Starting in 1963, I was involved with bikes and bike racing on and off until about 1994 but still kept riding regularly, just to keep fit. When I was in my early 50s and living at Bargo, N.S.W., I managed a 'big loop' ride.
The 'big loop' for a bike rider from Wollongong means up Macquarie Pass, through Bowral, Mittagong and Picton and back home. I should mention that Wollongong is on the coast, so basically at sea level, while Bowral and Mittagong are over 2,000 feet above sea level; that's what makes the 'big loop' so interesting!
It's only slightly different, when living around Bargo, because you're on a nice, downhill slope to finish! The distance is around 150 kilometres or so and the first time I rode the big loop was in January, 1964 on a bike with a single gear. I was going to say that it was a fixed-wheel but I can't remember for sure; it may have been or it may have been a freewheel.
Here's a photo from that day, taken in Bowral. It shows the two mates, with whom I rode in 1964 (note the lack of helmets - they didn't exist then!):
While I think of it, here's another photo taken later in 1964 at Picton, which is 'just down the road' from Bowral. This was taken after the finish of the 1964 Southern Districts Championships. It was hosted by the Picton bike club, which folded not long afterwards. (That's me in the green-and-white jersey.) I should point out that I won the Senior title, while the rider in front of me in the photo was third; we had gone some distance past the finish line and were heading back when the photo was taken. We raced bare-headed or with cloth caps back then - bicycle helmets hadn't been invented! (Sorry about all the rubbish in this image; I'll have to clean it one day!)
Perhaps I'll tell more of my bike-riding 'history' soon.........
The 'big loop' for a bike rider from Wollongong means up Macquarie Pass, through Bowral, Mittagong and Picton and back home. I should mention that Wollongong is on the coast, so basically at sea level, while Bowral and Mittagong are over 2,000 feet above sea level; that's what makes the 'big loop' so interesting!
It's only slightly different, when living around Bargo, because you're on a nice, downhill slope to finish! The distance is around 150 kilometres or so and the first time I rode the big loop was in January, 1964 on a bike with a single gear. I was going to say that it was a fixed-wheel but I can't remember for sure; it may have been or it may have been a freewheel.
Here's a photo from that day, taken in Bowral. It shows the two mates, with whom I rode in 1964 (note the lack of helmets - they didn't exist then!):
While I think of it, here's another photo taken later in 1964 at Picton, which is 'just down the road' from Bowral. This was taken after the finish of the 1964 Southern Districts Championships. It was hosted by the Picton bike club, which folded not long afterwards. (That's me in the green-and-white jersey.) I should point out that I won the Senior title, while the rider in front of me in the photo was third; we had gone some distance past the finish line and were heading back when the photo was taken. We raced bare-headed or with cloth caps back then - bicycle helmets hadn't been invented! (Sorry about all the rubbish in this image; I'll have to clean it one day!)
Perhaps I'll tell more of my bike-riding 'history' soon.........
