A clear sky, (stars still shining brightly ) as YHC rolled into the chilled air atop col de Dural, strategically timed to coincide when the B-doubles of the local quarry were all about their business, not a car on the road for miles but the only traffic seeing how close to the bike they can get. Good thing most were going the other way..

Not a gorge one for me, by the time I reached the turn off only a kilometre into the ride my fingers were cold enough and changed my mind, right turn onto New Line road, hence forth to be referred to as the valley of death…buses trucks eeejits at 5:45 all playing chicken with the bike…it seems worse than usual compared to a French society that respects cyclery to this one that really does not. Riding through Pennant hills off the beaten track, but still managed to find a car that overtook just before a roundabout and then stood on the brakes to make it around…mmmmm BAU…

Once on the Commenara a clear run to Fox Valley and being well ahead of schedule had to fly holding patterns for 15 mins until the Satnav train pulled in..he arrived armed with a hammer and nails to attach the Bus timetable to a road sign.

Gordon interchange was fully charged and ready to roll , 19 souls aboard, and more enroute..a rampant show of ER colour and style. All steaming in the anticipation of a the second best way to start the day.

Bucky arrived, hollered and rolled through to lead the advance into the hills of death, Schleck walking the dogma enjoying a break from his MTB, YHC thankfully dragged along in the draught of a mega peloton and still finding fresh faces to expound loudly and lengthily about the joys of the French way to start the day. ( Croissants , Coffee and Baguette…before a huge climb )

The theme of the day today was red lights…seemed to be plenty, especially through Chatswood, where the right turn into Archer was a) blinded by the sun, b) delayed by about 5 mins…then c) on the climb out up Archer punctuated by a hoon with a lead foot..passing the peloton by burning about as much petrol as 20 cyclists had saved by not driving in. All good though the halo was still in place for the regroup at Tindale where through good management YHC found the “ arriere du peloton” to grasp the lantern rouge and cruise up the KOM . Safe to say the KOM champ was a) out of sight, b) cresting crows nest before YHC launched up the last slope to at least be in front of a few other tail enders..

One fortuitous green got us across the Miller St crossing of Pacific Highway in a large bunch, and then another charge to attack Bullet’s KOM along Lavender St , not a great place to attain terminal velocity, look out for the many hazards there, I am sure Bullet was possessed by the devil to achieve his accolade but it could have just been a moments madness…

The first wave at the B&T were already served and looking for seconds by the time I arrived, next door’s enclosure looking like an expensive bike park, there was nowhere to prop up the Wilier except in front of the garbage bins…may have to find another bike to prop up against if that is any guide to the future, there has to be a pina or colnago to use instead.

All good to go for the return to base…departures scheduled apparently for 5:15 and 6 pm…BAU.

Have a great rest of the day all
BT…

Incidentally have made contact with Bikewise about doing a course or two ..any others interested, I am looking at doing a bike skills course with a view to teaching it..

Having had a good month off the tyranny of the alarm clock, this morning’s wakeup call seemed to hurt more than usual. Adrenal exhaustion from jet lag crashing into the fatigue of getting up before going to bed and the epic suffer scores from yesterday’s rides all playing a part, the only consolation being a Friday morning and for the fortunate in financial services, a bank holiday Monday long weekend.

Into the car to transfer to Gordon, inside a warm 28C outside a chilly 8C , turning into the carpark fully expecting to genuflect before the Captain, and tug the forelock to a brace of FMs I can only say that it was business as usual along the one true path with all the usual suspects..the FMs must have been on the Rhodes Rubaix, to admire C.hippo’s luscious new Specialized.

9 of the ER brethren on the OTP, managing a punishing pace for the Friday roll, as soon as the BOF appeared it was business as usual in every way, Stealth off the front pedalling at a 200 cadence to take the first hill at least half a kilometre in front of the tail draggers, Satnav and crew probably enjoying wit and pithy commentary at a normally aspirated cruise, whereas YHC felt the urge to give chase and wind the heart rate up to just short of cardiac arrest level. The initial flush of enthusiasm wearing off by the Rawhiti sprint however and normal sociable interaction resumed from there. Very pleasant conditions for the commute, a bright if not warm sun, slight westerly wind and the usual back slapping camaraderie thrown in for luck. Chatswood managed to hold up proceedings with the fat controller on the lights making sure that the peloton was stopped three times in 500 metres. Rolling regroup atop Tindale for an HB lead charge into the valley of death towards a very gentlemanly KOM. Derek McDerek cresting unchallenged for the jersey, Bullet(le) providing a draught for YHC to fill the other podium places. Derek was through the Burlington sprint first to claim the green jersey too, the main peloton bunched at the lights of Chandos St unable to do much but watch on and rue what might have been. Regroup at the top of Crowies there now being a dozen aboard, ½ , WBA, TFS, all making their appearance, and into the next light filled sector of North Sydney and the shambles towards the Harbour bridge. Today’s challenge of the day was to topple Bullet from the Lavender St KOM made more difficult by a strategically placed Post van for a road block into the first downhill. Only Strava can say how this attempt went, but Bullet fired on all barrels showing the peloton some style and panache.

