Bumped into some real men this morning - NSFW

[mikesbytes]

Hawthorne Pde, this morning, there's a cyclist up ahead, "that looks like Michael McKennedy" pedal to the metal and catch up and sure enough it is the sly dog slipping out for some early morning training. Michael says he will be back to Waterfall in a couple of weeks.

In the city I do a sprint up a short but steep hill and I hear "nice sprinting Mike", turn around and it's Tim on his internally combustion powered bike.

So who else was out this morning before the heavens opened up?

[lindsay]

me... I didn't get wet going to Parramatta

[Adrian E]

me too... but what does redfern to central station count for in terms of a commute?

I did however have my trailer with me which I'm using to cart my new mag trainer home.

[mikesbytes]

me too... but what does redfern to central station count for in terms of a commute?

I did however have my trailer with me which I'm using to cart my new mag trainer home.

There's a girl logging her 3.5k bike training rides on another forum.

[othy]

There's a girl logging her 3.5k bike training rides on another forum.

If they were at 13% grade I could understand....

[mikesbytes]

If they were at 13% grade I could understand....

she didn't mention any downhill. We all started somewhere. She's also taken up swimming, perhaps one day she'll do a tri

[othy]

she didn't mention any downhill. We all started somewhere. She's also taken up swimming, perhaps one day she'll do a tri

I remember my first ride, as it was only 4 months ago, probably only about 10 km and I threw up at the end. The first ride I ever logged was 17km, I've been meaning to repeat that course again sometime, there was a hill that defeated me and I need to show it who is boss.

I did laps around Centennial park last night and I saw a total of 5 riders. I guess no one wanted to get their bikes dirty.

BTW, an introductory triathlon is usually only a 300m swim, 13km cycle, 3km run.

[Huw]

It started raining cats and dogs right before I was getting ready to ride off to work. Really really wet. The upshot of the complex of thoughts that went through my mind was that I decided to drive instead.

It took me 2.5 hours.

I budget 1:15 to ride the 30 km on a bike.

Traffic was savage. I literally crawled from my laneway all the way to Marsfield, where my car decided it would overheat. I pulled off into the slippery mud on the roadside, engine boiling. Steam was swirling out from under the bonnet. I could easily hear the coolant boiling in the reservoir.

I sat there glumly, defeated, listening to Rudd, then Nelson. I checked the temperature occasionally. Picked my toenails. Sat watching the endless bumper to bumper stream of single-person cars crawl up the road. Listened to the rain on the roof. Ended up waiting there for about 50 mins before continuing the journey, slightly less traffic now at 9:50 am. Now felt like I was in the race to get there before the engine, now with presumably a whole lot less coolant, would spit the dummy again.

I don't really mind that much if I get wet, or drenched, when I ride. It's not like cold is anything to worry about in this weather. I get a warm shower at the other end anyway. But for the small privilege of staying dry in my car, I feel like today the price of driving was just too high.

[mikesbytes]

Huw, where do you work?

[Huw]

HELL

[Huw]

aka West Pennant Hills

[mikesbytes]

IBM territory, I've spent 8 years avoiding jobs in "The Forrest"

[Huw]

Some of our riders, who work in the city, reckon public tranport's not an option, so they commute.

I believe West Pennant Hills is the definition of not-an-option public transport.

[mikesbytes]

A dude from work who lives in Leichardt has the following estimations for travelling;

Car: 60 - 70 minutes
Bicycle: 75 minutes
Public Transport: 90 - 130 minutes, dependent on your luck with connections.

He sometimes uses a bike/train combo, riding to Strathfield and catching the train from there and then riding the other end.

BTW Huw, 30k each way over hills, your a machine.

[Huw]

I usually do the train once a week or so - get picked up from the station by a workmate, which makes the 5 k from Beecroft to WPH very easy. Trouble is either (1) he is crazy about getting to work early, and I need to leave home at 6:30, which is not always OK for me, or (2) he's not here. Today it was number twos. Yes, number twos.

My contract runs out at the end of June. I don't know what is happening yet, or where I'm gonna be, but I want it to be car-free.

[mikesbytes]

Who are you working for?

[Huw]

Department of Primary Industries.

It's a long-ish story, but we used to belong to State Forests (who sold a large section of the adjacent forest to IBM). The research section which I'm in got split off and became part of DPI in a restructure maybe four years ago (which continues to this day). We remain in the Forests NSW campus. It's a nice place to work, but I'd be happier overall to have a more flexible, perhaps shorter commute than to work in (an air-conditioned windowless office in) the middle of the forest.

[timyone]

man i was going up that hill and watching a lad flying up it, must have been 40 or so kmph!! i was totally shocked that it was you, i havent seen any one do it that fast before! you must have had a flying start!

[mikesbytes]

Maybe Mid 30's ?

