Last Day of Winter

Tomorrow is the official last day of winter. The days have been starting to be really nice but now the dry strong spring winds will be getting up and then the fires start. This week, being the last before permit season, has been bad and the next few days will be much worse. Riding will start to need the increase in winds usual for this time of year and the sunscreen will need to be packed on long rides. That is if i get to do any :( bloody old age.

I have been lucky this year no bombardments. Even though there are a family of 6 magpies in the yard! Keep your friends close and your enemies even closer.

Lucky I brought a Towel

Mark, Rob, Adrian and me. Up early, 6:00am, to Mebbin 2010 Mud Marathon in Marks work van. Road to get to Cutter Camp was wet and slippery, with newly laid roadbase and slimy mud.  That was nothing, I say again nothing, like what was to be experienced later. The others had pre-booked entry I was left to make a late entry, and stand in a queue for 30 mins while they parked the van. I chose the 25km loop, lucky me. The other distances were all reduced, the 75 to 55 and the 45 to 35 due to the really wet and now boggy conditions.

The start was delayed and staggered with a loop of 3km covered by all riders the 25k'ers last to ride the loop. Mark and Rod started on the 45k loop and the 25k’ers had to wait 25mins for them all to get back (3k!) before we could start out, some turned the wrong way Adrian and Rob amongst them. Many riders decided that the mud on that very first stage was enough and pulled the pin (organisers suggested if you couldnt do the loop in 15 minutes you should maybe consider stopping). After a couple of hundred riders had traversed the same stretch of gravel track twice the surface was at least 50 mill thick layer of soft sticky mud, and we would all have to ride part of this section again to ride to the finish. It wasn't a pleasant thing to look forward to. (but more on that later when the home stretch ride was comparatively easy!)

The ride continued back through Cutters Camp and then the ride falsly seemed to improve, ha! that was all to change by the time the first descent off a maintained gravel road was complete. Everyone rode many of the same tracks with minor variations. At the 6km's point of the 25km loop it became apparent that there was to be a lot of push bike walking in amongst the pushbike riding. The uphills were really, really greasy in some locations you could barely make any headway even when you locked both brakes and stepped forward and tried to pull the 35 kilogram mud cacked bike after you. After the first downhill and a couple of crashes, one where the front wheel slid into a position at right angles to the direction of travel stopping dead with me flying into the mud, lucky I've been practicing a bit lately. Lost the computer on that flip and wouldn't know how far it was to go until I again made it to the start loop.

Some stretches were a greasy sticky orange mud, others grey and sticky and yet the worst(??) was the red sticky clay. It continually built up in thick multiple layers onto the surface of the tyre. Any excess found a way of squeezing and clinging to the sidewalls of the wheels. The worst effected bikes seemed to be the rear suspension models with the extra parts making ideal places to encrust more mud. All along the route riders from both sexes were, at the start using sticks to trying to remove the build-up especially when the wheels started to lockup. Later it was fingers and hands!  Many tried to ride the less steep hills and were mildly successful, although often they would spin to a halt and tumble only to be overtaken by a walker who they had passed on the way up while they cleaned the build-up from the frame.

The rest of the ride was much the same as the first half. Except the single track section was probable the most enjoyable, the number of riders pulling out or something else meant the track was not as chewed up but still as slippery and as it was downhill you, meaning I, could actually ride (??) the bike over it. It was fairly exciting even where I managed to hit a drop or log and slide into a shrub off the track, numerous times. I even managed to only crash and fall into the mud once on the way down.

This ride was not a speed record unless you could say that 4 hours (I think, but will see when the finishers get posted) is the record for slowest time ever for completing 25 kilometres. An experience none the less.

Later I heard Rob blew a sidewall and dnf, Mark was worried about the time and Rob’s wife waiting for him at the finish and so took the short way home therefore dnf. Adrian also dnf he had to get to work and ran out of time to complete, on his brand new Avanti shop provided loaner. Also heard that 7 rear derailleur’s broke from the mud and debris build-up. Also chains snapped and others got punctures that on the course could not be repaired successfully.

An experience where I could hear a lot of frustrated anger, swearing  at machinery and fellow riders. The riding through Mooball along Wabba Rd in some way prepared us for the conditions where to stay upright I needed to ride the grass debris verges, where there were any, and avoid being sucked into the sloppy wheel ruts of previous riders and hope the derailleur’s handled the debris.

