Park ... and ride

In preparation for the MS Gong Ride on 7^th November the team met up in Centennial Park on an overcast morning last Sunday for what turned out to be one of our longest training sessions ever.

Established in 1888, Centennial Park was originally a catchment area of swamps, sand dunes and springs. Home to over 15,000 trees, the cycling takes place for the most part on the Grand Drive, Sydney’s first public suburban drive, with a circumference of around 3.5km.

It was a solid ride–we’re calling it 45km in total.

Kudos to Dark Horse for cycling to, from and during the ride while trying to kill off the 'flu! (His total distance for the day must have been around the 60km mark.)

Centennial Park is a popular cycling destination, because it has a dedicated cycling lane and cars, all vehicles in fact, are limited to 30km/h. (Were it not so I’m sure we’d be climbing the hills at far greater speeds.)

This is the recommended pace for the climb up to the reservoir.

I lost count of the number of times we threw this climb into the mix.

Why so many climbs? 
Well, I'm so glad you asked. Here’s the topographical profile for the Gong Ride:

Hills are a key feature.
The key benefit of which is that after pushing yourself to the top, you can glide down the other side ... which we also practised on the day:

So, loins girded, this Sunday we take on one of the most challenging and gruelling, lycra-clad epics of human endeavour ever devised ... 

OK, a tad too much hyperbole there: but remember, it’s all for a good cause.

Until next time,

Pedal on!

Thunder Horse

Dark Horse's new bicycle ...

... not quite what we were expecting, but very tasty! Just what the doctor ordered after quick spins around Centennial Park. We fairly set it ablaze, covering just over 22km in what must have been a terrific time ... if only I'd been timing it. Anyway, very balmy weather, compared to the mountains; and we managed a couple of climbs for good measure.

In a very small way, it was our salute to the Tour de France 2010. (I did say small.) Although, we managed to swerve the cobble-stones, injuries, Pyrenees, tyre throwing, head-butting and overwhelming fatigue. Well, maybe not the fatigue.

Huge effort from Lightning Horse, having spent the past 3 weeks soaking up a veritable gastronomic degustation of Southern European savouries and then fighting off a lurgy on return to our wintry shores.

We were joined by 'Horse with no name', seen here murdering ginger bicycles by the thousand.

 

I, for one, was startled--and hungry! 

A handicap system may find its way into team management, as 'Horse with no name' is practically a professional cyclist, managing a daily Bondi--City commute. (Hyperbole? Moi?)

Haematite Horse was travelling well. The indoor trainer is clearly paying big dividends. Looks like Haematite and 'Horse with no name' didn't pick up on the Caisse d'Epargne reference in recent transmissions. Looks like red may feature heavily in team colours once contracts are finalised with a spectacular array of team sponsors. (What, more hyperbole? ... perhaps.)

Thanks to Dark Horse's better half for this pic!

Just on that topic - team colours - here's a site that, were we not sane fellows, might prompt the purchase of a batch of team-coloured bicycles: MojoBike.

And, finally, ever get that feeling you're being followed?

Until next time, Pedal On!

Thunder Horse.