What's been doing

It's been a relatively quiet winter for me and the mileage count is not as high as it should be, but I have been making up for less hours on the bike by doing some regular cross training. As a result my legs are feeling much stronger and when I do ride I find that I am comfortable and getting faster for longer.

Between now and the first couple of weeks of september I have 1100km of brevet's planned. A local 200 tomorrow, the Bungonia Buster 300 the first weekend in september and then the Mallee Routes 600 the following weekend. I hope to ride a couple of 200 permanents as well. These rides will finish off my first super series and finalise my PBP registration quota.

It should also get me set for Perth Albany Perth in October. I've booked my flights and registered, and am quite excited about taking part.

Back to riding... It's been a frustrating few weeks with either work, weather or annoying colds keeping me off the bike during the week. Yesterday I got home relatively eaerly from work and resolved to get out for a ride but after setting off and getting around the corner the front deraileur cable snapped on my first up change. At least I hoped it was the cable!

Drats. Not deterred, I turned around and rode to the bike shop where the cable was identified as the problem (relief) and quickly replaced. Back on the ride I was really enjoying the early evening, passing through the various atractive and not so attractive cooking smells emanating from kitchens en route and observing the dusk grow darker.

I had been a bit apprehensive about the evening ride, as traffic was a lot heavier than in the morning but that dropped off quickly and I appeared to be the only one out riding and didn't encounter all that much traffic at all. It was a good ride, just what I needed.

Snapping the cable was also positive, at least it ocurred at a time when I could get it fixed. If it broke tomorrow morning on my way to the start of the 200, I would have been less happy. It is probably time to replace the rear cable as well and perhaps thoroughly overhaul the Roubaix. And clean it! the mechanic commented that there was more mud on my bike than most mountain bikes!

I have been enjoying riding the Rivendell too. Mostly on weekends and mostly as recovery but its a lovely ride and climbs pretty well.

Mileage in Kilometres = 4754