Sunday's ride, happy days.

One of my favourite Lairs photos, taken in the Community Hotel in Hopetoun at last year's Audax Mallee Routes.
There's a ride planned for tomorrow, 8am in Lancefield.
Let us know if you are riding.
Steve.

Lancefield Lazy Legs

The forecast didn't look great for Sunday's ride but we were all keen to do a few extra k's this weekend, it didn't take us long to decide on heading toward Pyalong then Tallarook. The route of the 100km (114km by my computer) Lancefield Lazy Legs, an Audax ride that Andy runs once a year.
It's a hilly ride which is no surprise around this neck of the woods, but nothing too challenging and made for some great ups and downs for the eleven of us.
The hilite for me is always the long descent into the valley not long after you take the right turn toward High Camp, hitting speeds of around 70kph the bunch was stretched out over a long area so we re grouped for a quick chat before the next climb.
After about 25km we hit the highway at High Camp then rode single file for about 8km till the Seymour turn off at Pyalong and only a short way to the wonderful old trestle bridge just out of town, where we always stop for a bit of a look.


We crossed the Sunday creek on this leg and the hills continued all the way to Tallarook where we stopped for a rest and a bite to eat under the awning outside the store.
The ride home was warm and of lots of chat-as per usual with the up coming “Oppy” a main topic of conversation. The hills meant that we were often broken into smaller groups but always regrouping after a short distance.
It was good to see paddocks green and the Sunday Creek still flowing strongly at this time of year .
Most of us were able to ride in short sleeves and it held out to be a warm day, with a light change only hitting us when we were almost back in Lancefield.
It was a great ride, through beautiful country side and well worth keeping an eye on the Audax calendar for, or you could just come out and suggest we do it again.
Our teams and route are settled for the Oppy and we are busy making plans for support stops and assigning jobs for catering and stuff. At $6.99kg we will have to draw straws to see who will be buying the 30 or so bananas.
Steve.

Sunday's ride

G'day,

The weather is clearing so we should be in for a nice day, a good chance to do some Oppy training.

Ride heads off at 8am from Lancefield.

Let us know if you can make it.

Photo on the way up Mt Hotham.

Steve.

Sunday's ride

Eight o'clock in the usual place, let us know if you can make it. This week's discussion topic - heros of the bicycle tackling the Hepburn Springs 200 against all the odds.....(where the lairs made up over half of the Audax field!)
Andy

Spa Country Flings

Despite the weather forecast for last Saturday, 5 of the 10 Lairs that had their names down for the Audax Spa country 200 headed across to Hepburn Springs.

A few Lairs weren't the only ones to head the weather warnings as there were only another 4 or 5 riders heading out for the ride which consisted of 2, 100k loops. This one and this one.

It was great to see George Judkins at the start but would be the last I saw him for the rest of the day as he disappeared off into the mist.

Andy, John, Janine, Leo and I hooked up with Heather and rode the rest of the day together.

We had only gone a km or so before the heavens opened and found ourselves on the front veranda of a pub putting on the wet weather gear. Thankfully, though the rain was heavy at times, it was quite warm with very light wind so we were never cold.

The rain stopped after about 45mins and we were able to take off the rain gear and ride in short sleeve jerseys for the rest of the day.

The route had about 2200 metres of climbing but nothing too challenging, Spring Hill being the only longish, steepish climb.

The scenery was beautiful but I was especcially taken by the wonderful old stone homes and buildings we rode past as well as the great towns of Creswick, Daylesford and the wonderfully named Kooroocheang just to name a few.

It was a typical Lancefield lairs ride with no shortage of corny jokes and sometimes good conversation, everyone seemed to think there were king of the mountains points on offer on every hill, a lot of fun.

I will be one of the first to put my name down for this brevet next year, make a note of this ride, you'll love it.

Steve.

Sustainable Living Festival,Woodend, next weekend

Since sustailnable living is something that quite a few of us concider pretty important, Bruce has asked if we could let you all know about this. In particular there will be a how to on Bicycle maintenance from 12.00 pm till 4.00 pm.

For more info click here and here. You can also click on the image to enlarge it.

Steve.

Beating the heat

Tomorrow is going to be a hot one, an earlier start might be in order.
7.30am in the usual spot.
Let us know if you can make it.
Steve.

Alpine Classic

The weekend that so many have had in the back of thier minds is finally here.
as folk from all over the place head to Bright for the Alpine Classic, good luck and have a great ride.
Steve.

Yeeeeeeehhh, No.

With only a week to go before the Alpine classic Mt Macedon was the logical choice to hone the climbing skills before the big weekend in Bright, but we're made of softer stuff than that, we headed for home at Newham and were sipping iced coffee by 10 am, total: 32k's. Almost broke the door down at the club rooms (Mad Gallery) as we banged on it at opening time.
Steve.

Circa 1972-the Wonder years

Update, I rang the Polar guys on Wednesday, and the new strap arrived today(Friday) not only is there service department very obliging but they dispatch their stuff by rocket. They are like the Ay Up lights of the things that don't work properly world (I reckon Ay Up lights are awesome)..after 1 Coopers pale ale my heart rate is 68 bpm.

Right, the rain has stopped and there will be no where for you fair weather bikies to hide. Ride planned for Sunday morning from Lancfield at 8 am. The cool guy on the purple dragster will be there, socks, short shorts and all.

Steve.

H/R 64 bpm.

Heart of glass

I wish my bike computer was a gerbil, that way I could tell the nice people at Polar what it could be better used for.

I bought it about a year and a half ago and have had trouble with the heart rate monitor from soon after I bought it.

A reading if 220 within seconds of getting on the bike to zero when I would be flogging myself up a hill, then getting stuck on the same rate no matter how hard or easy I was riding.

The problem is in the strap which you wrap around your chest. Polar have even acknowledged this by re designing it, I am up to my third one.

The computer itself works fine, apart from the fact that you need to be Steve Austin to read the function titles, but when the veins are popping out of your forehead it's nice to know what heart rate you had to pull to cause the freak show.

Now here's the hard part, on the two occasions that I had to contact Polar's service department they have been extremely helpful and sympathetic and agreed to replace it immediately. You just can't stay angry when a nice young bloke gets on the phone and says "yep, no problem sir, we will send a new strap today and good luck with your training" boy, could the people at Vic roads learn a thing or two from these guys.

And now for something completely different...As I'm still on holidays I got out for a quiet ride at lunchtime today, I was intent on just going for an easy one and headed out from home toward Lancefield. The sky was heavy and I knew it would rain but it was warm and the rain was actually the draw card for me to head out for a spin. It started raining within minutes of me getting on the bike and rained for most of the ride. When I was a kid I loved riding my bike and playing in the rain, today I got to do both at the same time.

