Around the Bay In a Day 2005.
Last year I did this ride on the Zeica, a few days ago on this modular bike and in other years on an oddball assortment. This year I went into the ride with some fairly solid commuting-training and a hilly 100k ride under my belt. The 100k ride was through the Otways with my friends Tony Hazeldine (70's Claude Butler road bike), and Damian and Francis Harkin (back to back flevo tandem).
On picking up my t-shirt the day before the ride, I saw Damian and Ray Lelkes with his "flying furniture" and I only saw one other recumbent (a gleaming orange challenge low racer) on the whole of the next day, although others reported many more sightings. My start for the ride was at 5.00 a.m. in Elsternwick, a bit down the track from the official start at Docklands. This means getting up at 3.30 am. Silly isn't it! I met Tony soon after the start and rode with him until some of the hilly bits got the better of me near Mr. Eliza. (We stopped and spoke to Damian and Francis at the top of Oliver's Hill in Frankston and passed them soon after).
I got into Sorrento about 8.15 a.m. (it makes a lot of difference when you get into the ferry point - the later you get there the longer the wait) and crossed on the ferry in glorious sunshine.
My bike was the only recumbent on the ferry amidst hundreds of road-racing bikes and I had to yell out "How the F----- am I going to find my bike when I come back!" (This was a joke, see photo).
The trip back to Melbourne was fortunately very uneventful with some very useful pelletons forming. From about Lara I stuck with a large group, some of whom recognised me or my bike from last year. We could cruise on about 30 - 35 kph and the recumbent's aerodynamics really helped - I didn't have to put in a huge amount of effort, which was just as well because I didn't have much effort left to put in.
Got into Docklands about 3.00 p.m. Tony got in at 2.00 p.m. and Damian and Francis arrived in Yarraville at about 6.00 p.m. after a long wait for the ferry and a picnic with friends and relatives in Geelong.
"The Age" newspaper had a Sunday supplement with all the names of the Round the Bay riders included and my family has had a bit of sport highlighting all the people we know in it. We are up to eight so far. More than half of the entrants seem to be in corporate or other groups.
- So for next year:
- Maybe a lighter bike (current one is 24 kg, twice the weight of most of the racers)
- A recumbent-specific T-shirt, long sleeve, cotton with pockets in the front. Kerry Hansen had one at Broadford a few years ago.
- Frequently asked questions and comments:
- Does that thing have a motor in it?
- He has too much time on his hands
- Looks comfortable
- Strewth, it's front wheel drive!
- Someone asked about the skateboard wheel as rear suspension
Stephen Nurse, October, 2005.