I washed the bike in the creek near the van after finishing, getting some of the masses of mud off, then I lay in water cloths and all and managed to get the surface layer off me as well. I was not alone numerous riders did the same, boys, girls, women and men.

Lucky I brought a towel.

 

EDIT: Results....50-59 male

 

	2.38.24	Tim Harrison
	3.14.40	Frank Seidl
	3.24.20	Peter Young
	3.58.15	Louis St Laurent
	4.12.10	David Arrowsmith
	5.21.11	Michael Byrom
	DNF	Kevin Whitmore

Hot Mooball

Mark, Rob and myself decided to sweat it out... no that's not how it started.

OK

So we decided to go through the Mooball forest today, the usual root for me and as Rob was coming over Clothiers Hill Mark and he met at the bottom of the quarry hill to ride over to Reserve creek etc to Cudgera Creek. The start of the 1000 plus meters of ascending today over ~50kms through to Cooridilla Road(?). On the Wabba Road section another victim was claimed, Rob managed to get snake eye flats front and rear, changed the rear and tried to use a slow leaker on the front. This gaves us another 3 or 4 breaks until he finally used my spare, the freebie one from Minyon Falls ride. And in the shaded forest every thing was cool, literally. As usual I managed to find a way to do a sumasault, no damage.  Mark wasn't able to escape totally unscathed he developed a slow leak on our way through the cane fields between Reserve Creek Rd and Clothiers. He managed to scrape home with just a few stops for air.

By the time we were out of the forest and well down Smarts Rd the temperature had climbed to 38  °C and stayed that way all the way to over Clothiers hill past Duranbah Rd and onto Mark's. Mark and I both finished  3 litres of water as we got to his place and were still dehydrated. Rob only took 2 bottles and was well wasted, lucky he finished before the return over the hill. By this time my knees were a worry and I elected to get the lift offered by mark in his work van.

So a good ride but hell hot! We only manage 12.5k/hr avg speed.

Summer winding down

I've had the shogun commuter returned via Jeff on his way home today. I've had to work back until after 1800 the last 3 nights and wanted to get at least one commute in this week. So tomorrows the day. Meant to be mild easterly in the morning and a hot tail wind for the ride home.

Each arvo this week the family including the dogs have been getting a short 4km Skateboard, ride and run to the end of the road. The only one of us to take it easy was little legged Jessie sitting in the front basket after a distance of 500 meters not bad for a 13.5 year old tubby little dog. The temps have been a pleasant 28°C and slightly cloudy to match with a weak southerly.  

The excessive heat finally starting to show signs of releasing it's grip has shown in the number of cyclists appearing on the Tweed coast cycleways. shame that most of who see fit to disregard the mandatory NSW helmet law. The police if they cared to would have a field day. I have not heard of anyone being prosecuted once, twice etc

The Wet begins...

I think it's finally here and after 2 weeks is not getting old yet. Even  with the humidity climbing into the 90's at least the rain reaches the ground now! Ridiong so far has been quite easy through the isollated heavy downpours, continuous constant rain is yet to begin but that season is not far off. We can expect the rest of the wet to continue through to the end of April (i hope). A lot of trees and smaller plants in the region have been under extreme stress for a long time. Those that just hung in there through the extended dry will make it through the comming wet (50-50 chance?), too dry--> too wet = death.

Aside: managed a cute 25.4 km/hr average over the 56km commute yesterday without any noticable change to the left knee.

Riding with knee braces is extremely hot in this weather it's like riding with leggings on but they really do seem to help me get past the 20km point without over working the knee joints and so reduce the post ride pain. It is annoying to ride with so many self-imposed restrictions, sometimes you just want to apply the power for a burst of speed and exileration at others you feel like just spinning at a high cadence but the little voice stops it cold, whispering "Remember the post ride pain will stop you getting out on the bike again for a few days or longer, it's your choice!" 

So far it works most of the time...

Pre Ride Report

With the weather being so pleasant at the moment mark and i are planning a short ride to the Cudgera Creek Phone transmitter tower on Sunday morning on the old MTB.... will post later... if I make it?

Again Maybe!

Organised with Mark during the week to try (sic) to climb to the top of Cudgera Creek Road. Just to test the knee, as all I have managed to put together are flat, intermittent, rides with varying degrees of success. But I had to bite the bullet and attempt a hill whatever the consequences or think about seeing an Orthopedic Surgeon.

