Sharon and I participated in the 2013 Sally's ride doing the 45km ride option this year on our mountain bikes. Sally's ride was donating all monies raised this year to CORES Australia (Community Response to Eliminating Suicide) – www.cores.org.au.

There was a nice headwind on the classic Launceston bike riders 'fish shop run' out to the old 'Ernie Gatenby’s fish shop' at the end of Rosevears drive and back. Sharon was feeling the effects of Caz's wedding the night before but that was soon knocked out of her as we headed out. A couple of girls at the front of our bunch started riding erratically speeding up and slowing down so we went past them after the round about at Legana. 

Once Sharon caught up after I powered off a bit quickly and broke the draft she was enjoying since we hit the highway we, headed onto Rosevears drive and it was decided I would head off on my own being a bit quicker. I left her in the draft of a road rider looking for his partner to catch up. Soon enough I was eating snakes at he turn around and waited for Sharon to come through only a few minutes behind.

We had a chat and a drink and I headed off to see what I could do on the way back on my own. The rain started shortly after and the road got very damp. Muddy Creek Hill was interesting with plenty of people struggling up it but I managed to average 25kmh over the 1km rise which did not seem to bad on a mountain bike. I got every red light on West Tamar road on the way back in,  that was frustrating. Sharon got a much better run except for the Margaret and Patterson intersection. She did a massive 'bunny hop' over the last speed hump at the finish (because she can now).

It was a great social event with plenty of people at the finish we knew. The wind was quite strong and we chilled down quickly and eventually had to head home. Just as we hit the highway the rain came down again but it was an enjoyable days ride. I headed out to play bike polo in the arvo and then we watched the criterium from outside PX in George St with Sharon, Emily, Dan and a few others we knew. We watched the mens race from the inside corner of George and Cimitiere and it was just amazing the wind and noise as they powered past at incredible speed just inches away in a huge pack.

I got some 'lens and camera envy' when Emily pulled out her big arse lens that must have weighed several kilos plus it must have had an F-stop of something ridiculous fully open. She took some great looking shots from our vantage point. It is worth coming down to the Stan Siejka cycling classic just to see these guys go around. A little rain half way through made it interesting but nobody in the mens race crashed. SBS-2 will have coverage of the races + Sally's ride next weekend on Cycling Central so check it out and you will probably see us as well.

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