Getting old

But I dont feel it.       Riding rather well atm

Sunday was the waffle wace (nope.. not a type)   Meet up in Kingsbury  ride to Whittlesea and back.  Then to Canucks and Marties and eat waffles.   Pretty cool way to start the day.

I rode to the start... advancing years meaning I have to start taking training seriously.    Sigh.     On  Doncaster road.. with a loud ping.. the front derailier cable snapped.  Small ring for the rest of the day.

About 9 or 10 of us at the start.   We set off..  A pootle and a good chat on the way to Whittlesea.   The public dunny in Whittlesea bears witness to many blokes with bad aim.    And then we set off on the return.   Where things got a little frantic

To quote Ducky..

 What a wipper of a wide

Somehow I did actually manage to get up at Stupid-o'clock, and arrived at the start point at precisely 7:03. Being unfamiliar with the route I just sat in the bunch & cruised on the out trip. A very light tail breeze helped waft us on our merry way.

For the return trip I had secretly decided I was going to turn the wick up just a little bit anyway, even if it meant an ITT. So just as we left Whittlesea I started to wind it up & see if anyone followed. Nick (non-forumer), Percrime, Bek & Marty took the bait, but after a while it became just me, Nick & Percy, cracking along as a TTT, cruising at 43 km/h. As previously noted, Percy had no use of the big ring, so he was spinning at about 250 rpm to keep with us on the descents. 

Finished of with a well-earned feast of waffles etc. Thanks again to Bek & Marty for the catering. 

What he doesn' mention is that I took him in the slightly downhill final sprint.  I hit 60;00   my highes speed ever in the small ring.  Not bad for a grinder.

And the Waffles were great.

It looks like being a slow week this week.. one client decided he liked his sisters work more than mine..  meh..   he is biased.    Today is my birthday so I had to have a decent hitout on the Maling Room Ride 

But met the stupidest bus driver of the year.   In a "Smart Bus"   You know why they call em "Smart Buses" ?   No?   Its a comparative IQ thing.   Compared to the driver.....
Ok its an oldie. and not very nice, but hey if the companies carefully choose drivers that fit the stereotype..    I,m happy to use it.    Anyway here is my email to the Operations Manager of Grenda Buslines.   With who to date I have no bad experiences  worth mentioning.   Unlike the unloved Driver Buslines.

At about 7:37 this morning (23 November 2010) a Grenda bus lines bus
traveling westbound on Doncaster Rd  Doncaster west of Blackburn Rd tried on three separate occasions to merge into bus stops though a bunch of 20 +cyclists.

On the first occasion she overtook.. pulled hard left and braked hard
immediately she had passed. On the second occasion she did not bother
overtaking and pulled through the middle of the bunch several riders
having to take evasive action.   On the third occasion she pulled up,
overtook and with the front door alongside me started merging left into my lane.   Coming well within a meter of me.
Bullying arrogant aggressive behavior.    I gave her a finger on the next lights.. she looked at me and then drove through the red light.

I take this attempt  at vehicular intimidation particularly amiss as its my birthday.  This is the sort of behavior one might expect of 19 year old tradies in shiny utes.  Most of the buses we see along this route are extremely well behaved to cyclists..   and most are particularly nice to this well known training ride.  Then again most are National.     The roads were clear and all but empty.   The bunch is a well behaved one.. does not run red lights and except for the odd dropped rider  is mostly a pretty tight group.
The driver was female.. middle aged and appeared indian.  I appear to have the wrong rego.. but it ended in AD.   I have no doubt you will have no issue identifying the driver.  Next time I see her I will make sure I take a photo  and publish it.
You will be able to read about this incident on various cycling forums and my blog (Percrime.blogspot.com) shortly.  I will be sure to publish any response .    It should be noted that I have 20 odd witnesses to this behaviour.   Anyone who needs a  10 000 Kg weight advantag to be a bully has my utter deep contempt and loathing.     If at any time it comes to my attention that a Grenda bus has hit a cyclist I will make sure that the details of this incident  find their way to the appropriate person..
 My phone number is 0412 506 123.   I urge you to follow this up
Regards
David Thomas.
I doubt I get a response but who knows.    Stupid stupid woman.  If I had got the rego I would be talking to the cops right now.  Mental note to take a camera tomorrow.

On the positive side I claim the King of the Mountain up Belmore.. and my speciality  KOF  King of Fintona.    First decent hit out up Belmore in a while.. first time I have lasted to the end.    I have to say I don't feel 50... er.. something. 

Pretty happy overall.  Looking forward to racing.