Showing posts with label Bike. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bike. Show all posts
Sunday, November 8, 2015
Calm and Relaxed!
I found this photo today on the company RTCC Facebook page; I didn't know it was on there and I can't really recall it being taken. I look quite relaxed and calm, not showing a hint of the nerves and trepidation I was feeling before heading off!
Monday, August 24, 2015
RTCC 2015 - 15th-16th August, 2015
I made it! 205km, up hills, down hills, flat roads, sharp corners, traffic lights, roundabouts, horse floats and big trucks. It was hard but it was really good. I rode by myself and just took my time. Gibbo drove the raffle car from start to finish, stopping at each pit stop along the way. We were all able to pile our gear in with him and collect it at the end.
The night before, we stayed in the city in a lovely apartment. Pity it was such a short stay! After virtually no training I was feeling quite nervous but there was no turning back!
Early start on Saturday morning - a quick breakfast and photo ops and we were on the start line. After the opening ceremony, we were off!
There were 4 pit stops each day so the ride was easily broken down into 5 short ones. It was good to see Gibbo at each one. He and Eva and Jimmy did a great job of cheering us all in.
I couldn't get a booking for a massage so went for an acupuncture session on my hamstrings - and had the needles in my arms!! It was a very relaxing 20 minutes and was a good idea I think. Dinner was very welcome; the team was well recognised for our fundraising efforts $324,000!! Amazing. Eight of us were in the top 10 fundraisers and rode the return leg in special polka dot jerseys.
No, they're not looking at the latest new headlines; they're watching the Bledisloe Cup - which Australia lost really badly!
I slept very well in the tent; Gibbo got up through the night and I had no idea. Wrapped in my sleeping bag and minky blanket I didn't hear a thing (except for some snoring). I got up at 4.30 and started getting ready for the return journey. Gibbo drove back to the city to park the car at the finish line; the rest of us headed out to start riding - in the rain!! Memories of last year's downpour flooded back but I figured at least we were on the home leg this time, not heading out!
It was a hard slog back, plenty of hills but I didn't walk. When I got near the Uni, anticipation grew. I made the mistake last year when I was 5km out from home thinking that the ride was nearly done - this year I was a bit smarter. There's a lot of hills around the Uni! I knew once I hit Carmody Rd that the end was close and from that moment on I couldn't stop smiling! I rode up past the soccer fields and turned right onto SFS Drive where the 1km ride to the finish stretched out in front of me. I took my time, enjoying the atmosphere and marvelling at the fact that I'd finished! I could here the loud thump-thump of the music at the finish line and the sound of the announcer's voice. As I rode in under the banner I was greeted by lots of cheering AACo people! It was such a great feeling!
I had a coffee and a burger and got some more photos. I caught up with the girls from the NT stations then waited at the finish line for the rest of the team to ride in.
It was such a great thing to do - I'm so glad I did it! We heard the organisers aren't running another one next year so I think the Company will come up with something along the same lines to do to raise money for a charity (but not quite on the same scale as this one).
The night before, we stayed in the city in a lovely apartment. Pity it was such a short stay! After virtually no training I was feeling quite nervous but there was no turning back!
Early start on Saturday morning - a quick breakfast and photo ops and we were on the start line. After the opening ceremony, we were off!
There were 4 pit stops each day so the ride was easily broken down into 5 short ones. It was good to see Gibbo at each one. He and Eva and Jimmy did a great job of cheering us all in.
Here he is, ringing his bell!
Camp was at Canungra; there was a big welcoming committee as each of us came up the final hill into the grounds.
No, they're not looking at the latest new headlines; they're watching the Bledisloe Cup - which Australia lost really badly!
I slept very well in the tent; Gibbo got up through the night and I had no idea. Wrapped in my sleeping bag and minky blanket I didn't hear a thing (except for some snoring). I got up at 4.30 and started getting ready for the return journey. Gibbo drove back to the city to park the car at the finish line; the rest of us headed out to start riding - in the rain!! Memories of last year's downpour flooded back but I figured at least we were on the home leg this time, not heading out!
