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"Life is Better on Two Wheels !"

Annual Australia Day Ride - Thursday January 26th
Another Fantastic Ride

This ride has been somewhat of an Australia Day Tradition within our group. This year the weather was probably the best we have had for some years. With a sunny sky and a mild top temperature of 24C it was absolutely perfect for cycling. We had a good turnout of 20 riders, including a couple joining us for the first time. It was also also exciting to see our first vision impaired rider sharing the ride with us. It was also a good chance to se at first hand the repair work that had been done to the paths and bridges following the disastrous floods of February 2011. We all made it safely into the city at about 12.30 pm and were able to join the throngs enjoying the festivities. On the return ride I met up with a fellow cyclist from Yarraville who had been following us on the Internet for some time and was thrilled to have finally caught up with us.

Thanks to all those who came along and helped make the ride so much fun.

Loire Valley Cycle - September 2013
Information Evening Saturday Feb 25th 7 pm

Many of our regular readers would already know that, for the past 12 months, I have been working on plans for a cycling trip through the Loire Valley in France. This trip is planned for September 2013. The trip will begin in Paris and pick up the Loire River through the famous Chateaux Region of France, finishing at Le Croisic on the Atlantic Coast. Along the way we will be experiencing the very best scenery and experiences that France can offer. We will be staying in delightful rural hotels wherever possible and will have ample time to explore the wonderful towns and sights along the way. The cycling is rated moderate and would be achievable by anyone in good health who wants to see the true Europe from 2 wheels. Most breakfasts and dinners will be included in the price. Bikes will be provided so you don't have to worry about carting your bike to the other side of the world. In addition, each day your luggage will be collected and transported to your next stop. This means that you don't have to worry about lugging around heavy and inconvenient panniers. Instead you can spend the time having fun and enjoying every moment. I have already had a large number of people express an interest in this trip and I anticipate that it will fill quickly. It is worth noting that our 2012 Turkey trip filled within 5 days of opening applications so I would advise you to move fast if you don't want to miss out.

The Information Night for this trip will be held on Saturday 25th February at 7 pm. At this time I will be presenting the full details of the trip, including the itinerary and all important pricing. If you would like to attend the meeting you will need to let me know as seating will be limited. As with the 14 previous Ghostrider Adventure Groups the Loire Valley Cycle is a trip that has been specially put together for us. It is NOT from a catalogue but has been designed specifically to meet our requirements. It will NOT be advertised to the general public, however spaces are open for all Ghostriders, partners, family and friends.

If you would like more information or would like to reserve places at the Information Night, please ring me on 5968 3307 or email me at ghostriders@netspace.net.au.

Advance Notice
Annual Weekend Ride - Wangaratta to Bright (and back)
March 23rd to 25th 2012

This is a reminder that our Annual weekend ride along the Rail Trail between Wangaratta and Bright is being held on the weekend of 23rd to 25th March. Our routine is to drive up to Wangaratta on the Friday (23rd March), stay overnight in Wangaratta then leave early the following morning to ride along the trail to Everton. The more experienced riders then head off up the hill to Beechworth, the newer riders continue on their way to Myrtleford. After sharing a morning tea at Beechworth the main group then return down the trail to EVerton and resume their ride to Myrtleford where we all stop for lunch. After lunch it's a fairly gentle final section to Bright, although, after almost 120 km in the saddle, most are happy to reach the waiting showers at the motel. On the Saturday night we all head out to dinner to celebrate the effort.

On Sunday we get back on the bikes for the ride back to Wangaratta (although without the side trip to Beechworth). It is a fantastic opportunity to get some kilometres into your legs and enjoy one of Australia's finest Rail Trails. You will need accommodation in Wangaratta on Friday 23rd March and in Bright on Saturday 24th March. Our recommended hotel in Wangaratta is the Best Western Warby Lodge Motel. In Bright it is the Best Western High Country Inn. I know that it can be hard to get bookings in Bright at that time of the year so you need to move quickly if you want to secure a room.

The rail trail itself is sealed for the entire distance meaning that you can use any type of bike (including a road bike). We also need some non riding partners to assist with luggage transfer between Wangaratta and Beechworth. Riders who need luggage transfer will need to pack light as we do not know how many cars will be available. All Ghostriders, partners and friends are invited to join this great weekend.

Cathedral Peak Climb - Sat 21st January 2012
Our biggest ever group climb

On Saturday 21st January a group of 21 Ghostriders and friends assembled at the base of Cathedral Peak for a challenging climb to the summit. This was easily our biggest group of climbers and included many of the participants in our forthcoming Africa and Turkey Challenges. It was amazing to see the spirit of cooperation that was evident in the group and encouraging to see so many really extend themselves well out of their comfort zone. Congratulations to all those who made it to the summit.

Some of the successful Cathedral Peak summitteers gathered at the top of the mountain. In the foreground you can see Noel Wolstencroft who acted as guide for the walk.

NEW Ghostrider 2012 Calendar
FREE Download !

