FanPost

The Life of Cycling.


Hey guys! How ya all going?

I've been a bit 'All things Bike' burned out recently...kinda mirrors life in general so I decided a while ago to spend less time in front of the computer and more time being outside.

I had a really bad bike prang at the end of 2011 where only modern Auto technology and a lotta luck saved my life. With nothing broken, I got back on my bike within a month and on my second training ride went over the bars in a silly group crash and smashed my shoulder and my bike pride in one fell swoop. My girlfriend at the time had also had enough of my unpredictability and left me for one of the other guys in the peleton.

Oh well! I got back on a bike (first a three wheeler and as soon as I could two wheels) and managed to not only successfully rehabilitate a fucked shoulder sufficient to be able to keep my job but get my mojo back and just decide that 'all women are mental' :-) I also got very fit and rode the Three Peaks Challenge at the beginning of March in a respectable time on very little training.

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Then my bum started playing up and I was virtually diagnosed with cancer for a third time. Nasty polyps were cut out of my bowel and I had to have monthly tests to make sure they didn't show their ugly faces again. The tests really stuffed up my energy levels but I kept riding...generally too hard but I managed to find the balance again and was enjoying riding slow with a new girlfriend who also rode (but not as fast as the last girlfriend) :-)

Three clear tests and I was given a reprieve so I celebrated by heading over to London for the Olympics. I slept in my car to get all the best spots for the cycling races and got some great piccies, drank lots of beer, made lots of friends and didn't touch a bike for six weeks.

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Unfortunately my new girlfriend couldn't get over the fact that I'd deserted her so soon in our relationship and hated me when I got back and I wasted too much energy in redemption time and my brain got all sick again.

Oh well! I got back on the bike and had a few lovely trips including a lap of Tassie where I broke my derailleur hanger half way round so rode the rugged West coast of Tassie on a two speed...large quads were developed :-) Oh! All women are mental!

Then all the Lance and shit happened. I was training for Ironman Triathlons in '95 when TC hit me first and I had one nut for 5 years. I understand Lance in a way not all of us do. I lost my second nut in 2000 when I was again ready to do that Ironman and watched Lance decimate my little bald cycling hero from my near death bed after chemo didn't like me. I was involved in the early days of Lance's cancer community from that point on and no nuts is very very different to one nut but, as a cancer survivor and someone dependant on exogenous testosterone I struggled in my own hormonally deranged conscience for many years until I got my doping right....it was only then that I realised that I'd been blaming the wrong hormones for most of the shit that had been ruining my life. Add to that lifetime of denial and lies and you have someone in need of change. I did. It hasn't really helped me but it has helped me appreciate riding a bike more than ever. I've worked hard for the cancer community as a survivor but I've never doubted that Lance took performance enhancing substances...in fact, I've never really been a big fan of the man and the only thing I could blurt out to him when I did eventually get a face to face with his worship was 'you look fucked!' after he'd busted his ass for a few hours protecting an Ochre jersey a few years back. But...I don't hate Lance or feel cheated or hate cycling or charity...i'm just bored with the whole America and media and total bullshit. I didn't need to watch the interview, everyone from joe public to international agencies had already made my mind up for me...and most of them were right and wrong when the 'truth' came out.

Bored, bored, bored!!! I know...I'll get on my bike and check out my beautiful environment.

Anyway....I've seen just about every day of the Tour Down Under since it's inception. It's my race! But....to be honest until the day of the Classic on Sunday I'd decided to give it a miss. I'd taken enough leave last year so was rostered on shift for most of it. I didn't think I could spare enough time to give you the coverage both you guys and the Tour Down Under deserved. Anyway...there's enough online coverage now that we've been discovered.

But....in Adelaide, as a cyclist it's hard to avoid the excitement so I did take a wee sneaky peek at the Classic and took some lovely piccies.

Then....one of my lovely brothers (or sister) from PdC sent me an email to ask if I was OK. (thanks JFS) I hadn't forgotten you...just the enjoyment I got from selling my race to you guys in the first place so I decided to share the love once again.

Sadly.....after riding 120 on Tuesday in search of cycle art I felt obliged (as a Paramedic) to stop at an accident scene that happened in front of me. An old lady had turned in front of a bus and they'd hit pretty hard. I'd just led a big bunch down the gorge averaging well over 40 so was a little tight and when I bent down to offer assistance something in my back went twang....bugger!!

So...that's solved the work problem. I don't have any sick leave left so I hope it's not too bad but I won't be doing any riding. Still...I'll get on course today and see what I can do.

Here's the best of the last few days.

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Everyone catching up on off season gossip.

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And having fun.

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Greipl looks really German in this helmut...and it looks like Astana have a new sprinter. I love how the mechanics get to do laps.

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Everyone was having fun,,, I reminded Adam of something he'd said in his blog...very loudly :-)

Somebody asked my prediction....I said a break with a UniSA guy and Jensy in it.....and a Greipl win in a Sprint.

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Easy as!!

It got a little crowded on this corner.

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But the break held on for long enough for UniSA boys to get some cash.

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Just!

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Lotto boys look happy with their effort.

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GrrenEDGE...not so good!

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And my favourite picture of the night.

Some short fat old olympic and world champion getting a good photo....bitch!!

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More of Stages one and three when I get home from Stage 3.

Oh...stage 3 prediction.

I've seen both Martin Kohler and Stuey doing laps around this stage for over a month. Kohler doesn't have to protect his TL any more and GreenEDGE have only stages to go for so they'll both be in the mix. This stage will be last man standing today and I really don't see anyone fitter than the Big G after how he rode up Corkscrew in the drops yesterday. Whoever wins this Stage still might not necessarily win the race but they WILL be on hot form for the early season classics...Milan San Remo perhaps. UniSA will have someone in a break. I'll be sitting under a tree mobilising like an old, old man.

See ya later.