2019 Cloudride Wrap

A field of fifteen riders headed out from Canberra at 8:00am Good Friday morning 19 April for the sixth edition of the Monaro Cloudride.

A 1000k off road mountain bike ultra endurance challenge that winds its way down through the Monaro region and alpine National Parks of south eastern NSW, crossing briefly into Victoria before looping back up to finish in Canberra at the starting point. There are no stages or control points along the route. Riders, tracked by GPS satellite, must follow the exact race route, ride solo and have no outside support other than the commercial services in towns along the route. The wonders of the internet and a race tracking website allow family, friends and thousands of race followers to remain glued to their devices hanging on every tracking point as riders inch their way across the terrain on rough fire trails, forest roads with some relief on paved roads as the enter and exit the towns along the route. The daily social media posts on Facebook provide some coverage of the daily progress and interaction with riders. For those who have survived without this life intrusion this wrap might fill some of the gaps .... here is the news!

2019 rider numbers were down a little on recent years after a few late withdrawals but the quality was high headed by Jason English from Newcastle, a seven time World Mountain Bike 24h solo winner.

Adrian Middleton was another very experienced cross country racer and there were several accomplished mountain trail runners switching to the bike in Paul Cuthbert [fastest known time on the Alpine Wilderness Walking Trail] and the sole woman entry Meredith Quinlan a very experienced endurance mountain biker and trail runner. Jason English added some further lustre to his decade long dominance in the 24 hour solo discipline with a 16th place in a field of over 800 in the recent Blue Mountains iconic 45k Six Foot Track running marathon. All of these favourites had no previous experience competing in a multi-day unsupported bikepacking race.

With a five star weather forecast across the region riders headed out on this years counter-clockwise course in perfect conditions with Tumut at 170k their first re-supply town. On the way over to Tumut last years second place finisher Lewis Brocklehurst withdrew after 75k citing a lack of focus contemplating the next 925k.

By mid-afternoon at Tumut the cream had risen to the top. Jason English had a small lead over Middleton and Cuthbert [Single Speed] and opted for an Indian Restaurant meal. Middleton and Cuthbert went the fast food option and were riding again with minimal delay. Canberra’s Frank Zeller was next followed by Tasmanian Brent Ranson and Quinlan. All had short re-supply breaks and pressed on towards the next town, Batlow at 220k. The route follows the Blowering Dam foreshore trail before a challenging climb over into Batlow. English caught up and passed Cuthbert and rode into Batlow with Middleton just after 9:00pm and 13 hours of riding. They both stopped for a break and discussed the options. Middleton opted for some sleep, English to continue riding on to Cabramurra. Four mid-pack riders overnighted in Tumut, the trailing three stooped at the Mickalong Creek Camping Reserve just past the 100k mark.

English didn’t stop riding until Cabramurra at 4:00am having put away 314k in 20 hours. Cuthbert and Meredith Quinlan both continued through the night without rest. Middleton was back on the bike just after midnight. Cuthbert arrived in Cabramurra at 7:30 for a breakfast stop and English was immediately back on the bike heading for Jindabyne, ignoring the option of a full cooked breakfast in Australia’s highest town. Middleton arrived at 8:30 and cajoled a couple of Bacon and Egg rolls from the just closing Bistro kitchen. Cuthbert had already departed and had closed to within 10k of English but with no apparent sleep break.

Back in the field Frank Zeller who had a five hour break in Batlow had crossed to Cabramurra just catching Meredith Quinlan in Cabramurra for a lunchtime re-supply. As English approached the 400k mark the backmarkers were on a coffee break in Tumut already 225k in arrears.

