Another perfect morning for a ride to the office, whoever dialed in the 21C, clear sky, north easterly breeze and sunrise just as we arrive at the SHB …do it again soon..cannot complain about anything. With news to hand re Herb and missing a bend into Akuna, we are all sending best wishes for a speedy recovery, and hope the bike is alright. Looks like the crash cart idea will need to double up as ranks are thinning too rapidly for words..

The OTP was obviously the second best way to start the day, but with more than 20 in the bunch it was not impacted by all the other options. ( welcoming Christian from the Central Coast for an inaugural ride in..) The start in stages, filtering between traffic, and rolling the hills of death with several keen car drivers, Brownie made the departure in the knick of time, being on time, Bullet however made a superb catch a la Bucky, seeing the Gordon launch site with tumbrels blowing in the wind..and pedalling like a demon to make up the 2 minutes 45 seconds deficite.

Once everyone was back in ER mode as opposed to race mode, progress was once more pleasantly punctuated with banter and repartee..YHC was regaled by Norman but jokes about cupcakes being made from the evil wheat went way over my head..sorry Stormin.

Pondering the reasons to ride as one does, joy has to be one of the biggies..and enjoying the commute is way up there..we do enjoy our rides. ( contrast to the car bound who have stress levels far in excess of ours,  which is why it makes no sense to engage in “rage”..especially on the bike)

Coffee today was a highlight, once the chapters had all arrived..Futters, Fluffers, and sundries..30 plus ER jerseys on view ..a gift of confectionary was distributed among the many, apparently only five cupcakes were made but there was enough to go around..I waited for the fish to be delivered but alas not to be had…only one person left the table unfed..

Return rides as advertised, be ready for Easter only after your debrief at the GG..none of this leave early malarky.

Have a great day all
BT

What a fantastic Fluffering morning…….. As the sun rose on South Curl Curl the gift of dawn had blessed the ten riders (11 including Drastique who meandered off into Akuna) who had stopped sleeping half way through the night to complete this mornings ride.  It was nearly an extra 2 but unfortunately both Comet and Ravi had a sleepover as their alarms struck and the land of nod called once more.

Riders included Saint Nav, Matt Mooney (on his second Fluffer), Simba, Nala (also on her second one), B1, Andy H, Sir Lunchalot (ready to Spoke out this time), Magoo and Scott.  T&C’s were quickly agreed to and we were off.

The wonders of the Fluffer continued:

• The ride adjusted quickly to the groups pace today which was a pretty pacey 26 km/h including stops.  This gave an ‘on time arrival’ at the B&T at 7.45 bang on the chimes of the big bell.  Such a surprise clearly that the pretty server managed to spill coffee all down her top.  Bullet then passed around a collection to try and entice her to remove it under the guise of buying her flowers as an apology……. He’s slick…..
• Nala put in an outstanding Fluffette performance for her second ride.  Considering she only had 2 stops what a brilliant ride she had.  I descended behind her in the National Park and her descents were also confidently done whilst being very safe.  Well done Nala.
• At the other extreme chief Fluffette Magoo has shoulders about 12 inches wide that she still tries to fit through spaces about 6 inches wide!!!  A close call between Big Goaders and a parked car but all were safe in the end!!!
• The rolling groups are also getting good down the Pittwater Road – so much so that we ended up picking up 2 extras who appeared very professionally kitted out!  I just said that we were a commuting group who took a long way to work on a Tuesday/Thursday.  Three things for us to focus on: 1) Keeping the right hand side at a steady speed, 2) Keeping close to the wheel in front so that we are nice and tight and 3) calling when you are front left and the space is clear for the front right rider to move and also calling when you are the last rider at the back on the right.

Thanks for a fab ride – Invigorating.

The Fluffer is on for Thursday – the same time as normal.

A date for your diaries.  On Tuesday 9th April (the Tuesday after Daylight savings clock change) we are going for a ‘Fluffer Record’.  So many people tell me that they struggle with the early morning that on this date your body will feel as though it gets an extra hour in bed.  As a result this will be a celebration of sleeping (name tbc, suggestions welcome). We will start at the normal time of 5.15am but your body will think it is 6.15am.  For those who will only do this once this year this is the day.

Our biggest turnout is 19 for Admin’s 50th Birthday so let’s see what we can do this time?

Big Goaders

10 ER’s in the blocks this morning – Satnav, B1/m, Magoo, Scott, Andy, Ivan, Kneel, Rob W, Jamie, moi. Clutters was on the side, valiantly recruiting for his tame flutter (gimme a break …). We left him, a sad figure with only the lights of a single AY-UP forlornly reminding him of his failed quest …

A beautiful night sky, not a cloud to dim the starry firmament, provided a perfect backdrop for the run along the ridge to Terry Hills, then the darkest of descents through McCarrs Creek. With the regroup at Church Point we set up a rolling paceline. It worked, sort of, being thrown into disarray by utes, hills, timing, etc. We are getting better.

