4:30 is a horrible time for the alarm to go off a Saturday morning.
But once up (and after realising for the first day of winter, it actually wasn’t that cold), I started to get excited about the 100km Audax ride Michael, Graeme and I were signed up for.
In a dark street in Dee Why we gathered. Michael operating on minimal sleep, Micheal’s mate still a bit dazed, Boycey with a funny tummy after an early morning banana smoothie and Magoo running through last minute equipment checks, again, only to find my other rear light is broken. That makes 3 now. I think I am going to keep them all and when I have enough broken rear lights, make an artistic sculpture full of my deep seeded red blazed emotions and send it to the Museum of Modern Art.
I must mention how fab Boycey looked in his reflective strap. I tucked my yellow jacket away in my rear pocket, wrapping a token reflective band around my right bicep (obviously it only JUST fit). A tactic I somehow got away with. Off we went, keeping a moderate pace down Pittwater Rd. Annoyingly when the clearways are not in place, the bus lanes are spotted with parked cars, which kept the group switching lanes right into Mona Vale. Beautiful morning over Church Point, albeit with a strange red sky in the distance.
Strangely I was comfortably seated climbing the hills on Pittwater and McCarrs Creek Rd, while the Audaxians around me were out of their seats and pushing. I found it quite easy to catch then on the steeper climbs too – San Martin Drive to the West Head turnoff and Akuna Bay gave me opportunity to pass many who had passed me when I dropped my chain just after Loquat Valley. Then again, they go for 600km while I certainly do not. Got me thinking a bit about technique, approach and consistency though…
I was accompanied up the Akuna Climb by a guy who talks more than Me and Ravi combined. Nice enough, but I decided to stop at the top, wait for Graeme and see if I could find the remainder of the ear he chewed off. With ear in place and Graeme only a few minutes back, we set off again for Bobbo, passing the likes of PD, Cathie AND HERB on the way. Managed to confuse the poor newsagent at the North Turramurra checkpoint with our brevet cards, but other than that, a nice clean roll to the next climb.
The Mt Colah side of Bobbo delivered on its well established promise of punching you in the guts every now and again and falsely convincing you that you are almost there. And then 50m from the summit, it calls you fat. Boycey and I sat on the wheel of a few guys (who knew Admin actually – one named Andrew said you stalk him and play sniper on his segment times?) for a while. I hit the front, trying to give a little wheel back, but with no takers. We ventured on alone, doing a nice little turn at the railway bridge and heading back.
Alas, the Turramurra side of Bobbo was, as always, slightly more forgiving. Graeme had also just had a sugar injection, so I found myself chasing him up. The tap at the entrance to the Sphinx car park is useless, so we made a stopover at Graeme’s house to grab some more water (and for me to run in to his “Newcastle” daughter, who for the record, is very lovely!). On the road again, counting down the hills (big or small) until the end. Stopped at the 52nd red light (OMG we got them all) and TWANG! Graeme’s spoke snapped clean in half. Damage done, but not enough to stop him continuing on.
Once at Warringah Rd x Willandra Rd, the roll home was within reach. A bit of local knowledge meant I could fly through Narraweena with confidence and sneak up on the Dee Why Bike Hub from behind utilising a hardly ever utilised 1-way road (Magoo Ninja Teachings). Very happy to have our brevet cards signed off, Graeme and I headed off in our separate directions, another job well done and all before lunch time.
Magoo
P.S > Lemming? No show? After you spent all that time calling me soft and leading me to declare myself as a twatwaffle?