Day 6

My bike fit yesterday was interesting, saddle was too high and too far back, and my cleats are too far back and angled incorrectly. I've also got a pretty crappy action. Not that Alex said that in so many words but I got the message.

Still not able to ride - next physio is Wednesday so hopefully will get clearance to start spinning again.

In other news UPS advise me that the Riv is in Oakland now. That's progress.

(BTW I'm participating in the 30 blog posts in 30 days effort - hence the unaccostumed frequency of posting)

Day 5

The iPad has trouble finding the text box in blogger! Makes posting a bit tricky!

Anyway some great news today. My Rivendell Sam Hillborne has been dispatched and is due to arrive in 10 days. Should be an awesome bike, relaxed and comfy, for those days when stopping to smell the roses is impotant

Day 4?

Am still awaiting the shimano freebies, so worth mentioning at this stage that I will be getting a bike fit tomorrow. Hopefully that will lend some accuracy to my random measurement and lead to greater comfort and success on the bike.

Day 3

Well the IBT is responding to therapy and things are feeling much happier in the pedalling department. I have been impressed with the mtb gearing on other audaxian's bike - notably Greg L and Pat L who rock deore rear ds and 36 t sprockets. wind yourself up anything. Anyway a bit o research found that Deore XT has gone 10 speed in 2010. I've just ordered myself some climing goodness.

Now that I have mentioned Shimano on my blog I shall surely recieve some deore xt for trial purposes! Surely?

Day 2

So I went to the physio today and apparently I have ITB syndrome, which is really treatable and if I "tick all of the boxes" should be fit for the Dungog 600 at the end of the month.

The exercises I have to do, actually feel pretty good, so am really optimistic that I will get back on the bike next week, having eliminated yet another physiological flaw. Got to be happy with that...

Border 600k nad a blog post/day in June

Well I came close but unfortunately could not finish the Border 600. Bad knee took me out at 480k! As its 30 blog posts in 30 days, I'm going to drag this story out, but the ride was terrific, and challenging. I see my physio tomorrow. Hopefully I will get better fast.

Cessnock 300

After riding 3 brevets last month, I've have had a couple of weeks off to enjoy a spot of bushwalking and brewing. Got to have balance in all things.

Yesterday I lined up for the Cessnock 300, complete with new Cinettica Velocita jacket and new ay-up lights, wile I didn't get use the the jacket the ay-up's are terrific. High speed descents are now beautifully illuminated. I really enjoyed this ride and continue to learn lots more about how I react to longer journeys and how to manage myself better on the bike. As a result I finished strongly and felt that I could have kept on riding. That's a big improvement over my first 300!

The ride route was really lovely, generally keeping away from busy roads and included the lovely section down from Bucketty to Wollombi - which is probably some of the nicest cycling road anywhere - downhill too!

After stopping for lunch in Cessnock, I caught up with Bec Morton and we rode the last half of the ride together. Just as well, as I was navigationally challenged quite a few times. I also managed to bend my front derailleur at about 160kms and was unable to use my big ring for the remainder of the ride. It wasn't so bad but it slowed me down after I realised that I was going to be able to keep up spinning at 120rpm. It was good though to have to deal with the problem and keep going. Funnily enough, much earlier in the day Howard snapped half of the outside casing of his Campy Record front der, and still had full shifting. I haven't looked at mine yet, but I am hoping it is easily repairable.

So that's just the 600km ride remaining for my super series, and I have booked into the Border 600 out of Inverell at the end of the month. That should be a good ride.

Mileage in KM = 3180
Brevet km = 1500