Enlisted the help of good HuRTS boys Eoin the Leech and
Brendan Krone for my first proper bike ride in about 8 months and after picking
up Kroney at Centennial we cruised over the bridge to the ‘Dark Side’ to
collect Leechy.
No sooner started and I get a puncture at North Sydney that
has me in doubts about if this was a good idea or not. Leech tells me we are
heading out to West Head and Akuna Bay for the morning and then slips in that its
100k from where we started .
Head out and enjoy the first big downhill to the Spit as I hit
speeds of nearly 70 clicks , and then deep into the North Shore boys territory
before we are forced to stop again at Narrabeen for puncture #2 care of the Leech.....
these bloody dirty North Shore roads – full of crap.
Lots of rolling hills but even by about 40ks I can feel the
legs starting to fade, although the big downhills soon take the pain disappear for
a short time as the speed one again hits the high 70s and even 82 at one point.
A quick drinks break at 50k at West Head and time for a
scenic pic with the lads before the first of a decent climb ahead, Struggle
with it and Leech is barely any stronger thanks to his 4 week break back in
Ireland as Kroney powers ahead. Some
nice flat sections follow as we keep a nice 40 ks per/hr tempo with Kroney
being made to do all the work but that doesn’t last long enough before we are forced
to climb Mont Blanc to get us out of Akuna Bay. With 70ks now in the legs I’m
in the hurt box and nearly a broken man as I’m struggling to even hold 10k
per/hr with Leech slightly better holding about 11.
Bloody knackered at the end of it and was happy to get back
on a decent stretch of Mona Vale Road and then stopping for a chocolate and
coke fix at a nearby servo.
My joy at coming back down the ‘Spit was short lived as I
knew I had one more climb on the other side but somehow managed to get through
OK and from there it was pretty straight forward heading back along Military
Road before bidding Leech farewell as Kroney and I made it back to the Bridge
and the safety of the Eastside.
Returned to the park as the distance just edged over 116k
for the morning – Geez, far more than I was intending and far more than thought possible for me and despite being
tired I was delighted to have got it done
Some stats from the morning ;
Distance 116ks
Bike time 4hr:15 mins
Average speed; 28 ks per/hr
Total Ascent: 1720m
Many thanks to the two boys in helping me out, I really do
need to do more of these longer rides and will try to get out more in the
hotter summer months ahead. Although PLOD won’t be coming with us as he tells
me he needs his Sunday sleep in these days .... bloody big soft lad.
Not many things I enjoy more than my Sunday arvo beers, and
today was no exception as I got the call up from old Kanser to drop over for a
few beers and a bit of nosebag as he cooked up some Steak and Fish. Quality, He
cooks up a storm does Davey and the beers flowed all afternoon before I head to
the local in downtown Erko for a few more with Pommy Birchy and get all the
gossip from Sesame Street care of his new ‘friend’
Cheers
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