how cool is this new greenedge team looking at the moment. stacks of aussies joining to make is true aussie team. hope like hell they get the backing they need to make it fly as it would be good to see them in some of the grand tours next year. i hope their new kit is good and not a amalgamation of every aussie cliche. speaking of grand tours, the vuelta is starting this weekend. sbs have said that they have live telecasts, but i am not sure which stages as it is not the first few. highlights every night at 5:30pm though. just getting over the tour de france sleep deprivation.
collie-donnybrook – according to cycling wa, we have about 15 riders in the race on saturday. not all will be wearing spr kit, but it’s good to see such a good turn out for the event. i will be taking the tent and esky down for the “afterparty”. as it is on saturday, there will be a few of us not riding the usual spr ride. make sure you know the ride route as you may be called upon to give some navigational help.
200km challenge – looking at the busy calendar, i am searching for a spot to run this event. currently looking at the 25th sept. we will post some more data later, but mark that date down as a potential starter. for those of you that didn’t take part last year, it is basically 4 laps of the river to bring up 200kms. you can pull out after any lap, but the idea is the group all stays together. we may be running this event as a fund raiser as well as to cover the costs of the halfway refreshments. keep an eye on the blog.
ironhorse t-shirt – as you may have seen, we are getting the guys at ironhorse clothing to do us a t-shirt. the 4 designs are on the blog but we require you to vote on your favourite. the polls close next weekend, so make sure you vote as that is the one we will be getting. voting is pretty close at the moment so make your count. we are probably looking at about $35 per t-shirt and will open up the orders once the voting has finished. i have taken on board some of the feedback and am currently looking for someone to model the finished product.
ride routes – leaving the sunday ride routes the same as last week as we didn’t do it again. looking at the current forecast, we may not do them again.
saturday 20th august
ride starts under the narrows (cityside) at 5:30am
early lap – spr earlybird ride
all rides start at coode st carpark at 7:00am
development group – spr saturday 35.48km (novice shelley)
transitional 1 – spr saturday 41.73km (canning vale reverse)
fast, main 1, 2 & 3 – spr saturday 50.72km (rebold hill & cott)
sunday 21st august
ride starts under the narrows (cityside) at 5:30am
early lap – spr earlybird ride
all rides start at coode st carpark at 7:00am
short – spr sunday 61.14km (welshpool & weir rd) (follow long course out to welshpool)
long – spr sunday 101.86km (welshpool & mundaring & kalamunda)
Can someone please step up and do the pre-ride route outlines on Saturday morning. I may be there, but more than likley will be joining the group near UWA as I ride back from Challenge Stadium.
Also, thoroughly enjoyed my first Friday ride this morning. Thanks to all involved.
Cheers, Julian
hey julian – glad you enjoyed our friday jaunt, it was gr8 to have you out. thanks boys for dragging me round – brill fun as always ;0)
Stu and I did the Sunday route last weekend – in the afternoon.
I’d like to thank Scott, Giant, McMurdo, Merida and all the other bikes for making my first SPR ride such a nice one with no accidents.
Love
China
(Jorgy’s new bike)
What kinda steed have you got now Jorgy?
OK. No diving for me tomorrow so I can take the spiel at the start. I assume we have leaders for the trannies and Mains 2 and 3.
WRT 200km challenge and the busy calendar – the other event I am aware of on 25 Sep is the Mainpeak Multisport Challenge from Toodyay to Guildford but you’ll probably never have a completely clear weekend.
First Ride.
Six o’clock already. Damn! Tossing n turning since 2:00am doesn’t bode well for the ride… come on better get ready.
Forty-five minutes should be enough time to ride there. Just remember not to push it. Don’t want to be stuffed before the actual start – just ride tempo. Should be plenty of time.
Damn! Isn’t it always the way… that was supposed to be a shortcut but I am sure it is longer than the usual way. Ah, here we go… a bit of luck. This guy up ahead looks like he going at a good clip. Just hop on and hope for a tow around to South Perth.