The new 2012 Ghostrider calendar is now available completely free of charge for immediate download. The calendar contains all our sceheduled rides for the next 12 months, as well as all public and school holidays. The format is pdf so can be opened and printed on any computer with Acrobat Reader. You could even forward a copy on to all your cycling and family friends. This year's calendar features some inspiring images from our recent 2011 European Ride. You can download the complete new calendar HERE.

*********************

Inaugural Point Nepean Ride - Sat Oct 22nd
Ride Story and Pictures

On Saturday October 22nd we conducted our first ever ride to the Point Nepean National Park. Although some less hardy souls looked at the sky and decided not to ride, those that did ride were rewarded with an amazing day out. Not only did the rain stay away but we had a fascinating insight into a little known part of Australia's history. For me this was also something of a personal pilrimmage, since my great great grandparents came to Australia on the ill fated Ticonderoga in 1852. This ship was later known as the Plague ship because of the high number of passengers who either died in transit or after arrival in Australia. I even found a picture of my great great grandmother in the special exhibit. You can see more images and read the ride story HERE

Entry to the Museum section - including a special exhibit on the ill fated Ticonderoga

View from the fortified lookout down towards Point Nepean. Queenscliff is visible in the distance.

2011 Lungbuster - A NEW King of the Mountain - Andrew Seen

After all the hype and anticipation it's all over for another 12 months. Not only did this year's riders enjoy very kind conditions but we have the surprise result of a new King of the Mountain. After we thought that Jurie had a permanent claim to this title Andrew Seen comes out of nowhere and sets a new blistering time of 1 hr 27 mins. That has certainly raised the benchmark for future events. It was good to see so many riders (both fast and not so fast) come out and pit their legs against the mountain. It looks like the Lungbuster will continue for many more years into the future. More details and top times will be published in the next newsletter. Thanks again to Jurie and Connie and their small army of helpers for making this year's event a big success.

Ghostriders' 2011 Great European Ride
- First Images-

Our amazing 2011 European Adventure has now been completed. Here are a few initial images to give you some idea of the incredible experiences we shared together.

Our peloton of uniformed Ghostriders approaching Passau in Germany at the end of the first leg of our ride

Beautiful scenery on the Danube near the border between Germany and Austria

Lionel surveys the amazing bend in the Danube at the so called "Schloniger Loop" - Austria

We came across this unexpected collection of real "Ghostriders" gathered to welcome us. Note the unearthly apparition to the left of the image. This was NOT visible when the picture was taken !

GHOSTRIDERS' 2012 "TURKISH DELIGHT" ADVENTURE
Now Booked Out - Sorry
18 booked in 5 days - a new record !

"The world is a book and those who never travel only read a single page"
St Augustine, circa 400 AD

I am excited to say that our 2012 Turkish Delights Trip has such a dramatic response that it is already confirmed. This trip will take us to a completely different corner of the world. Turkey is situated right on the junction between Europe and Asia and has an history leading back thousands of years. In 324 AD Emperor Constantine chose Byzantium (renamed Constantinople and later Istanbul) to be the headquarters of the Eastern Roman Empire. The country of Turkey straddles a strategic position which has made it an important trading centre since the start of recorded history. Its strategic importance was recently demonstrated by the ill fated landing at Gallipoli in World War I. Since that time there has been a blood bond between the Turks and the Australians and this is evidenced by the overwheleming hospitality that the modern Turks extend to all Australians visiting their country.

Along the way we will be cycling, trekking, training, sailing and sightseeing our way through Istanbul, Ankara, Cappadocia, Karaman, Konya, Antalya, Fethiye, Pamukkale, Ephesus, Troy and of course, Gallipoli. Turkey has an amazing array of experiences for the traveller and our trip has been planned so that we will experience as many different facets of this country as possible. Not only is the history breathtaking, but the country has incredible natural wilderness areas as well, which we will see on our trek in the Taurus Mountains. Some other highlights will include taking a night train to Ankara, sailing over a sunken city, exploring a complete underground city, visiting the monastery of the whirling dervishes, cycling among the cave houses of Cappadocia and exploring the numerous Roman and other ruins.

Now that the Turkey adventure is finalised I can let you know what I have been working on next. For the past couple of years I have been looking at another trek in Nepal. In 2009 we took 27 Ghostriders and friends to the Annapurna region to trek to Kopra Ridge. In April 2013 I would like to take another group of trekkers to explore the Everest region of the Himalayas. This will not be a cycling trip but rather a mountainous trek on the roof of the world.

I have also been looking at a much less challenging (but wonderfully enjoyable) trip for later in the year. This would take the form of an extended ride in the chateaux region of France for Aug/Sep of 2013. This would be an ideal opportunity to involve your non cycling partners and friends as the riding will be gentle but spectacular.

Looking even further ahead I would love to take another group to experience South America in 2014.

Although all these trips are still a long way off, if you would like to be informed of developments, you should let me know now.

**** RECENT RIDES ****

Bayside Bike Paths Ride - 7th August
What a great ride !

