Quicklet

Just a quick return trip to Marks this afternoon. Wind had dropped a bit and the knee was OK if I didn't pressure it.

After a short ride last Friday to Bogangar I knelt on one knee to remove my shoes and "CLICK!" my left knee went out (again) the return ride on that occasion was one legged pedalling, lucky they were SPD's.

Anyway this arvo's ride was the first in seven days, UGH!

Should add that I managed to lay down again by un-clip re-clip un-clip stop drop smile :)

Fixed Cyclopress Stats page

I've just updated and repaired the Cyclopress Riding Stats page.... might even make some more entries, if and when! Anyway at least its there for me to see in b/w just how little riding I get to do, with these shitty knees.

Who wants to trade?

Caution! and No Rally!

Drove a round trip to Grafton today over Cudgera Creek Road, or SS8? as it's called now. The surface is beginning to break down. There are lots of corners with marble size gravel loosely strewn over the still hard concrete like compacted surface.

The surface has become such that it is noticeably difficult to steer and brake. I'm sure it would  be worse on a treadly, sometime on the weekend I might see if it is the case, if the Southerly change does come through tonight as a gale like the BOM have predicted.

One thing I do know after driving through Uki and Kyogle the upgrade to Cudgera Creek Road IS because of the rally next month. The surface of the road climbing up to Sargents Rd is absolutely terrible, to the point of knocking off the tail pipe on the Matiz. I don't begrudge the locals on Cudgera Creek getting their road finally! But I do think that it shouldn't be because some private profiteering is about to take place in their area! No Rally!

Tired Knees

Managed a day away from work today and put it to good use. After yesterdays balmy weather I thought I would wait until midday, forgetting the dreaded 'arvo  sea breeze! To get into ride mode.

Any who, decided to take the hybrid for a jaunt over Cudgera Creek road. Surprise! Surprise to come! Set out into a Sou'West head wind and thought it would keep it up right though the ride, not to be!

The surprise was the condition of Cudgera Creek Road, so smooth you could of ridden fast on a road bike over the climb. Tweed Shire has resurfaced it unlike any I have seen over the last few years, this is a special year! The Tweed will be the host of the State Government's extra special international boys toys event in the Spring. So maybe the smooth surface was not really created for the local road user but they do get to benefit from the noise and chaos that will surround these quite areas on race days!

The ride went well with the ultra smooth, like new concrete, road. Not a bit of dust o loose gravel any where, not exactly the same on the descent into Burringbah where a few of the corners proved a little hairy!

Thinking the wind was still the same as when I left, I was protected in the tree cover, I decided to take advantage of a tail wind and take the Wooyung Road home. Wrong! It had swung to the East South East and was to be a cross wind all the way home. Should of taken the Moobal Road to Potty. Next time.

The knees were to really feel the effect of maintaining the cadence over the 20kms from the Old Pacific Highway through to Hastings as well as the front derailleur not functioning since the servo at Burringbah. Fix it later!

Only 43kms but included a little hill, some undulations, a near miss from a Qld registered 4x4 through one of the roundabouts in Pottsville and a malfunctioning front derailleur.

But the sun was shining all the way and what a road surface? It even looked like some good surf conditions on Hastings North side as I passed by.

Warm Wind

Today was a bit of fun with a work ride to Pottsville with a tail wind... I have been riding just not posting! Did a cruise from Tweed Heads on the Shogun a couple of days ago, just returning the hire car after a drive to Grafton to clean up Dad's shed for the last time, quite a sad experience.

Rode a few return trips to Chinderah for the fun of it. Rode a couple of loops for exercise, but I am still very wary of back to back rides on consecutive days. The knees are holding up but always noticeable after a ride, Will they never again not draw attention to themselves?

Of note the birds, especially the Magpies, are starting to get active! Prepare for Spring!

Ride2Work Day 2009

Ride to Work Day is on again on the 14 October 2009.  Bicycle NSW/Sydney doesn't seem interested in showing anything on their web site and yet Bicycle Victoria is promoting it with early bird prize draw registrations...

I havent looked at any of the Brisbane centric Qld sites.

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.