Mon Capitaine and Simba joined as at PWR. A good pace saw us through to Manly when Herb popped up. He claimed a reverse Akuna at 0500 and a mad chase to bridge to us. I reckon he drove to Manly after sleeping in – Strava will reveal the truth.

Nought else to report – PR’s all round, everyone home safe with coffees ordered by 0745. Cracking morning.

Usual rides this arvo, noting that Dopey is proposing a LCNP this arvo. I haven’t done one, but it promises to be a ripper – birds tweeting, a gentle roll through the Park, then a sprint up Kisso. A complete day in the saddle.

Stay upright,

admin

As previously advertised our Goaders had been ordered to Melbourne to pick up Bullet’s recently purchased NOS Pinarello frame….and delegated all care and no responsibility for his growing throng of Flufferers to B1M and I. A big pair of Sidis to fill…..

B1M and I arranged to meet in transit at Turramurra well before the sparrows started fa^&oing to rehearse the rider briefing and engage in some general tactical foreplay. Flash’s trailer was mentioned, but more re that one later.

12 with their names ticked off the roll at Snives, detailed briefing given “right we all know the terms and conditions….let’s go”…..and onwards into the darkness picking up Andy H in transit. DNS’s recorded against our Milsons Point and Newport chapters.

Norman threw a right spanner in the works when crossing the Forest Way junction…..thinking she’d spotted Laura, which was interpreted by the remainder as Dora…..neither showed up in the end; peloton concluded Norman was up to her old tricks again, watch out on the 6pm return tonight.

Wet roads and a touch of fog on the way down McCarrs – all safely through the esses, usual hammer down through Church Point to the next regroup point, PWR reached all in good time and spirit.

First run at a rolling paceline executed with……panache and precision….well done all giving something different a go with minimal preparation beforehand.

Then the first of just four punctures for the day – Daf, Bri and Si being the culprits, sorry, victims…..progress slowed somewhat however no-one raised a sweat over it, in true ER fashion…..

A bit of excessive tooting got our Andy fired up through the Neutral sector…..good mornings exchanged and nothing more, aware of the weight on the shoulders of carrying the ER name.

Arrival at the B&T found earlier shifts still in situ, many remaining to share seconds with Fluffs one and all.

A great start to the day; herewith handballing the baton to our Admin for Thursday’s edition.

Have a good remainder of the day all.

Mark/Satnav

A cool start to the day as another predawn departure was made, 14C on the dashboard with a slight south westerly, perfect weather for a gentle roll into town. With the Fluffers making their departure hours before, numbers were down…to about 25 on the OTP. BOF made it to the party and sent the ER peloton forth with only a few seconds delay, and so all was right in the universe, events unfolding as they should.

Cars became a talking point as numerous minor incidents, mainly just barging and shoving in where they could. I noticed that ERs were actually spread into a thin line through the HOD and I think this is what was the cause of the issue..cars felt they had the room to come alongside and push in..obviously more discussion required over coffee, but there is something to be said about presenting an impassable mass where safe passing is not possible.

 A businesslike pace due to the temperature, nice to have the cooler breeze to enjoy spooling up the legs for their heating rather than overheating , YHC managed to fall to the lantern rouge through Lindfield but sailed past the Roseville regroup and made it to the front for a second or two before Chatswood..Conspicuous driving award was delivered to a hapless driver who managed to overtake the peloton before the pedestrian crossing to Roseville station, being both overtaking on the crossing on the wrong side of double whites and approaching a bus head on..then having to mix in to the peloton to avoid hitting the oncoming traffic..outstanding achievement managing to accumulate more traffic offenses than the mind could comprehend in such a short stretch. A Go Pro would be handy for such things..

 It was brought to my attention that Archer St has become a bit of a shredder, but more to the point , Tindale which should be the regroup to reassemble the peloton was marked with a big fail this morning. A rear carriage was dropped due to insufficient observation or over zealous urge to arrive at coffee..needless to say the rear car took a short cut on the highway led by Drastic and DT to arrive at B&T 5 mins before the offending front of the peloton..nuff said.

 Deliciously autumnal, if you have any friends , family , enemies who are not on the pedals riding to the office, now would be a good time to get them started..

 A quick look at the following link and encouragement to log the ride on 28^th March..to provide a resource and perhaps some lobbying opportunity.. www.rideable.org.au

 Make your mind up time for the return roll….there are many ways home, creativity required to avoid getting used to the same old same old..BDR for me this evening ..looking forward to it already.

 Have a great day all

BT