When i'm not riding bikes, my preferred form of exercise is riding bikes. So it was no surprise on Friday that my back was giving me a bit of trouble after using my non-existent upper body to load corrugated iron on Thursday. So with that in mind i skipped riding for that day.
Over the last year or so my back has acted out a few times, and given it has usually coincided with periods of limited riding, my theory is that my body has reached a stable state which is upset by relaxed cycling muscles. In line with that, i went ahead with riding on Saturday morning, expecting only that it would do no harm, but as it turned out it actually completely settled things. Very pleasant!
I had limited time on my hands, so was only able to do 2 repeats of Gyndier Drive at Tinbeerwah. Gyndier Drive was closed to motor vehicles after the new road up Tinbeerwah was put in, and it is a wonderful community facility, well used by cyclists, skateboarders, joggers and dog walkers, all of whom somehow get along just fine.
It's popularity with cyclists was well evident on Saturday morning, as it was absolutely packed. This was a very good thing, as it gave me plenty of rabbits to chase!
Being only my first week back on the bike however my fitness was not at it's usual level, so while i went rocketing past every man and his dog on my first climb, it was a very different sight for run #2.
Over the last year or so my back has acted out a few times, and given it has usually coincided with periods of limited riding, my theory is that my body has reached a stable state which is upset by relaxed cycling muscles. In line with that, i went ahead with riding on Saturday morning, expecting only that it would do no harm, but as it turned out it actually completely settled things. Very pleasant!
I had limited time on my hands, so was only able to do 2 repeats of Gyndier Drive at Tinbeerwah. Gyndier Drive was closed to motor vehicles after the new road up Tinbeerwah was put in, and it is a wonderful community facility, well used by cyclists, skateboarders, joggers and dog walkers, all of whom somehow get along just fine.
It's popularity with cyclists was well evident on Saturday morning, as it was absolutely packed. This was a very good thing, as it gave me plenty of rabbits to chase!
Being only my first week back on the bike however my fitness was not at it's usual level, so while i went rocketing past every man and his dog on my first climb, it was a very different sight for run #2.
You know i said the other day that the first goal for the year was the Mooloolaba Tri? Well silly me i had forgotten the ACTUAL first goal, which is That Dam Ride down at Stanthorpe on the 8th of February. The inaugural event last year (my impressions here- http://www.bicycles.net.au/forums/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=71236&start=25#p1087550 ) was one of the most incredibly painful things i have ever put myself through but great fun all the same. This year there is a different course which i am told is "easier" but it's still 120kms with plenty of hills. Add at least one NRS pro rider participating and it's a safe bet it will be a very tough day in the office. So i need to get plenty of climbing in the legs over the next few weeks.
After that it was a busy Saturday morning of work at the pool shop. My specialty is repairing robotic pool cleaners, but i work on other equipment too. Unfortunately that means sometimes i have to deal with things like the Zodiac MX-8. The shop i work for doesn't sell them, so i feel at ease to heap scorn on Zodiac for allowing a toddler to do their R&D.
Honestly it's as though the designer's sole purpose was to come up with a cleaner that does the same job as any other cleaner, but with twice as many parts.
After that it was a busy Saturday morning of work at the pool shop. My specialty is repairing robotic pool cleaners, but i work on other equipment too. Unfortunately that means sometimes i have to deal with things like the Zodiac MX-8. The shop i work for doesn't sell them, so i feel at ease to heap scorn on Zodiac for allowing a toddler to do their R&D.
Honestly it's as though the designer's sole purpose was to come up with a cleaner that does the same job as any other cleaner, but with twice as many parts.
2 of those gearboxes, plenty of metal screws to rust and seize, and more bevel gears than you can shake a warranty form at.
Anyway, after finishing with that (and fitting my brother's new Pro-Lite wheels for him) it was off to get some more iron. It was pretty solid work in the "lovely" Queensland humidity but my back continued to behave itself. Then a quick bit of lawncare when i got to the farm before finally getting home around 7:30. A solid day that one!
Sunday didn't get off to the planned 5am start thanks to more rain, but in due course i was able to head out for 20kms of flat spinning at moderate effort. Then it was time to go down to Brisneyland for the first time in many months. Now to look at, Brisbane is kind of nice, but driving through it with the thousands upon thousands of dribbling imbeciles who presumably got their driver's licences from an Ekka showbag, is a really unpleasant experience. With some help from the refedex, Steve and my godlike patience, i managed to Do the To's on my To-Do List. Just as i was congratulating myself on such, and preparing to battle the mindless masses once more, my Brisbane based brother rang, at his wit's end with bike problems.
Anyway, after finishing with that (and fitting my brother's new Pro-Lite wheels for him) it was off to get some more iron. It was pretty solid work in the "lovely" Queensland humidity but my back continued to behave itself. Then a quick bit of lawncare when i got to the farm before finally getting home around 7:30. A solid day that one!
Sunday didn't get off to the planned 5am start thanks to more rain, but in due course i was able to head out for 20kms of flat spinning at moderate effort. Then it was time to go down to Brisneyland for the first time in many months. Now to look at, Brisbane is kind of nice, but driving through it with the thousands upon thousands of dribbling imbeciles who presumably got their driver's licences from an Ekka showbag, is a really unpleasant experience. With some help from the refedex, Steve and my godlike patience, i managed to Do the To's on my To-Do List. Just as i was congratulating myself on such, and preparing to battle the mindless masses once more, my Brisbane based brother rang, at his wit's end with bike problems.
Don't look at me like that, this stuff is free, what kind of quality were you expecting?
After a bit of head scratching i worked out the issue and said bike is now tickety boo again.
So i returned to the Coast for my usual pre work nap, and jumped up at 10pm full of optimism and energy. Tonight was the night i got myself some free kittens!
Well, no. Tragically, for the 4th week in a row, the kittens outwitted me yet again. But damn i got close, so close. I doubt the highly refined "get it in a corner and grab it" approach is going to work though, so i'm getting my hands on a trap (a humane one obviously).
And that's where i need to leave this post, stuff has happened between 2am Monday and now but i am very overdue to get some sleep, so toodle pip til tomorrow!
Fair Winds,
LDR.
After a bit of head scratching i worked out the issue and said bike is now tickety boo again.
So i returned to the Coast for my usual pre work nap, and jumped up at 10pm full of optimism and energy. Tonight was the night i got myself some free kittens!
Well, no. Tragically, for the 4th week in a row, the kittens outwitted me yet again. But damn i got close, so close. I doubt the highly refined "get it in a corner and grab it" approach is going to work though, so i'm getting my hands on a trap (a humane one obviously).
And that's where i need to leave this post, stuff has happened between 2am Monday and now but i am very overdue to get some sleep, so toodle pip til tomorrow!
Fair Winds,
LDR.