The pace is on to get the ride report in apparently. The advanced and transition had already posted by Saturday evening so I am feeling tardy.

We had a few visitors to the group today – Gerard, Ryan, Mike and some other were doing the 5 dams on Sunday and they wanted a conversational ride on the Saturday. Pete still seems to be suffering from knee complaints and so he joined us. I did not count heads at the rollout but I think it was upwards of 30 and may have been close to 40. Christophe and I volunteered to be the sweepers for the faster sections (hills by the TV stations and back through Dalkeith).

I was absolutely unremarkable but enjoyable ride today – everybody pretty much stayed together, very few dropped off in the fast sections. So in an effort to pad out the report a couple of items:

• Nicole confirmed she did beat Kim in the sprint last week (and then disqualified herself for using the outside lane)
• We had crappy driving from a bus driver along Waneroo road and he had to force his way into the middle of the bunch to pick up passengers – a professional driver!
• Nameless person spotted by everybody behind doing a questionable right turn into Vincent – moving into the intersection on the yellow.
• I rolled through a red without realising it just before online casino PMH as my attention was diverted ‘assisting’ Lennie sort out her big chain ring from her small chain ring.
• Along Victoria Ave a few of us at the front tried to excite the bunch, picking up Melvyn along the way, but it took ‘til gum nut rise on Jutland parade for any real action to start.
• Don’t know who won the sprint or even if there was one, as Christophe and I were helping out 3 others who had fallen off the pace through Dalkeith. We had a great roll through on the way home but were never going to see the main bunch again.

I won’t be riding with the bunch for the next two Saturdays. Next Saturday, I’ll be with the Dr’s on their annual Victorian Alps seminar, and the following weekend is the rowing head of the river. Others I am sure will coordinate the ride.

Best wishes to the foolish few who are doing the 5 dams.

What a brilliant day and a great ride. Saturday morning was one of those mornings you wanted to go on and on, and I would have been happy riding all morning. I don’t know what causes things to come together to make a great ride, but they did on Saturday and it was probably the best ride since we had formed the four groups.

We had over 30 in the intermediate group on the roll out. We had about 3 or 4 volunteering to be down the back and act as sweepers and regroup points agreed (Cnr South and Stock, and South and Nicholson).

Warm up went well and the stock road series of hills got a sweat up but everybody rode sensibly and eased up over the hill tops so when we got to South Street we were all on. I had moved up to the front riders to let them know everybody was together and Team Cervello took the lead rolling through up the hill. The pace set by the front half dozen or so was pretty hot but controlled. I had to pass at one turn as I knew I would blow up if i tried to roll past on the outside. As we got to the flatter part of South Street from Murdoch Uni onwards, more and more riders started participating in the roll through, but plenty were still hanging on the back and letting those in front know they would not hook on to the pace line. I think it worked really well, the strong riders doing good turns setting the pace and others tracking along behind.

The roll through slowed past Banister as more and more people started coming through. I suspect there is a “magic” number of riders for an efficient roll through – but the more you get the less even and slower it seems to go. Maybe one of the secrets is for the roll through to start with good pace rather than build it up with everyone trying to increase speed at exactly the same time at by the same amount.

At corner of South and Nicolson we regrouped (and comfort stop), the sweepers said Julian was behind with one other and they thought he might of gone up Banister as they we not it sight. (Julian ?). Along Nicolson everybody kept the pace just right (about 36 – 38km/hr) with the work being shared and same along Albany Highway. Riders were really getting the hang of working as a bunch, even when being split by lights.

We had agreed to stay together on Albany Hwy as it feels much safer in a big bunch. The fast bit was from the lights at Shep road, and once again, things stepped up. Nobody broke away but individuals did good turns as the front until they started burning up. I swear everybody prays for a red light at the top of the hill before the run to the causeway – I don’t think I have ever had it green. Everybody was expecting Doug to do a pavement run – and he was true to form. The ride over the causeway and on to riverside drive was great with good speed and a big group all working out who to sit on, when to go, who was fading …..

Through the lights at Plain street and the front runners had to easy up behind a truck. Heavy breathing could be heard in the outside lane. Kim was moving up and he pasted the truck to get to the blue sign first. But given the truck was preventing a fair sprint on the inside, the true sprinting lane, I don’t think Kim can claim an honest win.

