02 November 2021
Well folks it’s the month of November again. That means the challenge is on to ride lots of kilometres for a cause. The cause is Movember.
This year I’m growing a moustache, and cycling 600kms, and walking my dog Manneke for 50km. Please take a look at my Mo space:
https://au.movember.com/mospace/13642554
Movember fundraisers are a global community of fired-up Mo Bros and Mo Sisters – aka rock stars making a difference in mental health and suicide prevention, prostate cancer, and testicular cancer.
Donations could help save a father, a brother, a son, a friend, a partner, a man’s life.
Group ride around Lake Burley Griffin
29 October 2021
Last Friday I rode with my two friends from DIGITAL days, Dave Knowles and Blair Phillips. We did a circuit of Lake Burley Griffin, Canberra’s ornamental lake. It is the centrepiece of our beautiful bush capital. Finally, after months of isolation, the ACT Covid-19 lockdown restrictions were eased enough to allow us to ride together more than 5 kilometres away from our homes.
Dave rode his Greenspeedrecumbent trike. Blair rode his Cannondale cyclocross bike, and I rode my Specialized Turbo Levo e-bike. We enjoyed a lovely sunny spring day. There was a bit of a north-westerly wind in our faces to deal with. So we decided to do a clockwise loop of the Lake, starting near the bird sanctuary at Dairy Flat at the East end of the lake. That way we’d enjoy a tailwind on the way back to our starting point.
Dave Knowles is 78. Dave has an impressive history of bike racing in England and Canada. He recently suffered from a badly broken ankle from a bike fall on the cycle path near Merimbula. He had to have pins inserted by the orthopaedic surgeon, and his recovery took many months, including physiotherapy closely supervised by his daughter Jane. So these days Dave’s newest toy and preferred mode of travel is his shiny yellow Greenspeed recumbent.
As Nature Intended
Our greatest joy on this day out was on a steep pinch near Black Mountain Peninsular when Dave was working very hard uphill. He suddenly exclaimed, “This is my BEST ride ever!” Dave credited Blair out-front setting the pace with his good time. He set a personal record for the Greenspeed of 17 km/hour.
Afterwards, we enjoyed coffee and a nice healthy lunch in a safe outdoors setting at As Nature Intended.
Afternoon Around Belconnen Bike Paths
I thought I would take the e-bike to get some kilometres done for Movember. Except, stupidly I didn’t switch on its motor. For a while I was thinking, these hills seem tougher today. Then I realised.
The remaining ride sections seemed easier 😜
Another excellent day at the Arboretum
03 November 2021
I met up with Blair at the National Rock Garden. He on his new Merida e-MTB; me aboard the trusty Mighty Steed.
Going into the Arboretum via a different entry point proved to be a novelty. It put a different emphasis on the choice of hills to climb.
We began by climbing up and over Wide Brown Land. Then we moved onto the lower loop on the western side.
Our run down the lower slopes towards the Molonglo was curtailed by some new road construction, meaning we had to cut out some sections, as well as ducking under flagging tape barriers. It was a little confusing. We finished off with a quick run around the top loop.
Then we road out to Curtin Shops for an outdoor coffee. A pleasant day was had.
Thanks Blair
Lake Ginninderra and Ginninderra Creek Circuit
06 November 2021
Getting the miles up for Movember.
I visited Steve on the way home. His recovery from knee surgery seems to be coming along nicely. We watched a bit of Crankworx in Rotorua. Caroline Buchanan was awesome.