The hardy souls gathered at the Café. I appreciated Mike’s succinct yet detailed pre ride briefing, “ok, let’s go”. I also appreciated that keeping an eagle eye on the bunch allowed for instant awareness if we dropped some one. “So how many did we start with?” at the top of Heart Break Hill” gave me all the confidence I needed to remain in contact with the Bunch. Mike is clearly qualified to be a North Queensland Dive Boat Operator with those easily transferable skills.
The pace was swift. Later in the ride I did overhear Mike comment that the pace was a little higher than a regular Adventure Ride as we didn’t have any really slow riders. Either he was paying me a compliment of the highest order or he didn’t notice me in the bunch. I am going with the later.
We zipped through town and into the Rocks. Plenty of Clubbers taking the walk of shame, dodging the half eaten Octopus Kebabs with Garlic Yoghurt and pot holes. Around Mrs Macquarie’s Chair at a fair clip. I could have really done with a good sit down that that point. Down William St and through the tunnel. The grind up to Edgecliff raised the heart rate to alarming levels however those great equalisers, Traffic Lights allowed me to gulp down a few lung fulls of Sydney air. Heartbreak hill was fine, perhaps I was simply too happy to still be alive I didn’t notice. We gathered and a couple of other riders wheeled past telling us how well we had done. I am not entirely sure where they think Dulwich Hill is however I am happy to take the compliment.
Down to Watsons Bay and a very nice lady and her young son took our picture. I am not sure if you can make out any riders in the images however I am reasonably sure we are in them.
The hill out of Watson was OK. Perhaps the little rest but more likely the 400 metre head start gave me the kick I needed. We gathered again at the New South and Old South roundabout. Mike advised that there were only two more hills and the rest was easy. Hmmm this meant we would probably do 40km/h on Anzac Parade…….Oh joy!
Bondi was nice as were the other beaches. Arden St is now renamed Harden TFU street. I was happy to be riding it north to south as vice versa looked hideously steep. The gang all descended like demons. I on the other hand decided that discretion was the better part of valour will continue to descend at 12km/h until my post crashes confidence returned. We whipped through Maroubra to be almost cleaned up by a reversing car driven by two work experience “Bra Boys”. The passenger leaped out of the car swearing and carrying on like a pork chop. As the Bunch was moving at 30km/h all he ended up doing was shouting at seagulls. Hopefully it impressed his Manager in the “Bra Boys”.
We took the hard left hander on to lovely new hot mix at Laparouse and one of our number flatted. Mike gave him advice around our website’s Flat Tyre competition. After twenty minutes with the benefit of hindsight perhaps advice on changing a tube may have been more appropriate. Mike let us all know as gently as possible that on Container road there would be some sprinting. Really! That’s just what I needed. Mike has my nomination for Australian of the year.
We turned for home via Botany Rd and the Qantas Drive bike path. Arriving at the Café it seemed that the Fasties and middies/28s were there already with the 25’s and vintage arriving not long after us. A good sized crew resplendent in red to let all in Marrickville know that cycling the Inner West is alive and well in 2012.
Great ride for this year’s first of the Adventure Series. It was super to see so much of our city and still have a high paced, long ride. A big thanks to Mike for Captaining and everyone else for waiting. Great training for the Adelaide Hills!
See you for the next one.
Cheers Dougie