English arrived in Jindabyne, 420k and 9,300Vm in his legs at 4:30pm and was away heading down the Barry Way towards the Victorian border at 6:15. Middleton had caught and passed Cuthbert and they crossed again in the Jindabyne Woolworths supermarket isle … now on nodding acquaintance terms. Cuthbert took a room in Jindabyne, Middleton continued on and camped at midnight before the Barry Way descent. At the same time Jason English had arrived at the Snowy River crossing, waded over in darkness and was about to discover the challenging Tingaringy Wilderness climb. 11k with 1000Vm and hours of pushing the bike up some 25%+ gradients.

The Tingaringy climb strikes a common chord amongst riders ...

Cuthbert vacated his warm bed at 2:00am almost catching Middleton, who with telepathic timing jumped back on the bike before dawn to maintain a slender lead. At the same time English had completed his crossing of the wilderness fire trail under a full moon and crawled under some bushes for sleep …. now with a commanding 70k lead over the chasing pair. Frank Zeller arrived in Jindabyne at 1:30am with Meredith Quinlan on Snowy Plain still riding, seemingly existing on micro sleep stops. Following slower riders were dotted back along the race tracker to Batlow.

Middleton tackled the Snowy River crossing as daylight broke and commenced the climb with a 30 minute lead over Cuthbert.

By mid-day and now into their third day, they were both over the climb and descending into Tubbut where riders can re-charge batteries and have a complimentary coffee as guests of the Tubbut Community Neighbourhood facility. English was in Delegate sampling the Cafe delights and catching the race news from proprietor Uland who maintains a watch on the race tracker to greet arriving racers. Frank Zeller was about to make the Snowy crossing, Meredith Quinlan approaching the Barry Way descent. Bryce England and Brent Ranson were chasing hard to make Jindabyne for some early evening re-supply and likely a decent meal, hot shower and bed for the night.

As darkness descended English was having a rookie navigation experience on unmade road reserves coming off the Merriangaah Range. Meanwhile on the faster Monaro shire roads Cuthbert and Middleton were swapping positions. Cuthbert riding a single speed and Middleton on the geared bike each finding a rhythm as one had the ascendancy over the other coming through Cragie, Little Plains and Quidong. They had closed a 50k gap in early morning down to 30k as English finally exited out on to Palerang Rd.

The Delegate - Bombala section had the added bonus of some trailside supporters with easter eggs and water for riders from locals Angus Hobson and Hannah Mariott at the 580k mark and at the Delegate River crossing at Quidong from the Stevenson family.

The accumulated fatigue and limited sleep was now looming large for the leading riders. Bombala food offerings at 8:10pm on Easter Sunday are probably limited however English spent an hour and 20 minutes getting some nourishment before departing on the race route to Cathcart. Middleton and Cuthbert were exiting the Meringo Nature Reserve. They both arrived independently to the welcoming lights of Bombala at 671k around midnight. Middleton had phoned ahead and booked a pub bed, Cuthbert pondered his options …. a warm bush or log. At the same time English took cover adjacent to the the Cathcart War Memorial Hall…. in the pea soup fog he failed to find water or power. Bombala to Cathcart on the race route is just 28k for the chasing pair.

Rounding out day three, Frank Zeller caught the Delegate Hotel publican’s attention at 11:30pm with a rousing door rattle as the lights were about to be switched off and got a hot shower and room much to his exhausted relief. Meredith Quinlan was near Tubbut, Brent Ranson camped at the Snowy River for an early morning assault on the Tingaringy climb. Bryce England overnighted in Jindabyne.

Michael Moore and Eric Caesar had camped back on Snowy Plain at 375k with the trailing riders just arriving in Cabramurra at 315k. Moore and Caesar hit the supermarket isles in Jindabyne next morning.

English was moving again at 4:00am to tackle the Tantawangalo section. Cuthbert was moving at 5:00am and Middleton at 5:30am. Nimmitabel on the counter clockwise race route is a critical re-supply point it’s 180k via the race route through to Bungendore with no services. English arrived at 10:30am toured the gluten free offerings from shops in the town with not a lot of success and rested in the local park while recharging his battery packs, gps and phone.

