Edward Woodard passes away at 79. Not entirely non-bike related - after all, Edward did ride a bike in his classic film "The Wicker Man".
That film, along with the searing "Breaker Morant", and his portrayal of a hard-nosed yet sometimes reluctant servant of 'The Section' in 'Callan' (in which he virtually invented the 'complex hard-man' TV serial genre) endeared me to him over the years. To this day I still recall the classic 'light-bulb' intro and hypnotic theme score of Callan, which I sneakily try and sit-up to watch as a younger lad way back.
So, thanks Edward, and cheers. You shot straight...and never made a mess of it!
Wednesday, 18 November 2009
Saturday, 7 November 2009
2009 Great Victorian Bike Ride
Well, lucked out and landed the WARBY gig for the upcoming Great Victorian Bike Ride spanning 10 days from November 28th to December 6th. WARBIES (We Are Right Behind You) are volunteers who ride along with the participants and assist with mechanicals, offer a smile and encouragement etc. Mucho thanks to the Bike Victoria organising team for choosing little ol' WA-based me :).
Had a great time doing those duties during the Great West Australian Bike Ride in March of this year, and am really looking forward to this upcoming experience. Especially looking forward to tootling along the Great Ocean Road. I did the road many years ago on a motorbike – needless to say, I was younger and the challenge wasn't what you could see, rather how fast one could go. So, this time I will definitely get to see a whole lot more.
Apparently there's also the 'famous Laver's Hill'? Meh – don't know and don't want to know: if it's just called a hill, it can't be all that bad, and anyway, I've whacked on a wimpy 50-34 compact crankset on the front of the Dean so I'm all set to climb goat tracks!
The GVBR this year is going to be huge – all sold out, and I think something like close to 6,000 participants! Man, that's an awful lot of potential punctures requiring repair! The WARBIES will be up for it – my past experience definitely confirms it as one of the best volunteer roles in terms of mixing it with the people, and also of the most enjoyable: sometimes hard but always rewarding and fun.
Roll on November 28th! (And the sun and good temps).
Ride safe!
Had a great time doing those duties during the Great West Australian Bike Ride in March of this year, and am really looking forward to this upcoming experience. Especially looking forward to tootling along the Great Ocean Road. I did the road many years ago on a motorbike – needless to say, I was younger and the challenge wasn't what you could see, rather how fast one could go. So, this time I will definitely get to see a whole lot more.
Apparently there's also the 'famous Laver's Hill'? Meh – don't know and don't want to know: if it's just called a hill, it can't be all that bad, and anyway, I've whacked on a wimpy 50-34 compact crankset on the front of the Dean so I'm all set to climb goat tracks!
The GVBR this year is going to be huge – all sold out, and I think something like close to 6,000 participants! Man, that's an awful lot of potential punctures requiring repair! The WARBIES will be up for it – my past experience definitely confirms it as one of the best volunteer roles in terms of mixing it with the people, and also of the most enjoyable: sometimes hard but always rewarding and fun.
Roll on November 28th! (And the sun and good temps).
Ride safe!
Monday, 28 September 2009
Cadel you bloody beauty!
Cadel is the 2009 road race World Champion! Too bloody amazing!
After a year which bore some heartaches and some near misses, along with luck that, at times, would test anyone, at Mendrisio, Switzerland Cadel scores the biggest win of his career thus far.
24 hours after the final stage of the Le Tour, I'd thought Cadel's year was done and dusted, and that he should take a break to recover from the mental bust-up he'd clearly experienced.
The Vuelta proved his resurgence, with a hugely gutsy effort to claw back onto the podium after some less-than-average luck which cost him all but 9 seconds of the final gap between himself and the winner Valverde. After the melt down of Le Tour, that was truely a marvellous effort to turn around his year.
And now, with some wonderful support from his Australian teammates, and a huge move on the final climb up the Novazzano to break his rivals, Cadel climbs on the top of the podium and has gold hung around his neck atop the WC jersey. Pretty epic by anyone's standards.
Cadel and the Australian team, Oz salutes you!
Ride safe!
After a year which bore some heartaches and some near misses, along with luck that, at times, would test anyone, at Mendrisio, Switzerland Cadel scores the biggest win of his career thus far.
24 hours after the final stage of the Le Tour, I'd thought Cadel's year was done and dusted, and that he should take a break to recover from the mental bust-up he'd clearly experienced.
The Vuelta proved his resurgence, with a hugely gutsy effort to claw back onto the podium after some less-than-average luck which cost him all but 9 seconds of the final gap between himself and the winner Valverde. After the melt down of Le Tour, that was truely a marvellous effort to turn around his year.
And now, with some wonderful support from his Australian teammates, and a huge move on the final climb up the Novazzano to break his rivals, Cadel climbs on the top of the podium and has gold hung around his neck atop the WC jersey. Pretty epic by anyone's standards.
Cadel and the Australian team, Oz salutes you!
Ride safe!
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