Ride updates- 10th Nov to 25th Nov 2007

Its been ages since I updated my blog so here is the first of several posts that backtrack on what's been happening. Some of it is simple point form while some is more detailed. Read on...

10th November 2007 - Northcote > Docklands > Werribee River
Distance: 83.55
Ride Time: 03:27:52
Average Speed: 24.10
Max Speed: 46.60
Ride Description: Flat, flat, flat!
Weather: Fine

- PDL and I met up with beatmasterbee (Andrew) on way down to the ride start where we had equal numbers of flat bar bikes as road bikes.
- The group was abused within the first 5 mins of starting the ride (for daring to ride on the road) down Footscray Rd.
- Along the way there were tons of stinky factories, green smoke, etc. We played guess that smell!
- Stu caught up with us along the way after changing his mind about his days ride and they riding in the general direction hoping ti catch us. Dunno how he found us- I would have been totally lost myself.
- The bike path was ok except for the annoying road crossings breaking up a good path surface.
- The path was mostly empty path except for the occasional slow casual riders.
- Eventually the path ended at Werribee River, where we boys relived ourselves against the trees. However with no toilet for PDL, we rode back to a servo so lisa could avail herself of the facilities.
- The ride back uneventful, but I did try to chase down Stu after he took off to no avail.
- At one stage, I found myself on the rough footpath and while trying to cross back onto the road, I rode over a sand patch and was lucky not to be thrown over the bars.
- Towards the end of the ride, the pa e picked up more and more, leaving Johan struggling to keep up.
- Back along Footscray Rd we passed heaps of cars into Docklands due to the road works. Love doing that.
- All back in the Docklands, we had a group photo taken for us by group of excitable women.
- We all sat down and had breakfast at Docklands; it’s always good to have a feed at the end of a good ride.
- On the way home I saw Saw 53-11 (Andy) in the city and yelled hi as we zoomed past.
- After the ride we drove to Le Knicks (picked up a second pair of bib knicks and a cap), tried on jerseys- still don’t fit me. Damn!


11th November 2007 - Northcote > Black Rock return
Distance: 53.30
Ride Time: 02:36:56
Average Speed: 20.40
Max Speed: 49.80
Ride Description: Flat
Weather: Fine, Practice ride with Sara

- Today was a test BBC ride for Sara.
- We did an OK pace all the way, the hills hurt Sara but it reminds me of myself when I started.
- Met up with an older bloke I met ages ago, so I rode off from Sara and Lisa to chat with him as he was trying to keep up with his group.
- After riding ahead, I dropped back for Sara to encourage her along.
- Later on, I raced off ahead to chase down some road riders on the long incline before Black Rock (did it easy).
- Sara bumped into a woman she knew from music course at Uni on the road, and I think Sara was happy to see so many women on the road.
- We stopped at Kennedys for a drink, then a look at LeKnicks (Lisa bought Bojour jersey).
- The older bloke saw us again as we rode up the Black Rock hill (I was going slow for Sara, wanted to race off to show I really wasn’t slow hehehe).
- Lisa and I raced each other along the flat for a little while- I got to 48kph but it left me stuffed.
- After the foolish sprinting above, I backed off and worked with Sara all the way back, stopping in St Kilda for breakfast at The Grocery Bar.
- After breakfast, we rode home up Collins St, a really hard hill for Saz but she never gave up. Good for her.
- In the end Sara finished the ride with a decent average speed; impressed.


11th November 2007 - Northcote > Boulevard return
Distance: 20.74
Ride Time: 00:57:15
Average Speed: 21.80
Max Speed: 49.70
Ride Description: Hilly
Weather: Warm

- PDL and I hit the Kew Bouli for an extra workout later in the afternoon after the mornings BBC ride.
- It was still hard work but I find the Kew Bouli a bit easier every time I do it.
This time I was able to ride up all the hills in the middle ring.
- Interestingly, I discovered I only use the brakes just the one small moment on the entire bouli.
- At the Richmond end we waited for Sally and Bryce.
- We all set off for Chandler Highway together with me leading the way down the first hill, but everyone passed me on first up hill. Bugger!
- I tried to keep Sally in sight but lost her half way around the Bouli.
Lisa apparently was keeping Bryce honest the whole way (she really is good on the hills).
- Rode home having done our first full lap of the Kew Boulevard (there and back).


