Having been out late last night celebrating my step daughter’s recent Dean’s list achievement which saw YHC driving back up the north shore close to midnight, the alarm definitely went off before any actual sleep had taken place. Rolling in a daze through the motions of pre ride checklist, when it came to inspect undercarriage for signs of heavy landing, tyre condition, and creep indicators, it soon became apparent that there was a problem..very little in the way of tyre pressure..so YHC was forced to change the tube unassisted. First job was to swiftly boil the billy, as in any crisis a cup of tea is essential. Followed by removing the tyre, which is where skin on index finger was deftly removed by a sharpened blade of a spoke..OK &*^$%%^@ awake now…but by the time all was back in serviceable condition and the maintenance release had been signed, departure slot was closed so an alternative plan had to be submitted..threw the bike in the car and chuffed over to Fox Valley Rd to be warmly greeted by the Satnav bus..already girding their loins for a swift sprint to the Captains original departure point of Eastern Road Shops..
A dozen or so already in the traps ready for the Captain to indicate at any given moment that the ride had begun, in true ER style, the transition from stopped to going occurred as a rag tag bunch of misfits tried to imitate the polished discipline of a “serious” peloton, but looking like a rag tag bunch of misfits..and today I think they succeeded. The track through Turra, to Gordon, can only be described as circuitous, every wrinkle in the landscape duly examined and crossed, YHC managing to achieve the Lanterne Rouge with El Conejo while still in a disorientated state trying to figure out how an extra 5kms fitted in between two reasonably close together points..a lot of zig zagging required..and then suddenly there is the Mur de Gordon..and YHC pulls up with a PB…marvellous. Counting while in a hypoxic state, never much good beyond 21, today you might have been needing a few extra, 38 in the traps, and not even a RTW malarkey..just a second best way to start the day.
Rolling out took all of 5 minutes, untangling the crowds and stringing an egg and tomato ribbon through the dormitory suburbs of the north shore, you could almost see the lump in the Captains throat ( ok you could see the lump..) and a gentleman’s pace from the get go into the hills of death…pace was set by the slowest rider, and I was determined to be on that wheel..although with the cast of thousands and the fat controller messing with the traffic lights it was difficult to know which part of the peloton was actually the slowest..the pleasant unhurried pedal turner of a commute proving to be both sociable, achievable and quite a sight..looking down from atop the Col de Lindfield and seeing a queue of cyclists stretching all the way to the bottom being quite a highlight.
Regroups accumulating yet more riders, the count soon past 40, and pushed a 45 as more joined closer to town, by the top of Burlington, it was clear records were being broken..that tremble you felt at about 7:30 was the earth moving into a new orbit as the ER critical mass made it s way across the SHB and into the B&T..
Vic was a happy man this morning, no more grumps as the till rang like the opening bell on the NYSE..42 ERs ( average spend $4 each..with plenty going for more ) no wonder we have seen a total refurb of the place since day one. There were brand new milk crates to sit on, and some chairs even had cushions.
All the busses are primed and scheduled ready for the return wave, if the BOM are true to their word a scorching 30C is predicted.
Have a great on all
BT