Back in the saddle

Yesterday, we went for the first ride since the 'accident' at Bottle Lake. Logan had done some training on the indoor bike and declared is loins to be girded. I was doubtful, but figured it was about time we did some road miles, so we loaded up and rode the road, heading for the rough, bumpy, uneven, lumpy, erratic, jarring and speed-sucking surface that is the river bank road.

What makes this an interesting ride is the surface - it moves between gravel to river stone to deep wheel sucking rocks to sandy to hard packed and occasionally you make a wrong turn and end up in the river, or at a dead end, or heading down a 4x4 track with enormous muddy puddles and no idea if there's a vehicle coming the other way. Oh, and horse poo everywhere, damn horses.

What does irk me tho, is that there is no way to get under the motorway bridge on foot (or on bike) which is a shame, as if you could, you would be able to get from McLeans Island to Bottle Lake in a circuit, making a nice, almost completely off-road ride for over 50km. But, for reasons unknown, be it design or topography, you have to turn tail at the bridge and head all the way back.

While this road/track is not a awe inspiring ride, it has a couple of advantages.
1. there are no hills bigger than a stopbank.
2. This is just the kind of surface we will be experiencing in a few weeks time for the Rainbow Rage.

eek - the Rage is only a few weeks away - 21st March. We have accommodation all sorted now, nice and close to the start line (a real lucky find) so we should be fresh and well rested for the short 106km jaunt to Hanmer Springs. We have no predictions on our time yet, more training for hills and distance before we start that discussion in earnest. Our training is now 2-3 rides a week together, and 2-3 indoor training sessions each week too. Hills are still an issue, but we know what we have to do, so it's just doing it now. Hills. Yay. Expect to see me gasping and panting and retching on a hillside near you soon!