T
Tamyka Bell
Guest
So it was a gorgeous, slightly overcast day, perfect for the GBBR. Our
team, BLART, originally consisted of 5 people (minimum team size) -
myself, LotteBum and her partner and a friend, and Absent Husband, but
on Friday morning I convinced my friend Andrew to join in and he faxed
off his entry.
I met Andrew at his place and we rode to Southbank, only a few km. He
held the bikes while I went to deal with registration (and all the bikes
blocking the way to registration). Unfortunately, Andrew's entry had not
been processed, so I had to send him back to fill in a new form.
The downside of this was that we were around the bum end of QPAC when
the first wave started, so we missed it. However, this turned out to be
a blessing in disguise. We quickly got ready, and did a lap of QPAC to
duck in the side of the second wave right near the start line. By the
time we hit Coro Drv the road in front of us was fairly clear (only
passing a few people at a time, though fairly continually) and it was
like that for most of the ride.
We did the full ride, Andrew working hard on his deadly treddly
(no-suspension older mtb with two highest gears not working properly)
but having no worries keeping up as our speed was more determined by
other people than by our own fitness level.
Got a bit of a shock out through Fig Tree Pocket, where it was way
hillier than I was ready for, although commuting Logan Rd had me well
prepared for that. I made sure to say hi and thanks to each volunteer I
rode past. The loop out that way was pretty big, I guess it was 20km
(because the other course was 35 km... and maths is my strong point...)
and I was beginning to wonder if I'd ever see the food station.
I saw a lot of people taking short cuts at the roundabout at the top of
FTP road, where we went out and back to the little loop - they missed
the left but I saw the sign and yelled out to turn left - then didn't
see another sign for a long downhill and was worried I'd bum steered
everyone! But all was okay.
The chocky milk was all gone at the first station, but we spent a good
deal of time drinking strawberry milk and yoghurt shots and eating fruit
and fruit buns. Feeling very full, I headed for the next section of
track. There were some really slow people here and I think they were
from the first wave, but gumby riders. I thought the first wave was
elite!
Often yelled out when I was passing, because people weren't thinking to
keep left. In particular at the last little hill near the golf course on
Upland Rd, where people where ALL OVER the road. And at Dutton Park,
where people were going wide because they were being slowed down, but
then couldn't finish the hill and just stopped in the middle of the
road! Similar situation at the ramp onto Fairfield Rd.
Food stop at the top of Dutton Park was good news, mmmmm melon. I had
the green juice straight up, because I figured Green Power had to have
spirulina in it. Either that or it's a toilet cleaner. Well it was the
former, also it had kelp, spinach and STINGING NETTLE in it. Weird.
Mostly it tasted like passionfruit.
Ooh, also passing on Dornoch Tce, had to tell a few people to keep left.
I think I was the only one in that group going over 60 kph. Actually,
the only one over 40 kph!
For the most part, people were well behaved and paying attention. The
only spot I nearly got taken out was on the ramp to Fairfield Rd, the
first person looked right and in the process swerved right as well, and
the second just veered out in front of me without looking at all. Danger
averted though.
By the end of the ride I even decided that Andrew was in the official
"not gumby" category and I let him ride on my wheel to see how much
speed we could get along the riverside. In fact, the whole ride we felt
a bit like TDF riders, flying up the hills, looking at the poor mortals
to either side. I saw a mum pushing 2 bikes up a hill, kid walking
behind - people towing trailers up big hills... a guy on a penny
farthing (man, that's gotta hurt up hills, and be very scary down
hills!)... and IRONBEE (Mike) was there, of course, he's always there.
I only saw one other learsport bike on the day. I felt very elite. I'd
given my bike good clean and lube the day before and she rode so much
nicer as a result! I think I'll get onto the regular degrease now
(shock! horror!)
I'm sorry to hear that the others had some bad-rider frustration. I
think riding very socially kept it easy for me, because it never felt
like a race, and because I was in the second wave, I couldn't rationally
be annoyed by the rec riders, because I was in their pack, (rather than
them gatecrashing the elites).
Finished off with a banana that I'd stashed in my pocket at the first
stop, and headed back to Andrew's place for tea, chocolate and icecream.
