Le Tour Time!!

Its Le Tour de France time again! Probably my most favourite time of the year. I usually stay up and watch most of the stages (they are live on SBS from 10pm-2am) which results in me being a zombie for the month of July.
Every 3 or 4 stages I will skip a night of viewing and catch up sleep. I also record them on the PVR to rewatch later on (if I fall asleep on the couch). Waking up to ride to work can be tough after a few late nights.

The big news so far is that Australias Orica-Greenedge team won their first ever TDF stage! Its a first for an Australian Cycling Team! Go the Aussies! AND to back that up, they team-time-trialled into the YELLOW JERSEY the very next day!

Australia has become one of the power players in the cycling world and its great to see the hard work paying off. I know I was cheering at the TV at 1am in celebration. Lets hope they can hang onto the jersey for a few more days - they are unlikely to keep it in the mountain stages. After that the GC heavy hitters will take over and light things up abit.

A pleasant side effect of the Tour is that every ride I do feels like a tour stage - I'm sprinting on the flats, dancing on the pedals up the mountains and decending like a pro (well....I pretend to). Nothing like some exciting races to perk up the motivation on a winters morning ride.

Happy Tour Time and safe riding!


Beautiful photos borrowed from www.cyclingtips.com.au

 

 

 

 

 

 "Winners are Grinners!"

2013 Bridge2Bridge Video Highlights

The video highlights have been put together into a beautiful movie of our journey from Brisbane to Sydney. Watching it brings back some nice memories of the pain and happiness a 1,050km ride can bring. I can't believe how lucky we were with the beautiful weather and amazing scenery.

Enjoy!!

Nothing's Real But Love

Training Diary 18/06/2013

Training Stats:

• Distance YTD - 5,503 km 
• Elevation YTD - 51,482 m
  
• Ride Hours YTD - 227hr 25min
  
• Current Weight - 79kg

Well its has been abit quiet on the old Blog and riding side of things. After training long and hard for the big Bridge2Bridge ride (and doing the ride itself), I owed Bianca some quality time on the weekends and during the week. We spent it mostly eating haha which was handy because I lost a few kilos on the ride. It was enjoyable just lounging around and enjoying each others company.

I didnt get on the bike much during the last month or so - I had the odd mountain bike ride which was great fun. So the training stats from the last month are low but I am glad I took the time to rest up. Giving the legs a rest and letting the motivation build back up is important or riding will soon become a chore *shock horror* Something I never want to happen to me.

What Next?

So what next for me then? I have a few charity rides pencilled in which I hope to build up to. I haven't lost too much fitness from all the training so that is good. The next rides I have on my tentative list of options are:

• Brissie to Bay 100km on 23rd June
• Logan City Charity Ride 100km on 28 July
• Redlands Classic Ride 100km on 25 August
• Tour of Hope 120km on 8 September
• Robbie McEwan Gran Fondo 100km on 29 September
• Rainbow Ride 160km on 10 November

 There is also a couple of mountain bike rides I am thinking of giving a go too:

• Logans Run 75km on 11 August
• Freedom MTB Ride 60km on 12 October

Doing a MTB ride would be a great way to mix it up and keep things interesting. Hitting the trails on the weekend is a good way to fit a hard workout into a small time frame. If the weather can stay sunny and dry, the trails will be great this winter. You are also out of the cold winter wind in the bush which helps with the fun factor.

My new riding partner Dan and I are keen to do some more exploring around Brisbane. We have already done a hilly road loop around the Bunya Hills and Clear Mountain (which was cut short by a mechanical failure) but it was great fun. Anything is better than doing Riverloop every week! So I will map a few more adventures out and see if we can find the time to tick a few off.

Bike Fit

The other big activity from last week was that I had a proper bike fit done. I went to Physiotec at Tarragindi which is the same place Eddie has his late last year. Eric Huang is a mad keen cyclist and races almost every week so he knows his stuff. He did the fit taking into account specifics about my body/legs, my bike, the riding I do and any issues I have currently.

There was alot of detail in the 2.5hr session but a few things I learnt about myself:

• My knee pain experienced on the Bridge2Bridge was likely due to poor cleat setup. This was compounded by the fact I trained in my 'commuter' shoes and did the ride in my 'race' shoes. Explains why I had no problems in training but had some pain during the ride itself.
• Even though it is my dominant side, my right leg is less stable than my left. There are some exercises I can do which will help build up my stability in this leg.
• My right leg/foot tends to point outwards, where my left leg/foot is fairly straight. This requires different cleat position on each shoe.
• My right foot is actually 1cm shorter than my left. Again, it requires different cleat position on each shoe.
• My position on the bike was already pretty good. It only needed some slight tweaking (raising and pushing back the saddle). My saddle-to-stem drop is in area of 15cm which is pretty big! Slam that stem!

