Last Sunday was glorious weather. We thought we would mix things up a bit and decided to do a Hills and Beach (Surf n Turf) ride. We haven't done one of these for literally years. The Old Surf and Turf was up Nortons to the Hotel, Magill road, Park terrace, Port Road outer harbor etc,
This time the Director Sportif decided we should do the Foothills ride which we used to do Thursdays and the go down to Outer Harbor via Payneham road. The one issue with that otherwise brilliant plan was that not many of us actually remembered the route of the foothills ride. The result is best described as the "Route Surprise" as anyone who found themselves on the front didn't know what the route was in detail, just added bits on from their versions of the same ride.
The first detour (which i avoided) was up the ball breaking Heatherbank Terrace at Stoneyfell with further deviations getting to Glen Stuart road and finally detouring up to Black Hill park. All said its actually an improvement on the old foothills ride.
The only issue with Surf n Turf is getting back to Port Road as there are 3 hairy right hand turns but we managed it with a lot of group co-ordination and having and sweepers keeping me an a few other Captain Slow's bunched up. All that cat herding did lead to a bit of an issue later on at the Semaphore Road lights. Brian and Homburg obviously with bunch dynamics on the brain were on the front and saw the light about to change.
- its an easy pace keep the bunch together lets stop
- no we can make it roll
- hang on we have people off the back lets stop
- no its too late lets roll
- but the bunch is far too long lets stop
The result was a group stopped in the middle of the intersection, most of the bunch spread out to avoid them to about a thousand abreast and the did its best to avoid dogs and pedestrians on the far side and some even stopped at the lights. Director Sportif, Comissar and all the referee's agree it was a complete and utter shambles and not our finest hour. It does demonstrate the the need for us to get used to riding in the big bunch again.
We rolled into Evida's and obtained the required coffee and cake but Tobias was nowhere to be seen. He arrived a fair time later looking a whiter shade of pale and feeling sick. Fortunately it was just the dreaded "bonk" (wall) and he began to recover after some food and a few medicinal Cokes. So there is actually a use for Coke, I wouldn't have believed it. I have checked and Tobias felt much better after food and rode home slowly.
I didn't record the sprints. See you all Sunday.
