Once again, the year rolls by and the Great Perth Bike Ride rolls up!
Sunday, 22nd November and perfect weather for the ride: sunny, not too warm (low 20's C I think), and a light easterly. Around 4000 people showed up to enjoy the chance to blast around the river with a little bit of traffic control here and there.
As per usual, I chickened out and stuck to the 53km 1-lapper: early wakes aren't my style. Met up with a few people from my Saturday morning ride club and waited around the 15 or so minutes in pleasant conditions for the start. The organisers will have to start allocating larger spaces for each allocated group – quite a few of us had to stand off the road to the side of our respective groups until they rolled forward to the staggered start, due to the space being packed with riders.
Anyway, inched up to the start, got the 'go' signal, and a guy in front of me promptly fell off and did the old 'domino principle' trick to the two guys next to him! So, within the first 30 seconds, I'd lost my mates. Not sure what happened to them – I know I must have passed them early on without seeing them, but not matter as I'm sure they enjoyed themselves.
Had a good ride: very uneventful although a little on the slower side at times. Spent most of the first half of the ride chasing down a group, finding it a little slow and then pulling across to the next, rinse and repeat. Got into a slightly more motivated group after half way and had a reasonable speed ride from there on. Not that the recorded time is important (cough), but it was a little slower than last year – oh well! No fault of my Colnago CX-1 - since I've owned her I literally jumped at every chance to ride her. I need to put down a ride impression of the 'Nago one of these days - just have to find time when I'm not riding.
A couple of guys from the Sat. morning ride did the 106 km two lapper and really enjoyed it, so I resolved to bite the bullet and go for it next year: might as well celebrate my 50th year with an early morning scoot!
So, thanks to the organisers for another successful Ride – 106km 2 lapper in 2010, here I come!
Ride safe!
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