Eric suggested that I keep riding normally for 2-3 weeks and take note of any changes (good or bad) in my body and riding. I can come back as many times as needed, until I am happy - which is impressive customer service. All up it cost about $180, but as he is a physio (not a bike shop) I should be able to claim some on my private health insurance. I highly recommend it to anyone who has some pain on the bike, or if you just want to make sure youre not doing any damage to your body. Eric was very professional and pleasant to deal with.

I will do another update in a few weeks but so far things feel pretty good!

Safe cycling,

How many gears do you use?

Need this on my next ride

ePetition - Safe Passing Distance for Cyclists

Last Friday morning a memorial bike ride was held for Richard Pollett who was cycling on Moggill Road and killed by an overtaking cement truck in 2011.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/questnews/west/monument-a-tribute-to-road-death-spectre/story-fn8m0u4y-1226214875765

The driver of the truck was found to be not guilty. I have strong feelings about this case (and the verdict), but putting my positive action hat on - there is something we can do to help avoid future scenarios like Richards.

The Pollett family and Safe Cycling Australia have launched an ePetition calling for the legislation of minimum safe passing distance (1.5m) between cyclists and other road users. The ePetition is supported by MP Bruce Flegg (who is a cyclist too). 

ePetition link (closes 28/10/13):

http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/apps/Epetitions_QLD/CurrentEPetition.aspx?PetNum=2109&lIndex=-1

If you support the idea, please sign the ePetition and share with others. 

RIP Richard - we hope that your death was not in vain and that we can make the roads a safer place to share with everyone equally.

2013 Bridge2Bridge Wrap-Up and Photo Diary

 
"You've ridden from where?!" The lady sitting in traffic beside me asks. 

"The Story Bridge in Brisbane. Over 1,000km in a week." I reply a second time, with a half embarassed/half proud grin spreading across my face. 

"Wow. Thats a long way. Wow! You guys are amazing. Good luck for the rest of the ride!" She smiles and waves goodbye to the group. 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

That was a pretty typical interaction from strangers we had met along our journey. Whenever we would have to put the Bridge2Bridge into words and explain to someone that we were cycling from Brisbane to Sydney, it would hammer home the sheer distance and size of the challenge (in case we had somehow forgotten).

As a fairly regular cyclist, I knew pretty well how much pain 1,000km would inflict on our bodies. But some of the other riders were less experienced (and much, much less prepared) and basically went in blind. For me, this is what made their achievement even more amazing. I know plenty of people who would have pulled out even before the first day was over.

There were definately times when I was hurting badly (physically and mentally) and thought about stopping or slow down. But the combination of the ride purpose, the people I was riding for and my determination to see it thru soon and give it my best soon banished those thoughts to the back of my mind. In the end, I completed it without too many problems and felt pretty good the next day. I even pushed myself on the climbs and set a quick average pace each day. My only real issues were:

• Saddle sores - They came on after 4 days of riding. I had used copius amounts of Assos Chamois Cream but they still appeared. They weren't too bad and I was able to continue riding (with a grimace) for the rest of the week. I would hate to imagine what it would have been like if I didn't use the cream (ouch!).
• Knee pain - My left knee was hurting quite abit when we hit the cold tableland country. Armidale, Scone and Glen Innes were all below 5 degrees and I found that my knee would hurt for a few hours until I had sufficiently warmed up. It didnt affect my riding too much as I would take it easy and warm up for the first 30-40km then hit top speed with Ivor and Lawrie later in the day. I should point out that I usually hate, hate, hate, hate the cold - and this ride would mark the coldest weather I have ever ridden a bike in.
• Flats - I was lucky with only 2 flats. Poor Ivor had 8 altogether, with 4 occuring in one day! That would have tested my patience I think.
• Shifting - My shifting on the bike wasn't as clean as I would have liked. I dropped the chain off the front a few times and there was some noise in the rear cogs too. I will have to spend some time looking over it this weekend.

