Monday, 14 June Queen's Birthday Holiday
Thankfully I'm not an avid football (round ball, soccer) fan. The gnashing of teeth and wailing over the Socceroos' 4-nil loss to Germany would be just about enough to make you want to go for a ride and get away from any form of current media- so we did.
After sleeping in and not needing to arise for work (Queen's Birthday holiday- thank you Your Majesty) Dee baked bread, we had multiple cups of coffee and then we pottered in the yard tending to some rather neglected garden beds and shrubs.
A couple of checks on the online news showed that nothing else in the world had transpired other than the Australian soccer team was thrashed by Germany.
That's a bit unfair- we did manage to find out that Heinrich Haussler won a Stage of the Tour de Suisse and eventually tracked down that Jo Kiesanowski (NZL) of Team TIBCO had placed second in the GP in Gatineau Quebec behind Joelle Numainville (CAN).
Just after lunch we headed off to drop off a video and then a spin to the dam. Now I don't want to brag about how good the weather is because- oh never mind. It's "winter" here and at midday in brilliant blue skies it was 26C and about 55% humidity with light winds at 19km/hr. I think that would constitute a beautiful mid-summer day back in the old country.
Brilliant- absolutely brilliant. And after returning home we did a few more garden chores- planting roses, watering, etc and have now made fresh pasta. Just soul destroying I tell ya.........oh bother- my wine glass needs attention.
Cheers- ride safe
BoaB
22 May, 2010
Sick and tired of being sick.........
One ride this week- out for the regular Saturday coffee ride this morning. This latest round of respiratory issues has kept me off the bike for most of the last fortnight and left me feeling pretty much like I'm back at "Square One".
More X-rays, more blood tests, more antibiotics- the end result is I don't have pneumonia or whooping cough and while I feel marginally better than I did last week, I'm a long way from declaring myself fit and healthy.
I'm beginning to think there may be something in my workplace contributing to my condition. In April of last year I relocated to a temporary/demountable office with about 40 desks/workspaces. My first bout of what seems to be the same thing (in retrospect) started about a week after the move.
I put it down to a cold/virus brought into the office by one of the other employees who has children in daycare and who doesn't think the business can continue to function in her absence- thus she comes to work and sneezes/coughs/phlegms (not sure if that is a verb but it will do in this instance) for all of us to enjoy.
I've had my flu shots (as I have done since 2003) and yet the bouts of this wretched thing come back almost like clockwork every two months. This latest bout has been the worst and has had me off work more in the last two weeks than at work. For most of the past fortnight, whenever I would try to have a conversation, I would be racked by coughing fits- then the feverish sweats and aches and general malaise. Makes it hard to carry out your job and doesn't really leave you feeling like getting up at 4:00am and heading out for a training ride.
Monday I'll be requesting a relocation to another office to see if it is something in the aircon/carpet which is bringing this on. I've never had allergies before but I'm (read my Doctor here) running out of options as to the cause and it's really starting to piss me off.
In the meantime, I'll watch the Giro and the ToC (good to see a couple of Aussies in the leader's jersey for both events) and maybe have another easy spin and coffee tomorrow.
Cheers- ride safe
BoaB
More X-rays, more blood tests, more antibiotics- the end result is I don't have pneumonia or whooping cough and while I feel marginally better than I did last week, I'm a long way from declaring myself fit and healthy.
I'm beginning to think there may be something in my workplace contributing to my condition. In April of last year I relocated to a temporary/demountable office with about 40 desks/workspaces. My first bout of what seems to be the same thing (in retrospect) started about a week after the move.
I put it down to a cold/virus brought into the office by one of the other employees who has children in daycare and who doesn't think the business can continue to function in her absence- thus she comes to work and sneezes/coughs/phlegms (not sure if that is a verb but it will do in this instance) for all of us to enjoy.
I've had my flu shots (as I have done since 2003) and yet the bouts of this wretched thing come back almost like clockwork every two months. This latest bout has been the worst and has had me off work more in the last two weeks than at work. For most of the past fortnight, whenever I would try to have a conversation, I would be racked by coughing fits- then the feverish sweats and aches and general malaise. Makes it hard to carry out your job and doesn't really leave you feeling like getting up at 4:00am and heading out for a training ride.
