Back on the Bike

I know that I bang on a bit about bikes but its a lifestyle thing since I was a toddler. My folks told me I rode a bike before I could walk. I had this little circuit in the house where I would sprint up the hallway and around into the dining room via the sitting room and back up the hallway. The woodwork was chipped on the edges from my constant falls. Things don't change!!!!!! I still fall off.

How true is this statement.

After four weeks since my fall when I fractured two ribs, I had my first real training ride. It's the depths of winter here in Bayside Melbourne. I donned the thermals (7 degrees) for a 6.00 am start at the corner to meet the guys for the Saturday ride. We actually start before the main 7.30 am group for the extra kms but enjoy a stop along the way at a dedicated cyclists cafe - strangely called Cafe Racer.

Many of the cycling fraternity begin and finish their rides rides from Cafe Racer in St Kilda. Its about 20 odd kms from our starting point and a great place for a coffee and croissant. The walls have photos on the walls, all of a cycling theme - Eddy Merckx of Belgium is a favorite of all. There's the old time photos of the early Tour de France riders having a ciggie or a swig of French wine from the bottle.

Even our local Melbourne newspaper ran stories on the TdF and cycling generally while the Tour is in progress.

OK, now back to me - I can't tell you how good it was to be back out there on the bike with like minded friends - cold it was but the friendships within the sport are warm. PS: 70 kms for the today, a good start.

Motorbikes and Bicycles

On Friday I promised something about motor bikes. Its connected with cycling "naturally". I'm currently restoring a pre-war motor pace bicycle. These particular bicycles were used to pace behind huge specialist motor bikes at speeds exceeding 60 mph (100 kph) on great big saucer banked tracks.

Somehow out there in cyberspace, my restoration came to the attention of a person who was restoring a pace motorbike that quite possibly (or not) may have paced my bike. My bike is from the pre-war period - the motor bike was in action up until 1955. It is a 1919 Excelsior Big X and has an illustrious history of motor pacing over many decades of Australian cycling between the two world wars and a little after.

The frame is now repainted as it was when it was built. It is of a per-war  period and most likely raced at the Melbourne Motordrome and later at the North Essendon board track after World War II.

The Bob Findlay 1919 Excelsior Big X pace bike that led great Australian cyclists such as Hubert Opperman, Fatty Lamb and many others to victory at speeds in excess of 60 mpg.

The Excelsior has been meticulously restored for the second time in the hands of the owner David Kimber.
David bought it many years ago from the original owner Bob Findlay who he says was like a Grandfather to him. They were neighbours.

The very long handlebars enabled the rider to sit well back. The rider, wearing overalls would leave them open so that the wind would be caught and balloon out the overalls. This gave the rider behind greater wind protection.

A fully restored motor pace bicycle was on show behind the Excelsior to illustrate how the combination of bike and motorbike interacted on the big saucer tracks. This bike was owned by a friend, Eric Bishop. What is so special about this example is that it belonged to Eric's father.

Pictures from the Past

The Melbourne Motordrome where Bob Findlay excited capacity crowds with dare devil cyclists  at speeds exceeding 60 mph.

It was a great afternoon being invited to David Kimber's special moment of the relaunch of the Bob Findlay Excelsior big X motor pace motorcycle. Maybe I can one day ride my pace bicycle behind his motorcycle pace bike.

Mellow Yellow

This week has been a mellow yellow week with spring sprouting yellow every where I go.
It brought back memories of Donovan Lietch's Mellow Yellow. I was a bit of a Donovan fan back in the 60s. Think I might listen the Album again - now where is my turntable?

Donovan's 60s album cover - Mellow Yellow

As I came off the freeway I was hit with yellow flowers by the roadside.

And then as I drove to the office/warehouse the wattle trees were covered in yellow blossom.

Even the car park at work was yelling yellow at me.

And as I walked thru the front doors, I'm confronted by yellow again.

But it was Friday and we were about to embark on a weekend. What would our two days of rest offer. Sue is retired but she has recently employed as a relief teacher - it helps with our passion for travel.

Her form of relaxation is to invite friends for dinner and cook up a storm - mine is to ride my bike.

This weekend we both satisfied our passions. Sue invited friends Denise and Darren around for Pizza. They thought it would be "order in", but no, not with Sue. She loves to prepare her own from making the Pizza base to adding lots of great fillings.

