AUDAX 200km Chittering

Ever thought of just getting off the bike and sitting next to a shady tree and ringing the misses to drive out to whoop whoop land and pick you up? I DAM felt like that when I was riding along a strange looking flat that I couldn't draft or roll. WTF is wrong with me?

Nick: So how you like the hill so far?
Me: WTF im on a Hill???

A quick summary of the Chittering ride I did with the Audax Perth Crew on Saturday.

It was listed on the Audax website 200km cruisey 24-25kph ride and UAF (UAF rules says something about everyone has to ride in a pack so no dropping)

The start of the ride was pretty cool, apart from 2-3 guys starting at the wrong location so we had to meet them half way at the Narrows bridge.

We rolled through central Subiaco, hit City beach and there was a lot of cyclist doing time trails, was so tempted to tag along and have a little of chit chat to the hotties. Hot girls in TT position awww is a sight to cause any crash.

Anyways as we cruise up north along the coast, we went via the PSP but once we pasted Trigg beach we hit the roads and the speed picked up (have to love the tail wind) There was a bus that was behind us and we tried our best to hug the curb so once it had enough clearance he passed us BUT as he speed up after passing us, one of the Audax regulars (cool bloke with pony tail) decided to chase it like a mad dog off the leash, I thought that looked fun so check if traffic clear, move to drop position and head down, floor it!! bolted along the coast, I kept a fair bit of distance from the bus just in case it stops, I thought pony guy was going to play tag on the bus and touch it but nah we just dropped off and cruised into a car park and waited for the others.

Continue north along West Coast Hwy training grounds for Keong and I, as we charted the familiar terrority Nick (Audax group organizer kind of got lost or hasn't been the northern part of coast for a while) So Keong & I lead them back to Jindalee, PCS training grounds. Cruised up to Yancheap lagoon and had breakfast over looking the blue clear gorgeous waters. Bacon & Eggs for me, BIG ASS full breakfast for Keong, omg it was big, as we commented on how big the sausage was, someone commented "i think they gave you one of the bull's cow parts"

Me: "Keong you know you have to carry that to the next top right?"
Keong: "I will be fine, I haven't had breakfast"

We rode down Old Yancheap road and a few riders were falling behind the main pack so I did the right thing since no one else did, I slowed down and told them to draft off me and I will bring them back to the pack. I did this a few times and got a nice thank you for it, I thought to my self, just doing what a PCS member would do to any struggling cyclist, it wasn't a race. Gee Old Yancheap road is pretty long coming from North -> South.

We headed east and stopped at the Maze, fine establishment quick toilet break but for Grant (Audax) it was a cleanse. Keong well.. he decided to pop onto his bike and preceded to ride on gravel back to the group instead of walking his bike... going slow on gravel means 1 thing.. down he went.. LOL I just shook my head and walked along.

Onto the bike and pass Bullsbrook, into Chittering.. (I think Chittering is like a farmstead I don't know if there is a centre if so we must of went past it pretty quick) OK the group started to split, faster & slower. I thought to my self I like rolling fast, I will chase up to the riders in front and just draft.

Hmmmmmmm I am not drafting that well, I must be tired, I better just cruise it and wait for the slower guys... after a while I only saw Phil (oldish guy on a flat bar coming up)

Me: "Phil I am going to try to draft off you"
Phil: "Ok lets push it" (something along that line)
Me thinking to my self, this drafting ain't working still.. hmmm.. wind? none.. hmm

Nick comes by and starts talking to me, by this time I am knackered. I must of hit the magic brick or wall the speed was down to.. I dont know what I was just stuffed...

Me: "Nick I am so f.... tired man.. " puff puff (this is kinda what i said I can't remember because i was so F... tired

Keong caught up and I asked him to go in front so i can draft off him. NOPE not working WTF!!! must be the slow speed. Then Nicks goes

Nick: So how you like the hill so far?
Me: WTF im on a Hill???

WTF WTF WTF.. this long stretch which looks like a flat was a F... hill all along.. it went on for ages.. so freaking long that i thought it was a flat. I was annoyed when i look back, only if i knew i could of rode it like a hill and not like a dam flat. but i was not with anyone to let me know if it was a long ass hill. Couldn't you tell its a hill you say? Fark no not when it goes on forever you just think its a flat with high resistance.

Once I reached the peak, I cruised down it and it felt good.. sooo good...We stopped at the orange farm and had lunch refuel our bodies with the much need food (well for me)It was a nice quick climb up the hill, awesome decent a much needed reward. As we blitz down the hill the 1st pack broke up and when I reached to the bottom, I drafted behind the fixy and we slowly caught up to the others.

As we rode along I felt a strange bump on the back of my wheels, I felt it more on a smooth flat, so I dropped off the nice cruising speed of 30kph to check it out. I GOT A EGG!!! WTF it is the strangest thing, I remember getting eggs in a basketball at high school but on a tire really wow. I have never had a egg, I had no idea what to do and no one around me so I got back on the bike and rode a easy 25kph and waited to the next pack to catch up to me. From a distance I saw a guy in the yellow behind me, I was phew hopefully this guy can tell what I should be doing, as I slowed down more he caught up and Keong was on his tail drafting off him.

Me: Mate I got a egg on my back tire
Audax: Yeah?
Me: What am I meant to do when I get one?
Audax: Ride it out
Me: Hmmm ok

Anyways, we rode back and the threads where coming through the egg spot. All I can say... no more Audax rides for me, I will stick to the PCS/Bikeforce rides.