Need for Speed - Hot Pursuit

It was finally time to consider a return to something longer than a mad skid down sturt street, and a return to track racing was on the cards. I know that I could argue that I could do a skid down sturt street that would be longer than a track race, but it was a metaphor and it's time to move on.

By returning to the track I didn't do it by halves, not one night, but two nights and they were in a row. Thursday night was at the good old Ballarat velodrome, it even saw the return of the the Madison! For those not cycling inclined, the Madison (apart from being an Irish Girls name) is like a tag team point score on hallucinogenics. The basic idea is to try and get a lap on the field, one because it makes you feel good about your self and two because its so much safer away from everyone else. With a bit of luck Beth and I skipped away with the win, which was rewarding because my lungs were absent by the end. I was a bit embaressed when I was called the number one male track endurance rider, for someone who doesn't ride track and a year ago thought endurance was how long you stayed out on a friday night. Good to see young guys like Harry Bade coming in to some form, I know its a bit late for what they were aiming for, but they'll be riders to watch come crits and road season.

Friday night saw Ararat, now I know its a bit fresh driving all that way to race a track race, but I'm a well adjusted young gentleman who's open to new age philosophys....... In other words, I don't have a life or friends to spend my friday night with, so instead I choose to pay $5 to hangout with some trackies and eat KFC. But it was a good night, not having raced there in about 5 or 6 years, the first handicap they had me off 10m, it's fair to say they learn from that mistake and the next one I was the scratch rider chasing 55m, it sucked. Apart from Matt Smith continually trying to take me out with hooks and boxing me in, i was happy.

As for the title of this blog I always leave it until last, Saturday mornings bunch ride. It was a group I'd never ridden with before and as you'll find out, still really haven't ridden with. Saturday marked the last day, of the 3 days I considered myself a track rider. With the late finish at Ararat the night before, a 7:30 start was on for the bunch ride with the "turet group". Ballarat seems to have lots of wacky names for their bunch rides, unlike melbourne who are very descriptive, eg. the Beach Road Ride, North Road Ride, Fitzroy Cycles Bunch, Ballarat takes a more creative approach to bunch cycling. Groups like the Saxons, Yabbies, Turet, and other interesting specials give the rider a deeper sense of belonging.

Anyway it's fair to say that, my bicycle and I weren't well prepared, and may or may not of been late to the mornings ride. Being the pinnicle of calmness that I am at 7am I chose to put my bicycle together properly and chase them down. 30 seconds later I realised this was stupid, I couldn't be bothered and just did it finger tight. Unlike us, shannon had made the ride and was acting as my team mate in the bunch to sort out where I could catch them, these are shortened versions of the conversations.

Call 1 0745:
Shannon - We're heading along the railway line out in the White Swan Direction
Rob - Ok I'll come meet you

Call 2 0758:
Shannon - Ok we've actually turned towards dunnstown, we're now heading to gordon
Rob - Sweet I'm not to far Behind you

Call 3 0805:
Shannon - We're now heading towards Yendon to do the Nationals Time Trial Course
Rob - Ok we'll head through Navigators and cut you off

Call 4 0815
Shannon - We're in Gordon should be back dunnstown way later......
Rob - Shit

After this last development we decided to roll back in to town as someone had to go to work, then I'd chase solo.

Call 5 0855:
Rob - I'm at Dunnstown
Shannon - We're in Glen Park heading to White Swan
Rob - Shit

So I decided to bite the bullet and put the head down, time trial styles, including some cyclocross on some farm roads. And I finally met them at White Swan to endure the last 4kms of their bunch ride. Worth it!

The rest of the weekend saw very unexciting "ipod k's", those rides that drip by as your listening to the cure, and then you realise what your listening too, and how long you've been listening to it and the rides over. I have been know previously to of had the same song on repeat and not noticed for 2 hours, thought I'd heard it before, or that I was listening to power fm.

Thought I better finish this with a funny story, everyone knows the stereotypical BMX/Dirtjumper Teenager, well I had the pleasure of witnessing ones charm at Navajo Cycles in Ballarat, when one came in and engaged in coversation with Bike Guru Mountain Man Phil Orr. It went something like this

Kid "Hey, I cracked my frame"
PO "Ok"
Kid "You know what a crack is right"
PO "Pretty Sure"
Kid "oh ok"

Now I've typed it, it seems no where near as funny as it did at the time. I should mention that the conversation stopped briefly after that as I almost fell of the couch from laughing.

Obviously still not capable of linear thought patterns after nationals........