It was not just a shower but a full on downpour and I was soaked through in seconds, magic.

I know it's a cruel irony when you consider what's happening in QLD and Northern NSW, please don't take it as me being insensitive.

Steve.

Colenso or bust

I just made it into the ute this morning before the heavens opened again and the thunder and lightning crashed through the hills. 25mm of rain fell last night and as I got to the front gate I was guessing there would be very few keen enough to head out for a ride this morning. I would gladly have turned around and crept back into bed and caught up on the hours of sleep I'd missed out on, thanks to our petrified dogs as the scrambled for places in and around our room to hide from the storm.
As I got closer to Lancefield the torrent eased and once over the divide the roads were dry. Trivess, John, Andy and Janine were the only Lairs eager to head out today and were ready to roll, we headed to Woodend, down 3 Chain Rd. We went at an above average speed for a Lairs ride, the cracking pace soon came to an end as we turned into the head wind at Carlsruhe.
We called into the Cafe Colenso in Woodend to charge ourselves for the trip home and had a nice breeze push us back to Lancefield for more coffee, whether we needed it or not.
Steve.

Holidays

I'm still on holidays so decided to do this (Tooborac - Daylesford and back) ride on Thursday.
I set off from home at 7.30am on a stunning morning and the weather warmed all day reaching the low 30's by the early afternoon.
I had a head wind for the 25k into Lancefield, but nothing too much to deal with, a quick stop to top up my bidons at the servo then the 23k leg to Woodend where I was to meet up with Joseph outside the Holgate brewery, I had the trusty peanut butter and honey sandwich while he got organized and longed for just a tiny pint to wash it down with but that would have ended it all there and then.
Riding the 24k of undulations between Woodend and Trentham were a case of me trying to hang on to Joe as he cruised, he wasn't even trying. I thought my life would become a little easier when his front derailleur started playing up and forced him to ride on the small ring, but no such luck, he just picked up the cadence and off he went. This section of road is beautiful farming land and a bit of bush thrown in as a few of you will recall from last year's Oppy.
I stuffed down a muesli bar in Trentham and took off for the next 23k leg to Daylesford using the promise of lunch as motivation.
It was great to get to Daylesford for a yummy meal at Muffy's cafe, where we had stopped before on another ride, no trouble getting our bottles filled as the owner was a really nice bloke.
Joe took the chance to fix his derailleur with my tools, as in typical style he wasn't carrying any.
The ride home was more down than up but that didn't make it much easier to stay with the boy wonder.
We were back in Woodend at around 2.30-3 pm and after a quick cake and a drink at the bakery it was time to say "see ya" to Joe and grind the last 50 ish k's home on my own.
Not that I don't know how strong Joe is on a bike but he does it so easily and it's a pleasure to watch such an efficient and smooth pedalling style. He could have dropped me at any time but never even allowed a gap to form between us, too nice for that.
The day was a real slog for me but still a great ride at a bit under 200k's.
There is a ride planned for 8am Sunday morning, from the usual place, see you there.
Steve.

2011

The start of a new calendar year to some also means the looking back on the previous years cycling and setting new goals for the one ahead. On the whole the last twelve months on the bike have been great for me, another "Oppy " with a bunch of you Guys, and my first go at the "Murray to Moyne" both of which I enjoyed immensely, Mallee Routes again and all the other rides we've done as Lairs.
I enjoyed keeping track of Andy, Glo and Peter as they rode across Italy and loved watching some of the newer and younger Lairs go from strength to strength over longer and steeper rides.
I've said it to all of you before but again this years high lite was the Oppy, the format of the ride is fantastic, as is the aspect of riding through the night with little or no sleep seeing only what is in the beam of your light, but most importantly riding it with a bunch of mates is the pinnacle of my cycling year. It was made extra special this year by seeing all of Andy and Glo's family making up various lairs teams. It's also a real buzz having Lairs doing their first of hopefully many and seeing the enjoyment they get out of it.

The low point had to be THE BIG CRASH from a couple of weekends ago.

My knee....Seems to be under control at the moment, thanks mostly to some good advice, a Physio who understands cyclists knees and more set up adjustments. The hardest part in managing it has been the battle between knowing it needs to be rested (properly) and desperation to be out riding.

I'm still planning the next twelve months but have the bones worked out, come for a ride tomorrow and you can find out what some of them are or if you are not that desperate for conversation have a fun ride on what looks to be a great day with the rest of the crew.

8am in the usual place, hope to see a heap of you.

Thanks to all of you for being part of another great Lairs year.

Steve.

Sunday's ride

Last one before Christmas! Don't look at the weather forecast (may not be thunderstorms and 20mm of rain with a top of 11 and 30kph winds) but we are all used to rain aren't we? Eight am start in the usual place, byo thermals and raincoat
cheers
Andy

Sunday's Ride

After a wet and muddy week in northern Victoria it appears that the rain has followed us south with the road closed at Mustey's bridge again. Eight am start from the usual spot on Sunday and don't let the floods keep you away. Lots of Great Vic and Buller stories (Steve's been pushing his luck again!)
let me know if you can make it
Andy 0430 448 120

Sunday's Ride

Even though many of us have headed off to do the Great Vic there's still plenty of us left to head out no Sunday morning, maybe do some hills to give me something to whinge about.

Meeting in the usual place in lancefield just down from the IGA supermarket at 8am.

Let me know if you can make it.

Steve.

Cheap Helmets

Due to a change in the Australian Standard for bike helmets, Bike shops are left with thousands of helmets to get rid of before the changes take effect on the thirteenth of December, so there has never been a better time to save a a lot of money or perhaps spend some you were not intending to.
I paid $120 for a helmet that is normally $300. You have to be quick as they're going really fast.
It's not often we save a few bucks on anything bike related.
So now you're in the know.

Steve.

Nice Work

I don't want to bang on too much about this video other than to say, just watch it, it's really good.
Ride planned for Sunday morning, 8am, usual place. Let us know if your coming.
Steve.

