Melbourne, Ballarat & Geelong

All 3 places in 5 days... a quick trip but so worthwhile.

I have never managed to spend much time in Melbourne, so I spent the first two days as a real "tourist"...

taking some photos of course...
there were so many bikes...

& coffee shops & bookstores...

trams & buses...

tall buildings, both old & new.

Thanks to both Cycling Tips, and Pro-Motion Bikes (in Ormond)... as they made finding a good fast bunch ride in Melbourne so much easier!

Just as Wade had described (www.cyclingtipsblog.com/melbourne-rides), on a grey overcast morning, suddenly there were lots of cyclists at the corner of North Rd and Nepean Way, and away they rode at 6am sharp (not 5.59 or 6.02, but exactly 6.00)... Although I did not personally know even one person in the bunch, they all made me feel strangely welcome... after all, I was just another bike-riding, lycra-wearing person with a white front light and a flashing red rear light, braving another cold Victorian morning.

And to finish the friday ride, I was also greeted by the swans of Albert Park.  :)
Brighton and St Kilda in Melbourne, I found is oddly enough not that different from Brighton and Sandgate in Brisbane... both seaside areas that cyclists inhabit in the early mornings.

Then the adventure in Ballarat began...
only 1 week earlier, I had been advised that I was fortunate enough to get a start in the women's Herald Sun Cycling Classic.  What an experience it was.

Thanks also to Jarrod Partridge for some of these racing photos.

And I now have a bidon that I will never wash...

A short trip back to Melbourne via Geelong, and then suddenly I was home again.  Almost like a daydream.  And it was a pretty cool daydream at that. (And thanks for the company Nikki!)

Pink and Silver

Last week was an interesting week to say the least!  And I am not sure if anything happened as I anticipated it would... but I'm definitely not complaining.
The "theme" of the week for me ended up being one of pink and silver...
which nicely tied things together for me since they are the main colors of the Amy Gillett Foundation.

For starters, I was treated to a stunning pink-orange sunrise along the Redcliffe Peninsula and Sandgate waterfronts on several mornings this week.  Just incredible colors.  Even better when the weather forecast predicted rain, and you wake up and head outside to see such a beautiful skyline instead.

Then as the "reserve" cyclist for the Bundaberg Sugar (Balmoral Cycling Club) Time Trial Team for the Qld State Championships on Sunday, I was really expecting not to be needed.  However, as (bad) luck would have it, Sal Robbins was still very ill, so I was called upon to race in her spot.  No pressure or anything!...
I have to give a h-u-g-e thanks to my team mates Simone, Angeline and Brielle for being fantastically accomodating and patient with me... I am still a massive TT novice!... having only done 4 ITT's before, and having no real TTT experience, I had a very steep learning curve, and they were really very supportive despite the last minute changes to their team.  Thankfully though, after lots of "tips" on what to and not to do, we managed a fantastic Second place, to claim the Silver Medals in the women's elite TTT event.

And then for my last bit of 'unexpected' news... the Sweet As/Bundaberg Sugar Team has been invited to race at the Herald Sun World Cycling Classic in Ballarat this Sunday.  We are very priviledged to be able to ride in this event, and it will be an extraordinary once-in-a-lifetime thing for me.  Quite daunting really but an experience I am unlikely to get another chance at, so I need to make the most of it!

http://www.melbourne2010.com.au/default.aspx?s=HSWCCB

2010 Amy Gillett "Share The Road" Tour

So now that I have my health back consistently, it is time to do something worthwhile.

I will be part of this 6 day, 832km ride, aiming to raise a total of $350000 for the foundation.
http://www.sharetheroadtour.com.au/

It is a really worthy cause, and you can see why I am participating in this ride (and you can also donate to the AGF) via this page:
https://www.registernow.com.au/agf/Donate.aspx?F=342

If you need more info on the foundation,
please read:
http://www.amygillett.org.au/
and
http://www.cyclingtipsblog.com/2010/04/what-does-the-amy-gillett-foundation-do-anyway/