B&T was also on form, sending the finest quality coffee our way into the unheated front of house seats. A pedestrian Captain arrived vowing to pedal at some point in the near future although apparently the economy needs his assistance this week or else the national GDP figures will crash bringing down the government, and starting a run on the RBA…such is the affect of our galactic CEO, planets have been known to change their orbit in his presence. Serious business of the day however was the 100th TDF ER tour…Tormey Tours will be engaged to ensure a ripsnorting time will be had by all so book your place soon..tickets will be on sale shortly.

A GG bus is scheduled to depart the SHBS at 5:15 but as free beer has been trumpeted by our very own Ravi the grate from 5:30 I am sure there will be some early birds.

Have a great day all…
BT

There is a very short distance we cyclists have to cover in order to become champions, YHC has spent many hours grappling with this distance, it is perhaps the hardest distance to traverse but once mastered there is very little that can get in the way of cycling nirvana…of course I am referring to the distance between the ears…an infinite universe compressed into about 15cms of physical space…but filled with demons and dragons, defilements and determination. So being awake at the appointed hour and noting through the window not a hint of cloud, thus perfect weather for a ride to the office, it was straight into the car for the transfer to Gordon and onto the OTP…( the battle for a full ride being lost to one of those demons. )

Bongos and bugles must been on full volume last night as the muster progressed into an avalanche of egg and tomato. YHC lost count at 21, more were late arrivals and successfully chased for a near record 27 entering the Archer St shredder. BOF was nowhere to be seen, a late departure ensued, the peloton inhaled the first few hills with gusto, it was actually pretty bl#%dy cold, but somehow the temperature made not a jot difference to the satisfaction of being in the middle of another magnificent ER commute.

Something for everyone today, a greyhound bunch of “B1s” peeled off the front being goaded by C.Hippo to cane it to town, nice to see the broken leg has not slowed him down much. With the numbers big regroups make it difficult to keep things orderly, so having the peloton stretch out was excellent for safety. It also gave YHC a much greater leeway to fall ever more slowly to the rear until reaching over and grabbing the Lanterne Rouge in order to cross the bridge and join the back of the coffee queue.

KOM was contested a couple of times, the bunch I saw were being lead by Phantom and Turnip, YHC had to attack on the second slope to keep the leaders in sight then having realised my mistake was unable to maintain my lead and fell in behind, then off the back up the third. Crossing onto Willoughby Rd was an interesting time, a dozen riders managed to get into the middle of the road as the lights changed and 4 cars then took the right of way turning right, so a waltz unfolded as bikes and cars took turns to cross.

A swift and green light aided advance through the shambles of North Sydney, the Miller St sprint being a highlight of this section, a rare but enjoyable dish when you can race past the Rag and Famish and not have to touch the brakes until turning into Lavender St.

SHB was too good to race over, ( YHC departing for the summer in a few days took the opportunity to look at the harbour , blue sky, dawn colours, and actually enjoy the scene with a fully oxygenated brain ) B&T queue was actually short , the B1s having ordered, rearranged the tables, sat down and savoured their brew…Vic a little richer by the time I arrived.

The escape valve set to blow for 5:15 , 6:00 and 7:00 with a balmy 17C forecast this afternoon it is difficult to imagine a nicer end of the working than that.

Have a good one all

BT

It was black as pitch as I pedalled out of the garret on the slopes of Mt Dural this morning, joining a frisky Parramatta  puncheur who gave me flogging through the rollers to Galstone, a PB and enough conversation to hear he was heading off to the Alps in a cuppla weeks.. he is the first company I have had on the commute and now has the URL committed to memory so may make a guest appearance down the NorShor OTP.

Temperatures a balmy 11C descending to 7 at the depths of GG cool and clammy as a mother in laws kiss down there, who would want to be anywhere else, perfect weather for a ride to the office. ( Compared to Saturday morning where you could almost swear you were in the grip of an English summer ) Tapping out of the GG in 3/4 time keeping the Pamp big circle form,  panache and style, it will not be long before I will add speed to that list…but not today….

A duck into Fox Valley to collect Satnav and entourage, thence a short gallop down to the Launch via the Luton Driveway…only one small incident to report, a motorist horned me on the merge at Pymble hill, firing Satnav into a sprint that Cav would have a hard time maintaining. Satnav rarely uses such power but occasionally it comes in handy to discipline the traffic and remind them their average is not that much faster than ours.