It was a hard slog back, plenty of hills but I didn't walk. When I got near the Uni, anticipation grew. I made the mistake last year when I was 5km out from home thinking that the ride was nearly done - this year I was a bit smarter. There's a lot of hills around the Uni! I knew once I hit Carmody Rd that the end was close and from that moment on I couldn't stop smiling! I rode up past the soccer fields and turned right onto SFS Drive where the 1km ride to the finish stretched out in front of me. I took my time, enjoying the atmosphere and marvelling at the fact that I'd finished! I could here the loud thump-thump of the music at the finish line and the sound of the announcer's voice. As I rode in under the banner I was greeted by lots of cheering AACo people! It was such a great feeling!
I had a coffee and a burger and got some more photos. I caught up with the girls from the NT stations then waited at the finish line for the rest of the team to ride in.
It was such a great thing to do - I'm so glad I did it! We heard the organisers aren't running another one next year so I think the Company will come up with something along the same lines to do to raise money for a charity (but not quite on the same scale as this one).
Sunday, August 2, 2015
Out There
This time in two weeks time I expect I'll be lying in bed, unable to move and gasping for someone to come massage my legs and feed me sips of some sort of electrolyte laced drink. In a moment of insanity earlier in the year we signed up again to do the Ride to Conquer Cancer. It's a 200km ride over two days - except last year it turned out to be 230km! There's a new route this year; if you believe what you hear, it's a little easier - there were some hellish hills last year….and it poured rain all day on the first day and half the night as we huddled in our little tent - admittedly dry and cosy but wondering how much longer the tent could withstand the downpour!
My offsider won't be riding. Last weekend he went walking up to the top paddock, across the back of the farm and then down again, looking for the fox/es that had attacked 3 nights in a row (on my watch, while he was away). He wore his gumboots and complained of a sore ankle/foot later in the afternoon. In hindsight it appears he may have stumbled/fallen into a hole because, after two doctor's visits and an ultrasound, it turns out he's torn the muscle from his left achilles tendon - the same one that he snapped when playing football 12 years ago. We have an MRI booked for tomorrow; that will determine whether we need to visit a specialist who may recommend surgery.
So. I will ride alone - well not really alone. The company we work for has entered a team again - last year, 31 riders raised around $175,000. This year there's over 40 of us and the target is $200,000+. We have riders from stations near and far and they've been featured in print media and on radio across the country. The guys from the NT stations have a great story to tell.
So. I started training yesterday, 30km; another 30km today. I'll try to fit another couple of rides in before the 15th but we won't be here this coming weekend so that's out. I'm not too worried about not making the distance. There's a rest/revive stop every 25km or so with food, drink and toilets - I'll just break the distance up in my head to be 4 x 25km rides each day, certainly doable - that will help me get through it! I'll be looking for my tent though!
I've missed riding. I love riding. It's always the thing that get pushed aside because there's something else that needs doing. It's such a freeing thing to do and it's great for clearing the mind. I need to add it to the list of weekend jobs; that way it might get done (although I've had 'mop the floor' on the list for a while now and that job hasn't happened).
My offsider won't be riding. Last weekend he went walking up to the top paddock, across the back of the farm and then down again, looking for the fox/es that had attacked 3 nights in a row (on my watch, while he was away). He wore his gumboots and complained of a sore ankle/foot later in the afternoon. In hindsight it appears he may have stumbled/fallen into a hole because, after two doctor's visits and an ultrasound, it turns out he's torn the muscle from his left achilles tendon - the same one that he snapped when playing football 12 years ago. We have an MRI booked for tomorrow; that will determine whether we need to visit a specialist who may recommend surgery.
So. I will ride alone - well not really alone. The company we work for has entered a team again - last year, 31 riders raised around $175,000. This year there's over 40 of us and the target is $200,000+. We have riders from stations near and far and they've been featured in print media and on radio across the country. The guys from the NT stations have a great story to tell.
So. I started training yesterday, 30km; another 30km today. I'll try to fit another couple of rides in before the 15th but we won't be here this coming weekend so that's out. I'm not too worried about not making the distance. There's a rest/revive stop every 25km or so with food, drink and toilets - I'll just break the distance up in my head to be 4 x 25km rides each day, certainly doable - that will help me get through it! I'll be looking for my tent though!
I've missed riding. I love riding. It's always the thing that get pushed aside because there's something else that needs doing. It's such a freeing thing to do and it's great for clearing the mind. I need to add it to the list of weekend jobs; that way it might get done (although I've had 'mop the floor' on the list for a while now and that job hasn't happened).
