Ride updates- 27th Dec to 2nd Jan 2008

Ok, this is the final of the backdated ride reports, covering 27th of December 2007 to 2nd of January 2008.

27th December 2007 - Northcote > St Kilda > Port Melbourne > Northcote
Distance: 34km
Description: Flat
Weather: Slight headwind

We took an easy ride in the afternoon.
PDL and I rode down to St Kilda pier where Lisa had a flat. Sheesh… I’m getting sick of these.

We rode back via Port Melbourne, along the bag trail and up under the Westgate to the Yarra and back via Southgate.

The ride was nothing spectacular, just a roll of the legs after a bit of a break from the bike.



29th December 2007 - Ocean Grove > Point Lonsdale > Queenscliff > Ocean Grove
Distance: 34km
Description: Flat with some hills
Weather: Very hot with headwind on the way back!

Today was a gentle training ride with Dad for Amy’s ride, with Sara coming along for the ride as well.

After setting dad’s bike up with SPD pedals and a computer, followed by a fairly unsuccessful lesson with the pedals against the wall, we took to the road figuring actual riding would be more effective. One minor cleat fall later and dad had the swing of them and we set off.

Riding towards Point Lonsdale was easy with a slight tail wind. PDL had a flat but being at the back, Sara didn’t look behind for a while and when she did Lisa was no where to be seen. I turned around and rode back and of course- she had a flat- again! Found a nail in the tyre and changed the tube quickly and were back on the road.

Turning right we had a small hill to climb and Sara was not dealing with it at all but she made it after some encouragement.

Stopped at Point Lonsdale, and then rode onto Queenscliff where we stopped for a cold drink in the shade.

Riding back it was even hotter with a section of road melting and sticking to our tyres.

I suggested to dad we take the short way home but after a miscommunication we turned off towards a hilly way back. Before we got very far, Sara had a meltdown. We all stopped on a shady, grassy spot on the side of the road and I volunteered to ride back and get my car to pickup Sara. Dad and PDL would wait with her then ride back once I arrived.

Riding solo, the headwind was really bad and the heat was a shocker. The road was mostly uphill and I was trying to keep a good pace up. I’ve never been so hot in my life. Every sip of water from my bottle was hot and my mouth was bone dry 20 seconds after each sip.

As I rode up the highway, I doubted Dad’s instructions as I couldn’t find Banks Rd where I had to turn. Finally I saw a sign appearing slowly from behind a tree - first the “S”, then the “K” and so on. Whew! Apparently as Dad was reclining in the shade he mused that he probably should have suggested the other route with less hills! Grrr…

Finally I made it back to the house and I was wobbly on my legs with slightly blurred vision. Lots of cold water and my head under the cold shower cooled me down, and Dad’s wife Judy and I both drove back in our cars to pick everyone up as the temperature was too extreme. As luck would have it, whilst driving back the cool change came through!

I was pretty stuffed for the day after doing what amounted to a 10km time trial in 38 degrees into a headwind, uphill!



30th December 2007 - Northcote > Frankston > Northcote
Distance: 107km
Average Speed: 26
Description: Flat with some hills
Weather: Cool at first, warming up into the high 20’s for the return trip

After the ride yesterday in the heat, we decided to go for a ride down to Frankston to get some serious k’s under our belts.

The ride started surprisingly cool and we originally intended an easy pace but once on Beach Road we found ourselves behind some guys riding too slow for us (27kph) so we passed them all, only to have then tag onto the back of us.

We kept up a good pace and as I passed another large guy riding just out of Black Rock. The other large guy picked up his pace to repass me, so I clicked it up again to pass him back! Take that! LOL! Then he turned off.

PDL blew me away over the rolling hills around Rickets Point then waited up and again blew me away again. Ah well, she’s just faster than me. I hate holding her back.

Our pace was consistently in the high 20’s, low 30’s the whole way down, except of course up Hopes Rise where I drop down to a paltry 10kph.

On the way back we tagged onto a Triathalete who was doing mid to high 30’s with a slight headwind. When I was finally able to pull up next to him at a set of lights I thanked him for the wheel and said I would be happy to take a urn but I doubted my strength to hold his pace up front.

At one stage at a set of lights, I had the momentum to take the lead but I wasn’t able to keep up a 37kph pace for long so dropped back again and wheel sucked. At least I thanked him. LOL

At Mordi, a guy pulled up and said- “you must be the famous Vidman”. Turns out he is a BV forum lurker and he said he recognised me by my bike. He said he really liked the BV jersey and was considering joining up and posting a bit so he could get one. Cool.

Heading back I suggested to PDL that she should just ride off at her pace so she’s not always being held back by me.

PDL was waiting for me in Black Rock, where she bought a pack of socks at Le Knicks. 5 for $10 - bargain!

The ride back was good, rolling together with only a minor cleat incident for PDL. Doh!

Back in St Kilda we were stuck behind a triathlete woman who was very tentative in making a move in the traffic. In the end, PDL and I overtook her and went past all the cars banked up at the lights.

Our average speed for the ride to this stage was my best yet at 26.8kph. Awesome!

Breakfast was great- had fancy porridge at the Grocery Bar which went down a treat!

Rest of the ride home was smooth sailing.



2nd January 2008 - Northcote > Williamstown > Northcote
Distance 40km
Description: Flat
Weather: Fine and warm

Today we rode to Williamstown to watch the Bay Classic racing and to catch up with some friends who recently moved down there.

PDL slipped her foot off the cleat and jarred her back 200mts from home which left her in pain for a few hours.

Down Footscray Rd, we pretty much had a lane to ourselves but once we turned onto Whitehall St, it was a single lane with semis thundering past us. Most trucks were good and gave us plenty of room but 2 trucks went by us with what felt like only cm’s to spare. One of the trucks freaked PDL out and she had to stop to compose herself. I stopped to console her but by the stage we were past the worst of it and we rode the rest of the way trouble free.

We stopped at our friend’s new place and then the 4 of us rode down for lunch and to watch the racing.

Saw a crash at the end of the men’s support race where the winner had a brain fade and he slipped and fell into the fence in the roundabout corner. Ouch!

The four of us wandered around the crit course as the women’s race was on. Looked like hard work with headwinds just about everywhere.

We watched a bit of the men’s race from the roundabout and then moved on to finish stage where we saw Cadel Evans and Phil Ligget commentating. Everyone had their camera out and PDL took a photo of me with Cadel (ok - Cadel was 10 mts behind me but he’s in the same frame as me! LOL). Too bad we only had the camera on our mobiles!

Riding home we took a slightly different route to avoid the trucks but we still had to ride down Footscray Rd where the noise of the trucks intimidated PDL again. I feel bad for her in these situations as there isn’t anything I can do to help her.

Back home on the Capital City trail and we made it home incident free.

Next ride- Amy’s Ride.

Ride updates- 27th Dec to 2nd Jan 2008