Spring Cycle

I managed to wheel my carcase out the door a few weekends ago and participate in the Spring Cycle. It's a 50k ride from North Sydney to Homebush which usually attracts 8000 - 10000 cyclists. It's a very family friendly kind of ride - fairly flat, through the back streets of the suburbs and none too fast.

Which was a bit annoying. I managed to crank it up to 50km/h on the flat the other day (with a good tailwind) and I am used to a fast cruise of about 35km/h (with no wind on the flat). Riding at sub-20km/h speeds is so slow, I just about tip over.

The ride was supposed to kick off around 9am, so I cycled over to North Sydney from our place, picked up my number and headed off. Of course I registered at the last minute, meaning that the organisers did not have time to post me my number. Me and about 4000 other cyclists, judging by the number I was given. People are just so last-minute these days. A lot didn't even manage to register on line before the event - they just rocked up on the day and paid and got a number.

One reason I wanted to do the ride is because it went over the Harbour Bridge - in the eastern most lanes. It's not often that you get to ride where the cars normally go. I have done it once before on a Critical Mass "take over the streets" type ride, and wanted to do it again.

I hope I never have to do it again, as I almost ripped my tyres apart on the expansion joints. The joints are fine if you have big fat moutain bike tyres, but are hell on skinny little road bike tyres like mine. I almost stopped at each joint, dismounted and then carried the bike across. Thanks RTA, you really are a pack of pricks.

After the bridge, the ride meandered around The Rocks and then Pyrmont and then over the old Glebe Island Bridge - this is a swing bridge that sits just below the ANZAC bridge. I had never ridden over it before, so it was nice to take the low road rather than my normal high road. It all turned pear shaped shortly after - the RTA had blocked off half a lane of Victoria Road for the cyclists to use, and about 1,000 cyclists in my group all tried to get through a set of lights and then squeeze into this half a lane, which was blocked off with those big red and white portable barriers. It was mayhem. I guess no one computer modelled that intersection before the ride. Well, I guess they couldn't as the RTA doesn't seem to want to acknowledge that bicycles exist, so they are probably banned by CEO fiat from all models and computer systems.

From there, we wandered through our suburb and then out towards Homebush. I say "towards" as the organisers made full use of all the newly built bike and walking tracks along the Parramatta River. I have no idea where we went - I was lost after the first river crossing. We seemed to go back and forth across the river a few times and then around and around in some big circles. After a few kilometres, I was wishing for a handlebar mounted GPS. It was like one of those games where someone sticks a bag over your head and then spins you around a few times. When we finally stopped, all I knew is that I was somewhere within the Homebush Olympic Precinct, and I had no idea how to get home. The big circuits meant that we probably cycled 15 kms to advance 2 kms westward.

Anyway, after a short break at the finish, I simply got on the bike and rode around until I found the train station and got my bearings. Hooray - no longer lost - just confused.

By the time I got home, I had racked up 75km in the saddle in about 3.5 hours. I was thankful for all the grannies that slowed me down because if I had gone at my usual pace, I would have burnt out after about 4okm.