new love, young love.

Seven times the righteous fall, but seven times he rises up again
Proverbs 24:16


The m7 cycleway and I are getting to know each other. We had our first date about a week ago. It was nice. the cycleway was a gentlemen. He let me know when there were corners up ahead, warned me when the road would get steep, and even offered me some water and a toilet break along the way.

But like most men, there's always complications. By complications, I mean hills. The sneaky bastard would always tell me when I would be going downhill, but conveniently "forgot" to mention that around the next corner was another ascent that would make Lance Armstrong's one testicle shrink in on itself.

But regardless of this, I was completely smitten with my new love. And so is Gigi.

Until today.

Today was an enigma. An anomaly. A weather infused torture chamber than nearly saw my demise. I apologise to the drivers on the m7 who had to witness the last 10kms of my ride. It wasnt pretty. But it got done.

Just quietly, I think mission Tour de France 2010 had a bit of setback today. Time will tell if I can get the campaign back on track. Gigi and I need to go and take a long hard look at ourselves.

Trouble on the double!

Friends always show their love. What are relatives for if not to share trouble?
Proverbs 17:17


23 November 2009. Learn it. Love it. Got it?

After sleeping through what can only be described as a firey furness, I was admittedly more than thrilled to wake up to overcast skies and a crisp breeze. Perfect weather for a ride. But today wasn't going to be an ordinary ride. Oh no. I had company. Special company. Constable company.

After liasing via text message the night before, it was agreed between Sophie (sorry Stacey was it?) and I that we would rendevous at my place at 11am and head towards our sacred destination of Bicentennial Park.

Much to my delight, when 11am arrived, I greeted my impressively dressed friend. Leggings with black shorts on top to ensure extra padding around the rumpal region, as instructed. After a few giggles, and a bathroom visit, we were off. Or so we thought.

Surely, it would have been nice to smoothly exit my house, deep within the Hills District, to head out to Homebush Bay. However, always ready to complicate things, Sophie and I spent about 5 minutes trying to work out how to get to the bike park in Homebush Bay (this is despite the fact that I have been there already). Sophie's sanity finally prevailed when she reminded me that we had been to Olympic Park nearly every week for a month to watch the football. It took a further 5 minutes to get into the car as we discussed a potentially serious petrol situation, and also debated who would follow who to our destination. I stand firm by my belief that it was the wrong decision to have elect me to lead.

After taking the scenic route around Sydney Olympic Park, back out onto Parramatta Road, then back in to Sydney Olympic Park for a second scenic route, we finally (ahem) found our way to the bike park.

Determined to impress my oldest friend with my cycling prowess and skill, I attempted quite possibly, the most abysmal extraction of GiGi out of my boot. After muttering an embarrassed, "I honestly can do this, I put it in and out everyday", Sophie subtly and gracefully suggested that a rogue pedal was the cause of obstruction, thus enabling an allbeit, unsightly, but successful exit of Gigi out of my boot.

With nervous anticipation, Sophie and I headed towards the bike hire shop. As usual, a further argument ensued over who was going to pay for Sophie's trusty steed. After employing a manouvre that only women of ethnic blood possess, I somehow managed to make Sophie's $20 note disappear back into her wallet, while swiping my keycard into the EftPos machine.

Biked and helmeted, it was decided it would be a good idea to give Sophie a quick instructional lesson on how her newly acquired hybrid worked. There are two unfortunate variables in this moment. 1 - I was the teacher; 2 - Sophie was the student. Now, this is not to criticise my abilities as a teacher, nor does it discredit Sophie's ability to absorb and appropriate information. It does however clearly demonstrate, that for some unusual reason, most likely scientific, when Sophie and I are put together, odd things tend to happen.

This was not helped by the fact that apart from pedaling, I have no idea about any feature on a bike. However, I did not feel it necessary to highlight this fact to Sophie.

The following conversation ensued:

Me: ok let me show you how to use the gears

Sophie: copy that

Me: ok so you see these circles with teeth, there's three, that's your crankset and each crankset has 8 gears in it and you have three cranksets, so that means thats there's 8 gears in each of the cranksets and you move from gear to crankset to gear lower for going up hills and higher to go down hills.

