round and round AARC

There was a little break in the order of "the hairy leg brigade". No we all stayed "hairy" it is just that I did not join the rest to head down Beach road like every other weekend but took part in a race at the Australian Automotive Research Centre, AARC. It was one of a series of road races that is organised by the Carnegie Caulfield Cycle Club, CCCC.

The field was split up into grades from A through to E for juniors. As I had not raced for a while I chose to join about 14 other riders in D grade. We were the last to be let off for our 60 km race consiting of 1 hill lap under control 6 flat laps and 4 hill laps. The group was varied from 14 year olds all the way to their fathers. Only one guy was willing to work on the initial flat stages. We all let him sit out the front, every one conserving their energy for the hills that were comming.

The sun was shining and the riding was as boring as hell. The terrain very similar on the loop. I looked down and watched my shadow circle around me every 8 minutes as if I were a sun dial. It was my only way of knowing where I was in relation to the start finish line. As the shadow spun below my wheels comming from the right, around the front and to the back of me again, I began to get dizzy. I took a sip from my water bottle and finaly we hit the last lap and the turn off for the hills.

The start was a downhill, not too steep at 5% but with sharp corners. This being a closed road let us all relax and take the corners wide knowing that there is no cars around the corners. We hit the climb. I settled into my pace and shot through to the front. I did not want to make a show of my condition too early but it just felt so natural, and it felt so good, as if I was a pro heading up the peleton on a climb. The only problem is that it is not usually the winner who takes the lead this early. People started to drop off and we were down to 6 at the end of the climb. On the next time through again I found it easier to sit out the front and we dropped down to 4. At the end one of the other guys accelerated 20 meter off my front. I did not react. Problem was I could not react.

A briged the gap at the top and it was 3 of us with 2 hills to go. I knew that I was in trouble. The penultimate climb gave the other 2 riders a sizeable gap which I never closed. On the last lap I could still see them, make out that they had carbon bikes, shaved legs, these guys were serious. C grade came by me with who I could almost hold, they did not make contact with my competitors on the up hill. I rolled in in 3rd, $45 for the place.

A hill for everyone

Well almost, there was just too many riders that turned out at 5 to 6 am for the morning "tour of the suburbs" ride. Bike lights were flashing and it was off up the first rolling hill. Up in the sky the waning crescent of the moon next to a bright Venus lead the way to the first climb of the day.

A little bit of jostling for position and they started up the hill to Doncaster Shops. Damian was out the front with Joel, Michael just watching who was going to make a move, Andy was just happy to be out riding. As the three leaders reached the crest of the first part of the climb, Damian put down the hammer and teasingly left Joel behind shaking his head.

Michael stayed on Damian's wheel and did not move up on the flat section. Damian brought the speed down to try and judge the next move of his companion, but Michael just stayed in his shadow, looking down to see just how many gears he had left. Damian took a few deep breaths to control his breathing and asked "what is that over there?". Michael tried hard not to show how hard he was working and answered "the golf course" followed by some deep breathing. Damian was on his lowest gear as the 2 riders reached the bottom of the next steep section. Michael was away and the Doncaster hill was his.

The riders regrouped and it was off down Williams Road. A couple of sets of traffic lights and then a steep downhill followed by the steepest up hill of the day. Michael lead the group out with everyone hiding in his wind break. Just as the hill turned towards the sky, Michael clunked into a lower gear and this was the time for Damian and Joel to attack. Damian took a clear lead at the top.

The next section of road allowed for a bit of speeding with Michael hitting 86 km/h. The riders regrouped and started talking up the handicap settings for the final ascent. Damian said

"I'm knackered" the others translated this as

"I am so bloody ready for the next hill after my unmistakable win on the last mountain where I had to have both brakes on just to stop me from flying out into space"

and so the handicap was set, Andy to go at 90 seconds, Joel to follow at 60, Damian at 20 and Michael at scratch. Michael and Damian leveled at the last lights which held them back a bit but still they could not catch a powerful Joel who took the win clearyl with over 10 seconds on scratch, that is 10 seconds better then the previous 2 weeks.