Rider On The Storm

There's a fair bit of cycling in our neck of the woods this weekend and it's all centered around Mt. Macedon.
On Saturday it's the Mount Macedon Challenge then on Sunday it's the Ride for Bikes. The weather on Saturday especially, looks pretty bad, not too cold but maybe a lot of rain. so things could be pretty on the hair pins on the way down.
It seems one of Victoria's best kept cycling secrets is out, but it's no surprise, Macedon is a little ripper. It's got it all, the Woodend side is about 7km at about 5%, the South side is 6km at about 7% with significant sections of a nasty 13 and 14%, then Straws Lane is somewhere between the two. But Macedon is more than just the road, it's a beautiful place, really good views and the wooded areas have some fantastic examples of Mountain Ash Eucalypts which you just don't find anywhere else around here.
Macedon has been a great introduction to climbing for a lot of us and was my first ever go at a decent climb, I'll never forget the first time I did the south side, just when you think it's going to taper off a bit you turn a corner and it kicks up again.
I've pretty much had two weeks off the bike now (apart from one sad little effort last week) and am itching to get out and try the knee, so I'll be riding Sunday rain, hail or shine, if you're not doing one of the other rides you can join me at 8am in Lancefield.
Let me know if you're coming.

Steve.

Special mention to Meaghan and Janine, I hear there's been some secret training going on up in those fore mentioned hills.

It only hurts when I pedal

I seems that it's almost impossible for me to have a pain free November, yeh, it's my knee again. I missed the Alpine delight last year as a result of the dodgy joint, and as a few of you would have noticed, recently i'm not the happiest man in town.

I pretended it wasn't there last time and it gradually went away, till now.

So here's the plan, We'll give it another week and see if it improves, then we're off to MRI land to find out once and for all what the problem is.

Steve

Sunday's Ride

Dear all
Sunday's ride (weather permitting!) will be at 8. Ken managed to ride in to Lancefield and was drenched along the way. Wasn't too hard to convince him to get a lift back home! Anyhow Sunday will be a much better day and a good chance for a ride before tackling Macedon next weekend.
Andy
0430 448 961

Mallee Routes 51666

A few of us went across to Hopetoun in September for the Mallee routes rides, It’s an Audax ride I’ve done for the last four years now, and look forward to it every year.
I’d been watching the weather forecast for a week and things were looking good when Friday fainally arrived.
Finishing work at just after 11am, I was able to get home and pack the car with John Doran and be ready to leave for Hopetoun at 1.30pm. This was great as we almost always end up arriving in the dark and I was keen to go out for a short ride when we got there.
We were in contact with Meaghan and Peter Burridge on the way up, another carload of 5 Lairs, their 14 year old son Nic and a couple of his mates were going to do the new and improved 100 into Wyperfeld national park on the Saturday.
We arrived in Hopetoun at 5.30 pm which gave me enough time to head out for a short spin to check the landing gear as I’d been having trouble with saddle sores recently and was weary of being able to sit on the bike after a few days off.
One of the highlights of this ride is catching up with most of the participants on the Friday night for registration and dinner, not an opportunity we usually get before a ride. It's great being able to do the rounds with the Audax folk and the Community Hotel accommodated us in an area all to ourselves, which, as it turned out meant the whole pub as we were the only ones in there for most of the night.
I had set My alarm for 4.45am which allowed me plenty of time to have brekky and do the short roll down to the Mallee Bush Retreat, where Peter Annear was already doing light checks.
There were a few Lairs doing various distances this year with Dave Killick and I having a go at 300, John and Peter doing the 200 and Meaghan, Nic, Andrew and Lachie heading into Wyperfeld for the new route 100km.
It was good to see the three teenagers along, escorting Meaghan. This years 100k route didn’t follow the riders doing the longer distances down the Hwy to Warracknabeel, instead heading west straight toward the national park on a very nice stretch of road with next to no traffic. I hope the lads enjoyed their first brevet and get a taste for Audax riding, perhaps only if it whets their appetite for the years ahead. Maybe they will come across the Brevet card one day and get spurred on to have another go.
As 6am rolled on the sun was just thinking about making an appearance, so with a few words from Peter the 50 or so strong bunch took off and the long line of flashing red lights made it's way toward Warracknabeel.
It doesn’t take long for bunches to sort themselves out on rides and I soon had myself in a group of about 8 which seemed to be travelling at a pace that suited me and we covered the 60km that got us to our first control before 8am, but only soon enough to see Simon Watt blast off into the distance, he was on a mission and was riding very strongly.
We made the stop at the Werrigar roadhouse a brief one and hit the road in a bunch of six all taking turns on the front.
I always make sure I take time to have a good look around on this ride, the countryside is very different to that in which I normally ride, and I love it, the long straight roads and the expansive paddocks of glowing, hip high Canola and deep green Cereal crops thriving in an all too rare good year, fences so far apart one of our bunch even asked how the farmers knew where their properties ended, but we knew there were fences way back somewhere.
The evidence of the recent heavy rains was all around us as lots of water came up to the side of the road, which was probably over it just a few days ago.
The light cloud was beginning to let the sun peak through occasionally on this leg so I pulled over for a quick stop and took off the light jacket I had been wearing, and was able to ride sleeveless for the first time in months and stayed that way for the rest of the ride.
At 114 k’s we took the left turn into a light crosswind for the last 9km into Birchip and the checkpoint in the takeaway, which always has great food.
We left Birchip in dribs and drabs but after 20 minutes or so of some hard turns our bunch reformed as a group of five which was made up of George Judkins, Ted Van Geldenwalsen, Glenn Pannam, Stephen Rowlands and myself.
We were now riding into a head/cross wind which came at us from the north west so an echelon formed and we were able to move along at a very good pace, in fact a bit too good for me and I felt I was probably overdoing it a bit if I was going to finish a 300, after my turn I let the others know the pace was too hot for me and dropped to the back and was deciding whether to let them go. After only a few minutes on the back I was soon back in the groove feeling pretty good and doing my share. I often have a slow patch after a checkpoint, Food and me have a special thing going and I think even my hair and finger nails have to put in an effort to help digest the amount I eat, so maybe I'll blame the roast chicken roll.
When we were in Birchip a lady asked me where we were heading and upon hearing Sea Lake commented how she wouldn't like to be heading that way with all the sand on the road, I was quickly doing the mental math on the cost of a new hub and bottom bracket and all the time I would have to spend getting it out of all the little nooks and crannies...I didn't see any sand. Trash talk from old ladies, it gets me every time.
We arrived in Sea Lake to find hardly a soul on the street and only a couple of cars parked out side the beautiful red brick pub which dominates the main street. I couldn't help but worry about the future that faced these wonderful Mallee towns, I'm sure there wouldn't be half the families there once were in this part of Victoria and can not see how they will survive, they're to far from the major cities to ever become trendy little towns full of antique shops, but maybe that's not such a bad thing as long as they can just keep ticking over.
Only a jam Doughnut and a sports drink top up from the friendly girls in the cafe here. Fifteen or twenty minutes later, we were on our way to Patchewollock.
The 75km from to the next control was basically East to West so we were now into the wind, though not anything like what you can get around here when things aren't going your way, I have actually seen Tumbleweeds blow across the road on one of my previous go’s at this ride. This and the next leg were the only sections which had anything that resembled hills in them but only enough to be hills to legs that had just pedalled 200k's, there were no king of the mountains points on offer here.
Our bunch was not as organized from here as gaps were forming but we were pretty much in sight of each other, Stephen played messenger as he floated between the two small groups.
We passed through the tiny town of Speed where we crossed the Sunraysia Hwy, a look at my computer showed we had travelled 197km and would be at our next checkpoint in just a little over 50k’s.
At the 253km mark we rolled in to Patchewollock where we saw the familiar face of Gordon McMillan, a top bloke to come across when you’re hungry and tired, he had set up in a great little shelter adjacent to an old train station which, would be safe to say had not taken a passengers fare for many years.
I was in need of some real food, nothing that even slightly resembled a muesli bar so I headed straight for the big pot of soup he had simmering away in the corner of the shelter and helped myself to a big bowl, it was great to have something warm to start off with then a sandwich and a piece of cake was just right.
We caught up with Bruno here but missed Simon Watt who was already on his way to the next control and finish for me, Hopetoun.
Even though this was a tiny town I was still surprised that there was no one about, I saw one person and no cars, I had a short chat with the fella whom wandered across to us, and answered the usual questions, Where from ? Where to ? How many days will that take ? Followed by “you’re mad”.
Fed and watered, we headed off for Hopetoun, again at a cracking pace and soon caught up with Bruno whom had taken off before us but was having bottom bracket problems and turned down the invitation to join our Conga line.
After about 20k’s George and I dropped off the bunch and rode together in what was a beautiful late afternoon, and enjoyed the gloaming as we skirted the Eastern most edge of Wyperfeld National Park.
We passed an old cemetery near Yarto, which is nothing more than a place name, given different circumstances and a bit of time would have been great to have a walk through.
At about 300km we turned onto the Henty Hwy which was the home straight for me and before we knew it were on the outskirts of town and in no time turning at the pub toward the Bush Retreat and the end of my ride. We made it in just before 6.30pm so still had the last bit of daylight as we got our cards signed and got stuck into some of Peter’s pasta, which is always a good reward at the end of a long day and in my case 51666 turns of the pedals.
I had been looking forward to a beer and a steak all day so was soon bidding George a good last leg as he headed to Wyperfeld for the last 100km to complete his ride, I then made a B-line for my room and a hot shower before dinner and a couple of Ales with the Lancefield gang.
Having the ride based at the Bush Retreat is one of the things that makes this weekend great, I love heading back there for a good chin wag with the riders in front of the warm fire.
With Dave Killick coming in I can’t say that the conversation was all things cycling but as usual a heap of fun and before we knew it the 400km riders were making there way back in with Simon Whatt, Stephen Rowlands and George Judkins returning with not a lot of time separating them.
As 1am rolled past the efforts of the day began catching up with me and a good nights sleep was what I had in mind so I called it a night and headed for my room and passed out in seconds.
In the morning I headed across the road from the hotel to the café and found that a group had gathered for an unofficial post ride debriefing, a top way to cap off a fantastic cycling weekend. Once we got Simon to put his briefs back on it was time for folk to start heading their separate ways for the trip home.