Well I set of about 8:15am thinking I would catch Mark near Wattie Bishop Road before heading off toward Cudgera Creek. The arrangements were for Mark to get to my place at 8:30am but I set off anyway... As it turned out I needed to ride the 7km's to Mark's and wait for him to finish getting ready, (late night as a designated driver).

We pushed off at the planned SLOWWWW pace south toward Cudgera along the gravel of Round Mountain Road. Of note the surface was noticeably good clear of major potholes and braking corrugations, a very different condition to what we would find on Cudgera Creek Road.

No problems spinning up the King's hill or past Quinns or James'. So on to Cudgera Creek Road. By now it was warming up out of the light Southerly breeze under the clear sunny winter sky. On the first flat corner I decided to stop and remove my jacket. Unclipped both peddles and put my foot straight into a dip in the road at the same time accidentally re-clipping my other foot. What transpired was a very slow fall to the surface of the roadway, clipped in! No damage just a few profanities....

Now a decision push on or turn for home. The knees had not suffered from the fall so onward and upward... We continued to spin upwards. At one point coming upon a couple of very young BMX kids trying to develop their skills at jumps against the side of the road embankments. As we approached we watched as one of them didn't quite lift the front wheel enough to take the jump . Causing he and the bike to come to an abrupt halt. No damage or tears so we continued on.

Just chatting away we reached the turn off to Wabba Road. Here we encountered the owner of the property we sometimes use to access the Mooball Forrest. Gave our thanks for past access and we were told about a group of not so considerate riders passing through her property, to her aggravation, close by her house... not a happy camper!

Well everything was to turn out good. So we re-mounted for the downhill travel. The surface of the road has actually been washed clear of road base in many many places and all that is left is the bull dozed bed rock. Very rough on the bike but also local cars and trucks.

At the top of Kanes Road we parted ways and I made it home at 11:15am.

The only thing I might need to remember to take on the next outing is sunscreen!

Thanks for the good company Mark.

At Last - Relief

Issued at 10:56 pm Thursday, 1 January 2009.

Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce large hailstones, very heavy rainfall, flash flooding and damaging winds in the warning area over the next several hours. Locations which may be affected include Lismore, Murwillumbah, Byron Bay, Ballina, Casino and Kyogle.

Tonight's Storm might provide some relief from the thick hot air we have been swimming in the last few days. This storm looks to be a bit different as it's driving in from the North West, so it is unlikely to come dropping a cool Southerly Change and a chance to ride with only a normal supply of water! That will come in the next couple of days, hopefully. It reminds me of the build-up to the wet in Far Nth Qld, drip, drip, drip of your sweat and the ting, ting, ting as the ceiling fan rotates providing the only baby breath of a breeze... I'd hate to be any further from the coast than we are this week!

The lightning and low rumbling is now turning into strong flashes and ground shaking cracks so I might as well get outside and take in natures own New Years Eve spectacle.

Updated:

Issued at 12:28 am Friday, 2 January 2009.

Severe thunderstorms are no longer occurring in NSW and the ACT.

All in all so far a bit of a fizzer for us.... but for some, a weatherzone forum storm chaser named Bodie, got this picture at Kilcoy



and the day after another got this one of the magnificent sunset

Kud-da

Well managed to get to the top of Cudgera Creek Road Hill during the 30c+ heat this afternoon and I did it so slowly... nothing to do with the loose swails on every corner and the deep corrigations just the concern for the knee... also went for a quick paddle on the south side early this morning before the wind and heat with an old mate Wee Wee from WA good to see you again mate...

When I was cruising up Hastings Point "Hill" at the beginning of the ride dodging the tourists I also had to slow for a crossing 4 foot brown snake... ah there is yet hope for all the campers on the headland shame it was heading away from the main area... the New Years eve drinkers might need to take a bit of care where they fall in a heap later tonight...

 

The ride was 43.3 kilometers 

Happy New Year!

Dry Windy Ride

The ride today was hot and windy. A strong WNW-NW wind was blowing. The humidity was a low as it gets here about 30% and there was no sweat in the eyes at all. The perspiration evaporated before it even came out of your pores.
I used 750ml of water just occasionally tiping some over my head and back through the 35 km spin around Reserve Creek Round Mountain gravel sections... The wind has dropped this evening.

