Oi 'Dutch!

"Who ewe want Jimmy?"

I know, i know. Its one of the biggest regrets in my life
(that and those twins back in '91, but i digress...)

I have always ridden, since I was a kid. lived in Holland for 2 years where Dad pointed me out the door on my new bike at the age of 4. Mum said, "can he ride?".
"Dont be daft woman, he's dutch!"

paper rounds, girlfriends in faraway suburbs, etc followed

Played cricket as a kid in Melb since about 8 and after a game in the under12s when I ran out 3 batsman, a friends dad suggested I tag along to Baseball during the winter.

Well ,that was it!
20-odd years of both winter and Summer baseball as a pitcher, a couple of season's working my way up to Double-A ball in the states ( the progression is College, A, AA, AAA, 'The Show' ) followed.
Played a bit in the ABL here for the now defunct Waverley Reds at VFL park.

Did my knee. Rehab was supposed to be swimming but it bored me witless staring at a black stripe on the bottom of the pool so went out and bought meself a roady again.

Marriage, kids, mortgage and all that...

Having slowly pegged back a good slab of the weight i gained after baseball, and getting up to some serious mileage and then the odd Audax, roundthebay, and 2 alpine classics, I finally got to the stage where i thought I could give it a rip without totally humiliating myself (underline the totally part...)

Im not a small lad and years of gym and being a lazy pitcher didnt help my VO2 any

My dad-inlaw is an ex-kiwi racer and my cousins are A-graders and ex speedskating olympians so have nagged me a bit since the Alpine

So here I am. gettin the nerves as I sit here, awaiting tonight's Dgrade Crit at Kew again, hoping to get to the next level.
IE Not getting dropped this time

Howabout you? wots youre story, morning glory?

G'day,

my story?....nuthin' as interesting as far off lands & strange sports!......I took up racing late in life as well, as a kid was the typical Oz kid, cricket in Summer & Footy in winter. Always had a bike, but never thought about racing or riding seriously. As with you, I got more seriously into riding after advice from a physio after some knee surgery.....a mate & I decided we would train to do the 1st 'round the bay'.......the rest is history, done 11 round the bays, 2 alpine classics, 2 peoples challenges & 4 You yangs (last 2 rides now defunct). Am absolutely addicted to racing as well....cannot get enough...weekdays are just the days between races!...you'll be the same, especially as you get 'race fit' & maybe get amongest the 'cash'. nothing beats the thrill of your 1st 'pay', even if it is only $10,....goodluck tonight...we'll expect a report tomorrow....suck that wheel baby,

cheers,

Hitchy

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Hitchy
goodluck tonight...we'll expect a report tomorrow....suck that wheel baby,

cheers,

Hitchy

Suck I will. Hopefully there wil be a wheel involved

Shall think good 'hippy-style' thoughts...

"flyingdutch" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

So here I am. gettin the nerves as I sit here, awaiting
tonight's

Dgrade

Quoted message said:

Crit at Kew again, hoping to get to the next level. IE Not
getting dropped this time

Hmm... 1:20 climb or Kew crit... or Blackburn's AGM?

hippy

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Hippy

Hmm... 1:20 climb or Kew crit... or Blackburn's AGM?

hippy

Kew Crit, Kew crit!!!

you can even have a go on my ergos...

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Hippy
"flyingdutch" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

So here I am. gettin the nerves as I sit here, awaiting
tonight's

Dgrade

Quoted message said:

Crit at Kew again, hoping to get to the next level. IE Not
getting dropped this time

Hmm... 1:20 climb or Kew crit... or Blackburn's AGM?

hippy

Geez hipster,

you're not seriously thinking about an AGM when there's racing or training to be done?....you looked out the window today?...better ridin' weather there aint!,

cheers,

Hitchy

"Hitchy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

you're not seriously thinking about an AGM when there's
racing or training to be done?....you looked out the
window today?...better

ridin'

Quoted message said:

weather there aint!,

No I'm not.. that was the funny part of the post ;-)

But I am still sore from the BRW.. 1:20 methinks.

hippy

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Hippy
[B
But I am still sore from the BRW.. 1:20 methinks.

hippy [/B]

that'll teach you to wear speedo-like gear!
should only be used as helmet cover during winter!!!

Where/what is this mythical 1:20???

Im guessing its either a hill or your alcohol/blood ratio...

Quoted message said:

Originally posted by flyingdutch
that'll teach you to wear speedo-like gear!

I told you dude, "tri-shorts"! :P
They're knicks, just with a thinner chamois.. Thank the
indecent exposure laws you'll never see me in speedos.

Quoted message said:

Where/what is this mythical 1:20???

It's the climb at the end of Mountain Hwy. From the
60k sign at the shops to the 60k sign at the top
(The Basin - Sassafras or Olinda?). Trent Lowe just
did a 13:02 up it (~7k) and my PB is 19:33. The last
three weeks I've been in the "my gran could climb
quicker" class.. I still blame the running. I'm not sure
if I should continue a little bit of running and hope my
body adjusts to it and gets stronger or if I should stop
running altogether...?

Quoted message said:

Im guessing its either a hill or your alcohol/blood ratio...

Unfortunately, it's a hill.

hippy