Thanks to George Judkins for sharing some of his photos.

Steve.

Sunday's Ride

We've decided to acknowledge the passing of winter by moving our start time to 8am, just in time for another cold day. Not to worry, hot coffee at the end of the trail. Same venue though - maybe we can sneak some hills in this week. Subject of the day : guitar construction!
cheers
Andy

Sunday's Ride

Nine am at the usual place - bring some Round the Bay stories to stop Andy banging on about the marathon again
give me a ring if you are coming
0430 448 120 or 5429 1751
am

Cyclecstasy

Cyclecstasy: The feeling of joy and well being just before a Magpie bites off your ear.

While on a ride last weekend. JD and I ran the gauntlet of the most helmet pecking, shirt pulling ear biting Maggies this side of Meaghan.

It's one thing being swooped, but these guys wanted blood, it wasn't just once, or twice, we were ground zero for about 20k's, we even took turns on the back to try having go's at being the bait. Now I am not saying it was the same bird, but this was certainly a genetic predisposition to picking peoples eyes out. Interestingly, these little beggars did have a particular problem with John and on a couple of sorties were happy to fly over me only to sit on his shoulder and practically pull out his hair for nesting material, might have something to do with the snake some one drew on his back.

My helmet has beak marks and I have perfected a new riding position where I can ride with my head inside my Jersey with holes cut out for my eyes, apparently, John is just able to sleep through the night again without waking up screaming "quick, every body, get back in the house".

If you want to find out where this Ornithological hot spot is, you'll need to show up on Sunday morning at 9am in Lancefield.

Steve

Vale, Jure Robic

Late last week we tragically lost cycling's ultra endurance legend, Jure Robic.
Check out The Hudson Valley Randonneur blog for a great post on Jure. No point me trying to say what has already been said so well(a great blog to keep your eye on).
Thanks for the great post Goerge, hope you're well and truly on the mend now.
Steve.

Maybe next time

Hi gang,
Due to a bit of a hick up, next Saturday's planned fund raiser ride has been called off.
I'm really sorry if this has mucked you up in any way.
Steve.

Ride to give someone a night off

There is a ride coming up on Saturday, 2nd October which will be raising money to give some mums the night off.
All mums deserve a night off, some really, really deserve a night off, Janine Radford is a Lair that has come up with an idea that can go a way to helping out, we can help by doing what we love doing, going for a ride and having a feed and chucking in a few bucks (see flyer-click to enlarge)
Meet Janine...(again)
"Hi, my name is Janine Radford. I am the creator of the Pamper Parents Hearts Project.
This project considers the parents of Autistic children and their every day struggle. They encounter very little support and they never have time to relax, rejuvenate and take some time for themselves.
My inspiration for this project is a 42 year old mother of two boys Louise, and her 4 and 6 year old sons. The 4 year old Hamish Skirka is autistic and non-verbal requiring constant supervision and therapy. Angus who is 6years old does not have autism and has just started school this year. Their father died tragically four years ago placing the demands of autism and child rearing solely on this mother.
The predictable future of this mother and other single parent families of autistic children is that they will be burnt out and exhausted and the health and well being of the parents and ultimately children will suffer.
I want to create the possibility of a future that gives these parents some time to themselves to rejuvenate their soul and spirit and to connect with other families going through similar circumstances.
The Pamper Parents Hearts project consists of four mothers who have children with Autisim or Autisim Spectrum disorder. They will meet at The Farmers Arms Retreat in Lancefield on October 2nd 2010. They will be pampered to a treatment from the Lancefield Day Spa and dine at Annie Smither’s Bistro in Kyneton. Only to return to this glorious Bed and Breakfast for a full night sleep and breakfast the next day. These businesses have taken on making that difference and have donated their wonderful service.
In April 2010 we coordinated successful fundraising cycle event Hamo’s Ride that took cyclists on the challenge of Mt.Macedon. We created the possibility of Louise , Hamish and Angus receiving a Righteous Pup-( an assistance Dog trained to maintain safety and help care for Hamish). They are meeting their new pup in October".