Sue makes the pizza dough.

The ingredients - mushroom, pumpkin, peppers, zucchini and tomato with more to come.

Add some prosciutto, spinach, artichoke hearts covered with grated cheese.

And out of the oven ready to devour.

Sue's simple easy to prepare pizza with good company and good wine. Just a casual Saturday night.

My personal weekend was highlighted by being inducted into the Bayside Bandido, mid-life cycling gang's Lycra Legend select group. Now I need to say that this is a very select group of cyclist, we are all 60 plus.

My new Lycra Legends jersey.

http://baysidebandidos.blogspot.com/

This link to the Lycra Legend celebrations

And the close-up.

And that was our weekend - tell us about yours???

The Annual Melburn Roobaix

MELBURN - ROOBAIX 2010

Yes, that's the way they spell it - it's a play on the classic bike race, the Paris Roubaix over the cobble stones of northern France. I know I can be boring about bikes but this Sunday was sooo much fun.

Here in Melbourne, our classic is run over the bluestone cobbles of the back lanes of Melbourne's suburbs and finishing at the old Brunswick concrete velodrome. The above pic is the promotional poster for this annual event - the third so far. It attracts a weird and wonderful group of cycling enthusiasts.

The real classic had been won by the Belgium rider Roger DeVlamnick several times under the sponsorship of his team Brooklyn Chewing Gum. My cycling buddy Dazza and I both have reproduction Brooklyn jerseys and we thought it would be fitting that we ride these in our cobblestone classic.

We even thought of entering under the name of "the Rogers"as a tribute.

Peter (Nancy Boy) and Lawrence were vying for the most interesting couple - I personally thought they would be winners. Kiwi was in charge of directions.

As it happened, Dazza was suffering from a HUGE hangover and forgot his Brooklyn jersey.

The boys, Kiwi (here's from NZ) and Al look over this year's instructions over a pick me up coffee.

It wasn't long before Daggy Dazza lost interest and took in a few ZZZZZZZs

No Aussie event is complete unless there is a beer bar available and this one was a mobile bar.

The cobblestones in the laneways of Melbourne.

And that's me in my Roger jersey.

The finish, just like the Paris Roubaix finishes on the velodrome.

Here we are at the finish with a few friends in the background. from the left - Kiwi, Leaping Leon, Big Al and Daggy Dazza. The old velodrome holds some very special moments for me in my past racing history but being so humble, I can't document them all here................

This couple won the prize for, well the Best Couple. I spoke to them at the velodrome and asked if "in those short sleeve JERSEYS were they FRESIAN in this cold weather?" And that's enough of my COW jokes.

My mate Phil was the "Hat check out chick" looking after our bikes as we enjoyed a few beers.

What a great Sunday we had on the cobbles of MELBURN.

The Amy Gillett Foundation Ride

On Sunday I rode with friends in a charity event for the Amy Gillett Foundation. Amy was a member of the Australian Women's cycling squad and while they were training in Germany, a young lady who had not long had her licence, drove into the training group.

All sorts of riders participated from serious racing cyclists to five riders on this pink extended bike.

Most of the squad were hurt in some way. Amy was killed. This was the same year that our World Champion, Cadel Evans was prominant in the Tour deFrance a few years back. Since then, he has been a staunch advocate of the Foundation. He was on the ride Sunday in his World Championship Jersey.

Amy's husband, family and many friends organise this annual ride to promote road safety awareness to both cyclists and motorists.

It was a good day with over 3000 cyclists contributing more than $300,000 to the foundation. Some were lucky enough to ride the 120 km course with some of Australia's top cyclists including Cadel.

After the ride we enjoyed calamari and chips washed down with a cool beer, Peroni of course, and the view, well there it is below.

The ride starts and finishes at Geelongs Eastern Beach, a great spot with a great view across Corio bay within Port Phillip bay. The weather was sunny in the mid 20s. I must do a story on Geelong as it has a rich history with some interesting architecture.

 

After the ride we were entertained by "real" racing cyclists in the Bay Criterium Series. Several of them use this as an early training program for their European campaign for 2010. Two of today's riders, Robbie McEwan and Baden Cook are past Green Jersey winners in LeTour.

I'm back at work now so I'll revert back to my weekly installments unless I get inspired mid-week.