The Team

The A-team! (L-R): Mark, Alex, Randall, Cure For Life rep, Graham, Rochelle, Lauren, Lawrie, Ivor, Kevin, Cure For Life rep, Andrew, Peter (and son), Me

Evil Masterminds (Randall & Mark): The key organisers. Randall lost his daugher to an aggressive brain tumor which lead to his first ride from Gympie to Sydney solo. After rebranding to Bridge2Bridge, Randall hopes to continue the ride for years to come. Mark is his key offsider - organising media appearences, meet & greets, school visits and rider preparation. Mark also loves a beer or three.

Guardian Angels (Graham and Rochelle): Our saviours. They drove the van and tended to our every need. I know how whingey and annoying I can be after a hard ride so I am so grateful for all their help managing and looking after 10 riders day-in, day-out. They put out breakfast, picked up our luggage, organised our motel bookings, provided drinks and food, warmed us up, cooled us down, encouraged us and provided vital distance and time checks (how annoying would 10 cyclists asking "how far to go now?" everyday be haha) and generally putting up with us. Without them, the ride would have been impossible.

The LJ Hooker crew: The major sponsor for the ride this year was LJ Hooker. This was led by the Sunnybank Hills branch. Peter is the head honcho and his team of Alex, Kevin and Andrew were along for the ride. Lauren (Alex's partner) and Lawrie (Peters friend) also joined up to boost numbers. They had strong motivation to complete the challenge with Lauren losing both her Dad and Sister to brain cancer and Lawrie losing his brother.

The Leftovers: Me and Ivor. Ivor knew Randall thru a friend and signed up for the first time this year. And me, well I just was on the internet one day and ended up on the B2B website. The rest is history.

Memorable Quotes

"Yep, they're screwed" - Was the resounding conclusion when Lawrie, Ivor and I had finally staggered into the motel in Warwick on Day 1 after 170km and the monster Cunninghams Gap climb. We were absolutely shattered and had little hope for the other less-experienced riders, especially after hear they had to walk up Cunninghams Gap. It was hours until we saw the next rider limp into the motel and the last rider finished in the dark. But none of them gave up, which speaks volumes for their mental strength.

"Damn you, Bolivia!!" - Muttered by me when my knee was giving me some grief climbing the long Bolivia hill outside Tenterfield. I still have no idea why this random climb is named after a South American country. Good news was I hit my highest speed of the trip - 75km/hr - down the otherside.

"How many hills are left?" - I think Lauren asked Randal this question daily haha. Safe to say Lauren wasn't a keen cyclist when she joined the ride but I am hopeful we have converted her now. She was the most determined person on the ride, with only 4 months of cycling under her belt she never gave up.

"Andrew crashed his bike further back. Peter might have pushed him off." - On the last day, Andrew had an unfortunate accident crossing a freeway onramp and was left sprawled across the tarmac. When his brother Peter, arrived fresh as a daisy miles ahead, we concluded that Andrew may have been caught up in sibling rivalry.   

"Oh look, dead pig." - After seeing close to 50 dead wallabies on the side of the road, we were somewhat excited about a different dead animal. For the record, we saw only 1 dead pig, a few foxes, a deer and a couple of cats. My nose is now finely tuned to the stench of road kill - I can smell it coming a kilometer away.

"Kevin is lucky to still be alive. He ended up in a bogan coal mine." - On the second last day we passed thru Cessnock which has the reputation for being somewhat....bogan. Poor Kevin (our funny Korean rider) had set off by himself, was promptly verbally abused by some racist kids, got angry and rode off in a huff. Only problem being that he went down the wrong road and ended up on some Cessnock coal mine access road. Safe to say if Graham and Rochelle didnt find & rescue him, those rednecks would've had Kevvy for dinner. Funny story tho.

Afterthoughts...

For days after the ride I would flip flop between two trains of thought:

• Well, that wasn't so hard. I am not even that sore. I didn't bleed, I didn't sacrifice a body part and with abit of training anyone could do that ride. Heck, even a rider with 4 months experience managed to finish. Its not that big of a deal. 

and 

• Holy moly that was hard. Don't forget how low you felt coming into Warwick on the first day - that was the worst you have ever felt on the bike. How many other people do you know that could do that? Sure the less experienced riders finished as well, but their mental strength is what kept them going. Its mind over matter when the body gives up. That was a tough ride. 

After talking to a few people back in Brisbane and hearing their reactions to the ride, I think its probably a mix of both trains of thought.