Sunday, August 24, 2014
RTCC 2014
We did it! 230km round trip over two days on a bicycle! $12,000 raised between us; $177,000 raised by the company we work for.
We got back from the western trip on the Thursday afternoon and Leona picked us up. I ended up at her house (our old one), sorting through sleeping bags and extra riding clothes - the forecast was for rain. She also gave me two camp stretchers that bagged up into small packs which turned out to be a masterstroke.
Friday - the first thing to go in the car was the cardboard box that you can see - it's got a rooster in it, that we dropped off on our way to Bris. Priorities.
Packed and ready to go.
We dropped our bikes and luggage off at the start on Friday afternoon. Unlike the 2 CQ rides I've done, there was no baggage limit. We could have brought swags if we'd realised. Maybe next year.
The team riding jersey.
Riding in memory of our friend and colleague.
We found our accommodation in the city and went in search of a raincoat and food. Kathmandu was open late and I picked up a hooded rain jacket. We went to a Singaporean eatery for dinner.
We were up early on the Saturday morning and drove over to the Uni, had brekky, found our teammates, grabbed our bikes and made it to the start line. We had planned on being up the back of the pack but because the team was the highest fundraiser we were all at the very front! In the rain. After the opening ceremony concluded we were off, riding through the streets of Brisbane then eventually out on to the old Twba highway and numerous other back roads for 115km. At each stop we fuelled up on muesli bars, bananas, red frogs, nuts and Shotz (electrolyte tablets in our water bottles) and sucked on a gel energy pack (I swear by those things). Lunch was a chicken and salad wrap and chocolate bars and fruit. We didn't stop for long - it was wet and cold and we needed to keep moving.
Gibbo arriving at camp. I got a flat tyre 8km out from camp and waited for the man in the van to come along and change it for me.
We had hot showers and a hot coffee, then a 10 minute leg massage each. Then we set up the camp stretchers and went and had an early dinner and talked to the other 30 team riders for a while (there was 1124 riders in total). Back in the tent it was getting dark, it was raining outside; in the end we just got into the sleeping bags and fell asleep by 7pm. Gibbo didn't even want to watch the Bledisloe! We woke up at 1.30am to the sound of rain pouring on the tent roof. I laid there for ages and listened to it, wondering what dawn would bring!
The view from our tent. There were pelicans on the dam, but not in this photo.
Warm and dry.
As it turned out, Sunday was a dry day. We were up at 5, had brekky, packed up the tent and were on the bikes by 6.30. Four more stops along the way and we were back at the Uni around 1.30pm with another 115km under our belts.
At lunch on Day 2.
At the finish! Looking happy!
Free photos at the end.
I went back and got a second photo - I wanted one of me holding my bike above my head - but first I went behind a tent and practised to make sure I had the strength to actually lift it past my shoulders!
We waited for the last of our team riders to come in and made a guard of honour for her to ride through; then headed for home, where we unpacked all the wet gear, did two loads of washing then fell into bed. Gibbo was leaving again early the next morning for a week in the NT.
Reflections - in no particular order but random things that come to mind:
-the fundraising was easier than I had anticipated and I raised much more than I thought I could
-should have trained more :)
-buying the rain jacket was a great idea
-the hills were tough but muscle burn feels good
-riding a bike in the pouring rain, absolutely busting for a wee makes you cast off your inhibitions; finding suitable tree cover was the hardest part
-getting a flat tyre 8km from camp was a bummer
-the sign on the door said "please limit your shower to 4 minutes" - it took me that long to peel the wet riding clothes off
-hot coffee and a timtam!
-10 minute massage on hamstrings and quads
-being warm again after being wet all day
-facebooking photos for the kids and friends; texting photos to my mum and brothers
-getting into the sleeping bag with my green minky blanket; being dry and very warm in there
-waking up in the middle of the night to a) pouring rain and b) having to go out to the toilets
-it's possible to get down to 5.2km/hour on an uphill climb and still be moving (just)
-the roundabout incident
-enjoying the ride
-remembering why I like to ride (freedom)
-coming across the finish line - great feeling to be met my smiling, laughing, cheering teammates
-soaking up the post ride atmosphere
-lifting my bike above my head!