S*#t! 10-to-7 and we’re only at Canning Bridge. Hmmm he’s looking at his watch. Maybe he is going on the ride too. “Hey mate, you goin to the South Perth ride”? “Whah?… nah”. “I’m late for a ride, can you wind it up a bit”? That was a bit cheeky. Hee hee, he’s going for it – good on him. Go, go!
I hope they are like most groups and leave late. 4 minutes past 7! Just the Windsor hill to get over and I should be able to see them. Ahhh… looks like one of the groups is just rolling down the road, and here comes another.
“Hey mate, is this Main 1 or is that them up ahead?” “Well this might be Main 1 coming through now or it could be them up ahead” Hmmm, ask a silly question… stuff-it, chase them down. It will be better to be in front rather than behind.
Ah, my first SPR ride. Looks like the Fast group. Oh well, maybe it won’t be so bad with most of the good guys at the Collie-Donneybrook race.
Hmm, bit of confusion. Seems like the Main group has caught up and the fast boys are not happy. This is nice and cruisey… but I’m not that stupid. I know how these things work – have a chat, cruise along, check out the girls, give your mates stick for what they did last night, etc., etc. Then once you hit the open roads wind it out – faster and faster, then as you start heading homeward ‘The Boys’ will start having a dig.
Hey, that looks like the guy I was riding with the other day. Must be him – black and red Cervelo, and pink and white jersey – can’t be many guys that would wear that. Should say hi and apologize for not working that day – explain that it was my easy day. “Hey, how ya doin?” “Sorry for not working the other day”. “Hey, no worries”
Hmm, don’t think it is him. He had a German accent and it was a Soloist not a P3. Opps. Wow, another guy that would wear pink and white – brave. “Sorry mate, I thought I was riding with you the other day but I don’t think it was you. He had a red and black Cervelo too” (best not mention the jersey). “No problem. I remember riders by their bikes too”.
Maybe I should move up towards the front. Don’t want to be caught out at some traffic lights and be stuck in the back half of the split.
Here we go! Heading along the beach is always a good place to start winding it out. Man, he’s moving out! Don’t drop his wheel – the guys behind won’t be impressed. That is definitely 52k on my speedo – and on the flat. Guess there is a bit of a tail wind though.
Don’t forget what they always say. ‘Just hang in there. They’re all hurtin too’.
Whoa, respite. Funny, no one wants to work into the wind. What! Don’t leave me out here. I’m no bunny! Swing out wide, slow it down and let them through. That’s better.
Ok, looks like it’s on again. ‘The Boys’ are doing their thing. Damn. I’m not going to be able to chase down many more of these attacks. Remember what they always say…
What the heck! 3, 4 – 5, 6, 7 – 8, 9, 10… damn they’re all going past me like I’m standing still. What’s wrong with the old legs? I’m sayin go, go n they’re sayin no, no!
Guess that’s it then… cruise along Riverside Drive and enjoy the scenery. Oh well, I still have the ride home to look forward to – no stopping and push it… as punishment for my lame effort.
Gotta be happy though. It was exactly what wanted. Group riding is so different to solo training. Can’t wait till the next one.
Great write up look forward to next weeks story.
heh, RE my pink shirt, better to stand out and be remembered…right……right?
@raphael, I have a new Chinese no name frame that I have made up with Force running gear, Fulcrum 3 wheels, and other odds and sods for the remainder.
You might see her out tomorrow (Tues) weather permitting.
haha @Ess glad you ‘enjoyed’ your first SPR ride 🙂
my first ride ride with SPR was a Thursday morning earlybird ride. I was off the back in no time.
FOUND – CAMELBAK BOTTLE
Hey all
After a couple of us hung back to wait for a friend who didn’t quite make it up the Mosman Restaurant hill with the rest of us this morning only to find he’d taken a short-cut and joined the group on Victoria Street, we spent the rest of the ride playing catch-up.
On the up-side though, I did pick up a clear Camelbak bottle with red markings on it on Preston Point Road a minute or two after the group went through. If this bottle belongs to you, I’ll have it with me on Friday and Saturday (7:00am ride) this week.
Keith