Sunday night thoughts

Veni Vidi Vici - I came, I saw, I conquered

I shall passed this way but once; any good, therefore, that I can do or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now. Let me not defer nor neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.

Essential items for camping - outcomes
- Getting things done / sorting through mess / unpacking - Basic essentials - A method, buckets for common items, an eye for patterns, motivation to start, drive to push forward, attention for optimising your method/other peoples methods.
- constant repetitions

Great Vic wrap up
Wake up around 6am. Alarm clock is just the shuffling movements of 5000 people camping next to me beginning to wake up and get moving on the road.

Pack up. Big wins first. Deflate and roll my air mattress.
Roll up my sleeping bag. Into my suitcase.
Pull out 1 plastic bowl, spoon and knife for breakfast. Put it in the corner.
Pull out my day's cycling gear. Change. Put helmet, spare tubes, shoes in the corner ready to go.
Pack up remaining clothes and odds and ends.
Bags out of tent.
Pull all pegs out of tent.
Take tent fly off. Fold into approximate tent bag width
Pull down remainder of tent and roll tarp with fly into bag. Into suitcase.
Sunscreen on.
All cycle gear on. Pump up tyres.
Bag onto truck.
Breakfast. Porridge base, muesli and nutrigrain on top with fresh fruit and milk. Peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Danish if lucky.
Fill up bottles.
On the road.

Passing. Passing on the right. Beep the horn.
Slowing.
Car up. Car back.
Follow the wheel. Stick to the wheel.
Take my turn up front.
Crank the gears on the hills.

Lunch spot by 9:30 to 11am.
Eat. Stretch. Ice. Toilet.
On the road.

Stick to the wheel.
Legs burning.
To the top of the hill.
Coast.
Do we need to stop at the next rest stop?
Power on
Arrive at camp
Camp closed

Waiting on the side of the road
Honking horns
Coffee
Sprint to campsite
Mark territory with the bike and gear
Deflate tyres
Unload truck 2 with human conveyor belt
Where the f*** is my bag.
"anyone seen a black bag!?"
- "yeah it was on the road ripped to pieces"
- "yeah, truck 7"
"do you want me to carry all your bags for you?"
- "woah, thats a bit rich! Someone take a pole out of his arse"

Top off
Pitch the tent - tarp, poles, clips, flys, pegs.
Set up clothes line and hang up wet clothes
Finally get out of cycle gear! Wave of relief from below.
"cycling hurts your balls"
- "tell them sit on your hand for an hour and see if it goes numb"

chill out. Ice. Snooze.
More sunscreen on. Beach.
Recovery. 15 minutes walking in cold water.
Swim if the waves are pumping
Go into town for food.
Optimum shower window at around 5:30pm - everyone is heading to dinner and showers are empty. Snigger at those who queue for 20 minutes in line for a shower at 2pm
Moisturize sunburn. Groom.
1 plate. Knife, fork, spoon.
Look out for people in front of me to see which people are being served big portions of food, or for the younger, more generous food volunteers. Tuck into that line.
Banter over dinner
Drink at spokes bar.
Drink at the pub
Late night till pub closes
Bed at 1:30am

Nine days.
550k. 0 punches. 0 stacks. The worlds best vanilla slice. Banana-gasm.

Day 1 - Portland, 53k (Portland-Cape Bridgewater-Portland). Raining. Lunch has dill in it. Quietly impressed by food. Marshall said turn right for rest stop and left for campsite. Turn left. Draft with guy from Qld. Get to camp first out of my team. Yellow jersey. Find out later the course incorporates going to the rest stop and back tracking. Missed the cape bridgewater blow hole. Still claim I have a yellow and even green jersey. Tired from 2 hours sleep, and 4am departure from RNF's house. Bus from Geelong racecourse. My group is last to arrive and everyone on the bus is waiting for us. Have a bit of a private laugh with group.
Always bring a book when camping!

Day 2 - Macarthur, 66k.

Day 3 - Port Fairy, 48k.
Everyone at camp is pumped for an easy day. Route profile shows it is all down hill and a short ride. Ride on. It is pretty much all uphill. Call the guys for a recovery trip down to beach. It works wonders. Legs feel sore but recovery makes me feel refreshed.
Worlds best vanilla slice. Tastiest fish and chips. Buy hayfever medication and knocks me out while I'm at the pub.

Day 4 - Port Campbell, 100k. Tough.
First real stretch of downhill. No speedo but I must have been doing at least 70km/hr. Shitting my pants. Other team riders must have been doing closer to 80km/hr as they pass me.
Almost drop off but manage to hold on. Full team sticks together and forms a massive pack into town. Good work. Slap in the face with a final turn into the camp site. It is a big hill. Struggle. Mel gives me a power bar and a couple of gels. Good for recovery. Straight to cove for cold water beach recovery. Legs feel weary but fresh again. Rain. Bottle of wine at spokes bar. Quiet one in preparation for another big day.

Day 5 - Apollo Bay, 97km. 2 massive climbs. The famous notorious Lavers hill. Then sneaky heart attack hill. Painful. Little champ tells me to grab handle bars and pull it forward a little. Good tip.

Day 6 - Apollo Bay. Rest day

Day 7 - Anglesea. 78km
Altered traffic conditions on Great ocean road to allow full use for cyclists. Drafted with AT. Beautiful stretch of coast. Highlight of trip so far. Wish I had my camera
Second last night out. Big night.

Day 8 - Queenscliff, 64km
Straight into water with cycling gear.
Last night out. Big night. Pizza.

Day 9 - Geelong. 41km
Hammer it into the finish line. Flat ride but into a head wind. Nice weather.

The slogan of the great vic is a week in another world. It truely is.
Great fun, great group, great laughs, great rides, great packs.

I'm home. Tired. A little sore.
Finally a proper shower and brushing my teeth.
No need to set up the tent. My own bed.
Comfort
Recovery

Plug into the world again. Phone on. Connect to internet.
Work tomorrow.
Back to reality
NZ on Tuesday
Good ride