Strong Northerly Tortures Local Cyclists

It was a beautiful morning: the sun was well up by 7AM, the birds were singing, and there was a gentle dry breeze blowing from the north. Although reasonably chill in the morning (8) the day slowly warmed up towards a forecast maximum of 22. Six of us, Robbo, David, Michael, Stephen, Simon and myself, started shortly after 7 and rode at an average of about 31 to a rest stop at Frankston's picturesque 'Comfort Station'. After partaking of various forms of comfort, we rode up Oliver's and through the hills to Morny, during which our bunch fell apart pretty badly (one rider "I find we all go up hills at different paces" found himself some minutes ahead of everyone else). After regrouping, we rode down to the beach, up the esplanade hill--where the above photographs were taken--and back to the Nepean. By then, Simon had popped and soon decided to return home at his own pace. We stopped once more for Frank's Comfort, then began the long and painful battle into the headwind towards home. We tried rolling turns, but with only five, then four, it was barely restful. After Mordy, it was every man to his own personal world of pain, spread across various morphing groups. We basically kept in communication until Michael disappeared, and Robbo went home directly. Stephen, David and I enjoyed coffee for survivors then made a slow painful way home. I hope I will be able to walk tomorrow. At least I won't be sitting down for 16 hrs on a plane. [Total distance 115k, plus home-albert pk; Ride time 4h, but finished about 11:50AM; av. speed 29.3 kph.]