Week #36 2018 – Quite a good week

Quite a good cycling week.  The end result is the kilometre count is back over 100k, the brakes on the trike are fixed and the cucumber sandwiches and G & T’s were enjoyed  in the sun after the Tweed Ride.

I am now cycling 30k rides on the Anura.  The length of the boom is still being altered to get the leg extension right but it must be close now.  I wondered if having the ALBS (almost local bike shop – Cycology in Launceston) get the brakes working OK would help with riding.  Well, fixing them provided a huge boost in stopping power PLUS an extra gear up local hills and faster downhills.  So the brakes were, indeed, binding and slowing me down.

The weather this week was either wholly sunny days or wholly wet days with the majority being sunny, temperatures in the low double figures and little wind.  There are signs everywhere that Spring is happening.  A couple of hares ran across in front of me on Armstrong’s Lane, wattle is flowering as is the gorse, buds are abudding everywhere and birds getting their courting finery on.

With the Anura I rode to Bishopsbourne and back a couple of times and cycled the Exton loop out of Deloraine (see ride description).  This was followed by a 40+k ride to Bracknell on Friday.  With Brompton I rode the Friday PoW’s River Road run and then enjoyed the Tweed Ride on Sunday.

Tweed Ride.

We drove into Launceston on Sunday and it was drizzling from a grey sky.  We unloaded Ken’s bike, our wives and chairs and I went and found a parking place.  Out came the Brompton and I cycled back up to Princes Park to meet up with them.  In the meantime Ken had gone up to the sign-on desk and on the way fell from his Dahon while negotiating the transfer from path to grass.  He fell on his wallet and it really hurt his hip ‘cos the wallet is so solid!

We dressed for the part – I will have to get hold of a picture of the pair of us and add to the next blog.  The Penny Farthing in the picture is a modern build – from a PF builder in Melbourne.

The ride was slow as we made sure everyone was bunched up as we cycled through the Launceston CBD always obeying traffic lights.  The very first kilometre or so included a short 5% hill and that was too much for Ken with his newly damaged hip so he returned to Princes Park for a coffee and to soak in the atmosphere.  The rest of us continued to City Park where we milled around for a few minutes after a ride around the perimeter.

By now the sun was out and quite strong and wearing tweed was becoming a warm affair.

This chap set up a little tableau with an unexploded bomb which he then proceeded to put back on his bike – with the innards intact.  The lady in pink was a “Midwife” on her bike going to do a delivery (babies in her basket) and she deservedly won the “Best Dressed” prize.

On return to Princes Park after another slow ride though Launceston we were treating to the famous cucumber sandwiches and a glass of gin and tonic (Tasmania’s 40 Spotted Gin too – none of your cheap stuff).

After refreshments we took Ken home for a restful afternoon.  A good day and, once again, a very well organised fun event.

Total for weeks :   133 k            Total for year :  3,334 k     

Vivente :   0 k                     Brompton :  31  k                  Anura :  102 k

Author: antc1946

Born in 1946 I learnt to cycle about 10 years later. On a bike with rods connecting brake levers to the brakes - anyone remember those? I emigrated to Australia (from the UK) in 1974 and moved to Tasmania in 1984. Bicycles were in my life for most of that time although sometimes they were replaced by motorised two wheels for a bit more excitement. On reaching 70 I decided to stick to pedal power but in 2019 an electric recumbent made an appearance. it's now 2023 and I have 3 bikes. 2 e-recumbents and the Brompton. View all posts by antc1946