New Road Furniture

I received the above picture on Sunday morning via the joys of modern telephony and the interweb. This photo contains some deadly cycling sins. Since I wasn't there I can only comment on what I see, but know from the photo that what I see is wrong.

There's the obvious crime of a bike being placed upside down. This is a no no for several reasons, but in this case is exacerbated by the wheel that has been removed from the bike is the front wheel. A bike with it's front wheel out is still quite capable of being lent against things to balance, hell, if the ground is flat, you can even balance it on the drop-outs of the front fork.

A bike upside down with full drink bottles is inviting gravity to play it's part and let the sticky stuff within the bottle escape. Placing a bike upside down also risks scratching the shifters, hoods, computer, saddle, etc.

Plus it's a dreadful look.

Before you turn your bike upside down run through the reasons for having it's rubber side pointing skyward.
1. You're pulling a backflip
2. You're pulling a frontflip
3. You have crashed and the bike is bouncing mid crash

If you answer yes to any of the above, it's okay, if it's all "No", then don't do it.

On returning.

Sometimes there's a fair amount of serendipity in life, the photo above is a good example. Taken as Junior and I rolled along the waterfront in early April, by me, using the camera on my phone, very much the lucky shot. Junior may even get another modelling contract out of this one.

In relation to the shoulder/ground impact and broken clavicle sustained last month I saw the physio this afternoon, he gave me a pretty positive report and told me I'd been a good sensible chap. I have a list of exercises which will return me to manhood in a jiffy. I have been using the Iron Maiden in the garage a bit, probably not enough, but I value my mental health also. It will prove interesting to see how incapable I have become when I return to riding on the road.

I am itching to get out on the road, but with a fair degree of responsibility residing on my improving shoulder I'm cautious, not a bad thing, but I feel a little like Courage the Cowardly Lion. Additionally I'd quite like to shift the other moniker I have been saddled with, and crashing again in the short term would pin that on me firmly.

And what about the Giro d'Italia? What a fantastic race, excitement, pathos, breakaways, crashes, mud, grit, tears and a World Champion who is riding like just that. I'm no Evans fan, but it's great to see the Rainbow Jersey getting a decent outing. And not just in the Giro either.

It's just what professional cycling needs at the moment, as the storm clouds gather. I'm no apologist for what is currently unfolding with confessions and accusations of doping and drug taking, and I believe, or hope, that there will be a lot of good come out of the box that has been opened and peeked into, it's just I don't want the TDF and doping revelations centred on that event detract from other outstanding racing that is taking place, and the sea change that appears to be occurring in cycling with regard to accepted practice.

Te Ako o te Tui

Right, what have I been doing? Somewhere my life has taken a lurch to the left. As a consequence posting to this organ has been tardy and erratic by any standards.

The windtrainer still greets me disdainfully. However the moment of freedom from the garage is not far off, and I can barely wait. My clavicle is healing well, but I've been given strict instructions by medical staff not to leave home without the sling. I'm being boring, but good.

At CTB's fortieth birthday festivities on Saturday my Minion demonstrated great skill and luck to win a pocketful of gold and admiration in the Paper, Scissors, Rock competition. It was great to see him get his game face on and keep his composure under pressure.

On that note, a happy birthday to you, CTB, you're almost at the halfway point.

Mus uni non fidit antro

First off, some recent scientific reporting that Explains some of us. I'm just damned pleased to know it's not just modern day Homo sapiens who engage in strange and immoral behaviour.

Following on from my last missive, CTB contacted me, and while expressing some doubt, felt that The Evil Homo moniker was still mine. Although he did applaud Mikeal roundly for his demonstration of cul de sac stupidity.

My ongoing use of the windtrainer is starting to seriously stress me, I have worked out a virtual play list to get me through these sessions of hell, I've also found that I struggle to watch DVDs while performing efforts, so it's all pretty much music based boredom relief. I could divulge the playlist, but I have a sneaking suspicion that most readers eye's will glaze over and those that don't, will mark me off as a heretic, so instead I'll just leave you to imagine the worst.

My regular road bike, the one not subjected to the indignity of being saddled stationery is looking very forlorn. I'm thinking that if the weather plays it's part then I may drive out to the New Lynn velodrome and entertain a few laps, that way I can more easily judge my readiness to re-enter riding in the outside world, with minimal risk. I know this runs counter to the lack of bodily disregard that I displayed in the first instance, and that landed me the broken thing, but being as profoundly right-handed as I am, this injury is causing me no end of inconvenience.

However, not all has been bad in my life, on Friday night, several of us, and our assorted male offspring went to the Auckland Domain to watch the special stage of the Rally of New Zealand. It was an excellent spectacle and well worth attending. Below is a very short video clip that captures some of the noise and speed that I witnessed.