May E-scapade — We're going to...
Hi ,
I'm very excited! I can finally let you in on the latest gossip. It's been a tricky secret to keep, but now it's time for me to share ...
We're off to the Blue Mountains and the Hunter Valley next year! Think of the Three Sisters, Jenolan Caves, Zig Zag Railway, trips to Dubbo Zoo, famous horse studs, wineries galore and a beach finish — sound good?
We've been talking to the Local Councils and communities in the Region whilst driving around to find the most spectacular riding route for you. We've been juggling the dates and distances and making sure that we include all of the best towns, views, cafes, wineries and options for side trips along the way.
There's so much to see that we couldn't squish it all into our standard 9-day Ride. We thought about chopping it short at either end, but we couldn't decide between missing out on the Three Sisters in the Blue Mountains and the gorgeous parks and coastline in Newcastle (about which I was quite surprised — I hadn't expected Newcastle to be so pretty) ... so we decided to do it all!
I don't think everyone will want to come away for 13 days, so the 2008 Great Escapade has three options, three distances and three dates. You can choose your own adventure!
We're building up our pages on the web — make sure you have a look at what's there now and keep your eye out for new information. You can also enter your holiday photos for the May E-scapade Photo Gallery competition (more below).
Chat soon!
Sarah - Ride Director
P.S. We've put together a small brochure about the Great Escapade. It's going in the mail this month — so keep an eye out for the great shot of Three Sisters on a bike in your mailbox!
Choose your own adventure!
The fun begins! We've found all of the ingredients for our Great Escapade Recipe ... some great riding, mountains, loads of wineries, rolling hills, cafes and foodstores, amazing views, eager communities and a spectacular coastline. This is going to be so much more than a bike ride. You can practically smell the scenery from your bike!
Here are your choices ...
The Great Escapade - Blue Mountains and the Hunter Valley
29 March to 10 April 2008, 729km (average 66km / day)
I challenge you to come along for the full 13 days! Adrian is keen to take on the whole hog from Katoomba to Newcastle. His will be such a rewarding journey. He'll see loads of great places, meet the locals along the route and come home with a camera full of shots. It's going to be awesome!
The Great Escapade - The Tablelands Way
29 March to 5 April 2008, 499km (average 71km / day)
13 days too much? What about an 8-day adventure? Trish and John are having a think about this option — it will give them a chance to visit Anne in Cessnock the week after. They haven't been to some of these places in years - the Three Sisters, the Tablelands, the Jenolan Caves ... they remember these beautiful places and are excited about another trip. They have started researching Zig Zag Railway trips and the history of Rylstone and Cassilis — theirs will be a well planned ride.
The Grape Escapade - Taste the Hunter Valley
6 April to 10 April 2008, 230km (average 58km / day)
My friend Kate is considering this option. She can't wait to cruise through the Hunter Valley and take her time enjoying the shorter days of riding. She reckons two days of riding, a rest day amongst the vines, then two more meandering along to the beaches of Newcastle is the way to go for her. What about you?
Pass it on!
Make sure you pass this email on to your friends and family — they might want a taste of the action too! They can sign up to receive the June E-scapade. You can win a Great Escapade Jersey if they register for the E-scapade E-news.
Share your holiday snaps with us and win!
Been to the Blue Mountains? Seen the Three Sisters? Sipped wine in the Hunter Valley? Perhaps you're a local and you have some great shots of your region to share with us? Well, send in your photos so we can show everyone else what they can look forward to. We'll even throw a drop of special 2008 Great Escapade wine (from along the route) to our favourite pic. (Closes 12 June 2008)
Check out the best photos of the past Escapades in the Photo Galleries. There's tent cities, sunset at Busselton, the Crown Ranges and Karri Forests. We've got a drop of the region's local wine for the winners of the May E-scapade Competition. Perhaps you were a winner?
The Great Escapade Team
Bicycle Victoria
http://www.bv.com.au/
Bicycle New South Wales
http://www.bicyclensw.org.au/
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