Sophie: ok so where's my cranksie.......

*silence*

At this point I thought it was best that Sophie just remain in one gear and just made sure she knew how to use her brakes. We took a practice ride around the children's play area. A few wobbles and balance adjustments later, Sophie was raring through the bike tracks of Bicentennial Park. Apart from her long flowing hair and the fact she doesnt have testicles, you would have been forgiven for thinking she was Lance Armstrong.

I learnt early on in the peice however, that Sophie has two weaknesses. One is called people, two is called poles. However not to be deterred, her fighting spirit prevailed, and by the end of our 15km marathon effort, she was weaving in and out of her dreaded obstacles without a care in the world.

Interestingly, we found ourselves at one point, at Ikea in Rhodes. Neither of us are sure of how we got there, in fact I am convinced we may have entered into a time space continuum which transports people from bike tracks to Ikea. Very clever ploy there Mr Ikea, very clever.

Our ride was complete, we headed back to the bike shop, returned Sophie's new friend and ambled back to our cars with smiles on our faces, and bruises on our bums.

To my friend, it was an absolute joy to ride with you.

Just what the doctor ordered

A cheerful heart is good medicine for the soul
Proverbs 17:22

I just waved goodbye to my Sophie, who in true Hunter fashion, was regailing my husband and brother on the various ways to avoid getting arrested for drink driving.

Now, why you say Sandy, would you blog about this event, when on surface level it appears to have nothing to do with your cycling adventures? My response to that is, up your nose with a rubber hose I can write about whatever I want. Come child, shhhh.

You see, this Monday marks a sacred event. A day predestined in the history of the world, where the Ancients stop and peer down from the heavens, to witness a monumental moment that will span but a breath in the life of eternal time, but the impact of which, will shake the foundations of what is known to be true and right.

Sophie and I, will be going for a ride. Together. Two friends. Two bikes. One dream.

Eat your heart out Armstrong.

An uprising (of sorts)

And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.
Jonah 2:10

If you replace me with the fish, and pepsi max and lebanese yoghurt for Jonah, then you have an idea of how successful my ride was today.

And that's all I have to say about that.

Exercising wisdom, not just legs

A simple man believes anything,
but a prudent man gives thought to his steps.
Proverbs 14:15

So I discovered today that I have been very simple and not very prudent with my cycling.

Here's what I learnt during my 24km ride:

1. Cycling shorts are a jolly good sight better then demin cut offs;

2. One does need water whilst riding (frothing at the mouth is an indication of dehydration not rabies, ha who knew); and

3. It apparantly helps to eat prior to exercising (thus eliminating the black out effect experienced on previous rides).

On a side note, I did stop to help a fellow cyclist who appeared to be having some difficulties with his bike chain. The conversation resembled something like this:

Me: Are you alright?
Him: The chain came off, I got it back on but it doesnt seem to be catching
Me: Catching what?
Him: the pedals
Me: the chain isnt meant to be on the pedals
Him: *silence*

clearly I lost him with my advanced knowledge of bike anatomy. My comment obviously helped because he lapped me several times shortly afterwards.

I mentioned 24km, another personal best. Definately on track for Tour de France 2010.

bring it

but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
- Isaiah 40:31


18kms.

I've done it before, last Friday to be exact, around Parramatta Park.

Today was different though. It shouldn't have happened today.

Let me take you through my last 36 hours.

Monday night, refuge.

Tuesday morning, refuge.

Tuesday day, Dooleys.

Tuesday afternoon...........my first injection of chemo medication. This is the part where it gets interesting. I have to now take the injection form of my oral medication, in order to increase it's potency via the blood stream instead of the digestive system. It makes the meds more effective........but it makes the side effects worse. And instead of the side effects kicking in after about an hour (when im usually fast asleep), they kicked in within 5 minutes, at 4.25pm.

My night was challenging. I was challenged.

Wednesday morning, I was up at 7.40am. In a foul mood, barely any sleep and feeling the normal sensation of disconnection that I have the day after taking my meds.

