Struggling

I am now 12 days into my Great Cycle Challenge....er challenge and I have been really struggling for motivation to do my nominated kilometres. 1000km isn’t anything to sneeze at but by the same token, I knocked out 1600km last October, rather effortlessly, for this same great cause. (Well, maybe it wasn’t effortlessly but I can’t remember it being this hard).

Redland Bay

I am coming off the back of a vicious bout of man flu and I am trying to grab easy kilometres by riding my road bike. This might explain why I am lacking some motivation but worryingly, I just haven’t felt like riding my bike. Yesterday I faffed around most of the day until it rained (which I knew was coming) and then told myself “well, you can’t ride now”, letting myself off the hook but putting myself a further 33km behind schedule.

Today sees me needing 396km in the bag but I am languishing on 279km. 

Pardon my French but - Fuck!

What is wrong with me? I’m just not enjoying this like I normally would. I really hate saying I will do something and not following through. But following that line of thinking is making it feel like work, not pleasure.

Options when on the road.....

I am off at work again today. Up at 3am, at least it was an easy day (a mere 8 hours for a change) and I decided to just go “meh” on the Great Cycle Challenge. If I manage the kilometres good-o, but if I don’t? Well, tough titties. I will continue to ride as much as I can but if I have to use a gym bike to keep my training on track and my motivation up, so be it. If you would like to help pump up my motivation feel free to donate a little here.

 Training? 

Maybe I didn’t mention a little ride I have my eyes on in late November.......... 

Time for an uppercut!

 Cheers.

Letting The Inner Child Free

My newfound enthusiasm for getting on my mountain bike has transcended the crappy weather we have had for the last few weeks here in Brisbane.

On Sunday I got out for a soggy road ride around the Redlands area, kicking a few steep hill demons in the process. Yesterday I jumped on the mountain bike for a wet fire road ride. The Bayview MTBing area is a very weather proof set of trails, being quite rocky for the most part, so quite immune to rainy weather.

Heading out into steady rain isn't something I have done in quite a while. It can be unpleasant if cold and is quite hard on the equipment when mixed with mud. But, to hell with it. I need to get some miles in my legs and it would be interesting to see how the Bayview trails handled the moderate rainfall we have been getting.

The way down was a bitumen road run, sticking to the quiet roads to avoid idiots in cars. It can be very challenging for them to actually drive while you are texting and those pesky cyclists just jump out at you! Still, I was warm and having fun and they didn't get me.

Hitting the dirt it was easy going despite the rain as the fire roads down here are quite well formed with a recent re sheet with crushed rock. This makes for zero mud off road riding. Good for both the drive train and the conscience. It also makes for some bloody good fun flying down hills and tearing through huge puddles like an eight year old.

WOO HOO! 

The area is so green with all of the rain at the moment. You might think I have pumped up the saturation in some of these Go Pro pics, but they are straight off the camera. The Go Pro isn't really known for it's colour or low light qualities but it is the only waterproof camera I have.

YEE....

HAA!

Moving up and over the hill into a bit of single track the heavens opened and the rain really pelted down. I was amazed at the water running along the trail. There was absolutely no drainage with sections 60-70-80 metres long funnelling the water along the trail until it finally found a low point to exit. If it wasn't for the rocky terrain these trails would have been erosion nightmares years ago.

As it is, some simple drainage would help futureproof the trail for years to come. I had planned on wearing my new shoes but as it turned out I was glad I didn't. Using my heel I dug several drainage points on some of the worst sections of the "Vegemite" and "Chicken Run" trails.

It is very simply done and the trail will benefit from it massively. I am not trying to be some type of "trail care hero" but I find it hard to ride a trail these days without a critical eye on it's condition. Some of the fixes required are so easy and take no time at all. If only more people would just have a go. These are "our" trails, despite what the powers that be would have us think. Government is there to serve the people, not the other way around after all...........end rant.

Heading out onto the road again it was a quick pedal to the Mount Cotton shops where a meat pie had my name on it.

