Bendigo Summer Series Race 1

With local racing so close to home every Tuesday evening fortnightly, why wouldn't you race?  The 'Welcome' race was held at Spring Gully on a freezing evening 3 weeks ago.  I was glad to start riding hard just to warm up.  I haven't made my body hurt for a while, so it was quite a shock on the first of 2 laps.  The second lap I got into the swing a bit more and pushed a bit harder on the climbs rather than riding up them at a comfortable pace.  

Had a great time and met Jo from Bendigo Cycles again and we had great laughs.

The first actual race was held a week ago.  3 laps with a handicap.  First 2 laps I was in agony with a food allergy reaction, but it wasn't only my tummy that was sore - my legs and my lungs were killing me.  Oh I am so unfit.  But I had a great time, it felt good to push my body to hurt, though I ran out of push on the last lap and just rode the climbs.  

I had a great time again, even though I ended up with an exercise induced bark and a growling chest for the next 24 hours.  This is what happens when you let yourself get unfit.  Grump grump it's going to be a long way back....

Textbook cornering - photo thanks to Open Shutter Photography

 

A Weekend in Nowra

I wouldn't choose to drive 8.5 hours each way over a weekend, but a wedding in Nowra, the opportunity to catch up with good RFS mates, and the opportunity to take the roady and enjoy some different riding made the trip all worth it.

Mick and Jamie entertained me on and off during the drive - they were driving from Coffs Harbour to Nowra at the same time I was driving from Bendigo to Nowra.  'Fire' jokes started early on with regular references to flight following, incident response, SARS (Search & Rescue), and the list went on.  And on....

The dogs were regretfully dropped at the kennels, and the drive was uneventful (thankfully), but long.  Mick and Jamie were experiencing 37 degree temperatures and windy, and I was 14 degrees and raining - I think I got the better drive.  They had cars breaking down on the side of the Pacific Hwy from overheating, I had cars crashing on the Hume Hwy in the rain.  We eventually got to Nowra, where my motel room door had been kicked in the night before.  A quick change of rooms and I was settled.  Lots of laughs and catching up went on, and it was just like old times working in the RFS Coffs Harbour Fire Control Centre.  

A lovely Sunday morning brekky with the 2 slightly hungover boys, before my ride.  I had planned a route that had a bit of undulating, but mostly flat.  I must have taken a wrong turn, cause I ended up climbing consistently on 10% climbs, interspersed with climbs that went to 15%.  I eventually got to a saddle in the landscape where my option was up or down.  I chose up.  And it went up, and up.  15% climb; 18% climb; I stopped acknowledging that I'm not fit enough, but then as I through my leg over the bike again I looked up the hill and decided to give it a go.  This process happened one more time before I committed to riding until I could find a good spot where I could get a photo to show how far I had climbed.  Finally after one final pinch I was a a switchback that gave me the perfect view.  Photo taken I then descended back to the motel for what ended up a 1hr 45min ride, with a bucket load of climbing.  

No idea where I was, but I was definitely 'up' after starting at sea level

Got back in time for some food, a shower and then the wedding.  It was lovely to be there for Paul and Tracy's wedding, and we wish them the very happiest of future together.  Of course more laughs were had until the end of the evening, and the end of a great weekend away.

Another uneventful drive home to pick up the babies.  Once home, we all relaxed and cuddled up.  I had been concerned for Buzz with his heart condition and hoped that the stress of being in the kennels wouldn't take too much of a toll on him.  24 hours later, though still very tired, he's happy to be home and sticking very close to me.  Beep is much the same, though she'd prefer to stay on the couch that stick close (cheeky girl never changes).  

The gang back together again - Jamie & Mick