Mt Donna Buang Ride

Halfway up the climb...

Yesterday I rode with two mates and we did Donna the back way, a 95 km loop from Mt Evelyn that takes in some gravel climbing up Don Valley Rd and then Ben Cairn Rd (C505) from the Warby Trail at Launching Place followed by the rapid descent down to Warburton and the weary trundle back along the Trail to Mt Evelyn.

Kangaroo Ground & St Andrews Ride

How long since I'd been out to the Memorial Tower at Kangaroo Ground? Oh, maybe 37 or 38 years .....

But it was worth the ride out through Warrandyte today - the views are fantastic in all directions but especially to the south east and the Dandenongs. You get a different perspective from this vantage point and the climb up the tower is well worth it.

Simon's Refurbished 80s Apollo Road Bike

Simon got hold of an old Apollo Clipper roadbike from a mate for $150 .... it was rideable but after a few months of being parked at home the old tyres were stuffed and the front one failed when some air was added !!

Time to get it home to Dad's place for a bit of a refurb. Some newer spare wheels from my old roadie, newer tyres and some new brakes, along with a general clean-up and adjusting the downtube shifters and the old girl is mobile again, and ready for the retro-scene of the inner suburbs. ;)

New Year's Apparition in my gaspacho .... !?

We had a lovely gaspacho on New Years Eve and this is what appeared in my bowl.

You be the judge.... let me know what you make of this image. I have about 4 different ideas myself ... :)

Happy New Year for 2013 !

Surplus quietly achieved anyway......

I passed my yearly target on today's last ride for 2012 with 10005.62 kms on the clock  and nearly 1100km coming in the last 30 days to meet that bloody target, including 5 rides up the 1:20 in the Dandenongs, Mt Donna Buang, a rare RingwoodRoadRide yesterday morning and a Beach Rd blast today on the old Raceline Peloton for the last 80kms.

In fact I've had to do over 3000 in the last 3 months to get there. No wonder my back gets a bit sore ....

Surplus Pledge Dumped ... !!

Press Release from the Office of SLOBSportCycling - Directeur Sportif:

"SLOBSportCycling Management have proactively determined to revise plans for a km surplus beyond 10,000 for the 2012 calendar year. Opinions from a multitude of cycling and relationship experts, gurus and naysayers, the best in the field, suggest it would be irresponsible to mindlessly pursue a surplus at this time. 

..........

CAADX 105 Gets New Fulcrum Quattro CX Wheels

I guess this counts as an early Xmas present .... new Fulcrum Quattro CX wheels for the CAADX 105 :)

Another 3 Day Tour: Tallarook>Alexandra>Warburton>Home

Spring has sprung and it's time to tour !

This time Justin and I decided to tackle part of the new rail trail from Tallarook east to Alexandra and then head south to Marysville and Warvurton, incorporating our all=time favourite ride, the Acheron Way....

2012 Around the Bay Ride

This year Kevin and I tackled the 100km Sorrento-Melbourne ride and had a great time. We managed to cover the course in just on 4 hours, which we were pretty pleased with. Kevin has improved a lot recently since he purchased a nice new Giant Defy roadbike, and we were actually leading a small peloton for about 10kms between Seaford and Mordialloc.

The weather was good - fine and cool, but a bit windy towards the top of the bay. Overall it was a great day out thanks to BNV and all the sponsors.

I also managed to raise nearly $1000 thanks to generous donations to The Smith Family from friends and relatives.

Vanuatu .... Aaaaaah.....

With Maddy settled in well on exchange in Canada we decided a short, relaxing break was in order - for just the two of us !! Despite Maddy's grumbles we decided to go somewhere new and we picked Vanuatu. It proved a great choice .....

And a delayed flight and a night in Sydney, a missed massage, a minor dose of the 'red-hots', and the attack of the killer fleas could not diminish the simple pleasures of being on holiday in such a laid-backed place full of the friendliest and happiest (apparently..) people on earth.