Seen on today's ride:

1.

is it flotsam, jetsam or an entry for "best decorated bike"?  nope I guess it was retrieved from the flooded Dandenong creek.

2.

an Ibis.

Other bits of news:

• Earlier this week I had my power meter re-calibrated and discovered that it had been reading low by 6%, which means I've been working harder than the numbers were telling me...yay!
• All my holiday plans are sorted and now I have to work out whether the exchange rate is going to be good or bad for me...ie when should I change money...now, in a month's time or when I get there.  The results of the Italian election are a bit critical for the Euro methinks.
• After looking at the profiles of a couple of my European races (their idea of "flat" is not the same as mine!) I decided to do something about my strength /weight ratio...so far I've lost 3kgs and am looking to lose another 3-4kg by August.  As a friend "kindly" said to me...you'll look at least 99 if you lose that much!!! 
• My training is going well..and I have another TT race this weekend.

Stuck at the computer

by a pup who wakes up the moment I move, so I might as well put up another post on the blog.

World travellers that we are, my better half Phil has just returned from South America and  Antarctica and in a few month's time (mid July to be more exact) it's my turn.  Alex will travel a bit later and for a shorter period.  I'm away for 10 weeks.  Everything is neatly dovetailed so the cats don't have to end up in a cattery for weeks on end.

My plans involve Italian language schools, training and racing. Language schools in Feltre again and Torino and racing in Torino (World Masters Games), Hartberg (3 of the races in their Masters week), St Johann in Tyrol (2 World Masters Classic races..TT and RR) and finally if I qualify in the TT race in Rottnest , near Perth during April, Trento for the UCI World Masters Champs.  TT only for the latter as I have an issue with the Grand Fondo qualification idea  for the RR and so will not be a part of it. 

So far the 2 schools are sorted as is all my accommodation and the lease car.  Entry into the events will happen, as usual, at the death knock.  I've learned from experience that if you are not the defending champion in a TT  and therefore get to be last off, entering early means you get to be 1 of the early starters..sort of first in best dressed...but in fact  worst not best dressed.

Puppy sitting whinge

I've always hankered after having a dog, but have realised that in all honesty my life style doesn't have room for the responsibilities of being a dog owner...and in that I guess I show more insight than many!

Anyhow....Ben has acquired a pointer/staffie cross puppy called Baxter and the day after it arrived  Ben  became ill which has left me with the task of 1.  being a parent to Ben and stepping in when needed and 2.  being a baby sitter to an 8 week old pup when we already have 2 cats who are not very happy about the pup!

I'd forgotten how much  work a "toddler" entailed and currently I just wish the damn thing would go to sleep so I could have a break from being followed/moving stuff out of his reach  and keeping the cat from scratching his eyes out!!!

On top of that its piddled on our floor 3 times and pooed once...ENOUGH!

I'm really happy to help Ben out for a short while  and actually am grateful for the opportunity 'cos it's ensured I wont make the mistake of going down the path of owning a dog, at least not until I stop training/travelling/have aggro cats.

Groan  
bloody cat whimpering pathetically in 1 half of the house and the dog doing likewise in the other part of the house..if he were mine I'd let them sort it out, but handing over a bloodied pup at the end of the day is probably not a good idea.

Thank you god...finally Baxter is asleep,  under the computer desk chair that I'm sitting on...am I going to be able to move ?

and the answer was ...no!

This is going to be 1 VERY long day.

lumps, signs and saddle issues

 Lumps

5 years ago I had a crash on the road resulting in  the usual gravel wounds on both elbows.  The left elbow was worse and so attracted the most attention in the ED. 

 Later on a lump started to grow on my right elbow, I thought it was some gravel trying to exit..my doctors didn't agree...called it a granuloma(!). Finally I decided to force the issue and went to a dermatologist, who also didn't agree with me..calling it a "nodule" and before Xmas injecting it with something to try and settle it down. 

 Yesterday he somewhat reluctantly excised the lump and guess what it was......yup gravel and associated tissue growing around it. There are times when you just have to trust your own judgement.

Signs and totally unappreciated humour

Today I was driving with Alex to Brighton   and had taken a different route in a vain effort to avoid the morning traffic. We passed by the "Springvale Botanical Cemetery" which prompted me to ask if this is where we should take all our dead plants.  Silence ensued.  Doh! and here's me thinking I was sooooo witty.

Saddle issues 

I lerv the Adamo saddle  I have on my TT bike, but I think there are a few issues that needed sorting out....see these post ride pix

 

 

TT season is here!

1st race back after quite a while and I was 11 seconds adrift on my last year's time.  That race was during May, so quite a few month's further down the track fitness wise.

The race was in Kialla, near Shepparton and it'd be hard to find a flatter course...which of course means the strength and direction of the wind plays a huge part.  This time the head and tail winds were on the shorter sides of the rectangle which meant the mega pain and mega joy were short lived!

BTW..take no notice of the apparent elevation changes..the scale is deceiving ;-))), and never ever think it's easier 'cos it's flat...it aint.

So the next race is 4 weeks away unless something pops up in the meantime.  So back to the drawing board on the roads and the ergo.

Like this:

ok 'nuff said, time for a nanna nap.

I'm probably the last person to have seen these, but....

I was happily walking near Melbourne Uni yesterday when the jaw drop/sudden cessation of walking thing happened as I noticed this thing:

yup! it's  a Yikebike with a claimed top speed of 23kph and a range of 10km, and  it's foldable.  However it's not for you if you and your luggage  weigh over 100kgs and you don't fall within the height range of 163cm to 193cm (5’4” to 6'4").  With that sort of speed capability will one need a drivers license and will teenagers not yet allowed to drive a car be able to use it?  Hmm!  It seems strictly for flat smooth terrain (can't cope with a hill >5 degrees  but  IMHO  it's waaaay cooler than the Segway.

 I