Fingers and Toes...

I have a full compliment of both- thank you very much....but I would have been hard pressed to use all of my digits counting the cyclists I encountered on this morning's ride. When I dragged my sorry butt out of bed at 04:15, the last shower was just passing through and I suspect that a fair number of the regular riders may have used that as an excuse to spend another hour or so in the sack.

On my regular circuit into the city, I saw two cyclists well ahead of me and one heading in the opposite direction. A loop along the beach front tallied up three more riders (G'day Adrian, Tony Z and Sue) and on the return trip I think I saw another 10 or 12. When compared with a normal Tuesday when there might be 60 to 80 cyclists- it just shows the power of water (when it falls from the sky).

Dee rode this morning (I know everyone is surprised) and got fairly drenched for the second day in a row. Interestingly enough, she commented on how it looks like it might be her year to get wet. Last year it was raining whenever I headed out- so far, this time around the rain stops just before I head out the door. This year (for what it's worth- but there may be a pattern developing) the rain stops just before I head out and then fires up again just as Dee gets to the furthest point of her ride.

That's not to say I end my ride in a "dryer" state- I think my gear still holds about the same amount of moisture as if I had cycled in the rain- it's just that it's self-generated and there's something completely different about that.

Cheers- ride safe
BoaB

We're nearly there..........

Today is New Year's Eve eve and as the day draws to a close, I sit here with a refreshing beverage waiting for the rain showers sitting off the coast to come ashore. A quick calculation of my mileage/kilometrage (is that a word?) for the year shows I am a mere 290 km short of 10K for '09. I am planning to ride tomorrow- but I gotta tell you now that the chances of me doing that many km's are somewhere between nil and non-existent.

So as a bit of a retrospect for '09 (I originally misspelled it as restropect which I guess would be a revisitation of all of the restaurants I visited during the year and I want you to know right now that it would be a pretty short article) I wanted to capture the things that stood out over the last 12 months.

The year started well, albeit very wet. The yard only flooded a couple of times- once for three days and once for four- just kidding- it wasn't that bad but it did seriously put a dent in the early year riding. Once the monsoonal rains eased, I got back on track (sorry- back on the road) and started making serious inroads in my training.

The first road event of the year was a TT which was run to raise money for the folks down south who had suffered through the bushfires. I was, much to my chagrin, unable to ride due to the lingering effects of the flu- bugger!! But there was a good roll-up and we were able to send a donation off to the Bushfire Appeal.

There was a pattern throughout the road season- ride a race- get sick and recover in three weeks time and then race again and then get sick again. I had four bronchial infections between April and September and to say I was getting a "bit pissed" off would be an understatement.

Almost forgot the ITB. I have been introduced to an element of torture- the ITB roller. Up until a couple of weeks ago, I had no idea what an ITB was. The iliotibial band could have been an alternate or indie music group for all I knew. What I did know was that my left knee was causing me no small amount of pain and after several days I had to see what was happening. Off to the doc's who says, "looks like you have an ITB problem. Here's a referral to a good physio."

Like a good sort, I make an appointment to have some remedial therapy and have my left leg kneaded into submission by a young lady with arms which I am sure were just slightly smaller than "Hulk Hogan's". Thankfully she didn't slam my head into the floor- although she did say that since I was the only client in the building at the time, I could vocally let off a bit of pain relief if I felt so inclined. After some serious manipulation and ultrasound, I was sent on my way with some stretching exercises and an ITB roller.

If you have never used an ITB roller, I suggest you borrow one and give it a go. The feeling you experience once you have finished your session is of immense relief- relief that the session is over!!!

Oh yeah- I forgot to put the "getting hit by car" segment in there. In July a motorist failed to give way at an intersection and hit me despite my best efforts to avoid being struck. I have had "moments" shall we say, during the recovery when I was very apprehensive as I approached intersections and round-abouts, It seemed to have been a well-founded feeling as a cab driver had to come to a full tyre-sliding stop during this morning's ride when he failed to see me. And as evidenced by my writing if this blog entry, it was a good outcome- at least from my point of view.

So I didn't make 12K- not even 10K. But I'm here, I'm healthy, I still have a mad desire to ride and I live in hope..........hope that Dee and I will be able to continue to ride together in good health for many years to come and that all of you have a safe and happy 2010.


I wish all a happy New Year- ride safe, ride often and enjoy.

Cheers
BoaB

"Tis the Season

The year winds down and the weather heats up- welcome to cycling in the festive season in the tropics. Things are starting to heat up in North Queensland as we lurch toward Christmas.

Temperatures are on the rise and the humidity levels are starting to edge upward as well. It's really noticeable on the morning training rides as everyone is bathed in sweat- the humidity is so high that the sweat can't evaporate and just runs down your arms, legs, back, forehead and into your glasses (for those of us who are visually challenged and for those who aren't but like to keep the road grit and bugs out of our eyes).

You take your jersey off after the ride and when it hits the floor, it's with a sloppy sort of a splat instead of just being a non-auditory event. You can wring the moisture out of the chamois (not that you would really want to). And it seems no matter how many bottles of water you drink over the course of the day, you still feel like one of those apple dolls from the '80's.

We're hiding in the air conditioning today- well not exactly hiding. We're rewarding ourselves after spending the better part of the day working in the yard. We'll ride tomorrow!!

Cheers-ride safe

BoaB

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