A culmination of some solid riding and a hefty increase in temperature brought the final day on new years eve to a grinding halt.

It ended for me at the Dam wall.  No longer could I keep cool in the shade, it was time to pull the pin.  50kms done and dusted, happy to leave it at that.

We should have started earlier, like 6am, but that would require a very early start. Sleep was most important to me today.

The plan was to manage the entire 100km Otway Odyssey course in one day.  No worries, except for the heat really.  It was forecasted to be 39 degrees, which indeed it got too with some serious humidity.

Joe was on fire and riding most things in the BCR.  But he did have yesterday off!  Unfair? or smart?

I love the trail no 3. Red Carpet.

Its fun, but you have to work hard for every meter, off the brakes, pedal, test your limits, ride hard and brake hard. 

A sparse few turned up on Day 4, the humidity high, energy levels low, fun factor high! 

Reward at the end of the day = swim in the quarry again. 

After a cruisey day yesterday, it was now time to hurt again.

The climb out of Apollo Bay up Wild Dog and then Busty always sorts the group out.
However, today was about keeping the group together and waiting every 10km or so to regroup.  The faster riders go more rest and the slower riders got the chance to get fitter!(little or no rest!)

Here is a pic of the only bit of shade up at Mt Sabine, one of our many re grouping spots.

Loads of fun after this, a great descent along West Barwon Tk, and then a pretty intimidating climb awaits, thanks to DSE and some 4wd tracks,the climb is so much more manageable than previous years.  Smooth as a freeway really.  Got to take a pic of this one day, the climb is pretty intense and you really need to get forward unless you are really good at monoing up steep granny climbs!