Mmmm. But I, too, bailed on the ride in today.
Have fun!
Tamyka
team, BLART, originally consisted of 5 people (minimum team size) -
myself, LotteBum and her partner and a friend, and Absent Husband, but
on Friday morning I convinced my friend Andrew to join in and he faxed
off his entry.
I met Andrew at his place and we rode to Southbank, only a few km. He
held the bikes while I went to deal with registration (and all the bikes
blocking the way to registration). Unfortunately, Andrew's entry had not
been processed, so I had to send him back to fill in a new form.
The downside of this was that we were around the bum end of QPAC when
the first wave started, so we missed it. However, this turned out to be
a blessing in disguise. We quickly got ready, and did a lap of QPAC to
duck in the side of the second wave right near the start line. By the
time we hit Coro Drv the road in front of us was fairly clear (only
passing a few people at a time, though fairly continually) and it was
like that for most of the ride.
We did the full ride, Andrew working hard on his deadly treddly
(no-suspension older mtb with two highest gears not working properly)
but having no worries keeping up as our speed was more determined by
other people than by our own fitness level.
Got a bit of a shock out through Fig Tree Pocket, where it was way
hillier than I was ready for, although commuting Logan Rd had me well
prepared for that. I made sure to say hi and thanks to each volunteer I
rode past. The loop out that way was pretty big, I guess it was 20km
(because the other course was 35 km... and maths is my strong point...)
and I was beginning to wonder if I'd ever see the food station.
I saw a lot of people taking short cuts at the roundabout at the top of
FTP road, where we went out and back to the little loop - they missed
the left but I saw the sign and yelled out to turn left - then didn't
see another sign for a long downhill and was worried I'd bum steered
everyone! But all was okay.
The chocky milk was all gone at the first station, but we spent a good
deal of time drinking strawberry milk and yoghurt shots and eating fruit
and fruit buns. Feeling very full, I headed for the next section of
track. There were some really slow people here and I think they were
from the first wave, but gumby riders. I thought the first wave was
elite!
Often yelled out when I was passing, because people weren't thinking to
keep left. In particular at the last little hill near the golf course on
Upland Rd, where people where ALL OVER the road. And at Dutton Park,
where people were going wide because they were being slowed down, but
then couldn't finish the hill and just stopped in the middle of the
road! Similar situation at the ramp onto Fairfield Rd.
Food stop at the top of Dutton Park was good news, mmmmm melon. I had
the green juice straight up, because I figured Green Power had to have
spirulina in it. Either that or it's a toilet cleaner. Well it was the
former, also it had kelp, spinach and STINGING NETTLE in it. Weird.
Mostly it tasted like passionfruit.
Ooh, also passing on Dornoch Tce, had to tell a few people to keep left.
I think I was the only one in that group going over 60 kph. Actually,
the only one over 40 kph!
For the most part, people were well behaved and paying attention. The
only spot I nearly got taken out was on the ramp to Fairfield Rd, the
first person looked right and in the process swerved right as well, and
the second just veered out in front of me without looking at all. Danger
averted though.
By the end of the ride I even decided that Andrew was in the official
"not gumby" category and I let him ride on my wheel to see how much
speed we could get along the riverside. In fact, the whole ride we felt
a bit like TDF riders, flying up the hills, looking at the poor mortals
to either side. I saw a mum pushing 2 bikes up a hill, kid walking
behind - people towing trailers up big hills... a guy on a penny
farthing (man, that's gotta hurt up hills, and be very scary down
hills!)... and IRONBEE (Mike) was there, of course, he's always there.
I only saw one other learsport bike on the day. I felt very elite. I'd
given my bike good clean and lube the day before and she rode so much
nicer as a result! I think I'll get onto the regular degrease now
(shock! horror!)
I'm sorry to hear that the others had some bad-rider frustration. I
think riding very socially kept it easy for me, because it never felt
like a race, and because I was in the second wave, I couldn't rationally
be annoyed by the rec riders, because I was in their pack, (rather than
them gatecrashing the elites).
Finished off with a banana that I'd stashed in my pocket at the first
stop, and headed back to Andrew's place for tea, chocolate and icecream.
Mmmm. But I, too, bailed on the ride in today.
Have fun!
Tamyka