Yes, it was the hardest week of riding in my life. But, it was also the most rewarding thing I have ever done. There is that magical feeling of pushing yourself to the absolute limit of exhaustion, yet still being able to smile and laugh only an hour later. Add to that the fact we were doing it for charity (and in memory of friends we lost), then you have this whole mixed feelings of achievement, honour and sacrifice. Regarding the charity side, its nice to know someone, who I will never meet, will benefit from the money we raised - and one day if a cure for cancer is found, I can quietly be proud to be one of the many who helped that happen.

All in all, I would count it as a life changing experience. One which I would love to repeat again.

Wide-eyed and Legless....exactly how I felt at the end of the ride

Photo Slideshow

News Articles

http://www.couriermail.com.au/questnews/east/six-dedicated-riders-will-take-on-1000km-this-week-when-they-take-part-in-the-bridge-2-bridge-bike-ride/story-fn8m0sve-1226632796207

http://www.armidaleexpress.com.au/story/1490373/on-bikes-to-save-lives/

http://www.gympietimes.com.au/news/pedal-power-to-find-a-cure/1871087/

http://www.northerndailyleader.com.au/story/1485089/putting-the-brake-on-cancer/

http://www.tenterfieldstar.com.au/story/1468298/riders-arduous-trek-for-cancer/

http://www.gympietimes.com.au/news/pedalling-for-cure-to-cancer/1849798/

http://www.warwickdailynews.com.au/news/bridge-to-bridge-riders-get-ready/1853297/

http://www.cessnockadvertiser.com.au/story/1596244/pedalling-for-a-brain-cancer-cure/?cs=459

Feel Alive

* Blogger Issues *

Im just noticing that the font and photo quality is different on some of my Bridge2Bridge posts. Not sure why. 

The Blogger website and App are really annoying to use, but I will try and fix them up over the next few days. More photos of the ride to come...

Bridge2Bridge Day 8: Morisset to Sydney - THE END!

There was a nervous buzz when we awoke on the final day. It was the last time we would have to rise in the dark fumbling around for cereal and toast, the last time we would be riding from one strange town to the next and the last time we would need to perch our weary bodies on our steeds of carbon and metal. Mostly, we were just excited to be hours away from completing the journey we had worked so hard for. 

I was up abit earlier than most repairing my flat tyre from the day before. I couldnt be bothered trying to find the bits of glass in the dark so I put my spare tyre on and threw the old worn one in the bin. 

Breakfast eaten, dressed in the B2B jersey (it was a lot warmer in Morisset so no need for a jacket thankfully) and deep heat cream rubbed on my knees. I packe my suitcase for the last time and checked over the bike. 

We travelled 7km back into Morisset town then joined the freeway. The freeway has generous shoulder and the only obstacles to watch for are entering cars from the sliplanes and the various road debris scattered everywhere (bits of truck tyres, car parts, animal parts, rubbish etc). 

Thankfully the traffic heading to Sydney provided a handed tailwind and the gentle downslopes made for a quick and easy ride. There were some uphills but at a much more pleasant grade than some others we had endured. 

Taking the Somersby exit we stopped for tea and cookies and to regroup. We would leave the Freeway and take the old Pacific Motorway (also known as the Scenic Drive) instead. This not only offered less traffic but magnificent views and scenery. And it did not disappoint! We began with a cracking descent winding our way down the valley with the sounds of bellbirds in our ears. It was a damp and cool rainforest scene with barely a car in sight. Our only occasional company were motorbikes enjoying the same climbs and descents we were. Climbing back up a gentle but long grade was actually made enjoyable due to the expanding views of the Mooney Mooney Creek and Hawkesbury River area. It was amazing. I would seriously fly to Sydney just to ride this road back and forth. As the sun rose, more and more cyclists (leg and motor powered) joined us. It is definately a two wheel paradise. The only downside was a brief stop where I had to repair a puncture on my rear tyre this time. 

Passing the beautiful waterside town of Brooklyn and crossing the "Brooklyn Bridge" we climbed back up to Cowan. This climb was one that you could do in your own pace and I found it enjoyable. I didn't have the energy to push hard but it would be great to come back and try again another time. At the top of the climb is the famous pie shop "Pie In The Sky" and we stopped for lunch. I demolished a pepper steak pie, chips,  chocolate brownie, can of coke and a coffee (hey, I earned it!). Feeling pretty full we rode onwards, up and down and up and down until the rainforest changed to suburbs. 

We stopped at Wahroonga to relay the plan to ride into the city. It would busy and noisy and some of our group were nervous about mingling with cars (and rightly so given some of the close encounters I have had). We would stick together riding in twin rows and take the whole lefthand lane with the van following behind us. This proved to work quite well as people would make the connection between the charity sponsorships on the van and our matching jerseys. Only a few idiots yelled out unpleasant things (who abuses someone riding for charity, really?). 