-awesome effort, awesome, ride, awesome team
-2015? I think so!
We got back from the western trip on the Thursday afternoon and Leona picked us up. I ended up at her house (our old one), sorting through sleeping bags and extra riding clothes - the forecast was for rain. She also gave me two camp stretchers that bagged up into small packs which turned out to be a masterstroke.
Friday - the first thing to go in the car was the cardboard box that you can see - it's got a rooster in it, that we dropped off on our way to Bris. Priorities.
Packed and ready to go.
We dropped our bikes and luggage off at the start on Friday afternoon. Unlike the 2 CQ rides I've done, there was no baggage limit. We could have brought swags if we'd realised. Maybe next year.
The team riding jersey.
Riding in memory of our friend and colleague.
We found our accommodation in the city and went in search of a raincoat and food. Kathmandu was open late and I picked up a hooded rain jacket. We went to a Singaporean eatery for dinner.
We were up early on the Saturday morning and drove over to the Uni, had brekky, found our teammates, grabbed our bikes and made it to the start line. We had planned on being up the back of the pack but because the team was the highest fundraiser we were all at the very front! In the rain. After the opening ceremony concluded we were off, riding through the streets of Brisbane then eventually out on to the old Twba highway and numerous other back roads for 115km. At each stop we fuelled up on muesli bars, bananas, red frogs, nuts and Shotz (electrolyte tablets in our water bottles) and sucked on a gel energy pack (I swear by those things). Lunch was a chicken and salad wrap and chocolate bars and fruit. We didn't stop for long - it was wet and cold and we needed to keep moving.
Gibbo arriving at camp. I got a flat tyre 8km out from camp and waited for the man in the van to come along and change it for me.
We had hot showers and a hot coffee, then a 10 minute leg massage each. Then we set up the camp stretchers and went and had an early dinner and talked to the other 30 team riders for a while (there was 1124 riders in total). Back in the tent it was getting dark, it was raining outside; in the end we just got into the sleeping bags and fell asleep by 7pm. Gibbo didn't even want to watch the Bledisloe! We woke up at 1.30am to the sound of rain pouring on the tent roof. I laid there for ages and listened to it, wondering what dawn would bring!
The view from our tent. There were pelicans on the dam, but not in this photo.
Warm and dry.
As it turned out, Sunday was a dry day. We were up at 5, had brekky, packed up the tent and were on the bikes by 6.30. Four more stops along the way and we were back at the Uni around 1.30pm with another 115km under our belts.
At lunch on Day 2.
At the finish! Looking happy!
Free photos at the end.
I went back and got a second photo - I wanted one of me holding my bike above my head - but first I went behind a tent and practised to make sure I had the strength to actually lift it past my shoulders!
We waited for the last of our team riders to come in and made a guard of honour for her to ride through; then headed for home, where we unpacked all the wet gear, did two loads of washing then fell into bed. Gibbo was leaving again early the next morning for a week in the NT.
Reflections - in no particular order but random things that come to mind:
-the fundraising was easier than I had anticipated and I raised much more than I thought I could
-should have trained more :)
-buying the rain jacket was a great idea
-the hills were tough but muscle burn feels good
-riding a bike in the pouring rain, absolutely busting for a wee makes you cast off your inhibitions; finding suitable tree cover was the hardest part
-getting a flat tyre 8km from camp was a bummer
-the sign on the door said "please limit your shower to 4 minutes" - it took me that long to peel the wet riding clothes off
-hot coffee and a timtam!
-10 minute massage on hamstrings and quads
-being warm again after being wet all day
-facebooking photos for the kids and friends; texting photos to my mum and brothers
-getting into the sleeping bag with my green minky blanket; being dry and very warm in there
-waking up in the middle of the night to a) pouring rain and b) having to go out to the toilets
-it's possible to get down to 5.2km/hour on an uphill climb and still be moving (just)
-the roundabout incident
-enjoying the ride
-remembering why I like to ride (freedom)
-coming across the finish line - great feeling to be met my smiling, laughing, cheering teammates
-soaking up the post ride atmosphere
-lifting my bike above my head!
-awesome effort, awesome, ride, awesome team
-2015? I think so!
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