Chop It Up Into Firewood.

A quick word on facilities: while there are toilets at Darebin Parklands, there ain't much else. Fortunately for you, the Beatbox Kitchen burger van will once again be in attendance, so that's your main meal taken care of. And there may be soup on offer, so there's your entree. But what if you want something sweet?

Well, I'm happy to inform you that we may be once again blessed by a vegan bake sale. This is most righteous news.

You'll still have to bring your own beverages though.

There's also not a lot in the way of seating. Last year some intrepid folks brought down picnic blankets, which was a brilliant idea, but fold-out chairs would also provide some respite for weary legs. It's supposed to be relatively mild, so you won't freeze, but an extra layer probably won't hurt.

The good people from Cycleops have jumped on board as sponsors, and as such will be bringing down some trainers for you to warm up and cool down on. They don't sponsor me personally - shame on them! - but I have one of their trainers, and it rules. Apparently their tent is also going to have heating, so it may be the warmest place to be come Sunday.

The course is a lot bigger than the Prologue course was, and as such riders probably won't be able to hear Karl's soundsystem or the hillarious commentary around the back of the course. This is where you come in. Once again, we're depending on you to bring the noise. If you need a list of quality heckles, drop us a line here. We're happy to help.