We took it slow and steady not to leave anyone behind. I told Lawrie and Ivor to take the front and traffic side and I rode at the back. This way would could ensure everyone was together and protect them from the traffic. It worked really well. We called out potholes and obstacles and made sure everyone felt safe. 

Eventually the Harbour Bridge poked into view and we cheered with fists in the air. Leaving the main busy streets we Berliner for the northern end of the Bridge. Rolling to a stop we hugged and high fived each other. We had made it! Honoring the tradition, we each had a shot of rum and remembered those we had lost to cancer and those still suffering. Their strength is what kept us going. 

The ride officially over, we walked up onto the bridge and ride over the bikeway taking photos and enjoying the glow of what we had achieved. 

Coming back under the bridge we gathered at Dawes Point where some nice ladies from the Cure for Life Foundation had gathered to cheer us home. Friends and family of some of the riders where there to throw streamers and poppers. Bottles of champagne appeared and we toasted to the adventure over. After what seemed like hours of photos I sat on the grass, looking at my dirty bike, scarred tyres, sore legs and weary muscles. The sun peeked out from behind the Opera House and added to the magical feeling. I had done it. What was once a pipe dream and seemed impossible, was now proven to be achievable. It's true, you can do anything if you really want to. 

Dinner was on the Harbour at a delicious Italian resteraunt and we toasted to Randall and Mark, the organisers of this crazy adventure, and to Graham and Rochelle who were there to support us in our every need all along the way. Without these special people it would not have been possible to do what we did. 

More photos and thoughts to come, once I am back home. Thanks everyone. 

Bridge2Bridge Day 7: Scone to Morisset

Just when we thought that we had left the cold weather behind us, Scone gave us one last burst. We woke to 3 degrees and fog everywhere! Again I put on all my warm riding gear (which by this stage was pretty salty/sweaty but at least I was warm). 

The others left slightly earlier to get a head start and Lawrie, Ivor and I powered on thru the early morning sunlight. It was a mix of flat land and rolling hills which didn't help my sore knee. Just as it would warm up, we would fly downhill for a minute and everything would freeze again. We passed a few of the slower riders and caught the main group of 4 about 20km out. I let my two breakaway companions go and decided to stay with the medium pace group until my knee was feeling better. From the previous days, once the sun was up and we had done 50kms or so, the pain would subside and I could push hard once again. 

I organised the group into a pace line mainly to help us maintain a good speed without tiring anyone out, but it also gave them something to concentrate on instead of the distance ahead. 

I made sure that we didn't stop long at the first rest stop so that our muscles wouldn't get too cold. We kept up a good pace going past Muswellbrook and Lake Liddell. Morning tea was scheduled for Singleton about 45km from Scone. The group fell apart abit leading into Singleton due to some big hills but we all ended up at a nice cafe safe and sound.  We sat in the sun warming up and enjoyed coffee and breads. It was peak hour in Singleton and we watched the locals going about their business.

Well rested and fed, we outlined the plan to get to Morisset. On paper, today was a pretty taxing 145km day so we needed to ensure no one was left behind. 

From Singleton we would ride straight to the small town of Braxton for a drinks break. Here we would leave the New England Hwy and head into Cessnock along Wine Country Drive. We seperated into our groups again and set off.

With my knee feeling warmed up and better, I rejoined the fast team and sped towards Braxton. Quickly restocking on lollies and water, we headed into the Hunter Valley wine country. I had been in this area only a few months ago with Bianca (nearby in Lovedale and Polkobin) and knew the roads weren't that flash and traffic could be high. It also wasn't very flat. 

The rolling hills were at least offset by beautiful views of vineyards and homesteads but we couldn't enjoy the views very much. As we neared Cessnock town, traffic was pretty heavy and (for the first time on the trip) we started getting aggressive abuse from some drivers. We were honked at, yelled at and swerved at in the last few kilometres. I bit my tongue and refrained from acknowledging any of it, mainly as we were representing Bridge2Bridge and the cause was more important to me than what these idiots thought of cyclists. We rolled into a small park in the heart of Cessnock for lunch. A journalist from the Cessnock paper was there to meet us and took some group photos. She was sympathetic to the aggressive vehicle behaviour and warned us to be careful on the last leg to Morisset. 

To try and reduce our inconvenience on drivers we left seperately in small groups about 15mins apart. The fast group was the first to leave as we could let them know of any potential problems ahead. 