Monday I'll be requesting a relocation to another office to see if it is something in the aircon/carpet which is bringing this on. I've never had allergies before but I'm (read my Doctor here) running out of options as to the cause and it's really starting to piss me off.
In the meantime, I'll watch the Giro and the ToC (good to see a couple of Aussies in the leader's jersey for both events) and maybe have another easy spin and coffee tomorrow.
Cheers- ride safe
BoaB
16 May, 2010
One Night- Two Classics
Saturday night was one for the record books- well at least my personal record book.
Dee and I went to a live presentation of RockWiz with some good friends. For those uninitiated into the realm of RockWiz, allow me to give a quick precis- click on this link....... RockWiz. A fantastic night out with great friends listening to live music and a very entertaining quiz show/performance spectacle.
It was considerably later than usual when we got home- we usually fall into bed by about 9:00pm- and after listening to some great tunes at decibels of a level far and above what we normally subject ourselves to, we needed some time to wind down.
So grab a glass of vino and relax to catch up on some of Stage 7 of the Giro. After Matty Lloyd's solo effort the previous night, we were wondering what the Stage and the strade bianche (The words strade bianche may translate into English as white roads – the gravel gleams brilliantly under the summer sun – but there was no evidence of that today as the deluge turned them into a brown quagmire- from road.cc) would hold. We had been following the text coverage on CyclingNews but managed to find live streaming with English commentary and were absolutely enthralled.
I suspect what we watched will go down as an epic stage of tour stages. The sections of non-sealed road and the rain made for some very demanding riding from the pros and it was Cadel who drove the front runners over the last 10km.
It was a fitting end to the stage that Cunego and Vinokourov were unable to catch Cadel on the uphill finish- it was a massive effort and gave us glimpses of what the grand tours were when the "hard men" of cycling rode these circuits.
What will tonight's stage bring???? I can only hope it is as epic as last night..
Cheers-ride safe
BoaB
Dee and I went to a live presentation of RockWiz with some good friends. For those uninitiated into the realm of RockWiz, allow me to give a quick precis- click on this link....... RockWiz. A fantastic night out with great friends listening to live music and a very entertaining quiz show/performance spectacle.
It was considerably later than usual when we got home- we usually fall into bed by about 9:00pm- and after listening to some great tunes at decibels of a level far and above what we normally subject ourselves to, we needed some time to wind down.
So grab a glass of vino and relax to catch up on some of Stage 7 of the Giro. After Matty Lloyd's solo effort the previous night, we were wondering what the Stage and the strade bianche (The words strade bianche may translate into English as white roads – the gravel gleams brilliantly under the summer sun – but there was no evidence of that today as the deluge turned them into a brown quagmire- from road.cc) would hold. We had been following the text coverage on CyclingNews but managed to find live streaming with English commentary and were absolutely enthralled.
I suspect what we watched will go down as an epic stage of tour stages. The sections of non-sealed road and the rain made for some very demanding riding from the pros and it was Cadel who drove the front runners over the last 10km.
It was a fitting end to the stage that Cunego and Vinokourov were unable to catch Cadel on the uphill finish- it was a massive effort and gave us glimpses of what the grand tours were when the "hard men" of cycling rode these circuits.
What will tonight's stage bring???? I can only hope it is as epic as last night..
Cheers-ride safe
BoaB
09 May, 2010
And so it begins.....the Grand Tours 2010.
The Giro kicked off last night in Amsterdam (that would be the Giro d'Italia in Amsterdam- as in Netherlands) with Stage 1 being an individual time trial. The next two stages also take place in the Netherlands before the riders have their first rest day (albeit early in the schedule) and travel to Italy for the remaining stages. Pretty hard to find any climbs in and around Amsterdam that would rival the Dolomites.
And I learned something last night about stages and prologues- a prologue can only be classed as such if it is less than 8.0 kilometres. Where the TT was 8.4 km, it does not qualify as a prologue and is classed as a stage as per the report from Cycling News, "According to the UCI rule 2.6.006.1, “ A prologue may be included in stage races on condition that: 1. it must not exceed 8 km. ...."