At about 12:35pm the chases arrived Middleton a few minutes ahead of Cuthbert neither aware at that point that English was still in the town. Both recounted the occasion but said they didn’t see English who was on the bike leaving town 15 minutes later. They stocked up with bakery food for the next leg and where corralled by a local resident who offered them some back yard shade to eat and rest … even providing picnic blankets! Both riders left one hour later at 1:50pm trailing Jason English by 13k.

By late afternoon in deteriorating conditions, heavy rain, wind and plummeting temperatures Cuthbert and Middleton found shelter in a roadside farm shed. Wet, cold, exhausted after three and a half days and 800k of brutal riding conditions they made a joint decision to back off from racing and complete the course in survival mode. Plan A was to sleep and wait for the weather to clear…. alarm was set for midnight.

Up ahead Jason English was grappling with another difficult navigation section. A stick caught in his rear derailleur rendering it useless. The solution, shorten the chain and set up a single gear option that would allow him to continue.

In rain, wet and freezing cold it’s a fumble fingers game. You get to use a chain breaker tool about once a decade if you’re unlucky. If you’re really unlucky the chain breaker breaks as you are half way through the repair and that’s where Jason’s superb ride came to a frozen moment.

“I hadn't been so cold in my life. I was shaking uncontrollably …I was just lucky for the sleeping gear that I had kept dry. From what I could see on my phone, the boys hadn't started through the 4wd tracks and were seeking shelter for the night also. I camped off the track a few meters as I needed a tree that offered some rain protection without the risk of having dead branches drop on me.”

At midnight Paul Cuthbert and Adrian Middleton resume their ride, now brothers in arms dragging each other on. Up on the main range of Gourock National Park there is some phone signal as dawn breaks. Adrian needs some air in a soft rear tyre, Paul decides to check on his phone reception and discovers they had ridden straight past where Jason English’s SPOT tracker was stationary. No sign of Jason, maybe a flat SPOT tracker and he’s up the road somewhere. They ride on and only discover the details of Jason’s dilemma at a trailside trail angel treat stop approaching Hoskinstown.

Paul Cuthbert and Adrian Middleton finished their Monaro Cloudride arm on arm in 4D:07h:03m

Jason English eventually received outside third party assistance to effect a single speed chain solution and finished in 4D:13:27m. Jason subsequently declared his outside assistance and self relegated himself from the general classification results.

Over the following days a further five riders completed this challenging 1000k adventure enduring the demands of rough rubble strewn fire trails, bumping tussock grass alpine trails, river crossings, cold heat, wet and the disappointment of a closed food business when you’re hungry and at the bottom of your emotional well.

Eric Caesar crashed out in the closing hours, catching a stick in his front wheel and coming down heavily to end his second Cloudride almost in sight of the finish.

Frank Zeller 4D:15h:45m

Bryce England 7D:3h:57m

Brent Ranson 5D:10:33m

Meredith Quinlan 5D:11h:47m

Bryce England 7D:3h:57m

Michael Moore 8D:1h:12m

RETIRED

Eric Caesar 835k [crashed]

Ross Hamilton [415k Jindabyne - insufficient time]

Adam Gowlett [415k Jindabyne - insufficient time]

Chris Jenkins [415k Jindabyne - insufficient time]

Dalton Harvie [415k Jindabyne - insufficient time]

Phil Mathewson [220k Batlow - knees]

Lewis Brocklehurst [75k Wee Jasper - another 925k?!]

Special thanks to all the race followers on social media for your support and encouragement and to the 'trail angels' for the surprise trail side water, easter eggs, snacks and a chat.

Steve @ Mountain Trails on Doctors Flat Rd [75k]

Pete & Ali Makin Argalong Rd [135k]

Shawana Andrews & family Snowy River crossing [498k]

Tubbut Community House [525k]

Angus Hobson & Hannah Mariott Delegate [580k]

Stevenson Family Quidong [631k]

Preston Family Hoskinstown [940k]