So all up a great ride and thank you to everyone on it for working together and making it so enjoyable (for me at least)

I was first at the car park today – I had to drop my son off in Guildford (just near where route for today’s ride) for rowing at 6 am which didn’t leave enough time to go home for a sleep, go for breakfast or go for a ride before the proper ride. So I just fiddled around with my bike in the car park and tried to listen to the rotto channel swim on the radio. I had done that swim quite a few times in the teams’ event before I rediscovered cycling. It is a sensational day, a day that you work all summer for. You end up with thousands of other athletes (swimmers and paddlers) on Rottnest all who have succeeded in achieving a common goal. A great feeling.

The intermediate group is a changing bunch. Always seems to be new or different faces. Today we had a cluster of girls who were racing on Sunday, a sick president and a couple of returns, all of who often ride in the fast group. I also noticed a few from last week opted for the order and control of the transition group. Last weeks’ ride, after all the build up through comments on the blog, was not that good. The main bunch was out to make amends today.

As we rolled out we tried to communicate to a few of the stronger riders on how we were going to try to change the ride to make it more enjoyable for most and still get the majority of the riders close to home in a bunch before the free for all. The plan was to ride ‘firm’ along Guildford road, swapping off two at a time, make sure we had everybody together at Woodbridge tavern and again at beginning and end of Midland road, end of Hale road, and then from Welshpool on, it’s all up for grabs. We also got two strong volunteers (Christophe – good to see you casino online back for a ride with us, and ‘sick Pete’) to act as ‘sweepers’ down the back – to help tow people back on, to offer encouragement, to support getting the bunch back together after getting split by lights and to generally keep things in order at the tail end. They did a great job and I think we should try and get a couple of sweepers for every Saturday ride – any others want to take a turn down the back and get accolades for helping other riders stay in touch?

Peter said we had 44 in the ‘Intermediate’ group today. Unfortunately I heard that it went down to 43 very quickly with a puncture right down the back very early on Great Eastern Highway. (sorry, I don’t know who it was, and sorry we didn’t stop). There seemed to be lots and lots of glass on the road today, did anybody else think it was more than usual? There is also quite a bit of glass in the car park where we meet. It would be good to get the Council to get a road sweeper down there and clean it all up.

The first bit of pace was along Guildford road where Michael and I pushed it up to the low 40’s before pulling off. Not sure what it was like down the back, but up the front it felt better than trying to roll through. Pace came off again through last bit of Maylands and Guildford and so didn’t need to stop at Woodbridge to regroup – just made sure that all were on when we went around the corner. Sweepers did a great job. Next faster bit was Midland road. Greg and I went to the front to lift the pace again until we blew up and had to seek shelter down the back. The group got strung out and little roll throughs started happening to try and bridge. Good regroup at the end which took less than a minute, thanks again to the sweepers. Midland road is a bu@3er of a road, rough blue chip with potholes and uneven surface and I was glad to be off it.

After the funny dog leg to add a couple of kilometres in, it was on to Hale road for the next fast bit. Workload at the front was shared well by the riders with people generally pulling off as they tired or were encourage to move off by others if they slowed. Although the pace picked up at the end, the lights at Welshpool helped the regroup (again didn’t have to stop).

Standard behaviour for Welshpool road seems to be hard riding with gaps opening and closing and often single file as riders try to find shelter. This would be a good road for small groups to work together and roll through trying to bridge to the leaders (or stay away). On Shepparton road, four of us got away for a couple of kilometres but i was very happy to see a few sets of lights go red and the group all come back together before the ride down to the causeway and blast home. I was spent, and could only stay with the bunch. Not sure who instigated the action at the front and who won the sprint.

To me it felt a better type of ride for the main group, especially compared to the week before. What do others think? Give those who organise the ride some feedback.

After all the positive comments on the couple of posts on main group raison d’etre and ‘rolling through’ I was hoping for an outstanding ride. I think the Main Group had about 30 in it when we rolled out on Saturday. A number of the stronger riders who had been with us for the last couple of weeks were missing – maybe they went looking for a harder hit out with the fast group.

The group was well coordinated all the way to South Street (except for Doug diving off into the bushes at Canning Bridge for a comfort stop – just like the Tour, and the front 3 or 4 wanting to get to south street via the hill in Palmyra). But on South Street we sort of fell apart. An early puncture caused confusion as some stopped to help, others eased up and called into the service station, and other carried on as the puncturee group said not to wait. We tried and tried to get an efficient roll through happening, but with 30 people it was just too many. Also I think variations in skill, fitness and confidence became evident. Overall speed of the bunch was low, gaps opened on the pace line and weren’t closed, and the pace line was barely faster than the recovery line. There were some better spots, but I don’t think too many of us were really proud of that ride along South Street. Communication though was much stronger with more people talking and trying to get it happening.

