Pitt Town Pain Train

I love the Pitt Town ride, mostly. Not too hilly, some nice fast flat sections, great scenery and a little longer than our other regular rides. On the flip side it can be a bit tough when
a) It's windy and hot, damn hot
b) Camo and the Jaeger-bomb are on the lookout for fresh meat
c) You always get atleast one local who feels it's his duty to take out the bunch and do his bit for the cyclist genocide movement.
You guessed it, we got the trifecta today and there were a few others looking to take no prisoners either like Lewis and Pistol Pete, not to mention Kane who loves nothing more than to ride off the front and leave us all wondering how he does it.

At just Day 2 of the MOM, most legs are still pretty pumped, mine on the other hand were feeling decidedly lacking, but the mind was willing. It was all pretty sedate through Annangrove and just for fun, MJ dropped his light and rolled off to retrieve it just so he could chase for 15km. No sooner did MJ appear and we hit Cattai Ridge Rd, a favourite hunting ground for the A-bunch. Camo made a little move and Rowdy spotted it first, moving up beside Camo. I'm not sure what he said, but in a matter of moments the bunch looked like it has been hit by a tornado and there were gaps opening up all over the place. I got a little assist from a friendly hand and rolled into Halcrows wondering what I had left. The Gresh prophesied something about the second coming and things getting real and it was a on. A full blooded assault on Halcrows. With about 1km to go Jeremy popped and soon after I was unceremoniously chewed up and spat out the back, but I wasnt ready to give up and hit the lap button to maintain a consistent power and try and pick up some others who might have cracked just a little further up the road. Strava showed just how brutal the pace was with Camo taking the KOM and Pete just a few seconds back in overall 2nd, nice work guys.

For me it was a matter of picking up a few comrades and keeping up a respectable pace to the top of the climb to make the cut, but only just.
Thanks all for a top ride, that one will pay off in the weeks to come
Keep riding
Mike

Boys Light Up....in Orange

Rowdy, Matt and Lewis

Stats
TSS: 230
IF: 0.88
Avg Pwr: 193W (NP 257W)
Distance 100km
Avg Spd: 33.7 kph
Elevation gain: 1128m

Month of Madness

After 6 days in the saddle, I thought it about time to record a few observations.
Firstly the wrist/hand is just about 100%. After a couple of weeks of doing not much, it seems to be holding some strength. Looking forward to getting back on the MTB in a week or 2!

Secondly, I am tired, very happy but very tired. It is amazing how much of an impact riding 2-3 hours a day has on your life. It suddenly get's very full. Throw in a spontaneous decision to rebuild the deck, spend time with family/kids, find a little time to relax and this holiday is turning out to be a bit of a saga. But the days go by slowly so that's one good thing. If I am a little quiet or non-communicative on a ride, I apologise up front. Probably I have just nodded off and need a little prod to wake up again.

When I started MOM here is how I looked

After 6 days this is how I look

By the end of MOM this is how I predict I will look

Everytime I stand up too quick, I get this dizzy feeling, which is a bit of a worry when you are rebuilding a deck and using powertools

So what about these rides
25/12: Really nice easy ride to kick things off, 2 gorges

26/12: Maraylya, Camo pulled the most winning-est move on the left turn to Maraylya leaving a few boys red faced and TBG cursing. JDS was in fine form with his quote of the day, "I could of done lots of things" to which Chardy replied "Yes we've heard that alot lately"
27/12: PITS recovery, a few riders got a little excited but for the most part this was a cruise.
28/12: Pitt Town Pain train if ever there was one. I bailed about halfway to Pitt Town and then cobbled together a sorry bunch of 10 or so for an easy pace back to the shop
29/12: 3 Gorges, got a little hectic through Arcadia, but the main bunch stuck together up Berowra and Bobbo

Followed by a trip to Luna Park for the kids and a walk across the Harbour Bridge, what a way to relax!

30/12: Slowest FFB ever, even I managed to keep it in the small chain ring most of the way. Just what the doctor ordered

Tomorrow is the Saturday which is always a smashfest so we'll see how things go. I plan to survive and not much more
Keep riding
Mike

Boiling Bumble Hill

It was hot, damn hot
Right up to Yarramalong, the ride was going pretty well and the Scott CR1 was eating up the k's. The pace was pretty cracking when we weren't fixing punctures.

The hill goes down as the hardest things I have ever done on a bike, so many times I wanted to give up and walk it. I've done it twice before no problems but in this heat today, it was a whole different story. Apologies for the stunted wording in the blog, I am just so shattered I cant be bothered to make up proper sentences, just want to get a few thoughts down for posterity before it get's repressed into the dark recesses of my selective memory. After brief respite at the top of the hill it was time to get going again but I wasn't fast enough to get onto the tail of the bunch and was left with Andrew who was "dirty" for being left behind, and Steve who decided it was so hot it would better to ride without a helmet, but soon turned back to collect his lid.

5 gels, a bar, 2 bananas, 4 (800ml) bottles of TORC Energy, a Powerade, a can of coke and lot's more water and that wasnt even close to being enough but the three of us made steady pace back towards Calga to Andrew cracked. So then there were two, but it wasnt long before I too developed a vapour lock in the engine and had to let Steve go. I rode on praying the van would appear to rescue me but to no avail so I tackled Brooklyn knowing I had very little left to give. About 2/3's up my knight in a shining airconditioned Lexus turned up, Saved at last! I felt sad to throw in the towel but knew I had given it everything and going on would only mean paying back a bigger debt in the days to come.

Returning to the shop there was yummy pasta and an icy cold Kirin beer awaiting. Then onto the family Australia Day lunch for snags, salad and a really nice big baked potato, chased with a bottle of Optimiser. I had even recovered enough to head for our good friends the Wilson's for a quick dip in their pool and a few recovery laps which felt great.

Enough funds raised for the NepCam challenge to give around 50 bikes to kids in Cambodia, well at least we didnt suffer for nothing ;)

Dallas and Fiona did a sterling job of supporting us today and finally I must say a big thankyou to Uncle Fester who appeared out of nowhere as I battled my way back up Brooklyn, towed me the rest of the way to the top and then drove me back to the shop in air-conditioned comfort. Without him, I'd still be doing about 30rpm up some aweful pinch in Berowra somewhere. Putting aside the momentary disappointment of not finsihing, I can still find contentment knowing I gave it my all, found my limits under extreme conditions and rode with an awesome bunch.

Mr Bumble, I will be back!
Keep Riding
Mike