[caption id="attachment_305" align="alignnone" width="159" caption="Dry and Windy "][/caption]

Dry Dawdle

Well I did manage to get on the bike today, just 12km checking both headlands to the South and North, but I was only very gently and sparsely sprinkled on. The weather prognosis is for more rain and a lot heavier, lucky we missed the mess that hit North Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast, although I sure noticed it from the passenger seat in the plane on the way home on Sunday!

Today the rear rack worked well as a spray reducer through todays puddles. Although it did nothing to ease my mind as I approached the Coast Road, Round Mountain Intersection. When I was about 100 meters away from the corner this pale blue late model ute suddenly appears turning out of the South bound traffic on the Coast Rd onto Round Mountain. The young male driver decided it was a good place to give himself a bit of an ego boost through the self administering of adrenalin by drifting sideways through the corner taking the whole width of the wet, greasy intersection. I felt luck to watch from a distance rather than be closer and directly involved!

Windy Worker

Just returned from a quite windy rerturn home commute just managed to get an average of 21 kms/hour. the wind was a head wind all the way except for the last 200 meters.

 



And it was cool on the verge of raining all the way threatening to but not able to with the wind blowing it away...

Afternoon Delight

The mornings bothers were forgotten in the heat and humidity of a quick 25km circuit on the Shogun (in thongs again) this afternoon. The heat was quite draining, but a little nap later in the evening was all that was required to feel refreshed again.

Too much digging!

Well, the last few days has seen me only put together some small commutes for computer system repairs and some of the standard training loops. All the earth moving through the sieve by shovel has created a rather stiff upper back and neck. 50kms and longer rides have been light on the ground.

The standing around in the sun with shorts and thongs ( Note: sifting soil ) has also seen the remergence of my photosensitvity, especially my feet and lower legs, but thankfully, the Aloe Vera lotion Joyann discovered has been a godsend in relieving the itch!

This means I just might have to get the longer night rides happening once again this year now that the evenings are getting warmer! I noticed last njigts moon came up very late and was quite bright.

I've only got to shovel another 7 truckloads of the Terranora Red and I will be finished creating the new massive vegie garden and also maybe ward off the stiff neck/back? A little each day is a good recipe!

At last some precipitation!

Tonight saw the beginning of this years Early Summer storms. Even though there was no lightning and thunder, locally, the build-up was there and the rain has begun. Hopefully the tank will get a fresh supply if we get at least 25mm plus, that is. I have noticed the water carter about over the last week or so. Now also the mangoe tree will not set fruit for another year with the full tree of flowers getting wet! Also the possibility of a bush fire has been put on hold for another couple of weeks...

It looked like rain all day but we only had a light isolated shower last night showing on the roads during this mornings 50km ride. I have managed to sift one of the eight truckloads of Terranora soil for the NEW raised Vegie garden, so that only took me 4 days, lets see that's another 28 days left to go! and the dumped loads are only going to getting further and further away from where I want the soil to be so more and more wheelbarrow work to come as time goes by... I was desperatly in need of some upper-body workout so it's convenient really??? All up I rode about 65kms today riding to Hastings twice and Cabarita once to get some replacement tubes after todays puncture.

One thing I didn't say about this mornings ride2work was that during the 52k trip I saw only one other rider!

It's Raining?

Well the event I was hoping for all weekend is here it's raining. Hopefully enough to put soome water in the tank. We were getting a bit light on in this department... winter is done and it's weather has gone this bit of rain probably wont tide us over til the storm season though! I feel this will be a buy wter year, even after the excess of Autumn and early Winter. 

 

I didn't waste the time during the weekend. I played. I swapped two old 27" alloy road rims from crappy wheels with old rusty chromed steel spokes and rusty chromed steel hubs to better alloy hubs (really old Shimano600's I found in the last council throw-out) with stainless spokes. I even managed to, very clumsily, true the front wheel, basically dish and true the rear. Strip an old dura-ace 5 speed cluster from a old hub I had lying around, Why? just to see how it was put totether. It ain't ever going back together. To remove the cluster I had to crack and then split the internal screw-on hardened steel in the vice, there was no way I could unscrew it it was just too tight/corroded. I was surprised by the amount of tempering it had been given and just how brittle it was.

