1. Tell us a bit about yourself
Originally English, was transported here in the mid eighties, and brought tears to Bob Hawke’s eyes as he swore me in as an Aussie citizen on the Bicentennial Australia Day. ( Well it was actually September that year but I like the story ) Known to stretch as much value out of as few facts as possible my role as Scribe seems to suit ER purposes well.. Any serious attempt at acquiring wealth has been thwarted by expensive hobbies, Aviation first love, unrequited and divorced once children and mortgage took first precedence.. Divorce…what more needs to be said, and now flirting with the mistress Cycling.
2. What got you into cycling?
See above. Very few things can deliver so much pleasure for so little cost. When gym membership is a stretch too far after mortgage and kids, there is nothing like a good hard ride to put a spring back into your strides.
3. How did you come to join the Easy Riders?
I was pedalling on the Pacific Highway and was overtaken by HB, once he heard I was heading into town, there was no getting away, I had to follow him and onto the back of the ER peloton, ( then consisting of about 5 regular riders ).. then spent the next twelve months being coached by Satnav to hang in there..no one could be as slow as me forever.
4. Tell us about your bikes.
Giant CXR3 …Silver, flat bar, mudguards, panniers, retired to a life of leisure and currently accompanies me to the shops for the weekly groceries..named Doris by Bullet at a time when irreverent and non PC jokes were rare.
Giant TCR Advanced1..black, imported from the UK this was a first serious carbon fibre bike. It catapulted me from the rear of the peloton all the way to about half way up the ranks..so shot to mediocrity. Once I went to have a proper bike fitting it was soon described as “too big” and the search for a more shapely and svelte model was on, reluctantly I set foot inside the Turramurra Cyclery, only to be released once they had introduced me to a new Italian, with curves in all right places, and price tag YHC could actually afford.
[editor’s note – BT has been extremely restrained here not mentioning the Giant’s bottom bracket problems]
Wilier Izoard XP 2010 …White with go faster red stripes on it..loves to be ridden in the French countryside, has mounted some of the iconic TDF cols, and is now earning its keep along the one true path.
5. If you could ride anywhere in the world, where would it be?
I think it should be possible to ride the entire world, apart from the wet bits there is road joining just about every major city on the planet…Sydney to London ( only about 15000 km which is a year and a half of daily OTP mileage )
6, Tell us a riding story.
“There I was, nothing on the clock but the makers name, sucking the last remaining vapours from the tanks..” sorry that was an aviation one…
One frosty morning in June a couple of years ago, I was heading to Gordon as one does, and as it was dark, bitterly cold, I decided to kick the pace up a notch to generate a little heat..on the slope off the railway bridge going towards Asquith, I realised there was a car on a collision course coming in from the left, so as I had the give way sign, ( since changed to a stop sign ) I hit the brakes hard…both wheels locked up no braking, somehow I managed to turn side on and put a BT shaped dent into the driver’s side door…ended up bouncing off, unable to get feet out of the cleats, and hit the deck with the other hip…with 2 “dead legs” I was assisted off the bike by two passers by, and the driver…they wanted to call the ambos but I had already called the wife …one of the most difficult conversations to have while slightly concussed, shocked and with a possible deep vein thrombosis swelling nicely..
7. Do you have any advice for the riders at the back of the ER peloton?
Caveman used to slide off the back to offer me this pearl of wisdom..”You gotta try like hell on the hills and take what respite you can get on the downside.”
8. Lastly, tell us something we don’t know about you.
I also enjoy reading books / studies about diet, food, nutrition, and will talk ad nauseam on this very subject given half a chance..