RMHC Ride for Sick Kids SA : Mark (Monty) Birkdales 40th Birthday (Friends,cycling,a pool, beer and Pizza)

RMHC Ride for Sick Kids Day 5 November 26th 2014

Clare to Nurioopta

Total Time 05:09:52,

Total distance 146.1 kms (An Sprinters stage and a nice roll before the HC stage of tomorrow's for boding profile.

Quote of the Day : Glenn Bowyer, for upon being told of his faux paux of a well intended sign that pointed riders to the refreshment box with cold frozen pure CO2 (photo attached), Glenn quickly retorted "I was never good at Geography!" Science was obviously a close second.

Maximum Speed 64.1 kph (Sump Power has some merit as the fat boys rolled away!)

Total Gain 853m (My Garmin is now not working and is giving dodgy numbers as those Strava has given up over 300 metres to some fellow riders).

Total calories spent : 2948, total calories consumed 3,000 with Pizza, tomorrow's going to hurt!

Heart rate : Average 134 bpm peaked at 164bpm Sump Power recovery was the key. Heart rate peak of Nugget 188bpm, this was when he was stationary at an intersection and the oncoming car motive was looking like being a permanent imprint on him! Wouldn't want to be doing his laundry tonight.

Strava bites early as Diesel made the feeble excuse of helping out a teammate, Jami on his new Tarmac, to increase his kilometre total and take one step closer to the top of the Strava dias.

The day Started for the rest of us with a 5 minute stroll through Clare to the Clare Primary School for our third school visit of the tour and another bike to be given away from our friends at Bike society.

During the presentation, we often point out different riders for specific talents or physical prowess or lack thereof, on this particular morning Nugget was called up during part of the bike safety talk, and no sooner had we called him nugget, that quick as a flash a fifth grader yelled "Mmmm Chicken Nugget?" (This was obviously from an aspirational future tour rider as he already has the required humour box ticked)

From Clare we headed towards Adelaide and only within 90kms of our destination, yet we still had 400kms to go on our SA odyssey. We winded our way through the majestic Clare wine region and onto sevenhill, where an early morning burst saw Mr Lucas carve up the formidable Nugget, as Nugget was starting the day with heavy legs but still a Heart rate merely touching 100bpm.

On through Auburn and then a couple of small climbs when Megan discovered the true advantage of "Sump Power" as the big men rolled effortlessly down the descent and the Megan, who's shoes probably weigh more than her had little chance of overcoming sump power in all its glory. Unfortunately this is the only time sump power has any advantage whilst cycling and the long climb tomorrow up Palmer Hill will not have the holders embracing sump power with the same affection!

A fantastic roll along the flats along to Balaklava where a strange conversation ensued between Sammy 1 & Sam 2, with the former asking to both D2 and Mr Lucas' bewilderment how his balls were? Strange question I thought for a young lady to ask a bloke whilst he has just spent 4 1/2 days smashing his proverbials on nothing more than a slither of hard leather over some of roughest roads we could find? Surely she asked how his bottles were and I had miss heard? As the reply was even more puzzling to both myself and D2 from Sam, They're ok but i don't think i have them in the right way???????? What was going on here, what is the right way to put them in I thought?

As D2 turned and looked as confused as I did, we were to discover that the question was as we had heard it, and whilst there was a perfectly reasonable explanation it was not as amusing as what had just transpired. Thanks to the two Sam's for helping pass the time.

Balaklava was the scene of Muppet mishaps and some bullets dodged with the fantastic support crew having a couple of clangers!

Firstly the CO2 incident with Glenn and then the Lambasting of Chloe by Paramedic Pete, trying vehemently for an unprecedented Hat trick of Muppet awards on one tour, for the requirement process of drug control on the medical car to be properly secured and locked. This was being said as Stacey stood by the clearly open boot of the vehicle in question, (this appeared to be an exercise in deferring the appointed suspicion from the already depleted drug stocks). After several minutes of the situation escalating to a verbal stoush from across the road and spectators starting to line the streets to what was sure to become an all out brawl, Chloe eventually managed to relay the crucial piece of the pie in this argument, that the open boot of the vehicle Stacey was standing by was not hers at all and her car, that she had moved only moments before was indeed securely locked!

Out of Balaklava and a familiar stretch of road for those that had been on the first tour and Mrs Wind decided to come back for this stretch with the front six working hard to keep the pace up as we headed for the sleepy hamlet of Freeling with not much more but Two pubs, the Gungellan pub being the pub in McLeods Daughters, in it for Lunch.

The pack was looking tired at the lunch break, so much so that we turned to find the newly born Andy Coldbeck back in the foetal position for some strange reason? See attached photo.

A fine Gumby on the outback girl was lucky only to cost her an RMHC fine although doubled for being on the left leg and not a muppet award.

For the past 3 years we have referred to the ride as the RMHC Ride for sick kids SA, however an inform Tex has seen the ride take a turn and soon to renamed the Darren Walker ride for Darren Walker! The Tarantula on wheels can be seen on video to the tune "Im too sexy for myself", with his big bobble head bouncing from side to side and hamming it up to camera placed on the back of Blades bike for nearly 15 mins, oblivious to anything else but ensuring he was the feature act and the entire crew would have to endure the performance at team briefing.

When asked by Diesel how he was travelling at the lunch break, Tex replied, "Not too bad, considering I'm carrying such a big head!" Its all about the Tex.........Just ask him:-)

We pushed on from Mcleods Daughters hometown with the full knowledge of the acutely accurate garmin elevations, that we still had some metres to be gained before arriving at Nurioopta.

The Peloton looked after everyone for the last 30 ams of the day and we gleefully made our way to the Vines Hotel and made our way to the pool for a team dinner, some Birthday celebrations and Pizza and team briefing.

I just lost the fight of duelling Flatulence with the Master Jedi, Nugget, beating me at this also! Is there nothing this man cannot do?

Muppet award : Karlo the cat for enigma like qualities and chopping of partners wheel whilst leading the Peloton.

Dishonourable mentions : Tex for being a camera hugging bobble head, and for enticing Andy Coldbeck as a yellow jersey winner to reveal one of his mammary glands to the go pro on the back of Blades saddle.

Malliot Jaune : Jami Hodge (Elbows) for embracing the ride in all its spirit from day one 3 years ago, this includes purchasing multiple bikes from Team Bike Society during the process and through family adversity rode 150 ams solo to join us on the tour this year. Truly inspirational effort twinkles.

Now to bed, as tomorrow brings some of my favourite things in a 200 km ride and a couple of thousand metres of climbing.

We look forward to arriving in Hahndorf for the community event and with only one day to ride after that the emotions will be high.

Good night and good reading.

Mr Lucas.