Burning my lip on the filling I contemplated my next move. My plan was to chug up over the Eastern Escarpment then on toward home. The access to the EE was in doubt as the Rainforest Gardens was for sale last time I rode through. I wasn't sure if the way would be open (I sound like a Hobbit there...) and it is a large back track if it was closed.

So, the easy way home it would be. At least I managed another 30km and reminded myself of some of the good AND bad things about riding in the rain. All good training for a potential ride in changeable Victoria.

Cheers and thanks for reading.

Little Red-Head Riding to Redland Bay

With my trail care commitments I have been unable to take Lucy along to the regular kids ride at 10am on Saturday morning at Daisy Hill. The rain has also left a very disappointed little girl moping around on Saturday afternoons, so I promised her a ride on Sunday.

Luckily, good friends invited us down to Redland Bay for lunch on Sunday. I then began formulating a cunning plan to squeeze a kids ride in as well, because the route to Redland Bay can take in Bayview Conservation area (and it's MTB trails) along the way. It would also be a challenging ride for a nine year old to test herself.

So we readied ourselves, a little behind schedule, to set off on our little adventure. A certain little red-head was very excited. I was also a little thrilled at the prospect of riding through the bush with my not-so-little girl. She just seems to be growing up and exuding so much confidence lately.

First up were some walking paths here in Cornubia. All very familiar to us as these paths form some of our regular after school ride route. As a result, Red was zipping along and gabbling twenty to the dozen all the while.

As we then had to traverse a short section of busy road, the concentration face was bolted on and we made sure we stayed well left through here. I must admit, I wasn't apprehensive about her making the distance at all. I was most apprehensive about riding along this section of road. Putting my life (and my daughter's) in the hands of other road users is a bitter pill to swallow for me and I do avoid these situations, where I can, as a matter of priority.

Anyway, we survived this short stretch of Sunday drivers unscathed and were quickly plying the back roads of Mt Cotton where small acreages dominate the landscape. Spotting Shetland Ponies and regular nags...er..horses became the game until it was time to refuel.

About one kilometre down the road we turned off and entered Bayview Conservation area. I floated the idea that we could ride via single track or via fire road, pointing out that the fire road was probably faster and hence, we would be able to swim sooner. The little voice chose fire road and off we charged!

Only the odd stop for a drink was required. The questions were flowing freely though. "Hey dad, what are those squiggly lines on that tree?" "Hey Dad, did you see that goanna?"

With the layout of the trails, we did have to do some single track to get to our destination. This section of grass trees is, for me, the signature section for Bayview as it is always a bit surreal riding through the Grass Trees while negotiating the narrow single track. Lucy was riding really well and having a ball by this stage!

The only negative squeaks emanated when we were tackling some prolonged climbs and our speed was quite slow. The main area of concern wasn't that she was getting tired. It was that she was missing out on swimming time! So, a helping "dad hand" on her back through the climb raised the speed to adequately stifle these squeaks. It also raised my heart rate somewhat!

Passing by the chicken farm at the end of Days Road raised some choice nine year old comments that I will not repeat here! I must admit, the battery sheds do stink and the hot air that is being exhausted from the sheds isn't exactly the wafting of a gentle summer breeze. It must be as hot as hades in there for those poor chickens....

Out via Days Road and our little ride was almost at an end. Just a few kilometres of blacktop separated us from our post ride catch-up and swim.

I was very proud of my little girl's performance throughout the ride. She didn't really grizzle and was happy to be out on her bike, riding through the bush on a warm March afternoon. Stats wern't important either, but she did ride 17 kilometres with 300 metres of climbing on a warm, humid day.

On reflection, as I type this post, I see the value of this blog to me. Granted, it may be self indulgent drivel for the most part, but it's real value to me is that it demands I really think about what I have done on any particular day and it serves to highlight pivotal moments in my (and my family's) day to day lives that may otherwise go unnoticed. It is cliched, but it really does seem like just yesterday that I was first handed a tiny, pale faced baby that I had no idea what to do with and now here I am, indulging in my favourite past time with one of my favourite people in this world.

Does it get any better than this?

Yeah, actually, I think it will.........