So there you go- you learn something everyday. Bradley Wiggins took the honours for Stage 1 and will wear the maglia rosa for tonight's stage. Couple of BMC riders just a couple of seconds back- Brent Bookwalter and Cadel Evans (go you good thing!!) followed by Alexandre Vinokourov.
Should make for some great viewing over the next three weeks. For anybody wanting to catch some blogoscopic commentary on the stages, a few links for you:
Cycling Tips
Cyclocosm
Velominati
and Red Kite Prayer
Cheers- ride safe- enjoy the Giro
BoaB
And I learned something last night about stages and prologues- a prologue can only be classed as such if it is less than 8.0 kilometres. Where the TT was 8.4 km, it does not qualify as a prologue and is classed as a stage as per the report from Cycling News, "According to the UCI rule 2.6.006.1, “ A prologue may be included in stage races on condition that: 1. it must not exceed 8 km. ...."
So there you go- you learn something everyday. Bradley Wiggins took the honours for Stage 1 and will wear the maglia rosa for tonight's stage. Couple of BMC riders just a couple of seconds back- Brent Bookwalter and Cadel Evans (go you good thing!!) followed by Alexandre Vinokourov.
Should make for some great viewing over the next three weeks. For anybody wanting to catch some blogoscopic commentary on the stages, a few links for you:
Cycling Tips
Cyclocosm
Velominati
and Red Kite Prayer
Cheers- ride safe- enjoy the Giro
BoaB
28 April, 2010
Take 15 minutes before eating or on an empty stomach..............
Welcome to Boab's "House of Antibiotics." For what must be about the sixth or seventh time in just over a year, I am back on the antibiotics for a chest/respiratory infection. I just don't get it- anyway I'm off work for the next few days on the advice of the good doctor so it should give me lots of time to catch up on some cycling blogs.
Cheers- ride safe
BoaB
Cheers- ride safe
BoaB
18 April, 2010
Bright Lights, Big City.....no Bike
Back home from "The Big Smoke" on Friday night. I like Brisbane- in a funny sort of way and in small doses. It's one of those places that could have its own T-shirt- "I spent a month in Brisbane last week!!" I'm sorry to all of those who live in Brissie and might be offended, but it's just too big for me- too impersonal.
I suspect that not having the bike and being able to have a bit of a hit out in the mornings may have something to do with it. But as I stood on my balcony eating my brekkie and watching the death-defying acts that constitute bike commuting, I thought perhaps Hemingway experienced something along the same lines the first time he visited Pamplona and witnessed the running of the bulls- young brazen men full of testosterone and a sense of invincibility, court, tease and flirt with death through the streets. I guess the one advantage the cyclists have is that their adversaries stop for red lights- Pamplona bulls??- probably not.
Townsville to Charters Towers road race today. 120km and a 300 metre climb with great rollers from the top of the Mingela Range and on to The Towers. Almost 50 riders fronted for the handicapped start and the winner, Will Cullen- off 33 minutes I think- blasted his way to the front about 20 km out and was all alone coming across the line- nobody else in sight. He and Sue Abel, another good friend and very strong rider, were first across the Burdekin Bridge with Sue picking up a couple of preems for being the first to the top of the range and first across the bridge.
Shortly after the bridge, Will pulled away and powered home all on his own. Sue was overtaken by the back markers and eventually finished about 12th overall and first woman across the line.
Dee and I did rider support for three riders at the two feed stations- first time I've done that side of it and will gladly do it again (if I'm not riding). The race in reverse (Charters Towers to Townsville) takes place in August- better start putting the training plan in place =8^)
Congrats to the race organisers and the riders and to the other road users who all seemed very patient and co-operative this year.
Cheers- ride safe
BoaB
I suspect that not having the bike and being able to have a bit of a hit out in the mornings may have something to do with it. But as I stood on my balcony eating my brekkie and watching the death-defying acts that constitute bike commuting, I thought perhaps Hemingway experienced something along the same lines the first time he visited Pamplona and witnessed the running of the bulls- young brazen men full of testosterone and a sense of invincibility, court, tease and flirt with death through the streets. I guess the one advantage the cyclists have is that their adversaries stop for red lights- Pamplona bulls??- probably not.
