Donna's Alpine Adventure

After several years of being simply Donna's Alpine Adventure in 2011 it became Donna's Big Alpine Adventure when Lake Mountain was added to the itinerary and it became a 200. After this successful change and working on the premise that more is better another 100km was added to the ride for 2012 and Donna's Big Alpine Adventure become More Alpine Adventures. The 2013 edition was wound back to a more humane 200km, but 2014 will see the 300 rise again, so be prepare for more dirt, more km's and more fun.Format and date will be announced in September when the new edition of the Audax calendar has been finalised. Registration: TBD Start Time: TBD Start Location: Lilydale Railway Station Car Park Ride Fee: TBD

Route: Both rides follow the same route to the sumit of Donna Buang for the first control; along the rail trail to Launching Place then up the Don Valley Road followed by the Donna Buang Road. Two sections of this route are unsealed but suitable for all but the skiniest road tyres as they are both uphill.

100km Option: Descend to Warburton for a coffee and lunch, then return to Lilydale via the rail trail, not forgetting to stamp your brevet card at the official finish at Cog Cafe in Mount Evelyn.

200km Option: Descend from Mt Donna as far as the Archeron Way T-junction, where you take a left towards Narbethong and Marysville. The section of the ride is unsealed. The Archeron Way eventually meets the Marysville Road just before the Maroondah Hwy, from here its a short trip to Marysville for the the second control and coffee. You'll probably need something before starting the next section to the Lake Mountain Resort. From here its all down hill, (well almost). We return to the Woods Point Road for the return to Lilydale via the Reefton Spur, apparently one of the best descents in Victoria, to Warburton and from there the Rail Trail for the final leg.

300km Option: Rather than descending the Reefton Spur continue towards Matlock on the undulating Woods Point Road. Eventually the gravel highway gives way to smooth tarmac, but this is a short respite before the Tanjil Bren Link Road. The Link Road descends gently at first and builds to a brake grabbing crescendo in the final kilometers where it meets the Baw Baw Tourist Road. If you reach this point in day light you are in for a rare treat, the Tourist Road has to be one of the finest stretches of tarmac in Victoria winding its way out of the forest valleys and into the rolling farm land. You'll be luck if you meet any traffic before Noojee.

After Noojee its a quick jaunt over the hill to Poweltown and back to Lilydale via Yarra Junction and the Rail Trail. Its a big day out and after the grandeur of Mount Donna, Lake Mountain and the Baw Baw its a surreal feeling to arrive back in civilisation.

Note:

Only the 100 is run as a dirt rides, this means a 10, 13.5 and 20 hour cut-off for the 100, 200 and 300 respectively. You can get them homologated as road rides if you prefer, but unless you are doing the 200 the faster minimum average speed leaves little spare time.

The hills and unsealed sections make the 200 and 300 options a route for tough tyres and tough legs. Although, they are manageable on skinny road tyres, it may be worth using wider tyres, unless you are bring plenty of tubes or like fixing punctures.