@Marcus You see those lumpy things in the photo? They’re called “hills”. Apparently there was one in Australia once but you dug it up and sold it to China.

Nope, we’ve kept them all in Tassie. Much as I enjoyed Wellington with rides heading over Haywards and the like they don’t match a Mt Wellington loop.

Wholeheartedly agree, environment is crucial to ride aesthetics and personal motivation. Example: lived in Tsawwassen, could leave my apartment and be on quiet, farmy roads inside 3 minutes. Herons flapping out of ditches, a handful of like-minded tough old bastards out giving me a nod/wave/hello, and essentially zero life threatening incidents in 8 years.  Result: always out there, crushing it, all the time.

Since moving, I’ve yet to really enjoy a morning ride. The nearest intersection is heralded by sirens at least twice a week, summonsed to pry victims from wrecks and kitty litter spilled oil, and it’s just a tiny feeder road meeting a minor traffic tributary. I dread putting myself in harms way here in the morning. Every vehicle seems piloted by an idiot. Evening rides are better, but still, I have to wait until the coast is clear, like a fucking rodent avoiding hawks who kill without hunger. Such a drag. Result: sitting here, typing, pissed off.

@frank Interested you think it will be tough. I’ve actually been thinking it will be more of sprinters’ worlds. Depends on where they put the finish line of course, but from the meeting I’ve been to I understand they are going going to keep it a circuit exclusively within the city limits. If they’re really sinister you’re right they could make it a little tough, but most of the hills around here are glorified rollers as far as pros are concerned (I think). The only major hill I think they will use is 7-8% and less than a km long.

So how much floor space do you have for the Velominati to crash on during the Worlds?

@brett Salvation Coffee

Yep, gotcha…

Ah, I think I just worked out who you are! You’re in the coffee business too, right?

@piwakawaka

@brett born and raised…

Did you have anything to do with the Rule #56 sign on the sespresso machine in iRide?

Ah, “espresso”machine.

Well, you should be riding with us!

@brett born and raised…

Did you have anything to do with the Rule #56 sign on the sespresso machine in iRide?

You’re in Wellington?

And, just like Louisville with CX Worlds, I’m sure Richmond will do great as well. Its a great location – I’ve been there a few times – and if the organizers are as sinister as I hope they are, they can make a pretty tough route.

Cheers, and welcome to our community!

The VMH kinda twisted my arm into taking part in a charity/fun relay race happening on Saturday. I’ll be the cyclist leg, during which I also have to pit stop to eat some local food.

Pretty weird fascination with food in the U.S. these days – t.v. shows are either about losing weight because you ate so fucking much for so fucking long, or about how to cook like a professional (stop referring to chicken and fish “protein,” you stupid arsehole with a food blog), or a challenge to see how much you can eat. Can’t I just eat afterwards? I’d enjoy it more instead of having to chug it down.

Its funny, I train alone 99% of the time; my work schedule, responsibilities here, and family (in that order) mean I ride when I carve a hole for it in my schedule, which is not usually when a group ride is planned.

Group training with friends is also something I admonished long ago when I got serious about sport due to the inherent competitive nature, or even the fact that you’ll naturally wind up riding at different speeds, or get tired at different times, or want a coffee at different times.

Even now that I’m not serious about sport from a “become a pro” perspective, I’m still inclined to do all my serious training alone – less distractions, 100% focus on what I need or want, when I need or want it. But its also hard; I have to find the motivation in only one source: me. It amplifies my love for it, it amplifies my disdain for it.

But I love the group ride for the social aspect and just to kick it with others, but I’ll rarely get into the competitive side of them – save it for Race Day, I used to say. Convenient now that Race Day is usually just a few days a year, not every week. Old habits die hard. Which isn’t to say I won’t go hard in a group ride; its just that I’ll only go hard when I feel like it.

That said, a week like Keepers Tour is beyond awesome. Riding with people who are first strangers and then friends is a journey I wouldn’t miss for anything in the world. Bretto and I just commented today on the daily withdrawl we’re still going through.

Whether your environment is you or strangers, or friends, bikes manage to always be the needle carrying the thread between them.

VLVV.

http://escapevelocity.bc.ca/tuesday

Wednesdays are good too. Structured training at the velodrome. Velodromes, track bikes, skin suits and all of that are compliant with the Rules, right?

In the winter on Fridays we have races at the velodrome too.
http://www.burnabyvelodrome.ca/friday_night_racing.php

The only reason I lost weight rather than gained it is because of that damned velodrome. Was there for 1.5 hours last night as the weather rapidly deteriorated outside.

Classic.  My “mental” cycling season officially began last weekend.  100km ride in 35C.  The first ride with the beginnings of summer thirst – went through two bidons of fluid.  Finally getting to try out the Defeet ICE base layer.  Review to follow once I put it through a few more rides.

“But it’s a dry heat!” I feel you, though. Here in Florida we’re coming into full-on “ride wet from minute 3” season. I’ll still take it over riding in the cold wind!

Sometimes I feel
Like I don’t have a partner
Sometimes I feel
Like my only friend
Is the city I live in
The city of Angels
Lonely as I am
Together we cry

I drive on her streets
‘Cause she’s my companion
I walk through her hills
‘Cause she knows who I am
She sees my good deeds and
She kisses me windy and
I never worry
Now that is a lie

I don’t ever wanna feel
Like I did that day
Take me to the place I love
Take me all the way
I don’t ever want to feel
Like I did that day
Take me to the place I love
Take me all that way (yeah yeah yeah)

It’s hard to believe
That there’s nobody out there
It’s hard to believe
That I’m all alone
At least I have her love
The city she loves me
Lonely as I am
Together we cry

That’s right. Winter is almost on you “down under”. I dream of visiting NZ someday. Originally for the climbing, but more and more for riding.

On a side note, today’s weather in the PNW:

Great evocative article @Brett.  I was only commenting the other day with a cycling buddy how life has become so much easier now that the full winter regalia has been put to bed for the summer up here…although the weather forecast here today looks a bit changeable!

Some people need an event or a target to get themselves through these periods.

I’ve always found the group ride is good motivation in itself. I’m happy to work at whatever pace the group wants, but if they choose to enter the pain cave I want to have plenty of matches to burn, and a few spare to put under other saddles.

The consumer confidence index needs a new metric, whether or not theyve been on a bicycle in the past weeks.

Nice timing for me, as just the other day I was realizing I live in the best cycling environment I’ve ever lived in, since I’ve been a Follower. First a conurbation that was hard to claw beyond, then a mix of suburban choking and silent country roads, and now an excellent combination of a small city that has an “esplanade” type strip, but is easy to get beyond, and some incredible rural riding. Add to that the nice amount of fellow cyclists, from weekend funsters to full-onsters, and group rides on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday…and I’m all set. On my long ride Saturday, when I hurt a bit near the end, I still felt lucky to live in such a good place to be on the Velominath.

When I was there I sadly always drove from Titirangi to Piha. Some day in my life I’ll get to do that ride on a bicycle.

On a side note, today’s weather in the PNW:

Why oh why no opportunity to edit something as simple as hear for heat?

They’re hanging out with you for starters (ba doom tish.)

Nice article and nice pic though.