Training? Lack of training today.

Its Sunday and just three weeks until the shortest day. I should be out on a Sunday training ride. I had planned on it. But some days you just can't motivate yourself. I cant complain about the weather. So far this Autumn it's been pretty good. Working part time means I can choose the best part of the week.

Today's fine but with a nippy little southerly and I'm writing about training and not doing any. A man can't cycle around the world with no training.At this stage I can justify being lazy because last Sunday I did a good 120kms on an afternoon ride getting home just before darkness fell.

I know I can get away with being lazy this winter as long as I get on my bike in spring ( Sep/Oct) and start doing some real miles. But I want to feel good about myself this winter too. So I figure if I do around 300km a week during winter pottering about then I should be good for upping the kms in spring.

I think I've got it better than the Northern Hemisphere competitors in the World bike race because I should be able to do good training for four months before the event starts in Feb next year 2012.

There is a local Sunday morning training ride I could use to get some kilometres in but it starts at 8.30am! I ask you , 8.30 on a winters morning! The sun is hardly even up. A sleep in and a nice cup off coffee on the deck (in the sun) before departing on a Sunday ride in the winter I reckon. Give the ice a chance to thaw. I think those guys must be insomniacs or they're pussy whipped by their partners. They probably have to be back for family time at the mall by 11am or sum such event.

So today my bicycle  hangs. While I search the Internet and face book for fellow Global Bike Race competitors that I can befriend. 

Greasy Bits

Moto camera man 1 reported for duty today in the workshop so she could learn how to fix a puncture on Moto 1.

I endeavoured to impress on camera man one that in the event of a puncture on Moto 1 she would have to be able to replace the wheel in a manner akin to a formula one mechanic. On the global bike race however she would not have a pit crew to help her through. Although she may well have an audience.

Niel the Wheel would not be able to help as he would no doubt be up the road trying to complete his 180kms for the day.

Camera man 1 reckoned she had it sussed and then proceeded to try to put the spare on before removing the flat tyre. After sparking the positive terminal of the battery several times the job was complete.

Mechanic Hones Her Skills

Luckily Vespa's carry a spare wheel and will run without batteries.

Camera man 1 then went to get the Wheel a cup of coffee with chocolate and an aspirin for the stress. Splitting the rim and replacing the tyre might have to wait until another day.

"Clockwise to tighten anti clockwise to loosen " could be heard as our new mechanic left the vicinity.

Workshop

I have to say that I am not a fan of vehicles and I try not to use them unless I have to. In fact I use cars so little that you would wonder why I would ever bother to buy one?

Well the fact is I'm a guy like any other and I have been tempted in the past to buy the odd one , two or three. Just recently I have come to my senses however and with the support of my wife Adi have sold my car and hers. The funds being put in the Global challenge piggy bank. This has left us with a 50 year old VW kombi and a couple of Vespa scooters. These vehicles would be all that would be needed I thought for the distant future.

However on closer inspection I have found that said Kombi does not actually have a functioning engine. In fact engine at all! So after scouring the countryside for bits and pieces and having read the relevant chapters of VW mechanics for the complete idiot. I'm off to the machine shop with engine bits on BOB trailer.

After all the general car driver is an idiot so engines can't be that hard to put back together can they?

Normally I'd put the van back in the garage for another 50yrs but as my beloved Adi says "how would we get the cat to the vet?" (I thought that was what BOB trailers and cat box's were for.)

Vespa's seem to be complete. Just as well since she's using hers in 11mths to scoot around the world.