After such erudite essays from young chappies in Fast Group, it’s a hard act to follow with my plain little pearls.  However, there was a message coming out of the ride which we wanted to get across.

JORGY answered Pete’s call to be Ride Meister.  This guy did a great job keeping the group in formation and dishing out tips or growling at us when we fell out of line, in a nice way of course.  There was a first time rider who has previously ridden with a social group for 10+ years and a couple of Main 2 riders who thought Jorgy did a terrific job particularly when it came to calling and safety.  Kudos to Jorgy and SPR ethic!

so the message is, we appreciate guys from up there in Fast giving up their ride to join us, being vocal and making us better riders.

the ride itself was uneventful and fairly sedate pace with Shaw on the front 🙂  until we got to Plain St when he and his mates just when zing! up the hill.  nothing like youthful exuberance and young legs to go with it!

Recuperating from a damaged quad, I thought I would take Development group so Carol could stretch her legs in T.  Gwen and another lady decided to try out T group so there were 4 riders left including first-timer, John.  After long delays at the first 2 sets of lights, we finally got motoring with a slight variation, turning left at Thelma and down Canning Highway to the bridge.  After checking with Vicki what sort of speed they normally do, we pushed along The Esplanade into the breeze at 27 k or so around to the retirement village for a regroup.  John wasn’t feeling well, so Vicki, Vanessa, and Paul went ahead. John recovered and we picked the other 3 up on the way back on Riverton Drive.  Roll-through all the way went very well.

I suggested that these 3 should move on to T group.  Knowing the variation that exists in T currently and with 5 riders moving up from Development, there should be enough to form T2 group next week.

yeah, I know it’s 2 weeks since the ride, but only 3 emails from Peter to get me sorted to do a write-up.

Only a dozen riders in T1 with huge numbers in Mains – clearly I’m being left behind in more ways than one!  Ride Master introduces himself as JORGY – where have I seen that name?  on the Blog filling front positions of the fast group – hmmm better not try and be a clever dick.

Up Coode St at a sedate 25ks, not like the old days with Dr Ronnie – hitting 40 cliks over the hill and stuffed by Canning Highway!  Green lights on Canning for a change and JORGY happy with us doing 30 kph with a tail wind.  A really disciplined roll-through on Burke Drive with JORGY asserting his seniority – “Not so fast in front!” – “hey! get on that wheel!” – “call when he’s clear!” Orders were coming thick and fast while JORGY pretended to be a gentleman of the road bidding “good morning” to every other rider going past, then lashing us when they were gone!

A very placid pace past Left Bank but at least we were grouped.  Around to Port Beach where JORGY demanded a sprint and took off with 4 riders hanging on and the the rest of us trying to bridge.  The gap was diminishing rapidly until we turned the corner and the Easterly put us in reverse gear momentarily.  All on past Leightons and all the way back to the Uni.  I haven’t seen T1 stay grouped like this before on this section of the ride. 

Overall, certainly a slower ride than what we have been used to but better organised.  Other riders agreed that JORGY’s input was very much appreciated with a much more consistent speed and grouping.  thanks JORGY.