The sun rose and the riders rolled down the last few hills. It was a good ride had by all. The group split up with the riders all heading for their favourite shower spots. Andy may have even managed to get home in time to have breakfast with his kids.

Out in force

It was a cool start on the autumn morning this Sunday. The hairy legs no doubt helped warm us up and for the first time ever a full team turned out, all marvelous 8 of us. Nadia showed some objection, being the only girl, not that shaving would lead women to sexual dimorphism in bike circles, and felt that our name "hairy leg brigade" did not make full inclusion of her. Michael countered this by the fact that he had brought a camera and there would be cycling photos once again, Nadia cheered and we all rode off down beach road.

We were a lot more settled in pace then in previous weeks when tail winds blew our group appart. We arrived at Mordialloc almost all together, with Alex once more powering over Michael in the sprint to the lights. More surprisingly, our average was up on previous weeks peeking just over 31 km/h. The photos were taken in very orderly fashion in 2 rows as if we were in high schoool. For Nadia the photo was enough and she was off back to the city to play soccer. The rest of us were off to Frankston.



It was all easy going on the way out. We kept the group together and made sure that none of us dug too deep into energy reserves. It is one thing to climb My Everest and another thing to climb back down. It was going to be a long trip back. This was in the back of our minds as we reached the Mountains, all 60 meters of Oliver's hill. Andy thought that one hill was not enough and decided to wait at base camp and climb the golden arches instead. Bets were placed and we all took it cautiously throught the slow controlled section of downtown Frankston.

The final lights turned green and the moves started comming. First was Alex, droppoing off the front and onto the wheels of his rivals. Michael was out the front taking it easy. All eyes were on Damian, and rightly so. As soon as the hill began, Damian shot to the front. Everyone was searching for gears they didn't have. Barely sitting on his wheel, Michael corrected his course to turn left up Hope's rise. This threw Damian off just enough for Michael to take the lead and power out of the saddle and gasping for air to be the first on the hill. Alex 2nd and a chirpy Damian 3rd saying that he still had 3 gears left.

It was a solo ride down the hill for everyone and Ralf managed a big smile on the photo. We regrouped at base camp to the smell of Andy's coffee and muffins. Now it was the trip back. We formed a nice long echelon protecting us from the wind, each rider rolling off the front as they had made their contribution to the cause. Everyone seemed to enjoy this and it worked well, everyone taking their turn at the front and then relaxing in the wind break of the group. The cause, of course was coffee at Kennedy's.

As we went by Mordialloc again, the coffee smell must have wafted over the bay and the speed started to creep up. One by one the riders droped off. It was down to 3 on the final straight to the rest stop with Joel putting in a comendable effort. It was Richard's turn to buy coffee, and what good coffee it was. After coffee, we were all tired and it was a bit of every man for them selves. A fast group went by being led by a female that would have been quite at home with our group's name. We all tried to jump on. And as much as we could we held onto her all the way back to the start. We were splintered across all of beach road. Slowly we rolled in one by one.

We were all tired but enjoyed the day tremendously. A cheerio and a slow ride home for a bit of B&B, beer and bath.

The hairy leg brigade

Is that not all men? well not when you judge your manliness by how fast you can propel yourself on 2 wheels. Why cyclist's shave their legs is a mystery to me as well, is it for aero dynamics, for recovering from gravel rash in one of those classic Tour de France spills, or for the massage at the end of the ride. I would most agree with the massage but as I have no one to give me one I choose to cycle 'al natural', in God's image (Genesis 1:27), with my hair on my legs.

What about women, well they were created with hair on their legs. Let them ride hairy legged for it is good too.

What of this brigade then? you may ask. They were created through the confluence of a great advertising empire, a nurturing bosom which is their life blood, at the least it pays the bills even if it will not clad the brigade in a uniform :( . This brigade shall ride forth on weekends, and some week days, as long as the weather is good, and each ride shall have a coffee break. We see this is good, so we shall keep doing this. And if you happen to meet us on the trail or road, say hi and hammer just a little bit faster.