what the F?

Le tour

Well Tour time is here again and I cant but get addicted to snoozn on the couch and watching the live stage. It will be a interesting race this year and it will not be over till the fat lady sings. Had a mate (footy and golf head....who doesn't really understand cycling that well) ring me yesterday and said bet you wish you had foxtel right now (Cable TV for overseas readers). I asked why and he said that there was some le tour action on the box. I looked at the time (it was 6 pm) and said sure but I could watch it for free on the local station SBS. I started pissing myself laughing. He was slightly deflated that with no effort I had put a pin in his balloon.
Gerro has a started a blog on his website which might be worth a read to those into the grand old tour.... just hopes he keeps it going for the whole race this year.
Other news to hand is that my cold is almost over and just in time cause I have reason to believe that the heavens will start to puke snow from this afternoon which means the madness of skiing will invade my life for the next few weeks. Fingers crossed and judging by the darkening skies outside my window rain is not far off.

das cold

Well I new if I burnt the candle at both ends a little to much I would pay for it big time. I headed out on Monday for a roller ski session and was feeling fantastic cruising along. Towards the end of the session I got caught out in a rain storm and got pretty wet and cold. I had been feeling tired for at least a week and needing to nap heaps on the couch. So I woke up the next day feeling under the weather with a scratchy throat. This has now progressed into one hell of a nasty head cold. So the last few days I have been trying to od on Vitamin C and Berocca's to help the immune system fight off the evil cold. This being said I am going to miss the opening race I had planned at Falls Creek this weekend. Not to worry much better to get over this cold than make it worse by skiing.
And just to cheer myself I thought I will post the usual friday pic with a few extra ladies!

stuck

So I am stuck at working on Sunday not enjoying my day at all. My two partners in crime which had just finished work have gone home and hooked up and gone riding send me this little video of them riding the trails

Mates they love to cheer you up!

Updating the week that has been and gone. Happy to say I am back on the skis (rollering on the road and paths) and am happy with my early form. Much further ahead than I thought I was going to be. I have a nice 10 km loop for a enjoyable 1 hrs work out and have done that twice in the last few days. Looks like by the weekend or mid next week I can get some snow time with the predictions of the weather. But still plenty of work to do in the next month to get me to a reasonable level for some racing providing the snow holds (sounds like some freaky winter road trips ahead this season to chase the snow).
The last 2 days at work have been humbling as we have a guy who was skittled on Beach Rd on Saturday who has sustained a spinal injury.... makes you realise how lucky you are to come home at the end of riding on the roads!
happy trails

girl friday

steel is real

Headed out last night for a pedal with Gav and the Fatties ride. This ride has been a regular gig for as long as I can remember and at one stage I was a regular attendee but of recent years I have only been out once or twice. Even despite the weather which was windy and a little wet on the trail in places the ride pulled a crowd of about 20 - 30 riders including some of Australia's best 24hr riders. I was told it was going to be a light spin out towards Westerfolds.... man I was chasing from the gun despite having changed my gear for the occasion and at one stage getting lost as I missed a turn. These blokes can ride a bike and it was a steep learning curve from the start. It was fun to be out riding with a large group and Wednsday nights are the night to be out on the Yarra Trails judging by the amount of other riders we passed. Gav and I turned back a little early cause I was getting smashed and he was on a new bike and was feeling it out. We did the turn around with John Claxton who was just turning his legs over, a bit of active rest he said...... but still bloody flying! It was good to shoot the shit with Claxton cause he is a simple, speaks his mind type of guy, which I like cause its what you see is what you get. He has proven to me that life doesn't end when you have kids and that anytime is a good time for training with his 330 am jaunts up Mt D. He is off to the 24hr worlds in a couple of weeks and I wish him the best of luck.
Gav managed to snap his Jamis frame a last week and with a bit of smooth talking got himself one of the Jamis Dragon Elite frames. Nice 853 Reynolds tubing that has been turned into a nice looking frame. Steel is real as they say and I am a fan of steel having a steel cross frame that has seen the test of time. With a new fork and some new drive bits yet to be applied, this bike when finished is a worthy XC ride. Big guys are suited to steel and Gav was happy with how supple the frame was in places where his other aluminium frame was not.
Been a good week for me with a couple of rides under the belt and I am off to do some roller skiing and get my shit started for the coming snow!
Trails!!!


Not a bad looking frame and build!