!!! Others are less fortunate, a friend of friend rode standing up the whole day! 105km – Apparently he has the worst butt in the Epic! Poor guy!

Another crazy day spent climbing mountains and flying down the other side! With the halfway mark behind us we left this morning with a spring in our stoke! Our motto to date has been Pole Pole (Slowly slowly in Swhaili). Survival is definitely the name of the game! 8 days, 900km you really have to take it one day at a time (more like one mountain at a time)!

We usually start slowly waving everyone past knowing that we will see them shortly, at the next climb. Today was slightly different as we knew that their was plenty of single track in the beginning, where you have to follow one another single file, you don’t want to get stuck behind millions of ‘slower’ riders. So off we flew in amongst our group (riders start in separate groups A – G we have been starting in group C or D) keeping pace through the winding paths through the orchards – amazingly beautiful, with the farm workers screaming enthusiastically!

The first climb had been hyped up last night but sitting here I can’t even remember it! Clearly my mind was else where!

The scene of the day was on a tar section (unfortunately there aren’t enough of them!) We had pushed hard to keep up with 2 other groups, tucking in behind to conserve our energy. It wasn’t long before Chris’s good sportsmanship led him to the front and began pulling us along nicely, a little too nicely for my liking, he was flying along and we still had a couple of big climbs ahead. I pulled up along side to share the effort and we rode along for a while. The next thing we looked around and the 4 riders had become 100 riders!! Nice LPG!

The last 20km turned into a bit of fun, after flying down a seriously steep track we came upon 2 teams who look pretty serious!!! With the finish in close range we jumped at the opportunity to stretch our legs, finishing strongly has been the highlight of our days. Pole pole went out the window and began racing for the first time! Reality kicked in 10km later when the thought of another 3 long days still to come! Reluctantly we let them go!!!

It wasn’t long before a climb brought us back together! With Montague in sight Chris was off like a race horse, there was no stopping him! We finished strongly once again and ended the day a little higher up the field than any other day!!

Nice work Team LPG!
Overall Team position: 137/601
Men’s teams: 87/400

Stage 6
Not too sure of the route – guaranteed to be tough, all I know is that we have a 6km hike a bike! I.e. too steep to ride!