13th November 2007 - Northcote > Boulevard return via Fairfield boatshed

- PDL and I took Sara on the Kew Bouli for her first time. Credit where credit’s due to Sara for giving it a go.
- An unknown rider fired a pretend gun at PDL and me as we rode up the first hill (he was riding down)- WTF?
- I stopped to wait for Sara at top of the first hill, where I was bailed up by the unknown gunman (a BV forum member it turned out). I was so pissed off after he talked AT me, that I hammered along the Bouli as hard as I could, so much so that PDL couldn’t catch me until the final hill.
- Sara made it all the way- a top effort on a tough road.
- On the way back we took the short cut through the Kew boatsheds and headed home feeling rather shite.


17th November 2007 - Anaconda > 1:20 > Sassafras > Skyhigh > Kalorama > Sassafras > Anaconda
Distance: 47.70
Riding Time: 02:21:27
Average Speed: 20.20
Max Speed: 67.60
Ride description: Hill climb
Weather: Warm

- There was a big group for this ride, with about 30+ riders joining in.
- I lead the way from Anaconda, with everyone treating me as the group leader (which felt pretty strange).
- We regrouped at The Basin where some riders were already waiting.
- Everyone (I thought) passed me within 100mts of the climb, leaving me with a long and lonely ride up (which I always expected).
- Along the way up I was able to pass just the 2 riders on mountain bikes.
- Sette came back down twice to me after reaching the top which just served to highlight my lack of hill climbing ability. *sigh*
- I finally made it to the top with no rest stops, so I achieved my aim for this ride (I still collapsed on the grass at the top though!)
- After a rest, we all headed to Sky High, where Louisa and I rode together at the back, urging each other along up the hills.
- I flew down a long downhill and turned off to Sky High (where several riders were waiting at the intersection, looking a bit lost). I was passed again up the hills, but I kept pushing up some really steep hills that had me in my lowest gear- ouch!
- Finally I made it to the top, where someone (an angel perhaps?) took my bike from me when I got to the top- thanks!
- It turned out that Dave, Shane and Richard took the wrong turn and went the long, steep way up to Sky High.
- On the way down, I was group leader again, leading the way down a very steep fast downhill with a sharp turn and stop sign at the bottom. You could smell my disk brakes at the bottom I was working them so hard!
- Back to Sasafrass was hard work again. Glad to make it as I was getting pretty weary legs by this stage.
- After breakfast in Sassafrass, we headed back down the 1:20. I left after most (I was busy jabbering to Dave) and I pushed all the way, finally catching and overtaking our entire (now smaller) group before the end. I was dubbed the “Red Flash” afterwards! Hehehe
- We rode back as a group to Anaconda in the high 30’s which was fun (a bit of a tail wind).There was HEAPS of fast traffic on Bayswater Rd; loud, scary, and not fun at all.
- We drove home stuffed and hot and sweaty, but it was a great day’s ride all the same.


24th November 2007 - Northcote > Hampton return + Bouli return + Brunswick St > Northcote
Distance: 71.35
Ride Time: 03:42:23
Average Speed: 19.20
Max Speed: 51.6
Ride Description: Flat + hills
Weather: Warm

