Rider of the Week #18 – Anna Banana

1. Tell us a bit about yourself

I grew up in country NSW, went to pony club and once passed out dunking sheep (give me break I was 4).  We moved to the big smoke when I was 8.   I studied Social Science at Club Mac and travelled to Asia because
a) everyone else went to Europe, and
b) I  could not afford a plane ride that far.

Next trip was to the Middle East before working in the not-for-profit sector back in Aus.  (Go to Jordan – it is incredible)

More recently I’ve spent 2.5years as an Australian Ambassador (Tour Guide) based in ‘The Alice’ a.k.a Alice Springs, NT.   My favourite tour was a 6 day trip from Alice, taking in Kings Canyon, Uluru, and Kata Tjuta in the Red Centre, and then south through Coober Pedy and the Flinders Ranges to Adelaide.  I’d have a day off in (r)Adelaide and do it all in reverse with a new group.   Time flies on this schedule, and I loved every minute of it.  Just me, my bus, the open road, a few kangaroos and a bunch of clueless tourists in the greatest of outdoors 🙂  I’ve attached 2 photos: a ‘jumping shot’ at a salt lake in South Australia called Lake Hart; and one of me stopped at a river crossing near Kings Canyon that floods the week before had completely covered in sand! (They don’t call Australia a land of drought and flooding rain for nothing!)  My current job in event management looks at innovative employment practices for disadvantaged groups in long term unemployment within the employment system.

 

2. What got you into cycling?

Both my brother and father have been triathletes for some time.  I started some short distance tris before heading off to the NT.  Coming back to Sydney I wanted to get back into it and thought commuting would get my kilometres up.   Now I’m totally hooked.

3. How did you come to join the ER?

I recently started riding to work and I’d sometimes bump into a mob of brightly coloured riders around Chatswood.   I thought being part of a commuter group would be awesome so when I started a new job in the city I had all intention to join.  I bumped into a lonely egg and tomato on the Artarmon Reserve bike path one day and at the top of Scaramanga he turned around and asked me if I’d seen a bunch of guys dressed the same as him.  Turns out I knew Kevin from my SES Unit and I followed him along to my first coffee at B&T.

4. Tell us about your bikes

At the time I bought my first ‘real bike’, the “Green Machine” (a hybrid Kona), I wasn’t quite committed to regular road cycling.  I was dabbling in a bit of triathlon and cleats scared me.  I’ve since graduated to my current commuter / weekender / all rounder Azzuri Tigre.  A possible upgrade may be on the cards once I’ve saved some more cha-ching!

5. If you could ride anywhere in the world, where would it be?

I’ve wanted to hop the pond to New Zealand for a while now.   I want to go hiking over there, but a cycling trip taking in amazing scenery would also be very appealing.  (Unfortunately I’ve heard that road surfaces over there are really hard going though.)

6. Tell us a riding story

My first race on the Kona Green Machine was the Akuna Bay Multisport.  It was an ambitious race of cycling Akuna Bay to West Head return, a kayak to Apple Tree Bay, and a 10km run around Bobbin Head Sphinx tracks.  I’d only done one training ride up to West Head and back and on the day the Kona churned up there beautifully.  It was a crisp and beautiful morning and I remember feeling pretty chuffed as I sped down the final hill making some woo hoo noises!

7. Any advice for the riders at the back of the peloton?

Well at this stage the back of the peloton is usually where you’ll find me!  Drop back and have a chat!

8. Tell us something we don’t know about you

Did you know it takes more muscles in your face to frown than to smile?  The smile is definitely my choice of facial expression.   Catch me wearing it on every bike ride – plus it saves energy for the route home 🙂

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