Ride updates- 15th Dec to 20th Dec 2007

More backdated ride reports including several wet and soggy rides to Sorrento, our first MRR ride and PDL's first crit pseudo race.

15th December 2007 - Frankston > Mornington > Sorrento return
Distance: 104km
Description: Flat with some hills
Weather: Rain, LOTS of rain!

PDL and I met up with Vicjane, Commi and RedZ61 around 8.00am and huddled under a shelter as we waited for everyone to get ready. It was raining non-stop and the flies were fierce (I thought the flies went away in the rain?).
PDL and I were hopelessly under dressed for the rain- no booties, no under layers, no rain jackets or vests. Doh! What were we thinking?

Up Hopes Rise and within a few km’s, Jane had a flat. A few km’s later Jane had a second flat and while waiting under the shelter of a servo fixing the flat, the owner comes out and tells us to bugger off. Nice! I finished changing flat in the rain and Stu rode past. We tried in vain to call out to him, but he didn’t hear us so Commi rode off to catch him whilst we finished off the flat.

We rode on and met up with Stu and Commi where Jane had her third flat (yes- third!). I helped fix it and gave her my tube so she could turn back for home (Stu had already 2 flats on the way down to Frankston).

PDL was shivering in the cold so we rode on, turning off for Mornington so we could get some garbage bags to make vests to keep PDL warm. They looked silly and felt icky to have the plastic against our skin (I put one on also- we wore them under our jerseys) but it kept the wind away from our skin and they achieved their aim.

Stu had to ride on as we were now so far behind schedule, so it was down to just the 4 of us. We rode on down to Safety Beach in pouring rain with water running over the road 3 inches deep in places!

Stopping for a break at Safety Beach, a guy hopped out of a car (with cycling jersey on) said we were tough for still heading out in this weather and I agreed. LOL

At Rosebud, RedZ61 had to turn back as we were running so late (he had a flat on the way home) while the 3 of us kept riding to Sorrento.

Riding past Arthur’s Seat, I pondered riding up it one day. I imagine it would make the 1:20 look easy. I’ll keep that challenge for another day.

Finally made it to Sorrento and stopped for late breakfast. We sat outside as we were soaked and dirty but this only made us even colder and PDL and I were shivering despite the warm drinks and food.

The waitress asked us where we rode from and after telling her, she thought we were very hardcore- damn right! LOL

Riding home apparently Commi and I had about 50 flies on our back. Damn freeloaders!

Into Mount Martha, I was getting hot in the plastic bag vest and tore holes into the chest area as I rode to try and cool myself down. Eventually, PDL and I stopped and ripped off the whole bag and we felt much better.

Back on Nepean Hwy I had a flat rear and had to wait for Commi and PDL to realise and ride back to me (I had no tubes now and no pump). I fixed my flat rear and as we were about to get going I found my front was now flat.

Now out of tubes between PDL and I, I borrowed one of Commi’s tubes and then found PDL’s rear was flat. We used Commi’s last tube (the 6th flat I had changed on the ride) and we limped back to the car - 7.5 hours after we started!
Whew! What a ride!

I spent the evening washing PDL’s bike and cleaning the drive train in preparation for the coffee crits in the morning.



16th December 2007 - Northcote > Port Melbourne > Black Rock return
Distance: 60km
Description: Flat with some hills
Weather: Fine, cool, headwind riding south

PDL and I rode down to Port Melbourne for the Women’s Coffee Crits today for PDL’s first crit. We got there a bit early with Sally (RedBike) turning up just after us.

There was a big turnout of Women for the coffee crit with plenty of nervous and apprehensive women standing about.

PDL was pretty nervous while I wished I could have given it a go myself. I will have to wait till I drop more weight and get a road bike. *sigh*

There were lots of nice bikes to look at all around me. I felt a bit feeble on my Kona flat bar next to all the nice road bikes.

During the warm up instruction session, PDL picked up plenty of skills, going around the corners faster and in the drops which was good to see as corners were her weakness.

I acted as a domestic for a few of the women we know, holding jackets, etc.

The women’s group was split into 2 groups- a leading group and a chasing group (PDL was in the chasing group). As PDL came around every lap, I yelled encouragement for her, urging her to go and chase the leading group but the pace was too high for her to mount a chase. At the end, PDL finished second in the chasing group without her even sprinting for the line. I was impressed. She even smiled for the camera as she crossed the line, hehe!

Afterwards we rode with Rey down Beach Rd to Mordialloc. We were behind some older guys at first who were all over the road and pretty slow so we eventually passed them and rode at a much faster pace, only to have them sit in our draft (it was a headwind). After a fair while of us leading the way we stopped at lights. One of the previous slow guys pulled up next to me so I cheekily said with a smile that he was “welcome to take a turn on the front” to which he replied “we were waiting for you to go up front earlier”. I don’t think he got my joke. Oops!

I wasn’t feeling it today so pulled out at Black Rock and sat down at Kennedys while PDL and Rey went to Mordi. On the way back they found Redbike and the four of us rode back to Pt Melbourne as a group for breakfast.

At home, PDL went and rode around the block to make it 200kms for the weekend. Nice work!



20th December 2007 - Northcote > Canterbury > Mitcham > Doncaster > Canterbury > Fitzroy > Northcote
Distance: 50km
Max Speed: 75.3kph
Description: Hills
Weather: Warm and humid with rain later in the ride

Full of trepidation, today we did our first Mailing Road Ride, arrived at the start a bit early. I was feeling like crap on the way to the ride, and doubted my ability to complete the ride at the groups pace.

We rode down Canterbury Rd and I was dropped straight away. Jim and Barry rode with me which was nice of them but I really hate being a charity case and holding others up. Gotta get faster…

We were just about to catch back up to the group at Maroondah Hwy when lights changed and Barry and I were dropped again. Bugger!

We finally caught up in Nunawading and rode with everyone till Doncaster where me and another guy were separated from the group again by traffic lights (damn it!).

I took off down Elgar Rd, clocking 75kph (which was a total surprise as I didn’t know I was going that fast), however up Belmore Rd the guy I was riding with (forgot his name) rode past me as expected and I rode the rest of the way solo, with no one in sight. The final hill on Balwyn Rd after Whitehorse Rd had a kick to it that really hurt. I finally limped into the Mailing Room café knackered and a bit wet.

Apparently PDL took Queen of the Mountain points and she impressed many seeing as this was her first MRR. Not bad considering she was a fair way behind at the bottom of Col de Belmore and had to close the gap and then pass up the hill. I think she is starting to believe in herself now. Finally! 

After a drink, PDL rode back to work but by this stage it was raining steady and we were wet and soggy.

Just near work we met Commi outside his work and gave him back his tubes from last Sat’s ride.

During the day I had to buy new socks to ride home in as my others were soaked through with no way to dry them during the day.

Ride updates- 15th Dec to 20th Dec 2007