Best laid plans of mice and men...

Saturday morning in my life usually revolves around the hectic side of things, down on Beach Road with about 17million of my closest friends.. Departing Black Rock at 7am, the Hell ride is gathering its usual summer crowds and getting more and more manic. The 'new black' is to hit the gas on the way down the coast, smash the hill, and just stay out of trouble as numbers swell before BlackRock. Yesterday morning was a variation on that plan, but not one I expected.



Rolling out from the clock, the line of riders was substantial, but not excessive. I rolled up beside the bunch with John Claxton (fellow Ascend/Nightlightning rider) and decided to up the pace at the front for a while to shell some of the riff raff out the back. Sadly, it seemed nobody else was interested, and I rolled off the front alone. Happily riding tempo, I rode slowly away from the bunch towards Mordy, until just before the roundabout, I was joined by 3 others and we rolled some turns. With all of us expecting to be swallowed at any moment, each time we checked the bunch, they were falling further behind, and so we just kept at it.

Frankston appeared. Still no bunch (and it was hurting...)

Mt Eliza appeared. Still no bunch (hurting lots more...)

Mordialloc appeared once again, still no bunch and we'd found some lacky's to ride the front to give us a break. One of them had been taking style and riding tips from the Wiggles (plain purple top, red arm warmers and couldn't ride straight) so he was christened Jeff the Wiggle, but he had plenty of power, so we all kept rolling turns home until the sprint where I gave the worlds best leadout (read : blew horribly a long way before the end....) and we all rolled in together, making it the first time I've stayed away from the bunch!

With some extras to run some errands about town, I was a pretty smashed unit come the end of the day, with a Tennis round robin thrown in, dinner in the city and more wedding tasks thrown in.

And now, to celebrate the onset of summer and daylight savings, it back out on the road bike to enjoy this we go! | | | |
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Sunny days are back!!