After the highs, comes the lows: a bad day today.

After yesterdays achievement in riding to Black Rock and back, today was a day of frustration, fear, pain and disappointment.

It all started in the morning after a lazy breakfast when I went to change the tires to the Continental Ultra Gatorskin and i discovered the valves on the new tubes that Brunswick Street Cycles sold me were ridiculously long (60mm). I did mention to the sales guy that I had a Kona Dr Dew with the deep-ish rims so I just trusted what he gave me. Grrrr...

A trip back to BSC and they didn't have 3 tubes with 40mm valve stems and they gave me the line "oh we haven't got any sorry." So I pointed to the Continental tubes which were right next to the other tubes (sheesh!), and they finally handed over 3 of those with 48mm valves and said- "here, take these, they are more expensive but that will do". Gee, thanks!

Ok, off to buy some scales and a tiny tool bag so I can carry a tube for my bike. We found a set of scales that measures your fluid levels and body fat which I thought would be a good idea for me and I find a nice tiny Specialized seat bag.

Back at home we tried the scales out and the damn things don't work properly. I followed the instructions to the letter but it doesn't work as it should. I did manage to get a weight reading and.. well.. umm.. *sigh* take a look at the photo right.

The last time I weighed myself I was about 130kg and I thought I was about the same so it was a really awful shock to see just how heavy and fat I was. And to add to my rotten feelings, the scales, although rated to go up to 150kg, wouldn't give a body fat or body fluid percentage for weights above 120kg (this was not disclosed on the packaging anywhere- I only found out by supporting myself to test the scales). Those scales are going straight back for a refund- the extra features are useless to me!

Anyway, knowing I have to loose 1/3 of my body weight to get even close to healthy, and struck with the enormity of my road ahead, I decided I had to work even harder if I was to get somewhere.

So I set about changing the tyres to the Gatorskins and I discover that the 3 tubes with 48mm valve stems are actually 2 x 48 and 1 x 38. Grrr... So I'm changing the first tyre and all was going fine until- SNAP! One of the plastic tyre leavers broke the tip off. Ok, I just use the other end carefully as the second lever. I get the tyre on, pump it up and as look on at the wheel, pleased at my work, I remember the tyres are directional and bugger it, I got it wrong.

I take it off and wouldn't you know it- half way through it the already broken lever breaks off the other end rendering it a useless piece of plastic with sharp tube cutting edges. With only one lever left and tyres that were a bit tough to get on/off, I had to dig up an old metal tyre lever and hope I wouldn't scratch my black aluminum rims (which try as I did, I couldn't avoid).

OK, the tyres are on and pumped up, no pinching and the bikes looking mighty fine. The bike looks faster and sleeker just with the change of tyres. Sweet!

With the knowledge of my weight freshly eating away at my self ego, I talk Polka Dot Lisa into going for a ride around the Boulevard and back (our first time). PDL is reluctant to go but I reassure her that we can make it around the Bouli and that she will be fine across the Chandler Hwy bridge.

It all starts well, riding down Westgarth Street and I can tell that the new tyres are faster. As we ride down Heidelberg Rd I am a bit worried about PDL as we approach the intersection with Chandler Hwy. A quick head check and the road is totally clear so I move over to enter the two right hand lanes and I give PDL the big thumbs up to signify that it's cool for her to follow me. As I stop at the lights, I look back and Lisa rolls to a stop next to me and she's a VERY freaked out by that maneuver. She's really upset and I don't really know what to do other than try and relax her. We have the Chandler Hwy bridge to cross up ahead and considering its just the one lane with no footpath, we have no choice but to ride across taking up a whole lane.

I advise PDL to try and pick up some speed on the downhill onto the bridge, move over into the lane as you approach the bridge and position yourself to take up the whole lane, then straight after the bridge move into the right hand turn lane where you can stop and wait for a brake in the traffic (in the shelter of the traffic island).

The lights change so I head off assuming that PDL is right behind me but as I pull up to a stop in the right hand turn lane, PDL is not behind me and a car comes across the bridge straight after me. "Shit- where is PDL?" Slowly she comes across and pulls up next to me and she is TOTALLY freaked out now. I comfort her and tell her it's ok, and that we can just stay here till she feels better but she's not in a good way. A woman in a car pulls into the lane behind us and I motion for her to go around us. After pulling around us, the woman opens her door and asks if we are ok and we just motion that we are. PDL is embarrassed that people are seeing her like this and she wants to cross the road and get going again.