The predicted showers did not eventuate and 22 riders were blessed with a most enjoyable ride to the Docklands and back. It is amzing to see how many people venture to this region to jog, ride, walk and skate to physical fitness. It was also very encouraging to see many of our female riders take part in this ride. We also had three guest riders join us for the day. One of our foundation members Daryl O'Grady also came out of cycling retirement to show us his $6000 racing bike. This was not intended to be a hard ride, rather it was a chance to enjoy some time together and see a side of our city that we don't get to see very often. For those soon leaving for our 2012 Europe ride this will be their final chance to share a ride before we start our ride in Ulm in two weeks time. Thanks again to all those who came along and helped make this ride so much fun.

Sunday 24th July - Beach Rd Ride
North Rd to Mornington and Back

Yes it was rather cold and wet but the ride went ahead as planned. Although we had 6 withdrawals before the start because of the weather, we also had two surprise guest riders join us from Tullamarine bringing our peloton to 9 riders. They had read about the ride on our web site and it was a pleasure to share their company for the afternoon. Apart from the weather, the other handicap we faced was a higher than expected number of punctures. In spite of these setbacks, the sun actually broke through for the latter stages of the ride and all agreed that it had actually been well worth while. We will be returning to this region on Sun Aug 7th when we conduct the Bayside Bike Paths Ride. This heads in the opposite direction (ie towards Melbourne) and will take us from South Rd to Docklands and back again.

Sat July 9th - Maribyrnong River Bike Path
Another 10/10 ride

We returned to this ride after a couple of year's break and our decision was rewarded with an absolutely perfect day for riding. Kevin Balaam (bicycle guide extraordinaire) took us under his wing and introduced us to some of his favourite routes in this area. We all had a fantastic day on the trails and the warm sunshine was a most welcome surprise after the miserable weather we had been having for the previous two weeks. You can view the video of the ride here

Overseas Adventure Challenges
Q. What's Next ?
A. Turkey ! Cradle of Civilization

Question: What do the places Kunming, Kathmandu, Delhi, Bangkok, Munich, Dali, Li Jiang, Jaipur, Yangshuo, Vienna, Budapest, Guilin, Paris, London, Agora, Hong Kong, Dubai, Pokhara, Passau, Santiago, Lima, Cusco, Arequipa, Buenos Aires, Wangaratta and Warburton all have in common ?
Answer: They have all been visited by the Ghostriders in the past 5 years !

OVERSEAS ADVENTURE CHALLENGES - PAST AND FUTURE
2006 Tiger Leaping Gorge - completed
2007 - Tiger Leaping Gorge - completed
2008 - Limestone Trail - completed
Mar 2009 - Annapurna-Dhauligiri A- completed
Mar 2009 - Annapurna-Dhauligiri B- completed
Apr 2009 - India Discovery Tour - completed
Apr 2009 - Cambodia & Angkor Watt - completed
Sep 2009 - Danube Ride (Europe) - completed
Sep 2010 - Peru Cycle & Inca Trail Trek- completed
Oct 2010 - Argentina & Iguassu Falls - completed
Aug/Sep 2011 - Extended European Ride - completed
April 2012 - Under African Skies - booked out
Sep 2012 - Turkish Delights- booked out
Oct 2012 - Greek Odyssey - booked out
June/July 2013 - Challenging ride in Nova Scotia, Canada (TBC)
Sep 2013 - Loire Valley Ride in France (filling fast)
April 2014 - Possible Nepal Trek (TBC)
Sep 2014 - Return to The Andes (TBC)

Our 2009 Himalayan Adventure is now a part of history. I doubt that anyone who participated in this amazing challenge will ever run out of stories to tell. How could we ever forget the thrill of climbing on the narrow ice ledges with a blizzard blowing and lightning cracking all around us ? Not to mention the death defying sheer drops that awaited us if we made a single false step ! I cannot imagine any way that you could feel more alive than when you are really put to the test. What a privelege we had of being able to explore such an amazing part of our planet and to meet so many fantastic people along the way.

In September and October 2010 we completed our longest and most ambitious overseas challenge to date when we travelled to South America to complete a high altitude ride and trek in Peru. This turned into an amazing adventure and was rated as our best trip ever. After Peru we also travelled to Argentina and Uruguay. You can see come of the inital images from this trip HERE.

All overseas adventures are open to men and women who are fit and active with well developed senses of adventure and good sense of humour. You do not have to be an experienced cyclist but you will need to be prepared to complete a realistic training program to adequately prepare for the challenges ahead.

You can either stay at home and think of a hundred reasons why you can't go, or else you can take a step at fulfilling some of your dreams. Once the decision is made, the details have a way of taking care of themselves.

If you would like to read the story of the the 2006 China ride then click HERE.
The story of the 2007 China trip can be found HERE
The story of the 2008 China trip can be found HERE
The story of our 2009 Nepal trip can be found HERE
The story of our 2009 Danube Ride can be found HERE

I can also arrange to meet with your cycling group to give them more information on these trips. Ring me on 03 5968 3307 for details.

In the interests of keeping this page to a manageable size I have archived some ride stories to another page. If you've got some time to spare you can read dozens of previous adventures by clicking here. E-mail messages should be sent to Dennis.