- Today’s ride was a very slow ride to BBC- Sara struggling bad- not sure what the problem was.
- Lisa chain came off- again! Getting frustrating.
- Matt turned up with his new bike- finally! Wish I was on a road bike, but I need to wait for A- more money, and B. more weight loss.
- On way down with the group, Kathy and I stayed back with Sara.
- The group stopped outside Startline to wait for us (which was nice), but they then passed us straight away as Sara struggled up an incline.
- Sara was finding it harder and harder- and eventually we turned around and I told Kathy to go ahead and let them know what happened to us.
- On way back was I was buzzed by a big fast group and tapped on shoulder by a rider at speed. It turned out to be Andy so I waved hi back.
- Along the way we were passed by many of the fast 7am group.
- Back at the BBC, breakfast was back to normal after last months poor effort. Good.
- After breakfast, PDL, Sara and I rode to Spoke(n) to have a look around. Lots of nice stuff in there, and very friendly staff who even parked our bikes for us in the store.
- As we rode back up Nepean Hwy, we were was buzzed by a Wattle bird. Never been swooped before.
- We rode back via Swanston St, up past Melbourne Uni, and took the Rushall Station way to avoid hills for Sara.
- I really felt for Sara- she was just having a really bad day on the bike and she was crushed I think.

- After the ride we all voted and John Howard lost. Finally! Very happy.

- Later PDL and I went to do the Kew Bouli via The Pipe bridge. It was a steep climb and I pushed too hard and gulped too much water which made me feel sick.
- PDL’s chain came off two more times on the way back, so I cracked the shits and we rode to BSC to have it fixed properly.
- They could make it jump proof but it was a “lazy shift” (double click to move the big ring). PDL didn’t like this so we took their advice and paid for a Shimano 105 big ring to be fitted- fixed the problem and now shifts better than it ever has!


25th November 2007 - Northcote > St Kilda > Mt Eliza return
Distance: 116.31
Ride Time: 04:34:21
Average Speed: 25.40
Max Speed: 70.30
Ride Description: Flat with some hills
Weather: Fine with some low headwind on the way down

- A cool morning start to the ride.
- An idiot in car on Gertrude St screamed out at us as we were crossing the intersection (with a green light)- “FUCKING CYCLISTS” *shrug*
- PDL and I made the meet point with time to spare for once.
- The group was made up of- Dave, Matt, Richard, Rey, Katrina, PDL and me.
- Dave and I lead a fast pace on the way down. I tried to out sprint Dave into Black Rock but I still went too early but i beat Richard. hehe
- We kept the pace up into Mordi, where Dave took off, so I encouraged PDL to chase him down (she didn’t quite make it).
- We backed off the pace to Frankston, and we saw a woman in a group in front of us almost crash in front of us- lucky save.
- One guy that passed us had a Brumbys Bread jersey on and the back had French bread sticks printed to look like they were sticking out of the rear pockets- very cool!
- The woman who almost fell earlier, was walking up Hopes Rise as I rode towards her. She looked back and upon seeing me she started running up the hill in cleats. Very strange.
- I made it up Hopes Rise without walking for the first time. Woohoo!
- Apparently PDL passed Dave up Hopes Rise for a while- wow!
- Katrina made it up on her first attempt- VERY impressed!
- The ride towards Mt Eliza was hard work and my legs were a bit wobbly by the end.
- At the coffee stop in Mt Eliza, we stopped for a rest and I had a choc mud muffin served to Dave with a birthday candle for his birthday.
- After the stop, Dave took off so I pushed really hard down Olivers Hill to catch him and topped 70kph for the first time!
- As I was riding down at 70kph, a car slowly passed me and the kids in the back seat were all staring at me, mouths wide open in amazement; funny stuff!
- The ride back towards Mordi was fast and in the mid 30’s. After Mordi we were supposed to back off the pace a bit but Richard and I got carried away and we were sitting in the mid 30’s again.
- Dave and Lisa took off, from the rest of us and I was passed by everyone by the last hill around Ricketts Point, but I passed Katrina and Rey back into Black Rock, caught up with Richard and we rode the rest of the way north together.
- Into St Kilda I saw my average was 25.9kph so I pushed hard the rest to get up to 26kph (made it).
- Turns out that Dave and PDL had been waiting for a while at the cafe as they were really flying the whole way.
- I really enjoyed lunch as I was starving by the time I made it back. I really worked hard this ride.
- After breakfast, PDL discovered that some kids had cleared her computer while messing about- damn them!
- The rest of the ride home was uneventful.

Ride updates- 10th Nov to 25th Nov 2007