I feel really bad at this stage, wondering if I would have been best to ride at HER pace down onto the bridge and across with her. I suppose I underestimated her fear factor. My bad... my BIG bad!

Now we are on the Bouli and its straight up a decent hill (well- it's a decent hill for us). I ride wide so PDL can ride on the left of me to give her reassurance and at the top of the hill we have to stop. PDL is suffering from stomach cramps as a result of her earlier freak out and then riding up a hill. I drop my bike, take her's from her and try to talk her through it. I know she just has to gather her breath and take some water on board. I hug her and reassure her that I am NOT angry or annoyed at her tears while several cyclists ride past looking at us (I just give then a thumbs up to let them know it's ok). After a while she calms down and is feeling ok enough to ride again.

Onwards we ride and as we head down a long sweeping fast corner, a bug decides my ear hole is a great place to stop for the night. I'm doing about 40kp/h +, entering a corner while I try to shake my head from side to side hoping to shake it free but the FREAKEN bug thinks that in deeper is better than out! Oh shit, what do I do? So as I round the corner at 40kph, I have my head tilted to the side while I'm trying to dig the little fucker out with my pinky (hoping not to push him deeper). It's about at this stage that I wish I had a long fingernail on my pinky finger. Eventually I squish the bug in my ear and I'm trying to dig him out (all at 40kph mind you). Finally- its all out but I come to a stop as the bike path ends and I spend the next 30 seconds shaking my head about to knock loose any stray legs, wings, bug guts, etc. Yuk!

As we ride on, I am REALLY struggling with the uphills. These are the biggest hills I have ever ridden up so far and its hurting REAL BAD! On the second last uphill before the Studley Park Rd overpass, I come very, very close to getting off and walking but I drop down to the small front gear and I spin the cranks to get myself up. I'm breathing way too hard to verbalize it, but I'm thinking to myself- "C'mon David, Harden The Fuck Up" and I manage to reach the top without stopping; just! As silly as it sounds, those wrist bands do help me. Finally we make Studley Park Rd and we stop for a break and drink. It's getting quite dark now and I slump over my bars and blinking headlight, unable to do anything but struggle for air. Polka Dot Lisa also struggled up the hills, but she did it much better than I did.

As I gather myself together, I worry how PDL will do down Studley Park Rd considering its a fast downhill. I tell her I will not zoom away so she can ride with me and feel safer but even with no pedaling and the brakes on for a considerable length, I still pull ahead by 50mts so I slow right down at the bottom so she can ride on my wheel up Johnston St. At the Wellington St corner, I figure a hook turn is the more conservative approach and PDL is happy to do a right hand turn this way.

Wellington St takes us up into Clifton Hill and I'm feeling every single kilogram of my 142.6 kg weight, pulling against my efforts up the hill. We ride on along Queens Pde and as we approach the Merri Creek bridge, I decide I am too stuffed to plod up the last hill to home, so I sprint down the hill harder than I ever have. I'm clicking up the gears and pulling on the bars so hard that the front wheel lifts off the ground with each pedal stroke. Yep- sprinting is definitely my strength and my top speed for the ride was during this sprint! Cool.

Home finally and we are both totally rooted! PDL is really down on herself and I try to offer her words of encouragement. I remind her that she has only been riding for 6 weeks after not driving for approx 6 years.

Ride stats 02-09-07 - Home > Boulevard > Home Loop
Dist 13.14km
Trip Time 00:36:48
Av Speed 21.50kph
Max Speed 46.9kph

Me- While I hurt like never before on those hills, I was happy to complete the ride without getting off to walk. I was also very happy considering I did 54km the day before so my recovery has also improved.

As for my weight, well I have been stewing over it all evening and yeah, it's really got me down I'll admit it. Discovering my weight is 142.6kg and that my goal is to get down to at least 90kg means I have to loose a minimum of 52.6kg. That's right- I have to loose 37% of my current body weight! As I type this and think about the path ahead of me, its pretty much overwhelming to even imagine reaching my goal. It really rips me deep inside and I feel a tear welling up just thinking about it. But at the same time, I haven't given up and I'm tempted to do the Bouli ride tomorrow morning on the way to work alone (PDL isn't ready to tackle the traffic and downhill speeds). I'll wake up early at 7am and see if I can muster up the energy and enthusiasm to do it again.

After the highs, comes the lows: a bad day today.