Training Log Archive: dreamweaver

Joined up with the scheduled practice ride at Forrestfield so that we could finalise arrangements for our escort duties in early March. With the Gateway roadworks complete and the shiny new PSPs in place, Green group can now start with everyone else at Bassendean and ride through to Forrestfield without impeding Tonkin Hwy traffic. Having sorted out the details, I rode back with the group to the obligatory coffee stop. The Dome on West Road near Bassendean Oval coped remarkably well with 30 noisy riders descending on them (they had been warned). Not sure that the locals who might have gone there for a leisurely breakfast were that impressed. This year's ride from Bassendean to Busselton (raising funds for Canteen) is booked out, so should be worth the effort.

That was a comedy of errors. The mob headed for #12 so I thought I'd be clever and do the coastal strip first. Couldn't find #28 in the sea of kids at the playground, couldn't find #3 in the carpark confusion, finally found a flag on the boardwalk further north and was grateful it had the right number (104) on it. Followed the wrong path for a while trying to get to #5, skipped # 9, 10 hoping that there were enough accessible controls further south (wrong). Eventually settled down and cleaned up the south end but had to go back north to get #10, 9, 3, 28 and 12 on the way in. (A nice lady at the playground #28 had to tell me where the flag was!). Pretty shambolic effort all told.

C • Playground 1

Warmish morning with liftoff at Mill Point - down the freeway, across the Canning bridge and along the Canning River to Lo Quay via My Henry. Good turnout with no mishaps and only a moderate amount of grumbling about the SE headwind (well breeze actually - more useful for cooling than actual impediment). Usual extended coffee / chat session after quick service at Lo Quay.

Return ride along the north side of the Canning River to Mt Henry, south across the bridge then back way we started. Bit of excitement around Clontarf - had seen a helicopter flying low over the river and then we come up to a security guy who redirected us off the path and through the streets for a short way. Turns out the helicopter was spraying the swampy areas on the edge of the river, trying to control mosquitoes (good luck with that). Should be grateful they didn't consider poisoning a dozen old cyclists as acceptable collateral damage. Rest of the trip back was uneventful although having the breeze at our back made for a very warm trip up the freeway. Total for the day of nearly 35 kms.

The big event! Dunc had put in a huge amount of effort riding and drawing all the trails and producing a really decent map of the area around the camp and up the main hill of the MTB park. Richard B then set an 11 control course which sent us up and down and back and forth across the map. Naturally I forgot to turn my watch on until #1!. I was an early starter and so most of the quicker ones passed me at some stage - some of them several times as my navigation skills offset their pace in the trickier areas. Really hard work but very enjoyable.
Usual bit of grumbling about the map which I thought was grossly unfair given the time available and the complexity of the trails. Hopefully some of discussion in Dunc's presentations relating to the compromises involved in the detail vs available paper trade-off will come home to roost with a bit of reflection.
Terrific weekend with a lot of effort put in by Alison, tRicky, Duncan and Richard to make it happen. Thanks to everyone for a very enjoyable time.
My bike odo says I did 41.2 kms in total over the weekend - doesn't seem like much but my old body is saying it was more than enough :-)

C • Grumbling 4