I now have the 2 wheels ready to finish, rear with a 6 cog cluster, the Shimano600 crank is inplace but will still need to be removed and lubed. The next thing to work on is the rear derailure, which one to use the Superbe or the Shimano600, how to attach the one I choose use a hanger bracket, or do I look for another frame in good condition that has a captive screw location on the axle dropout tab!

A little later...

Well Fridays commute saw me start out, with a raincoat, it was only just starting to sprinkle as I swept my leg over the saddle... I managed with a bit of luck to get through the lights onto the main road, but... as I approached Machinery Drive with it's light just turning red, down it came. The drops of rain were massive, as large as possible before it would become an uninterrupted stream poured from a jug. Today was one of those days when I had not replaced the mudguards after cleaning the bike last weekend!!!! When i finally got moving again after the mandatory 3mins at these lights the road spray from passing vehicles was like a deep fog. I still climbed Sextons on the Pacific Highway but was a little concerned, after all the accidents that occur here during times of rain.

After making it through to the Mur'bah turnoff the rain suddenly stopped. Zip zilch nadda not a drop from there to home. Peddled the rest of the way with squelching socks. Which of course I took off after arrived home. Along with the socks came this soggy outer layer of skin yech!  

 

The moral? If I had left on time I would of missed the drowning rat experience! Consider it as just another part of an enjoyable journey.

Change 'n the Air

This week sees the days of change. The Site gets moved and a new look that might make it a little faster and a little more readable, yeah right! But the seasons do seem to be showing signs of starting to drift toward summer. The little wrens and finches have started their dances in earnest. The magpies song is becoming louder, longer and more melodic, nearing the magpie attack season the truce may end any day now!

The sun is getting warmer, though with this cold (which I can't seem to shake) it's difficult to notice being chilled to the bone this winter! I can't imagine living any further south than here at the moment, I invisage that it is all somewhere close to a penguin colony!  

And don't I long for those long, hot and humid rides to come! When the desire to feel a cold breeze is gaining hold but at the same time getting farther and farther from becoming a reality. Not too much unlike trying to recall exactly what happened in a dream episode from last week then last month etc, It ain't going to happen! It does not matter how much effort you put into it some level of failure is inevitable.

Just make do with what is possible a bit of a cooling breeze from riding! ( And some small attention paid to the possibility of a attack launched from above! ) Let the games commence!

At last a-bit-o Luck

Most of My riding for the last month has been very short trips. My right hip has been just too sore! Why ? I don't know and have not been to the doctor.
The situation culminated in one morning about 10 days ago. That morning I moved my leg to get out of bed as usual. My scream woke the rest of the house! Since then the pain has definitely changed. It no longer happens every single time I rotate my hip to the side (I don't know what its called), but when it does come, it happens with a vengeance! Thus my reluctence to stress the joint.
I decided yesterday to give it a test. I rode back from work at Tweed Heads, having been given a lift with the bike to work in the morning.
The trip home was against the strongest wind we have had in ages.

 and as I was unsure about my ability rode the bike path up Sextons Hill rather than use the roadway as I usually do. All good so far, except when I had returned my front wheel I had slackly fitted it with the computer magnet on the wrong side, doohh!

Rode across the bridge in the roadworks debris and continued through to after the "tweed valley way" exit there I pulled over to refit the front wheel! Very gingerly dismounted. No pain cool! I did notice quite a bit of numbness in the nether regions so determined I needed to risk the climb out of the saddle a bit during the rest of the ride, commute.
A couple of rises out of the saddle and all felt normal, although I did get some twinges in my hip. I also noticed I was putting more stress on my right knee. I will need to rectify this if I want to be able to go on longer rides again.

No problems except with the rear derailleur throughout the rest of the journey up-to the Clothiers Creek turn off along Watty Bishop onto Round Mountain and home! Parked the bike and back to the house, It seemed just as I was stepping onto the verandah the wind stopped and the rain arrived, It has rained or showered on and off all night and now the tank is full again! In July? Good news and a bit of luck.

Maybe the bike is just too big for me!

Out-a-sorts

Today's ride saw me trundle down to Hastings Headland on the "bitsa"...  what greeted me was an inviting ocean. The swell was clean and mellow, a very, very light ENE blowing, the temperature 24°C... and I thought why not! So rode home and changed into my mothballed "springsuit wetty" and grabbed my much neglected board and rode back down, board under my arm, for a pleasant paddle before riding home again before the temperature began to fall. 20km's in all...

While drying off I watched a couple of whales making their way North for some winter birthing.