So, if you are able to come along for what will pretty much be a Lairs ride but hopefully a bit bigger let me know by posting a comment or in one of the usual ways and I will give you all the info and let Janine know the numbers.

There is a ride planned for this Sunday, meeting at the usual place in Lancefield at 9am.
Let us know if you can make it.

Big time

It's great to see a Lair has made to cycling's equivalent to the cover of Rolling Stone magazine. I took this photo of Andy early last Summer on the Pyalong -Lancefield rd as we stopped to look over the rewards of a much needed, good spring.
Checkpoint is a wonderful little read that comes with an Audax membership and this is the Spring edition. It always has great yarns about Audax rides all over Australia.
Hopefully we'll again see paddocks full of round bales this summer, definitely we'll do some great rides in the beautiful countryside we're lucky enough to be surrounded by.
Steve.

Sunday's ride

We've struck it lucky again this week and will be one Steve short of a full peloton (why do his family always have birthdays on Sundays?) Hopefully we can catch up with Hopetoun stories from Meaghan and Peter. Same time (9am) and same place (main street of Lancefield down from the clubrooms). In the meantime you can have a look at another local fundraising ride at rideforkids.org.au
Andy
0430 448 120

Sunday's ride

Whilst Steve is away for the weekend at Hopetoun the rest of us have the chance to do the Green and Gold Challenge over at Kyneton (part of the Daffodil Festival). Starts at 9am at the Velodrome (near the pool in Mollison Street). Fifty or one hundred km options in the beautiful green countryside north of Kyneton. Cheap as and fully catered! Let me know if you can make it. Glo and Helen are tackling the 50, I'll be handing out cake and bananas. This will be Phillip Don's last Audax ride after 14 years. And you can have a special preview of the new checkpoint cover!
Andy 0430 448 120

Uno vinculi

I found a receipt the other day which was for a new chain, cassette and front rings, on it I had written the odometer reading for the time I got Andy to sort it all out for me, that was about 13,000klm ago which is a lot more life than I have previously got from a chain and I reckon it's still got a bit left in it, it's still changing smoothly. I look after my chain pretty well and can fairly confidently say it is never in need for lube, but keeping oil up to it isn't the only thing to keep your drive train happy, keeping it clean helps a lot too.

I'm much better at keeping my chain and stuff clean these days because of the one other thing that was on the receipt, a chain quick link (cheap as chips), Surly Dave put me onto them and I say it has greatly extended the life of my chain because it's heaps easier to take it off and give it a good swim and a brush in a bit of kero, then a good dousing with chain lube. While I have it the chain off it's only minutes before the cassette is in there as well and hey presto ! Shiny. Thank you Surly Dave and thank you awesome bike shop.

We had a great ride yesterday heading out on the Bourke and Wills track up to the monument where half the bunch turned back and the rest headed over to Kyneton then back to Lancefield finishing up with exactly 100k's and my musings for a bit of sunshine didn't go unheard, there is a bike Jesus.

Still winter

Last Sunday's ride really showed how much rain we've had, all the dams and streams are full to overflowing and paddocks partly under water, it's been a long time since we've had such a good (wet) winter and I reckon we'll get more rain yet, but I'm ready for some warmer weather, some nice days when the sun comes up over the hills and starts warming your back on a crisp morning. I don't mind the rain at all, my place looks a picture, I just want it to get warmer.

The cold weather always seems to induce a spell from the bike for me,I've had this week off, trying to beat a cold, not a bad one but enough to give me an excuse not to venture out, which is a bit of a bugger as I was trying to stay on the bike with the plan of riding a few Audax brevets in the coming weeks.

A few Lairs will be riding the Audax Spring into Seymour on the 4th of September and then heading up to Hopetoun the following weekend for the Mallee Routes rides, taking on some fine Dutch hills I expect. These are both great rides, through quite different countryside, Spring into Seymour takes you through mostly flat grazing country which will be green and lush at this time of year with big Redgums dotting the paddocks, where the Mallee is predominantly farms dedicated to cropping and will be hip high with Canola and grain crops. The Mallee is flat but it's challenges come from the headwinds that. can make for a long day in the saddle. You won't see many grand old farm houses here, a lot of them are made of fibro cement with crops going virtually to the back door, you can see for miles and a light in the distance can take a very long time to reach.

The longer Mallee rides take you into Wyperfeld national park where the trees do it pretty tough and are somewhat stunted compared to their cousins on the Seymour ride, We've done this ride when it was scorching hot, in the mid 30C's and in the chilly, wet, low teens.

Drop me a line if you are interested in either of the rides or you can get more info from the Audax Australia website.

There is a ride planned for 9am Sunday morning, meeting in the usual place, just down from the IGA in Lancefield. give me a hoy if your going to be there.

Steve.

Photos taken on a Mallee Routes ride.

It's about time

We've been talking about a mountain bike ride for ages, now Joe has come up with the goods....

As I’m sure most of you are aware, there are a group of us heading to the warmer climate of the United States of America (USA) at the end of August (yep, this month). While we’re not going for long, and we will be back before grand final day, it’s going to be a little while between drinks. To avert the drought I’m going to shoot a little left of centre and organize something a little different as a form of send off in case I feel the need to never return.
The Idea
Well I’m a little bike crazy and a fan of the letter “B” so it’s going to go something like this…

- Bikes

- Beers

- Buddies

- Barbecues

Saturday 28th August I’m optimistic that the weather will be brilliant and I’ve set the wheels in motion (yep, a pun, how odd??) organizing a mountain bike ride around wombat state forest followed by a barbecue. The infamous “Wombat Loop” is around 30km long in it’s entirety, but it’s a nice place to play for those keen on getting their bikes a little bit dirty. Whilst it’s a challenging track both technically and physically, there will be a range of riders out there giving it a go from first timers to (hopefully) the guys that conned me into spending an arm and a leg (pretty much literally by now) on yet another bike. This will mean the pace will be varied and there’ll be a riding companion for everyone.