Turning off South and on to Nicholson, Nev and a co-rider took the initiative and changed the format. They jumped to the front and set about cranking the pace up, with two riders rotating off the front together when the pace faltered. Resulted in much better coordination and speed, more like what the Main Group is capable of. However some did start to struggle and had to hang on at the back. Cross Albany Highway and onto William where we agreed single file as it a narrow road. Once again this worked much better with the leading rider pulling off when they had done the work and allowing others to come through and share the load. Saw some elements of the fast group mobile casino wiz past in the opposite direction – closing speed of about 80km/hr?

Then onto Welshpool road for the run home. The higher speed work probably started a bit early here (I was guilty of arcing it up) but I sensed that there was a fair bit of frustration in the group with roll through on South Street and a bit of hard riding was needed to work it out and let everybody feel challenged. Normally we might want to wait to Leach highway or Shepperton rd to wind it up? But anyway up it went and it stayed up with ~5 doing the work and another 10 – 12 of us hanging on. Welshpool and Shepperton rd went in the blink of an eye, but we did see Doug doing a pavement manoeuvre (illegal or at least underhand) to get around the bunch at the lights and maintain his momentum. Over the causeway and on to Riverside Drive, I did a long lead out – going way to early, and i think Toby and Snuggles fought out the finish (at the big blue sign) with Toby taking honours. At the end there were ~15 riders from the main group hanging in together for the finish. Special mention of the return of Will who must have been in secret training somewhere!

So as a summary, distance was good, roll through average, and last half fast. We will try again next week.

Russell

Great to see so much feedback on the write up for the main group ride last Saturday and the comments on etiquette and roll through.

Although I have ridden with the main group since its inception, I want to make it clear that I have no right or responsibility to dictate to the group the what and how of the ride. But, I have found by experience that it is good to be aligned on what a group or team is trying to do and how they are going to do it. You can support it, oppose it (and seek to change it), just accept it or going and do something else; but at least you know what you are in for if you stick around. And therefore in the spirit of seeking enjoyment on our rides, alignment, enlightenment(?) , and with great trepidation I am going to set down my thoughts on the main group manner of operation. But please provide comment on the post or in person (I’m the tall guy on the blue Baum) as we need to make it what riders want it to be.

So what is the raison d’être of the Intermediate (Main) Group? The Advanced (Fast) group seems clear, smash it, hurt each other, hang on and last one standing wins – no calls of ‘ease up’ allowed as per Ryan’s post a couple of rides ago. Novice and Transition Groups are also clear I think as Pete has set out their goals when he announced the split to 4 groups. But the Main group is everything that is left, old guys who like to keep fit (me), people from the fast group who want an easier ride, some riders who race, some riders who can only get out on the weekend, and some people who may be are not new to the sport but are building their skills, speed or fitness. Generally I think competency and skills of the group are quite high as evidence by the short time it takes to get everybody back together at regroups.

So I casino online believe we want to enjoy the ride, to be safe, polish our skills, to do some hard work, to have a chat with cycling friends and have a sense of accomplishment at the end. Sound reasonable? It must be something like that or we wouldn’t keep turning up every Saturday.

So I would like to suggest for the main group rides on Saturday:
1. Our aim should be to keep the vast majority of the group together until the last couple of km’s where it’s a bit more willing and those who want can challenge (safely) for a breakaway or sprint finish.
2. There will be some faster bits along the way but,
3. We may need to ‘ease up’ or regroup occasionally to allow number 1 to happen.
4. Stronger riders to assist tired or struggling riders to get back on so number 1 can happen.
5. Whenever we can (safely) we will “Roll Through” as per Ride Etiquette on the SPR web
6. Should be closer to 50km rather than 40 km in distance.

A couple of extra thoughts on the ‘Roll Through’ for consideration for the main group. It’s more enjoyable and safer when everybody works together (less speed variation and less braking). So in particular, let’s focus when we move left out of the faster line to the front of the inside line that we ease up a wee bit. Don’t cross over meters in front of the inside rider as that forces the next person in the faster pace line to work harder and harder to catch and get in front of you. If you are meters ahead and going away, the pace line will drop in behind you, this leaves you out front for longer and disrupts the flow for everybody. Similarly in the faster pace line, don’t ease up and sit alongside or behind the front rider in the slower line – it causes everybody behind you to brake, that’s unsafe and it disrupts the smooth flow.

