ride report by peter.
with a sunny but cold morning predicted i was expecting a decent turn out for the ride this morning and was not disappointed. there would have been between 50 – 60 riders which meant that we took up quite a lot of road length once we got going.
with the help of yas, michael and chris i managed to get my bike back on the road, but dr paul thinks that maybe i cannot be trusted with a baum any more.
we headed off in the direction of shepperton rd and snaked our way along to welshpool rd. a very uneventful start but you could feel the wind increasing as we got closer to the escarpment. i was hanging off the back of the group with mike just before we turned onto hale rd and helped a couple of struggling riders. this was a big diversion from my game plan which was to sit in and do no work so i had something to get over ridgehill. once we turned onto hale the crosswind made it very difficult to find any shelter and we were a fair way back from the pack. mike waved me on indicating that he would take over shepherd duties and i tried to make my way back to the group.
i was not sure what instructions had been shouted, but the group was approaching tonkin hwy which is where it would split. some others had splintered off the back and i caught them before coming around to try to get them back to the group. the crosswinds made that difficult and a few were dropped off. i made it across to the back of the group just as the lights changed with alistar slipping in behind me.
it looked like the split didn’t happen and the usual suspects were not driving the pace. i spied a few of them sitting pretty in the main pack and conserving energy for the hill and long run home. i was sitting in the last ten or so riders when a car split the pack at a round-about. this made us chase for probably half (if not more) of hale rd further depleting my limited energy supplies. between russell, shao and myself we managed to keep the pace up and just reached the group as the lights changed to cross kalamunda rd. the main group turned left and apparently regrouped to allow those caught up in he crosswind catch back up. the fast group headed towards ridgehill.
i knew that i should move forward before the hill or i would spend the rest of the ride chasing, but just didn’t have the legs for the effort. the pack surged and swamped slower riders and i did manage to move up a bit, but could see a pack of about 10 strong crest the hill quite a way in front. by the time i reached helena valley rd there was young ben, snuggles, dr mark and myself. a group of about 4 were a bit further up the road and the main ten were further again (but in sight). we worked together and caught the next group as well as some stragglers that fell from the front group. with a bit of vocal motivation (read: yelling) we managed to get the group working well together doing 15 sec turns before peeling off. the usual method of riding till you die (or being left at the front till you die) isn’t really sustainable.
by the time we reached guilford, the group was still just in front of us. i was hoping for the lights to slow them, but unfortunately they caught us and let them get away. by the time we stopped at bassendean the group behind had caught up giving us more numbers to spread the load. unfortunately this didn’t happen and the roll through was less than effective. people were either hurting or unwilling to keep the roll through happening so it would die after only 5 or 6 riders came past.
some more motivational yelling and we got it working a bit better through the rolling hills of bayswater and into mt lawley. we managed to get every single light which was the most frustrating bit. probably a bit too frustrating for a couple of riders that ran the red near mercy hospital. it was very red and most of us in front had stopped so no excuse. maybe a 1 week suspension from the tribunal would be on the cards…
the group rolled on towards east perth but there was no way that we would reach the front group. there was a sprint for the minor placings but i had run out of legs by then. service was a bit slow with such a big group and i had to scull my hot chocolate to make it home before i got into trouble. all up though a good ride and i do enjoy the chase home especially with a tailwind.
That Guildford Rd is always a tough ride home with full pelt after being softened up by the undulations of Ridgehill. All round quit tough fo me (bad on hills)
I was with the lead group over the hill but got dropped heading down. It was very frustrating getting every Red light on the way back with Pete etc but what can you do. Very crazy when two lines of riders had actually stopped at the Red on Guildford Rd and five or so guys shot passed us and went through – at least 1 week suspensions ! (…lot longer if they got hit).
The ‘main’ group of 8 regrouped and were joined by 4 more for the ride home. Why is the “main group” the smaller of the two? Maybe some confusion with newcomers to the ride who think the main group should have more people than the ‘fast group’ and may choose to follow where most riders go – and then get smashed!
Anyway, after the regroup, the 12 riders in the maingroup worked very well together with stronger riders doing a few more turns at the front. We all got to Plain St together and turned onto Riverside Drive – some confusion at the light with some stopping and others rolling through. There was one person from the ‘fast group’ – the Pinarallo king, who caught us and fought out the finish with Anthony. The Lawyer vs the Doctor. Not sure who we should support.
Pinarello King after being mostly quiet on the ride along Guildford Ave decided to go through very red lights to chase after the main group (which looked alot bigger than 12). I guess he was scared of a proper show down with fast men… He was not alone in his riding through red lights, Julian thought it was the way to gain respect amongst the fast group and he also shot through the red light after not contributing much at all on the ride from Ridgehill to home…
Well, after the two red light runners were disqualified I will take the sprint honours for the day as I took off from start of Riverside drive and sat on 55 till being stopped at red light before stop sign. I managed to get going again and pass 60km sign before rest of fast group caught up…
Had words to two red light runners who were lining up for coffee with grins on their faces. They argued the lights were orange (which they were when they were 30metres away from them, one said they could not stop… I guess the excitement takes over from rational thinking sometimes..
ryan, hmmm….why does the expression ‘glass houses’ spring to mind?
Not too sure snuggles. Coming from you it would have been a case of keeping your stones in your pockets but I think you will find I do not go through red lights (hence why I am often chasing from behind to get onto the pack (majority of which had rolled through an amber/red light). The two in question were not even mid pack when the lights changed to orange so the need to run them was nill. We were in a small group of 8 and everyone else stopped whilst they stood up and accelerated through…
Perhaps your riding code of conduct is rubbing off on others.. Next you know they will be riding past utes and then cutting in front of them before riding through another red light and then riding over a gumnut (all in a days work in the snuggles ride guide)..
yeah, i think i should get rid of these stones – i might be able to keep up with the heads of state then….
Maybe if you spent more time near the front Fynn you wouldnt get caught out a smuch 😉
I am a shepard for the first half of the ride. Ensuring people do not fall off the back of the group, helping pull the rear back on to the group when split at lights. This ensures group stays together better and I also get a bit more of a work out.
Works good. Although on Saturday when a small group was split by the lights before Hale road then we had to fight the headwind to get back on, I moved closer to the front to avoid being caught out again. You could say I became soft and decided the rear could fend for themselves.
easy there boys.
it’s simple. don’t go through red lights.
especially when the people in front of you have already stopped.
there is no excuse then.
CONGRATS to the person who managed to remove the camel back thingy from Dan’s back. Quite a few of us have been trying to acheive this for years now – & to no avail. Can you tell me which surgical tools were used and did you have to wipe him out cold first? Or was a hard cash incentive used? Or was he just beaten into submission?
great change of topic Len – I would say a bit of all of the above 😉