First ride of the year (yes, #lazy #fatbastard #slacker)

Part of my recovery from the meniscus op has been to go riding. It’s the part which I’ve been least successful at so far, but which I am determined to do more of. For starters, I need to lose at least 7kg, and I want to lose 15kg, to get me down to the 74-75kg range. When I get back to 80kg I’ll be able to fit into my suit, and more importantly, be able to wear some really awesome tailored Italian shirts I got in Firenze during our trip in 2005. There’s also a nice tailored jumper from Paris that I want to get back into come winter..

Then there’s the small matter of the Bicycle Queensland annual Coottha Challenge. I missed out last year because I was playing safe just before the arrival of A. This year, however, I will be doing that ride.

So yes, I’ve got motivation to get on the bike.

I was going to head off for a city ride via Dewar Tce at 7am, but A’s teething meant we were awake at 11pm and from 2-3, a rather rotten night. Managed to get out the door by 0830 when the temp was starting to rise, and rather than add the extra 10km of going via Sinnamon Park and Seventeen Mile Rocks Rd, I went along Ashridge Rd in Oxley.

While I appreciate the reasoning, I was mightily annoyed to see the traffic calming stuff at the intersection of Dewar Tce and Hilda St. Prior to today I’ve been able to get up to about 60km/h, but today … a mere 31.7km/h. Booooo.

I managed to get to my favourite cafe, Cup by about 10 – it was packed. It’s a small business which has been going for just on 3 years, and while I don’t like that sometimes I have to wait for my coffee I remind myself of the bigger picture – more customers points to operational longevity which points to it being there when I want a single origin expertly poured coffee.

From Cup I went through the Southbank Parklands where the artificial beach was packed full of screaming littlies, across the Goodwill Bridge and back home via the Bicentennial Bikeway. The work that Brisbane City Council has done on the Hale St East upgrade is tremendous, and it was a delight to ride back home. (Next time I’m going along that way I’ll try to get some pics to post).

It was also a delight to be able to hop in the pool with the family when I got back. And since today is proving to be so hot, we might have another dip before dinner, too.

Summary, via my Garmin 705:

  • Distance 51.97 km

  • Time 2:30:56

  • Average Speed 20.7 kph

  • Calories 2,363 C