1. Tell us a bit about yourself
I’m a qualified tradie. An electrical fitter. NB: I do not own a ute. I changed from the Electricity Supply Industry to Banking IT about 17 years ago. I apply electrical circuit theory to business processes and computer systems to make them work. Mix in a modicum of engineering rigour and some analytical pisaz and I can usually find a way to have some fun working with the mundane.
I like outdoor endurance type sports like bushwalking, kayaking, back country (and alpine) skiiing (see below). Cycling fits into that pretty well. One of my all time favourite holidays was a 10 day back country ski trip through the middle of the Kosciusko National Park. In my late 20s, I climbed a Himalayan Trekking peak called Mera Peak (6800m). That was seriously hard yakka. After that, other physical challenges are shorter and hopefully as much fun.
B1 on Mera attempting a hand stand at 6800m and 0.45 of an atmosphere. I’m not able to keep my feet together. Everest in the background
I have a broad taste in music and have recently seized upon Jazz after listening to my boys play in some very good school jazz bands.
2. What got you into cycling?
I have ridden short distances on and off over the years, mainly as a way to wear the kids out on the weekends. Dragon talked me into the Gong Ride last year. Reckoned I’d have to train for it by riding to work. I did the Spring Cycle standing on my head (and so did the kids), the Gong Ride couldn’t be that much harder, could it? I started riding a “safe” route which we know as the Epping Chapter today. While the route was fairly traffic free, it involved two crossings of Browns Water Hole and Rothwell Ave (22%) each day. After the Gong Ride, I kept riding a few times a week. Eventually, I was persuaded to buy a “proper” bike, the Aluminium Giant I have now.
3. How did you come to join the Easy Riders?
I had just started riding the “proper” bike and was looking for a route that was shorter and less demanding than Epping/Browns when I bumped into SatNav at the SSHB. He sold me on the OTP, and the rest is history.
4. Tell us about your bikes.
I have an old MTB I gained from a friend who left it to me as payment for things I bought for him while he was sailing a small yacht around the world. I used it for ages to take the kids shopping with a Tag-Along. I used that bike on the Gong Ride.
A young Keith on a Tandem with my brother Andrew
My wife found a T bar thing on the footpath in a Council Cleanup. It worked and has skinnier tyres than the MTB, so I started riding that. Some of you will have seen it – described as my paddock basher. Weighs 15kg like the MTB.
I have an Aluminium Giant Defy I. The one most of you will have seen. Much lighter than the other two. I’m concerned I’ll wear it out pretty quickly clocking up over 1000 km a month.
5. If you could ride anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Riding around Sydney is growing on me. It doesn’t scare me as much as when I first started. Should I still be scared? OK, I’m still scared, I started off terrified. The Red Flag event from Merimbula to Mt K is most appealing. As a skiing nut (see below), I like alpine style challenges and that ride certainly does it.
6, Tell us a riding story (or two).
About 20 years ago, I did an over-night riding trip with an outdoor group called SPAN. (Doesn’t stand for anything. Means unlimited SPAN of activities.) It was four days in the Barrington Tops. The biggest hill was 1300m straight up. Had to push the bike up over your head while on foot. Jam the brakes on. Take two steps up. Repeat. The ride down was worth it. I fell off going over a causeway in soft mud. I did well lining up a touchdown on some soft greenery on my back. Perfect flat landing skidding along a bit so that my tee shirt rolled up my back exposing it fully – to the stinging nettles – the green. The pain was – well. So I just got back on the bike and rode off without a word – what could I say?
Another story: I was holidaying with our kids on a farm near Gloucester. I had the Tag-Along and took Keith for a Climb up Tipperary Mountain. It was up a very steep dirt road. As we approached a high ridge, a storm broke with thunder, lightning and horizontal rain. (Keith was 4 years old.) I thought “He won’t like getting too wet, so we’d better head back.” I took the direct route down, knowing it was fairy safe, having driven it in a Land rover previously. The grass was about 2.5 feet tall. This made for a relatively slow descent. But the grass was hiding all the cow pats which were slippery and sprayed up every where. The descent was so steep I had to hang off the back of the bike, as you do on steep stuff. The rain was pelting in so that we were soaked on just one side. Somewhere on the way down, one of the buttons on my shirt popped, allowing the bike seat to get into the front of my shirt. When we got to a flat bit near the bottom, I found I was stuck hanging out the back of the bike with the seat jammed inside my shirt. While this was happening, Keith was yelling “Yeee Harrr! Hey dad, get your wet bottom out of my face.” at the top of his voice.
7. Do you have any advice for the riders at the back of the ER peloton?
It’s like when you are skiing (see below) in a white out. If the guy in front suddenly disappears, you know its time to stop or take evasive action to avoid that cornice or white ute. You only get that by riding at the back.
8. Lastly, tell us something we don’t know about you.
I believe back country skiing is the second best way to start the day – you know – snow camping. The breathtaking scenery, the need to get moving fast so you can warm up in the morning, the exhilaration of going so fast with such little effort. Skiing in Sydney is a bit hard. Bike riding is a very good proxy.