Ladies and gentlemen,

Every Wednesday evening, myself and a friend of mine head for the foothills of the Beechmont Range for quick hills. While the altitudes on this particular ride aren't huge (even by Australian standards), there may well be over 500 metres of climbing just from the ups and downs. For a little while now we've had a dispute over just which was the highest point on the ride. He claims it's the intersection of Nerang/Murwilumbah and Beechmont roads. I think it's the intersection of Gilston Road and The Panorama (yes, that is the name of the road).

Tomorrow night I do this ride with my new altimeter for the first time. We have a tube riding on the outcome of this. I will post the official result when it is made clear.

We'll be waiting anxiously.

you have a tube riding on this? that's a pretty funny wager

you could have done a bottle of chain lube, or maybe a handful of presta valve adapters...

I was talking to some folks at the Two Pine Cafe' near Natural Bridge and they said you are right.

Good luck with that new tube!

I think your "never get a puncture for a billion mile" tubes are too valuable to gamble away like that. You could have put something with less value up like a hair brush or something

That's a totally tubular wager.

You actually managed to catch that place open? I've been riding down that way for the best part of a decade, and it's closed everytime I go past. Lovely setting though.

It's actually the tyres that seem to be puncture proof. I'm using the same tubes that got seven in a month last year. Which reminds me that after no flats in 10,000km, perhaps I should check my spares just in case...

A tube of VB or Four X?

I didn't know that stuff came in tubes.

Well, the results are in. The point on Nerang/Murwillumbah & Beechmont roads (i.e what he said) -- 120 metres. The point on Gilston Road/The Panorama (i.e. what I said) -- 86 metres. Even the Hinze Dam wall was 90 metres (which surprised me). Fair to say I really got a tonking . It's probably just as well he didn't take my last minute suggestion of upping the stakes to a bottle of chain lube.

Still, the total climbing was 470 metres, which was about what I expected (should have wagered that!). Not bad for a ride under 50km where the total height doesn't exceed 120 metres.