We should all feel comfortable letting the person know if they need to slow down/speed up as it is all to improve the smooth flow for everybody. I have been ‘coached’ by other riders in the group on my speed and have had my shirt tugged a couple of times to reign in my enthusiasm – I work on it every ride. A good roll through is faster, a real buzz and always puts a smile on our faces.

Not everyone has to participate in the roll through every time, just do as much as you can or want. If you are struggling at bit, it’s better to miss a turn than get half way up the pace line and not be able to make it through. Let the rider ahead know and hang on down the back.

So, this is just my thoughts to prompt comment and alignment – what do you think?
Russell

I thought I was going to be late this morning as I had to drop my boy off for Rowing. Its the start of schoolboy racing season and they have to be at the school bus stop in Guildford at 7am. Sorta makes it hard to be start of the ride at the same time. And don”t you always get peanuts in the outside lane going less than the speed limit when you are in a hurry?

Anyway, i arrive a bit late but in time to hear General Petes final instructions for the fast (sorry, “advanced”) group and the main group. And I say the Main group as on roll out I reckon there was about 40 in our bunch. Its an interesting change since we have gone to 4 groups. I think there are less in the fast group and there are far, far more in the main group. Prior to the reorg, sometimes the main group would be a dozen and the fast group would have 40 at the split.

Ride today was one of my favourites; reverse around the river, and a good distance at 50km. This feels like the right distance for the capacity of the group. Some of the other rides could be stretched a bit to get closer to the 50km mark maybe. And I think the group has also got more even in capacity since the reorg. Certainly the pace is a little higher and people don”t seem to fall off the back as much.

It was good to see a couple of familar faces back with the SPRs. Sandra joined us for a ride and Mike W made an apperance and rode with the main group although clearly has the speed and strenght for the fast.

With the rides Pete had set us today, we had the opportunity to see lots of other SPR groups on the ride. We passed the novice (i think) along mounts bay road and saw the split fast group in north fremantle. Good planning Peter.

After an easy warm up we got the heart rate up a bit in Dalkeith and up past Christchurch but were all back together at the highway. Wandering through peppy grove is always interesting as you start think about the hill in Mosman Park. People start positioning themselves and getting the right gear (read smaller chainring). It always seems safer near the front as you are not so tempted to stray to the middle of the road to pass tiring riders. It was Megans first time up there, she had the wrong gear and found it a bit of a surprise but battled on to the regroup at the water tower. I dropped back on the pretext that I was going to check out and round up the back markers.

After the regroup, we consolidated through the rest of mosman park and north fremantle onto the highway. Mr Green D**khead did a flying pass of all of us on a blind corner on the wrong side of the casino pa natet road. Good job nobody was coming the other way. (we caught him waiting at the lights anyway). And then we had Mr Red D**khead rip past us on Preston Point road, trying to squeeze through between us and the central islands.

Onto Burke drive, the pace picked up and all the SPR that I could see obeyed the road rules and stayed on the left side of the road and stayed left. There has been reports of other bunches being on both sides of the traffic islands – guaranteed to cheese off any car driver and highly dangerous.

Before getting on to Canning Highway we made sure we were all together so nobody had to cycle that high volume road by themselves. Pace was kept reasonable all the way to the causeway where the jockeying for wheels started. There are certainly some faster guys in our bunch now but they tend to hang back to last moment and then make their move when the rest of us older guys have blown up. The lights at Victoria ave went red and stopped everybody. Maybe the sprint finish should be changed to one of the signs before Vic Ave rather than after? You want the sprint to be determined by skill, speed and fitness rather than the fickleness of a light change.

On the ride to coffee at Atomic, Ronan was raising his arms in a victory salute. I think it was practising for a future ride rather than reliving the sprint glory (but needs confirmation).

Over coffee we had a bit of an animated discussion on group ridding etiquette and “customs” of the main group. I might get a discussion going on this via a seperate post given there are so many more now in the main group. Its always good to be aligned with what the majority of the riders want or expect.