Riding will commence at 9am and the course will take around 2-4hrs ride depending on skill and fitness level. Barbecue & Beers @ 1pm.

Location (Maps attached..click to zoom)

Start for the ride and the barbecue will be located at the dam on Fingerpost Rd. Fingerpost Rd is a dirt road, but well made and is on the LHS of the Old Calder Hwy after taking the Woodend exit and passing Macedon Day Spa (this one’s for the ladies…and Rob) which is located on the right.
Sales Pitch:
What could be better than a day out in the true blue Aussie bush with a few mates, the family, a beer, some car-don-ay and a snag in bread???
RSVP:
Pft… Whatever. Just make it there if you want to be there. A heads up on the meat and cold beer would be nice but you can always BYO or starve if you don’t let me know. Pass the email around the traps as I’ve lost a few good men along the way.

Joe.


Or you can just let me know in the usual way.

Steve.

This week's ride

Hi Gang,
There's a ride planned for Sunday morning, 9am from Lancefield.
Let Andy know if you can make it, or comment on the blog.
Steve.

Sunday's ride

Hi Folks,
There is a ride planned for 9am Sunday morning from Lancefield, let us know if you're in.
Steve.

Sunday's Ride

Notwithstanding the very ordinary weather forecast, anyone brave enough can meet at the usual place at 9am and you just have to do enough to earn a coffee! rsvp to 0430 448 120
Andy

Make Cycling Safer

Next Sunday the Lairs are heading to Woodend and the Black Forest Drive (old Calder Highway south of Woodend) to make our views known re the Vicroads plan to provide bike lanes on this section of the road. At the same time Vicroads are reducing the 2 lanes each way to one lane each way with a turning lane in the middle. This does not please a very vocal section of local residents and as cyclists we need to counter their somewhat aggressive stance with our calm approach to cycling this scenic route.

We will leave the usual spot in Lancefield at 8.30 and ride to Woodend Cycles (behind Target in the off street shopping centre) to meet other riders at 10am for a ride down the Black Forest Drive and back to Lancefield after signing the petition and generally having a good time.
Let me know if you can make it and tell your friends.
Andy

Sunday's Ride

G'day,
Ride's on for 9am, in Lancefield.

Three weeks of this...

Sleep deprivation: check.
Too much snack food:check.
Grumpy with the kids:check.
Back problems from slouching in the couch:check.
Even shorter attention span:check.
And these are the positives...Ohh Yehhh, it's Tour time.

I'm "happy as Bro".

Though I'm not too sure about what happened in the first few stages. I don't like the idea of tour organizers coming up with a route that is potentially or likely to take out some of the best riders, nor do I like the idea that some riders decide for the rest of the peleton not contest the finish of a stage, all this should be sorted prior to the start of the race. Is there a body that is representing the riders comrade ?

Now, just to contradict myself, I loved the cobbles and from a spectators perspective would love to see them again, but I'm not sure if that would be right. Maybe when I'll go and see my Guru and get back to you on that one.

Meaghan has has also introduced me to the Fantasy tour (I was a Suspect when she first mentioned it, as the thought of Peter in Lycra and a feather boa left me feeling a bit uneasy) and now I'm hooked, having all those millions to spend on cyclists. I have just traded Mark Cavendish back for Alberto Contador, Oh the power.

So tonight they head for the mountains.

There is a ride on tomorrow at the special Tour time of 9.30 am from Lancefield.

Let us know if it's for you.

Photo is of just one of the riders that won't be on the Tour, a crash last weekend showed us his famous hovercraft falling technique(also known as the Jesus manoeuvre) , where you crash your bike at speed but manage not to land heavily on the road, coming to rest at a much safer speed than when you actually left the upright position, resulting far more minor injuries than we expected to scrape him off the ground with. Hope to see you Sunday John.

Steve.

Sunday's ride

Hi gang,

There's a ride on tomorrow Sunday morning from Lancefield at 9am, let us know if you might be there.

Only one more sleep !

The Tour starts tomorrow...AAAAHHHH, AAAAAHHHHHHHHH, AAAAHHHHHH, AHHHHH, YEEEESSSSSSSSSS, YEHHHHHH, AAAAAHHHHHH.
To kick of the first day of the 2010 edition SBS is offering this little gem " Anna-In the grips of delirious illusion, Anna, a gentle and shy young woman, convinces herself that Doctor Zanevsky is fervently in love with her. Nothing can shake her certainty".
Thanks SBS I suppose you will be telecasting the World cup final "live" from half time.

205 k's of grind

Last Sunday I took on the Audax, Wandong winter wander ride.....
I had been watching the weather forecast all week so I was expecting a frost when I Left the house at 6.15am, but I was not expecting the doors of my car to be frozen shut, back inside for some warm water for the doors and windscreen.
I got to Wandong just after 7am and the 8 am start saw a good gathering for the 200k bunch with lots of familiar faces poking around.
I adopted the onion aproach and put on lots of layers though I only removed one the whole day.
The road to Tallarook then Seymour was up and down but mostly down then flattish to Nagambie, so I was able to chug along with Richard and George Judkins for most of the way though keeping an eye on my heart rate monitor I knew things were going to go pear shaped at some point, not having done a long ride since march, that point was Nagambie, at about 90k's into the ride.
After a bite to eat I told the lads I would have to wave them off, as I would only be holding them up from here.
Getting back on the bike was nice but I had not gone 5k before I realized this was going to be a very long day. It's been a long time since I felt this knackered only 100k's into a 200 and was beginning to wonder, how I was going to get home ?
It's days like these where I need to set myself goals and my first one had to be really close, 8 metres on and things weren't getting any better but I managed to roll on to Lockington then Longwood where I saw most of the guys that were ahead of me pass me on their way to Avenel.
I managed to steer clear of the pub at Longwood and opted to use the store as my checkpoint where I tried eating a piece of apple slice, but for the first time ever on a ride, was not able to finish it. I like longwood it's a pretty little town.
Back on the road to Lockington my cadence was not much quicker than that of a 3 toed sloth on Valium.
I always feel better once I'm past the half way mark on a ride and at Avenel I was not feeling too rotten, till I got passed by an old guy.
The next control was in Seymour, at about 150k mark and I scoffed a peanut butter and banana sandwich...no problemo !
With about 55 k to go and mostly uppish I headed out on the same road we used in the morning but at a far more leisurly pace through the hills and gullies to Tallarook. I lost my awesome sunnies somewhere along here after hanging them in their new "special spot" on my Ayup mount.
I got back to Wandong in 6 days 19 hours and 27 minutes and dug in to a bowl of soup and had good chat as per usual after an Audax ride.
Even though I knew my time on the bike was minimal leading up to this ride, I was surprised at how hard I found it, yeh, I probably went out a lot harder than I should have but I have done that before and recovered along the way, eh ! Good fun though.
Thanks to Lorraine Allen and her crew for putting on a great ride.
WELCOME HOME ANDY GLO AND PETER.

