Photos from the saddle

Not the photo from the saddle you really want to take, but they arent always going to be glamorous. After my second flat I had no tubes left and had to call Jem for a lift. Whilst waiting on the side of the road its awesome how many other riders ask if your ok, one even offering up his own spare tube!.

The unwritten rules of cycling No.1 - Cyclists look out for each other and stop to help someone in need even when competing. Love it.

Happy Easter!

The Easter Bunny once again didnt disappoint and the boys collected a bucket full of eggs scattered around the back yard.

Nothing like an easter egg hunt in the dark!

The Murrumbidgee

We took a drive to a nice spot just outside of Canberra on the Murrumbidgee River this arvo.

Flying Fox

Sammy on the big flying fox at Lake Ginninderra and lovin it!

Jacob and Sam hangin around together

Sams Easter hat parade

Sam had his Easter hat parade at school yesterday. I painted his face and we made some bunny ears which he loved. Jem even got some time off work to come and see him. They all looked very cute, but not as cute as our little Easter bunny!

Mad Kows at The Mont

Rich, Joe and myself as team 'Mad Kow racing' just competed in the Mont 24 hour mountain bike race at Kowen Forest. We were able to do really well finishing about 36th out of 160 four man teams, not bad for only having 3! We each completed 7 laps for a total of 21 team laps and rode 140 km each for a total of 420 team km's. Big big day (and night) of riding on a physically demanding trail.

There were times out there when those thoughts pop into your head (like in the middle of the night doing a double lap) of 'What the hell am I doing this for?', 'Get me off this bloody bike my back and ass are on fire!' and 'This is definitely the last mountain bike race I'm ever doing!' in amongst a variety of expletives. Overall it was awesome, I had an absolute ball on the saddle with two mates for 24 hours and would do it again for sure. The atmosphere was electric from go to woe and the sportsmanship and camaraderie showed by all the competitors is unique for a race with a massive 3500 mountain bikers.

If your trying to find out what you're physically and mentally capable of, a 24 hour bike race will definitely let you know. Thanks guys for an unforgettable weekend!

Recovery day today, back on the saddle tomorrow!

 The set up

Rich ready for the first lap with a nice clean bike

An excited and nervous crowd of thousands gathered in pit lane just before the race briefing

 The front runners off and racing!

 Rich (blue with white stripe) not far behind on the teams first lap

Joe off for the first night lap

2am on Sunday morning, warming next to the heater, staring at the lap times white board and trying to work out when Joe will be due in to transition. Simple math is really hard when your exhausted! 

 The 20 km course turned out to be quite a demanding one

The sweet sight of the sun coming up puts a smile on everyones face as it signals the end of a long cold night in the forest.

 
The Mad Kows

Wide Brown Land

I took Sam and Lucas up to the newly opened Arboretum today just for something to do. It is lovely up there, even if most of the trees are still very small (all re planted from the 2003 bush fires) it is a beautiful spot with gorgeous views. Definitely somewhere to go back to some time.

There was a large sculpture in writing saying "Wide Brown land" on top of the hill that the boys thought was 'noodle writing'. In a few years time when the trees are more mature it will be a magic place to visit.

One of the best

This is one of the best in game dunks I have ever seen. A couple of weeks ago, Deandre Jordan threw down this monster that left the crowd, his teammates and opponents stunned. Freakish athleticism from a 7 footer.

Photos from the saddle

Tuesday night sunset ride up Red Hill and past Parliament House.

Kids in the Forest

I took Will, Jacob and Lucas to Kowen Forest yesterday for a little spin around on the single tracks. Its so peaceful in amongst the pine trees and it always feels like your by yourself, even when the car park is chocka block full like it was that day. Serenity.

Enduro dreaming

Specialized pro rider Matt Hunter doing a full loop of Mont Blanc over a few days. If this doesnt inspire you to want to go on an epic enduro ride, nothing will.

Amazing bike, amazing views and a pretty good rider!

Bikes in the Forest

The Mont 24 hour MTB race is in 1 week! I'm a little bit excited to say the least, I also may have started to pack some things together already. My bike is primed and I feel much more prepared this time around than I was before the Scott 24 last year. I'm feeling more bike fit now having ridden some decent k's over the last couple of months. I also feel I have a better understanding of what to expect from a race that long and what camping and pit equipment we will need to make our lives much easier at 2am.

Bikes in the forest, bring it on!!

Photos from the saddle

Whats that over there? Its just a massive Darth Vader balloon!

Photos from the saddle

Telstra tower by night

Very sleepy

I took Lucas swimming this morning. He had a great time but couldnt quite make it back home without falling asleep. So I brought him in and put him on the couch for a nap. He slept there for about an hour and a half. Very sweet.

Handball

The older boys are back into handball at the moment, playing it whenever and wherever they can. Here at school before the bell with some of their mates.

Story time

The boys, especially the younger ones really enjoy story time before bed and so do we.

Wee Jasper

We took a reconnaissance trip out to see a well known camping sight in Wee Jasper today with Ben, Kate and James, about an hour and a half away north west of Canberra. A lovely spot right on the river and being a long weekend here in Canberra it was very busy. Hopefully its a place we get to visit again, next time with a tent!