Russell

race report by russell

Team c wisely chose the 62 km distance after a few of us we persuaded our brains were bigger than our legs. A good call. I do not think we could of done another lap and kept a smile on our face. So we had a team of 7 that had not ridden together before and only a couple had ridden a sportif event before. We had a bit of a chat about what we were going to do, how we were going to do it and then mainly chucked it out the window at the first call of “ease up” – which was about the 150 metres up the back straight the first time. It took us a couple of laps really to get the right speed so everybody could stay in touch. We are so used to following directly behind a rider casino online or two abreast on our SPR rides I think we have lost the ability to detect the best, most sheltered postion, behind the wheel you are following. Consequently I think a few of the team did more work than necessary as we tried to deal with the changing wind direction.
On Lap Two one of the calls of ease up was more serious and we had to circle round to check out Mike Beecrofts bike – we could see it upside down and thought puncture. But it was a bit more terminal as he had cracked a chain stay at the rear hanger (see photo on Team A blog). We basically gave him the bullet and suggested he take a short cut directly back to the line – no hope of completing the ride. The rest regrouped and carried on.
Special mention of Sandra who was prepared to ride with the grumpy old men of the C team (or at least Nev, Greg and myself qualify for that). It might take her a while to warm up but on the last lap there was no stopping her. If we had done the 78 km she would of been in front the whole lap.
I know its not a competition but our time was 6 out of 46. I think there is likely to be a next time, and if so, with a full complement of 9 riders, no mechanicals and the injection of some youth, we should easily be in the top five and maybe even a podium.
Thanks guys and Sandra, it was a good days ride.

I think this mornings ride was the biggest yet.  I don”t recall seeing a bigger bunch riding around.  Was it because Pete wasn”t riding,? Because Pete was taking photos? Because word is getting out that we look after newbies to the group? Maybe because we are progressing towards a club?  Or maybe it was Dr Ronny volunteering to ride “au natural” (see post on weekend rides), or the return of Bruce.  Who know, but we should be pleased and proud that more and more people want to come out and ride with us. 

Peter wasn”t riding today, something about a titanium post – not a seat post but more medical in orientation.  And as I live out where we were due to ride, he told the bunch to follow me.  Hence i have felt the guilt and have done the short write up. 

Heading out everybody stuck together really well and we didn”t have any trouble with the lights – amazing for such a long train.    Pushing out into the easterly it was noticeable to the people at the front that the fast/strong cyclists were idling along at the back and all the work was being done by Dr”s Carl,Melvyn and Greg, Nev, Loraine and a few others.  Well done guys and girls. 

Uneventful trip out to Ridge Hill rd except for the d**khead at rosehill golf course excercising his right to walk across the road in online casino’s front of 60 cyclists.  Dr Paul peeled off and I think along here we picked up a few other cyclists on Oppy bikes, they headed off up Darlington way.  I”m not sure what happened up Ridge Hill as I was dropping back to hang around with some of the bunch who were not quite as fast as I didn”t want their first ride with us to end up in misery 30 km from home.  Peter got some photos of everybody heading up the hill here I think.

After a short wait at the regroup point we rolled out back towards home with the easterly behind us, this time with the stronger guys (the ones who got over ridge hill first) taking the lead.  The pace picked up and due to a couple of lights and roundabouts the group had to work hard to stay together.  After guildford and the lights along Guildford road the pace picked up again with the front rolling through at mid 40″s km/hr and the back was dropping off and getting split with some lights.  Post Tonkin Highway, I was too close to the rear and couldn”t get back on to the main bunch as they accelerated. 

Riding along Guildford rd on your own is no fun as you get no space or respect from the other road traffic, so i eased up and waited until the back markers with Dr”s Wal and Melvyn, Loraine and others who had a bad run with lights along guildford.  We cycled together back through East Perth (Loraine stopped to help another female cyclists who had been riding with us for a few months fix a puncture) and made our way to the coffee shop. 

Peter was spotted at a few locations along the ride and I am sure will post the photos. Can somebody fill in what happened up the front?

Russell

By Russell

As birthday boy I get to write the ride report and pay for coffee.  This is my oppourtunity to cross the line first – irrespective of where i actually came in the sprint. Those who write the minutes of meetings know that you can twist the record of the meeting to suit your purpose! 

I knew about the committment to buy coffee for those I beat home, as I had made it, but being ‘volunteered’ to write the ride report after the ride meant that I did not pay attention to all the normal details that Peter ususally gets in.   

