Monday, December 31, 2007

Engagements

December seems to be the time for people wanting to ask each other to marry them this year. A big congratulations to Gerro and his lady Rahna on their engagment on Christmas day. Great news!!!
Happy New Year.....come on 2008

Saturday, December 29, 2007

Christmas Ride


A group of us started a christmas tradition a few years ago by hooking up christmas morning for a push along the beach to Blackrock and then back to Carlton to Brunetti's for a java or two and some breaky.
As always we had a ok turnout. Apart from Middle Cam and Rhys being booked by the local coppers (so much for christmas cheer) for running a red light outside a cop shop. Cam said first time in 10 years of running the same red light he has been pinged there....now they are both $230 bucks poorer.
The weather was not the best being a cooler (quite nippy) than a normal summers day. Huzza was back from Singapore and swung by to join us for a pedal. It was a nice way to start the christmas madness of eating and drinking way too much. Even my wife, parents and Huzza's family joined us for breaky.
Shane scored well in the christmas pressent department by getting a 3 pack of whiskey. He looked like a classic with them hanging out of the jersey pockets for the ride home....nice one! I did alright with a 4 pack of Murray brew to sample sometime in the future (thanx Big Al).
Anyway enjoy new years and see you out and about!!!!!!!!

Thursday, December 27, 2007

one fucken speed

OK I am a single speed mountain bike lover....I love the simplicty of it....its all about riding the bike. Nothing gives me more pleasure than passing someone on their expensive carbon fibre 20 something gears up a hill. Sure it is hard at times riding big hills but dont knock what you aint got the balls to try!
At the KONA the campsite next to us had some guys riding Yeti hardtails....nice bikes. They say mine and Shane's Fat Chance and began a little bit of heckling....nice bmx's and shit like that. Karma is a fantastic thing. First lap out and the tool that was ribbing me ripped his XTR rear mech clean off the frame. Luckily somebody could help him out with a spare hanger. I sauntered over during the repair process and stated that now was the optimum time to try a single speed and that we rarely have such mechanicals!! Ah karma aint she a wonderful girl.

Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Saturday, December 22, 2007

Congratulations

Well done Richie and Kate on the announcement of their engagement...... Ritchie now you have some incentives to win some races as you have a wedding to pay for!!!!!

rained out

Few posts for December but hey thats due to working and socialising. I am busy as a mining camp hooker at the moment so stealing time to get out on the bike has been hard. Did manage a few rides this week. Got absolutely soaked last weekend down the beach with Shane and Al. It was nice rain as far as rain goes as it was warm. Not alot of folks out either which made it nice as well.
Did get out to lysterfeild for a session during the week. Did not see a single sole which was awesome as usually it is a busy place even mid wek. Only thing I saw was a shit load of kangaroos... lots of joeys which couldnt work me out.. the 29er is getting there slowly, but still trying to work out the right fork pressures. I have changed the tyres to a 2.1 ignitor by maxxis which seems to hook up a bit better than the fast traks by specialized.
Was trying to get out today but the rain over the last three days has been impressive to say the least. We have had around 100mm of rain in the last 3 days. Was hoping to get out on the 29er but even with this amount of rain it was a no go.
Saw my nephew for the first time this week. Cute little fella and it was nice to see my sister in law getting in to the mum thing easily.
Shout out to Carl M (3rd in his age group at 24 hrs Adrenaline Solo worlds) whos father passed away at my workplace after a short but strong battle against his illness. Very sad thing to witness....very sad
I was thinking about going to Revolution at Vodaphone arena this week but decided to do something else and I missed one of the best falls on a track I have seen in a while. Some of you might have seen it on the TV. Glad to see that everyone was Ok and still walking after the fall.



What is it about Christmas....people lose there minds driving on the road and the rudness of people in shops just gets bigger... chill out!
Happy pedaling

Saturday, December 15, 2007

word of the month....... busy

What can I say it has been a hectic month so far with work, bikes, christmas parties!
I cant complain about much as it has been fun to say the least. I have been trying to get out on the 29er as much as possible to tune up the ride, tweaking this and that to get it dialed in. Dan Hale hooked me up with a Phil Wood BB which looked too nice to have hidden in the BB shell. A hell of a mechanic so if you need some help with the one speed thing give hime a call (check the side bar for the link at Shifter Bikes). Saw Dan's new cross frame (he loves them) sweet steel build by a local frame builder for Cog bikes.
Dan was telling me how after years of not wearing a helmet he finally bought one after the mishap with Andy White. Whilst pedaling home one evening some tool hit him in the head with a full stubbie of beer....no damage apart from the massive crack in the helmet and the local law enforcement needing to come and rescue the offender!!!
Hit the road yesterday with Gerro for a pedal down the beach. Melburn folk don't understand how lucky we are to have beech road for a pedal. All was good yesterday bar the block head wind in 30 deg heat, and lucky for me, Gerro took pity on me I think and didnt pound me into the pavement. At times all I could do was give a "Uh huh, mmmm" cause I was out of breath..... man I wish I could tap out the tempo of a pro, makes riding a bike look oh so easy!
Other news at hand is that I am a uncle after the arrival of my nephew. All involved are well...well done Renee and Kris!
10/10 for young Mister Sister with his efforts at the work christmas party.... boy did NZ Gav and I give him some shit in the forrest on Thursday's dusk ride at Lysterfeild.... had us in stiches at his expense and him frustrated as shit(yes I will get my turrets syndrome sorted out, mister sister!)
More later, happy pedaling ;)

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

KONA 24 hr


Well the KONA is done and dusted for 2007. What a fun event it was. Full of the usual characters, nice bikes and good weather.
Our team (the good the bad and the ugly) did well, we managed 7th out of the 25 teams in the supersixes. Good result seeming how unfit some of us were and some were more than happy to drink beers between laps...imagine if we actually got our shit together and trained!!!!! Well done to Johnny Claxton winning the solo format with 21laps in 23hrs.
Anyhow I love the 24hr format even though it it a tiring event. The Kona this year was at Forest, in the Otway Ranges, west of Melbourne. This year saw the introduction of a 3 lap format (2 different day laps and a night lap) which kept things interesting. I did have some difficulties with the night lap with a fall....but hey thats 24hr racing. The trails were awesome and the newly cut trail got better as the race wore on. the trails ran amoungst the grass trees and beech forest which was something different. Nice location for a pedal if you hve the time.
I was having heaps of fun letting the 29er rip up the trails till I lost it into a corner and into a tree on a night lap. The bike was awesome at sucking up what the trails had to offer, and those lovely berms on Marniers Run. My gearing was well suited to the coarse. I ran a 34 - 19 and everything was ridable.



Saw many a nice 29er at the race including a 29er SS Ventana. Well specked out with Midleburn cranks and industry 9 wheels. Big Al had his new 69er by Trek. Nice geared bike (thinks he has the best of both worlds with a 29er front and 26 rear) with a Fox F29 fork. Would be much nicer with a single speed conversion!!!



The start and prologue was great ripping it up the middle of the campsite which was awesome to watch.




The boys soughting out the bikes.... funny was watching Shane riding my bike!!!!! Cause he is such a short guy he was sitting on the top tube...lots of laughs!


Anyway all in all a fantastic weekend of racing.