Long time no knee

Iv'e been able to ride spits and spurts over the last weeks... culminating in the 30km circuit  against a decent headwind yesterday. Only problem is I can't seem to increase my cadence or peddle pressure without the left knee kicking up a stink!

It did prove to me that it is possible to ride my commuter distance, but still leaves a niggling doubt of bringing on some long term damage. Something I really want to avoid. I have another 22 days straight teaching relief work ahead of me so I will not be able to get in to see a Doctor until about the end of March. Ho hum!  But as two weeks will be only 10km round trip I hope to give the shorter commute a nudge! We will see.

Visited

Well went for swim paddle at the creek mouth at Hastings point today and got visited by some try hards who broke into my car, a reason not to drive if there ever was one, I was only gone 5 minutes but by the time I was coming back to the car the would be thieves were, having been surprised by my fast return, running from the now open, nothing of significance was stolen, no wallet or money in the car. But they had not had a chance to go through my clothes for the mobile phone and sunglasses.
They were of local appearance but looked to have come down from Fingal, Kingy or Cabba on an opportunistic raiding party driving an early model dark blue commodore with blue Queensland Number plates but I couldn't see with these bad eyes! nor could I make out the driver except for short hair and a baseball cap.
The one running away from the car, wearing only board shorts, was very dark skinned not just a tan with longish thick curly hair though not shoulder length, slightly overweight, although fit with the age of around 18 to 22 years youth, about 5'8"-5'9" tall.... be on the look out for wankers they exist!

All was reported to police who could do nothing, usual problems! Why didn't I have video footage and their home address then it would be a different story, right?

So much

Been a while.... spent a couple of weeks camping and surfing through Hungry Gate and Minni Waters with my daughter, during January... resting my knee but still exercising long walks and some big paddles.

During this trip my dad breathed his last so I will not be able to achieve the goal of the 3 day Ride to Grafton for a visit this fathers day it just wasn't to be...

The new SPD peddles and sandals seem to be helping with the knee pain... but am still taking it easy as I do not want to have to give up riding due to excessive pain. It is still quite noticeable whilst riding but no longer gets worse as the ride extends. Also the post ride inner burning seems to have lessened considerably.

Maybe it is just arthritis IE old age.... hope this is not a sign of greater things to come...

 

As there have been few notable rides other than the continuous cruising to the shops or Hastings Headland for a surf check I didn't bother posting in the diary.

Chugga-Chug

Just a slow loop of 20km this evening. The sharp pain behind my left knee has dissipated to a mild general non definable ache so riding might start to get a bit more consistant again. But it is bearable when you get out of the saddle for a bit of a short climb. Also the sun doesn't feel as extreme today, maybe it's the Easterly Sea Breeze keeping the road temperature down if not the oppressive humidity.

Thats Funny

Today my dribbly ride on the cypress was to include a humorous surprise. Going up the Forge Hill at Pottsville I was nearly squeezed off the side of the road by an old Camper Bus with trailer but the funny part of it was that I was then being held up by the monolith as it chugged very slowly up to the top of the hill! That gave me a bit of a chuckle. only 26.3kms.

Here's Humphrey

I decided today to get the old Malvern Star Bogart out for a surf check at the headland. Well the ride was OK but noticably slower and heavier to handle, like driving a '64 holden compared to a modern jap car. Glad it was only 9kms against a mild Easterly. The cloud cover and lower temperatures are very pleasant.

Aside, the carpet snake is back stalking prey on the ramp onto the verandah.


The yellow bit in the image is a medium vegimite jar on the ground which will stay where it is for a bit longer... Creating a swift switch foot shuffle as you notice it again as you are walking past it for the umpteenth time!

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