Townsville to Charters Towers road race today. 120km and a 300 metre climb with great rollers from the top of the Mingela Range and on to The Towers. Almost 50 riders fronted for the handicapped start and the winner, Will Cullen- off 33 minutes I think- blasted his way to the front about 20 km out and was all alone coming across the line- nobody else in sight. He and Sue Abel, another good friend and very strong rider, were first across the Burdekin Bridge with Sue picking up a couple of preems for being the first to the top of the range and first across the bridge.
Shortly after the bridge, Will pulled away and powered home all on his own. Sue was overtaken by the back markers and eventually finished about 12th overall and first woman across the line.
Dee and I did rider support for three riders at the two feed stations- first time I've done that side of it and will gladly do it again (if I'm not riding). The race in reverse (Charters Towers to Townsville) takes place in August- better start putting the training plan in place =8^)
Congrats to the race organisers and the riders and to the other road users who all seemed very patient and co-operative this year.
Cheers- ride safe
BoaB
03 April, 2010
Get your compression tights on- it's only Day 2 of a 4-day weekend
Coffee ride this morning only saw about a dozen and a half of us hit the road. Guess a lot of people headed out of town for the long weekend and that's not necessarily a bad thing. The group is definitely more manageable with those smaller numbers than when it gets up over 35 or more. Other road users seem to be less "inconvenienced" by a smaller group as well.
It was a good workout this morning- even if only for coffee. Pretty healthy cross/headwinds for much of the ride made us all work a bit harder. And when I tried to get a bit of a paceline going, it was definitely a learning experience for the other participants. It probably would have been better if we had discussed it ahead of time but I think they got the idea after a few turns . We did discuss it further at the cafe and I suspect we'll give it another go next week.
I am sitting here with my compression tights on as I type. Being only the second day of a four day weekend, I want to be able to ride Sunday and Monday and thought it best to take some recuperative/preventative measures. Yesterday Dee and I did a dam/Pallarenda ride in the morning and then in the afternoon while Dee was off watching French vignettes and eating baked brie stuffed with dried fruit, I sneaked off and did another turn down along the beach to get me over the 100km for the day.
Sunday and Monday look like similar type rides which I don't want to miss- thus the tights.
No racing for a few weeks- Easter weekend is always a break, next weekend is the North Queensland Games in Cairns- an event held every two years and while I did take part in 2008, I'll be travelling to Brisbane on Sunday for work and so unable to be in the Games this year and the following week is one of the local scene's bigger races- the Townsville to Charters Towers handicap (and I'm not ready for that little epic this year).
Anyhow, enjoy your Easter chocolate (or Chardonnay or Cab Sav) and go for a little extra burn tomorrow (and Monday if you're fortunate enough to have the day off).
Cheers- ride safe
BoaB
It was a good workout this morning- even if only for coffee. Pretty healthy cross/headwinds for much of the ride made us all work a bit harder. And when I tried to get a bit of a paceline going, it was definitely a learning experience for the other participants. It probably would have been better if we had discussed it ahead of time but I think they got the idea after a few turns . We did discuss it further at the cafe and I suspect we'll give it another go next week.
I am sitting here with my compression tights on as I type. Being only the second day of a four day weekend, I want to be able to ride Sunday and Monday and thought it best to take some recuperative/preventative measures. Yesterday Dee and I did a dam/Pallarenda ride in the morning and then in the afternoon while Dee was off watching French vignettes and eating baked brie stuffed with dried fruit, I sneaked off and did another turn down along the beach to get me over the 100km for the day.
Sunday and Monday look like similar type rides which I don't want to miss- thus the tights.
No racing for a few weeks- Easter weekend is always a break, next weekend is the North Queensland Games in Cairns- an event held every two years and while I did take part in 2008, I'll be travelling to Brisbane on Sunday for work and so unable to be in the Games this year and the following week is one of the local scene's bigger races- the Townsville to Charters Towers handicap (and I'm not ready for that little epic this year).
Anyhow, enjoy your Easter chocolate (or Chardonnay or Cab Sav) and go for a little extra burn tomorrow (and Monday if you're fortunate enough to have the day off).
Cheers- ride safe
BoaB
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)