Today’s ride is what I’m all about; a wee bit of excise followed by copious amounts of food and lots of chat. There were some very strong indications that Loraine would be serving up some of her chocolate brownies. Heaven.

So with these incentives I arrived at the start all big eyed and bushy tailed. Did what is turning into my usual borrowing of a track pump routine (thank you kind Sir who has obligingly provided a pump for several weeks now. I suspect he may be getting a little tired of this routine). Yes Davina, I need to just buy one. But there is the faint hope that your house renos will be completed in the foreseeable future and this princess may rustle up enough resilience to leave her very comfortable parents’ house and return to living with you in your fab house at which point I can also return to the annoy habit of borrowing your pump!

Anyway, back to the ride….the fast group looked quite large compared to the last couple of weeks. Some people that I take as being regular fast group riders seemed to be hanging around with Main 1. I’m assuming that they were trying to save their legs as there was a crit on Sunday. But all good, Brother Dan (who personally I think should be in the fast group, particularly after his sterling effort at the SPR crit last weekend, and i think he shaves his legs) has been known to help out some of us who struggle at the back of the group, so we don’t mind him tagging onto Main 1. Carlos – again fast group rider – saving his shaved legs – Main 1. Need to have a word with him about the definition of “saving your legs”. In my world it means go SLOWLY 🙂

Rolled out onto Canning Highway (the only road name that I remember) and the pace was nice. Had a good chat with some of the other riders. Have to admit that I was starting to think that while it was nice to ride at this pace if I was to justify eating several chocolate brownies, it was probably a bit slow (clearly one keeps these sorts of stupid stupid thoughts to ones self!). Then we saw the fast group. I swear the guys at the back of that bunch weren’t even peddling. Discussed telling them that we thought they were a bit slow and that even I can sit at the back of the bunch and not peddle, so I might give the fast group a try next week. Did not take long to decide that this would be like waving a red rag at a bull. And sure enough, the moment they hit Bourke drive (oh yes! a second road name.) that was the last we saw of them. Had fun along Bourke drive, and even made it up the hill (always a bonus and one that should be recognised). I was feeling slightly pleased with myself as not quite as many people swished past me as normal. There is the tantalising hope that I might be getting a smidge better. And I’m happy with a smidge.

After that I don’t remember much. According to Andrew there was a section where we averaged 36km/hr for 30 odd minutes. I’m presuming this was along the undulating South Street (I’m on fire baby – that is 3 road names) … if it wasn’t, it certainly felt like it. I do remember thinking that I’d had enough and that I’d be happy to trundle along until Main 2 came through. Then *bloody* Toby rode past and I assume he could clearly see that I was struggling. He very kindly said “come on Meg, you can do it, just hang on, you’re going great” etc etc. Well I could hardly give up at that point. So I hung on for a bit longer. Ouch. I think this sequence may have been repeated a couple more times. Ouch ouch and ouch. Thanks Toby. Actually I do sincerely mean thanks to Toby. Oh and I think I had a couple of pushes, but I have no idea from who. Encouragement at such times, does make a huge difference and as much as one just wants to die quietly at the time, when it is all over, I’m really happy that I (with a bit of help) managed to hang on just that little bit longer. A couple of red lights also provided me with the opportunity to blatantly roll towards the front so that it took a few more seconds before I was spat out the back. Sorry to those who ended up sitting on my wheel only to have to overtake as I headed backwards. However, I eventually thought I had nothing left and gave up (no idea what road it was on), when another well intentioned man (sorry I don’t know your name – complete lack of oxygen was preventing my brain from asking, and/or remembering) offered words of encouragement. I did beg with him to just keep riding (we could still see the main bunch) as I was truly happy to just trundle along on my own. But no, for whatever reasons he seemed happy to sit at the back of the bunch. If someone offers you their wheel you have to make an effort – clearly my pain was not over just yet. So we gathered a few more riders and thanks to some hard work by others and some good luck with lights/roundabouts etc managed to roll to Pete’s with a decent bunch.

CHOCOLATE BROWNIE time!!! Oh thank goodness.

Random thoughts:

I have no idea what it was like at the front of the bunch, but assume everyone had a fantastic time going really really fast.

…I do miss Lennie and her calls of “slowing”. I’m not sure if the two are related or not, but no Lennie, no calls of “slowing” and definitely no slowing…..mmmmm….wherefore art thou Lenni?!?!?

Bike weigh-in: managed to get mine to come in just under 10kg after removal of lights and spare parts bag (obviously no water bottle as well). Does this mean a new bike is a “necessity”??

Thanks to Pete and Kate for opening up their house to us all. And a big thanks to the team that helped with the massive task of catering for hungry cyclists. Muchly appreciated.