But GiGi called, and I decided to go for a ride.

The first lap of Parramatta Park was a blur. The second lap I was angry.

But then the third lap happened. It wasn't about how many laps I could do, how far I could go, getting up that hill. Didnt matter any more. It was about proving to my demons that they don't have a say anymore about what my body can or can't do. I had arthritis by its throat, stared it in the face, and said, "get behind me". I'm going the 18.

And I did.

Rain, hail, or shine......but mostly rain

on that day all the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened.
- Genesis 7:11


I woke up today to find the weather not particularly conducive to cycling, however the optomist in me decided to risk it regardless.

Jonathan had been given strict instructions last night, "set your alarm for 9am, go to bed early, be ready when I get back from the refuge". Bicentennial Park beckoned you see.

So you can imagine how thrilled I was when I walked in the door at 9.53am to find that my husband had only just gotten out of bed. I was greeted with, "ughhh, im not feeling the best hey". My normal sympathetic self was completed out of action after a night shift at Camp Refugee, fortunately this was duly noted by Jonathan's PMS radar, and he quickly showered and got dressed for the day's adventure. I found out later that he was severly hung over and had not gotten to bed until 5am.

Team Dellas experienced a minor setback early in the piece when our overpriced TomTom failed to contain "Sydney Olympic Park". After a series of attempts, it was determined that "Homebush Bay" was our exact destination. 15 minutes and a hired hybrid later, we were navigating our way through the lucious landscape of Bicentennial Park.

To say that riding on relatively flat ground was a relief is an understatement. I finally was able to guage the capabilities of both GiGi and myself in partnership. We took on several mini hills, and I again was able to attempt them both seated and standing, aswell as working around the best gear setting. I'm getting better.

Jonathan and I were going great guns until a slight detour saw us out of the park and onto a series of main roads. It was at this point that the aforementioned heavens opened up. Half an hour later, and severly drenched, we made our way back to the trusty eel mobile.

I thought GiGi handled the wet quite well. Her handlebars did get exceptionally slippery however, and at one stage when I misjudged the track I did get quite wobbly. But apart from that, there were absolutely no issues.

Have to say, I loved loved loved riding today. It was so fantastic. I was expecially pleased that I kept up with Jonathan the whole time, and could have gone for much longer if it hadn't been for the rain.

We wont talk about what happened later at McDonalds. Shameful Cham, shameful.

So close...

God doesnt call the equiped, He equipes the called.

Got up today, GiGi looked ready for a ride so we decided to once again, take on the mountainous terrain that is the Baulkham Hills Shire.

Main aim for today was to try and find "flat" enough road so that i can ride for longer. I semi-achieved that........21 minutes (after adding how the length of all the songs i went through on my ipod).

I drove around in my car prior and tried to scope a few side streets that didnt look so hilly, i rode around them pretty comfortably, i must say - going down hills is ALOT of fun. But i unfortunately came back out at the bottom of Heartbreak Hill which is the only way home.

I felt reasonably confident that once again i would not make it up the hill that has now become the bane of my existence. So i tried my hill riding technique on a few smaller ones and seemed to find standing a bit easier than remaining seated. I figured it was worth a shot, and with the street a buzz with activity from Saturday morning little athletics, i didnt really want to have to get off GiGi and push her to the top in front of my fellow Baulkhamites.

For some reason unknown to me, i chose to try to do this feat riding on the footpath, and not the road. I put the ipod onto Pillar, my pump up band, and appropriately to the tune of "Fireproof" (a metaphor for escaping hell, no light hearted pop for the Cham), i entered my own version of hell.

Things i have learnt from trying to ride up hill on a footpath:

1. Footpaths are not smooth. In fact, every second section was cracked, or upraised, or have tree stumps jutting out of them;

2. people dont care much for bikes when reversing out of their driveway;

3. People like to park their cars across footpaths.

The road is there to share, but apparantly not the footpath.

Needless to say, I ended up pushing my bike up the hill. However, i still consider today a success for this reason: for a brief moment, i believed that i could make it up.