Steve

Off topic ? Not here mate !

We're planning a big night out with a joke telling Polar bear but we need to be quick.
7pm, 10th July,let Andy or myself know if you would like to come along.
Click on the image for more detail.

Steve.

Sunday's Winter Wander

Hi Folks,
I'm planning to do the Audax, Wandong winter Wander on Sunday 27th. The distances vary from 50 to 100,150 and 200k's. Details for the ride are below, let me know if you are considering it and perhaps we can drive across in the White Lightning. Don't leave it too late if you plan to ride as organisers need a bit of notice.
Sunday 27th June -- 200km & 150km 8 am start / 100km 9 am start / 50km 10 am start.
Contact: Lorraine Allen Tel: 03 5783 2427
Make a comment if you still intend to ride from Lancefield on Sunday morning to let others know there is a ride on.
More from Italy...
Traviata was great, and Pete didn't go to sleep (chairs weren't very comfortable really). Had to dodge a thunderstorm which was a portent of the weather to come!
From Venice we headed along the Benta past all the Palazzi, through Padua and down to Montagrotto Terme, ignored by Lonely Planet but full of accom for the hot springs. The camping ground had a swimming pool next door so Glo was happy, altho the lack of goggles meant a trip to the chemist for eye drops the next day. From here we headed toward Mantua as it started to rain again so we found a train and got out of the rain. Mantua was terrific and the tourist info (when we found it) found us a b&b around the corner. The rain had stopped so we walked the town and had an overpriced meal (should have read the Lonely Planet). Next day was raining again and Pete was restless so we decided it was time to head to the mountains. We changed trains in Milan and had some luck in deciding that Sondrio would be our destination. Sondrio is a great little town full of fruit shops and book shops. Very pleasant which was just as well as we had not left the rain behind. On the next day thurs 17, the sky cleared for long enough for us to think the climb to Bormio was a possibility. We managed less than 20k before the drizzle turned to rain and the temperature dropped a s well. By the timed we reappeared at our hotel we were all much the worse for wear. We had lunch and dried the clothes and shoes in a laundromat as Pete slept.
Forecast was for more rain so I will have to leave the Stelvio pass for another trip. We ran into some riders on the Bella Italia tour that we were thinking of doing and they told us that they had come through 5 days of rain in the Dolimiti and snow over Stelvio and couldn't see a bloody thing!
From Sondrio we had a good days riding partly on bike paths when we could find them and then along Lago Como down nearly to Lecco before Glo, nervously eyeing off the loomng tunnel didn't notice the longitudinal crack in the bitumen waiting for her. Fortunately we had a doctor with us and enough patches to shame the invisible man and we were soon on our way to the camping ground next to the lake. No long term effects that she will admit to from the spill.
From Lecco the next morning (yesterday) we headed up the west side of the east arm of the lake to Bellagio, a very pretty village at the end of the middle arm of the lake. On the way we thought we might try to ride to the bicycle chapel and museo at Ghiselle but were deterred early on by 1) Glo not being able to start the climb because it was so steep and 2) several riders telling us not to try! Another climb to put on the list.
We headed to Como after Bellagio on a narrow twisting and very busy road (traffic in Italy has been really kind to us). We sat out the start of the storm about ten k's from Como but it kept raining so after making a hotel booking we got drenched again on our way in.
Found some roast chickens last night for a feast in out apartment and woke up to more rain and a very cool temperature (probably a bit warmer than where some of you are, however). It is still raining (doesn't deter some of the locals - they have two hands one to hold the umbrella and one to hold the bike's handlebars)
Hopefully the weather will improve tomorrow as forecast and we can do a big loop across to the west and then south to Pavia and Mede to visit Glo's Aunt and then into Milano for the last couple of days before we leave.
cheers
Andy

Ride and a post card

Hi Guys,

There is a ride on Sunday morning 9am.

I received a note from our foreign correspondant the other day...

Dear all
Matera seems so long ago! Headed to the coast from Matera through the hills. Lots of climbing now on quiet roads and no rain. The troops were not happy with all the climbing up to hilltop towns and then loosing all the altitude gain. I have now started drinking the coffee otherwise I miss the best part of brekky. We don't start particulary early, few k's on the board by 10am generally. Tuesday 25th we went trough Otenza for lunch and spent a very frustrating hour and a half getting out the other side. Had a downhill into the wide valley, crossed the autostrada and then into the hills again for a solid afternoon of climbing. We followed the tourist road to Satriano were we eventually found a b&b. Downhill start to the next day before climbing from Atena into the fantastic national park del Cilento and Valley di Diano. This was followed by 20+k's of downdowndown, with beautiful views across the valley. No accom at Roccadaspide but found the Panorama with views to the west coast a few k's further. Big hotel with just the three of us staying.
Thursday we criused down to the coast and visited Paestum an ancient greek settlement south of Salerno. Three very substantial temples. On busy roads to Salerno and the youth hostel for the night as we prepared for the Amalfi coast. Decided an early brekky was the go, even so we didn't beat the traffic. The Amalfi coast is terrific to visit but narrow busy roads take away from the enjoyment and doing it in a day is not doing it justice. Somehow we made it all the way to Pompei (94k) in one piece.
We spent Saturday looking at the ruins and being disappointed that there were not much in the way of frescos to be seen. Headed off midarvo to do the 25k to Naples to meet Noel. That would be 25k of cobblestones, Napolese drivers and Pilgrims who were headed in their thousands to Pompei. Found the station, found Noel and found a hotel all in quick order, unusual for a city of any size, Italians aren't really into signs!
Train to Arezzo in Tuscany took most of the day after looking around Naples for Sophia Loren (didn't find her) but we did find lots and lots of frescos in the museum.From Arrezzo we rode to Siena, a hilly 78k, camped and then walked into town for a coffee in the famous piazza. Florence was next on the list and we found some soft ground in the camping ground and being Florence it did rain, after we came out of the Uffizza. Found the same internet point that we used in 2007 with the same American running it. Noel left to take the train back to Rome.
Next was the big one - Lucca and its famous walls. Hard to find accom but eventually got a b&b. Walked around the walls on the way to tea. Next morning did the ride just to please Trivess and had an American walk out into my big and break the pannier mounting which I fixed with zip ties. Peter Ginn had already headed to the Cuinque Teera while we were going to tackle the ski pass of From Bologna we were in the flat country to Ravenna, Ferrara the Oriana (Venice) Just under 300k's in three days. Now they are complaining about flat rides
Back into Venice today and La Traviata tonight
cheerio til next time
and.