The ride around the river in my view is a 5 star rides and one that really showcases our Perth waters.  You cannot do a decent river ride in Melbourne, Adelaide and many other cities – but Perth is absolutely made for it.  My recollection was that we kicked off with about 40 or 50 riders from South Perth after the pep talk from Peter including the acknowledgement of my impending 50th Birthday and the ‘lead out’ that was going to be set up.  We were going to ride the route (almost exactly) of the Perth Bike ride (this weekend?) and it was to include the steep pinch in Mosman Park. Fast sections were to be up the hill to the water tower and then along Burke Drive and the sprint home.

Everybody rolled out and was well behaved all along Mounts Bay road and through the leafy suburbs of Nedlands and Dalkeith.  Perth waters were like a millpond – a sensational day.  I kept myself in the front 3rd of the bunch and kept calulating how much my shout for coffee was going to cost me.    It was a bit disconcerting to see couple of the back riders pop out in front of the group after taking short cuts – this was a trend that was to occur a few times in the morning – it either smacked of desperation or a charitable desire to save me from buying them coffee.  Your choice dr’s wal and paul. 

The bunch had a nice ride past all the private schools, schools whose fees are so high their parents cannot buy the bike they really want, and down the bumps past devils elbow.  Everybody that I could see ahead of me stuck together until the start of the Mosman Park hill and then kicked on.  The bottom part is normally chaotic as fast guys from the back come past, there is lots of position changing in the middle of the bunch (not that the fast guys ever see that) and one or two almost stall as they miss a gear or crunch a gear change.  Top of the hills are ususally pretty safe as everybody seems to have their own space and their own slow agony to deal with. 

It did not take long to regrouped at the water tower as it was a short climb and not much opportunity for big gaps from front to back.  Don’t know who made it there first but I think I stayed about a third back.  After the regroup we headed past the manicured lawns, range rovers, bmws and transplanted grass tree to get back to Stirling highway.  I think dr’s wal and paul were infront again as we went down the highway.

Orderly procession through Fremantle and Bicton (- did we pick up another rider or two?) before the normal fast flog along Burke Drive.  Things got exciting there for a little while as we tried to roll through, overtake a few riders and dodge cars overtaking cyclists coming the other way.  From there is was hop back onto Canning Highway all the way to the causeway and the bell tower.

Things seemed to stayed together along the highway to Canning Bridge, until we hit all the lights at Applecross, where drs wal and paul again appeared at the front.  The last time I had cycled along from Canning to Causeway with the bunch I had got dropped as the bunch pushed through the undulations at speed.  This time I was determined to stick with the leading group and was trying to engineer a wind break by forcing Christophe to get out from my rear wheel.  Through South Perth we tried rolling through until I was in front only to find the roll through had turned to a breakaway that I couldn’t stick with.  Melvyn came to my aid and provided some shelter.  We had all reformed by the causeway lights and I was againing thinking of the rash promise to pay for coffee. 

Since I posted that i would now pay to get to the front a couple of the fast guys had made some suggestions about hooking onto their wheel for the sprint.  However as I have no kick whatsoever I needed to line up behind a turbo diesel not a dragster.  Coming past the gardens at the causeway Ryan took off – way to fast for me, then Jerry (i think) also too fast, couple of others came around then my turbo diesel – Christophe, and I could hop in behind him for a while. Christophe faded and I and others had to pass and I was left out high and dry until Nick offered his wheel to stop me being swamped by everybody. But I had nothing left to push past and had to stay there until the pressure came off.

So at the coffee shop I was infront of some and behind the fast guys – I had fun, made a couple of good riding decisions, worked hard and was not disgraced.  And i bought coffee for all those behind me.  Special thanks to Melvyn, Christophe and Nick for keeping me in touch with the front runners.

And I look forward to ridding with you all next week – I will still be trying to stay in the front half of the bunch even if i am over 50

Well guys (and girls) Saturday will be my last ride with you while I am in my 40’s.  On Sunday I turn 50.   Over the last couple of years I have been riding with you I have had great fun and it has helped kept me fit but I have had limited success at the finish line.  I have tried training, tried getting a better bike, tried getting lighter wheels, tried to find a person bigger than me to shelter behind etc – all of which make the cycling more enjoyable (except cycling looking at a big persons backside) but have not changed my performance significantly and sustainably.  So, in a last desparate attempt before I join the veterans class and no longer care where I finish, I am going to try and bribe my way closer to the front.   

Therefore on Saturday, I will pay for the coffee (or hot chocolate, tea) of everyone behind me at the finish line! 

See you at the coffee shop –  Russell