Started off in to a wicked headwind, concentrated on keeping the cadence nice and high and the gears nice and low which seemed to work quite well. A few more cyclists on Nepean Highway as you'd hope for on RTWD which resulted in a nice amount of banter back and forth.
There was one guy who was quite tasty who I chatted to at the lights. Like me he rides in every day but works in Port Melbourne. He very kindly offered me a tow down Nepean Highway. That's karma people, I helped an old lady at Spencer Street Station last week and the good vibes are swinging back.
Approaching North Road we had one [censored] toot us, normally I let that sort of thing go but today is RTWD goddamit! I sprinted up to the car which had stopped at the red lights, the lights were red when he tooted, rapped on his window and gave him a spray Dennis Pagan would have been proud of. I felt much better :-)
My kind benefactor (who I busted a gut keeping up with, must be the panniers; either that or he's much better than me...) turned off at Glenhuntly with my thanks ringing in his ears and off I went for the remainder of the ride. Met one young chap who's still at school, he's doing the RTWD to and meeting some school chums before heading to class. Get them while they're young :-) Ran across a few cyclists who were gumbying along side by side in the on-road bike lane. Of couse this means that the inside rider is in the deadly door zone, something needs to be done about that. It's just ignorance that causes cyclists to ride in the door zone.
Fed Square itself seemed a bit quieter than last year. I'm guessing the clouds and the headwind may have put some people off; some people just have no sense of adventure. Don't they know that the weather is what makes riding a bike such fun? No one ride is ever the same :-)
Hooked up with some work buddies and got my free breakfast. First RTWD that I've worn a cycling jersey to, it sure makes grabbing stuff a lot easier. Tucked in and noticed that one of the cyclists I'd passed on the road was wearing a 2002 ATB shirt so naturally started pumping him for info :-) Yes, he was on the 2003 one which I'm fast starting to suspect is akin to saying `Macbeth' to an actor. Ho hum.
A certain Dutchman was pressing the flesh for the upcoming BV elections; didn't see any other candidates there. Very dissapointing.
Had a good chat to Rob of Brunswick Street Cycles who's helped us out with stuff for ATB. With luck we'll get some BSC jerseys for the ATB ride.
There was a lady on the stage doing the master of ceremonies thing getting every day cyclists to parade themselves and their bikes around the stage. I think I'll ignore the advice about cycling in an Armani suit. She got annoying quite quickly.
I did see a flyer for something to do with Amy Gillet but didn't pick one up. Anyone know what that was about?
All in all I had fun but I think the turnout was a bit dissapointing. I hope the figures prove me wrong. I feel for the cyclists for who this is their first experience of riding to work. That headwind this morning was quite brutal, not the encouraging start you'd hope for a newcomer.
BV can book everything except the weather, that's life I guess :-)