Name That Tune

I was just over at Bluenoser's blog, 50k Loop, and his most recent offering is on music- cycling music and what you listen to when riding- even if you don't have an iPod or personal portable music player of any description. What songs go through your head as you're putting the km's behind you?

I don't use an iPod when I ride- come to think of it, I don't use one at all since mine was absconded by someone in the household who has just reached over 10k km for the year but I digress-oh and a big congrats Dee!!! Even though I don't use one, there are certain songs which come into my head at certain times while cycling. It never seems to fail that "I am the Walrus" dances- or rather plods its way through my melon when I'm doing hills- but not every hill- only certain ones.

Is it the tempo that matches my mashing of pedals? Is it because I picture myself as having the same hill climbing skills as a walrus? Maybe I climb hills like a "semolina pilchard climbing up the Eiffel Tower....." but I think more likely that I would like to have a little bit of whatever mind-numbing substance the Beatles partook of when writing the lyrics for that song- just to make me forget how much I dislike hills.

Another one that will slip in once in a while is another Beatles' tune- "Lucy in the Sky" and while I know the lyrics say...."the girl with kaleidoscope eyes..." I can only ever hear the Mondegreen, ..."the girl with colitis goes by..." which inevitably leads to a "wtf" moment and total loss of focus on cadence and intensity.

I suppose it could be worse, if it was "Achey, Breaky Heart" by Billy Ray Virus, I meant Cyrus, I would probably just pull out into oncoming traffic.

Cheers- ride safe

BoaB

Keeping the wheels turning

Rain again today on my training ride- two days in a row even... Yesterday morning's rain was a bit of a bucketing and I took it in stride- dripping shoes and all. I managed to ride out of the rain and figured I would finish the circuit albeit a bit dampish.

I was actually almost dry (except for the shoes and socks) at 1 km from home when I felt the first drops- with a little luck I just might beat it. Nope!! No such luck- two red lights made short work of my plans and as I sat at the second set of lights it just teemed down- at least it wasn't cold but it does wash the sweat out of the helmet padding and into your eyes.

This morning didn't look like rain at all when I left and really never did on the ride- just some light drizzle that loosened up the road grime (I did take a different circuit to yesterday wouldn't you know) and to top it off I was wearing a lovely white jersey, compliments of ABC Radio North Queensland, for the first time. The back of it now looks like a reverse skunk.

Here's hoping the soaking it's going through at the moment brings it back to white...

Cheers- ride safe

BoaB

Incoming!!

Our friend the Australian Magpie was back today. I hadn't seen him for a few weeks and thought the swooping season had ended or he had met an untimely demise in the front grille of one of the many trucks making its way into or out of the port area. The pic below is courtesy of www.lonebiker.dk and that's the angle that we as cyclists don't get to see.

Usually it is just a flash of a shadow and the snap of the beak at the back of your neck- sometimes once, sometimes in multiple swoops. This morning I thought we were in the clear. I didn't see him in his usual haunt as we approached but then he flew in from across the road to perch on top of a streelight pole and observed as we rode past. No shadow- he's not going to bother us. No sooner had the thought made its way through my wee mind and "Flash-Snap!!"

Maybe he just wanted to make sure we hadn't forgotten whose turf we were on- and it was only one swoop so his attitude must be cooling.

Many of our local riders will be waiting to hear the results of Cycling Australia's 2009 Awards being given out in Melbourne tomorrow night. Local pocket-rocket and cycling phenom, Ruth Corsett, has been nominated as the Female Elite Road Cyclist of the Year. Ruth has had a great year- leading the Australian team and finishing twelfth in the UCI Road Championships in Switzerland and just capped it off last week winning every stage of the Tour de Perth. Good luck Ruth!!

Crit tomorrow (Sunday) but it's debatable if I'll ride. A good friend and cycling mate is turning 65 tomorrow and there's a champagne brunch starting at 10:30. Given the number of corks and empty bottles our group has the capacity to leave behind, I think a nice early morning ride might be the better option.

Cheers- ride safe

BoaB

More winners than just the Melbourne Cup

It's "The Race That Stops a Nation". Today was Melbourne Cup Day and all around Oz, millions of once-a-year punters put money on the nag they thought was going to bring it home. The favourites on the day, Viewed and Alcopop, just didn't cut it and at the end of 3200 metres, it was Shocking that strode home to victory by a length.

I didn't back a winner in the race but I'm not disappointed. I had a win today in another way as did many other cyclists who have been following a certain court case in California. Dr Christopher Thomas Thompson was found guilty on all charges after a trial in which he was charged with assault with a deadly weapon, reckless driving causing specified bodily injury and battery with serious bodily injury and mayhem.

Details can be found at VeloNews.

Stay alert- ride safe

Cheers

BoaB