Gathered at Gordon were 20 odd lycra covered mamils, forming a peloton around the newly fledged C.Hippo, throwing a red carpet out and fanfare for the lead out on his inaugural return ride. The first call as we rolled out was “Ute back” as it lead footed past us on the first slope out. Accreting more riders by the suburb the peloton swelled to a 27 or more behemoth, which considering it is mid winter, no particular challenge on is a pretty good showing , Drastic was making a rare appearance aboard his SS MTB, but still a few usual suspects missing. Not a slow ride in either, it seems that determination beat conversation this morning, YHC was only just able to breath and not talk as the various sprint opportunities seemed to merge together into one. Thankfully the RTA as was have installed enough traffic calming lights along our path to ensure hypoxia was not overwhelming. Archer street worked its magic again and quartered the fleet into even pieces, regrouping on the crest of Tindale and once more into the threshold of pain as Scaramanga loomed…Turnip having a go, swept to an early lead and gave it some welly but was trashed by Clutters at the top…

Various parts of the peloton arrived at the top of the Mur du Crow’s Nest, and rolled on with something like a regroup, but was shredded again through the North Sydney turn pike regathering on the 39 steps, (you can climb the 50 in 39 by skipping some..) and another eye watering sprint to the B&T…nearly a record, I think we had 20 plus seated and sipping by 7:39.

Great roll in and with sunshine today should make the roll out even better. Book your seats on your favourite bus.

Have a great one all

BT/Jenny

As the storm clouds move off shore and temperatures plunge into the depths of about 9C all I can say is it was perfect weather for a ride to the office.

Strapping on the wet plastic, and jumping into the car as I do, I came across Satnav flying holding patterns atop Fox Valley, so it prompted an early departure from the warm interior to a cool blast down the highway with our LM.

Noticed the good behaviour of the car / ute / van brigade recently ? I think they have been well conditioned to expect cycle traffic along that stretch of highway, not a “GOTFR” token to be had, even from the cement truck brethren,  so I think we can almost say that ER’s 1…the rest 0. Every day, in some small way the world is getting better for bikes…( sorry Dale )

A stout 9 on the pedals departing Gordon, YHC, Satnav, ¼, the rider formerly referred to as Falsh, Andy Schleck McD, Turnip,  B1 and Simba, departure was rung a few seconds late as the Fattie was well out of the station  before the first pedal was turned onto the One True Path.

Wind chill, pedestrians, cars barging into the bunch, all were in evidence before the first roundabout, but a swift if not ungentlemanly pace was maintained at least for the hills of breath, YHC was being “chickened” by a ute up to Killara station, our friend wanted to join the peloton, and tried to draught first then roll past without leaving much room for my elbow..the cab needed cleaning, and front seat was covered in invoices.

A catch of the B2B peloton of two was made at the bottom of Hill St, numbers swelled to 11 as we swung into Archer, and were then impeded by every light between there and Mowbray road. A roll through on the Tindale blast saw Andy Schleck showing form on the downhill went to lead the bunch through Artarmon park, ¼ and Clutters left their attack until the bottom of the Scaramanga leaf strewn corner but when the attack came it was full gas. YHC was chuffing up slope 2 as the victors were spraying champagne off the podium.

The roll into the B&T was another hard fought and stoat like cunning needed to make it to the coffee queue before the crowds, a bus was straddling the bike lane at the Pac highway crossing on Miller st, YHC was able to roll through and attack before the obstruction could hinder progress leaving me ahead of the bunch sufficient to be in first place, only to be slimed by a car moving at snails pace along Lavender St. ¼ and Schleck making the catch at the steps…then it was a slow descent into hypoxia chasing their tails across the bridge, by the time the vision returned to normal Andy had already rearranged the tables and had a skinny flat on order.

All set for the early bus tonight, tickets on sale cut price as usual, management have indicated a 50% discount so bring the correct change.

Have a good one all

BT

What a great day for a ride in, devo I had to be on a train..spotted BamBam in the shambles at the top of the SHB stairs on his way back to work.

The 5:15 bus was over loaded last night, it seemed to be the popular choice for the charge up the shore, a gentlemanly pace across the bridge, building slowly to a crescendo along the Miller st blast then at a comfortable ER chat tempo for the OTP home.

Highlights being a bulging 12 plus peloton, displaying a varied array of flashing lights, moving with aplomb and courtesy ( while creating a certain amount of breathing space ) in among the traffic through North Sydney. FP was well populated, and swelled numbers to what would be a record if such things were kept, the formation broken with a large gap where Chippo would have slotted in…( ok he would have been off the front tapping out a quick step to everyone else’s waltz ) .  The Goose was aboard getting in a few kms before heading up to  Brizvegas  for the rest of the week..making a space for the Captain to fill.

If this is how the 5:15 is usually run the ticket price may have to go up 10%…

Have a great day all

BT