Cheers
Andy

A good crop of Canola on the Audax, Mallee Routes ride a couple of years ago. Shame about the weed.
Steve.

Purplemonkeynoodle !

Hi Gang,
There is a ride planned for Sunday morning from Lancefield at 9am. Let me know by one of the usual modes if you plan to be there.
Bring some reserves in case we decide to ride and ride and ride.
Steve.

Sunday's ride

Hi gang,

I'm not sure if I'll make it for this Sundays ride. If you are keen, post a note in the comments to let others know there will be Lairs for a 9am start.

Photo from top of Mt Buffalo, at a much warmer time of year.

Steve.

Spot the Aussies

Hi gang, her's another email from Andy and Glo...

Rode north out of Rome last Thursday to Lake Bracciano and camped the night. A few lycra lizards on the road but few cyclists. Camping ground only just opened and fairly basic, but did the job. Next day tackled the hills between Bracciano and Civvitavecchia. Hard work and cold and rainy. After lunch it was all downhill which gave us a long wait for the overnight ferry to Palermo. Ferry trip smooth, more room in the seats to stretch out than on a plane. Reached Palermo around 8am on the Saturday morning - no tourist info available. Had a bit of a ride around, Peter pulling front pannier off after running into a parked car and Glo just missing a rubbish skip (well it was a small one). Very gusty wind which was behind us for most of the next week.
Left Palermo before anything else happened and headed along the northern coast (inland mountains looked a bit daunting). Narrow roads, lots and shops and buildings right on the road and lots of traffic. Made it to lovely camping ground at Cefalu thaT NIGHT - ABOUT 70K'S. Sorry about the caps! Generally headed east along the coast over the next few days dodging cars and rain. Even the coast road has lots of hills and they seem harder with panniers front and rear. From Milazzo we took the ferry to the Eolian Island of Lipari and camped at Canneto near the beach. World heritage listed and what a delight, more views per k than anywhere else I have seen. Did the Giro di Lipari all 30 k of up and down before our gelati in the old town centre of lipari.
Next day back on the ferry to Milazzo and then continued our ride to the east, camping about 20k's from Messina. Battled our way to Messina through rain and hills to wait in the rain for the ferry to cross the straits to Reggio di calabria. Another run down Italian town without the huge piles of rubbish that made Sicily so smelly. Rode out of Reggio but had to turn back as we ran out of accomadation options. Have now found a terrific b&b in the centre
Andy and glo

The above email did not send due to faulty mouse in the b&b in Reggio di calabria. Had a great meal there and really nice people in the b&b. Back on the bikes the next day to head into the real country finally. Lovely quiet roads and great scenery - olive trees and crops being farmed rather then let go wild as in Sicily (and no rubbish). Near Alberbello and the Trulli stone houses I stopped to check the map and heard someone call - a couple of people noticed us go past and wanted to share their cherry tree (yes Siobhan, I have scored another cherry season!) The girl had grown up in Canada and her partner was very enthusiastic in showing us the inside of their Trulli. They invited us back for the Inter Milan-Madrid match that night but we decided it would be too late. Camped the night and headed to Matera the next day. Getting hillier although we are coping, some of the climbs are getting longer and steeper. Matera is a town where the houses are built literally on top of each other and their roofs become roads. They have a very sophisticated way of harvesting water and groups of residents sharing their lives. Another b&b, this time in a restored 800+ year old house.
Breakfast on the terrace before tackling some more hills heading to the west. Lots of wind turbines and solar panel installations.
We are planning to meet Noel in Salerno for the weekend and riding the Amalfi coast then maybe Pompeii as well.
Glo and Pete are off looking at churches. Churches here are actually used for mass and often smell of incense. I'm not sure if I told the story of bumping into the parish priest in Cantana on Lipari. Not only did he bless me he told us he had a cousin in Australia and did we know Bob Santamaria!
I'm going to check the weather (just stopped rainning and the afl ladder)
cheerio for now
andandglo

Ride to Pyalong

Last Sunday morning started off at minus 3 C, the rest of the day looked like this...

That loving feeling

Check out this tender moment between our Cadel and Daniele Righi during stage 12 of the Giro click here.
While Cadel's chances are looking less by the stage (especially after missing the break the other night), it's fantastic to see Mick Rogers wearing the yellow jersey in the tour of California, sad to hear that Stuart O'Grady broke his collarbone in a crash .
You also have to wonder about Robbie McEwan, when you take into consideration that most of the big sprinters are not participating in the Giro, it would be great to see him win a stage.
Really nice to have Aussie, Richie Porte in the leaders jersey.
There is a ride planned for 9am from Lancefield tomorrow morning.
Photo was taken on last Sunday's ride up Mt. Macedon.

Postcard from Rome.

Got an e-mail from Andy the other day.
Dear all,
Good times in Dubai with an unbelievable no. of big buildings and dozens more on the go.
Got to Rome Monday arvo, put bikes together and headed off with my written instructions because I couldn't find a map that had our destination on it. After one early wrong turn managed to get on to the correct road (in the rain). Instead of crossing the Autostrada my road deposited us onto it. Only exits were onto other Autostrada which happened several times. We eventually found a secondary road which took us into central Rome (very scenic if not a bit scary!) After zigzagging along the Tiber being thwarted by one way streets we found Vatican city (7pm by now) and several hours later we managed to navigate the rest of the 4 or so kms to our little street. Don't know how many k's but over 6 hours to do the 20k direct route. A very late dinner capped off the date. It is right up there in terms of first days on the bike!
Yesterday (Tuesday) did the Fora, Pantheon, Trev.s fountain, Spanish steps so have ticked off a few. As we were leaving the Roman Forum I decided to check whether we had covered every thing only to find that we had missed the Palantine hill - probably 3 times the size of the forum itself. Maybe it was there in 2003 because we didn't see it then. Staying in the suburbs has the advantage of much better, cheaper food.
Off to Vat City today then back on the bike, treno or ferry tomorrow.
Pete's phone, Glo's phone not working, and I will try to buy a telephono oggi

ciao
Andi

There is a ride planned for Sunday 9am, in Lancefield, let me know.

See you there.

Steve