Pedalling thoughts and the Mont

In November of 2011 I set myself the goal of riding up gruelling Black Mt from home and back, about 35km. At that time it was feeling like a pretty big challenge I just layed down.

Having now had a huge amount of rides under my belt in and around Canberra, I have since ridden up Black Mt and the other biggest hills in town, Ainslie and Stromlo, many times. A ride that felt immense about 15 months ago is now a weeknight dash. Climbing up these hills is definately not what I consider easy, but today for the first time I backed up and did the 2 toughest in one ride, Ainslie and then Black. About a 50km round trip.

Riding a bike has taught me how to self train, how to relax, how to push myself beyond what I thought was possible, how to enjoy the outdoors, read the weather (I have never looked at forecasts more in my life than this past year, looking for good riding weather becomes almost obsessive) and how to set realistic goals.

In most sports no matter how much you might set goals, train and push yourself and do all the right things to give you the best chance of success, there are so many other factors that affect that hopeful outcome. You are not only up against an opposition but may have to compete against your own teammates for opportunities at times, and ultimately in a team sport the coach has a huge say in an individuals personal successes.

In cycling though, its simple, you generally ride for your own satisfaction, to cruise, to sprint, to rip it around a high berm and then jump over a gulley, to get to the top the fastest or to get there at all, to push yourself, its you against the terrain. That never changes.

'It never gets easier, you just go faster' - I love that quote. Black Mt will never feel easy to me, because I will always be pushing it as hard as I can. The only thing that will change is the gear I'm pedalling in. The factors that affect your goal or personal outcomes are much less, probably weather being the only real unpredictable. If you do the work, put in the hard k's and the climbs you will get the outcome you deserve. If you arent up to it, you will be in a world of hurt.

The simplicity of it is something I definitely love, you just pedal and steer, your thoughts are left to wander. No more apparent than in a long road ride. Mountain biking on a fast single track however, you need to be switched on the whole time and its not only a physical excursion you feel but a mental one as well - ending with a filthy bike but generally a clear mind.

The Mont 24 is in 2 weeks and I feel much more prepared this time around than just before the Scott 24 last year. Knowing what we are up for on a bike for that long and knowing what we need to make life so much easier at 3am is encouraging. 24 hours of sweet flowing single track, great people, bike bling and that typical cycling atmosphere, Whats not to like?!

Mad Kow Racing - Joe, Rich and myself. I cant wait!

Ben, Kate and James

Its great having these guys around. Close enough by where they can pop round at any time and we all get to be a part of our respective nephews (and maybe nieces?) lives as they grow up. Ben, Kate and James we all think you're wonderful! 

Happy Birthday Jacob X 2

Jacob Benjamin Rice turned 7 on Thursday! We had presents and cake on the day with Ben, Kate and James coming around to celebrate for dinner. Jacob also had his party today with his best friend from school,  all of us and Patrice came around to sing him another happy birthday and share another cake! With Lucas, Jem, Will and now Jacob all having their birthdays early in the year, it feels like a birthdayathon!

Happy birthday little man, we all love you to bits!

Cake number 1

Cake number 2

Bookend weekend/Photos from the saddle

The road bike is my only source of training for the Mont 24 later this month with the poor Camber currently at the bike doctors. So this weekend I wanted to try and get serious with that training and up the workload but still be at home for the days activities - not an easy proposition.

By getting up really early on Saturday for my biggest ever ride, the 101.8km epic, I was back home by just after 9am. Sunday night I did a Richard Lane and 'bookended' the weekend by going for an evening ride after kids went to bed. I rode to Ainslie, got a PB up the hill and then was home by just after 8pm. Totalling about a 136 kms over the 2 days - a great weekend of riding adventure, bike fitness training and mind clearing fun! Life is simple on a bike.

 The view from Ainslie last night

Sunset from Mt Ainslie over Black Mt

Sunday morning family trek

We took an extended trek around Mulligans flat nature reserve this morning. A lovely walk and morning with the crew. We ended up going a fair way with little Lucas only getting tired when we were in sight of the car. 

Insane

There is mountain biking, then there is downhill mountain biking, then there is downhill mountain biking through the tight fan filled streets of Chile, flat out. Insane!

The magic ton

Completed my first 100 km road ride this morning. It was lovely although the last 20 or so kms were very taxing with the gusty wind around today, my legs were pretty well toast when I got back home. I got up early at 5.15am and did 101.8 kms in 3 hours 53 mins, averaging 26.2 km/h and gaining 1,226 metres in elevation. I'm pretty happy with that!

 The Brindabella ranges framed by the burnt out window of the old Mt Stromlo observatory. This was the half way point of the ride I mapped out.  

The remains of the old observatory from the outside

Stars of AMB magazine

I sent a photo of William into AMB magazine a couple of months ago doing a jump out on the laneway. He just happened to get in that issue in a section called 'On any weekend'. Jacob was not a happy camper though because he wanted to be in there too. Having a broken arm at the time he was off his bike for 6 weeks so it was just bad timing. I took him to Stromlo for his first ride back and then sent in this photo pleading and begging with the editor in an email to put Jacob in the next issue, they came through with the goods! Thanks AMB!! I think we might need our own column soon.