ride report by peter.

 

after a week of typical spring weather (rain, then sun, then rain, then sun), it was good to see some nice conditions as we rolled up to the startline this morning.  i was hoping that they would hold for the length of the ride but we would have to see.  about 40 riders this morning which included a few of the “squadra bastardos”.  i thought since they refer to our group as the “south perth rooters” i would change theirs from “squadra baristas”.  all good though, and always a pleasure to have them along.

the route today would head up past the tv stations, home of such well known wa personalities like jeff newman, a bunch of ex-footy players and the oldest news woman on tv.  for us though, it included a slight uphill stretch that when done at pace would test the legs.  we would head out great eastern and up grand prome before passing the tv stations and return via wanneroo rd and kings park.  a slight detour to add extra kms before heading home via dalkeith and mounts bay rd.

 

the trip out was fairly uneventful and allowed everyone to have a chat and catch up.  by the time we had reached the base of the hill on dianella drive, we were all warmed up ready to go.  the traffic lights meant that we were all together at the start, and the ones at the top of the hill can potentially help those catch up after the hill. 

 

the pace started well and it was not an all out sprint from the start.  mike and young alistar (who had forgone the sandshoes and had nice new white sidi cycle shoes) set the pace well from the start.  we had began to string out but most were content to hold the wheel in front.  i decided to try to egg mark on to make a move.  he has borrowed my spare set of tri-bars in readiness for the team time trial tomorrow and he thinks that they are great.  i said that he should see how well he could set the pace on the hill with the bars on, so he moved to the front.  the speed increased a bit but the main boys were still hanging tough as there was still a way to go.  mike came around again to finish off the hill, but then we hit the traffic lights.

 

the group bunched up a bit, but not everyone made it back on.  the road rose up slightly for another block or so before finding a nice gradient down in which everyone could put on some speed.  i can’t remember who actually initiated it, but soon everyone was coming around to try to get the pace high.  it wasn’t till ryan flew past with jerry close behind that a gap managed to form.  we kept pushing on to try to bridge it, but as normal it was a bunch of individual efforts rather than a even roll though.  pretty soon we were negotiating the double round-abouts that marked the end of our fast section.

 

a regroup on wanneroo rd and we pretty much had everyone back together.  it was cruisy, cruisy down to leederville before we headed up around kings park.  things started to get a bit messy here as some of the boys decided to use the slight rises then descents to push hard.  the group started to break up a bit but luckily, a set of lights at rokeby rd helped put it all back together. 

 

we turned past the hospital to extend the ride a bit as it was only just hitting 8 o’clock and less than 40 kms.  as we got to the end of aberdare rd and was attempting to turn onto railway road, we encountered mr dickhead.  this time she was wearing a dress and was driving a volvo station wagon.  talk about stereo types.  well as we were all together in a long line and taking up the majority of the single turning lane, this “lady” decides to come around the group then cut into the line so she can turn.  honestly, if we were a line of cars waiting to turn, wouldn’t you just wait??? but no, cyclist are just a pest and probably wouldn’t dent my rock solid volvo, so i will just try to push in.

 

as she came towards the front of the group where i was sitting, i gave her some choice words of encouragement to let her know what i thought of the manoeuvre.  she had this look of disbelief on her face, like she couldn’t understand why we would think we had any rights on the road.  anyway, to make matters worse, when we did get moving, she then gets “intimidated” and doesn’t move so the rest of the group has to get around her car.  as she past by us a bit later, she still gave me a dirty look.

 

we skipped through claremont and onto the final run to home.  the majority of the group was still together but this would be the opportunity to thin the ranks a bit before the sprint.  one of the barista boys and a couple of other guys swapped off turns to se the higher pace.  we dropped a few on the first hill, but i was sure it would change after the tight left hander onto jutland parade.  ryan moved to the front which was quite early for him.  he set a good consistent pace up to the rolling hills where he usually attacked.  as he was already on the front, it was up to others like jerry to try to upset the pace with a hill sprint.

 

as we approached the lights at mounts bay rd, they were quickly turning red.  ryan, jerry and jens managed to slip through while the rest of us took a break and allowed some of the dropped riders to catch up.  as we were now sprinting for fourth, i decided to get the group to roll through and wait till the end before smashing it.  as we got around the corner, jens had waited for our train rather than go with ryan and jerry.  he was rolling quite slow along the road and caused a bit of confusion as he reintegrated with the group.  pretty soon we had the roll through ticking along fine.

i was waiting for an attack to go, and as i was stuck on the inside of the roll through, there was nothing i was going to be able to do.  i popped out the back just as we approached the swan brewery and started to wind up for the sprint.  i didn’t hit it hard and just came by the group in the next lane.  a few guys like phil and jens were looking back waiting for the jump so they started to move as well.  i wound it up as jens started his sprint and had to throw on the line (we really need to paint one).  it would have been a photo finish, but i will give it to the german for having swish new shoes.

 

so i was not stopping for coffee today as i had a early appointment to attend, but i left an order form with jerry for the new spr drink bottles.  they are made by boa and hold 650ml.  we will be subsidising them for the group and will cost $6.  either sign up after the saturday ride or send me an e-mail. southperthrouleurs@hotmail.com

 

in other news, a couple of our regular riders, brendan and davina are over in nsw competing in the grafton inverall race.  this is a national road series (nrs) event and brendan came in with his group after 7hs and 228kms.  the women’s course was slightly different and was over 95km from the top of the climbs down to inverall.  being the final nrs race there was a lot of competition but davina managed to take out first place by barely a tyre width.  so well done to both of them and i hope our spr team can do a good time in the state team time trial tomorrow.