Ride report  by daniel

Having got a little wet during the week, it was good to be back into dryer weather as the weekend dawned. Although, when we started riding it was a little cooler than I would have liked. Oh well. Anyway, it was a relatively good turnout for the Saturday morning ride. I think we probably had several people doing the State Criterium Championship’s but looking around we would have plenty of company on the road. Pete was out early but had left the lycra at home for a change – seems like handing out water bottles and the like is such hard work the he needed to take a rest from riding in preparation! Hard for some.

Pete was up to giving us the pep-talk before we started: Canning Vale reverse, remember that there are some hills early, try to keep the group working together. The usual, but many of us need to be reminded.

So we started, and I think that we managed to hold everyone together in the main. Heading west on Canning Highway we did split the group several times coming over the freeway due to lights – but no real hassle – after a brief pause to gather everyone, we were off again, and holding a nice even inclusive pace. I was close to the front when we hit the hill leading up to Stock Road, but I think we managed to keep everyone resembling one group; I’m open to being corrected here as I was towards the front at this point 🙂

Either way, the lights along Stock Road kept showing red, and this helped us to regroup, and kept us together all along Stock Road and in the initial run down South Street. It was at this point that things got a little interesting. As we approached North Lake Road, I recall Ryan discussing with Jerry when we were splitting and exactly when it was that it would be OK to “go fast”. Or words to that effect. In any case, immediately after this there was a sudden acceleration down the hill towards Gilbertson Road. Now I don’t always have the legs to stay with some of these surges, but neither can I resist giving it a real good go. It seems like I was not the only one, so we were off!

As it turned out, this turn of speed did not last long as we took a few more lulls at lights as we crossed back over the freeway. However you rate it though, by the time what was the fast group had reached Bannister Road, I think it is safe to say that what started as a single group was definitely split into several pieces.

From this point this pace was kept relatively high but not insanely so – again due to lights and even a reasonable wait a roundabout. It seemed like we shared the work in the main, although I do recall Ryan hitting the front several extra times to make sure we kept pushing reasonably hard. So we headed back into town along Spencer Road  and then Albany Highway, picking up several riders who had taken the main group route (I think) and so managed to get out in front of us. We continued in pretty much the same way all the way back, with the lights playing true to form and stopping us as we picked up speed down Shepperton and onto the Causeway.

I can’t tell you who won the sprint as I got held back by the lights on Riverside Drive – except to say that it was not me.

Back in the coffee shop we met Pete to collect waterbottles and trisuites. It was good to see a few new faces on the ride. It was also good to see a few regular faces, the likes of Lisa and Anna, rejoining us after their efforts in the Tour de Perth (well done!). Not to mention that we got to meet Josh’s family, along with the regular appearance of Pete’s boys. Very cool.

See you all next time.