So Julian had given us all our instructions and off we went. We split from the main group at some lights in Ascot and off we trotted along Great Eastern Hwy. The pace increased but wasn’t too bad to start off with. Since starting to go with the fast group I’ve reverted back to using the trusty Google maps to print off the route just in case I need some “Lisa” time aka I get dropped 😉 As we were zooming along Great Eastern Hwy a few riders went to turn off right and there was a lot of voices erupting in the group shouting “is it this road is it the next one?”……Aha I thought they wont take the piss out of me again for carrying maps, so little old me pipes up “we need West Parade” as that is indeed what Mr Google Maps had told me. So onwards we went over the bridge and onto the next right…………Nick was leading and I beetled on up as this road didn’t look familiar (nor was it called West Parade!) I pulled out my trust map and we studied it for a split second before putting it away. As we went round the corner the road came to an end… with a little bit of cross country mountaineering and scooting over footpaths we made it out onto James St and then turned onto West Swan Road.
You could feel in the group that now we were on our way we needed to up the pace and indeed we did with some rolling through on West Swan road. Benara road soon was upon us and off we turn. From her the pace stepped up a notch again with chief time trialer Nick working his wonders and getting the pace up to the reported late 40’s kph – I love Benara road you can really fly along it. It wasn’t long before Nick, James and Kimbo had taken a small lead on the group with the assistance of a huge draft from a truck! Kimbo got caught at some lights and we were back together as a group (though Nick and James had made their bid for freedom).
Due to our small short cut we ended up being the first lot back to the café where comments began about women and map reading even though I only commented that we needed to get onto West Parade!!!! – I of course blame Google maps and lets face it, it gives people something to talk about!!! 😉
4 thoughts on “Who needs directions……….”
Conditions were set for a perfect storm that day, with Nick at the end of the time trial season and full of beans, with James on a new Parlee with Reynolds deep carbon rims. Both had to prove a point that day, and there was no mercy on the slightly reduced group. Basically I watched both of them take turns at the front, with James doing his usual trick of “rolling on” past the front of the group when we were rolling. I think I must have been dropped about three times, but with the help of Daryl managed to claw back into contact (bloody rolling hills still hurt my progress). Some roadworks on Riverside drive (I think more like trimming the palm trees) had closed off a lane, making the sprint a bit confusing for us at the back. I think it was basically Kimbo Vs. Bec (James and Nick having escaped with the assistance of some lights).
I must say the new bike looked a treat being built up with SRAM red (admiring glances from Darren the lightbikemeister) and the carbon rims. Must say that the blue really matches your eyes James!
Oh by the way Pete, well done for putting up the new pages on hand signals and ride etiquette.
We have to be ambassadors of our sport. Keeping the ride tidy and safe should increase the popularity of cycling and in some way counter the intolerance and accusations we experience whenever we pass a commodore ute owner.
Sorry Melvyn, it was the wheels.. and NBS (New Bike Syndrome)…
And the wheels were awfully pruuuuuddddy – mind you, you were too speedy for me to see then in action it was when the bike was parked at the cafe that we all saw them in their glory 😉
Conditions were set for a perfect storm that day, with Nick at the end of the time trial season and full of beans, with James on a new Parlee with Reynolds deep carbon rims. Both had to prove a point that day, and there was no mercy on the slightly reduced group. Basically I watched both of them take turns at the front, with James doing his usual trick of “rolling on” past the front of the group when we were rolling. I think I must have been dropped about three times, but with the help of Daryl managed to claw back into contact (bloody rolling hills still hurt my progress). Some roadworks on Riverside drive (I think more like trimming the palm trees) had closed off a lane, making the sprint a bit confusing for us at the back. I think it was basically Kimbo Vs. Bec (James and Nick having escaped with the assistance of some lights).
I must say the new bike looked a treat being built up with SRAM red (admiring glances from Darren the lightbikemeister) and the carbon rims. Must say that the blue really matches your eyes James!
Oh by the way Pete, well done for putting up the new pages on hand signals and ride etiquette.
We have to be ambassadors of our sport. Keeping the ride tidy and safe should increase the popularity of cycling and in some way counter the intolerance and accusations we experience whenever we pass a commodore ute owner.
Sorry Melvyn, it was the wheels.. and NBS (New Bike Syndrome)…
And the wheels were awfully pruuuuuddddy – mind you, you were too speedy for me to see then in action it was when the bike was parked at the cafe that we all saw them in their glory 😉