[geoff m]

I was commuting this morning as well. Lilyfield road around 7am!

[mikesbytes]

I was commuting this morning as well. Lilyfield road around 7am!

Bit of a diversion?

[mikesbytes]

Saw a real man on Hawthorne Pde this morning

[mcrkennedy]

Saw a real man on Hawthorne Pde this morning

Mike

You do need to get out more!

Michael

[mikesbytes]

How was the spin?

[mikesbytes]

Another real man this morning, this time ex-Ashfield

[williamd]

Hey Mike and Mike.

It seems that Hawthorne Parade is a popular spot for club riders, so forget Saturday's slowies and Sunday's Waterfall ride. See you down Hawthorne Canal.


William D

[weiyun]

Gosh, sounds like that I'll have to bring back Hawthorn Pde segment into my morning ride route again. Gave up on that section for quite a while now as there are too many roundabouts and dog poos.

[mikesbytes]

Man, these real men are everywhere

[williamd]

I went along Hawthorne parade this morning. no real men to be seen got up Lilyfield Road and it started to rain and the road was damp so I went back down the hill where the road was dry and there was no rain.

I went around the bay back to Haberfield then to Ashfield as quick as I could to avoid the rain.

Where were you Weiyun?

Thought this was you training track.

[weiyun]

Where were you Weiyun?

I was there this morning but only did a relatively short one. With whole day meetings this week in the city, I don't have the time to do the long loop.

[mcrkennedy]

best time to catch me is Wednesdays and Fridays about 6.20 tfor three laps.

I agree on the roundabout, but have not come across the dog poo thankfully.

[weiyun]

As long as it's dry in the morning, I will be out circling on my usual route. Spending whole day wrangling over words with hostile cross examining lawyers is driving me crazy!!!

[weiyun]

Ok, was out for an hour this morning but where were all the real men?

[mikesbytes]

Good to see Bill out this morning

[williamd]

Saw only one real man this morning that was Michael.

Where were you Weiyun?

I will be at Hawthorne Parade at 6.20am tomorrow to have a meeting with members. Mac Kennedy will be there also.

Beanzy is not invited.

[weiyun]

I got around to Lilyfield Rd side of bay at around 7:25am and it's no surprise that I missed you guys. And these days I don't ride down Hawthorn as I find those roundabouts annoying and the return leg have too many dogs.

[williamd]

Saw only one real man this morning and that was Michael( Bytes) carrying a heavy backback.


Michael Kennedy was nowwhere to be seen.
Hey Michael I thought you said that Friday was your day out.

Weiyun the dogcrap has been washed away by the rain so you can come out again.

[mikesbytes]

Bill, you looked the part this morning

[mcrkennedy]

Yes Friday is one o f my days but this morning the siren call of sleep was too strong. I guess I can't be called a real man anymore!

Oh well back to the drawing board.

I will be there next Wednesday and Friday, maybe even Monday.

[mikesbytes]

Michael, unless you are racing, why not go out and do Saturday slowies tomorrow.

[williamd]

Is anyone going to HP tomorrow or leaving it to next week.

[mikesbytes]

I'll probably go to Heffron tomorrow

[williamd]

I will go over for the 4pm race.

See you there Michael.

How about you Mc Kennedy, Michael Landon -team mates.

[micklan]

see how I feel

[mikesbytes]

More real men on the way home tonight

[weiyun]

Weiyun the dogcrap has been washed away by the rain so you can come out again.

Bill, should I thank you for the sentence structure?

[weiyun]

I'll probably go to Heffron tomorrow

Gosh, I am in two minds as to whether I should hit CP in the morning or save my energy for Heffron in the afternoon. What I do know is, doing both is a guarantee that I'll get dropped at Heffron.

[mikesbytes]

I've got sore legs, due to getting cramps last night, so they definitely need to be rested if I'm going to race.

[weiyun]

I need to find an outlet to release my pent-up aggression after a week fighting with lawyers...

[mikesbytes]

I need to find an outlet to release my pent-up aggression after a week fighting with lawyers...

Lawyers....

What's the challenge?

[weiyun]

Lawyers....
What's the challenge?

High stake, large team of Yank attorneys, no errors permitted, no inches given, pit bull style.

[mikesbytes]

High stake, large team of Yank attorneys, no errors permitted, no inches given, pit bull style.

Are you researching for a medical legal case?

[weiyun]

Are you researching for a medical legal case?

Nope, I was battling opposition legal teams' cross examination.

[mikesbytes]

[mikesbytes]

BTW, that's Rod.

There was some puffing from one of the real men this morning after a decent workout on the bike.

[mikesbytes]

[mikesbytes]

Good to see Michael McK. out again this morning. Did a dam good job of climbing Lillyfield rd Hill too!