We headed east on Lake Rd then onto Leggetts Drive towards Freeman's Waterhole. Freeman's Waterhole is situated on the otherside of a ridge so Leggetts Drive was a lumpy ride with taxing climbs. A fast and furious descent into Freeman's  Waterhole led us under the Freeway and onto Freeman's Drive. This is where our problems began. The road shoulder on Freeman's Drive began pretty wide but soon reduced to 30cm then into a white line before disappearing altogether. This combined with heavy traffic was a dangerous situation. On one major hill we had no choice but to keep riding in harms way as cars did 90km/hr cms from my elbow. It was terrifying (and I am pretty used to traffic by now). There was no way the less experienced riders would make it thru safely. I let Lawrie and Ivor go while I rang the support van and told them to avoid Freeman's Dr and take the Freeway instead (a longer but safer option). 

I regrouped with the other two further down the road (we also were chased by a dog somewhere in between) and pushed towards Morisset. Unknown to me, we had already ridden past 145km (my bike computer had malfunctioned on Day 5 and I didn't bother taking it from there on) - we had miscalculated the distances to Morisset. 

We were on our last legs when I finally spotted the familiar Morisset roundabout and rolled up Dora Street. Then I felt my front tyre get soft and looked down to see it quickly going flat. No, not now! We were only a handful of KMs from the motel. I remembered that there was a bike shop on Dora Street and luckily they were still open. They helped me out with a pump which got the tyre inflated enough for me to blast the last 5km to the motel. 

In the end, it was a 170km journey from Scone - about 35km longer than we expected. We were shattered. 

The others rolled in an hour later completely spent and looking terrible. We knew that if we felt bad (given the training we had done) then these guys would be exhausted. 

After a shower I phoned my Aunty and headed over their place for dinner. Nan came with us too and we chatted about the ride and my experiences so far. They could see how tired I was so they dropped me back at the motel by 8pm. I introduced them to the group and they relayed how much of an inspiration the riders were for sticking to the challenge.  I waved farewell and went back to the room where I promptly passed out on the bed. 

Bridge2Bridge Day 6: Tamworth to Scone

After the really cold days we had, the morning in Tamworth was pretty good. It was still under 10 degrees but nowhere near as windy. Everyone has gotten used to the morning routine of waking up, grabbing breakfast, bike checks and rolling out by 6:30am.

We set off thru the rolling plains outside Tamworth leaving the New England Highway temporarily and heading towards Quinimbi. The road was pretty much flat and weaved it's way between all the lumps and bumps in the landscape. It was the perfect start to the day. Before we knew it, we had punched out 40km and barely broken a sweat. 

After a rest stop we motored towards this tiny town called Werris Creek where we enjoyed coffee and some banana bread. They obviously don't see cyclists much as everyone stared at us on the way thru and we had to keep explaining what the matching jerseys and can were all about. 

From there it was a long flat ride back to the New England Highway before climbing up to the crest of the range. The climb wasn't too bad (about 2km long and 4%, kicking up to 7% at the top) and my knee had warmed up enough for me to have a good crack at the climb. I finished right on Lawries tail and I was pretty pleased to be able to stick to him all the way up. A fast and furious descent down the range had us roll to a stop at the Murrurundi School where we were scheduled to meet and greet the kids. 

They put on a wonderful feast for us - fresh fruit, scones, sandwiches, soft drinks, cakes...it was a dream lunch stop! The school is actually the 4th oldest school in NSW and they had some heritage listed trees surrounding the building which date back 150 years ago. They have some of the original buildings still in use as a library and art room. Amazing! 

We introduced ourselves to the kids and told them abit about why we were doing the ride and our goal. They listened intently and even offered their own stories of how they were affected by brain cancer in their families. It was really nice to talk with them. We didn't have much time but I did my usual Q&A session on bikes and was told that "I have the awesomest bike I have ever seen" by one little boy. Funny stuff!

Waving farewell, we started the 40km journey to Scone. It was mainly flat with some downhills but the headwinds were insane. There was one steep hill that I needed to pedal hard DOWN or I would've come to a standstill such was the headwind. I had set off last from the school and put my cycling legs to good use by catching and passing the other 7 riders along the way. I didn't manage to catch Lawrie and Ivor but I still made it to the motel with 45mins to spare in front of the others. Dinner at the local Golden Fleece pub was excellent - I inhaled a massive chicken parmy with chips and veges, washed down with some cold beer. True cyclists recovery food!